Braylee urged him on. “And what?”
“I didn’t want to tell you like this, but you have a right to know. If we’re going to build a life together, I may never be able to father children. According to the doctors, the likelihood of that happening is in the single digit percentages or in other words, impossible.”
Braylee couldn’t believe what was hearing. This was too crazy and too far-fetched. She blinked a couple of times to try and wake herself up. She had to be stuck in a nightmare. He didn’t believe he could father children, and she was pregnant with his child. Braylee didn’t say a word. She just pivoted and walked back into the bathroom. She wasn’t even going to try to process what she’d just been told. However, Alex heard her yell from the shower. “I’m going with you.”
Alex looked confused. “Where?”
“China.”
Chapter 11
Carrying his suit coat over his shoulder, Alexandro drug himself into the house after meeting with the US Patent and Trademark officials for dinner. Fabi stepped up to the plate and handled the morning meetings while Alex stayed home to care for Braylee. She didn’t want him to stay, but he knew she would be getting information regarding Nate’s funeral, and that was going to be difficult for her. If he were honest after his revelations to her yesterday, he didn’t want to leave her alone. The funeral was set to take place in several days. He’d actually hoped it would be sooner so that she wouldn’t try to come with him to China.
To say it had been a long day would not have been an over exaggeration. The past two had been more than a little trying to put it mildly. Alex continued to walk through the kitchen from the garage. The house was dark. Everyone must have settled into their rooms for the evening. At least, that’s what he thought until he turned the corner to walk up the stairs to his bedroom.
She whispered, “Hi.”
Surprised he responded. “Hey. What are you doing sitting on the stairs in the dark by yourself?”
“I haven’t been out here that long. I was waiting for you to come home.”
Alex walked up a couple of stairs and sat down next to Cecily. “It must be pretty important if you’re waiting for me.”
She looked at him with eyes he could have sworn were just a little less innocent than what they used to be. “Uncle Alex, I’m old enough to know what’s going on. Was my father’s death connected to Braylee’s car exploding?”
Alex rolled his shoulders. The last person he thought he would be having this conversation with was Cecily. Alex rubbed his hands together before leaning over on his elbows onto his knees. “The truth is I’m not sure, but we’re doing everything we can to find out.”
“Is that why you’re going to China?”
He drew back surprised. “How’d you know about that?”
Cecily looked down at her feet. “I’m sorry, but I overheard you talking to Fabi about going for a couple of days. Do you think my real mother’s family had something to do with all of this?”
“What do you mean your real mother’s family?”
“You don’t have to pretend with me anymore,” Cecily spoke softly. “Daddy told me the truth when I found this in his wallet a couple of years ago.” Cecily reached over into her pocket and pulled out a picture. Alex took the photo and was stunned into silence. After studying it for a while, he cleared his throat. “What exactly did your father tell you?”
“That’s my mom. Her name is Nina Lee Xiou.” She leaned over into him and tilted her head as she looked at the picture. “I think she’s beautiful. He said I looked a lot like her.”
“You do look a lot like her and…” Remembering a time very different from now his voice became almost inaudible. “She was breathtaking.” They continued to study the old picture together. It had to have been taken more than fifteen years ago.
“He told me that she loved me very much and that she died a few months after I was born.”
“That’s very true.” Alex breathed a sigh of relief. Apparently, Luciano hadn’t told Cecily everything.
“He also said that her family didn’t approve of their relationship and by extension me. Only they don’t know about me. I wanted to know more, but that was all he was willing to say. So, I found my birth certificate and looked her up on the internet.”
Alex became more and more worried about how much she knew. “Cecily…”
Cecily sighed. “Before you start, it’s not wrong for me to want to know about my mother; about that other side of me. That’s why I looked them up on the internet. There’s a lot of stuff out there. I wasn’t sure what was fact and what was fiction. That’s why I asked daddy again. All he would tell me was they were dangerous people, and he requested that I didn’t try to contact them. However, I know they live in China, and that’s where you’re going. It’s not hard to put the pieces together.”
He honestly didn’t know what to say. “Cecily…”
“Please don’t go. If they are dangerous and are responsible for daddy’s death and the explosion…” Cecily pleaded with unshed tears in her eyes. “I can’t lose you too Uncle Alex.”
He wrapped his arms around her small shoulders. “You’re not going to lose me. I promise. I’ll be honest, if I am going to keep you and everyone else I love safe, I’ve got to go to China to put an end to all of this.” Alex would walk
