CHAPTER 24: The Choice
2221 Words
I didn't sleep after that message.
I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my phone until the screen went dark.
Then I looked across the room.
Dave was still asleep on the couch.
One arm was hanging over the edge.
His hair was a mess.
His mouth was slightly open.
He looked ridiculously peaceful for someone whose life had just been dragged into a family mystery that wasn't even supposed to involve him.
I almost laughed.
Then I remembered the message.
«You'll have to choose between your family… and him.»
I hated that sentence.
Not because I knew what I would choose.
But because someone else thought they had the right to make me choose at all.
I stood.
Walked toward the window.
Outside, the sea was dark.
I whispered to myself.
“No one gets to decide for me.”
Behind me, I heard movement.
“You talk to yourself when you're stressed.”
I turned.
Dave was awake.
“Were you listening?”
“Unfortunately.”
“How long?”
“Long enough.”
I crossed my arms.
“You're supposed to be sleeping.”
“So are you.”
“I couldn't.”
“Me neither.”
He sat up.
Then looked at me carefully.
“What happened?”
I hesitated.
“Nothing.”
“Thea.”
I sighed.
He knew.
Of course he knew.
I handed him my phone.
He read the messages.
His expression changed.
He read them again.
Then looked at me.
“Don't respond.”
“I wasn't planning to.”
“Good.”
He stood.
“Come here.”
“What?”
“Sit.”
I stared at him.
“You're ordering me around now?”
“Yes.”
“Excuse me?”
“Just sit.”
I rolled my eyes but sat beside him.
He sat across from me.
“Listen.”
“I am.”
“Whatever happens tomorrow…”
He paused.
“You don't have to choose me.”
I looked at him.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Then why are you saying that?”
“Because if they try to make you choose between me and your family…”
He leaned forward.
“I don't want you choosing me because you're scared.”
I stared at him.
“You're serious.”
“Very.”
“What if I choose you anyway?”
He smiled faintly.
“Then make sure it's because you want to.”
My chest tightened.
He wasn't asking me to save him.
He wasn't asking me to prove anything.
He was giving me a choice.
A real one.
I looked down.
“You know what your problem is?”
“What?”
“You make it very difficult to hate you.”
He laughed.
“That's a good thing.”
“Don't get confident.”
“Too late.”
I smiled.
Then he reached out and tapped my forehead.
“Sleep.”
“I still can't.”
“Then I'll stay awake.”
“You'll be tired.”
“I'll survive.”
“You're stupid.”
“Probably.”
I leaned back.
After a moment, I felt his shoulder against mine.
Neither of us moved.
And somehow—
I finally slept.
---
Morning came too quickly.
Adrian arrived at eight.
He looked serious.
“Get ready.”
“For what?”
“You're going to meet your father.”
My entire body froze.
“What?”
Dave stood.
“Where?”
“Here.”
I looked around.
“Here?”
Adrian nodded.
“He'll be here in thirty minutes.”
My stomach twisted.
I had imagined meeting my father a thousand times.
When I was younger, I imagined running toward him.
Then I imagined slapping him.
Then screaming.
Then asking why.
Now—
I didn't know what I wanted.
I looked at Dave.
He stepped beside me.
“You don't have to do this alone.”
I nodded.
---
Thirty minutes later—
a black SUV stopped outside.
The door opened.
My father stepped out.
Alive.
Real.
Standing only a few meters away.
My legs felt weak.
He looked at me.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then—
“Thea.”
I swallowed.
“Dad.”
His eyes became wet.
I hated that.
I wanted to stay angry.
But seeing him like that made something inside me ache.
He walked closer.
I stepped back.
He stopped.
“I won't touch you.”
“Good.”
He nodded.
“I deserve that.”
“Why did you leave?”
He looked at me.
“Because I had no choice.”
“Everyone says that.”
“I know.”
“Then tell me the truth.”
He looked at Dave.
Then at Adrian.
“Can we talk privately?”
“No.”
My father frowned.
“I need to speak with you alone.”
“No.”
Dave looked at me.
I continued.
“If you have something to say, say it here.”
My father sighed.
“Fine.”
He sat.
We remained standing.
He looked at me.
“Your mother told you I abandoned you.”
“She didn't have to.”
He nodded.
“I deserved that.”
“Did you love her?”
The question surprised him.
“Yes.”
“Then why?”
He looked down.
“Because loving her wasn't enough to keep her safe.”
“And us?”
“I thought leaving would.”
I shook my head.
“It didn't.”
“I know.”
“You missed everything.”
His face tightened.
“My first day of school.”
Silence.
“My graduation.”
He looked away.
“My birthdays.”
His eyes filled.
“You weren't there.”
“I know.”
“You don't get to say you know.”
I stepped closer.
“You don't know what it was like.”
He looked at me.
“I do.”
“No, you don't.”
“I watched.”
I froze.
“What?”
“I watched from a distance.”
My heart stopped.
“You watched?”
He nodded.
“Every year.”
“Then why didn't you come?”
“Because if I did…”
He swallowed.
“They would know where you were.”
“Who?”
He looked at Dave.
“The people who were looking for you.”
I turned to Dave.
He looked confused too.
My father continued.
“I wasn't the only person who knew about the children.”
“The children?”
He nodded.
“You and your sisters.”
“And Sofia?”
His expression changed.
“Yes.”
“What happened to her?”
“She was taken because someone wanted to use her.”
“For what?”
My father looked at me.
“The inheritance.”
I frowned.
“I don't understand.”
“Your grandfather didn't leave money.”
“What?”
“He left evidence.”
Silence.
“Evidence of what?”
“Everything.”
He looked at Adrian.
“Corruption. Illegal transactions. Names. Accounts. Properties.”
My stomach dropped.
“And Sofia?”
“She had the original key.”
“What key?”
My father looked at Dave.
“The key your father gave me.”
Dave's expression hardened.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
My father took a small box from his pocket.
He opened it.
Inside was another key.
“The real key.”
I stared.
“Then what's the key we found?”
“A decoy.”
Dave stepped forward.
“Why did our fathers do this?”
My father looked at him.
“Because we were trying to protect you.”
“From who?”
My father didn't answer immediately.
Then—
“From Victor.”
I frowned.
“Victor is dead.”
My father shook his head.
“No.”
My heart stopped.
“He's alive.”
---
Everything became silent.
I looked at Dave.
He looked at me.
My father continued.
“He disappeared years ago.”
“But why?”
“Because he knew we had the evidence.”
“And Sofia?”
“She knows where the evidence is.”
I felt a chill.
“Where?”
My father looked at me.
“She doesn't.”
“What?”
“She only knows half.”
“And the other half?”
He looked at Dave.
“Your father has it.”
Dave froze.
“My father is dead.”
My father shook his head.
“No.”
I stared at him.
“What are you saying?”
“Your father is alive.”
Dave didn't move.
He looked like the ground had disappeared beneath him.
“No.”
My father stepped closer.
“He has been in hiding.”
Dave's jaw tightened.
“Why didn't he come to me?”
“Because he was protecting you.”
Dave laughed bitterly.
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
My father looked at him.
“He stayed away because Victor was watching you.”
Dave looked at me.
His eyes were different.
Broken.
I reached for his hand.
He let me.
My father noticed.
Then he said something that changed everything.
“That's why you need to leave.”
I frowned.
“Leave where?”
“Both of you.”
“Why?”
“Because Victor knows you're together.”
My blood ran cold.
“How?”
My father looked at our hands.
“Because someone told him.”
Silence.
“Who?”
My father looked toward the house.
“I don't know.”
Adrian suddenly turned.
“What?”
Everyone looked at him.
He was staring at the road.
A black car had stopped in the distance.
“Get inside.”
My father stood.
“What?”
“Now.”
Adrian pulled out his phone.
“Someone followed us.”
Dave grabbed my hand.
“Move.”
We ran inside.
The car remained outside.
Then—
another car appeared.
Then another.
Three vehicles.
My heart pounded.
“Dad?”
He looked at me.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Thea.”
“No.”
I stepped beside Dave.
“I'm done being protected.”
My father stared at me.
For a moment—
he almost smiled.
“You really are your mother.”
Then—
the first gunshot cracked through the air.
I screamed.
Dave pulled me down.
“Stay low!”
Glass shattered.
Everyone dropped.
My heart was pounding so hard it hurt.
Dave covered me with his body.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes!”
Another gunshot.
I grabbed his shirt.
“Dave.”
“I'm here.”
“Don't leave me.”
He looked at me.
“I won't.”
“Promise?”
His eyes softened.
“I promise.”
Then—
my father shouted from the other room.
“GET THEA OUT!”
Dave grabbed my hand.
“Come on!”
“No!”
“THEA!”
I followed him.
We ran through the back door.
Rain had started falling.
Hard.
We sprinted through the trees.
Behind us—
people were shouting.
I couldn't see where we were going.
I only knew one thing.
Dave was holding my hand.
He wasn't letting go.
Neither was I.
We reached a small shed.
Dave pushed the door open.
We stumbled inside.
He locked it.
We were both breathing heavily.
I leaned against the wall.
Dave looked at me.
“You okay?”
I nodded.
“You?”
“Yeah.”
Then I noticed blood on his sleeve.
My heart stopped.
“Dave.”
He looked down.
“It's nothing.”
“You're bleeding.”
“Just a cut.”
“Sit.”
“It's fine.”
“Sit!”
He obeyed.
I tore a piece of cloth from my shirt.
He stared.
“What are you doing?”
“Saving you.”
He smiled.
“You're finally admitting it.”
“Shut up.”
I wrapped the cloth around his arm.
His eyes stayed on me.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Why are you looking at me?”
He smiled.
“Because you're shaking.”
“So are you.”
“Yeah.”
I tied the cloth.
Then—
without thinking—
I rested my forehead against his shoulder.
He froze.
I closed my eyes.
“I was scared.”
His hand slowly moved to my back.
“I know.”
“I thought…”
I couldn't finish.
He held me tighter.
“You don't have to say it.”
I nodded.
For a moment—
there was nothing else.
No family.
No secrets.
No threats.
Just us.
Then his phone vibrated.
He checked it.
His face went pale.
“What?”
He handed me the phone.
One message.
«You were warned.»
Another appeared.
«Now let's see if your exception is worth protecting.»
I looked at Dave.
Then at the darkness outside.
And for the first time—
I understood.
They weren't trying to separate us anymore.
They were trying to use what had grown between us.
And maybe—
that was the most dangerous thing about loving someone.
Because once someone knows what you cannot bear to lose—
they finally know exactly where to hurt you.
- Writer
