Chapter 1102
[ 521 words ]
“Dr. Sommers. Your daughter is here.”
Theia had been sitting numbly on her bed, but those words struck her heart like a sledgehammer, sending a shockwave through her entire body.
What? Her daughter was here?
She sprang up and rushed to the iron door, rattling it frantically. The small viewing window was locked from the outside; she couldn’t see a thing. But she could sense a crowd gathering in the corridor.
Click. The heavy deadbolt disengaged, and the massive door slowly swung open. Theia stood frozen, staring out.
Standing amidst the imposing guards was a beautiful, elegant young woman. Her hands rested protectively over a slightly rounded belly, and her bright eyes were already brimming with unshed tears. She was staring right back.
The moment their eyes met, Theia knew she was her Five.
“Do you still recognize your mother?” Gino asked with a smirk. “The Boss has graciously granted you two some time to catch up.”
Celine stood rooted to the spot, her pale face fixed on Theia. Even though she had no memory of her mother, the woman’s face was incredibly familiar. The resemblance was uncanny. Ebony Fox, Coralie, and especially Juniper… they all looked like her. Juniper shared her eyes the most-warm, yet fiercely stubborn.
Click. The door locked shut again, leaving the two of them alone in the sterile, windowless cell.
“You…” Theia stood there, never dreaming she would live to see one of her children again. Her lips trembled, her throat so tight it physically hurt. It had been what, sixteen years? What kind of life had her child lived? Did they hate her? They had every right to. She and Silas had failed miserably as parents.
“Are you Five?” Theia finally forced the words out, her voice raspy.
“I am.” Celine stared deeply at Theia. Hearing the nickname “Five” shattered her composure, her eyes instantly reddening. “Are you… Mom?”
Mom. The word felt both impossibly foreign and intimately familiar.
Theia nodded desperately, the tears finally spilling over.
“Mom.” Celine’s voice broke into a sob. “Is it
Ou?” It felt too
surreal like a dream she a dream she was afraje
to wake up from.
“Yes.” Theia stepped forward, looking at Celine as if she might break, her voice choking with emotion. “It’s really me.”
“Mom!” Overcome, Celine threw her arms around Theia. “Where have you been? We missed you so much!”
We? Theia’s heart skipped a beat. She buried her face in Celine’s hair, hiding from the security camera, and whispered urgently, “Baby, don’t say anything out loud
Celine instantly understood. The rest of her words died in her throat.
“Baby, tell me how many,” Theia whispered, opening her hand and looking at Celine with teary, panicked eyes.
Positioning herself to block the camera’s view, Celine traced a tiny “7” on her mother’s palm.
Theia stared at her in shock, her eyelashes fluttering rapidly. Seven? All seven of her children?
Afraid she hadn’t understood, Celine traced again: “7, Safe.”
All seven were alive and well.
Theia’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief.
Celine nodded, laughing through her tears. Yes. Exactly what she hoped. All seven of them had survived.
Understanding the message, Theia
pulled her daughter back into a desperate embrace. “I’m so sorry, Celine she sobbed repeatedly failed you. We let you all suffer.”
If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.