Forever My Love Ch. 10

"Mom?" David began, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and confusion. "What's going on here? Why are you with this man? First... I find out that Michael is possibly Ben's child and now..." He paused gesturing to the man. "Did you steal Ben's baby? Why? I thought you hated him."

Claudia's eyes darted away from his gaze, her hands trembling slightly at her sides. "David, I... I didn't mean for any of this to happen," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please, understand me, son. I did this for you. I couldn't bear to watch my grandson grow up away from you. I did it for you."

"Grandson?" David's confusion deepened. "What are you talking about?"

Claudia's bottom lip quivered and tears welled in her eyes.

"Michael... he is your son." She stammered. "Ben was pregnant."

David's jaw dropped, and he shook his head in disbelief. His heart raced as he stood in front of his mother, his mind struggling to comprehend the words she had just uttered. The room felt stifling, and the air hung heavy with unspoken tension.

"What? Pregnant?" He couldn't fathom the gravity of the revelation that Claudia had just dropped on him. "Wait a minute," David stammered, "Are you telling me Ben was pregnant? That's impossible. Ben's a man."

David's gaze shifted towards Ben, a knot forming in his stomach. "Ben..." he whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "Is it true?"

Ben was too stunned to speak. He just stared at Claudia without even blinking. He was in a whirlwind of emotions, anger, disbelief, pain. He had spent 6 years suffering when she very well knew that his child was alive. How could she do this to him. The realization hit him like a tidal wave, crashing over him with a force he couldn't resist.

"It's true!" Isaac answered. "Ben has persistent mullerian duct syndrome, meaning he has a womb. He was possibly pregnant 6 years ago."

A tumult of emotions swirled within David, threatening to overwhelm him.

"So... all this time, you knew Michael was my son. You knew..." He gasped, feeling out of breath. "...you never even said a word. Why did you do this if you knew from the very beginning?"

Tears welled up in Claudia's eyes as she pleaded, "I was scared, David. Scared of losing you. I didn't know how to come out to you. And you loved him so much, so that didn't really matter. Son, please..."

"That's bullshit, mom!" Amber snapped, furiously rushing to her mother. "You played this game from the very beginning. You knew and still, you still kept the truth to yourself. All those times Jim mistreated Michael, you stood and watched. What kind of person are you, mom?"

David's fists clenched at his sides, a surge of anger coursing through him. "For once, mom, tell me the truth. You've been feeding me all these lies the last 6 years and I demand to know the truth."

Claudia gazed at her son as tears streamed down her face in torrents, feeling like her heart was about to run away from her.

"Son..."

"Mom!" He groaned.

Claudia sobbed, glancing at Ben who stared at her.

"Alright!" She nodded. She got close to her son, her body trembling in fear. "6 years ago, when you ran away with Ben... you came back after many months and you were in need of money. You said that Ben had cancer and... he needed surgery in order for him to survive. I agreed to help you but... but only on the condition that you marry Jim."

David's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Although you didn't agree at first, you came back after seeing the pain he was in." She sobbed. "Your love for Ben made you agree to marry Jim in order to save him."

She watched as realization dawned on David's face, his eyes widening in shock and disbelief. And then, like a dam bursting, memories flooded back to him, memories of that fateful night when everything changed.

David's breath caught in his throat as he struggled to process it all, the weight of the truth crashing down on him like a tidal wave. "No... no, it can't be..." he gasped, his voice barely a whisper as he felt his world unraveling around him.

"You got married to Jim and... and..." She stammered. "...I tried to fulfill the end of our bargain but... but Ben refused the surgery and opted to die instead. He... he stayed like that and we thought it was the tumor growing but we discovered that he was pregnant. We didn't think he would survive it but he had a baby, a son... your son.

I couldn't see that child growing away from you, I couldn't. So, I paid Dr. Peters to steal the pain and replace it with a dead child. I brought the baby home under the pretense that I found it at the gate."

Claudia tried to reach out to comfort him, but David recoiled, his anger intensifying.

"Don't touch me!" He warned, pointing his trembling finger at her. "I hate you so much!" He shouted, his chest heaving with a mixture of rage and despair.

Tears blurred her vision as she realized the extent of the damage she had caused, the irreparable rift that now lay between them.

"I am sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible over his sobs. "I am so, so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. I just wanted to see you close to your son, David. You didn't deserve to be away from him."

"He didn't deserve to be away from his son?" Ben suddenly burst out, shaking his head. "What about me? Do you know the pain you caused me? Do you know the anguish I went through? Do you know how many times I tried to commit suicide? Do you know how many times I blamed myself for the death of that baby?"

Claudia tried to speak, but Ben continued, his emotions pouring out like a torrent.

"You had no right to take him away from me. No right to deny me the chance to be a father to my own child," Ben's fists clenched at his sides, and tears rolled down his face. "Six years, Claudia. Six years of wondering what I did wrong that God had to take my child. Six years of torment and torture when you very well knew the truth."

Claudia wailed, shaking her head. She couldn't find the words to say to Ben.

"What kind of person steals a child from their own father? What kind of grandmother deprives her grandson of the love and connection he deserves?" Ben's voice broke, and he furiously wiped away the tears but his face was wet again.

"I am sorry. I thought... I thought it was for the best. I thought I was protecting him."

"Protecting him?" Ben's voice rose. "You didn't protect him; you robbed him of a father's love, of a family. And you robbed me of the chance to be a father. I know you hated me so much but what gave you gave you the right to play God with our lives?"

"I am sorry... God knows that I have been living with this guilt for years now. I just didn't know what to say. Please, forgive me." She put her hands together.

Before Ben could respond, his attention was drawn to Dr. Peters. Anger and betrayal surged within him as he turned his gaze towards the man who had deceived him.

"And You," He hissed, his gaze narrowing at Dr. Peters. "You were supposed to be a doctor, someone I trusted with my life. And all along, you were working with her, stealing my son from me."

Dr. Peters shifted uncomfortably but remained silent.

"I'll make you pay for this, I swear." He vowed. "You'll pay for all the pain and the misery you've caused me. I..." He paused and took a harsh breath. "... I.... ouch!" He screamed in pain.

Ben's distress had deepened, and the stress of the confrontation began to take a physical toll. Sharp, stabbing pains shot through his abdomen, and he screamed, clutching his stomach, gasping for breath. It was so painful that his vision blurred for a second. David, seeing Ben stumble, reacted quickly, rushing forward to support him.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice filled with concern as he steadied Ben. "Are you okay?"

Ben winced in pain, holding on tightly to the man.

"Ben, you need to calm down. Stress isn't good for the baby."

There was silence as everyone stared at Isaac in shock, except for Ben who was so focused on the pain. The news hit David so hard he felt like he was dreaming. Slowly, he drifted his eyes to Ben, his mind struggling to process the unexpected revelation.

"The baby?" David repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ben raised his face, his eyes meeting with David. He nodded slowly, tears streaming down his face. David's heart began racing as he held Ben tighter and carefully.

"I'm... I'm going to be a father again?" David stammered. He didn't need to be a genius to know that it was his baby. He didn't know when he began crying but he was filled with a myriad of emotions.

Claudia was filled with so much guilt. She slowly walked towards them before her daughter blocked her and man was she pissed.

"I'll not let you get anywhere close to them. Do you plan on stealing that baby too?"

Claudia shook her head. "No, Amber, how could you..."

"I just have one question for you, mom." She said, her jaw shaking in anger. "Why? Why did you do all this? You saw your son's happiness lay with Ben and yet you tried to destroy that, even to the extent of manipulating your own son. Why did you this? Why do you care so much about someone who's not your child over your own son? Why?"

Claudia felt a shiver go down her spine when she heard that. She didn't want to hide anything from her children.

"When Elena approached me years back to help her set David with Jim, I didn't wanna do it. I wanted him to make his decisions." She began. "But Elena knew some secrets of mine, something from my past... some illegal dealings I did and something I am not proud of, something I wanted to stay buried forever because it could ruin me."

"What?"

"She threatened to expose that unless I helped her set the two together." She continued. "I cannot go into details right now but I wanted to protect you and David. I wanted to protect our family and businesses and besides, it didn't seem like a bad idea. I liked Jim and I thought he would make my son happy."

Amber shook her head, furiously rubbing the tear that went down her cheek.

"You're just selfish, mom." She said harshly, her fists clenched. "You just revealed your true colors to us and I don't think I'll see you the same way ever again."

Claudia cried softly, watching as her children looked like she was a stranger.

"Let me take you inside." David, whispered to Ben.

David's hands tremble as he cradled Ben in his arms, the weight of the revelation about Ben's pregnancy and his mother's long-hidden secret pressing down on him. His anger towards Claudia was palpable, but concern for Ben took precedence. Ben clung to David, his face strained with pain from the stomach cramps.

David shot a stern look at Claudia, his eyes filled with betrayal and frustration. Claudia met his gaze with tear-filled eyes, a mix of guilt and regret etched on her face. The tension hang in the air as David carried Ben inside.

Once in the living room, David gently places Ben on the couch, still holding him close. Isaac checked him and made sure that everything was fine. Ben sat on the couch, taking slow and deep breaths to calm himself, his hands gently rubbing his belly.

As Ben relaxed, he suddenly heard the sound of little footsteps approaching. He raised his head and saw Michael running towards them, a smile across his little face. The sight of the boy sent a surge of emotion through Ben's heart, a mix of joy and sorrow.

"Daddy!" Michael exclaimed, throwing himself into David's arms.

David hugged his son tightly, looking over Michael's shoulder at Ben. The guilt in his eyes deepened, realizing the pain Ben had endured over the past five years. He now understood the love that he had for him, all the sacrifices he had made for him.

Tears welled up in Ben's eyes as he watched the scene unfold. He stood up slowly, his hands still resting protectively on his belly. David slowly put his son down and when he saw Ben, his excitement reached its maximum. Ben dropped to his knees, opening his arms widely. Michael didn't need to be told. He rushed into those arms and felt safe when Ben wrapped those arms around him, shielding him from the wicked world.

"Ben, you came like you promised."

Ben had hugged the boy but what he felt at that moment was nothing like he had experienced.

"Yes, baby," He said, chuckling in his tears. "I promised you, didn't I? And this time, I won't let you go. I am taking you with me."

"Yeh..." Michael said excitedly.

Ben, holding Michael in his arms, looked up at David with tears in his eyes.

"I can't undo the past, but I will not let my son stay here any longer." He said in an emotional tone. "I can't let him be in such a toxic environment."

David, filled with guilt, nodded solemnly. "You're right, and I won't stand in your way. You can take him."

Ben tightened his grip on Michael, rising from the floor. David moved closer and kissed his son's cheek, trying not to be as emotional.

"I want you to go with Ben for now, okay?" When his son nodded, he kissed him again.

"Will you come with us, daddy?"

"Soon! I will come find you very soon. Daddy needs to do something right now."

Ben and David knew that they had a lot to do with explaining to their son. But both knew that they had to do it slowly. With that, Ben turned away, cradling Michael in his arms. He began walking towards the door, feeling like each step he made towards the exit, he left some of his pain and sorrow in that house. He was with his son, the son he always thought he lost.

When he reached the exit, he paused for a moment, glancing back at David with a mixture of sadness and pain, then continued out the door, leaving David in the living room, grappling with the weight of the painful truth he had found out.

One thing was clear, it wasn't gonna be long before he followed because he felt his heart going with them.

***

As Ben stepped his foot inside the mansion, he felt a cold wind hit his skin, sending shivers down his spine. He held Michael tightly in his arms, his head laying on his shoulder. The boy was sleeping comfortably in his arms and Ben didn't want to let him go.

"Ben!"

Ben's eyes looked in the direction of the voice and saw his family, including his father rushing towards him. He didn't miss the worry on their faces and the shock when they saw Michael with him. Alejandra and Jerome exchanged puzzled glances.

"Where have you been?" Alejandra asked. "All of us have been worried about you and you weren't picking your phone."

"Why do you have David's son?" Jerome asked with a frown on his face.

A lump formed in Ben's throat as walked towards the living room and carefully laid Michael down on the couch. The boy stirred slightly but remained peacefully asleep. With his eyes still on that handsome boy, Ben steadied himself for what he was about to reveal.

"I was at David's house." He started, taking a deep breath as he stared at them. "This is David's son. My son."

The room fell silent as the weight of Ben's words hung in the air. Jerome's eyes widened, and Alejandra's jaw dropped in astonishment.

"What?" Jerome stammered, unable to comprehend the revelation.

Ben swallowed hard, his eyes welling up with tears. "David saw the picture on my phone and he asked why I had Michael's baby pictures."

He began narrating what had happened, not leaving any details. His family listened attentively, acting like they were frozen.

"...I found her talking to Dr. Peters and she revealed that with his help, she stole my son the day he was born because she didn't want him to be far away from David."

He told them every detail and they listened, too stunned to speak, their minds reeling with the enormity of Ben's revelation.

"How could she do that?" Alejandra snarled, her fists clenched. "Does she know what she did to all of us all these years, especially to you? I swear to God I am gonna make sure that woman pays for what she has done."

"This is kidnapping, and she needs to be held accountable." Gustavo agreed. "All these years, after what she did, I will make sure that she feels every pain that she caused you."

"I agree with you." Carlos nodded. "That woman is really despicable, but aren't we all forgetting something. Claudia is a very powerful woman and taking her down will not be as easy as you think it will be."

"And you think that will stop me!" Alejandra hissed, shaking her head. "Even if it means personally making her pay, I am gonna do it. We're also a powerful family and we're gonna make sure she pays for all the damages she caused."

Ben sat on the edge of the couch, his eyes fixed on the boy as if trying to etch every detail into his memory. The truth had unfolded like a cruel joke, revealing that the child he believed to be lost was, in fact, right within his reach all along.

His hands trembled as he reached out to gently stroke Michael's hair, his fingertips lingering on the soft strands. The weight of the situation pressed down on Ben's shoulders, and his heart ached with the weight of missed opportunities, moments stolen by the cruel twist of fate.

"I was so close to him all this time." He said, his voice a fragile whisper. He traced the curve of Michael's cheek with trembling fingers. "I should have known. All those times I wanted to be close to him... the times he wanted to spend with me... how he made me forget about my pain and sorrows whenever he was around. How could he have been so blind? So oblivious to the truth that lay hidden in plain sight? What kind of father Am I?"

He leaned closer and kissed his son's hands, tears running down his face.

"I'm so sorry, Michael," Ben whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "I should have known. I should have been there for you. Please, forgive dad for not being there for you all these years."

He felt an arm wrapping around him.

"Ben, my son, don't do this to yourself." Jerome reassured. "You couldn't have known that he was your son because you thought your child died. What you did for this child in the little time you knew him was more than Jim did for him the last six years. You're an amazing dad and I know that Michael is gonna be happy with you."

Ben nodded, his shoulders shaking with each convulsive sob. "But he's my son, Dad. I should have known. I should have protected him."

Alejandra rubbed her tears. She had to be strong for Ben. She leaned in front of him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"No, Ben, you're not gonna cry because you've won this battle." She gave a reassuring smile. "You promised to bring our grandson home and you fulfilled that. Right now, Michael needs you. The past is gone, but you have a chance to make up for lost time."

I know but..."

"No!" She cupped his cheeks and rubbed his tears. "Michael does not need to see this side of you. Besides, it isn't just about Michael. You need to take care of yourself for the sake of that child growing inside you."

Jerome's eyes widened in shock. "What did you just say?"

"Ben is pregnant." Alejandra gave a slight smile to Jerome. "You're gonna be a grandfather once again, Jerome."

"What?" He gasped before a smile spread across his face. "Why didn't you tell me, sweetie? And who is the father?"

"Because you had problems of your own. Ben found out that he was pregnant the day that son of a bitch tried to murder him." She took a deep breath, trying to clam herself. "And it's David."

"Wow!" Jerome had too much information to process.

He had a lot of questions but seeing his son in that state, he didn't want to question him anymore. He took his hands in his and gave him a hug. Ben embraced his father and never wanted to let go. He cried softly while the man soothed him by rubbing his back to make him feel better. Ben cried but he knew things were bound to get better. He didn't need to search for his son anymore. He was gonna protect him.