Chapter 263 - Nang Foundation Charitable Event (6)

12 April, Palace Hotel, City K

Watching Matthew retreating back, Paul wondered was Matthew right.  Was he being exactly like his selfish parents?  His childhood was a mess, because all his parents could think about was revenge on each other and their own selfish needs.  They both hated the fact they had been forced into a marriage that they did not want in their late teens, simply because his grandparents wanted to cement business relationsh.i.p.s.

The older he got, the more he realised the situation.  The so-called aunts his father had him spend time with were his various mistresses, and the three uncles his mother had with him were her lovers.  The first time he told his mother about the aunt his father introduced him to not only saw her physically attack him but caused verbal and physical arguments for weeks between his parents.  Despite being, if he recalled, about seven years old, he knew that he needed not to talk to the other about these people.  He simply had to endure how it made him feel.

The whole truth about the situation was only revealed when his maternal grandparents died.  A letter was delivered to him by their lawyer apologising for the situation that they created.  It explained that after a society event, his drunken parents slept together and commenced an intense but exclusive relationship that lasted around two months, which his father ended.  While they were not sure of the reason for the ending of their relationship, about a week afterwards his mother found out she was pregnant and indicated that his father was the father of the unborn child.

As the letter explained, his father denied that he was the father of the unborn child, but a marriage was quickly arranged for the two of them, before his mother's pregnancy became widely known.  Initially, his mother tolerated his father's ways as she wanted to make a success of the relationship, but it was only after in a drunken rage his father beaten and r.a.p.ed her one night that she gave up on the marriage.  The only reason that she stayed was him, and his sister April, that was conceived as a result of the r.a.p.e.  His grandparent's explained that it was that point in time that his mother gave up on the marriage adopting the same attitude as his father, they were married in name only, and were free to have whatever relationship they wanted, with whomever they wanted.  As was made clear, his grandparents believed as soon as they died his mother, their daughter, would apply for a divorce and leave the country.

That prediction was correct.  Two weeks after the funeral, his mother upped and left with April taking her to England, to be with her most recent lover.  That broke his heart, but at the same time seemed to draw him and his father together, while he dealt with the fallout from the divorce and the loss of April.

Watchung how much the end of his parents' marriage impacted his father, Paul swore that he would not interfere in other people's marriages, because he did not be responsible for the harm that caused.  Having only reconnected with

Could Matthew be right.  Was he being as selfish as his parents had been during their marriage, only caring about themselves, and not the impact that it had on the others, through being so focused on Sally?  Giving up on a relationship with Sally was the hardest thing to do, because she was the right woman for him, and he was the right man for her.  But, in keeping pursuing her, was he willing to accept the wider cost?  That was something he did not know the answer to.  Was Matthew right, that he was missing opportunities for a potential relationship that would be everything he desired?  Could he make the shift that Matthew was urging him to do?

Looking in through the open doors, he was Sally dancing in Andrew's arms.  The look on her face of utter peace and contentment was shattering.  Andrew was her world, and no one around them mattered.  That shattered his heart.  There was the woman who he had loved for almost a decade in the arms of a friend who was the centre of her world.

In that moment, Paul realised that he could not stay the night.  He needed to escape the sight before him and sort through his thoughts.  Matthew was right, he needed decide what he wanted and staying here he knew would always ensure that he questioned his choices, because he would only make a decision based on emotions and he needed to consider everything, because his love life and supporting friendsh.i.p.s all depended on it.

Having made that decision, Paul wandered in, and in addition to seeing Sally in Andrew's arms, he noticed John dancing with the woman he introduced as Bronwyn.  His instinct on being introduced to her was that she was a woman with something to hide.  That deserved some investigation.

Paul scanned around the room, and located Harry and Sophia Nang, standing with a few older people, who Paul knew by sight from a distance but not name.  He walked over, and quietly said "I just wanted to apologise, I am not feeling well, and am heading home.  But I will make sure the Gu Group sends a significant donation through."

Sophia, nodded to Harry, and said "Not a problem Paul.  We are grateful that you came despite not feeling well.  Harry can keep talking and let me escort you out."

Paul, not wanting to be rude, nodded, and Sophia walked with him towards the exit.  As they exited the room, Sophia looked around and seeing no one around said "Paul, Harry and I are not oblivious to things going on around us.  We have always known how you feel about Sally.  It is obvious to us, but not to her as she has only ever seen you as a friend.  We will not tell you what to do, as we respect you too much for that.  But in whatever you do, do not hurt our daughter as we will not let you get away with that and be willing to live with the consequences of your choice.  If you take the path I hope you do, I know there is the right woman out there for you, you simply have to be open to finding her and not focusing on what you cannot have."

Sophia moved in gave Paul a kiss on the cheek before immediately heading back inside.

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