He had once tried talking to her about her private life. The only things he got out of her was to mind his own business. Arthur remembered he had laughed. Blayne should have been his child. Blayne should have been…the son he had always wanted. She was resolute and aloof. She was in control of her life and she never wavered from the course she set for herself. She was now running most of his businesses besides her own money. She was ruthless but she was also loyal. Where he would never have trusted Chaz or even his own daughter Diana with this power, he had trusted Blayne.
Blayne was his daughter as much as Abigail's, he told himself. He had raised her. She was as stubborn and arrogant as he was and for that she was close to his heart. She was too much like him, he suddenly realized, and that saddened him. Like him, she would make many mistakes. He only hoped that she would not be filled with regret at the end of her life as well.
Blayne sat behind her desk. She had been sitting there for hours now. Arthur was dying. And now she had to get a complete stranger to agree to see him.
Standing, Blayne walked towards the huge glass window. Her office was on the twenty-fifth floor of the Aston-Carlyle Building. Arthur was a sanctimonious, self-absorbed son of a bitch, and the only father she had ever known. Ever since she could remember he had been there. So many times she told herself that one-day she would be able to truly talk to him about her life. Blayne always thought that there would be a tomorrow and suddenly tomorrow was here and he would never truly know her.
She walked back to her desk and sat down. She then opened the file before her. She read the report carefully and also went over all the documentation the attorneys had provided. Short of a DNA test, all signs showed that Gabriella Matheson was indeed Arthur's daughter. All the dates and facts pointed towards that. Blayne ran her fingers through her hair. She felt drained. She leaned back on her chair, letting her head fall back.
"Damn you Arthur. Damn you. You knew I was going to do this, didn't you, you old man," Blayne said with a sad smile. "Too used to getting your way."
She then finished reading the rest of the report about Gabriella Matheson. She had married Joseph Matheson when she was twenty. Three years later her daughter Elena was born and two years later she had a son named Christopher. Joseph Matheson was a prominent attorney and she was a homemaker.
Gabriella had gone to college the last few years and finished her degree in Art History. She was an artist. Blayne leaned back for a moment. Somehow this had surprised her. Arthur's daughter was an artist. Gabriella was a sculptor.
Blayne opened the yellow envelopes and pulled out the photos that the attorneys had provided. She saw a few photos of the children; the photos had obviously been taken clandestinely. And then she saw a picture of who she thought was Joseph Matheson, she turned the photo over and his name was indeed on it. Then she saw the face of Gabriella. Blayne stared at the photograph for a moment in silence.
"She looks like an artist," Blayne spoke out loud.
"And what does an artist look like?"
Blayne looked up and saw her mother come into the room.
"Mother, I didn't know you were…."
"I knew you'd be here. Did he talk to you?" Abigail asked sadly.
"Yes." Blayne seemed embarrassed.
Abigail stared at her daughter for a moment. Blayne always surprised her somehow. She was embarrassed for her, Abigail suddenly realized.
"It's all right, Blayne. May I see the photo?" Abigail asked as her hand went out to Blayne.
Blayne gave her the photo of Gabriella.
"She's very beautiful," Abigail said sadly. "Do you also have a photo of her mother?"
Blayne looked down at the rest of the photos and handed another photo to her mother.
"Yes," was all that Abigail said as she handed Blayne the photos back.
"He wants me to get this woman Gabriella Matheson, to see him," Blayne explained as she sat down again. She took back the photo from her mother and looked at it.
"We spoke last night. What do you think Blayne? Is it possible?"
"Mother, short of a DNA test…"
"Blayne what does your analytical mind tell you?" Abigail pulled no punches.
"I would say that everything points to her being Arthur's daughter," Blayne replied bluntly.
Abigail closed her eyes.
"I'm sorry, mother. I don't know why you're surprised. Arthur has always been… I'm surprised that this hasn't happened before," Blayne said coldly.
"I should divorce him."
"Don't be ridiculous. Let's not go into this again mother. Let's skip the drama and get down to business, okay? You know that you are not going to divorce him. Is it true?" Blayne was aggravated by her mother's attitude. Every argument between her and Arthur she always said the same thing.
"Is what true?"
"That he has pancreatic cancer?" Blayne waited for what seemed like a lifetime. "Mother?"
"Yes, it's true." Abigail sat down and suddenly looked old. "I do love him, you know."
"I know you do, mother."
"Do you? Do you think he knows that?" Abigail's eyes began to fill with tears. "I often wonder if he knows."
"I'm sure he knows, mother," Blayne tried to sound reassuring.
"He has been a difficult man to love. I never really know what he's thinking. I doubt that he will ever know that I really did marry him because I loved him."
Blayne was surprised at this confession. She had never seen her mother like this. It was true then. Arthur was dying. And here was her mother saying things that she never thought she would hear her say. And yes, she was surprised. She loved Arthur. Why did it surprise her so much? Why should it surprise her that her mother loved him?
"No one ever thought I did. They all thought I married him for the money."
Blayne looked back at her without saying a word.
"He was so handsome. I fell in love with him on sight." Abigail smiled wistfully. "Our first night together he said her name in his sleep." Tears ran down her face.
Blayne remained quite.
"It broke my heart. I never said a word to him. I knew even then that he loved someone else. But you can't control who you love can you?" Abigail looked at her pitifully.
Blayne didn't know what to say. Her mother had known all these years. Knowing that her mother knew somehow hurt her inside.
"I'm sorry, mother."
"And now he's dying. What will I do without him?" Abigail looked up into her daughter's eyes. "The girl is very beautiful."
"Yes, she's very beautiful."
Blayne walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. A moment later, the door opened and in front of her stood Gabriella. The photos had not done her justice, was the first thought that entered Blayne's mind. She stared at the woman for a moment before snapping out of her self imposed trance.
"Yes? May I help you?"
"My name is Blayne Anberville. I need to speak to you," She said plainly.
Gabriella noticed that the woman in front of her was incredibly beautiful. She was impeccably dressed and Gabriella could see the black limousine parked in her driveway.
"And who are you?" Gabriella smiled, a little intrigued.
"My name is Blayne…"
Gabriella laughed. Blayne saw the beautiful face light up and all she could do was stare again. Such a lovely sound thought Blayne as she smiled a little back. "I know that part…." Gabriella said playfully.
"I'm here representing Arthur Aston-Carlyle," Blayne said quickly, feeling quite awkward for the first time in her life.
Gabriella smiled at the frazzled woman in front of her. For some reason this woman was acting like her young daughter when she had done something naughty. She decided to take pity on the beautiful stranger.