Chapter 97 Real truth
Madison's POV
"You are a Salvatore"
No matter how I tried to repeat the words in head, it just didn't make sense at all.
It didn't make sense to me.
"What are you saying, mother? Is this some kind of joke?"
I looked between she and Maria. They were both quiet.
"Can someone explain to me?" My voice rose up a bit.
"I can't do it, Maria. Please help me." My mother pulled her hands away from mine, hugging herself with her arms, as if she was too cold.
It was serious.
This was serious.
Maria cleared her throat, before starting. "Everything I'm about to say might sound foreign and you might not believe it but I promise, it's the truth."
"Get to it already." I was impatient.
Maria nodded. "I had you years after having Santiago. It was easier to have a boy with a Mafia man than to have a girl."
Where was she going with all these?
"Mafia men saw their daughters as a greater asset to expand. I didn't like it and so I prayed not to have a daughter because I didn't want my pretty girl being subjected to an already planned life." Maria's eyes turned red.
"So what has this got to do with me?"
"Then I took in and it was a girl." She paused, looking up at me. "It was you, Madison." Her voice cracked, tears breaking free.
"How?"
Seeing that Maria was too down to explain, my mother took over.
"She used to come for antenatal check ups and one day she was crying bitterly about not wanting her child to be trapped in her world." My mother sighed, staring into space like she was reliving the moment. "She explained to me about her world. It was dark and dangerous."
Maria sniffled, taking over again. "So I begged her to help me switch my child at birth. I was going to pay any amount to keep you safe."
I scoffed, unable to believe she'd do that.
She didn't care if her child ended up with bad people? People way worse than what she was running away from?
"So I offered Helen here an open cheque to help me out with switching my baby with someone of good background. She didn't want to at first but later on, she agreed."
I looked to my mother, waiting for her to tell me it wasn't true. That all these were a joke.
"Yes, Madison." My mother confirmed the story. "Luckily, three ladies gave birth on that day. The plan was to give you to someone else and give someone else to Maria."
"And subject the other child to the life you didn't want your child to live?" I eyed Maria in disgust.
Maria shook her head immediately. "I knew he was going to run a DNA test and if he wasn't his, he'd send the child back to its mother."
Oh.
"When you came out, you were looking so beautiful, I just couldn't let you go so I kept you." My mother said, looking at me for a while, her eyes were dreamy.
Tears welled up in my eyes.
"So Helen took you in as her child and had to go into isolation and hiding so that my husband wasn't going to find out that she was the one with his child." Maria sniffled as she spoke. "I took care of her every need and yours."
"She couldn't come see you because her Ivano was a very tactical man. He was very suspicious of her that period so I just sent her pictures of you." My mother spoke up next.
God. This was really happening.
My life...
All my life, I had lived a lie?
I didn't even know how to feel.
Betrayal, hurt, anger - they all swirled around my chest.
"It hurt me badly but as long as you were living your best life, I was good." Maria smiled sadly at me.
"Sorry to burst your bubble but I stopped living at 10 years when whatever you guys did cost me my mother." I spat scornfully.
"I'm sorry, Honey comb. I had to leave because Ivano was piecing the puzzles. The only way to keep you safe was to leave." My mother tried to hold my hand but I flinched back.
"You both are not heroes." I told them, eyeing them with the pain in my chest. "The decision made by both of you cost me a scar. A big fucking scar!"
I stood up, shaking my head.
"I can't believe this!" I covered my mouth, stifling my cry. "You lied to me for years, Helen."
"You have to understand. It was all my fault." Maria stepped in.
"Of course, it was." Whatever her reasons were wasn't making sense to me at that point.
I was hurt.
Deeply.
"You both are terrible persons." I cried, turning to take my leave.
I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stand them.
"Wait!" My mother yelled, making me hurt. She placed the documents in my hand, "Look at the DNA test between the both of you. She's your mother."
"I know!" I cried.
It wasn't so hard not to believe. She always acted soft around me. Even on the first day. She cried the last time for no reason.
My heart felt a bit warmer when I was around her. I just felt something - homely - around her.
So I wasn't doubting her
"I just can't deal with any of this. It's too much for me. I can't even think properly right now." I cried bitterly.
"Baby, you have to leave Alessandro too." Maria stretched her arm to touch me but I flinched back, eyeing her.
"You just be fucking joking." I spat, eyeing her in anger. "I haven't even accepted you as my mother."
"You don't need to. I'll still keep protecting my child." She clasped her hand together, holding it to her chest.
"Well, I won't be leaving Alessandro. He was there for me in ways both of you weren't." I pointed at them.
"Honey comb, you have to listen to your mother."
"You've lost that right too, Helen." My voice cracked as I looked at the face I once used to love dearly.
"I'm sorry you went through everything you did with Joseph and Linda. I didn't know how to save you." She cried.
"Then also do me a favor - both of you - stay out of my life!" I yelled, turning away to leave.
Ignoring their loud cries.
Ignoring the pang in my chest for walking out of them.
Then slowly it dawned on me.
If I was a Salvatore...
I was officially Alessandro's Enemy
No.
This was not what I wanted.