I'm Alive

Chapter 44 I'm Alive. It's been exactly three days; seventy hours since Royce's proposal to me. To say I was surprised is understatement. My silent and subtle life had been turned upside down,every corner of the city had something to say. While others are surprised about the turn of events between us, some are making it look like a scandal that it was. Apparently, I'm the mistress now because I knew Royce was married and yet I seduced him. Not that I mind any of these narratives though, I love all of them and I took my time reading them all and would dive into the comment section to see what everyone has to say. I'm also happy because I knew Britney would be on edge right now, serve her right though I'm only paying her in her exact coin, didn't she do that to me? My enjoyment however was short term because ever since the proposal, I haven't heard from Carl. All my efforts to get across to him proved abortive. He wouldn't pick my call and when the calls get answered, it would be his assistant, telling me that he's indisposed. His silence was disheartening for me because, since I came back as Myra Cullen, we've kept a cordial relationship. I gave him weekly reports on the events in the company and he loved them all. Not only that, I've managed to keep Murphy Allen at bay since my arrival. All of these had strengthened our bond, however, Royce soiled everything with his stupid proposal. Carl is my father after all. Even though he's unaware of this, it was unbearable for me to not have access to him the way I've been doing for some time now. Unable to keep calm due to the events, I made up my mind to go see him. I'd go see him and talk to him rather than be miserable. Finally in front of the house that once used to be my home,I honked the horn and the gate opened. I got out of the car and stood outside, unable to go in. I didn't know what to expect and knowing how he used to be, it will be catastrophic. As a child, I made sure to avoid being scolded by him. ‘It's now or never,Myra,' I thought. I took a deep breath and walked towards the front door. With shaky hands,I pressed on the doorbell. I pressed it yet again but I got no answer. At the third attempt,the door opened, revealing him. Immediately he set his eyes on me, he frowned,so tightly that even I became worried. His eyes carried an unreadable expression that he usually has when he's dissatisfied and disappointed at someone who he used to see as a friend or trusted ally. 'You have some nerves to think you are welcome here, " he said calmly as he turned around and I followed him in. I knew that beyond that calmness was a brewing anger ,ready to burst into thousands of jolts. His sharp voice made me lose whatever belief I had left in myself and my heart sank and I blinked blankly as I followed him. 'Carl," I began but he shut me up as we got into the living room. 'Don't you dare say my name with that filthy mouth of yours! How could you be this selfish? I thought you were one of my own, that was why I showed you everything and let you in on all that you need to know. I trusted you and took you…as my daughter, but you betrayed me in the end" he said and I knew that he was deeply hurt by what happened. I staggered on my feet as he said this and took a step backward. It was as if I was being struck by a steel rod in my chest. His words broke me into pieces. 'No…never! I didn't betray you Carl," I managed to say,tears were already brimming in my eyes as I said this. How do I explain to him that I'm his daughter and that Royce's proposal had caught me by surprise too. 'How rich, coming from a liar like you" he said and then burst into a mirthless laughter. 'You never betray, right? How come the bastard proposed to you and you accepted? I thought you were different,that you aren't one of those vultures, scavenging for dead bodies. Turns out,you are worse than them, you are nothing but a wolf in sheep clothings." He added. 'Let me explain" I said but he wouldn't have it. 'Explain what? Everything is crystal clear now, Myra. I can't even look at you. You told me you are Bella's friend, that you wanted to help salvage my company and prevent it from getting into the wrong hands. You told me to trust you that you could do it and months later, you got yourself a diamond ring from the same person you said you wanted to protect me from. Tell me, how long have you been deceiving me? Was this your plan all along? To stab me in the back!?" 'No!" I screamed at the top of my voice and broke down into tears. The accusations were too much for me to bear, especially coming from him. 'Listen to me Carl, it's not what it seems, I___" 'It's not what it seems? Forgive me Myra, it is what it is. You've shown me your true colours, I don't ever want to see you again Myra. Now leave. Don't ever show your filthy face here ag__" he began but I stopped him. Refusing to see me would shatter me into pieces. I barely survived without seeing him for three years. I can't afford to let that happen again. I can't deal with any sort of distance between us again. 'Dad," I said softly, cutting him off and the words in his throat died there. At his point, I was already sobbing hard. I couldn't bear the hurtful words he had said. I'm not the traitor, I'm the victim, in fact, both of us are. Royce did this to us, he pushed us to the wall even though we've shown him nothing but care. He had taken everything fit granted and stole away our happiness, breaking us apart in the most horrible way. 'I'm Bella," I said again because he hasn't said a word since I called him dad. He must still be in shock at the word. 'What?" He asked, I noticed that the accusing stare on his face had reduced and was now replaced with disbelief. Who wouldn't be shocked? To have the very person who claimed to be a friend of your dead child call you ‘dad' 'I'm alive, dad. Your daughter is here," I said and sat down on the marble floor, dejectedly, crying my heart out. As the word left my mouth again, it felt strange. I've only called him that in my thoughts, saying it out now to him feels unreal. 'That's ridiculous! Is this one of your plans? Are you that miserable? You dare to speak the name of my daughter! Listen to me, young lady because I don't have time for whatever game you are trying to play. My daughter Bella…is dead," he added with a strained voice. He is still mourning Bella's death. I looked up and searched his face, wondering what I could do or say to make him believe me. Then I remembered, only one thing that could do the trick, I reached out under my sweatshirt and produced a necklace. I stretched my hand out and gave it to him. 'This!" He said, recognizing it immediately. He had given it to me as a gift, congratulating me. It belonged to his mother,he had given it to mom and had presented me with it three years ago on my anniversary. I had wanted to show it off to Royce before I met the unfortunate situation at the hotel. I opened the locket in it and read. 'Because love transcends everything,C and J" It was the initials of his father and mother. He gave it to mom and it was my turn that night but things took an unexpected turn. All through the process of planning and healing,I never let go of it, it was the only thing that connected me to him…to my root. He walked to me and took me up from the floor I was sitting on. 'I don't believe this. I saw a body,how can you be alive? Is this a game, Myra?" he asked. 'It was all a lie. I didn't die dad, I was alive all these while,I" said sobbing as he hugged me to himself. I also broke into an uncontrollable tear and for a long time,we both said nothing,we just stood, wrapped in each other's arms and poured out our emotions. We've been apart for too long. It feels surreal to be in the embrace of my father again. When we finally pulled away from each other, we sat on the sofa in the room and he held my hand as if his life depended on it. He cleaned my eyes with the handkerchief that he held. 'If you were alive,why didn't you show up all this time? Why did it take this long…and why is this…" he said mid sentence without finishing the statement. He was referring to my face. The totality of my face had changed from whom he knew to be his daughter. 'I had to,that was the only way I could do it. My face got scarred in a heated argument with Britney. I had to save myself…from Royce and Britney's wrath." I said and the realisation dawned on him,why I pretended to be a friend of Bella and why I moved close to Royce. 'You want revenge," he said with a knowing look and I nodded. There's no point in keeping it from him again. 'Yes, I should have listened to you then but I was naive and blinded by what I believed to be love. Was that why you prevented me from marrying him?" I asked because I've been yearning to ask all along. It was the only reasonable thing I could think of. 'Yes, I used to be on the streets and you know it too. You were a mafia princess as a child but I stopped being one at a point. If I had told you, you wouldn't listen even if it was the truth. You had so much belief and love for him. A part of me had wished that he'd stop whatever he was into. I didn't know things were getting worse" 'It was childish of me and now that I know better, I'm going to make him suffer the same way he did to me . And Britney?She'll regret her existence on earth because for every ounce of pain I went through, I'll make her go through the same in manifolds." I seethed 'I don't know about Britney but I'll help you get the revenge you want on Royce. For more than three years, I've suffered silently and wished that I had died instead of you. How did I not even notice that all of these were his plan? Everything happened so fast and the talks about you having an affair, I knew you could never do that but I had no evidence to back things up" 'There's no need to lament any more, now that I have you besides me. I feel some sort of relief and together, we'll make Royce pay for trampling on the Jonathan family."