Chapter 41 Chaos
I believed Carlos, but I still needed to see things for myself. Carlos gave me access to the internet so I did some digging online and it confirmed more than I expected.
Carlos was right. Mario and Susan Menendez did have a daughter, but now she is nowhere to be found. No records, no photos beyond early childhood. It all lines up. That missing daughter is me. Just like Carlos said, and just like the evidence showed, they gave me up for adoption because they didn’t want a daughter.
Not only that, I also found out I am not the only child. The first is a boy and they obviously kept him but when it came to me, they didn’t keep me all because I am a girl.
I sank into the couch, letting the weight of everything settle in. It still feels unreal. The parents I had been searching for all my life did not even want me. Not because I did something wrong, but simply because I am a girl.
When Carlos first told me, I did not want to believe it because it didn’t make any sense. But seeing it with my own eyes, it is staring to make sense. A painful, ugly kind of sense.
Deep inside of me. I wish I had never found out about this. I wish I had never even found out Richard and Fiona aren’t my real parents. I was happy with them, they treated me well, and never have they never cared about me being a girl. And then there are my parents who can’t even keep me around just because of my gender.
Tears started to well up in my eyes as I thought about it. I badly wanted to stop thinking about it but I couldn’t. It’s just so hard not to think and feel the pain.
But what pain exactly? The fact that my parents hate me or the fact that Carlos is right about everything even the Ore Code.
I searched about that and found a few scattered references. Most of them said it no longer existed, that it was lost when my grandfather died. Others said it still exists, well it does because I am the key and that’s why everyone wants me now including my parents.
I don’t think I will ever understand what’s going on in this Mafia world. I just don’t get it. Why did my grandfather create something so powerful and why did he make me the only person who can access it when there are so many people around?
I have been asking myself that question over and over since I found out. Why me? Why not someone else? But I have never found a real answer.
I was lost in my thoughts when Carlos walked into the room. He looked at me sitting on the couch and came over.
"Are you okay?" He asked, his voice firm.
"Yes," I said quietly, eyes fixed on the window.
He sighed softly. "No, you are not. What can I do to help you feel better?"
I looked at him for a moment. I don’t think there is anything that can make me feel better right now especially since my heart feels like a mess.
After what felt like forever, I replied "Can I ask you something?"
He nodded. "Yes, anything."
"Have you met my grandfather before?"
"No." He said
"Well, do you have any idea why he would make me the guardian of the Oro Code?"
"I cannot say for sure," He said, "But I think it is because you were very close to him as a kid."
"Oh." I let out a deep breath. I don’t remember any of that. "But how do you know all this? You are just a few years older than I. How could you possibly know?"
"My father has been studying the whole thing for years," Carlos said. "Growing up, all we ever heard about was the Oro Code and how dangerous it is."
"If it is so dangerous, why did my grandfather create it?" I asked, confused.
"In case the world turned against him," Carlos replied. "From everything I have seen and heard, he did not trust anyone. Not even Susan and Mario. That is why he built it, and that is why he made you the only key."
"I don’t get it. How am I the key? Is it my eyes? My fingerprint? What exactly?"
"Everything," He said. "But most importantly, your blood. To open the safe, it has to scan your thumb, your eyes, and then your blood. Maybe there is another thing but for now, that’s all I know."
I nodded slowly, taking it all in.
Carlos stepped closer. "I know all of this is a lot to take in. And I want you to have time to process it but we need to get moving. We’ll be leaving here tomorrow morning."
"Why? I thought it was safe."
"It is but they already know you are here. We cannot stay much longer."
"Even if we do leave, what are the chances that they won’t find me?" I asked
"The place we’ll be going is way out of town. They won’t know and even if they do, I’ll make sure they don’t get to you. I promise." He said, his voice filled with sincerity.
I nodded and turned back to the window. My heart felt too heavy to keep going with the conversation.
"I know you’re loving the view but I think we should sleep now. We have a long trip in the morning," He said.
I agreed and followed him out of the room. In the bedroom, I changed into my nightclothes and lay down on the bed.
But of course, I could not sleep. My mind was spinning with thoughts I could not even begin to understand.
"Can I hold you?" Carlos asked, breaking the silence. "I just want to feel you close while I sleep."
I didn’t say anything. I just shifted closer.
He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to his chest. It felt safe not enough to quiet the storm in my head, but just enough to keep my heart from falling apart.
I just hope they don’t attack again. I’m already battling with the war in my head, I can’t handle anymore chaos.