I stayed in my room for the past two days, and this vacation is slowing down time. I allowed Persephone to go with Effie and enjoy a water park close to the resort, another of Odin's projects called the Seven Seas Water Park. He wanted to match the Trident Resort.
I didn't go because knowing everyone was going meant Seth would be there. This is a family vacation with the Reids plus friends. It would be more awkward between Seth and me if I were to go. And now that his brothers seem to misunderstand, they will tease him, and I don't want to add more oil to their jokes when I'm around. The last thing I want for Seth is to be embarrassed.
Last night, Kendall sent me a confidential file on Persephone's DNA. I didn't get the chance to open it because of my emotional breakdown, so I used an excuse to stay behind and not be charmed by Effie's art of persuasion, which finally won over her.
I am sitting on the couch and opening up my laptop. I open up my email and click on the latest message. Kendall told me in the email that I should be prepared once I open. She had looked into it or was worried that the DNA sample I sent to Hector had taken too long for the result in my hands, which meant Persephone was no ordinary child. Eva took special care of her, and I want to know why.
My hands start to get clammy and shake. My heart is racing so suddenly. I'm looking to see who Persephone's mother is so I can reassure her before meeting her mother. I had to make sure she was legit and presume their reunion.
Hover the mouse over the file, click on it, and instantly, the document pops up on the screen as I read through every word on the results. Three columns show the information, the name of the child, and the parents. One column shows her biological father, Hugo Graves.
My whole body cringed at the name. I can't believe that bastard is Persephone's father. Of course, he could have fathered many children, one of which is Persephone. I see matching numbers from the Child column to the Father column.
Shit.
Next, I looked at the maternity section, and before I could see the numbers, I saw the name. On top of the section, I found the name of the mother.
"Theresa Young," I whisper the name. My heart races at an incredible speed to the point my chest hurts. Sister Agnes gave me the name given to me by Sister Agnes at the orphanage when I was a baby. "How...how can this be?"
I looked closer and reread the results repeatedly until my eyes hurt. I see the numbers that the child and mother share. It concludes with the same matching numbers.
"No," I put my laptop down and stood up, unaccepting this. I put my shaky hand over my mouth. The speed of my aching heart starts to thump harder.
My whole body is trembling, and I can feel something clogging build up in my throat. I rush to the bathroom and release the substance into the sink. I turn on the water to wash my mouth and splash a little on my face.
As the water runs, I look up in the mirror. I put an image in my head, remembering that night I saved Persephone. That night, I thought that child was me. Everything about her looked like me when I was with the Order. The hair, the eyes, and the same lost look as if the world betrayed her. Everything that the Order did to me did the same to her.
"Fuck!" I smash the mirror with my fist; broken pieces fall, and blood splatter.
The moment she came into my life when our eyes met, I only wanted to protect her and keep her in harm's way. To show her that the world didn't leave her to be tainted and broken. Everyone kept saying how much we look alike as siblings because we sometimes do things precisely the same. It is hard to believe that someone like Persephone would share some similarities. But it turns out...
"Fuck...shit..." I lower myself and lean on the sink to keep myself from falling. "I thought..."
I lift my head. No, this has to be a lie. Ignoring the blood on my knuckles, I went for my phone. On speed dial, I called the person who had kept this secret from me since the beginning.
"Terry, how's the vacation going?" Odin says in his cheery tone.
"Tell me this isn't true," I respond in a hardened tone, going straight to the point of my rash call.
I need answers, and he's the only person I can think of in this situation.
"So, Kendall gave you the files, which she wasn't supposed to."
"Don't blame this on Kendall," my voice rose through the speaker. "I had asked it from her, and she knows the risk. No wonder Hector didn't send me the results because you interfered. But I want to hear the truth from you. Is this all true?"
I didn't hesitate to ask, but seeing my name on that DNA result gave me hope that it was all a hoax.
Odin sighed and probably thought about giving me the truth or something useless to hear. "It's true."
My legs turn numb as I almost stumble back. Luckily, the bed was behind me; otherwise, I would end up on the ground.
"That's bullshit!" I burst out. "Persephone can't be my daughter. I killed her. I killed her with my own hands. You knew that."
I was distraught before I distanced myself from Odin the day he took me in. After showing me kindness and warmth, I told him everything, especially what I did to my daughter. Odin didn't find me evil. Instead, he embraced me.
A mother killing her child is horrifying and cruel. Not even a lioness kills her cub. I'm much worse than a beast. I'm a monster, and Odin knew that.
"Terry," his voice is calm and ever trying to have me reduce my anger. "I know how shocking this is to you, but that child is your daughter. You didn't kill her. She's alive and by your side."
I shook my head and closed my eyes, pulling the memories of my baby girl, bathing her, and letting my hands go as she struggled in the water. There is no way my daughter survived.
"I don't believe you," I say, gritting my teeth.
"Terry, my child, it's clear how similar you and Persephone are alike. The file is proof. During the raid, an Order member saved Persephone before fleeing the area." There is no way Odin can be a liar. This man, who I see as a father figure, had never lied to me. He's an honest man with many demons, and I respect him as my boss and guardian.
I stay silent on the other end, just fuming with anger.
"I know how much you are angry with me. I understand," Odin says. "But I knew Persephone is your daughter since the beginning."
"What do you mean?"
"I had you sent to Barcelona for the black market auction to rescue the children. Do you remember Ivana? She told me one of her girls saw a child like you." Odin explains.
Ivana is one of Odin's closest friends and was an elite assassin in her youth known as Scorpion. Now a madam who owns an escort service in Spain. Her business is a place for intel on clients, including extensive reserved clientele to be terminated by Odin. But she isn't the only person of intel. Odin has a ton of small businesses used for intel worldwide.
Ivana helps girls who ran away or lost a home get off the streets and avoid being someone's whore. Though Ivana's business is a brothel house, she ensured none of her girls were harmed when they entertained clients.
"I didn't believe it at first, but once Ivana sent me the picture of Persephone, it was like seeing you the day I rescued you." Odin continues. I stay silent as I listen. "You may deny that she's your daughter, but Terry, out of all the children you had rescued, she was the only one you kept close by your side. Is it because she's an Eden Child?"
"I..." I swallowed and couldn't come up with an answer. I don't know what to say.
I knew Persephone was special, but not because of her status as an Eden Child. I didn't rescue her because she was one but because I felt familiar with her. As our eyes met, I saw myself through her. I initially denied it because I thought being kept as Eva's Eden Child made her special to me, but that wasn't the case. Everything about her I see me.
She is me.
Because she's a part of me.
I slump myself down on the chair and cover my mouth to muffle the sounds of cries. Once again, tears fall, running down my cheeks.
"Oh...god..." I trembled and became speechless again. "She's my daughter. I...I can't believe it."
All my life, I thought of myself as cruel to kill her child, but an unexpected turn of events when I found Persephone and discovered she was my dead daughter. God is playing tricks on me, but all evidence points to her.
"I know you seem overwhelmed," Odin says through the phone. "I had you taken out from the mission and handed it to Myles only because I want you to spend some time with Persephone. Her childhood life was spent in pain and horrors by Eva. As her mother, you can only compensate for that and show her unconditional love. I understand the feeling of losing a child, but yours is alive and well. Please don't make the same mistake as I did with my son. You are the only person who can pull her out of the darkness."
I sniffle and wipe my nose with the tissue I grab in front of me. "But how? How can I be a mother to her? She would hate me if she knew I tried to kill her."
I'm okay with her hating me for what I have done to her. For killing and leaving her with those bastards. I will never be forgiven.
"Stay by her side if she were to discover the truth that you're her mother. Be prepared and explain. Explain that you can so she can understand."
My mind is mixed with fear and anxiety as I often think of being alone. Persephone is a kind and clever child. If I were to tell her the truth about her mother, would she forgive me? A slight pinch in my brain starts to frustrate me.
"Take your time, Terry," I can feel the reassurance from Odin. His calming voice always eases my heart. "It's best to get to know your daughter, and what you youngsters say, jump the gun?" He chuckles.
A notorious man can bring humor to the conversation. Why Seth's jokes and teasing don't bother me? Sure, it gets to the point I'm annoyed by it, but that doesn't mean I hate it.
Wait, why am I bringing his name up?
I shake my head.
"When the time comes, you can tell her the truth."
"Yes, I understand," I sniffle. My eyes dried from crying.
Lately, I've been crying, which has never happened since I've been with Effie and the gang. Since Seth had entered my life, my emotions were all locked up with the past as Theresa until a small percentage of them were out.
A tad bit.
"Terry, before we end this conversation," Odin clears his throat, and I can sense through his tone that he is nervous. "I apologize. I've kept this from you. I treated you like my own. All I want is to protect you. If I were to tell you initially, you would have broken down Order's gate. I lost one child; I don't want to lose another. I should've told you. I'm sorry."
I understand the pain of losing a child. Although my child is alive, Odin will never get his son back. He meant well when he apologized and explained why he did. Once a child, I hated adults because they were liars and evil. My whole life, I hated them for what they did to me. Everything changed with Odin. He was the only adult I trusted, and I owed him my life for giving me a second chance. I love him as a father.
"You don't need to apologize, Odin," I pull a smile. "You were just protecting me."
"So...I'm forgiven? Aren't you mad at me? I wanted to talk to you, but I was too afraid to ask how you are and instead called Effie to ask." Hearing his tone is that of a nervous parent wanting forgiveness from his child.
I chuckle. "I was never mad at you in the first place."
"Good, good," he paused and breathed like he wanted to say something before I ended the call. I can feel something weird from his silence. "So, you and Seth, huh? Will I have more grandbabies once you and he are married?"
"Okay, hanging up now, bye!" Odin's laughter was cut short after I ended the call.
I threw my phone on the bed and covered my face, feeling the heat.
How could Odin make a joke like that?
I fan my face, slightly cooling the hotness off. But it's not working as usual. Thinking what Odin said just made it worse.
"Damn it, Effie," I grumble. I can't believe she told her grandpa what happened the other day.
Now, my life is even more ruined by this outcome. I touched my face and felt something liquid. Forgotten I had injured my knuckles, I went for the first aid kit in the bathroom and treated my wound while my face heated up more.
Fuck!
Me and Seth - married?
That isn't possible.
Suddenly, an image comes to mind of the thought of marrying Seth and having a child with him. Picturing him, our children include Persephone, knowing how open she is with Seth, a family.
Perfect. Harmonious. Happiness.
Yet, it wouldn't be peaceful in my line of work if I were to be with Seth. The thought of danger emerged from my mind. Death came to mind if Eva and the Order were involved. Eva will only stop her so-called empire once they have everything within her grasp. If the thought of losing Persephone is one thing losing, Seth will strike me, too. I can't have that life while the Order still walks the earth.
I can't.
I am still waiting.
Not until the house falls on Wicked Bitch of the Order to death. That is when I stole her red shoes to destroy everything she planned.