The weeks after Alex’s orchestrated lawsuit came to light were a whirlwind. Every day was filled with meetings, planning, and consultations with our legal team. I kept pushing forward, determined to keep Lyson Company strong. But deep down, I felt the weight of everything—of having to constantly prove myself, of trying to hold everything together while others were working to tear it apart.
It had been a while since I spent any real time with my family. My mind kept drifting back to my mom’s voice, which I heard during our short calls, always encouraging me to take care of myself. My mother had been my biggest supporter since day one, an accountant who taught me everything about hard work and resilience. And while my stepbrothers were successful in their own right—one an architect, the other an accountant like my mom—I couldn’t help but think about how I had always been the one trying to carve out a path that was uniquely mine.
I decided it was time to go back home, just for a day. I needed to reset, to reconnect with the people who truly knew me. Family had always been my anchor, even when life’s storms threatened to pull me under.
I drove over to my mom’s house on a quiet Saturday morning. The familiar sight of the small but welcoming house brought a sense of calm over me. Memories of my childhood flashed before my eyes as I stepped out of the car. Even now, this place held so much warmth, so much history.
The door opened before I could even knock, and my mom stood there with the kind of smile that always melted my stress away.
“Aria! I wasn’t expecting you!” she exclaimed, pulling me into a tight hug. Her embrace felt like home.
“I needed to see you, Mom,” I said softly. “It’s been a rough couple of weeks.”
She didn’t ask for details, just led me inside. The smell of her cooking filled the air, and for a moment, I was able to forget about everything—Alex, the lawsuit, the constant pressure of the job. It felt good just to be with her.
We sat in the kitchen, talking about everything and nothing. My stepbrothers weren’t there yet, but she assured me they’d be joining us for lunch soon. As we chatted, I could feel the weight lifting off my shoulders little by little. Being here, away from the chaos, reminded me of who I was outside of work. I wasn’t just an employee at Lyson’s Company. I was a daughter, a sister, a woman who had a life beyond boardrooms and contracts.
“Aria,” my mom said after a while, her tone more serious now. “You’ve been working so hard, but you can’t let it consume you. You need to take care of yourself, too.”
I nodded, knowing she was right. “I’ve just been trying to keep everything together, especially after… well, after Alex.”
Her eyes softened. “I know. But you have people who love you. You don’t have to carry everything on your own.”
It was exactly what I needed to hear. As much as I had been trying to be strong for the company and for myself, I had forgotten that I didn’t have to do it alone. My family had always been there, quietly supporting me in the background.
Just then, the doorbell rang, breaking the comfortable silence between us. My mom looked confused. “Your brothers aren’t supposed to be here yet.”
She got up to answer the door, and I followed her, curious about who it could be. As she opened the door, I froze.
Standing there was a man I hadn’t seen in years—my father.
Carlos Santillan.
The sight of him sent a wave of emotions crashing over me. He looked older, wearier, but still unmistakably him. I hadn’t spoken to him since he left us. His absence had shaped so much of my life, and seeing him now, after all these years, was like reopening an old wound.
“Aria,” he said, his voice soft but steady. “I know this is a surprise.”
I didn’t know what to say. Part of me wanted to slam the door in his face, to tell him that he had no right showing up here after all this time. But another part of me—the part that still longed for answers—kept me rooted to the spot.
“What are you doing here?” I finally asked, my voice sharp.
My mom stood beside me, her face a mix of surprise and uncertainty. She had never spoken badly of my father, but his disappearance had hurt her as much as it had hurt me.
“I need to talk to you,” he said, his eyes searching mine. “There’s something you need to know. It’s important.”
I crossed my arms, trying to maintain some semblance of control. “After all these years? What could possibly be so important now?”
He looked down for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. When he looked back up, his face was serious. “It’s about the lawsuit. About Alex.”
I stared at him, trying to process what he had just said. How could my father—who had been out of my life for so long—know anything about my current situation?
“I know this is a lot to take in,” he continued, “but I have information that could change everything. You need to hear me out.”
Everything felt surreal. Here was the man who had walked out on me when I needed him most, claiming to have answers that could somehow impact my future.
I glanced at my mom, who gave me a small nod. “Let’s hear what he has to say,” she said quietly.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped aside and motioned for him to come in.
I watched as my father, Carlos, hesitated for a moment before stepping inside. It was strange, seeing him here in the home he had left behind. The air felt thick with unspoken tension, memories of his departure hovering over us like ghosts.
We walked back into the living room, the familiar space now feeling unfamiliar with his presence. My mother quietly went to the kitchen, giving us some space but remaining close enough to hear. I sat down on the couch, gesturing for him to take a seat across from me.
He sat down cautiously, as if unsure of his place in this home anymore. His hands trembled slightly, and I could see the wear and tear of time on his face—wrinkles that hadn’t been there before, a certain sadness in his eyes. But my anger, though quieter now, still simmered beneath the surface.
“I don’t know where to start,” he said after a long pause. “I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, Aria. I left when you needed me. But believe me when I say, I had my reasons.”
I kept my gaze on him, unwilling to let his words soften me. “You had your reasons?” I repeated, disbelief laced in my voice. “You walked out. No explanation, no calls, no visits. You disappeared. And now you expect me to sit here and listen because suddenly, after all these years, you want to explain?”
He flinched at my tone but didn’t retreat. “You’re right,” he admitted, his voice low. “I’m not asking for your forgiveness, just your time. Let me tell you what’s been going on.”
I leaned back into the couch, crossing my arms over my chest. “Fine,” I said tersely. “Talk.”
Carlos exhaled deeply, rubbing his hands together nervously. “After I left, I got involved in some bad deals. I made mistakes, trusted the wrong people. Things spiraled out of control, and I couldn’t come back without putting you and your mother at risk. So, I stayed away. It was the only way I knew how to protect you.”
“Protect us?” I scoffed, shaking my head. “By leaving us alone?”
“I thought it was the only way,” he said quietly. “But recently, I’ve learned things I couldn’t ignore. That’s why I’m here now. I’m involved in a business venture, and it turns out that Alex—your business rival—has ties to the people I worked with back then.”
I narrowed my eyes, the mention of Alex making my pulse quicken. “What are you talking about?”
Carlos leaned forward, his expression more intense now. “Alex was involved in some of those shady deals. I didn’t realize it until recently, but he’s been connected to the people I worked with—the same people who forced me to stay away. He’s using their influence to try to ruin you. The lawsuit is just the beginning.”
My breath caught in my throat. “You’re telling me Alex has been orchestrating all of this through connections you had?”
“Yes,” he replied gravely. “He knew about me, knew about my past, and he used that knowledge to dig up information on you and your company. He’s trying to use our history to weaken you.”
I felt my stomach churn. It was as if the ground beneath me had shifted, making everything unsteady. The lawsuit, the sabotage, everything suddenly made more sense—and it was much more personal than I had realized.
“What does he want?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“He wants control,” Carlos said. “He wants to take everything from you, to prove that you’re not strong enough to hold your place in the company. But he doesn’t know I’ve come back. And that’s where I can help.”
I stood up abruptly, pacing the room as I tried to make sense of it all. My mind raced with a thousand thoughts. Carlos’s return, Alex’s scheme, the way everything seemed to be intertwined. It felt like too much, like I was being pulled under by a current I couldn’t escape.
“I don’t know if I can trust you,” I said finally, turning to face my father. “You left. You stayed away when I needed you most. And now you’re back, expecting me to believe that you’re here to help?”
Carlos nodded, his face lined with regret. “I know I have no right to ask for your trust, Aria. But I’m trying to make things right. I’ve made mistakes, but I want to protect you this time. I can help you take down Alex, but we need to work together.”
The room was silent for a long time. I glanced at my mother, who had been listening quietly from the doorway. She met my gaze, giving me a small, encouraging nod.
I didn’t know what to do. Part of me wanted to send him away, to tell him I didn’t need his help. But another part of me—the part that still longed for closure, for some kind of resolution—told me that maybe, just maybe, I could let him in. Even if it was just for this.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to speak. “Alright,” I said slowly, locking eyes with him. “I’ll listen. But if you’re lying to me, if you’re using this to manipulate me again, I won’t hesitate to walk away—for good this time.”
Carlos nodded, relief flickering in his eyes. “I understand. I won’t let you down.”
But as he sat there, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. His return brought with it more questions than answers, and I had no idea what the full consequences of his reappearance would be.
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed on the table. I glanced down and saw a message from one of our legal advisors.
URGENT: New developments in the lawsuit. You need to see this.
I looked up at Carlos, my heart pounding in my chest. Whatever was coming next, it wasn’t going to be easy.
***