Billionaire's Regret
Chapter 22:

"Annie before you makes you final decision I would like to run something past you. During the conversation you may ask as many questions as you like."

Aaron sits down across from her again. It was now clear he was very nervous. He removed the ring from his pocket and placed it in the middle of the candle light table. His fingers create a broken circle around it.

"I rarely visit Cape Cove. This was the first place I settled with the idea of building a life for me there. But without understanding why there was always some part of my life missing. I just didn't understand it." Aaron suddenly stood like the memory was troublesome. He wants to move away from the table but he forced him to sit again. He looks at her clearly waiting to hear his story.

"Do you trust me Annie?"

"You asked me that before. If I didn't I wouldn't be here." Annie keeps her hands together under the table. She has the odd notion not to make unnecessary movement.

"I had discovered in life there are levels of trust but I am taking whatever you are willing to share."

"What happened that you lose your memory Aaron?"

"Which time you want to know about first Annie?"

"Are there more than one time?" she questions curiously.

"There was I just didn't realized until recently. It would seem someone in my personal group likes to play games with me. I just don't know to what end yet."

"Okay,"

"Annie I am not sure I ever really told people about how I grew up." He suddenly stood clearly restless. She follows him but refrain from touching him although the urge is very big.

"I never really knew my father. Right from the moment I could understand, it was just the two of us. We literally lived in flea ridden one room places. I grew up around random bullets. My mother made certain that I didn't fall into the wrong crowd. She made sure I concentrate on my homework and being on time for school. There was however a secret she kept from me."

Aaron quickly took two long strides away from him. He wipes the single tear from his face while taking deep breathes to calm him.

Annie felt her own tears burning behind her eyes. She now realizes she was being pulled into the personal world of her ex-husband. They once had a whirlwind marriage that ended in unexplained disaster.

"My mother was waitress; she was a cleaning lady; no matter the job she could as long as she brings food home. I am telling you Annie, that woman was clever. I have the sense you would know what I am talking about." He looked at her with such a look of admiration and hurt mingled with a look of pure helplessness.

"Tell me more about her. It's very clear she has managed to mold you into a strong man." She said with ringing conviction in her voice.

"Annie... my mom hide the fact that she was starving." His voice suddenly broke down. This was the very first time that he actually broke down as he dropped onto his knees. The tears stream warm and fast over his cheeks. Aaron Casey found himself crying for the very first time in years over his mother.

Annie said nothing just wordlessly kneels beside him and wraps her arms around him. She allows him to cry until he falls into a kind of slumber from exhaustion.

Annie sits on the wet sand brushing with her hands softly and soothingly over his hair and down his back. She sits listening how his breathing changed. The tie was slowly coming but she just wait.

"It was winter that's why I didn't found it odd that she was starting to wear so many clothes. The ones we had anyways wasn't the warmest."

"I see," she said softly.

Aaron sits upright watching the wave heeding their way."I always knew you would understand. Again it took me a moment too long to understand what's right in front of me."

"What are you talking about?" she asked openly puzzled.

"Annie, we rarely had enough money. Whatever my mom managed to earn; it all went to me. She very carefully neglected her own health. Years ago I was a boy of twelve when I learned the hard truth." He stood upright looking down at her. "You did the same with your mom. I just wasn't aware of Leonardo. My mother would have liked you." He said sincerely.

She said nothing just looked at the rolling waves. She suddenly felt his fingers slipping between hers.

"This certainly wasn't my intent to go so far back into the past."

"It helped though," she said softly.

"It's the first time I cried since her death. I just couldn't."

"We all handle grief in different ways Aaron.'

"There is more you need to know Annie. I want you to know who you are going to marry."

"Okay,"

"Let's go back to the beach house. The incoming tie ruined dinner." Aaron grips her hand tightly. The gesture was almost like he was afraid that she might disappear.

Zac forced the older man into the motel room. The gun pointed. He was in a foul mood. He certainly didn't expect that he would receive such resistance. "What do you want bastard?"

"Shut your fucking mouth." Zac points with the gun that he should sit down; he reaches into his pocket and remove his phone making a call and once he was finished it didn't take long before there was a knock on the door. It opened and shut again.

"Thom Black I presume?"

"Doctor Grace Stevens I know."

"Such your mouth," Zac moved to attempt to hit him again. A well position attack I his groin quickly made him submit to his pain.

"What do you want doctor?"

"I just want to know one thing. Where is your daughter?"

"How should I know," Thom looked at the wealthy doctor curious about her antics. He made a point of knowing how Hanna's treatment went. It was clear that the doctor was good at her job. This has him curious about her motel room dealings.

"You are her father. I want to know where Annie is. You are going to tell me."

"Why on earth would I do something like that?" Thom stood looking at her. "Whatever this business is; it certainly doesn't fit the classy image you are portraying."

"Why are you protecting a person who sent you to jail Thom Black?"

"I deserve it. I needed to learn painful lessons. I betrayed my family; I abuse my position as a father and husband. I am now in the process of recovery so even if I knew anything, I am certainly not afraid of you doctor Grace Stevens." Zac suddenly fired his weapon. Thom slowly drop onto the dirty carpeted floor.