Chapter 10 New Life Policy

Chapter 10 New Life Policy

Odessa's Pov

I was twenty six and still at the office when the call came in. Dad had been in an accident on his way to practice and died at the spot. Just like that. One phone call and he was gone. No warning, no goodbye, no chance to tell him I loved him one more time.

Mom had accused Lucas and Timothy, Damien's father, of having something to do with it. She was convinced they planned the whole thing, that they wanted him out of the way so they could have more control over the company. Everyone labelled her as a crazy grieving widow who didn't know what she was talking about. They patted her hand and gave her sedatives and told her to rest.

But looking at my dad now, sitting on the edge of my bed like he never left, I wonder if she was right all along.

My lips wavered as he smiled at me again, that same easy smile that used to make me feel like everything would be okay. "I heard what happened and rushed the next flight back. Mind if I drop you off at campus, baby—"

He doesn't finish. He doesn't get to finish because I just pull him into a hug, brawling my eyes out at how real it felt, how real he felt. His arms wrap around me automatically, holding me tight against his chest, and I can feel his heartbeat. Steady. Alive.

I thought I would never feel this again.

"Hey, hey," he murmurs into my hair, his hand rubbing circles on my back. "I'm sorry. Boys can be foolish, you know? I promise I won't let anyone hurt you, not even grumpy old Pa Bern."

I giggle in between my sobs, the sound wet and broken. "I thought I lost you."

He had been a star player at Edinburgh Reapers before he retired to become a coach and eventually a major shareholder at the company. Everyone knew his name, respected his legacy. If this timeline is correct, then he'd still be playing his final season before retirement. Still healthy. Still here.

"I'm always here for you," he says, and for a moment, I let myself believe it.

A soft knock on the door alerts us both. Mom leans in the frame a bit with a smile on her face, the kind that doesn't quite reach her eyes. She walks up to him slowly, her face a bit reddish like she's cried too, and kisses his forehead, breathing him in like she also can't believe he's real.

"Your dad's asking for you, babe," she informs me, her voice soft. "I'll help her pack."

"What does he want?" I ask, already dreading it.

She sighs. "Would probably throw a fit about how Odessa's acting. He's really a toddler in diapers."

"You can say that again," Dad sighs, shaking his head. He rises to his feet and stretches his arms above his head. "I'll be back soon."

I nod and wipe my face as Mom sits on the edge of the bed, close to me. The mattress dips under her weight and she reaches out, pulling me toward her. "Come here," she urges, and I move over to her, letting her hug me while pressing a long kiss on my head.

"I'm proud of you," she says.

"Really?" The word comes out small. I feel small.

"Extremely. You won't let Pa Bern control you anymore." She pulls back just enough to look at my face. "MAM isn't some sort of heaven on earth in the first place. He acts like he built a redemption camp for angels."

I laugh at her joke in between sniffles, the sound surprising me. "How did you know about the affair? With Sarah and Damien."

She holds a breath, her eyes going distant for a second. "I didn't know exactly. They rubbed it in my face and..." Another pause. "I umm... I had a private investigator. Look, no matter how hard he apologizes, you can't marry him. Not now, not ever."

I slowly pull from her, studying her face. There's something there, something she's not saying. Knowing that there's something else she knows that I don't, I press further. "And what if I do?"

Her eyes sharpen. "Please don't tell me you're reconsidering that bastard."

"No," I say quickly. "I just want to know why it's such a bad thing."

"It's something you don't understand, Odessa. Something I can't explain."

"Is it because he'll kill me?" I finally let it out, watching the color drain from her face. The blood just vanishes, leaving her pale and frozen. "He already did once."

She rises to her feet so fast the bed shakes. She rushes to close the door, her hand trembling on the knob, then returns back to me, grabbing both of my arms. "You were reborn too?" Her voice cracks. "Oh my..." She covers her mouth with both hands, holding back her tears.

My eyes are already painful from all the crying, swollen and raw, so I just try to stay composed. I've cried enough for one day. "More like go back in time."

"I thought it only happened in movies." She stares at me like she's seeing a ghost. "The moon goddess isn't such a bitch with this new second chance at life policy."

I almost laugh at that. Almost. "I don't know what to call it, but Damien, he's a bastard. He killed me with Sarah helping him—"

"They wanted the company." Mom nods like she already suspected. "With you dead, I was the next legal heiress. And of course, I came to visit and you were missing. For days, we searched for you." Her voice drops lower. "And the story Damien sold when the car was found with your DNA? He said you were diagnosed with cancer and ended it all due to depression."

"Typical." I clench my jaw. Of course he would make me look crazy. Of course he would twist everything so he came out clean.

"I couldn't believe it. It broke me when I saw the diagnosis, but I couldn't believe that you'd go that far... I just couldn't." She shakes her head slowly. "While I kept investigating, Damien and Lucas came one day to my penthouse. They attacked me and boldly spoke of their lies. They forced me to sign the transfer of ownership documents and pushed me from the top floor of the building."

I feel sick. The room tilts slightly. "How could anyone be so cruel?"

"I don't know, Odessa." She takes my hand and squeezes it. "But power can do a lot of things. They've messed with the wrong family. I'm going to make sure they pay for everything they've done before they even have a chance to make another move."

I look at my mother, really look at her, and I see the fire in her eyes. The same fire I feel burning in my own chest.

I smile. "I already have a plan."