Find me

Chapter 25

Aria POV

My heart was hammering in my chest.

That was it.

Gabriel’s dad would pick up the phone, and he would find out that I wasn’t his daughter.

What would he do when he found out?

He said that he wouldn’t let me go back to my parents.

But what if he got so hurt that he decided to take me back?

What if he got angry?

What if he yelled at me? What if he hurt me? What if he just threw me out of the house?

I felt Gabriel’s arms wrapping around my shoulders and pulling me against his chest.

I felt a kiss being placed on my temple. I could hear him speaking in my ear, but I couldn’t understand a word that he was saying.

I couldn’t even breathe.

I would always remember Gabriel and his dad. I would always remember how safe I felt with them. I would always be thankful for their help. I would always be thankful for the night of safety and warmth that they’ve given me.

I watched as Gabriel’s dad placed the phone against his ear. I watched as his lips moved. I watched as his eyes met mine. I watched as the tears fell on his cheek. I watched as he clenched the phone in his hand.

That was it.

He found out that I wasn’t his.

I watched as he hung up the phone. I watched as he stepped closer to me.

His lips were moving, but I couldn’t hear him.

I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, and I couldn’t breathe.

He pulled me out of Gabriel’s arms and wrapped me in a tight hug.

Why was he hugging me?

Was he comforting me? Was he telling me that he was sorry but that he would have to take me back to my parents?

Why couldn’t I hear him?

He pulled back so that he could look at me. His eyebrows furrowed, and he shook my shoulders gently.

I blinked, trying to ignore the sound of my heartbeat in my ears.

“Aria, baby, can you hear me?” Gabriel’s dad asked me.

“What’s wrong with her?” Gabriel asked, wrapping his arms around my waist.

“Is she okay?” Gabriel’s friend asked worriedly.

Their voices came all at once.

I tried to focus on Gabriel’s dad.

“Aria, love, can you hear me?” he called me again.

I nodded.

“Did you hear what I said?” he asked.

I shook my head.

More tears fell on his cheeks, and he gave me a small smile.

“You are mine, baby.” he said, his voice trembling. “The DNA result came back positive. You are my daughter. You are my child. You are Gabriel’s twin.”

My legs gave out.

_______________

Gabriel POV

This was the happiest I’ve ever been in my entire life.

I already knew that she was my sister, but it was so fucking nice to have it confirmed.
She was mine, and those fucking bastards would never be able to take her away from me again. No one would be able to take her away from me again.

I could tell that she wasn’t listening to dad’s conversation. I could feel how tense and scared she was.

But I got so fucking scared when she started falling.

Thankfully, my arms were already wrapped around her, and I managed to catch her and pick her up in my arms.

“What’s wrong, dad?!” I shouted, panicked.

I looked at her face. She wasn’t unconscious. Her eyes were open wide, and her breaths were short and shallow.

“It’s just shock.” dad mumbled, cupping her cheeks. “Breathe, baby. It’s okay.”

“Lay her down, Gabe.” Gray said, moving away from the couch to give us space.

I sat on the couch, but I didn’t put her down.

I couldn’t.

Dad sat down next to us, taking her hand in his.

“Breathe, love, breathe.” dad said, placing a kiss on her knuckles. “It’s okay, baby, it’s okay”

I leaned my head on hers and started to rock us back and forth.

“Breathe, Aria, come on.” I said softly.

A few minutes passed, and I was seriously freaking out. I needed her to say something.

Thankfully, she eventually did.

“I am…” she mumbled, breaking the silence.

“My child.” dad finished for her as he lifted his hand and caressed her cheek.

“And my sister.” I added, placing a kiss on her temple.

“I am really yours?” she said quietly, her voice breaking.

“Yes, baby.” dad said.

“Your daughter?” she asked, turning her head and looking at our dad.

“My daughter.” dad said, his voice trembling.

Aria placed her hands over her face and sobbed.

The sound broke my heart into a million tiny pieces.

Dad and I wrapped our arms around her immediately.

I leaned my head on her shoulder, and dad pulled her against his chest as he kissed the top of her head.

“Why did they take me?” she mumbled, sobbing. “Why?”

“I don’t know, baby.” dad mumbled. “I don’t know. But I will find out. I will make sure that they will be held responsible.”

I glanced at Gray. He was sitting opposite us, wiping the tears from his cheeks.

He already liked her a lot and I was glad he did, despite my jealousy.

“Why?” Aria cried out again, making me tighten my arms around her.

We didn’t have an answer to that question.

I wanted to know that myself. Why take a little baby girl from her family if you are going to end up torturing her? Why risk everything if you are not ready to love her unconditionally? Why?

Dad pulled her out of my arms and placed her on his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head on his shoulder.

“I love you so much, my little girl.” dad mumbled. “I will always protect you. I will always keep you safe. I will always love you.”

Her sobs didn’t stop. She sounded heartbroken, and I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to pull her back into my arms, but I knew that dad needed this.

“Why couldn’t you be my dad my whole life?” Aria mumbled, sobbing.

I watched as my dad took a deep breath, trying to control his own tears.

“I was, baby.” he said as he kissed the top of her head. “I was always your dad. I will always be your dad.”

Gray stood up, and I looked at him.

“I will give you some privacy.” he said quietly, wiping his cheeks. “Call me later, okay?”

I nodded and watched as he left my house. He gave me a small smile before he closed the door behind himself.

I looked back at my sister.

I moved a little closer and wrapped my arms around her and our dad.

“You are home, Aria.” I said as I kissed her temple. “Nobody will take you away from us again.”