AIDEN


    I propped my elbow on the table and held my phone up.


    My eyes read the question I typed over and over again. Eventually, I shook my head. No. Even if it''s anonymous, it will be obvious that it''s me. Atleast to whoever knows me. So I rephrase the question.


    ''I have a friend. He has two kids with his first love but they''re no longer together due to some circumstances. My friend and his first love are both married but to different people. But his first child has no idea who her father is. How does he tell the child that he''s her father without causing a problem? Is it even advisable for him to tell the child?


    "Mr Aiden?"


    I raised my head and looked up at them.


    All eyes were on me.


    "Yes?" I racked my brain and tried to remember what we had been talking about. Oh, yes. The strategy to sell our new product.


    "Has everyone dropped their thoughts on the new campaign design?"


    They shook their heads. Then the manager said, "It''s your turn to make a choice, sir."


    I lowered my gaze and skimmed the message I typed one more time and quickly posted it to the group then I exited the F******k app on my phone.


    All eyes were on me when I looked up. They must be wondering what kind of boss I was.


    Well, the kind that had issues with his personal life.


    I cleared my throat as I ced my phone on the table, face down.


    "Okay," I muttered as I sat up and pulled myputerptop closer.


    I squinted at the screen as I observed the slides for a while.


    I nodded. "The third one." I looked up, "What''s the majority''s vote?"


    "The third one sir," the manager answered.


    I shook my head. "It''s all good then. Go on with the presentation."


    And so the presentation continued and I could barely concentrate.


    Now and then, my gaze would fall on my phone.


    I was itching to reach for it, to see if there had been anyments, to see what their responses would be; to see what conclusion I woulde to after I read thements.


    I just couldn''t wait for the meeting to end.


    "Are you alright, sir?"


    I dragged my gaze away from my phone. "What?"


    The gaze of the man that asked the question, one of the oldest employees, fell on my phone and then on my face, "Is everything okay, sir?"


    "Yes, of course, I''m fine," I sat up and shifted myptop even closer as if it would make any difference.


    "Do you want us to cut the meeting short?"Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    "No, please, go on. Where were you?" I demanded, pretending to focus on the man doing the presentation.


    The meeting went on and on and I almost wondered if it would ever end.


    Eventually, we said our closing pleasantries and everyone returned to their offices.


    I watched as thest person walked out of the office.


    Then calmly, I picked up my phone and opened up the F******* app.


    The time between when I sent the post and now looked like a short time for the massive influx of messages.


    I began to read eachment to the post.


    Firstmenter; hildart55: Your friend shouldn''t. She''s just a child.


    I sighed and moved over to the nextment.


    ''This is tricky," Tye Ridar wrote, "if I am your friend I would want my child to know that I''m her father. But then she probably has seen the new partner as her dad. I don''t know, man. Depends on my rtionship with the child.'' I reclined back in the seat. I didn''t expect that to end that open ended.


    I moved over to the nextment. ''Marry the mother of your child, bruv!''


    I frowned at that and moved to the next.


    "Your friend must be really grieving


    for him to have asked you this. I''d suggest that your friend have a serious talk with his first love and maybe the partner too. The child might still be young, she might be happy with her new dad but She deserves to know who her father is. Not some yearster, she deserves to know now."


    I read that particrment over and over again. Before I scrolled to the next one.


    ''Does your friend still love his ex?''


    Next; ''What circumstances caused them to break up? This depends.''


    And next. ''I''m ady so I''m trying to put myself in the mother''s shoes (your friend''s first love). If the breakup ended badly, there''s no way I''ll let him near my daughter.''


    ''Put yourself in your daughter''s shoes. Imagine you get to know right now, at this moment, that the person you believe is your father isn''t your father, how would you feel? Fantastic? Betrayed?''


    I pondered on that question for a full minute before I chose thetter option.


    ''Guys, the poor girl deserves to know. Please!''


    Nextment; ''I saw my foster


    parents as my real parents for years


    and I love them. Though my parents are dead, when I found out that


    my


    foster parents weren''t my real parents as I''d been made to believe,


    it I


    like hell. I felt like I had been


    living a lie all my life. Since they were dead (since my birth), knowing the truth wouldn''t have changed


    anything but it would have been


    good to know that.''


    I reread thatment too several times, and I could tell how hurt thementer must have been.


    Nevertheless, I scrolled to the nextment.


    ''She''s still a kid, yeah? Tell her now. It''ll be an easier pill for you all. When she grows older, it''s gonna be bad.''


    ''I don''t see how him telling the child the truth will cause a problem. I''d advise him to tell her.''


    ''Just tell her, man. If she finds out herself she might hate y''all.''


    ''No offense but is your friend a


    pedophile? A perv? A drug addict, is he violent? If he isn''t going to cause any harm to the child then you should advise him to go ahead and im his role in her life but if he will cause harm to her, please, advise his first love to flee with the child and her family or report to the police.''


    After I read thestment which was a bold ''TELL HER!'' I took a deep breath and ced my phone on the table face down.


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