Filed to story: The Regretful Billionaire: An Unpredicted Reunion
Not even an hour since she came home, someone rang her doorbell. When she opened the door, her face fell.
“What are you doing here? Isn’t the great Mr. Zellweger busy with work?’ she quipped.
Graham lowered his head slightly. “I’m sorry for what I said this morning, Danika. I shouldn’t intrude on your personal business.”
It was the first time he had lowered himself to this stance. But it couldn’t be helped-he needed to do this to receive Danika’s forgiveness. Otherwise, he might never see her again. He really didn’t want that to happen.
Danika bit her lip, not saying anything.
“But I didn’t mean to intrude. I just wanted to open your eyes to the possibilities. I’m old, and I’ve more life experience than you. That’s why after you and Eustace divorced, I said you two weren’t compatible. Things might not turn out well even with a second chance.”
Danika met his gaze now. “Did you give up when all those people tried to persuade you from being with my mother?”
“No,” Graham answered firmly.
“You didn’t give up because you knew that no matter how tough things might be for both of you, you still wanted to be with each other,’ Danika replied, hoping
Graham could see where she was coming from. She couldn’t deny her feelings for Eustace, but just because she didn’t want to be in a relationship with him right now didn’t mean she didn’t like him.
“Danika, I…” Graham wanted to explain.
“If nothing I say is going to change how you feel, then you can leave now. I can decide what I want to do with my life on my own.’
No matter what life tossed at her, Danika would always find a way forward.
I’m Not The Only Daughter You Have
Graham stopped Danika from shutting the front door. “Alright, alright. I’ll stop talking about it, okay?”
Only then Danika stopped closing it. “Why don’t you go back to your hotel to rest first? I’ll go to you when I need your help.”
“Why would I need to go to a hotel when you have a place to stay right here?” Graham asked. He hadn’t planned on living at a hotel whatsoever.
“You want to stay at my place?” Danika wasn’t used to having another person around in her house. It was also too small for someone like Graham, who was used to a bigger space.
He didn’t care about that. “Can’t I? Your own father, Danika.”
“I never said you couldn’t, just…my place is tiny compared to Zellweger Castle. ” Shouldn’t Graham book a five-star hotel to meet his accommodation needs? Graham shook his head. “It’s okay. I’ll stay here with you. Your father has been through a lot, you know.” He had lived in worse places than this.
The man dragged his luggage into Danika’s apartment, noticing how cozy and clean the place was. He could immediately tell how much she dedicated to her space and living comfortably. Tough as she tried to make herself seem, her home still reflected her tender heart.
“Which room will I stay in?” Graham asked, still standing in the front hall.
Danika had him stay in the guest room. After setting his things down, Graham went back out into the living room where Danika was. ‘Why don’t we go out for a spin? You can show me around. Let me see how you’ve been living all these years.”
“I only came here after Grandpa passed away. I grew up in Orchid Village, remember?” Danika reminded him.
Graham winced in embarrassment. “Right…how could I forget that?
“Can we…go to Orchid Village instead? I…I want to pay your Grandpa a visit too.” If it weren’t for him, Graham wasn’t sure if Danika would still be alive today.
“In a couple days, sure. I need to settle some things at the hospital first.” Danika didn’t know when the next time she’d be back in Parrington would be once she left for Bardoff City.
“Okay.” Graham nodded. “Do you still want to practice as a doctor in the city? You have a company to run, if memory doesn’t fail me.”
“I haven’t decided yet, but I’d still be happy to work at a hospital if someone could help tend to the business in my stead.” Danika truly enjoyed her work as a doctor, but life didn’t always go as planned. All she could do was work with what she had. Though, if Jade and Alfred could help her run Jeneration Group, she’d be free to do whatever she pleased.
“Being a doctor can be very tiring. Maybe focusing on your company would be a welcome change.” Graham suggested. If Danika remained a doctor, who would take over Zellweger Inc?
As if reading his mind, Danika huffed, “I’m not interested in the family business, not even if I didn’t have my own.”
There was also the possibility of Jeneration Group having more success than Zellweger Inc in the future.
“Who will take over the business then?” Graham complained. Why did this girl have to defy his every word?
He wouldn’t have stopped himself from taking physical action if this conflict had happened decades ago.
“I’m not the only daughter you have,” Danika sneered. Jolene practically salivated over everything the Zellwegers had.
锘?/p>
You’re Right, I Am Selfish
Graham grew silent. After a long minute, he sighed and asked, “You think I never should’ve married Rowena, don’t you?”
Danika said nothing. Yes, she did feel that way. Graham shouldn’t have married that woman even though he couldn’t be with Danika’s mother. Couldn’t he have waited until he had what it took to go back for her mother?
If Graham’s feelings for her mother weren’t gone, why would he marry Rowena Glass and even have a child with her?
“After your mother was taken away all those years ago, I decided to amass my power and get her back, but not without making sure you were settled somewhere safe. The former patriarch then urged me to marry, and Rowena offered her hand in marriage. I wanted to borrow her family’s strength to secure ours, that’s all. I never thought about having another child with her.” He sighed again. “But I underestimated Rowena’s ambition. She got me drunk and conceived my child without my consent, wanting to use that as a pawn against me. But I’m telling you now, Danika, I’ve only ever loved your mother. Neither Rowena nor Jolene will ever be as important to me as you and your mother are.”
That was why Graham would never make Jolene his heir. Even if he did, Jolene would naturally come for Danika’s neck. He couldn’t let that happen.
Danika was still unhappy. “You spin a tale about how innocent you are in all this, but at the core of things, you’re just a selfish man.”
She couldn’t accept the fact that Graham married someone just to become more powerful. She would never do that if she was in his place. She’d rather work her way up, as difficult as it might be.
“You’re right. I am selfish.” Graham didn’t refute her words. He wasn’t just selfish; he was cold, too. “All I care about is you and your mother’s safety. I don’t give a damn about anyone else.”
He didn’t even feel love for Jolene, only the responsibility to care for her because she shared his blood.
The father and daughter remained silent for a long time until Danika broke the tension. “Let’s…talk about this some other time. I haven’t planned to this extent yet.”
She still wanted to be a doctor. As for her family… who knows what might happen in the future?
Graham nodded, not pushing it further. He couldn’t rush things now. Personally, he wasn’t in a rush either. He wasn’t too old. Danika could have a decade or two to decide.
Plus, he had his own matters to take care of right now. Danika had come home, and next on his list was Danika’s mother.
Suddenly a knock came on the door. When Danika opened it to find Eustace standing outside, she recalled she hadn’t told him that Graham was there.
“Done with work?” she asked, now worried.
“Yeah. I figured it’s better to cook our meal. Eustace raised his handfuls of grocery bags. He had just come back from a trip to the supermarket.
Before Danika could respond, Graham was making his presence known. His face darkened when he saw Eustace in the doorway. “I thought I had made myself clear.”
He had warned Eustace about seeing his daughter. Looks like he hadn’t learned his lesson at all.
Don’t Fall For His Tricks
Eustace was surprised to see Graham, too, but swiftly calmed down. “Mr. Zellweger,” he greeted gently.
Graham huffed. “You can stop the act.”
He didn’t like Eustace one bit, not only because of his restlessness with Danika but also what he did to Jolene in Bardoff City. If it weren’t for Danika’s sake, he would’ve taken action against Eustace already.
Eustace wasn’t upset with the man’s attitude. “I have to be polite, sir. You’re Danika’s father, after all.”
With that, he walked into the house and went straight to the kitchen. It wasn’t his first time there. He knew his way around after countless times of cooking for Danika.
Seeing his familiarity, Graham was left speechless. It looked like his daughter had spent a lot of time with this man. ‘Didn’t you say you two weren’t together?” he asked Danika.
“Yeah.” Danika nodded. “We’re not together.”
“Don’t worry, sir. We’re just friends.” Eustace said after poking his head out from the doorway.
Just friends? Did they take him for a fool? What kind of friend would head straight into the kitchen to cook for their friend, groceries loaded and at the ready?
Still…
Graham went to the kitchen. “You know how to cook?’
“Course he does. His cooking is amazing.’ Danika put in a good word for Eustace Too.
Graham started wondering if Eustace had seduced his daughter with his cooking.
Why else would Danika be head over heels in love with him?
“Why don’t you keep your father company in the living room, Danika?’ Eustace suggested.
Danika nodded. ‘Are you sure you can handle it alone?’
She thought she’d help him with preparing the food, given he was going to cook so many dishes.
“Yes. Don’t worry about me.” He could handle cooking, for sure.
Danika didn’t question further. She led Graham away from the kitchen, leaving Eustace alone.
The father and daughter sat down in the living room. “I think you misunderstood him some. It wasn’t his fault we divorced in the first place.”
“Who’s fault is it then? Don’t fall for his tricks, Danika.” Graham warned, hurt that his daughter was defending Eustace.
Wasn’t these all signs pointing to their eventual romance?
With a sigh, Danika explained everything from the beginning, emphasizing that
Eustace never took time to get to know her during their marriage, nor did they consummate it. Obviously, Danika was insinuating Graham’s unjust act of having a child with Rowena even though he didn’t love her.