FULL NOVELXO Chapter 109 You will always remain our daughter
VICTORIA'S POV...
My eyes fell onto my parents, sitting before me, looking in pain and somewhat devastated. Mama has called down now and they are inside the hospital room. This time, it's only us and no outsiders. At this point, I want to run to their arms and ask them to forget my words, but, I couldn't.
I don't know how to do it. So, I could only seat with my devastated mind.
"Guys, what are you doing!?" Antonio could not hold his frustration anymore and spoke out. "Will we be like this just because of what one Smith had said?! All of you behaving so childishly!"
I watched Mama and Papa. Mama is leaning on Papa's shoulder and both seemed to be in immense pain.
My lips parted, I want to say something when I heard,
"We never thought, after two decades, this topic will be brought up like this," Papa spoke.
All our focus turned to him, as Mama immediately raised her head and watched Papa. He turned to his wife and caressed her head lovingly.
"Don't be like this, it's time to tell the truth. She deserves to know it."
My heart started beating so fast, that the world started spinning around me. Soon, I felt a soft touch on me, and Alessandro's safe and secure arm wrapped around me, holding me close. Antonio paused at his words. "Wh... What do you mean?"
Papa lowered his eyes, hands on his knees. "That Smith is right." His words fell out mow, but enough for us to hear.
My mind turned blank and Antonio gasped audibly. "What!?"
Antonio's reaction just said that he was unaware of the fact too. He is my elder brother of a couple of years. How Cole he doesn't know the truth?
Mama sobbed, her hands gripped tightly in her husband's arms and Papa hold them. She nodded her head. "Your papa is right."
papa raised his head and watched me. He felt like he has aged up suddenly in just an hour.
"I know, this truth sends you in shock. But... This is the truth." He shook his head.
"B... But how!? What is going on!?" Antonio sounded devastated at this point, as he sat on the other sofa, placed beside Mama and Papa's. Papa sighed, patting Mama's hand.
"Over two decades ago, we had a good connection with Jordan Smith. That time, he used to be my right hand and very much involved in our family."
Papa continued, "When Antonio was over five years old, your mother was pregnant with a baby girl."
Antonio nodded his head, knitting his brows. "I know, I remember that. I was the one who selected her name as Victoria and this is her!" He pointed his finger at me. Papa shook his head. "No, that girl wasn't this Victoria."
"What!?" Antonio gasped again, as I stayed silent.
I already guessed this, even though I guessed it before, the truth still is hurtful.
Papa nodded. "Yes. When Arianna was in labour, you were with your grandparents. In the hospital, she gave birth to a baby girl, but, the baby was dead by born."
Papa said closing his eyes, maybe, recalling the tragic past they had to suffer and Antonio gasped again.
"When your mother heard the news, she was devastated. Well, all of us were. But, her pain was immense and she fell sick. It was too much that we couldn't even inform our family." Papa paused, took a breath and then continued,
"At that time, Smith was there with us. As my right hand, he knew everything about our family matters. Seeing, Arianna's condition, he went out and suddenly, returned with a beautiful baby girl, who was born on that exact day."
"We get to know that, while giving birth, her mother died and there was no family member for the girl. She needed breastfeeding and Arianna didn't think for a second to take the baby girl and feed her."
"Soon, in no time, we get connected with the baby. So much so that she made us forget the huge loss that we faced just a moment ago. We decided to drop the matter there and keep it only between the three of us."
"At that exact time, we decided to take her with us. As our daughter. As our Victoria."
Papa looked up at me and I blinked at him. Feeling my suppressed tears, blurring my vision.
"Th... That girl is me..." I stated and it wasn't a question, but a revelation.
Papa nodded. "Yes... You are. But, all this while, you have always been our daughter. For once, we never realised or have seen you differently. The moment, you came to our life, you filled us with joy and immense happiness. You brought us luck and success, Victoria."
"Then, why Smith turned like that?" Antonio asked, after a long time of pause.
Papa sighed.
"Even though he was loyal at first, after some time, he became greedy for money. And one day, I caught him making a desperate decision of earning money by selling our design to our rival company." "I caught him and wanted to give him to the police, but he laughed and threatened us to reveal this truth to the world. To Victoria. And we never wanted that. If this is revealed, Victoria would be hurt and broken."
"The truth that has always been suppressed, should be suppressed for a lifetime. So, we feed him what he wanted. Money."
"For years, we fed him money. All this while, he was quiet, but..." He sighed again and shook his head.
"We never realised, this truth would come out like this."
Suddenly, one thought crossed my mind. I turned to them and asked, "Is this why, you always have two birthday cakes for me? One for the deceased daughter?
Papa stopped and caressed Mama's back and then nodded his head. when she turned her gaze to me. Mama stood up and walked toward me.
Aless moved aside and she sat beside me, holding my hand.
"Baby, I know, this hurt you, but... But, we never wanted to hurt you, Victoria. Even though we celebrated the birthdays of our deceased daughter, we never see you with other eyes. You have always been our daughter and you will always remain our daughter..."
**********
AUTHOUR'S POV...
Hello guys, the last chapter I published 'Should I ask', was not meant to be published. It was the chapter meant to be published after this one. Now, finally, my editor deleted it and I am publishing it after this chapter once again. Those who read it at first, you can skip the next chapter because it's the same...