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My sister doesn’t say anything else. Her gaze is steady as I launch into the story. By the time I’m done, we’re both crying.
“You’re the most annoyingly, selfless, egotistical, stubborn person I’ve ever met,” Sophia says wiping at the side of her face.
“I know,” I say in agreement.
“Would it have been so hard to tell me? I could have shared in your pain. Nine years and you couldn’t see your son. It must have been killing you.”
“I was able to bare it, because I knew he was safe. He had his father and I knew his father would do right by him.”
“He should have had his mother too,” Sophia whispers.
“Yes, he should have. But he has me now and I’m never going to leave him again.”
Sophia looks away from me and runs a hand across her face. “I still hate what you did.”
“I know.”
“You don’t really deserve forgiveness.”
“Of course,” I say nodding.
“But the truth is, I could never hate you despite how much I want to. You are so incredibly lucky that you’re my sister, Katerina. If anyone else had hidden such a huge secret I would have never been able to get past it.”
It’s not forgiveness. But it’s close.
“So what do I do now?” I ask her.
“Just tell me one thing first, do you love him?”
I stare at her for a second. “He’s my son, Soph. Of course I love him.”
She shakes her head. “Not Nate. Alexander. Are you in love with him?”
“Oh,” I say in surprise before quickly recovering “I loved him nine years ago, Soph but I was too afraid to say it. Now it feels like the universe is giving me a second chance and I’m so scared of ruining it.”
Sophia nods like my answer pleases her. She stands up and I follow suit.
“Do right by him first, sorella. If you manage to find happiness and hold on to it, then maybe I’ll forgive you.”
My jaw drops, “Wait, what?”
“You heard me. You’re great at working hard to get what you want. Just fight for love. For once, fight for something worthwhile. I promise I’ll be there on the other side if you do.”
We stare at each other for a couple of seconds. Before she goes, I realize there’s something I need to tell her. Something I should have been telling her all this while.
“Mom would have been proud of you, Sophia,” I say softly.
Because despite it all, I know our mother would have preferred that we lived our lives away from the outfit. She would have wanted us to be happy with a family of our own and Sophia succeeded in that. She managed to forge her own path.
My sister’s eyes soften. “She would have been proud of you too.”
I know that to be true as well. I kept my promise to our mother. I took care of Sophia, I kept our family together. So even if I know in my heart she would have not been comfortable with my position as Don, I know she would understand that I am what I was made.
I am my father’s daughter.
After leaving Sophia, I drive to Xander’s penthouse. Right now, all I want if for him to hold me and tell me everything will be okay. For some reason, hearing him say the words always manages to put me at ease. I think about the condition Sophia gave me for forgiveness. It all seems so simple, but if there’s one thing I know about love and matters of the heart, they never are.
I take the elevator up to the house and as soon as it opens, I hear shouting.
