Episode 20

I arrived home a few days ago and thanks to Kathelyn's efficiency, we have already solved everything we needed to. The only thing left is a visit to my new company with the architecture team and to go visit my friend Charles Gonzales.

My sisters are staying here at home so we can catch up.

Last night, I barely slept, feeling a pain in my chest. It felt like I was suffocating, as if someone needed me.

..."It was strange! Very strange!"...

After breakfast, I went up to the room to schedule the meeting with the architects and as I was leaving the room, I ran into Helena and we walked downstairs talking about random topics.

When I looked in a certain direction in the living room, I was in a trance. My heart raced, my mouth went dry and immediately the perfect night I had with this girl came to mind. Diana was standing there, even more beautiful, with a perfect body, more pronounced curves.

The years had been kind to her, I won't deny that my member sprang to life in my pants as it hadn't in years. However, I remembered our last meeting and tried to prevent her from talking to my parents.

I am not proud of what I did and I wanted to ask for forgiveness. As expected, she didn't want it and my parents didn't allow it. The disappointment on my family's faces began to hurt.

Every word in that room left me devastated. I was a scoundrel with Diana.

I saw the children's photo from afar, I stopped because something inside me stirred, my heart raced, my eyes welled up, and I felt worse than I already was. For the first time, I felt immense regret consume me and I questioned my choices.

Knowing that Diana is going through a delicate situation with her sister sparked a different feeling.

..."Her pain seemed like my pain! Strange that!"...

I tried to put myself in her shoes, the pain she must be feeling is unimaginable.

There is no doubt they are my children, simply because of what stirred in my being when I saw that photo, even from afar.

Her words hurt, but her request for a DNA test was like a slap in the face. Her hateful look pierced me to the core.

When she walked out those doors, I intended to go after her, but my parents didn't allow it.

"Where do you think you're going?" my father asked sharply.

"To talk to her!"

"If she wanted to talk to you, she would have! Now, your conversation will be with us!" my mother said coldly.

Her look was unreadable and her posture strong.

She came closer to me and slapped me across the face.

"Mother!" I said, holding where she hit me.

"I didn't raise you to be a scoundrel, coward, and egocentric!" she said through gritted teeth, tears in her eyes. "I was always proud of you, because you always fought to achieve your dreams, but now I realize I made a mistake in raising you!"

"You didn't make a mistake... I did..."

"Benjamin strayed, mother! It's not your fault!" Helena said.

"Mother, I am a determined man and I am responsible for my choices, not you!"

"You are not a man! You are just a spoiled and irresponsible brat! We didn't raise you to become what we are seeing in front of us, we didn't raise you to be a coward, minimalist!" my father said.

"I was scared... I tried to find her afterwards, but..."

"Did you use a condom, Benjamin?" my mother asked.

"No!"

She slapped me twice more across the face.

"You had the nerve to doubt the girl? No! Every time I find out something new, I am even more disappointed! While you were cozy rolling your eyes, you weren't scared, were you? And if you looked for her, you didn't try hard enough, because if you had tried harder, I'm sure you would have found her!"

"The truth is, I didn't want to find her!" my father added.

"Forgive me!" I said with tears in my eyes.

"You won't have my forgiveness until you become a real man!"

She asked my father for his belt, I watched in shock at her actions. She struck me several times on my legs and back.

"Ouch... mother... ouch!"

"This physical pain is nothing compared to what that poor girl felt!" my mother said.

Her look of disappointment hurt more than the beating she gave me.

She climbs the stairs disappointed, my father also delivers two belt lashes on my legs.

"You better mature, Benjamin!"

"Father, what should I do?" I ask.

"You already know what you have to do!"

My father goes after my mother.

"You dropped the ball, Benjamin! I thought you were more prudent and fair!" she says disappointed.

Helena goes towards the outdoor area.

I make an effort to calm down, I look at the small table and see Helena's card. I approach, pick up the card, sit on the couch and throw my head back. I'm all sore, but the internal pain is greater.

No one deserves to go through what she went through. I feel bad for all the harm I caused her. I need to repair part of my mistake somehow, her words hurt me. I could feel the pain in her voice, which seemed to pierce my soul like a sword.

Of all this, the disappointment stamped on my family's faces finished demolishing me.

I take a deep breath, grab my phone and make a call.

"Hi, can we meet?"

"Okay!"

We talk and as soon as I end the call, I go up to my room to get ready. My body is all marked by the belt lashes and my face is red from the slaps.

As soon as I was ready, I met my cousins at the hospital, both work at the best hospital in Los Angeles.

"Ben, I don't know if I can do this!" my cousin Ivy says.

"Please, Ivy! I'm not asking for anything outrageous! Use the crush he has on you to our advantage!" I plead.

"We are just co-workers!... I don't like lies and you know that well! I don't even know if Joaquim will agree!"

"At least try! Please..."

"It's for a good cause, sis!" Bryan says.

I was happy for his help.

She takes a deep breath, massaging her temples and lets out the air at once.

"I can't guarantee anything, but I'll talk to him!"

"Thank you very much, cousin! I owe you one!"

"If I were to write down everything you owe me, I'd go bankrupt right now!" she says playfully, making her brother laugh.

Ivy is a wonderful woman, we have always been friends and she was the only one who helped me in a very difficult phase of my life.

"And what about the DNA test? she asks."

"I want to do it as soon as possible! In a few days, I'll leave and I want to go with everything resolved!"

"We can do express paternity test, with results in 24 hours!"

I look at her, waiting for answers.

"They offer this type of test for paternity determination on DNA extracted from fresh blood or buccal cells samples, with results in 24 hours!"

"I prefer the buccal cells!"

"Still afraid of needles?" she asks playfully.

"I can't believe you're afraid of needles!" jokes.

"I'm not afraid! I'm allergic!"

"Oh please..." she says laughing.

"When they go into my skin, I feel bad! That's not fear!"

Bryan laughs.

"A big guy like you, afraid of needles! Do the blood test, sis, and use those big needles!"

Just imagining it, I adjust my tie to breathe better and they laugh even harder.

"I'm glad I entertain you!" I say rolling my eyes. "Back to what matters, I'll ask Diana to bring the children and..."

"Give me the address, we'll go there, so we spare the children from having to come to the hospital!"

I agree and give her Diana's card, I had already taken a picture to save her contact and address.

I say goodbye to Bryan and go with Ivy to the laboratory. She takes care of everything, they collect the samples and accompany me to the exit.

"Thank you for your help!"

"I'm doing this for the girl and not for you! You were a big and reckless idiot!"

"I know!"

We say goodbye and I go home.

As I enter, my parents are sitting on the couch.

"Sit down!" he says, pointing to the couch.

I can see that I still have a lot to hear.

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