R I O N A
As I sat in my car my mind drifted away to the fact that my dad was in a critical condition and was currently in the operating room getting operated on.
My palms suddenly got sweaty from the anxiety and I rubbed them hard.
I looked up to the roof of the car and took a deep sigh and silently prayed for God to help my dad come out of this successfully.
I looked down and it made me chuckle lightly because I know I had no right to ask God for anything because I know all the things I've done in my life but the funny thing is everyone only remembers spirituality when they have problems, so what is the guarantee that my prayers will be answered?
The passenger door opened and Leonardo hurriedly got into the car before slamming the door shut.
"I've told my mom to leave the city ton-" He paused when he looked at my face. "What's
wrong?" He asked.
"Oh nothing," I brushed it off. "What were you saying about your mom?" I changed the subject.
"It's obviously not nothing," he drifted closer and stroked my cheeks before showing me a drop of tear on his index finger.
I didn't even know I was crying.
"Are you scared about your dad?" He looked at me with worried eyes.
"He is having his surgery today and I'm really worried."
"It's alright." He comforted me by pulling me into a hug and after he patted my back soothingly which really made me feel better.
"Thanks." I smiled and pulled away. "So what about your mom?" I asked.
"She will take the private jet and leave this evening." He answered.
"That's good." I released a sigh of relief and settled on the driver's seat but then the car turned silent.
"Can I ask you a question?" Leonardo broke the silence after a while.
"Go ahead." I answered.
"Why did you decide to become an assassin? I mean you have all your life right in front of you and you could have literally been anything else."
"I didn't have the option to be anything else. I didn't even get to choose to become this, it was forced on me.
He stayed silent like he was ushering me to continue with what I was saying.
"My mom made a deal with shady people and when they were after her life she made a deal with the agency I currently work with and offered the lives of Thalia and I in exchange for hers and then she disappeared. My agency couldn't murder children so they recruited me by threatening me with the lives of my siblings and they also paid for tuition plus hospital bills so basically they took care of my family." I narrated.
"Wow." He said. "How did you find out about the deal made? Did you catch your mom in the process of selling you and sister?" He questioned.
"No, when I was approached by my boss he told me everything I needed to know." I answered him.
"But did you try to find out directly from your mom what happened? I mean they could have known you'd get provoked and close her off."
Why's what he's saying making sense?
"That's impossible! I mean my mom once tried to kill me so I'd know!" I raised my voice mid way.
"I really just feel you should talk to your mom to know how things really went and then you can decide which feels more sincere."
" I don't feel the agency would lie to me though and I've worked with them for so many years and I never noticed anything weird going on there besides I'm pretty observant."
"I don't think you're that observant."
"Huh?" I looked at him with a confused expression. "What do you mean?" I frowned.
"Never mind," he sighed. "I think we should go to the hospital, the next part of what we need to do can be postponed for a bit." He suggested.
"There's no need for that."
"There's every need for that Riona! I don't think you would concentrate fully and the most important part is that my mom leaves, we can fake the break in later." He suggested again.
After about two minutes of arguing unnecessarily, I started the car and the both of us went to the hospital.
Leonardo got down and went towards the main entrance while I finished parking my car. I met him at the reception and then I caught a familiar face there as well and they were talking.
"What are you doing here?!" I raised my voice at the lady.
"Relax." Leonardo held my hand as he tried to calm me down.
"Bu-"
"Just talk to her alright? Hear what she has to say at least." He whispered to me.
Why is he so bent on making me talk to her? Even Thalia wants the same and she wants a complete family when this is all over.
"Fine." I finally agreed.
"I'll leave you two alone." Leonardo excused himself before leaving us alone.
"Ri-."
"Let's talk outside." I frowned and walked out of the reception and towards the parking lot while she followed behind me.
"To be clear I am only doing this for my siblings and Leo and not because I want to." I made it clear to her.
"I only need you to hear what I have to say to you which is going to be nothing but the truth I swear!" She looked apologetic but I wasn't moved.
"Get on with it." I told her.
"The truth is that around the time you were little I had an affair behind your fathers back but when I wanted to end things with the man, he didn't let me. He threatened me a couple of times but I didn't let it get to me until I received a mysterious message asking me to come to a weird location and I didn't plan to go but a threat was made on your life so I decided to go. When I got there, a man offered me information that someone wants me dead and the only way he'd help was for me to disappear for a long time. Your father didn't know the details but he knew I had to disappear and the only way I could make sure you all would move on without me was if I made you all hate me." She explained and I didn't know how to feel.
"So why did you try to kill me?" I questioned her.
"I never intended to harm you really!" She burst into tears. "It was all to make you hate me but I was drunk and your father knew which is why he interfered and I ended up stabbing him." She further explained.
Nothing was making sense. This could be a lie! I mean why would the agency lie to me.
"T-that's not what my agency told me."
"I didn't know they would turn you into a murderer, I'm really really sorry." She cried more.
"It's al-"
"Riona!" Thalia yelled into the air with fear in her voice.
My eyes scanned the environment for her until they landed on her. I ran towards her immediately and I could see her trembling.
"What?!" I shook both her shoulders.
"T-the doctors asked for you, the operation is over." She kept stammering.
My heartbeat quickened and we walked hand in hand to the doctor's office where I found Leonardo to be sitting outside the door.
I knocked on the door before entering with Thalia. After we entered, we both took the seats in front of doctor Krishna.
"Are you sure you want her here?" She asked referring to Thalia and I nodded.
"How did it go?" I asked and Thalia squeezed my hand as we both waited for a response.
She took a deep breath before answering us, "I'm sorry but he died before we could even take out the tumor."
**