Page 62 of Consequence of One Reckless Night

Raquel glanced out at the sea in front of them, her body tightening with discomfort.

“I had hoped to see the next Monteiro heir before I died.”

Her eyes snapped back to Carlos at the longing in his voice. His face was heavily wrinkled, and he suddenly looked much older than before. Was he ill?

“I carry your next heir, Grandfather,” she reminded him.

But Carlos shook his head. “Alexandre isn’t my heir. Leandro is.”

Raquel bristled with indignation. “Alexandre is your grandson, too! The adoption made him a legal Monteiro.”

Carlos turned to look at her. “I adopted him because I thought it would keep his awful mother from going to the press. But no amount of money satisfied that rapacious woman.”

Raquel stared at him with disbelief. Carlos’s motive behind the adoption had been purely practical. He didn’t do it out of love or even a sense of responsibility—he did it only to save face!

“My son was a weak man,” he confessed, hanging his head in shame. “His deplorable lifestyle brought shame to this family, for which I paid a heavy price.” Carlos told her how Rico had made their lives miserable with his poor choices, and the things he’d done over the years to cover up his son’s mistakes.

Alexandre was just one such mistake, Raquel realized with horror, her heart shattering into a million pieces.

Carlos wasn’t a kind man like Alexandre had believed him to be. While he had looked to his grandfather for love and affection, and acceptance, Carlos had been merely tolerating him—like a grimy stain he couldn’t get rid of.

“What about Alexandre?” Raquel asked with a heavy heart. From everything he’d told her, she understood that Carlos didn’t see Alexandre as a Monteiro. And his grandson’s feelings, desires, and expectations meant nothing to him.

Carlos frowned.

“You spoke of your son’s despicable behavior and how it tarnished the family’s reputation, destroyed his marriage and caused you all unimaginable pain, but you never once spoke of Alexandre. What about him? Where is he in this equation?” Raquel couldn’t quell the tremor in her voice as she stood up for the twelve-year-old boy adopted by his father’s family only to be cast aside. Her heart wept for the man he’d grown up to be—strong and invincible to the world but in truth, was vulnerable inside, still longing for acceptance and love. “What about the little boy you brought home, Grandfather? Did you ever think about him—about his feelings?”

Carlos maintained his silence.

“Did you ever wonder how he coped with his mother’s abandonment and his father’s rejection? Was he happy here—living with the servants, while his half-brother went to a posh boarding school? Did he like living like a poor cousin while his brother had the best of everything you could buy him? Do you think he liked being confined to the shadows so you wouldn’t have to see the consequence of your son’s despicable actions?”

Carlos’s head jerked up—stunned dark eyes bored into her.

“You only thought about yourself—your son and your precious family name. You never thought of the young boy who believed you were a kind man for saving him from a rapacious mother. He looked up to you, craved your affection—acceptance, your love but you never gave him the time of the day, did you? He is your flesh and blood, and in choosing not to acknowledge him, you too are guilty of the same sin as your son. It’s a shame you will never know what a wonderful person Alexandre is.” Raquel stood up, shaking with fury, angry tears blurring her vision.

Carlos stood up, leaning heavily on his cane, suddenly looking old and frail.

“You’ve only ever seen him as a nuisance you had to tolerate while failing to recognize that he only needed your love,” she continued.

“I never meant to do that to him.” Carlos’s quiet confession stumped her, and Raquel slumped against a wooden pillar of the gazebo. “I only did what I thought was best for us all...”

“But you never thought of Alexandre as one of you, did you?”

Carlos shook his head—shamefaced. “I’m afraid not. He’s an ugly reminder of my son’s misdeeds. And it doesn’t help that he followed in his father’s footsteps—living a debauched, disreputable life.”

“And why do you think he did that?” Raquel questioned, but Carlos had no answer for her. “He did it to get your attention! Every time you rebuked him, he secretly rejoiced because it brought you to him. For those few minutes, he had your undivided attention, and your reprimands, he took them as a sign that deep down you cared about him.”

Carlos was speechless. “I didn’t know...”

“It’s a pity you failed to recognize that Alexandre admires and respects you. But if you can’t bring yourself to love Alexandre, then don’t,” she sniffed, standing up straight. “He doesn’t need your love, not after begging quietly for it for decades. He has me now, and this child,” she said, proudly cradling her bump. “I love Alexandre, and my child will love him, too. I’m only sad that you will never know what a wonderful man your grandson is.”

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