ALEX’S POV.
“Alex, why haven’t you been picking up my calls?” Mary raised her voice at me the moment I stepped into the house. She was waiting for me in the living room, her arms crossed. “And why are you alone? Where is Saraya?” She added, looking at me suspiciously.
I didn’t answer her questions, instead I gave her a deadly look. “Come with me this instant!” I screamed at her.
Her brows furrowed, but she obeyed, trailing behind me as I made my way upstairs to our bedroom. I shut the door firmly behind us, leaning against it for a moment before facing her.
“Why didn’t you tell me about Saraya and Arlan’s affair?” I asked, my voice was cold.
Mary froze. “How did you…”
“Don’t answer my question with another question, Mary.” I snapped, cutting her off. “How could you keep such thing away from me? Tell me, how long have you known?”
She stuttered, her composure crumbling. “I-I only found out in Brisbane. Saraya swore to me she would end it. I thought…”
“You thought what?” I stepped closer, my anger bubbling to the surface. “That keeping this from me was the right thing to do? That it wouldn’t blow up in all our faces?”
Mary looked down, guilt etched across her face. “I didn’t want to cause more problems, Alex. I believed her when she said it was over.”
I let out a bitter laugh, running a hand through my hair. “Did you know my mother is aware of their little secret?”
Her head shot up, her eyes wide. “What? Your mother knows?”
“Yes,” I said, my voice heavy with frustration. “And if that’s not enough, Saraya and Arlan are being blackmailed. There’s footage, Mary. Evidence of their affair.”
“Oh my God,” she whispered, her hands flying to her mouth. “Who’s behind this?”
“That’s what I intend to find out,” I said firmly. “But this isn’t just about Saraya and Arlan anymore. It’s about our family, our name, and the Newman empire. If this gets out, everything I’ve built… everything we’ve worked for… could crumble.”
She sat down on the edge of the bed, her face pale. “What do we do?”
“I’m going to speak to my mother first,” I said. “I need to know exactly what she knows and if Ian is in the knowing. Because right now, things are quite complicated. After that, we deal with the blackmailer.”
Mary nodded slowly, her voice barely above a whisper. “Alex… I’m sorry. I should have told you.”
“Yes, you should have,” I said, anger surging through me. “But what is done is done. Right now, we need to focus on containing this mess.”
Without waiting for her response, I turned and left the room. I entered my mother’s room, the faint scent of her favorite lavender perfume lingering in the air.
She was seated by the window listening to a classical song while sipping tea.
I stopped the music and took a seat right opposite her.
“Alex,” My mother said. “To whom do I owe the pleasure of this late-night visit?”
“We need to talk,” I replied.
“You sound serious. What is this about?”
“You already know,” I said, my voice low. “About Saraya and Arlan.”
Her expression didn’t change, but her grip on the teacup tightened. “I wondered what bought you here and this is it. I see you found out.”
“How long have you known?” I demanded, stepping closer.
She set the cup down with a soft clink. “Does it matter now? They became lovers right under your nose and it took you this long to find out. So typical of you.”
I ignored her jab and pressed on. “Are you the one behind the blackmail?”
“What do you mean by blackmail?” She asked.
“Saraya and Arlan are being threatened at the moment, there is also a footage of their affair which could ruin the company. Are behind it?” I repeated.
My mother scoffed, the accusation clearly offending her. “Blackmail? Don’t insult me, Alex. I may be many things, but I would never stoop to such a level. If I had a problem with your daughter’s behavior and I do, I would confront her directly. Why do I need to blackmail her?”
I studied her carefully, searching for any crack in her armor but found none. “Ian?”
“I can vouch for him,” my mother replied. “He knows nothing about their affair, if he did, trust me, he would have come to me and told me about it.”
“So you’re saying you and Ian have nothing to do with this blackmail?”
“Absolutely,” she said without hesitation. “I’ve always spoken my mind and you know that, Alex. Why would I retort to blackmailing my own granddaughter?”
“Then why didn’t you tell me about their affair?” I demanded. “If you knew, why didn’t you come to me?”
She leaned back in her chair, her gaze cold. “Because it wasn’t my place. You’re her father. It was your job to raise her better, to prevent this kind of disgrace. But Saraya…” She sighed, shaking her head. “She’s just like her mother. Reckless, selfish, and bound to bring shame to this family.”
My jaw tightened. “Don’t bring her mother into this.”
“Why not?” she said sharply. “You got yourself entangled with a woman who was more trouble than she is worth, and now you have a daughter who’s no different. I warned you, Alex. I told you Saraya would be a problem, and here we are.”
“She’s my daughter,” I snapped. “And despite her mistakes, she’s still part of this family.”
My mother waved her hand dismissively. “You always let your emotions cloud your judgment. This is why the Newman name is at risk, because you refuse to see things for what they are. Saraya’s actions is about to put everything we have built in jeopardy. She’s proven she’s incapable of carrying the family legacy.”
I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my anger. “Whether you like Saraya or not, she’s still your granddaughter and is the the CEO of the Newman’s empire.”
“But if she brings shame to the family’s business, then she will have to step down”
“Well, that is for me to decide, mother. We need to figure out who’s behind this blackmail before it’s too late.”
She stood, her expression icy. “Don’t lecture me, Alex. I’ve spent my life protecting this family’s name, and I’ll continue to do so. But don’t expect me to clean up the mess your daughter has made. That’s your burden to bear.”
“Fine,” I said through clenched teeth. “But if I find out you or Ian have anything to do with this, I won’t hesitate to cut ties. Family or not.”
She raised an eyebrow, unfazed by my threat. “You’re wasting your time blaming me, Alex. Focus on the real problem. Your daughter’s recklessness and the man who you call your best friend who should have known better.”
Her words struck a nerve but I didn’t let it show. I stood up and left the room without another word.