Chapter 46
Hope
I thought I had endured the greatest shock of my life when I discovered Adrian’s betrayal—or rather, his countless betrayals. But finding out that my Aunt Amber, my late Aunt Amber, was once married to Kaden’s father has left me speechless beyond reason.
Even now, less than twenty-four hours later, I’m still in a state of disbelief.
Kaden had been just as stunned—if not more so—than I was. He’s been unusually quiet all day, and I can’t help but wonder if it’s the nerves building for what’s about to come.
After the revelation last night, after discovering an unbelievable twist in both our family histories, my father requested a meeting with Troy.
He admitted their departure all those years ago could have been handled far better, that he has always carried a deep regret for cutting Troy out of their lives so easily when, at one point, he had been family.
He misses his old friend dearly. And perhaps, this meeting—though long overdue—is their chance to finally bury the hatchet.
It was hard to hear my mother confess the real reason their relationship with Kaden’s dad ended, and it cast the whole story of Kaden’s conception in a much clearer light.
He had mentioned in his letter to Skylar that he was the product of his father’s betrayal.
What I hadn’t known at the time was that my Aunt Amber had deliberately driven her husband towards infidelity, which resulted in an unplanned child with another woman.
It wasn’t until she fell ill and lay on her deathbed that she finally admitted the truth to my mother.
A betrayal is still a betrayal, and there’s never an excuse for it.
But I truly believe that Troy deeply loved and cared for my aunt.
She, on the other hand, couldn’t see past her inability to have children, which ultimately became the catalyst for the breakdown of their marriage.
According to my mother, she had emotionally checked out long before Troy ever cheated.
It’s three o’clock on a Sunday afternoon, and once again, we’re on the road, on our way to my parents’ house.
Troy rides in the back seat, silent and tense, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery just outside his window.
The entire ride is so quiet that I can almost feel the nervousness and anxiety radiating from Kaden and his father.
I wish I could offer them some kind of reassurance—that no matter what happens after today, I still want them in my life. That it doesn’t change anything between Kaden and me.
He’s someone who has quietly taken up a huge space in my life, someone I get excited to see or hear from the moment I wake up in the morning. More than anything, he’s someone I’m falling madly in love with, and I can’t deny it any longer.
“So much time has passed… I’m afraid they might not even recognise me anymore,” Troy murmurs softly, almost as if speaking to himself.
I glance over my shoulder to see him still staring out the window.
His hands are clasped tightly in his lap, one leg bouncing nervously.
His silvery grey hair is neatly combed back, and he’s dressed in a light blue button-down shirt and jeans.
Kaden had said he spent a full hour trying on outfit after outfit before settling on this one.
It’s clear he wants to make a good impression, even though it’s been almost four decades since he and my parents last saw each other.
“My parents might be old, but their minds are still sharp as a knife. I don’t think they ever forgot about you.”
Troy turns to face me, a half-smile lifting one corner of his lips. “How is Finn? The last time I saw him, he was just a toddler, attached to your mum’s hip all the time.”
I let out a soft chuckle. “Not much has changed. Still quite the mama’s boy he’s always been,” I reply, earning a quiet laugh from both Troy and Kaden.
“But in all seriousness, he’s doing great—really well for himself.
He has a family now and works for the Federal Police as a Cybercrime Investigator. ”
“Yeah? Good for him. He was always a very smart kid, from what I remember, so it’s no surprise he chose such an intellectually demanding career. You both have chosen very respectable paths. Frank and Justine must be very proud.”
I nod and smile, saying nothing more, because the next moment, Kaden is pulling up to the gates of my parents’ home.
When it slides open and the car rolls in, I hear a soft hum coming from the back seat.
“This is definitely not the same house I used to visit all those years ago.”
“My parents bought this house a few years after I was born. It’s gone through about a million upgrades ever since.” I clarify.
Troy chuckles, and unfastens his seatbelt. “That still sounds very much like them—always needing a change.”
We all climb out of the car and make our way to the front door, where I unlock it with my spare key.
“Your father always wanted to live in a big house. Whatever he set his mind to, he made it happen. That was one of the things I really admired about him,” Troy says as we step inside.
It still feels oddly surreal that someone I only learned existed several weeks ago knows so much more about my parents than I do. This is a man who grew up next door to them, shared a close bond, and built a life alongside them—until one mistake shattered it all in an instant.
Since last night, I’ve found myself imagining what life might have looked like if Troy and my aunt had never divorced. Would he have been the fun uncle with all the cool cars in his garage? Would he have taught Finn how to fix one? Would he and Aunt Amber have joined us on family holidays?
But if they had never separated—if Troy had remained in my family’s life—Kaden would never have existed. He would never have been born, and if I’m being honest, I can’t imagine a world without him in it.
As I lead us towards my father’s study, he reaches for my hand and holds it firmly in his. It’s in these quiet moments, when he finds small ways to be close to me, to touch me, to make me smile, that I realise I can’t imagine my life without him in it, either.
I glance over my shoulder to check on Troy, only to find him a few feet away, standing before the wall where all our family photos hang.
I slow to a stop, which makes Kaden frown in confusion.
When I tilt my head towards his dad, he follows my gaze and nods.
Without a word, we turn and walk back to join him.
“I’ve missed out on so much,” he says softly, as soon as we reach him.
“It’s like watching a silent film of all your lives unfold through these pictures.
” His eyes move slowly from one frame to the next, and when they linger on a particular photograph, I don’t need to see it to know exactly who he’s looking at.
A muscle works in his jaw, and the moisture pooling in his eyes tells me this is his first glimpse of a slightly older version of my aunt.
“She was in her mid-fifties when that photo was taken,” I explain, gently sweeping my fingers over the light dust caught between the wooden frame and the glass.
“Who are the people in the photo with her?” Kaden asks this time, just as curious as his father. The picture was taken during a family trip to Bali. My aunt was at the beach, surrounded by her family, when the photo was snapped.
“That’s my Uncle Rowan, her husband, and the two young teenagers beside him are his children from a previous marriage—my aunt’s step kids.”
“She has a beautiful family,” Troy whispers, his gaze still glued to the image of my aunt. “She looks so happy, and I’m sure she’s an amazing mother to her kids.”
I nod. “She was. Their biological mother passed away after giving birth to the youngest, Jesse, so my aunt became the only mother they ever really knew. She loved them and raised them as if they were her own. She was like a second mother to Finn and me as well—being around children just came so naturally to her.”
He turns to face me fully, a deep frown settling across his features. “Why do you speak of her in the past tense?” His voice slightly trembles with confusion, layered with something else—concern, suspicion… fear.
It suddenly hits me. Troy never knew about my aunt’s passing. How could he? My parents cut all contact with him, leaving no way for him to find out. And now, I have to be the one to deliver the devastating news.
The realisation presses heavy against my ribs. I know the words he’ll hear next will hurt, but he deserves to know that the woman he once loved is gone.
“I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but Aunt Amber passed away over seven years ago from pancreatic cancer. She was given only two months after her diagnosis. It happened so quickly—but she didn’t suffer for long.”
Troy staggers back, clutching at his chest as though he’d been struck by a lightning bolt.
Kaden is behind him in a flash.
“Dad!” He grabs him by the arms, as if anchoring him before he can collapse completely.
I rush towards them, calling out for my mother as I help Kaden steady Troy, who’s beginning to sway.
My mother quickly rounds the corner, her gaze immediately finding us by the photo wall—Troy’s arms draped over Kaden’s and my shoulders as we try to guide him forward.
She gasps. “Troy? Oh my God—what happened? Frank! Frank, help!” She calls out, panic rushing into her voice.
“Mum, get him some water, please. I think he’s having a panic attack.”
My mother nods, and when she sprints towards the kitchen, she nearly collides with my father.
“What’s going on, Justine?” he asks her.
My mother gestures frantically towards us in the middle of the foyer. “It’s Troy. Please, help them. I need to get some water.”
My father snaps his gaze our way, his eyes instantly widening as he takes in the sight of all three of us. “What on earth?”
“Dad! We need to take him to your study,” I yell, and he’s instantly in motion, rushing towards us and lifting Troy’s arm from my shoulders to drape it over his.
“I’ve got you, mate. Let’s get you seated.”
A minute later, we’re in my dad’s study, gently easing Troy onto the sofa, with Kaden sitting on his left and my dad on his right.
My mother hands Troy a glass of water. He looks up at her, offering a small, weary smile before taking it and sipping slowly.
“I’m sorry. I’m just… still trying to process everything,” Troy murmurs, his voice heavy with disbelief, pain, and perhaps, guilt for only now learning of his ex-wife’s death.
My dad rests a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry we didn’t tell you. We’ll always regret not letting you attend the funeral. You deserved to be there just as much as anyone else, and we know Amber would’ve wanted you there too.”
“There’s so much we need to talk about,” my mother adds, her voice gentle and apologetic.
“We’re so sorry, Troy, that it took Hope and Kaden finding each other for us to finally reach out to you.
We’re deeply ashamed of how we treated you after you and my sister separated.
We handled it poorly, and we hope that one day we can earn your forgiveness. ”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” Troy replies, a sincere smile softening his features. “You were only doing what anyone would have done for a loved one who had just been betrayed. I just wish you knew how truly sorry I was… and how sorry I still am.”
My dad rises to his feet and walks to his desk to retrieve a tissue from the tissue box, and hands it to Troy, whose eyes and cheeks are now streaked with tears.
“We’ve always wondered how you were—what had become of you, and the baby who, it turns out, found his way into my little girl’s heart, many years later.”
Our parents’ gaze moves between Kaden and me, their faces alight with hope and genuine happiness.
“When I looked into those familiar green eyes last night, I knew I was looking into yours,” my dad says to Troy, leaning against his desk. “Kaden is a strapping young man, and so much like you, always ready to help those he cares about with anything and everything.”
The father and son exchange a brief look, and even without words, it’s clear that Troy is proud of the man Kaden has become.
“And you,” Troy says, smiling, his gaze flicking between my parents. “I heard about Finn working for the Federal Police, and Hope, a nurse at one of the best private hospitals in the country. You’ve raised your children to do truly meaningful work in this world. You both must be very proud.”
“Thank you. Justine and I have been blessed with two amazing kids. We’ve never been prouder,” my father says, giving me a wink.
“Tell us about your life, Troy” my mother urges softly. “There’s so much we’ve missed. Amber confessed many things before she passed—things she regretted for a very long time, and I think you deserve to know them.”
Suddenly, Kaden stands from his seat and walks over to me. “We’ll give you some time to catch up. I’m sure there’s a lot to talk about. Hope and I will wait in the living room.”
Troy nods appreciatively. “Thanks, son.”
Grabbing my hand, Kaden leads us out, gently closing the door behind us as we make our way to the living room.
We sit in silence, curled together on the couch as a movie plays unnoticed before us, our minds drifting a million miles away.
How do we even begin to unpack everything that was said in my father’s study?
They went from childhood friends, to family, to strangers—nearly four decades passing without contact, without either of them knowing how the other had survived all those years in between.
I can’t even imagine what that must have felt like for our parents—for Troy especially, living all that time believing my parents and Aunt Amber despised him.
Almost an hour later, my parents finally step into the living room, their arms wrapped around each other, with Troy following closely at their side.
All three pairs of eyes immediately find Kaden and me nestled together on the couch. Their gazes are red-rimmed and glassy, as if they’ve spent the entire time behind closed doors crying and pouring their hearts out.
We straighten up on the couch, and Kaden switches off the TV, the sudden quietness settling heavily over the room.
“Are you guys ready to go?” Troy asks, his voice raspy as he sniffles.
Kaden stands and holds out his hand to me, and I take it. “Do you have everything you need, Dad?”
Troy glances at my parents, and they share a warm, heartfelt smile before he looks back at Kaden and me, offering us that very same expression.
“Yeah,” he says softly, emotion threading his voice. “I do now, son. I do now.”