“Yes, you’re not my biological daughter,” Jack said. “This all stems from a mistake your mother made years ago.”
My heart felt as if it had plunged into an ice-cold abyss, numb and unbearable. The bond I had once believed unbreakable now seemed fragile, so easily shattered in this moment. I shook my head. I tried to wake up from this sudden nightmare. But the reality was cruel. I had no escape.
“Why… why are you telling me this?”
I choked on my words. My eyes were brimming with tears that refused to fall.
Jack sighed. A flicker of faint tenderness crossed his face.
“Because you have the right to know the truth. And I hope you can understand that my harshness and coldness over the years weren’t entirely out of malice. I just couldn’t accept the reality.”
I closed my eyes. The tears fell and soaked my clothes. I had never imagined that my origins hid such a shocking secret.
I felt a deep sense of confusion and loneliness, as though the world had forsaken me. Yet, in the depths of this despair, I felt an unexpected surge of determination.
“That’s impossible. How could I not be your daughter? You’re lying to me.”
I knew this was another one of Jack’s schemes. He was trying to guilt me, to paint my mother as the villain. But it was him who drove her to the brink.
“Jack, if you think you can shake me with such lies, you’re wrong. I’ve witnessed my mother’s resilience and selflessness. Her love is something no lie of yours can ever erase.”
Though my voice trembled, it was resolute. My eyes burned with unwavering determination as I met his complex gaze.
He froze for a moment. He clearly didn’t expect my reaction. Then, a wry smile curled his lips.
“So, you’ve chosen to believe your mother. Fair enough. At least this way, you can continue living in the fantasy you’ve created.”
“Fantasy?”
I let out a cold laugh. I knew he was trying to argue, perhaps even convince me.
“No, this isn’t a fantasy. It’s my trust in my mother and my respect for myself As for you, Jack, regardless of the truth, you can’t deny the
damage you’ve done to us.”
He lowered his head in silence. When he looked up again, his eyes held a trace of exhaustion and helplessness.
“You’re right. I can’t argue with that. But do you know? I did try to make amends. It’s just… It was all too late.” “Make amends?”
I scoffed. I found his words laughable.
“Your idea of making amends is to keep hurting us, making us struggle in pain? No, I don’t need your so-called redemption. All I want is for you to face the consequences of your actions.”
At that, his bitter smile deepened, as if any defense he had left was meaningless.
I turned to leave. But just as I was about to walk away, I heard his somber voice behind me.
“Truth is, I’ve always wanted to tell
you-whether or not you’re my daughter you’ve always been irreplaceable in my life. It’s just that this love was buried under the weight of my own mistakes.
I stopped but didn’t look back. I simply shook my head.
swnove