Chapter 43 —The Big Reveal!

"That's not true Henderson, I'm not in love with Axel." Henderson scoffed and folded his arms across his chest, his eyes eluded disappointment. "Why else did you lie to me? And you've been avoiding me ever since I told you I'm in love with you. You should have told me to my face that you were in love with someone else rather than make a fool out of me." It was a blow to Henderson when Axel bragged to his face that he was Trent's father, Axel even went on to show Henderson the DNA results and pictures of him and Lena together when they were younger. Henderson was shell-shocked by the reveal, he doubted it at first but the evidence and Lena's recent behaviour were enough confirmation. "I'm sorry I lied to you but I don't have any feelings for Axel. When you told me your feelings I didn't know what to do I was scared I was yet to realise that I have developed feelings for you, " Lena sighed. Tears pooled in her eyes as she saw the pain in Henderson's eyes as he spoke to her. Henderson's expression lightened and he took her hand in his, his eyes crinkled slightly. "Are you saying what I think you are saying?" His eyes widened. "I love you Henderson, I never thought I would but I do love you. I've tried not to but it's all in vain. The feelings just keep coming stronger and..." Lena didn't finish her words because Henderson leaned in and his lips claimed hers. With his hot breath against her face, electricity coursed through Lena's veins as she reciprocated the kiss, the warmth of his luscious lips against hers. His hand brushed a strand of her hair and the other lingered around her waist pulling her in and leaving her to feel the warmth in her bones. Suddenly flashes of Lena's nightmare flooded her head and she winced. Henderson pulled away and wrapped his hands around her when she staggered trying to maintain her balance "Lena, are you ok? " worry laced his voice, he peered at Lena whose eyes were half-closed and she groaned holding on to her head unable to bear the excruciating pain that hit her. Lena tried to force her eyes open as her vision became blurry but it seemed as though she didn't make an effort, thick darkness had started to overwhelm her and before she could do anything she had fallen on Henderson losing consciousness. "Lena please open your eyes, " Henderson purred as he sat beside her on the bed. His hand smoothened her hair lovingly, it was supposed to be a happy moment but it was filled with mixed emotions. Lena reciprocated his feelings but now she was lying unconscious and finding out she had been going through trauma and was raped in the past, he couldn't wait for her to open her eyes. Whoever was responsible for doing that to Lena he was going to fish them out and make that person pay and it didn't matter if it happened a long time ago, a crime was still going to remain a crime no matter the years passed. Henderson felt a weight on his chest seeing Lena's angelic face as her eyes were shut, she had gone through a lot yet she did her best trying to live for her son, she was a strong woman. After she lost consciousness he called the family doctor who wasted no time to show up. After Henderson narrated what had happened to him, the nightmares and the frequent headaches she had been having the doctor said Lena was traumatized and having a relapse. Surprisingly, the doctor told him some things he was unaware of. The doctor knew Lena, he had treated her before so it came as a surprise to him when he saw Lena, her case was a miracle that she survived the night she was rushed to the hospital years ago, she was bleeding heavily when she was brought in. The doctor told Henderson that she was a rape victim, he said it was against his works ethics but he had to let Henderson know since they were great friends and Henderson had told him Lena was his girlfriend. The doctor had prescribed some meds and gave Henderson advice that Lena had to be well taken care of and that she had to have a lot of rest to avoid complications from her condition and also avoid skipping her meals. The doctor also said it was a good thing he was called on time else Lena's condition might have resulted into something more serious. Lena's eyes slowly opened, she had a hand over her head as she tried to sit up. "You are awake. " a smile danced on Henderson's lips. "Just stay still, " he mumbled. He got off the bed and ambled to her side, he helped her sit up on the bed before taking his seat. "What happened?" She mumbled looking around the room. "You passed out." Lena remembered her and Henderson kissing and then she felt the throbbing headache, she must have lost consciousness afterwards. When Lena saw the worried look on Henderson's face she felt responsible and bad for putting him through that. "I'm sorry. I just.." "No, you don't have to apologise for anything. How are you feeling? Henderson interrupted cutting her off. "I'm good." Lena managed to smile. She was still feeling a tingling pain in her head but she didn't want to bother Henderson with that after all it was nothing compared to the pain she felt earlier. "Are you sure?" Henderson questioned studying Lena's face. Her lips widened in a smile and she nodded just to sound and appear very convincing. "Yes." Did you have breakfast?" Henderson inquired staring at Lena's face. Lena didn't say a word she just looked away from him, she had skipped breakfast and she knew telling Henderson about it was going to make him give her an earful about how important breakfast was. "I'm guessing no seeing the guilt on your face and the fact that you are avoiding eye contact. The doctor said you have eat your meals, last night you didn't have dinner and you didn't have breakfast this morning as well. Do you know.." Lena sighed in relief when a knock came on the door, she was glad that Henderson was going to take a break from scolding her. "Yes come in, " Henderson mumbled. The door creaked open and Madam Carmen walked in. She smiled when she saw that Lena was awake. "Here is the food, Henderson." Madam Carmen mouthed placing the tray in her hands on the table before she sauntered to Lena's side. "Thank you, Nana." Henderson mouthed. Aside from Lena, Madam Carmen was the only worker who addressed him by his first name. Henderson and Madam Carmen went far back, Madam Carmen knew him when he was a teenager after his mom left his dad Madam Carmen cared for him, Alia and Cleo who was orphaned at that time and lived with them. A few years later both of Henderson's parents passed away leaving them only the restaurant they had nowhere to stay and Madam Carnen took them in. Madam Carmen had no child of her own and no family member, she was married in her twenties but lost her husband a year after the wedding and never remarried. When Henderson became wealthy she only wanted one thing to work for him which he wasn't happy about at first considering how much she had done for him but she said that was going to make her happy. Nana was the name Henderson's father addressed Madam Carmen as so Henderson got used to calling her that. "Lena, I'm glad you are awake. How do you feel?" Madam Carmen asked. "I'm good now, thank you," Lena answered. "That's a relief, we all were worried. Henderson was disarrayed it was a miracle that he didn't cry, " Madame Carmen joked making Lena glance at Henderson and she burst out laughing forgetting that she had a headache. "Nana, " Henderson whined but Madam Carmen just chuckled. "Make sure she eats ok, I'll leave you two. " Madam Carmen file Henderson who nodded in affirmation. She left the room afterwards. "I'm sorry I made you all worried, " Lena apologised. "You are going to make me even more worried if you keep skipping your meals. You'll have to promise to take eating more seriously, " Henderson stated. "I'll promise if you promise, " Lena shrugged. "I'm not the only one who skips breakfast, " she mumbled under her breath but Henderson heard her. "I heard that. I'm not the one who is sick but if you want me to make a promise then so be it. I promise not to skip my meals if you don't." Lena frowned and folded her arms, "That's blackmail." "I think I need a bit of it at the moment, " Henderson chortled and she laughed. "What?" Lena arched her brows when she was how Henderson's eyes were fixed on her as she laughed heartily. 'How could she be so bubbly even after all life had thrown at her? She was one hell of a strong woman no cap.' "You amaze me, just a few minutes ago I felt like I was going to lose you and now you are right here with me as if none of that really happened. How do you do it, Lena? How do you manage to be so happy?" Henderson smiled admiringly holding Lena's hand. "I just try Henderson, you keep showering me praises but you are better at it. Things have happened bad things, sad things that I'm not proud of but it's just life. I can't change it so I try my best to make my future and that of Trent's better, after all that the best I can do." Henderson said nothing else after Lena was done talking he just gazed into Lena's eyes. Her heart fluttered in response to them locking eyes and she lowered her gaze. "I think you need to know all of this. Remember the last time you asked me if I knew Axel before and I said I didn't I know you know that's a lie. But it isn't all..." Lena heaved a breath, holding Henderson's gaze for a while before she continued. "Shortly after I dropped out of college, at the bar I worked somehow I and Axel met each other and we fell in love well I thought so but I was the only one in love. Matteo warned me about Axel but I never listened I loved him so much that I went as far as cutting ties with Matteo because he didn't like Axel. Axel asked me to be his girlfriend then one day he asked me out on a date and I go out with him after a few drinks I lost consciousness and when I woke up I'm in this unfamiliar room naked and tied to the bed." Lena paused and swallowed, she doesn't even make an attempt to look at Henderson's face she wasn't ready for his reaction. "And then Axel walked in and I ask him what I was doing there and then he goes, 'I'm finally going to get what I've always wanted.' Like a nightmare, Axel reveals his true motives saying he never loved me all he wanted was sex and I didn't want to give him that so he figured he had to take it himself and that was how he raped me, brutally. And every of my nightmare has been that scene replacing taking over me refreshing the scars."