Ex-Husband's Regret

I knew that their reaction would be explosive. It's not every day that you're told you have a daughter-in-law and a granddaughter
you didn't know about.
My father starts pacing, and I just fucking know what he's thinking. Dad trained both me and Rowan. We always know what he's
thinking because we think in the same way.
He was probably wondering how this happened. Wondering if I took a paternity test to make sure that Lilly was indeed my
daughter. He would also be thinking if Harper had managed somehow to fool me, trap me. He's in a thinking mode, trying to work
all the angles.
"H-How did this happen? How do you have a wife and daughter all of a sudden?" mom stammered, trying to form the words.
Her face was still etched in shock. Her eyes shifting from me to Harper who was staring at the floor silently. She was nervous.
Panicking on the inside. There was this strong push to hold her. To give her reassurance through my touch.
My strong reaction towards her puzzled me. It wasn't like this before when we were married, so what the hell changed? Why is it
that all of a sudden, I wanted to do things I never wanted to do before? "Answer your mother, Gabe" dad's authoritative voice
pulled me from my thoughts.
"We were involved a few years back" I started. "I didn't know that I'd gotten her pregnant when I kicked her out of my life. It
wasn't until recently that I found out that she had my child."
I didn't want to tell them that we were married before. Those same strange feelings pushed me to protect her. My parents would
be livid if they found out that her brother had threatened me. I know my parents; I especially know my mother. She doesn't take
kindly to those who mess with her boys. What Ava went through by my mother's hands is a clear example of what happens when
someone messes with us.
Andrew wanted me to marry Harper because he knew she had a crush on me. After all, we did move in the same circle. I'm still
convinced that she was in on it, but my parents don't need to know that part. I don't want them to hate her.
"So, she hid your child from you for years?" mom demanded, and I could feel her anger rising.
"Yes, but it's because I wasn't really kind to her."
My dad stopped, before taking a seat next to my mom. "What does that even mean?"

I sigh, not really ready to have this conversation but knowing that I need to. "It simply means that I she wasn't at fault. I was a
total douchebag to her. I was immature and a fucking chip on my shoulder, so I took it out on her. If I were in her shoes, I would
have done the same. I'm glad she didn't tell me because looking back at that younger version I'm fucking sure I would not have
accepted her pregnancy"
Everyone is quiet when I'm done speaking. Harper is looking at me with wide eyes, dad's look is indescribable and mom is
looking at me with disappointment.
I continue speaking, burying myself in deeper shit. "I'm not like Rowan, who immediately took responsibility when Ava got
pregnant. With how was then, I would probably have asked Harper to get rid of the pregnancy."
"I'm disappointed to hear you say that, Gabe... very disappointed" mom whispered sadly.
"When did you get together?" Dad asked immediately mom stopped speaking.
"A few months after Ava and Rowan got married" I answered.
"I remember that time, Rowan was acting out, getting drunk and doing drugs while you were sleeping with anything that walked,
that means you cheated on her multiple times" Dad commented thoughtfully.
I don't say a fucking thing, because what could I say? What he said is the truth. did cheat on Harper and didn't even bother to
hide it. I rarely spent time at the house we stayed in and would only see her occasionally. I despised her for colluding with her
brother to threaten and trap me.