CHAPTER 249: UNDERSTANDING A FRAGMENT OF HARBOURED HATE

The Crane family?

What relationship did someone like Julian have with them?

Brooke shifted closer to him, "Why are you curious about them?" She sharply inquired. And what was this about her father? Did he mean Scott? Not to mention Ethan, did he know they were married?

"To put things simply, your father Scott was helping me locate my ex wife and daughter. Now that I’ve found them, I’d like to know everything there is to know about them from a third perspective." He informed her.

Thane narrowed his eyes, taking note of the mention of Scott. He started running numbers in his head, whilst he lent an ear to what Julian was saying.

Brooke widened her eyes, "Wait...you don’t mean-"

Julian nodded, "Yes, Cassie is my daughter with Serena." He revealed.

"Your daughter? Then what about Luther? I’m so confused right now, how could Cassie be your daughter?" She shook her head, "You were married to..."

Completing her sentence he explained in length, "Serena and I were married before, but it was a long time ago. At the time, I was unaware that she and Luther were anything more than just friends. After she divorced me I left the country and returned to run my family’s business. It was purely out of luck that I met your father Scott abroad, who let me know that Serena was pregnant when I left and had a daughter."

Brooke looked to Thane, who just like her was paying rapt attention.

Julian went on, "At the time, he had lost communication with Serena after they had a fall out. And all these years he spent them helping me find Serena and my daughter, Cassie. It wasn’t until some weeks ago that he found them, and subsequently I moved here to reconnect with her."

Brooke felt like she had been slapped hard across the face.

Just how lucky was her damned sister?!

Luther was in hiding for his crimes, and now an even richer, and much more caring man had emerged as her actual father. The story he told her, of how he had been yearning for his daughter played in her head, was a brat like Cassie going to take that place? Just what could she have done in her past life to be so fortunate?

But still, she felt uneasy about the whole situation.

To herself she pondered, ’I wonder if Scott truly couldn’t contact Serena all these years. It couldn’t be that hard finding people involved in the entertainment industry.’ What actually was going on here?

"Brooke," Julian called out to her, "I admit that I don’t know you, but to some extent I am a good judge of character. So, that’s why I sought you out, to ask you about everything myself."

Still reeling in the shock of his words, Brooke managed to ask, "About everything? What do you mean?"

"Cassie had bad mouthed you, she said you made life in Luther’s house a living hell. But, after meeting you, I couldn’t bring myself to believe that. Obviously, a father should always take his daughter’s side..." he paused, searching for the right words to say.

Letting out a sigh he went on, "But Luther could’ve raised my daughter badly as a way to get revenge on me. I couldn’t imagine him helping my daughter so much without ulterior motives. That brings me to my second question, about the father of her child, Ethan Halton-" he was saying, but noticed the way Brooke quaked at his name.

He had noticed it the first time but didn’t think to point it out.

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"Brooke-"

Thane inserted, "Ethan Halton was Brooke’s ex husband." He told him.

Brooke frowned, "I didn’t need you to say anything for me. I could’ve said so myself." She snapped at him.

Thane gave her a look, "I was only helping because of how pale you looked just now. If you don’t want me here, say the word, I’ll wait in the car."

She hissed, "You’re being stubborn-"

He hissed back, "You’re acting salty-"

Julian cut them both off, their bickering was giving him a headache, coupled with the revelation that Ethan was once married to Brooke.

"I knew that Ethan was hiding something about you. I found it odd that after you interned for him, he suddenly made Cassie his company’s ambassador. He acted strangely too every time I brought you up." Julian noted.

To Brooke he asked, "Why did you divorce him?"

Taking her angry glare off her husband she turned to Julian, the rage on her face melted into anxiety. Aside Thane, she hadn’t spoken up about her marriage with Ethan in full details to anyone else.

She clenched her fists under the table, "Our marriage was...uneventful. We didn’t part on good terms, even our divorce didn’t happen smoothly." She started, trying to keep her voice from cracking.

Ethan’s face replayed in her head. Seeing him fresh at the prison had shaken her up a bit, having him so close reminded her that she was just as afraid of him as she hated him.

Julian’s gaze shifted to Thane’s, who despite being pissed just some seconds ago, suddenly looked worried. His eyes were pinned on Brooke so intently it made Julian crack a small smile.

’These two are quite interesting.’ he noted.

Refocusing on the conversation Julian said, "I think that Luther was trying to push Cassie to get with Ethan to ruin her. And now, hearing that you both were married before, makes me even more suspicious of Luther’s intentions."

Brooke closed her eyes and exhaled sharply, opening them she calmed her nerves enough to say, "Forgive me if this offends you, but Cassie is no better than Luther or Serena. If anything she’s worse." Brooke plainly told him, tired of hearing Cassie being portrayed as a victim.

Julian sighed, "I could tell she had been spoiled a bit-"

Shaking her head she explained, "No, I don’t think you understand just how much of a bad person Cassie Crane truly is. And I don’t think you can understand even a fragment of the hate I have for her!"