SETH (Book Four)

TEN

"But what?"

"Spending our time with Poppy," a nickname Seth has come up with for Persephone because she is a mouthful, just like Effie's name. "I just noticed at that time you and Poppy; I find a similarity between you, too."

I frown. "I'm not following."

"I don't know. You have a similar face, eyes, and hair. Heck, when you said you weren't hungry. You picked up fries, and at the same time, Poppy did both; you dipped them in the strawberry milkshake. And the expression was the same."

I remembered.

When I saw the food Seth had brought, my stomach couldn't help but growl. I saw the fries and the strawberry milkshake in a paper cup. I opened it, dipped the fries, and gave it a taste of its deliciousness. I didn't realize Persephone was doing the same thing, too. We were both like the feeling of heaven.

Persephone probably never had milkshakes before. Being a unique child for Eva gave her only what she could eat. You can't make any demands. One time, I disobeyed Devin, one of Eva's executives and Lily's biological dad. Learning that thing fathered a child and almost married her makes me sick. Even worse, Lily's grandmother agreed with the marriage from her mother's side.

He was also there with Eva watching the performance of me getting raped by Hugo. He found it amusing and entertaining like he also wanted to take action.

Lucky that bastard in jail for the rest of his life, or else I would have myself break into his cell and stab the fucker until he can no longer walk and perform.

"Are you sure you don't have any relatives?" Seth asks me, breaking me from my past.

"No," I answer him and sigh. "My parents, my mom met my dad when she was in college."

"So, why give you up?"

"Because..." I exhale again and let out the secret that only Odin and I know. "My mom gave me up because the man she fell in love with was not only her professor but also her biological father."

I watched Seth's eyes grow wide and made myself get used to the disgusted look.

I back away and turn my body around to avoid the sour expression. I never told anyone about my birth parents and feel sick that I'm an abomination.

I'm a creature that no one wants. No one to love.

I gave up on the word love, the feeling of the word. Since I was brought into the Order, all of my senses of the word love have burned with the soul that is still chained and locked with a key.

Although I'm free, my soul hasn't.

Seth hasn't said anything after I told him about my birth parents. My guess is he is still in shock.

I tilt my head at him. He is not sitting on the couch with his head dipped between his legs.

"Look, Seth," I start by saying to break the silence. "I didn't choose this life. They say you don't choose your parents. My parents are fucked up. A college student who didn't know who was her real dad and a dad who falls for a college student who happens to be his long-lost daughter."

He stays quiet.

"Nobody is perfect," I sat quietly. "I'm not perfect. I'm a product of incest. An abomination."

I clench my shirt tight.

I'm not too fond of this quietness between Seth and me. After I told him about the origin of my birth, I expected him to say hasta la vista, but no, he sat there in a daze as if time had stopped for him.

I didn't care who my parents were. I didn't care if other people knew. That is all in the past, yet it still affects other people like those close to me - like Seth.

I bet Seth is disappointed and disgusted at the same time that his best friend is a monster.

Tired of this, I grit my teeth. "Seth, you better say something, or else I will have you-"

I was about to turn when strong arms wrapped around my body, pulling me close to his hard rock chest.

"I'm so sorry," he buried his face in my neck as his gentle voice whispered. "I never knew you had that in your life. I wish I could share the pain with you, knowing the truth about your parents. I'm so sorry, Terry."

He holds on to me tight like a protective shield. The feeling I had never felt since the day I was born. I'm not fighting him back. I honestly wanted him to hold me like this. I enjoyed this comfort. Despite the fact I'm pretending to be a man in his eyes. Right now, it doesn't matter.

The invisible chains that still clasp on me have not disappeared. I only hope Seth could be the key to my salvation, my freedom.

It's not enough if he feels sorry for me. After all, I'm just a friend who needed comfort in his eyes. Not a man who sees a woman he cares about needing a rescue—a woman he can love.

Right now, I'm a man.

I raise my hands to feel the need to touch him, but I stop halfway and drop them. Tears fell from my eyes as I silently cried.

There is no way the word love can bring my soul back from the nightmare that has taken everything from me.