One hundred and three- Twisted possibilities

One hundred and three- Twisted possibilities

NATHANIEL STORM

“They found Rosaline yesterday,” Ray informed as he sat next to my hospital bed, which I was annoyingly confined to after my injured knee acted up. “He killed her. Murdered her. Brutally.”

“She’s dead?” Hearing that felt weird. Like it was a lie. 

“The detective I spoke to said he killed her in a fit of anger, and that’s not all.”

My frown deepened. “Sarah saw it happen?” As Ray nodded, my heart shattered even more. “God…” 

“They were able to obtain video evidence from the culprit’s hideout, and it has the full details of what happened to Miss Pierce.”

“That’s enough,” I stopped him before I could get tempted to know those details. I can’t afford to break down any more than I have. I need to remain strong to be by Sarah when she wakes up again. Hopefully, she doesn’t reject my presence again. 

But now that this information is coming to light, it does make sense that she would want me to stay away from her. I have the same face as that… that evil entity that did horrible things to her. 

“God…” I groaned again, my soul falling into more depression as the truth of the past few days dawned on me even more.

“Sir, would you like to hear my findings concerning your accident?”

“We know that bastard caused it, don’t we?”

“Yes. The cops confirmed it. But it runs deeper than that.”

“How so?”

“Erasmus. Your… twin…”

Hearing that word ‘twin’ icks me every time. So, with irritation, I gestured for him to spill out his coming words faster. 

“He was also responsible for the accident you had four years ago.”

“What?”

“While that accident only affected a part of Miss Pierce’s memories, your father saw it as a chance to separate you from her. Only, he made sure to erase your memory of her.”

My narrowed eyes felt dizzy. I had a feeling that was what happened, but hearing it in real time had an awful feeling to it. 

“Initially, your father planned to use Erasmus to replace you. But when that technology came into place, he used that instead.”

“That’s why I didn’t remember Sarah at all.” Thanks to my good-for-nothing father, I have committed many sins against Sarah and Raya, forcing them to live a fate that could have been easily avoided. 

Now I’m more scared. With the revelations toppling out, Sarah could likely decide to stay away from me for good. If that happens… 

Maybe I shouldn’t worry about that right now. 

“Ray…”

“Sir?”

“This information about my father, where is it from?”

“Erasmus surprisingly confessed it during the questioning.”

I frowned. “He did? Why?”

“Who knows? Maybe he wants Edward Storm jailed too. But I have a feeling that the cops won’t find evidence against your father… Oh. That reminds me. I think this is something you should confront your father about, but Erasmus said something quite weird.”

“Weird? “

“That your biological father is Miss Pierce's grandfather.”

“Eh?” It didn’t look like he was joking, but at the same time, the sentence was wrong on all levels. Why would Sarah’s grandfather be my biological father? “I don’t think we should take that man’s words seriously. He might be lying about other things too.”

“You shouldn’t dismiss that so fast.”

It wasn’t Ray who spoke, but Sarah’s mother. With Raya in her arms, she walked further in, and my daughter lit up on seeing me.

“Thaniel!” she greeted with a huge wave, and that cured a lot in my aching heart.

“Raya.” While hiding the tears that nearly jumped out of me, I carefully received her from Sarah’s mother and sat her next to me. “How are you, my precious daughter?”

She was not looking away from me like before. Her eyes were sparkling and observing me, while my eyes noticed every feature of her face. I have always thought that she took the shape of my nose and lips. I’m glad to see that I’m right. 

“Raya, have you seen your Mum?”

Her nose scrunched. “Mummy is sleeping. In that room.” She pointed somewhere. “You see mummy too?”

“Yes. I have.” God… I don’t think I can hold these tears in anymore. 

“Good. Mummy call Thaniel in her… in her sleep. And me too. She say baby too.”

“Oh, my beautiful Raya.” I pressed a kiss to her forehead, and a teardrop or two eventually slipped out as I imagined Sarah whispering those words. 

Truthfully, since the day she woke up, I haven’t gone back. When I heard that she had been asleep since then, I should have gone, but I was scared that she would sense my presence, wake up and refuse to see me again. 

“Dada?” 

“Raya…” My feverish hand wiped my tears to expose my surprise. I even glanced at others to confirm that Raya actually said what I just heard. “Did you… Did you just call me Dada?”

She nodded, her eyes twinkling even more. “That man was not Dada.”

“Th-That man?”

Sarah’s mother butted in, her eyes also hazy with tears. “I think she could tell something was off when that man started pretending to be you.”

“What?”

“I’m not sure about what she saw that made her think so, but… I don’t know. It’s quite worrying.”

“Raya.”

She turned her focus away from the TV playing in silence. “Hmm?”

“Uhm…” Very carefully, I took her very small hands in mine, and the feeling that came with that made me change my mind. Asking her about that terrible man won’t do any good. “Dada is glad that you are fine.”

“Okay,” she simply replied and returned to her TV watching as if what I said had no meaning.

However, seconds later, she leaned into my side quite endearingly, and I just knew that she had truly accepted me as her father. It seems my days of feeling her kicks and warning glares are over. 

“How are your injuries?” Sarah’s mother asked after she grabbed a chair to sit on. 

“Getting better. Back to what you said when you entered …”

“Oh. Yeah, about that. Evelyn stole my father’s wealth.”

After glancing at Raya and wondering whether to discuss adult things next to her, I fully processed what the woman said, and my eyes bulged. 

“Your father?” I asked.

“I guess Sarah didn’t tell you. Your mother used to work for my family, but things happened. And with the help of Edward Storm, she found a way to take over his estate and businesses. That wealth is the foundation of the Storm empire that you grew up in.”

“What?” What the hell kind of shit is going on in our lives? Crazy secrets just keep popping out every second. 

“While it could be very disturbing if it is true, it is possible that your mother did, in fact, sleep with my father and conceived you and that evil thing for him.”

“Ha!” I exclaimed. Then, my brows furrowed. “That would explain a lot of things. My mother was weirdly against my marriage to Sarah. And she didn’t even know about our past.” Of course, that does explain it. But could it really be true? “Ray…”

“Yes, sir.”

“We have to look into this.”

“Are you sure about that?” the woman asked. “If it’s true, things might become complex.”

“I’m not going to let go of Sarah and our daughter if that’s what you’re concerned about.”

“I’m not. It’s just…”

“So what if you really are my half-sister and I’m Sarah’s uncle? Is that even the right…” I shook my head. All these twisted possibilities are mind-boggling. “What I am trying to say is that, even if it’s true, it never affected us from the start. And if it eventually does, we will find a way to fight it.”

“Alright,” she replied and looked away, like she was willing to say more, but choosing to keep it in. 

“I will uh… keep you updated on things, sir,” Ray concluded after many seconds of silence had passed. 

“Sure. When Sarah gets better, we’ll return to Lanville so we can deal with things properly.” I stole a glimpse at Raya to check on her. “Also, did you ever figure out how that man switched me out of the hospital? Was he working with someone in Evtrom?”

“Yes. With the older Mr Storm’s help, they were able to switch effortlessly and also pretend that he was you.”

“Get me the names of the medical officers who agreed to do that nonsense. They are part of this crime; they can’t go unpunished.”

“Okay, sir.”

“Have you heard anything about Rosaline?” Sarah’s mother asked. “My men keep saying there’s no update about her. Did she run away? Does she know she can’t do that? That will worsen her charges.” 

“Oh…” Ray looked at me, and subtly, I shook my head, so he wouldn’t complete his response.

It’s at this moment that the news of Rosaline’s death has more impact. And I don’t think I want to be the one to tell her mother. 

So, I said, “I’m sure the cops will reach out to you when they find her. Maybe she decided to, you know,” my gaze flickered to Raya so the woman wouldn’t catch my lies, “hide away and taste some freedom.”

“That silly girl. She can’t run away. Not after what she did to Sarah.”

“Hmm,” I managably replied while feeling the softness of Raya’s hair.

“Anyway, I should return to Sarah. I don’t want to miss her waking up.”

“Alright. I’ll drop Raya off later. I have a feeling she’d fight someone if we interrupt her TV.”

“Sure. Bye, Raya.”

“Bye bye, Gammie.”

“Gammie?” 

Sarah’s mother chuckled, and the worry on her face vanished completely. “We got closer the past two days. She seems cold at first, but she’s a very warm soul, like her mother.”

My lips could not help but spread into a smile. That statement reminded me of the first time I met Sarah. The glare she gave me after I mistakenly spilt my coffee on her was more alluring than wicked. I just knew there was something about her I was drawn to. And when I found out what it was, it became clear to whom my heart should belong. 

“Sir…” Ray dragged me out of my memories, which have been slowly mending the gaps in my heart. 

“What is it?” It seemed he had stepped out briefly after Sarah’s mum left. 

“Miss Pierce is awake.”

My heart began to pound again. “Is she… is she fine?”

“Yes. But… “ I frowned at that word. “Your father’s here. And he’s with her.”