บท 43: Choice (1)
"You're so close to making us believe we can trust that you will always choose what is best son but your grandmother and I still have to watch you a little bit more-"
Samuel stood up frustrated he was still being tested by the two of them. What more did he have to do to prove he was ready? Everyone else commended him on a job well done but his family kept testing him. "What more do I have to do to prove myself father? I have excelled in everything you threw my way and yet, it has never been enough."
He was starting to feel like a failure or the bad apple as his family liked to call it. He did not want to be called a bad apple. And if they could not depend on him as the next heir for the family, who else would they have? He was his father's only son unless his father had another affair.
"Do not raise your voice at me son. I have taught you to be better than that. The one thing holding you back is Aurora," Nathaniel said, placing his hand on his emotional son's shoulder. He agreed with his wife that the children should've never been raised so close with an outsider.
"What does Aurora have to do with this? I never heard any of you discussing her being in the business." Samuel hoped they weren't trying to blame Aurora for things that had nothing to do with her like always. Him not being fully welcomed was not her fault.
"You said it perfectly before, son. Blood is thicker than water and I have thought your grandmother made the mistake of calling her a Hamilton. Why not just lock her away or make her a worker? But, I've heard the last one had a close connection with Minnie," Nathaniel muttered the last part under his breath. When he was younger he was scared his mother could hear everything happening in the house.
"That applies to Aurora because she is my sister, your daughter." Had his father forgotten she was a product of his cheating affairs? They were half-siblings but he considered Aurora as much of his sister as Regina. The three of them grew up really close.
Nathaniel sighed, pouring himself some more wine even though he had not drunk much of the one already in his glass. "Do you know how much I hate that lie? It would've been a smarter plan had Minnie let one of us have children with Aurora. Our lineage would have her power."
Samuel's eyes widened in surprise at the absurd words which left his father's mouth. "How can you say such a disgusting thing about your own flesh and blood? The men in our society are known to be pigs but I did expect you to be one to this extent father."
Nathaniel loudly chuckled, finding his son's reaction to be funny all because he was clueless. "That girl is not your sister. She's just something our family has used as a charm over the years. Keeping our business successful. That's partially why Minnie is so protective of her. Making her your sister was my mother's idea and up to now, I have no clue why. Do you still believe that blood is thicker than water? It'll determine your future in this house as a potential heir. Just because you are my only son does not guarantee everything will be handed to you."
Samuel was still trying to come to terms with the idea that Aurora was not his sister. Was this supposed to be some sick twisted kind of joke? "What do you mean she's not my sister. My whole life you have called her my sister. Remember, you cheated on my mother with another woman. How can Aurora just be a family charm?"
"She does not look and act like a Hamilton. It has always been obvious she is not one of us. That is why it has been hard for your mother and I to treat her like one of our own because she didn't even exist because of me. She's much older than I am. I was so caught up in this lie for so many years that I started to think of her as my daughter."
Nathaniel continued to say, "The problem with what my mother did is that you and Regina became too close to Aurora. It would've made things so much easier had she not made Aurora pretend to be one of us. History is repeating itself all over again but we must not let it happen."
"I don't want to hear any more of this nonsense," Samuel said storming out of his father's office but before he could turn the knob to leave, his father's last words shocked him.
Ten minutes later, Samuel left his father's office accidentally bumping into Regina who was told by a maid that her mother wanted her.
"Slow down big head. What's got you in a rush?" Regina questioned with folded arms. He would've knocked her over if not for her quick balance. He didn't even apologize right away for his mistake. Sure they argued a lot but an apology could not hurt him. "Samuel, why are you looking so gloomy like someone just killed your pet cat you've been hiding? Did you mess up and father scold you again?"
She knew Samuel had been working hard to be part of the family business but it wasn't exactly paying off the way he wanted it to. Regina would normally continue to tease him about it but today he looked all over the place.
"Aurora," Samuel began to say but then stopped himself as it was supposed to be a secret. His father gave him the choice to pick between Aurora and his family. He was torn because Aurora was always his little sister but he made it a goal to impress his father and Minnie. He was a Hamilton and the answer was obvious which one he needed to pick but he couldn't say it out loud so easily. "Never mind," he said, hurrying away from Regina.
"What about Aurora?" Regina asked, then looked towards her father's office. "Did father tell him a secret about Aurora?"
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