Chapter 59: Chapter 59

Athena’s P.O.V.

“Do you still remember what I told you, Helena? I could ruin his entire life in just a snap of my fingers, right? So, what do you take me for? Are you still blind to what I could do? Or, are you just testing my patience here? Trust me, it wouldn’t be that long, and your damn boyfriend will eventually be hurt.” Dad cruelly said when I confronted him in his office at Delgz Limousines. His expression was austere, with fine lines showing on his forehead.

“I’m staying away from him, Dad! So, can’t you just leave him alone? What else do you want?” I screamed at the top of my lungs. My voice cracked, and the tension made me almost crouch down.

“Well, I have eyes everywhere. I know that you are trying your best to stay away from that David, but it doesn’t change the fact that you are still not breaking up with him! You’re asking me what else do I want? Then, break his heart—as simple as that! Why don’t you listen to me, huh? You two will not even last forever, and your so-called love was just delusional!” Daddy indignantly bellowed at me as he slammed his right hand on the table. It felt like it was an end game for me as he would never accept Cristoff.

Daddy was now gritting his teeth, and the nerves on his neck were even protruding. He looked like a grimly beast who was ready to raise hell here! He was unmistakably heartless. I grimaced.

He was wearing his devilish expression while confidently sitting on his black swivel chair. I cut my afternoon classes, texted Ricardo, and instructed him to drive me here. I planned to go straight to our company because this important matter just couldn’t wait. I couldn’t care about other things anymore because Cristoff’s future was at stake!

But I only looked like a fool here. I appeared to have inherited my obstinacy and hardheadedness from Daddy. He would never let me win any argument, so what he said only made me stop from talking—might as well not share what my mind was thinking.

What was the sense of defending myself here when he wasn’t even listening? His ears were already closed right from the start, and no matter what I would say, I couldn’t win from him. I would never be happy living under a single roof with him.

When academics was not involved, he just wanted me to lose. If it wasn’t for Helena, he wouldn’t have ever paid attention to me as his other daughter. He was only using me for his personal intention. My father was undoubtedly one hell of a demon! He always had the last words. He only wanted people to suffer!

“We will leave the country the day after your J.S. prom, my dear daughter. See? I am still giving you the freedom and the authority to enjoy, didn’t I? And before you get ahead of me, here are the further details that I’m sure you wanted to know.” I cringed the moment he called me his dear daughter.

“As expected, you will be the class valedictorian. Well, the decision was already final and irrevocable. Money was just too powerful nowadays, don’t you think so? They will surely improve the school with the money I gave them. It could be advantageous.” Dad scoffed. Then, he shifted his attention to the documents placed on his in-tray.

You should have brought the whole school, Dad! It was where you were good at. You were even glorifying your money as if it was the only thing that could make the world revolve around! I was biting my lower lip while my mind was screaming.

“To add up, I already talked to the school administration, and it’s okay even if you wouldn’t be able to continue studying during the fourth grading period. You will still graduate on time but as Helena, though. So, you better have that last word with your alleged prince charming, because whether you like it or not? You will have no other choice but break his heart.” Dad continued, still clenching his jaws.

The courage to rush here and confront Daddy was reigning me earlier, only to be speechless with the things I just discovered. I froze. He gave a large sum of money to St. Augustine’s Academy to declare me as the class valedictorian for this school year. It was two million pesos!

Two million pesos for a valedictorian award? Duh! My face put on a scowl.

Helena wouldn’t even like that, and only dumb people would believe that it would go straight to the school’s improvement funds! I would bet all of my savings that the money would only go to the pockets of those crooked officials. Cristoff truly deserved that award, but they deprived him of his right in exchange for money. Shame on them!

But what will Daddy really gain from all of these stupid deeds? Would Helena rise from her grave and claim her fake valedictorian title? It was only an award, for Christ’s sake!

I wanted Helena to be at peace, but having these bad things happen? I would like her to rise from her grave and compel our father to realize some sense. Dad was violent, and he was even making my life a living hell!

In my next life, I hoped I could choose a different father. A father who would give me all the support a daughter could wish for. A father who could pat my back for a job well done. A father who would shower me with so much love.

Contemplating about what would be my next move, I opened my mouth to say something. I was about to, but Daddy only stopped my attempt by giving me a large and transparent envelope full of travel documents. I gaped at it while accepting it. It only means one thing—Daddy was damn serious when he said that we would be leaving the country at the soonest possible time.

With trembling hands, I slowly untied the string of the envelope. I opened it until I was able to grasp my passport with a European VISA attached to it. All other documents like flight itineraries and hotel stop-overs were already printed as well. I still couldn’t believe it. I was a little flabbergasted.

Daddy seemed to have been preparing our departure for a long time ago. He never cared about my feelings—not even for a second. He never treated me as his own daughter, like my reaction would never matter.

But what shocked me the most was when I looked at my name on the travel documents. My eyes widened as my jaws dropped. I gasped, with my chest pulsating up and down.

We would be migrating to Germany to continue my study as… Athena Cari! It was my supposed to be ‘dead’ identity!

So, should I greet myself, “Welcome back to life, Athena Cari?”

“As promised, you can have your identity back… Athena.” Dad almost whispered my real name. Being a ruthless business magnate, it felt like saying my real name was the only thing that could make him feel defeated. Of course, because it finally removed the memories of his beloved daughter.

Before I could even notice it, I already shed a tear on my left eye. I looked at the ceiling as I even blinked my eyes a few times over to prevent my succeeding tears roll down my face. I didn’t want to cry in front of him, but my eyes were betraying me.

I should be happy, right? But why was it that all I could feel right now was pain?

My real name was the only thing that I ever wanted to attain back for almost two years. I had waited long enough, and it wasn’t an easy process, knowing that there was a high probability that I would be living as my dead twin sister until the end.

Every day, I longed and craved for this to happen. Every night, I prayed and begged God for this to happen. But now, I wasn’t expecting this.

Now that everything started to fall into its right places, now that I would be living again with my real name and identity, why does my heart feel so empty? Why am I not happy? I felt so confused. Now that my wait was officially over and would finally get back the life that was taken away from me, why living again as Athena doesn’t matter anymore?

Then, Daddy continued. “But you have to go back to third-year high school since you lived as Helena for two years. I hope I made you feel happy for the first time because I didn’t break my promise. Now, I want you to come with me to end this.”

I frowned. Wait, where are we going?

Daddy closed his laptop, secured his keys, rose from his swivel chair, and hurried out of the office. I silently followed him, although my brain was still solving the spiderweb puzzle on it. We went straight to the parking lot and got into our new car that Ricardo used to drive me here.