Truth | ✔

Part Eleven

Crina's mother was the first to break the silence as she sobbed while seeing the unconscious girl on the bed. Her father was speechless, his face pale. The first time her father showed emotions other than hatred for someone else besides his wife.

Alexandru moved forward and hand her hand along Celestina's face lightly, placing her other shaking hand over her mouth to hold back her loud sobs.

"What happened to getting her here safely?" Her father asked, moving closer to his long lost daughter.

"Nic happened. I happened." Crina said, not looking away from her sister's face. She closed her eyes waiting for her father's backhand but instead she felt arms wrap around her. Her eyes snapped open in surprise as Nicolae's arms surrounded her in a tight hug. Her green eyes searched for her mother's grass green ones but her mother was too busy looking at Celestina. Then her eyes swept to Mihail whom stood in the corner of the room, a shocked expression on his face too.

Crina remembered the last hug her father had ever given her, she was eleven. At that time she was still his princess.

"I'm so sorry, thank you." Her father said before he released her. She took a step back, her green eyes meeting her father's blue eyes that seemed so vulnerable.

"Only following my orders." Crina said, her voice monotone, emotions not registering in her mind, her whole body felt numb. With a nod of her head she walked over to where her mom stood to place a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I had waited a week until she looked good enough for you to see. She has yet to wake up though, she was in a fatal car crash. Celestina had almost died because of me." Crina said, her lifeless eyes resting on the unconscious girl that was more full of life, that got to experience more than Crina had.

Though she was numb the pang of jealously was rooted deep. Maybe, just maybe if she had been taken during birth then she would have the carefree life. Or maybe if neither had been stolen then none of this would have happened. She would have had a normal life.

Crina's mom glanced back at her before looking at Celestina once more. As always, Celestina was the child that got more attention out of the two. Crina was older but she was the spare. The old of the two was now tossed aside now that the precious lost child was brought back to her parents.

"Father, I would like to talk to you in private when you are ready." Crina said promptly, nodding over at her father with lifeless eyes. Though Crina was broken, shattered even, she held herself high with grace as she walked out of the room. The clicking of her heels, besides the beeping of the heart monitor, were the only sounds before she completely left. Once she was outside of the room she leant against the door, letting out a sigh. Unshed tears made her eyes sting painfully but she looked up at the ceiling to deflect the feeling.

Mihail was leaning on the wall next to her but still a bit away not looking at her. But looking over at Mihail the tears slid down her cheeks. No matter how quickly she wiped them away they just wouldn't stop flowing. The large man stiffened next to her but went towards her to engulf her into a hug without her permission. Crina didn't care, this is what she needed. Wrapping her arms around his body, her body shook as she sobbed quietly on his suit jacket.

Feeling exhaustion steadily creep up, she sighed, the tears still falling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry." She whispered, dropping her arms from around Mihail to wipe away her tears. Sniffing, she looked away feeling ashamed to show a weakness. Crina was the leader, she was strong, she could not afford to cry or to show weakness. Without saying another word Crina took another step away from her second in command to walk forward again but side stepping him. Her heels clicked confidently but that was the opposite of how she felt.

Not caring anymore, she stopped to take off her heels to walk barefoot back to her room. At this point she wanted to hold on to her dignity but half of her didn't want to care what everyone thought about her if she cried. Her father had beat it into her that she shouldn't show those lower than you your weakness. Not that she considered anyone in the house lower than her.

As she walked through the kitchen she seen Luca sitting in on of the stools for the island coloring a picture of a fireman putting out a fire. Wiping her eyes one last time, she sniffed causing Luca to look up and meet her eyes. The little boy's eyes lit up and he hopped off the stool to run towards her. Crina out on a fake smile and looked down at the precious boy.

"Hey Luca." Crina whispered, her voice cracking as her smile faltered. Luca looked up at her, his head rubbing against her stomach while his arms wrapped all the way around her.

"Hey Crina, what's wrong?"

"I'll tell you later, promise." Crina said. "What are you coloring?"

"A fireman, want to color with me?" The small boy asked, running back towards his coloring book to rip her out a page.

"I would love to." The broken girl said, sitting down to color with the only person to view her as an actual person.  

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FUCKING LOVE LUCA, SO SWEET, SO PURE

Date: February 8