novelraw Chapter 166: There Will Be No Regrets
Chapter 166: There Will Be No Regrets
Chapter 166: There Will Be No Regrets
"Brandon?" Levi uttered as his frown deepened as Brandon rose to his feet.
Levi did not expect to see Brandon waiting for him outside his office, a hesitant look on his face. He knew this conversation was inevitable. Brandon deserved answers, deserved an explanation for the bombshell that had been dropped on his life.
Levi had not expected to deal with this confrontation this soon, considering that Sutton had just died. He was dreading the pain he knew he would have to inflict on the young man, but he knew he that if he was here then he could no longer put it off any more.
With a heavy sigh, Levi gestured towards his office. "Come on in, Brandon," he said, his voice weary.
Brandon followed him inside, his eyes scanning the familiar space where he had reigned supreme for a very brief time. The atmosphere was thick with tension, the unspoken words hanging heavy in the air.
Levi closed the door behind them and turned to face Brandon, his heart aching at the sight of the young man’s troubled expression. He could see the confusion, the hurt, the sense of betrayal etched on his face.
"Why don’t you have a seat," Levi offered, gesturing towards one of the chairs in front of his desk.
Brandon sat down, his gaze fixed on Levi. He didn’t speak, simply waiting for Levi to begin.
"How are you holding up?" Levi asked, "Your mother and I may have not seen eye to eye but I am sad at her unfortunate passing, let me know if there is anything you need."
Levi wondered briefly if the young man believed he was responsible for Sutton’s murder. Everyone in the news was alluding to it, maybe Brandon believed it too and wanted to confront him.
Brandon shrugged and glanced away, the pain in his eyes undeniable. Levi took a deep breath, trying to organize his thoughts. He knew that he had to choose his words carefully, to explain his actions without causing further pain.
"I know this is a lot to take in," Levi began, his voice low and gentle. "I understand you have questions that you deserve answers to."
"Why did you let me go on with that charade if you had any suspicions, if you knew that it was a possibility why did you not tell me?" Brandon asked in a voice laden with agony.
Levi kept quiet for a minute, searching for the right words. "The truth is, I found out about me not being your real father a few years after you were born," he continued. "It was... a complicated situation, I was very young and I didn’t know what to do, who to tell."
Brandon remained silent, his eyes fixed on Levi’s face.
"I had my suspicions," Levi explained. "You don’t look like me. There had never been any physical resemblance. So, I did a DNA test."
He paused, taking a deep breath. "The results confirmed my suspicions," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "That I was not your biological father."
Brandon’s expression didn’t change. He simply nodded slowly.
"Why?" he asked, his voice low and strained. "Why did you not tell me? Why did you keep it a secret?"
Levi sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It was not my intention to keep it a secret forever," he said. "I just... I didn’t know how to say it because I did not want to hurt the people I loved."
He paused, his gaze meeting Brandon’s. "I did not want to hurt my mother," he continued. "She was so happy to have a grandchild. I didn’t want to take that away from her. And Chris, I thought Chris was your father."
Levi sighed deeply and lowered his eyes to his table top. "Chris did not need that complication, he was just a few months younger than me but I had always felt protective about him. If it had been found out that he was the father of Sutton’s baby... he would have lost his chance at a decent life, the scholarships, everything."
Brandon remained silent for a moment, his eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and hurt.
"You did that without even the tiniest consideration for me," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "For how your actions could ruin my life."
"I know," Levi admitted, his voice filled with regret. "And I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I thought I was doing the right thing, protecting everyone involved. I would never have put you out that way if Brett had not tried to use you."
He paused, taking a deep breath. "But I was wrong," he continued. "The truth always comes out eventually. And I should have spoken about it sooner."
Brandon looked away, his gaze fixed on the floor. He seemed lost in his own thoughts, processing the weight of the revelation.
"What now?" he asked, his voice barely audible. "What happens to me now? My mother is dead, i don’t know how to deal with all of this... i don’t even know who I am anymore."
Levi’s heart ached at the sight of Brandon’s pain and felt responsible for it. He knew the young man was lost, adrift in a sea of uncertainty. He had lost the father he thought he knew, the one he did not know and he was now facing a future he had not anticipated even in his wildest dreams.
"I want to help you, Brandon," Levi said, his voice sincere. "I know that this is a difficult time for you. And I want you to know that I am here for you, regardless of our relationship. Let me know whatever you need."
He paused, taking a deep breath. "I know you are probably feeling lost and confused right now," he continued. "And you may not want anything to do with me. I understand that. But I want to offer you something."
He paused again, his eyes meeting Brandon’s. "I want to offer you a job here at Van Doren group," he said and when Brandon’s eyes widened, he continued. "I know you have always been interested in the business. And I think you have a lot of potential."
Brandon continued to stare at him in disbelief, He had not expected such an offer.
"A job?" he repeated, his voice laced with disbelief.
"Yes," Levi confirmed. "I know you are going through a lot right now. And I know you don’t have anyone else to turn to. I want to give you a place to belong, a place where you can learn and grow after all, you are still family."
Brandon remained silent for a moment, considering the offer. He was still reeling from the revelation about his paternity and his mother’s death, but he also knew that he needed a purpose, a direction in his life.
With his mother’s controlling influence gone from his life, he would be able to take the reins and actually do the things that he wanted to do.
"I... I don’t know what to say," he stammered.
"You don’t have to say anything right now," Levi replied. "Just think about it. The offer stands. Whenever you are ready there will be a place for you."
Brandon nodded slowly, his gaze dropping to the floor again. He seemed lost in his own thoughts, weighing his options.
"Thank you so much," he finally said, his voice barely audible. "I... I have done so many horrid things to you and Lyse. Yet, you still open your doors for me and offer me help?"
Levi nodded, his heart aching for the young man. He knew he had caused him a great deal of pain, but he hoped that this offer, this opportunity, would help him find his way.
He was dealing with overwhelming guilt over how he had treated Brandon. The news must have been so devastating to him, it was not his fault that he was born into such a messy situation. In Levi’s opinion, enough blood had been shed, there was no point punishing Brandon.
"I think that everyone deserves a chance." Levi said. "I just hope that you will not make me regret this."
"I promise that there will be no regrets." Brandon said firmly.
What Levi didn’t know, however, was that Brandon’s acceptance of the job was not entirely genuine. While he was grateful for the opportunity, a seed of resentment had been planted in his heart.
He felt betrayed by Levi, by his mother, by Brett. He had been deceived for years about his own identity and used as a pawn. He saw this job not as a chance for a new beginning, but as an opportunity for revenge. He would work alongside Levi, learn his secrets, and wait for the perfect moment to strike back, to make him pay for the way he had played with his life. The offer of a job, intended as an olive branch, had inadvertently provided Brandon with the perfect weapon for his own carefully plotted revenge.