Introducing

Twen's question was met with a heavy silence. Robbie and I both stared at our son in absolute silence. I was not sure how to start explaining this situation and Robbie looked extremely conflicted. It was clear he was experiencing a range of complicated emotions. It was their first meeting, but it was also under the most strange and awkward circumstances, and I had no time to mentally prepare Twen for this sudden shock. I was torn between telling him the entire situation or simply passing it over for another time. The silence dragged on as we both tried to figure out where to start explaining. Jenny was standing behind Twen, looking both uncomfortable and irritated. Sam looked between all four of us with a 'what-is-this-situation' expression on his face. Twen was the first one to break the silence. He ran up to Robbie and pulled his suit as if asking for attention, then he asked loudly,

"Why are you not talking? Tell me, are you, my dad?"

Robbie looked at me as if asking me if he should tell the truth, but I was too muddle-headed to say anything. Seeing both of us silent, Jenny suddenly erupted,

"Mr. Walker, don't you even have the courage to admit that you are his father?"

Both my and Robbie's heads snapped, looking back at her. Jenny walked out, frowning, speaking with scorn in her voice, "When you can unhesitantly get Tony pregnant then, why are you hesitant to accept your paternity?"

"It is not that," Robbie spoke in a small voice.

Robbie was not to blame for this issue. It was I who did not want Robbie to face Twen and inform him of his true identity. I quickly tried to defend him when Jenny spoke again, this time without any bitterness in her tone,

"Twen has already been made aware. It will be wrong to hide the truth further and mislead him. Your father has already tried to poison his mind against Tony. Being the center and the major reason for all this, you should take proper responsibility."

"I agree with her," Sam immediately voiced his support for his wife.

I looked at Robbie, who was so still that he could have passed off as a stone statue. After a long stretch of silence, he finally sighed. He looked at Twen, who was so lost in his thoughts that he did not notice he was standing very close to where Robbie broke the glass of pomegranate juice. Worried, he picked him up and made him sit on the couch. I was silent all along. I did not know what to do and felt like doing or saying anything would only aggravate the situation. Robbie spoke in a somber yet very polite tone,

"Sorry, Twen. I was too late in introducing myself. I am Robbie Walker, and yes, I am indeed your dad!"

Twen had no reaction at first. I could see that Robbie's words were slowly falling in place to him. The more the words made sense to him, the more perturbed his expression became. This is not how I wanted Robbie to be introduced to Twen, but since it already happened, nothing can be done. As both Sam and Jenny watched Robbie and Twen's exchange, they donned gloomy expressions on their faces. Twen's expression slowly changed to rage. To all of our horror, he jumped onto the broken glass pieces and bristled angrily at Robbie.

"That old uncle told me that you never wanted to leave, and it was mommy who did not let you meet me, is it true?"

Jenny, Sam, and I turned stone-faced upon hearing what Twen asked, while Robbie looked like someone had dumped a bucket of ice-cold water on him. Twen, however, did not stop with his outburst and continued,

"Did you really want to meet me? Did really mommy stop-"

"NO!" Robbie cut in between his rant, "What that old uncle told you was a lie. I -"

"Then, that old uncle is not my grandfather? Did you really leave us? Do you really hate me and mommy so much?" Twen asked, his eyes showing obvious pain and disbelief.

"I-I am very sorry. I should not have-" Robbie faltered.

"Why?" Twen asked as if 'sorry' was not what he wanted to hear.

Robbie's lips were trembling. I knew his dilemma. The circumstances that led to this situation was not something a seven-year-old would understand. However, even I did not know how to help Robbie out of this situation. In addition, after hearing what the chairman told Twen, I wondered if Robbie was really unaware of all this. I do not want to believe it, but he had once broken my trust. Is it impossible for him to not do it again?

"At this moment, I can't explain the reason. However, it is me who has been in the wrong. I am really sorry that I left both of you."

"Liar! You are a big liar! That old uncle told me that you loved me. If you loved me, then why you never...never came?"

"I do not know what all that old uncle told you, but this is true I really do love you!"

At these words, Twen's glare became more pronounced. I saw him shaking slightly as he said in a tearful voice, "Then, where were you all these years? Do you know what everyone says about me and mommy in my class? Do you know how many bad names they call mommy? Why...Why were you not there to tell them off?"

I saw Twen swaying as angry tears rolled down his cheek. Although Twen went through such circumstances, he never once expressed the depth to which he felt vulnerable and exposed. I felt my heart twist painfully, seeing the back of his small stature expressing the anger and vulnerability he felt to Robbie. How could I have not known how Twen had suffered? Why wasn't I able to protect him? My hands started trembling at Twen's words. It's all my fault! I dared to think that as an Omega, I would be able to give Twen a beautiful childhood. I looked at Robbie, whose face had turned dark. Though he was radiating cold anger, his eyes revealed the same pain I was experiencing.

Were these really his genuine feelings? Did he really have nothing to do with his father meeting Twen?

Robbie extended his arms and hugged Twen, who started crying loudly in his arms,

"Why...hic…why?" Twen kept questioning.

"I am very sorry, but daddy promises you that from now on, I will always be with you. I won't let anyone say those words to you!" Robbie said. A mixture of anger, sorrow and determination oozed from his eyes.