The Heiress' Revenge

Ariana’s POV

I didn’t know what to say; the words were stuck in my throat, and my mouth opened, but nothing came out. I just stood there staring at him.

At my father, my real father. The man my mother had loved, the one she had given up.

Daniel looked at me.

His eyes were wet.

"I know this is a lot," he said. His voice was soft. Gentle. "I know you’re overwhelmed. I know you have a million questions. I know you don’t know what to think or what to feel or what to say, and that’s okay. Take your time, but please, let me be there as your father."

I looked at him.

At his face.

His nose was like mine.

His eyes were like mine.

His smile was like mine. I saw myself in him, I saw my children in him.

"How?" I whispered the word, which came out small. "How did you find me? How did you know?"

Daniel smiled a sad smile. "Your mother’s parents. They didn’t leave her a choice, I know that. I’ve always known that. The woman I fell in love with... she would never have done that to me. She would never have left me. She would never have kept you from me, not unless she was forced and was left with no other option."

I shook my head.

Tears were falling down my cheeks. "She never told me about you. She never said your name, she made me believe Ricardo was my father, she let me call that monster Dad for years."

Daniel’s face hardened just for a second, then it softened again. "I know, I know what he did to you, to your mother, your family... I know about everything, Ariana."

"How?" I asked again. "How do you know so much?"

Daniel looked at the young man behind the desk.

Ares is my supposed stepbrother.

The man who looked like my mirror.

"Ares," Daniel said. "He’s the one who found you in the process of searching for your mother; he hid it from me for not until a few weeks ago. When he told me, I was hurt and happy at the same time, happy that I had a daughter... I was the happiest man alive and then heartbroken that your mother would hide something big from me."

Ares stepped forward. "After I found you, I knew I had to bring you home, and you came right to us, without making much effort."

I looked at him. "So you’ve been lurking."

Ares nodded. "I hired a private investigator who tracked you and watched you while reporting back to me. I knew about your marriage to Dante, your children, and Melissa. I knew about the divorce... basically everything. I wanted to reach out so many times, but I was scared. Scared you wouldn’t believe me and wouldn’t want us in your life."

I laughed. It was a hollow sound. "Mess up my life? My life is already a mess. My husband doesn’t remember me, my children have been taken from me.... My baby is dead, and my mother lied to me my whole life... so yes! My life is already messed up."

Daniel stepped closer, reaching out. His hand touched my face; his fingers were warm and gentle. "You have us," he said. "You have a father who has been waiting years to meet you. You have a brother who never gave up looking for you. You have a family who loves you, who wants you, and that same family is going to help you get your family back."

I looked at him, the man who was supposed to be my father. The man who should have raised me

The man who should have been there for every birthday, every holiday, and moment.

"Why now?" I asked. "Why did you wait so long? Why didn’t you come for me sooner?"

Daniel’s face crumpled. "We’re here now, and that’s all that matters."

I smiled slightly.

Daniel shook his head. "And please forgive your mother, she wasn’t given a choice... she did the best she could with the choices she had."

He was right, but I deserve to know about something like this

"I don’t know what to do," I said. "I don’t know what to think. I don’t know who I am anymore."

Daniel pulled me into his arms.

He hugged me tight; his body was warm, and it felt like home.

"You’re my daughter," he said. His voice was thick with tears. "My blood runs in your veins, and if there’s one thing the Watsons don’t do, it’s give up."

I broke down completely, and the tears kept coming. They came hard and fast, and I couldn’t stop them.

I sobbed into his chest as I held onto him like he was the only thing keeping me standing. Like he was the only thing keeping me alive.

Ares came closer. He put his hand on my back, gentle and reassuring. "You’re home," he said.

"Athena would be ecstatic," Ares says.

"Athena, she’s your sister, she’s younger. She’s away at school right now, but she’s going to lose her mind when she meets you. She’s always wanted a sister."

I laughed, a real laugh. The first real laugh in weeks. "Athena? Ares? What kind of names are those?"

Daniel smiled. "Your grandmother was obsessed with Greek mythology. She named them after gods and heroes, Ares and Athena."

"And my name?"

Daniel sighed. "It was my late sister’s name, I’m surprised your mother named you after her and grateful too... I would have wanted that."