Build And Break novel Chapter 69

A warm hand wrapped around her hand that hung freely by her side. "Don't over think it. You wouldn't be here if you didn't want to go in." Steven tugged encouraging on her hand.

With an uncertain nod, Angela turned the knob and stepped into the room.

"You came." Jack's groggy voice greeted them before the door was even shut. His eyes were focused solely on Angela.

"Of course I came." Angela muttered as she watched the man lying in bed.

For the first time since she could remember, Jack Marshall looked small. He wasn't the lofty, intimidating man he always was. He wasn't fearing but rather scarily frail and weak.

A muffled cough escaped Jack's mouth. And then another.

A frown mirroring worry wrinkled Angela's face as she took a step further to her father's bed, tugging Steven with her by the hold she had on his hand. "Are you... Are you okay?" She couldn't find the right words to ask the man who she had no idea how to approach even in that state.

"Better than this morning." Jack had been in his office, wrapping the last pieces of work before his retirement, when he fell to the ground, fainted and struggling for air. He had been sure it was his end and if it wasn't for the first aid given by someone from the office, it surely would have been.

Even though she didn't really know her father that much, Angela caught his eyes looking away and the half smile that faded in a second. "But..." Angela sensed there was more.

"But I'm actually not better. It's the drugs they shot through my veins that are doing their job well though, using the doctor's words, they can't do miracles to a very bad heart. It's bad enough the doctor thinks it's best to move up the surgery earlier than scheduled."

"How early?"

"As early as tomorrow."

Angela stifled a gasp. "So soon?"

"Mhm." Jack responded easily. It seemed like he had known it would have come to that.

"Look at you two, huh. I guess the best thing I've ever done in my whole life was compelling you to date and to get married." Jack watched Angela and Steven as they stole glances and little smiles at each other like sneaking teenagers. Then, he looked away with a deep sigh. "Though I think when compared to what I've done worse that barely counts."

Those words caught Angela's, and even Steven's, full attention.

Jack looked at them, looked at Angela. "I knew you were pregnant."

And in an instant, like she was stuck with lightning, Angela's eyes widened in shook, she tore away the hand enclosed in Jack's hand and she stood up, taking a step back away from him. "When did you know?"

"When Steven divorced you and I shunned you away, I've asked my people to keep an eye on you. I had to know you were safe."

An incredulous and somewhat derisive gasp escaped Angela's mouth.

"The day they told me you were having a child and married another man, I've asked them to stop watching you. I had believed Steven and believed you cheated on him. I sided with Steven because well, he is Steven Morris. I should have believed in you more and stood by your side. And I'm sorry I didn't, my daughter."