Envy and Evelyn || The Twilight Saga

Preface

July 4, 2003.

I was thirteen when Charlie sat me down and told me the truth.

I was on the couch, my stomach sinking as I wondered what he was going to tell me. Had I done something wrong? Did something happen to Bella while I was in Forks with my father? Did he find out about my secret relationship with Mike Newton? My mouth felt as dry as cotton.

He ran a hand through his dark hair and sighed again, reminding me so much of Bella in that moment that I almost smiled. "This is hard to say."

"Am I in trouble?" I asked automatically, my eyes wide.

"No," he said softly, shaking his head. "Not at all, Evie."

"Then what's wrong?" I asked, searching for any sign in his dark eyes.

"Well, you know how your mother and I got divorced when Bella was little," he started, seemingly lost in some sort of broken memory.

I nodded. "Then she got pregnant with me, right?"

"Yeah, right before we got divorced," he muttered. "Well, your mother, she... God, I wish she hadn't left it to me to tell you this."

"Dad," I whimpered softly. "What's going on?"

"Do you know what infidelity is?" he asked.

I nodded. When you had a sister that read classic novels for fun, you picked up on big words to keep up with her. "Yeah, that's cheating." I frowned, furrowing my eyebrows. "Wait, Mom cheated on you?"

He sighed. "Um, yeah. And... she got pregnant."

I sat for a minute with my thoughts. I felt my head swim in confusion, stabs of betrayal piercing my heart. "Dad... what are you trying to say?" I knew the answer, but I needed him to say it. I needed him to say it because I couldn't.

"By blood, you're not my daughter," he choked out, eyes all shiny with tears.

I choked back a sob, but tears ran down my face anyway.

He moved from the coffee table to the couch with me, wrapping his arms around me. "I know you're hurting, Eve, but I promise this doesn't change anything. You're still my baby girl, just as much as Bells is." He wiped my tears. "My name's still on your birth certificate. Your last name's still mine. You're my kid, even if it isn't... Eve, I'm sorry."

In truth, I wasn't mad at him. I was mad at my mom, for robbing me of the truth about my life for thirteen years. I was angry at my biological dad, whoever he was, for leaving. I was mad at Bella, for getting such a great dad and taking him for granted. I was angry at myself, cursing the blood running through my veins like I had any control over it.

I think it was that moment that screwed me up. It was when I started being jealous of Bella. It was when I started hating my mother. It was, really, when I started hating myself.