A Hopeless Pursuit (Forbidden Love Series Book 10)

 

 

"Why does dad need a fake name?" Asked Lisa puzzled by everything.

"Maybe he's hiding from the hitmen who he owes money to, " said Laurence with a shrug. "If he's made a passport, he might have left the country. " Lisa's eyes widened. Was she safe from her dad then? Would her life be normal?

"Let's search for more stuff. You never know what we might uncover," said Laurence walking to the huge wooden wall cabinet. There were finance related books as well as journals as well as law books. There were photo albums of their childhood too. Laurence eagerly picked up the oldest album. Flicking through the pages he realized that it was their parents' wedding album. Another was a family album of their dad. It seemed from the captions that their dad had two brothers, Joe Lennard and Steve Lennard. Joe Lennard had five sons with his wife Laura while Steve Lennard had three daughters and a son with his wife Beth. All their names were scribbled below their pictures.

"How come we never met dad's family?" Asked Lisa.

"I have no idea. The house in the background looks like it's a beach front villa. It doesn't look like it's in the US," said Laurence staring at their dad's family photograph in his hand. Lisa had no idea unlike Laurence who had traveled all over the world so she just stared at the pictures.

"Bro, uncle Joe looks just like you," she said and Laurence stared at the picture of Joe Lennard. He looked exactly like Laurence. How was it possible? They saw an album with Laurence's baby pictures. In one of them he was held by aunt Laura, who was uncle Joe's wife as she stood in front of a hospital with a new born Laurence. "Is aunt Laura your real mom?" Asked Lisa. Laurence sat frozen as he realized that maybe Lisa was right. He was Joe and Laura Lennard's son. The hospital had some Mexican name, Sayulita Medical Center. Laurence looked properly at the name. "What are you checking bro?" Asked a perplexed Lisa.

"I'm checking the name of the hospital in the background, here see? Sayulita is a coastal town in Mexico. Was I born there?" Asked Laurence to himself.

"Maybe dad's family lives there," said Lisa. Laurence nodded absent-mindedly. If he was Joe Lennard's son, then why did he give up Laurence, his own son to his brother?

"Look bro, is this baby, me?" Asked Lisa with wonder staring at a new born baby girl in Sandra's arms? Laurence looked at the picture with surprise.

"Sandra looks like she's in love with the baby you, Lisa. She really loves you," said Laurence, taking the pictures into his hands. All the pictures had Lisa with Sandra. "Sandra took good care of me since birth!" Said Lisa looking at her new born baby picture.

"I wonder who my real parents are," she said with hope. They searched the whole cupboard but didn't find any other things related to them. There were different company related documents which their dad had confiscated illegally from different people. There were legal documents too. Laurence collected every single thing. It could prove to be useful later on. They started looking into the topmost loft area of the study room. There were many certificates belonging to their dad, his graduation certificate, his college certificates. They all were from Sayulita, Mexico.

They found a small box and Laurence broke it open. He gasped seeing the first document. It was his original birth certificate. This one had his date of birth as a  year earlier than mentioned on his current birth certificate. So he was actually twenty-nine years of age! Then his eyes fell upon the names of his parents. Joe and Laura Lennard! Just as he had thought.

"So you are dad's own brother's son. Then why aren't you living with your own parents? I'm so confused, " said Lisa. She picked up a certificate which looked like a hospital birth certificate. It seemed like it was her hospital birth certificate. Lisa looked at it minutely and paled seeing what was written on it.

Summerlin Hospital 
Las Vegas, Nevada

Certificate Of Birth

This certifies that Elizabeth Lennard was born to Harry Lennard and Sandra Davison at........

The rest of the letters blurred to her view as she slumped onto a nearby couch. Sandra was her real mom? She was too shocked to even utter a single word. And her dad was her real dad? Then why did he speak in such a sarcastic way that day? Her dad and Sandra? She massaged her temples and coughed to clear her choking throat. Laurence looked at her.

"What happened Lisa?" He asked with concern, coming to sit next to her. Lisa handed him the certificate and Laurence looked at it. His face paled with shock as he kept staring at the certificate.

"If I'm his real daughter why does he hate me so much, bro?" She asked in a choked voice.

"I don't know what to think anymore.  My brain's turned numb," admitted Laurence. "Only one person can give us all answers."

"Who?" Asked Lisa.  "Dad?"

"No, Sandra, " said Laurence. They searched the rest of the stuff and then walked out of the room, locking it. Laurence kept the keys into his pocket. Sandra was no where to be seen. They went downstairs to Sandra's room and saw her sorting the stuff she had left behind.

"Oh, you two startled me. Are you done? I'll just be with you in a minute, " she said.

"Sandra, we found something, " said Laurence. Sandra turned at looked at him.

"What have you found?" She asked curiously,  her face a little pale. Lisa handed out the certificate to her and she took it from her with trembling hands.

"What is the meaning of this Sandra? Are you my real mom?" Asked Lisa with hope. Lisa loved her and the thought of Sandra being her real mom made her heart fill with more love for her.

"Yes," sighed Sandra as her eyes welled up with tears.  "I'm your mom, Lisa," said Sandra feeling too choked up with pent up emotions. For years she had brought up her own daughter like a housekeeper and now suddenly when the truth had unfolded, she was scared that Lisa would hate her for hiding the truth from her.

Lisa leaned forward and hugged her close. "I love you Sandra. I'm so glad that I finally found my real mom. But I can't understand your relationship with my dad. Were you together?" Asked Lisa puzzled by it all.

"Oh no no. Your dad just helped me. He just gave his name to you. I was raped by his first chauffeur in this very house. Your dad threw him out and supported me in every way. I discovered the pregnancy when I was engaged to be married around four months later.  I was four months pregnant with you by then. Mr Lennard is infertile, he could never have any children of his own. So he willingly gave his name to you and accepted you as his daughter. I was saved. My life went on. I got married and have two boys of my own but you shall always remain my oldest child. I couldn't leave this job despite everything only because of you," said Sandra with a sad smile in her face.

"You're the best mom to me. Without knowing the truth I had always considered you to be my mother and not Penny Lennard," said Lisa.

"You're my only daughter, sweetheart but I love Laurence too. I brought him up since he was four years old, " said Sandra.

Laurence smiled at her. "I love you too Sandra. You're the only one who has been permanent in my life," he said. They had found answers to many of their questions. It was time to go back home.  It was already late afternoon and Lisa had to go and meet Liam.

They returned home and to her surprise,  there sat Liam chatting with Arianna while Lauren sat on his lap. Lisa came in and grinned happily seeing him. He handed Lauren to her mom and got up from his couch. He came forward towards her and hugged her.

"Don't you have any studies to do? I would have come down anyway, " said Lisa.

"I have a two day gap before my next paper. Will you go out on a date with me?" He asked and Lisa's grin widened. She loved going out on a date with Liam.

"Sure, when?" She asked.

"Now," said Liam with a smirk seeing Lisa's jaw dropped look.

"What? I'm dirty. I need a shower," protested Lisa.

"I'm waiting. Take your time, dress up," said Liam. Lisa grinned while the others smiled at them with awe. Lisa rushed up excitedly to dress up for her date. She quickly took a refreshing shower and chose a beautiful red dress which she had but never got a chance to wear it. Leaving her hair untied, she applied makeup and was ready in fifteen minutes. As she walked down the stairs, Liam's jaws dropped at the beautiful bombshell he saw before his eyes! Was that Lisa? He couldn't take his eyes off her.