Chapter 252

Chapter 252
Emma

The VIP hospital room they'd moved me to after learning my "condition" was ridiculous—all chrome and beige with abstract paintings meant to soothe. The soft beeping of monitors and the hiss of oxygen created a sterile soundtrack that grated on my nerves. Nothing about this situation was soothing.

I insisted on sitting in a proper chair rather than lying in bed like an invalid. Noah stood behind me, his presence a silent comfort as we waited. My heart pounded so loudly I was sure he could hear it.

When the door opened, I expected guards, an entourage. Instead, a single man entered. Tall, with salt-and-pepper hair and eyes that were unsettlingly familiar—my eyes, staring back at me from a stranger's face. I felt a jolt of recognition that I couldn't deny, no matter how much I wanted to.

He removed the silver mask he wore, revealing a face lined with scars on one side, as though it had been burned long ago. His gaze was softer than I'd imagined, almost reverent as he looked at me. He stood just inside the doorway, as if giving me space, or perhaps unsure of his welcome.

"Hello, Emma," he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "It's good to finally meet you. Officially." He took a step forward, then seemed to think better of it, staying where he was.

I kept my expression neutral, though my heart hammered against my ribs and my mouth had gone completely dry. I felt Noah's steadying hand on my shoulder and drew strength from it.

"I'd say the same, but I'm not in the habit of lying to criminals," I replied, my voice steadier than I felt. I lifted my chin slightly, refusing to show fear.

A small smile touched his lips, crinkling the corners of his eyes—eyes so like mine it was disturbing. "Direct. Like your mother."

My hands clenched into fists in my lap. "Robert and Diana Wells are my parents," I said firmly, each word precise and clipped. "The people who raised me, loved me, taught me right from wrong. Something you clearly missed out on." I could feel myself shaking with suppressed emotion.

His smile faded slightly, a flash of what might have been hurt crossing his face. "They've done an admirable job. I'm grateful to them." He moved to the window, looking out for a moment before turning back to me. "They raised a remarkable woman."

"Grateful?" I couldn't keep the bitterness from my voice, and a harsh laugh escaped me. "You experimented on children. On me. On my brother. You created poisons that have nearly killed us both." My voice rose with each word, the control I'd been maintaining slipping. "You don't get to be grateful."

"It's more complicated than that, little princess." The endearment made my stomach turn, and I visibly recoiled. "There are things you don't understand yet."

"Don't call me that," I snapped, my voice sharp enough to cut glass. "And don't pretend you care now. Where were you when I was growing up? When I was sick, scared, struggling?" I leaned forward in my chair, the anger I'd been suppressing finally breaking free. "You don't get to waltz in now and play daddy."

He reached into his jacket, and Noah tensed beside me, his body immediately alert. Chronos only pulled out a folded document, placing it on the small table beside me. "I've set up accounts for you. Properties, stocks in companies that will never trace back to me. You'll want for nothing."

I stared at the check he held out, the string of zeros making my vision blur. My hand shook as I picked it up, then deliberately tore it in half, letting the pieces fall to the floor. "You think you can buy me? After everything you've done?" My voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried in the silent room.

"Not buy you," he said, his composure slipping for the first time. "Provide for you. It's what fathers do." He ran a hand through his hair in a gesture so familiar—I did the same thing when frustrated—that it made my chest ache.

"My father worked two jobs to put me through college," I said, tears stinging my eyes despite my determination not to cry. "He held my hand when I was sick. He taught me to ride a bike and checked under my bed for monsters." My voice cracked, and I had to take a deep breath before continuing. "The irony being, you're the real monster, and he couldn't protect me from you."

Pain flashed across Chronos's face, making him look suddenly older, more human. "I've made mistakes. Terrible ones. But I've always kept watch over you, made sure you were safe—"

"By sending people to monitor me? To experiment on me?" I shook my head, a tear escaping despite my efforts. I brushed it away angrily. "That's not protection. That's control."

"Take the money, Emma," he urged, his voice gentler now. "For your son, if not for yourself. Let me at least do this one thing right."

I stood up, ignoring Noah's concerned hand on my arm. Despite my weakness, I managed to stand tall, looking Chronos directly in the eye. I could see the conflict there, the mixture of pride and regret.

"The raising of a child matters more than the bearing of one," I said quietly, each word deliberate. "You may have contributed DNA, but you are not my father. And I don't want anything from you." My voice broke on the last word, but I held his gaze.

For a long moment, we stared at each other, the genetic connection between us impossible to deny but meaningless compared to the chasm of morality that separated us. Then, with as much dignity as I could muster, I turned and walked toward the door on shaking legs, refusing to look back.

---

In the hallway, I leaned against the wall, my body trembling from exertion and emotion. Sweat beaded on my forehead from the effort of standing, and Noah quickly moved to support me, his arm around my waist.

"I've got you," he murmured, guiding me to a nearby chair. "Just breathe, Emma."

Through the partially open door, I could hear Marcus speaking to Chronos, their voices carrying in the quiet hallway.

"Sir," Marcus said, his voice neutral but tense.

"Marcus." Chronos sounded tired, defeated in a way he hadn't with me. "You've done well, protecting her all these years."

"I did what was right," Marcus replied, a hint of defiance in his tone.

"The serum I developed—it can eliminate the toxin from your system. Both of you could be free of it." Chronos's voice took on an urgent quality.