Forever My Love Ch. 10

A lump formed in Ben's throat as he reached out tentatively, his fingers hovering over Jim's hand. His hands trembled as he reached out to touch Jim's hand, the coldness of the skin sending shivers down his spine.

"I am so sorry, Jim." He said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I am sorry that this happened to you. I have never wished anything bad to happen to you despite the differences we have between us. We used to be so close, inseparable, but look at us now... you tried to kill me and now you're in this position."

Ben's eyes welled up and he leaned towards his brother.

"Do you remember when we were growing up, we promised each other that no matter what, nothing was gonna come between us?" He whispered, his voice trembling. "Despite what has happened, I have still held on to those hopes, Jim. That one day, we're gonna put our differences aside and we're do everything that we did when we were in the university, just the two of us.

I am so sorry for all the wrongs I have done to you, Jim. I don't know if you can hear me, but let's end all this hatred. It has done nothing but hurt us, hurt our family. I love you so much, so so much, Jim."

Despite everything, he still loved his brother, even in the face of the pain and betrayal that now bound them together. Ben sat in silence, grappling with the complexity of emotions. A few minutes passed before he heard the door to the room opening.

He glanced in the direction and saw his father entering weakly. He looked bothered. His shirt was halfway buttoned, folded at the sleeves. His eyes were red and he looked upset, a frown on his face. Seeing him, Ben couldn't help but get concerned.

"Dad," He called, slowly walking towards him. "Are you okay? You don't see so well. Why don't you come and take a seat?"

But Jerome didn't move an inch. He stared at his son, guilt eating him up from the inside like a sharp toothed monster. He reached out a trembling hand, placing it gently on Ben's cheek. Tears welled in his eyes and his mouth trembled.

"I am so sorry, Ben." He said, his voice trembling. "I am so sorry for the way I have treated you from the very beginning. For the way I made you feel like you were not welcome, for not defending you as much when Elena tried to abuse you. You suffered so much and I never even tried to make that go away."

"Dad..." Ben was so shocked.

"No, I am such a bad father." He sobbed, putting his hands together. "I am sorry for those six years I wasn't with you, for disowning you. If I had been with you, none of that would have happened. You wouldn't have suffered so much and you wouldn't have lost the baby. Please, forgive me and punish me in any way you want."

"Dad!" Ben felt his heart skip a beat, his stomach twisting. "Why are you talking like this? What's wrong? I thought we already talked about this and I told you that I forgive you. You're a very good man and I wouldn't ask for another father if I was given a chance." He held his father's hands. "What's going on?"

Jerome dropped his eyes to the floor. He didn't know how to break the news to his son.

"You know I went to give blood for your brother, Jim," his father said, his tone strained. "I just found out that, he... he..." He paused and took a deep breath. "He's not... He's not really your brother."

The words hung in the air like a heavy fog, suffocating and disorienting. Ben felt as if the ground had been ripped from beneath him, leaving him suspended in a void of disbelief. He glanced towards the bed before he looked at his father again.

"I don't understand, father." He managed to choke out, his voice barely above a whisper. "What do you mean?"

"I... I just found out a few minutes ago, myself." He sobbed. "Elena... she... she told me that he's not even her child. She cannot conceive because her womb got damaged from the abortion she had years ago. She... paid someone who gave her the child years ago. She's been deceiving me all this time."

Shock washed over Ben, his eyes widening as he stared at his father in disbelief. Anguish crept into Ben's eyes as he grappled with the revelation. He stared for a long time at the unconscious man on the bed, so many memories playing at the back of his head. All that time they had grown up together, how he had been treated by Elena and all the sacrifices he had made because he thought he was unworthy.

"She has been deceiving us all this time, made me believe he was my son." He whispered. "All this time, I was so focused on the boy I thought was my son, even disowned my blood. Ben... I feel so terrible but I also feel I deserve it for all the pain I have caused you."

He took Ben's hands, startling the boy. When Ben looked at his father, he was filled with confusion.

"Son, you're my only son." He continued. "You're my only blood, my heir. Look how I almost messed it up because of lies."

Ben felt the tears welling up in his eyes, hot and stinging.

"Does Jim know about this?"

"No!" He shook his head. "According to Elena, she was the only that knew up till today."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know." He sighed, combing his hair with his fingers. "I am so confused right now because I consider him as my son. But... he needs to know the truth. I don't think I can bear looking at him without the thought that he's not my son after all these years."

Ben didn't know how to react. He was filled with a lot of emotions.

"No matter what has happened, he's still my brother." Ben said, his voice restrained. "I am not saying that you shouldn't tell him but... I don't think anything needs to change. Nothing changes for me. Jim is my brother, and that's not going to change just because of this."

He stared at his brother.

"He grew in this family, grew up knowing you as his father. Knowing this and knowing that it might change will shutter him and his dreams." He said, staring at his father. "No matter what has happened, revelation or not, I love Jim and nothing is gonna change that. And it shouldn't change for you too.

We can't change the past, but we can choose how we move forward. Blood or not, he's my brother, and I'm not letting go of that. We're family, and that's what matters to me."

A fragile smile broke on Jerome's face, and he nodded appreciatively. Ben smiled and enveloped his father in a tight embrace. Jerome returned the embrace, the weight of the truth still heavy on his shoulders, but comforted by the unwavering support of his son.

They hugged for what felt like hours until they heard the door opening. They broke the hug and Ben felt his heart skip a beat when he saw David standing in the doorway with a concerned expression etched across his face. Their eyes met, and for a fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still. The air crackled with unspoken words, emotions swirling between them like a storm.

"Ben!"

Ben snapped out of his mood when he heard that sweet voice before he felt arms wrapping around him. He was so happy. He leaned and took the boy in his arms, hugging him tightly. He couldn't help but glance at David that still stood there without saying a word.

David was with Amber and Claudia that immediately rushed to Jim's bedside, holding his hand as she sobbed. She couldn't believe it when she saw the wounds on his face.

"Ben, you don't like me anymore?" Michael complained, the expression on his face sad. "Why don't you come to see me?"

"Oh, honey..." Ben smiled sheepishly, cupping the boy's cheeks. He was so excited. "...it's not about that. I have just been busy, you know. And I call you from time to time, don't I?"

"It's not the same!" He said, dropping his eyes to the floor. "I want to see you. Don't you like me anymore?"

"Michael, I..."

"Michael!" Amber chimed in, holding the boy's hands. "Ben has been so busy but he made a promise that he was gonna come see you. Come on," She smiled brightly. "Stand with me, okay."

The boy nodded and went with Amber. Ben slowly stood, taking a glance at his brother.

"Oh my God, Jim." Claudia sobbed, holding his hand tightly. "What happened to you? How did this happen? Why did it happen?"

"He was involved in an accident, Mrs. Paola." Jerome managed a word. "He's stable. But... he tried to run over Ben. That's what led him sustaining all these injuries."

"What?" David gasped, his eyes widening.

A heavy silence settled over them, broken only by the steady beeping of the heart monitor beside Jim's bed. Everyone was in shock, except for Jerome and Ben. David got scared, scared of the thoughts that Ben could have died.

"How are you doing?" He said abruptly. "Are you hurt?"

"I am okay."

"I didn't know," David murmured, his voice filled with sympathy. "I'm sorry. It's probably my fault."

Ben nodded, the room now charged with an unspoken understanding. Ben's heart raced as he met David's gaze. The weight of the past, the pain, and the longing collided in that moment. For a heartbeat, it felt like the world outside the hospital room ceased to exist. David hesitantly reached out, his fingers grazing Ben's hand. The touch sent a shiver through Ben's body.

"I should go," Ben said, tearing his gaze away from David. "I just... I wanted to make sure he's okay."

"I'll take you! I need to make sure you reach home safely."

Ben looked towards the direction of the voice and saw Brandon standing there with his hands in his pocket. And he had thought the man had probably gone by then. He sheepishly smiled, went to his father and hugged him before he went to Brandon. The man wrapped an arm around him and they left.

David didn't know what he felt when he saw that, a dull ache emanating from deep in his chest. He took a deep breath before he went and stood beside Jim's bed, staring at him. But even though he was there, he couldn't help but think about Ben and wonder why he felt so deeply connect to him.

***

"Ben!" Alejandra cried out, her voice a mix of fear and relief.

Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms tightly around her son, pulling him into a fierce embrace. Tears welled up in her eyes as she held him close, grateful that he was still there with her.

"Oh, my baby boy," She whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "I was so scared. I can't bear the thought of losing you. Do you know how scared I was?"

Before he could respond, Carlos and Gustavo joined in and they were just as emotional.

"You silly boy." Gustavo said as she patted his shoulder. "How could you scare us like that?"

"I knew that nothing good could come out of that stupid boy." Carlos commented as he sobbed. "I would have killed him if something had happened to you, I swear."

"I am okay." Ben said with a smile. "It's only a miracle that I survived. If not for Brandon, I wouldn't have made it."

He pulled away from the hug and took Brandon's hand, pulling him closer.

"This is Brandon Charles!" He said with a smile. "He's the one that saved my life today. If not for him, I would have died."

"Brandon?"

Brandon approached with a kind and genuine smile, putting his hands together in respect. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm just glad I could be there for Ben when he needed help."

Alejandra's eyes welled up again, but this time with gratitude. She pulled Brandon into a warm embrace, silently thanking him for bringing Ben back to her.

"Thank you, Brandon. Thank you for saving my boy," she whispered, her voice filled with sincerity. "Ben means a lot to me and I don't know how I would have survived without him."

"Well, I am glad I was there at the time." He said, glancing at him. "Guess, it was destiny that took me to that place. Otherwise, there's a lot to process, especially after finding out his own brother wanted to kill him."

Ben couldn't help but blush.

"Great!" She chuckled. "I wanna to cook a very special meal this evening to celebrate Ben's health and his return to us. I want you to stay so that I can thank you."

"I would love that but..." He opened his arms. "...look at me, I am a mess and..."

"No worries," Carlos said, smiling at the handsome man. "I should have some clothes that can fit you."

"Good!" Gustavo smiled. "It's settled then. You're staying for dinner."

The man smiled and thanked the family. He followed Carlos upstairs to take a shower and have a change of clothes. As soon as he left, Ben lost the smile on his face and tears built in his eyes again. He stared at both Gustavo and Alejandra before he spoke again.

"Brandon is not only my savior but he is also my first boyfriend." He said with tears strolling down his face. "He didn't only save my life today; he saved the life of... my baby." He said hesitantly. "I'm pregnant."

Alejandra's eyes widened in astonishment, her breath caught in her throat, and her mind struggled to process this unexpected twist. She looked at her husband who was equally in shock.

"What?" She let out a breath.

"6 weeks." Ben added. "I just found out today at the hospital."

"Wow!" Alejandra gasped. "You're pregnant, but how? Last time I checked, you're not seeing anyone and I thought they removed the womb last time."

"I didn't consent to it." He sighed, dropping his eyes to the floor. He didn't know how they were going to take what he was going to tell them next. "And the father is... well, it's David."

Silence hung in the room as Alejandra and Gustavo processed the unexpected revelation. The air was thick with tension until Gustavo finally spoke, breaking the quietude, "Wait, what? David, as in David Paola?"

Ben nodded, unable to meet their eyes. "I know it's a lot to take in, and I'm sorry for dropping this bombshell on you. I don't even know how to react to it but... I didn't want to hide this from you." He raised his head and stared at them both. "You guys are like my parents and I will understand if you're mad. There was no way I was gonna hide this from you since it was gonna start showing sooner or later."

Alejandra and Gustavo exchanged glances once more, but to Ben's surprise, the shock on their faces gave way to understanding. After a moment, Alejandra walked over to him, enveloping him in a warm embrace. Gustavo joined in, completing the circle of support.

"Ben, how could you ever think that we would be mad at you?" She said, tears welling in her eyes. "This is the best news ever, the thought of little feet running in this house is the best thing ever. No matter, we love you and we support you."

Gustavo nodded in agreement, his voice gentle, "You're going to provide this family with another beautiful child, a future heir. How can we be mad at you? We will support you every step of the way. But does David know about this?"

Ben broke the hug and shook his head. "And I don't think I am gonna tell him."

"Oh, let me get my hands on that man." Gustavo groaned, clenching his fists. "I am gonna kill him this time. There's no way he's gonna get away with impregnating you once again."

Ben and Alejandra burst into laughter. In that moment, surrounded by one of the people he loved most in the world, he knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would face them together. He felt lucky, but he was scared... scared of what was gonna happen if David got to know that he was pregnant for him. He hoped Amber wasn't gonna tell on him.

***

Ben sat on the balcony in his pajamas, rubbing on his tummy, the cool evening breeze gently rustling his hair as he stared out into the city skyline, lost in thought. As he was enveloped in his own world, the sound of the balcony door sliding open startled him. Turning slightly, he saw Brandon stepping out, a hesitant expression on his face. Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither spoke.

"Hey," Brandon said softly, getting closer. "Do you mind if I join you? I really want to have a chat with you."

"No problem!" Ben said with a smile, moving to create some space for the hunk.

Brandon joined on the comfy couch and he couldn't help but stare at him. Memories of their time together in high school, how happy they had been. The day he had proposed to the boy under that tree they used to hang out at after school. It brought a smile to Brandon's face.

"It's been a while, Ben." He sighed, smiling at him. "8 years now and look at you... you've grown, you're more beautiful and God... I feel like an idiot for leaving like that. How have you been?"

"I have been fine, I guess." He shrugged. "A lot has happened as you can see and things are no longer like they used to."

"To my surprise!" Brandon laughed. "I am still getting shivers whenever I remember what happened a few hours ago."

"Same here!" Ben took a deep breath. "If not for you, I don't know what would have happened. I owe my life to you, Brandon. Thank you so much!"

"It's my pleasure!" He sighed. He couldn't stop staring at Ben. "And I just wanna apologize for the way I treated you, Ben." He slowly took his hands and held them in his. "For the way I talked to you, the way I ended things and the way I left. I..."

"You don't have to apologize, Brandon." Ben said, a warm smile spreading across his face. "I am the one that should apologize. It was because of me that you got hurt, she hurt you because of me."

"Yeah, but that doesn't justify how I talked to you." He lost the smile on his face. "I was so scared. I got beaten up badly, she threatened my mother and I... I got scared. My mother got fired from her job and we had no choice but to leave the country."

"I am so sorry, Brandon. If I wasn't in your life, none of that would have happened."

"Don't apologize!" He winked. "No matter what happened, knowing you was one of the best things that happened to me. The last 8 years, I had so many regrets. I tried to contact you and I was so unlucky."

"Well, the last six years wasn't really blissful for me. I was literally a ghost." He joked.

Brandon laughed. "I would understand. And your family is really amazing, Ben, but I am so confused right now." He paused for a second. "What happened with your family? What happened with your brother?"

Ben stared at Brandon for what felt like hours before he said anything. He didn't wanna lie to the man because he was his savior, at least, he deserved to know the truth.

"Brace yourself!" He laughed.

Ben found himself opening up to Brandon, his words tumbling out in a rush of honesty and vulnerability. He spoke of his brother's hatred, of the rift that had torn their family apart, all because of the love they fought over a man. He told him of how he had been disowned and how he had been stayed with David for more than 9 months before their happy life was disrupted. He told him everything.

Brandon listened in silence, his expression a mirror of empathy and understanding. Brandon placed a reassuring hand on Ben's shoulder.

"Sometimes love is messy," Brandon said softly, his gaze meeting Ben's with unwavering sincerity. "And I am so sorry for what you went through, no one deserves to go through that. You're a good man and you deserve all the love in the world, all the happiness. It's unfortunate that it came at the cost of your relationship with Alex." He took a moment. "Was it the man I met at the hospital today, David?"

"You know him?" Ben's eyes widened.

"David Paola?" Brandon chuckled. "Who doesn't know one of the most successful businessmen in the country? And I didn't need to guess because I think that man still loves you a lot. I could tell by the way he looked at you."

Ben looked at Brandon, his face pale.

"I know you might not want to hear it but... he is in love with you. But who wouldn't, you're such a handsome boy." He teased, slightly pushing him. "Anyone would be lucky to have you."

Ben blushed. "Thank you so much. Now who's teasing who." He winked. "But enough about me, what about you? Seeing anyone?"

"Hehehe..." Brandon laughed sheepishly, scratching his head. "...things haven't been too well in the dating department the last 8 years honestly. I have been with a couple of guys but... that was it. It didn't go anywhere serious. Maybe I didn't pay much attention to them."