"I thought you were dead?" Athena was full of questions to ask her father, who was sitting right in front of him in formal attire.
She wanted to hug him and tell him how much she misses him, but she couldn't do it. Her mind doesn't sink to what everything just happened, she just couldn't believe it.
"All this time I was suffering because I miss you, I need you, yet you just hid away from me?—Why did you run away?—Why didn't you tell me?"
"Athena, I have also a lot of things to tell you. I just couldn't say it. For now, all I could say is, I'm sorry," her father said as they both look into each other's eyes.
A liquid fell on her cheeks as she smiled and hugged her father.
"It doesn't matter anymore, Father. come back home" she buried her face under her father's neck and started sobbing. He hugged her tightly and calm her down.
Both of them spend the day together to repay the time they lost. "Alright, where do you want to go?" Her father asked.
"I wanna go to that place," she pointed out in that certain place.
He opened the car door and let her daughter sit in the passenger seat. He shut the door as soon as Athena entered, and he followed right after. He started the engine, and the car started moving.
"Father, do you have any plans on going home? With me?" Athena turned on her father, waiting patiently for him to speak.
Her father was about to answer her when suddenly his phone rang and the caller's name popped: Noah. Her father immediately turned it down and place his phone in the back seat, ignoring the call.
It confused Athena; the name Noah was so familiar to her like she already met that guy. She turns her gaze to the window, forcing herself not to think about anything, yet she couldn't help but recall the moment when someone introduces himself as Noah when she was about to get hit in the car.
They arrived on the beach, and a small house near it where the family usually stays and bonds together. They entered the house and still saw the markings she did when she was a child; it was still visible there.
They sat on a bench and watched how the waves smashed on the shore.
"Missing the good old days," she commented as the breeze embraced every inch of her skin.
"Now, will you tell me everything that happens to you?" Athena started the conversation.
"It was a long story"
"It is because you disappeared 3 years ago," she said sarcastically and place her hair at the back of her ear.
"I was driving in the car and a truck purposely hit me and my brake wasn't working so I fell on the cliff, I thought that was the end of me but, an old lady found me," he said as his gaze were on the sea.
"I've got amnesia and then I lost memories of my family and friends. I feel all alone. A few years passed I got new friends and started a new life, then suddenly I remembered you and your mom, I instantly looked all over for you but then I found out, your mom was remarried and I thought you were all doing okay without me so I decided to not bother you anymore," he continued while his eyes sparkled from tear.
'I don't know, but that tear doesn't feel sincere, more like a crocodile tear,' she thought to herself. She replies nothing, yet she keeps on glancing at her father. She feels something was changed. It seems like her father is acting the opposite of him before.
After they talked at the beach, her father drove her going back to her apartment.
"This is where you live?" Athena nodded as a response as she unbuckled the seatbelt and opened the car door. They entered her apartment, and it was all simple and small.
Her father looked all over the room and sat on her bed. He notices his picture was in a frame and their family picture together. He took it and smiled widely, reminiscing about everything. His phone suddenly rang. It turns out it was Noah. He excuses himself and left the room.
"All right, I'll be there," he responded, and ended the call. He called her daughter and told her he has something to take care of.
***
Liam entered the office of the CEO of the company.
"I'm sorry for waiting" he took his coat and place it on the rack as he sat on his swivel chair.
"Sir, may I help you with something?" Noah asked him formally.
"It's about your company," Liam took his police ID and introduce himself.
"By the way, I'm police officer Liam Beckket, a criminal investigator," they both shake hands and lock their gaze at each other, giving intense looks.
"I'm holding a recent case of Benjamin Wilson and found out a material on his body which is connected to your company." he took the folder and place it right in front of Noah.
He opened it and saw the photo of the bomb written in their company's name. He knew he was busted, but he never acted surprised. He licked his lips and folded the folder.
"About this sir, this is our product, but we never knew someone named Benjamin Wilson, neither one of our employees, maybe this material belongs to one of our contracted shops."
"I've already been there, and it turns out this product was not yet released to any of the shops," Liam replied as he raises his brows, looking straight at him.
Noah grin at him as he places his both elbows above the table.
"So you're saying we are behind in this case of Benjamin Wilson?"
"No, I'm just asking"
Their glares were like lightning fighting viciously. They smiled bitterly at each other, and the sound of the clock was only heard in silence.
"Anyway sir Finley, thank you for asking my questions" Liam stood up and turn his back on him. 'I'll be watching you, Noah Finley,' Liam thought to himself, and finally left the room with a clenched fist.
***
"Do you mean your father is alive?!" Dash shouted from the phone
"YES!" Athena happily answered him as she giggled.
"But how?"
"I'll tell you the details tomorrow—oh! How about we'll have dinner tomorrow together with our dad to reunite them?" Athena insisted.
"That's a good idea. I better tell my dad about it."
"Better be a surprise. Just tell him about a usual dinner."
Athena slept early, getting excited to meet her father again. She wants to tell her mother about her father's presence, yet she was thinking she didn't want to bother her mom anymore since she already has a new husband.
The next morning, Athena brought her father to a restaurant. As they arrive, they saw Dash and Henry sitting there, waiting for them. Lucas and Henry's smiling face fades as they saw each other.
Four of them sat while Athena and Dash were busy looking at the menu. Both of them were just glaring at each other, their jaws moved as they gritted their teeth in annoyance.
The waiter served them wine as they all waited for their meals. Henry and Lucas were quiet, acting like they were not interested in this meetup. Their gaze tells how irritated they are right now.
The meals arrive, and they eat silently. Only the fork and knives were heard on their table. Dash elbowed his father and gestured for him to start a conversation with Athena's father.
"Long time no see Lucas," Henry said with a fake smile on his face
"Yeah, same. How have you been?"
"Fine, how about you?"
"Good," Lucas replied in a monotone.
They continued their meal, avoiding each other's gaze.
Both Athena and Dash left their mouth open for how cold and emotionless their conversation is. They were talking bluntly. Their voices are monotone, like a robot.
"I think this isn't going nice like we planned," Athena whispered to Dash.
"Exactly," Dash replied to her, then he whispered to his father about something. He agreed to it and both of them stood up.
"Something came up. We better go," Dash said as he escorts his father before Henry turns his back. He smirked sarcastically at Lucas, giving him an irritating look.
Lucas and Athena stayed in the place and continued their meal.
"Father, what was that? I thought both of you will—"
"Darling, will you please stop talking about Henry again? I don't mind if you're still friends with his son. Just don't let us see each other again," her father said with irritation in his voice.
Athena observed how quiet they are like they were hiding something or still holding something from the past that didn't want to forgive. Both of them have a grudge toward each other.
***
A few days passed, and Jax with his cellmates was in the canteen to eat their lunch. They finished their meal and they line up for headcounts. The police who was assigned to do the headcount was police officer Dexter Madden.
As soon as he saw Jax on the line, his gaze was getting darker, like a wolf ready to capture his prey. He's also giving him a warning look that confused Jax. Of all the prisoners in jail, Jax was the only one who was treated that way.
The boys were already in their cell. And the night is getting deep. Both Ace and Gordon are now snoring, sleeping peacefully.
A man was standing in the shadows. The lightning raged and half of his face was seen; he was holding a fillet knife. Blood was flowing in that knife as it drops to the ground.
"Hello darling," he whispered.
Jax woke up and rubbed his eyes. 'What's with that dream?' he thought to himself. He looked at Ace and Gordon on their bunk, wrapping themselves around a blanket.
"Dreaming the same dream," he whispered to himself.
***
"Sir, a police officer came into the company. I think he knows something about our connection to Benjamin Wilson," Noah said, as he takes his seat at Lucas's office.
"Name?"
"He's Liam Beckket," he replied.
"Just keep an eye on him and always send me updates about it. If you find something suspicious, don't hesitate to get rid of it right away. This man might ruin my plan," Lucas replied as he exhaled thick smoke in the air.
"Copy that"