A Tale Beyond Destiny

Chapter 34: Conflicts and the Siren (Caliana)

I was at the base of the Valentin Organization and I was just sitting in one of their many meeting rooms as I tried to listen to whatever one of their agents was saying in front of us, but then again, I could not seem to understand anything at all as my mind had too many thoughts inside of my head. I could not seem to make myself focus on whatever he was trying to say, or explain, as my mind kept on replaying the things that had happened these past few days.

The first time that I ever set foot here, I already knew that they would give me a suspicious looks, given that I am the only daughter, the heirs, of my Father, but when Connor had tried to persuade them and said that I mean no harm, that I was just also a victim of my Father’s schemes, they tried their best not to attack me and let themselves listen to whatever I would explain to them.

I never really made an explanation though. I just resort to saying that I knew that my Father had done too many evil things to them, and to our people, and I knew that I would never be able to turn back the time and correct everything that he had done, because, really, it was too impossible to do so. I just said to them that I would do my very best to stop him from doing anything to this world, and to stop him from being too delusional about what he wanted to have. I vowed that I would protect this world, and show them that I was indeed on their side.

Of course, at first, they were a bit skeptical about me, but then, they still accepted my offer of help and tried to work with me, even though I could clearly see and feel the wary looks that they were giving me, whenever they thought that I was not looking at them, though I never really had to really see them to tell that they were still indeed had doubt with my intentions that was why I am here.

Some really welcomed me though, because they said that they once worked under my Father, though they left when they saw how shady he was and how evil his intentions were, and they said that they had seen me in the palace so many times that they could count and saw how my Father had treated me as though I was not really a living person and was just a puppet for him to control.

They pitied me, though the moment that I said that they did not have to feel that way for me, they had gladly accepted it and treated me as though I was not really different to them. They treated me as one of their colleagues, which I have been thankful for because I got really comfortable because of all of them, even though I could still clearly see that some were not entirely convinced that I was there.

I never really let myself get affected by their wary looks and constant whispering, and I just focused on giving all the information that I thought would be vital for my Father’s plan, and I saw how thankful the higher ups of the Organization were because of what I had been giving to them. I saw that they were relieved that I was here and I was helping them, and it was enough for me to work with them every single day.

Though I knew that that day would come when Caleb would finally ask me why I had been so busy in those past days, and I instantly knew that I had to prepare myself for telling him the truth. I instantly knew that I had to really accept if ever he would not be able to really believe me in whatever I was about to say, and to confess to him. I instantly knew that I had to prepare, because I knew that there would be a high chance that he would leave me if he finally knew my true identity.

I remember that day when he finally asked me what I had been doing. At first, I was a bit skeptical because I knew the moment that he told me that we were about to talk about something - I knew that it was all because I had been constantly leaving his home, though I still made sure that he knew that I was outside every single time that I would go to the Organization’s base.

I was so scared because I did not know what to do, but in the end, I had come to the conclusion that I should just drop some hints about whatever I was doing, because I knew that I was still not ready to really tell him everything about me. I also knew that he was still not ready about whatever he would hear, and I thought that I should really just drop some hint after hint, before I would finally make sure that he was ready, and had an idea, about my true identity.

It was never that easy. That pounding heart because of worry and fear that I would instantly lose him, so I refused to tell him anything. That constant spiraling of my mind whenever I think that that was it that was the end of our relationship. And that I would never be able to be with him any longer, but then, the moment that I told him that I still could not really tell him anything, I was relieved when he accepted that without even a second thought.

“Alright,” I remembered that he said that as soon as I promised that I would really tell him everything, once I knew that it was really the time for me to say anything to me. He did have a second thought. He just downright said that one word without a single doubt. “I will certainly wait for that day, but in the meantime you cannot really tell me about anything that you have been doing, I want you to promise me that nothing will go wrong with you while you are outside. Promise me that you will make sure that Connor is around with you, so that I will rest assured that nothing can go wrong.”

That was the moment that I could not help myself but to envelope him with a tight hug. That was the moment that I made him feel that I was so thankful that he had been so understanding when it came to me. That was the moment that I really showed him that I was really thankful that he was the man that I came to love, and the man who understood me, fully, with all his heart.

There was no need for either of us to exchange some words. There was no need for both of us to reassure one another that we would certainly do that, not now, but absolutely not in the distant future. We already both know that deep inside of our hearts, we will certainly do those things that we promised on that day. I will certainly do my part in telling him the truth about me, about my identity, about my past. I vowed that I would do that once I was rest assured that I had enough courage to do so. I vowed that I would certainly confess everything to him, regardless of whatever he would say to me.

I think that I should prepare myself. After all, I knew that it would never be that easy for him, or for anyone, to really process that we did exist, that someone like me was existing alongside them, without them knowing anything. I knew that there would be a high chance that he would resent me, but I also knew that he deserved to know the truth about me, even though I clearly did not know how he would react to that.

I was so scared, really, but then again, I knew that the day that I would tell him the truth about me would come and I knew that it was inevitable. I knew that I was bound to tell him everything, but I feared that I would be rejected, just like I have always been. I was afraid that something would change with the way he looked at me, and I could not help but to think that that ‘something’ was really bad. I could not help but to think that might be the end for us, but then again, I knew that I would never be able to keep this a secret all my life.

Above it all, I promised him that I would tell him once I was sure that it was really time for me to do so. I promised him that I would never keep any secrets from him, and I knew that I had to fulfill my promise to him. I did not want to lose him, and I knew that keeping my identity as a secret would just be the reason why we would fall apart.

I would never let that. Never, because he was the very first person who accepted all of me. He was the very first person who gave me the meaning of the word love. He was the person who made me experience a freedom that I never had a chance to have before. He let me do things that I had never done before. I knew that it would break me if ever both of us would part ways. I knew that I would never really take it, and I was bound to be broken, I was bound to feel the pain that I would carry on with all my life.

I let out a sigh once again, before I finally shook off that thought, though the moment that I had done that, I realized that the meeting had already come to an end. I let out a disappointed sigh as I did not even have a chance to listen to whatever they had said. I did not even know what happened to their progress, and I almost wanted to curse myself because it was all my fault that I never listened to them. I was so drowned with my own thoughts that I did not even bother to tell myself that I should focus because this was one of their most important meetings.

I almost wanted to mess my hair, but I stopped myself from doing so when I saw that I was not the only one who was left alone inside of this meeting area. I saw Connor on the farthest seat from me, and he was looking at me as though he was trying to figure out what I had in my mind. After a few seconds, he looked away as he started to stand up from his seat and came to my side.

He gave me a space, which I was thankful for because I knew that I would never feel uncomfortable. He let the silence between the two of us spread, before he finally cleared his throat as though he wanted me to know that he was about to say something to me and I should really get ready because I really needed to answer him, truthfully.

“I have seen and observed that you are not paying attention to the agent, who was explaining earlier,” he pointed out, which made me let out a sigh once again, because I knew that he was not the only one who had noticed that. To be prank, I knew that almost everyone who was present earlier knew that I was not really listening as I was lost with my own thoughts. “And I think that I should note that this is the very first time that I had ever seen you like that.” I looked at him, though I never had a chance to hold his gaze because I looked away from him again after a brief second.

I started to think again, and I thought that Connor might be able to know what I should do about this. I think that he would be able to give me some advice, given that he has been living with the people of this world for such a long time.

I did not even hesitate, for I knew that he might really be the only one I would be able to tell this, and no one else. That was why I let out a sigh once again as I stared at the white wall in front of us as though that was enough to give me an answer, though I knew that would never be enough. I knew that it would just make me think of negative thoughts, and I never wanted to do that.

“I was thinking about Caleb,” I told him, honestly, as my mind started to think of the conversation that we had before. Though nothing had really changed between the two of us after that, I knew that it was a big problem and should get an answer as fast as I could. “He had already noticed that I am always away from his home these past few days.”

Connor let out a thoughtful hum as he tried to process what I had just said, before he calmly asked me, “And you told me the truth?” as he looked at me with one of his eyebrows raised that told me that he already knew what I had done.

I nodded to him, slowly, before I let out a sigh once again. “I never told him everything though. I left behind the thought of all of us being from another world, as I was so afraid that he would never accept me for who I am.” Until now, I was still a bit skeptical, and I knew that he had seen that in my face too, because of how he looked at me. “I had just said to him that I am getting in contact with you, because it is really needed, and that I promised that I will tell him everything once I knew that it was already the time for me to do so.”

I thought that he would be angry at me, given that he had been keeping this a secret all his life here in this world, but I was shocked when I saw that he broke out into a smile, a fond one to be exact, as he put his hands on the chair I was currently sitting.

“You really cannot keep a secret from him, are you?” he asked me, still wearing the same smile on his face, which made me nod my head without any hint of hesitation.

“I did not like the idea of keeping anything from him,” I told him, honestly, as I looked down on my hands and played with my fingers. “I think that he did not deserve to not know anything about me. I think that it was so unfair to him that I know almost everything about myself, but then, he does not even know anything about me.”

I heard Connor let out a short chuckle, which made me look up at him once again, and that was when I saw that he was still looking at me with the same expression on his face. It was as though he wanted to say something, and I just waited for him to speak as I tried to be as quiet as I could.

“Caleb has a hint that I have another job other than being a policeman too,” he sighed, which made me look at him with my eyes widen in shock. He looked at me and gave me a huge grin as though he had anticipated that I would be shocked by this sudden revelation. “I first thought that it was alright to tell him the truth, but I got a little scared because I did not think that he would gladly accept that, so I have decided that I should just keep it a secret until now.”

He looked at me and smiled when he saw that I was looking at him as I waited for him to continue what he was telling me. “But then again, as the time went by, I thought that this would never be kept as a secret forever, and I was already preparing myself to tell both them.” He laughed at me as he shook his head as though he could not believe that this was happening. “After all, I already treated them as my family, and I knew that I deserve the truth.”

He stared at me once again, before he gave me a smile, as he explained to me, “What I was trying to say, Caliana, is that you needed some preparation. You needed to be strong enough to tell them the truth, before, finally, you will be able to tell him everything that you have been keeping to him all this time.” He patted my shoulder as he prepared to stand up from his seat, though the last sentence that he told me gave a huge impact on my decision. “I just wanted to tell you that the preparation I was talking about may vary to a person to another, and I think that the preparation that you needed is not that long enough because you are a strong woman to begin with.”

I frowned at him and I was about to open my mouth to speak to him once again, though before I could even do that, we heard a loud siren. It was so loud that I almost wanted to cover my ears, but I stopped myself from doing so when I saw that Connor’s expression had changed.

His expression turned into a serious one that made my heart pound like it never did before, because I instantly knew that something was about to happen.