All throughout the day, Jeremy could not focus on anything at the office, and that was all because he had one thing in mind - the fact that he was a father, that he had a child with Donna.
It filled him with happiness, and yet still, anger. How could she have kept such information from him? For years!
He reasoned it, the last time they had been together intimately was the time they were still together, some six years ago. That would mean she had been pregnant then, before they had broken up. Before he had broken them up.
If he had known, he would have fought to keep her.
He groaned. Would he have done that really? When his father had threatened her life, would he still be able to go against Ebeneezer Xiu?
He took in a deep breath and let it out. The truthful answer to that was no, he wouldn't have been able to do anything. Then, his father was much powerful, he controlled the Aberus and used that to control most part of the city, all that was before the incident that made him into a cripple.
"But still! She should have said something to me!" He yelled out in frustration as he drove back home from the office. The city around him was embracing the night but it was still as lively and bright.
He recalled when he and Donna would go on dates, she had always loved the restaurants by the river side, where she could sit out and eat while enjoying the view of the lotus lamps floating in the water.
He felt bad. For six years, Donna had raised their child without him, he wondered if she suffered doing that and it just caused his heart to ache more. It made his resolution even stronger, he would see his child, by hook or by crook, he would.
The house was quiet as usual when he arrived but Cheryl was pacing the living room which was not usual. He walked in quietly with the aim of just going up to his room to relax, but when Cheryl noticed him, she ran up to him.
"Jer bear," she called him with one of those weird nicknames she always came up with and it irked him. He ignored her but she latched on to his arm.
"Did you go to see her?"
"Let go Cheryl, I do not have the strength to deal with you tonight," he said to her tiredly.
But Cheryl wouldn't let go of him, "Are you going to bring her here? Will you let Ebeneezer know?"
Jeremy frowned and tried to shove Cheryl off, "What are you on about? Let go!"
"Don't let Donna kick me out with her Jeremy!" She pleased and Jeremy took a closer look at her now. Her eyes were puffy as if she had been crying for a long time, and she had some bruises on her face, it was only then he recalled that Donna had beaten her up. He turned to face her.
"Cheryl, what did you do?"
Cheryl straightened and looked at him confused, "What do you mean?"
"Donna," he said and watched her eyebrows furrowed, "What did you do to her to have her attack you? I know Donna, and I know she doesn't lash out that easily. What did you do?"
Cheryl slowly let go of his arm and took a step back. She looked away from him and sniffed, "Even right now, you're only still worried about her."
"Answer me Cheryl!" He could feel his anger coming, "What did you do this time?"
But Cheryl remained quiet and walked away from him, back to the fireplace. Jeremy just watched her retreat from him, he felt frustration from Cheryl's attitude and Donna's refusal for him to see his child.
His child. Hold on...
"What was Donna going on about when she was here?" He asked the question to Cheryl, "What did she say you did to her daughter?"
Cheryl still remained quiet and turn to face Jeremy. That only angered him the more.
"Cheryl! Answer me right now!"
"I did what I felt I had to do!" She snapped and faced him now, "And I don't regret doing it! I just wished I had been able to finish what I had started."
Jeremy stared at her for a long time, she was beginning to cry but most definitely did not look remorseful. She continued.
"She was going to use that child to come back here! She was going to send me packing, she has the one thing I could never give you."
"Hold on a minute, let me get this straight," he shook his head and held out a hand, "The kidnap on Alix, you organized that? What I saw on the news, that was all you?"
Cheryl gritted her teeth and fumed. She cried but she looked at him defiantly and sniffed, not uttering a word.
"Answer me!" He growled at her, revealing his fangs.
Cheryl shuddered in fear. She saw his eyes, bloodshot and oozing the purest rage and she knew what was coming for her. She chose not to cower, not to beg, she would face him.
She lifted her chin higher in the air, and with a shaky voice she replied to him, "I regret nothing of what I did."
In an instant, he blurred to where she stood, seized her by the neck and slammed her against the wall behind, pinning her to it by her neck. Cheryl screamed in pain and grabbed a hold of his arm. She could taste blood in her mouth as she had accidentally bitten her tongue.
Jeremy had his face down, she could hear his raggered breathing as he tried hard not to completely loose control or he might just end her life and would not face any consequence.
"You knew who she was, you knew whose blood she carried and you dared to still do what you did?!"
Cheryl choked, "You were never supposed to know her. You were never supposed to find out!"