Chapter 4

4

D enise stared at Alyssa in disbelief. “I’m gay!” The words echoed in her head. Her father had known. He had accepted Alyssa, welcomed her into his life, altered his will.

The sick feeling in Denise’s stomach intensified, a bitter cocktail of shock, hurt, and anger. Twenty-six years ago, she had mustered the courage to come out to her father, her heart full of hope and fear. But his reaction had shattered her. He had practically thrown her out, his disapproval and disappointment etched into every line of his face.

And yet, here was Alyssa, standing in the farmhouse that her father had left to her.

Despite her being gay.

The unfairness of it all made Denise want to scream. How could her father have given Alyssa the acceptance and love that he had denied his own daughter?

Denise fought to maintain her composure, to keep the hurt and betrayal from showing on her face. But inside, she was crumbling, her carefully constructed walls of detachment and indifference cracking under the weight of this revelation.

Denise’s world spun, the room blurring as hot tears streaked down her cheeks. She hadn’t even realized she was crying until she felt the warm, wet trails on her skin.

Alyssa’s gaze bore into her, and Denise couldn’t bear it, couldn’t stand the pity she saw in those warm, hazel eyes. She turned away, desperately trying to regain her composure, to stuff the hurt and betrayal back into the dark corner of her heart where it belonged.

But it was too late. The floodgates had opened, and years of repressed pain came pouring out in silent, shuddering sobs.

She could feel Alyssa’s presence behind her, could sense the other woman’s hesitation, her uncertainty about what to do. Part of Denise wanted to lash out, to push Alyssa away with cruel words and icy glares. But another part, a part she had long denied, yearned for comfort, for understanding.

Denise drew in a shaky breath, trying to steady herself. She couldn’t fall apart, not here, not now. She had to be strong, had to maintain control. It was the only way she knew how to survive.

She could feel Alyssa’s eyes on her. Of course Alyssa had no idea why Denise was reacting this way. How could she? No one knew the truth about Denise’s sexuality, no one except her ex-girlfriend. Not her agent. Not her friends. Not her personal assistant.

Denise shook away any thoughts of her ex, of the secret relationship they had shared for so many years. It had been a constant source of stress and anxiety, always having to hide, always having to pretend. But it was the price Denise had been willing to pay for her career, for the image she had so carefully crafted.

And now, here she was, falling apart in front of a stranger, a woman who had somehow managed to gain her father’s acceptance and love despite being gay. The irony was not lost on Denise, and it only served to deepen the ache in her chest.

She could only imagine what Alyssa must be thinking, seeing her like this. Denise Adams, the famous actress, reduced to a sobbing mess. It was humiliating, and yet, in a strange way, it was also a relief. For the first time in years, Denise was allowing herself to feel, to acknowledge the pain and the hurt that she had kept buried for so long.

But she couldn’t let Alyssa see any more of her vulnerability. She had to pull herself together, had to regain control. With a shaky breath, Denise wiped at her tears, trying to compose herself. She straightened her shoulders, forcing herself to meet Alyssa’s gaze.

“Are you okay?” Alyssa asked, her voice soft, tentative.

Denise nodded, swiping at the last of her tears with the back of her hand. “I’m fine.” The words felt hollow even to her own ears. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know what came over me.”

It was a lie, of course. Denise knew exactly what had triggered her breakdown. But she couldn’t explain it to Alyssa. So instead, she did what she always did. She put on a brave face, a mask of indifference.

Alyssa shifted her weight, the movement subtle but betraying her restlessness. Denise watched her. This woman, this stranger, had somehow managed to earn her father’s love and acceptance, something Denise herself had craved for so long. And yet, Alyssa also possessed something Denise desperately wanted: freedom. The freedom to be herself, openly and without fear.

The silence stretched, thick with unspoken words and tangled emotions.

“You don’t have to tell me,” Alyssa said, breaking the silence. “But…something’s clearly wrong.”

Denise shook her head, trying to regain her composure. “No, no. It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

But Alyssa wasn’t buying it. She took a step closer, her hazel eyes searching Denise’s face. “Are you sure? Because it doesn’t seem like nothing.”

Denise sighed, running a hand through her perfectly styled hair. She didn’t want to have this conversation, didn’t want to delve into the painful memories of her past. But something about Alyssa’s genuine concern, the warmth in her eyes, made Denise want to open up.

“It’s just...I’m surprised, that’s all. My father, he was...he was homophobic.”

“I never saw that side of him.”

Denise laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Yeah, well, I guess he changed.”

“You’re not really going to contest the will, are you?”

Denise blinked, the question catching her off guard. She had been so sure, so determined to contest the will, to fight for what she believed was rightfully hers. But now, standing here in the farmhouse, faced with Alyssa’s genuine concern and the weight of her own emotions, Denise found herself wavering.

“I...I don’t know,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “I thought I would, but now...” She trailed off.

Alyssa’s gaze softened, and she took a step closer, her hand reaching out as if to offer comfort. But she hesitated, her hand hovering in the air between them.

“I know this must have been a shock for you,” she said, her voice gentle, “but you can’t change what your father wanted.”

Denise felt the fight drain out of her, replaced by a bone-deep weariness. Since the moment she’d arrived in Stony Creek, she’d been on an emotional rollercoaster, her world turned upside down by the revelations in her father’s will. Every step had been a battle, every interaction a struggle. And now, faced with Alyssa’s gentle understanding, Denise found herself wanting to surrender, to let go of the anger and the hurt that had been driving her.

Alyssa must have sensed the shift in Denise’s demeanor, the way she took a step back, giving Denise space.

“I should go,” Alyssa said quietly. “I have to get back to work.”

Denise nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She watched as Alyssa hesitated, her lips parting as if she wanted to say more. But instead, she simply turned towards the door and left.

Denise stood there for a long moment, staring at the closed door. Her father had known about Alyssa being gay.

And he had still left her the farmhouse. It was a level of acceptance he had never shown Denise.

The memories came flooding back again. The look on her father’s face when she had come out to him all those years ago. The anger, the disappointment, the rejection. It had been the final straw, the push she needed to leave Stony Creek and never look back.

And now, to find out that he had changed, that he had accepted Alyssa...it was like a knife twisting in an old wound. The pain was fresh, raw, and overwhelming.

Denise stood, a plan forming in her mind. She would go to Alyssa tomorrow and offer to buy her out. It was a fair solution. Alyssa would get a generous payout, and Denise would be free to sell the property and move on with her life. She’d toyed with the idea yesterday, but she had no other option now.