Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Guess Who’s Back (Part 7)

The moment Summer asked that question, all eyes turned to Don. Although neither Samantha nor Amanda had brought it up, they were both extremely curious as to what Don's life was like when he left.

And though he would've preferred to avoid the question, he knew it was going to be asked at some point, and he knew he had to address.

The question was how?

The problem for Don wasn't that he had a lack of options for a story, but instead it's that he had a lot of stories he could go with, but each would leave a certain kind of impression.

'Well, let's hope they buy this.' Don thought as he began his act by heaving a sigh and moving his hands away from his plate. He brought them together and lowered his head with his expression looking contemplative as he moved his thumbs against one another.

Samantha was especially worried after seeing him do this and immediately spoke up, "you don't have to answer if it's a sensitive topi-." Before Samantha could try and diffuse the question, Don began to speak.

"After I left, or rather when I was kicked out, I stayed in the city for some months." Don began, taking on a low and very distant tone.

"With no where to go, I turned to the few friends I had first and for a short time they let me stay, but I quickly overstayed my welcome… and I was kicked out. It didn't help that I was an ungrateful piece of shit." Don forced a smile as he said this, and Samantha could practically feel her heart tighten.

"Donnie really you don't have to…" this time it was aunt Amanda who tried to make his stop as the tone and direction the story was going in didn't seem appropriate for a gathering made to be a celebration.

Don however ignored her attempts and continued.

"The first night I spent in the cold streets of the city was especially memorable. I wasn't that dirty and the time and a few good people allowed me to use their cellphones."

As he reached this point in the story, Samantha's expression turned especially sad. This was because Don wasn't just telling a story without facts.

Because of how closely observed he was by Lady Noir, Don new much of what the old Don had gone through and was simply using that information to his advantage by dramatizing certain aspects and adding a few more elements to suit his agenda.

"Donnie I-." As if sure of what Don was about to say, Samantha tried to speak out in a shaky voice but found herself unable to as Don carried on.

"The first person I called was Dad. I don't think I've ever begged so hard in life as I did that day to him. But through all my begging, he only told me to man up and that those were the consequences of my actions. I asked to speak to mom, to Summer, but he told me you all wanted nothing to do with me."

This time it was Amanda who stepped in as she could see Samantha was getting emotionally upset just hearing the story.

"Donnie you know your mother would never-." Amanda's attempt at adding to the story was cut off by none other than Samantha herself, who had already become teary eyed. "No Amanda, I want to hear this… I need to hear this."

Amanda reluctantly gave a nod and Don continued.

"I think that week was thanksgiving. Because when I called dad, I could hear you guys happily talking in the background with what I could only assume were friends and family."

"At the time, that was a reality check for me, the confirmation I needed that I was no longer wanted. So I did what I had to to get buy."

"From eating leftovers at fast food dumpsters to sleeping in drug dens, I just kept surviving week in and week out. I lost count of how many job applications I sent during the period, everyday, using what little money I got from begging and collecting trash to apply at Internet cafes."

Samantha could no longer hold herself back from shedding tears, but she quickly wiped them and continued to listen intently. Summer just seemed frozen. Her eyes were fixated on Don but the more she heard the more she deeply regretted asking him that question and even blaming him for his absence. seaʀᴄh thё NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

The more of his story they heard, the more they both felt consumed by terrible guilt. And Don was far from done.

"Eventually, my health got so terrible that I could barely function. I spent two days straight sleeping in a den of drug addicts before one of the peddlers who operated there offered to help me." Don let out a mocking chuckle as he said this.

"That's when I learned there's no such thing as an act of kindness. Because as soon as I got better, I was told I owed his gang a huge debt. A debt I had to pay by either moving drugs or forfeiting the life they saved."

"Once again, I did what I had to, to survive. Through all the death, cruel treatment and suffering, I managed to pay off the debt I owed. And I should've stopped there, but…" Don paused, finally raising his head and facing Samantha.

"I was made an offer. An offer that would give me the money I needed to start over. So I took it. But the plan was a bust and I was caught in Calambia. I refused to reveal any information despite the torture and beatings I was put through because an attorney sent by the gang made sure I knew that if I uttered a word about their operations, my family would pay."

Don heaved a shallow sigh as he said this and lowered his gaze again.

"A part of me didn't care at first you know? I told myself why protect the people that abandoned me? And that you were all likely safe anyway. But they brought me Dad's favorite watch, Summer's teddy bear and your hairbrush." Don revealed as he raised his head again to look at Samantha.

Tears were practically running down her face and her hands were shaking. Because all the items Don mentioned were indeed stolen one day by a home invader.

What they didn't know was that the real reason for that the old Don had a huge loan to pay back to an unsavory group of fellows and he chose to flee, prompting them to steal those items and send them to him as a warning.

Unluckily for that group though, Lady Noir made sure that they, along with their families, could never be a threat to her precious Don again.

Don used that to twist the truth as he told the story to make it more believable. After all, there was no way he would know that those particular items were stolen when he wasn't even there.

'I think I've taken this far enough.' Don thought, already seeing that Samantha was nearing a total emotional breakdown, whereas Summer couldn't even bring herself to look at him.

The main reason he didn't want to address such a question so soon was because he knew he had to cook up such a dramatized story to clear all the wrong the old Don had done.

But by doing this, he also knew he'd be causing a lot of pain to people who had done him no wrong and were completely in the right with how they handled the situation with the old Don.

So Don concluded by saying. "So I sent to jail. But given the control the gangs have on prisons there, I was eventually let out for staying "loyal" as they called it. I was paid the money they promised and I left. Now here I am."