Time to Fight

“What are you doing here?”

Devon froze on the spot when her mother caught her in the act of opening one of the drawers in the master’s bedroom.

She decided to stay in the house while Daemon is in his office to start her investigation.

“Nothing.” She pushed back the drawer and smile at her mother. “I was just looking around. I never knew that I missed being here in the house so much.” To further convince Melena, she acted like tearing up. “I…” she made her voice quivered, “I missed being here, mom.” She touched her flat belly and pretended to caress the imaginary bump there. “I want my child to be able to freely run here which I did not experienced before as your child.”

Melena walked to her side and held her hands in her. “Devon, my lovely daughter. Can we leave that all behind? Please, forgive us for all our lacking as parents back then. Let’s start anew now, can we? We will try hard to cater you and Daemon to this family even though it’s very difficult.”

“How about dad? Will he be able to accept Daemon? He hated him. Did you know that dad killed Daemon’s father but my husband set aside his hatred for me? That’s how he loves me and our baby, mom.” Pulling her hand from her grasp, Devon bit her tongue. “Can you be able to give that much love and sacrifice for me as your daughter?”

Melena went silent. She is conflicted but deep inside she knows that Devon is their neglected child because she is a girl. Is it her fault to be deemed weak in a world where only the strong is seen to survive and win?

“Oh my! Devon!” She hugged her in her arms and kissed her head. “Leave it to me to convince your father to accept the two of you but let me remind you to please be patient. This is not some instant thing. What you are trying to heal is years and years of rivalry. We have to wait and wait. Can you do that for me?”

A smile formed around her mouth. “Of course, mom. I’ll be patient.”

She’s been patient for years now. Few more weeks of waiting is nothing to her. She has to get down to the bottom of it. She has to know why her own family and mother betrayed her in this way. Sure, she can see their reason no matter how skewed it is for pushing her to marry Joffrey but this, this is unacceptable. Kidnapping her baby and giving her to her brother as though she’s their daughter is the biggest betrayal she can never accept and forgive.

And if the time will come when she’ll find out the real truth, may the gods forgive her for the things she could do.

Lunchtime came but only she and her mother are in the table. Her father did not come despite her mother insisting that he’s coming. Daemon is also busy having his revenge on Maddy and her husband. Her scandal is already all over the news and the Internet.

The food in her mouth tasted like nothing as she tried to act normal but deep down, she’s bleeding inside. This scenario reminds her of the times in the past when she always eats by herself.

“Where is dad, mom?” she asked when she can’t force herself to swallow the food anymore.

Melena elegantly sipped from her bowl of soup before responding. “He's at an important meeting. He’s with your brother, Brian.”

Devon almost smirked and averted her eyes. She should have been used by it. Ever since then, her father never gives in to any of her request. It’s just maybe she got used to how Daemon treated her. He always stopped by into the mansion bringing her food. She knows he’s only doing that to woo her but she can feel his sincerity despite.

“It’s okay, Devon. He promised me to come by for dinner.” She touched her hand to assure her. “Don’t worry. It’s bad for the baby.”

She can only manage to smile at her.

Dinner came but still her dad didn’t come. Daemon also called that he’s on the way to get her. On the way out, Sylvia, Brian’s wife stopped her.

“I know why you’re doing this. You’re still desperate, Devon.”

She looked at her sister-in-law dryly.

“And can you tell me that reason?”

“You’re here because you’re still thinking that my daughter is yours. Devon, wake up. You read the DNA test results. Lucy is ours. She is not your Emily.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She walked past her but she caught her wrist. “Don’t act like this isn’t your plan. I can see right through you. Lucy is my daughter! How dare you think that we stole your baby!”

She scoffed and whisked away her hand from her wrist. “And what if it’s my plan, Sylvia? If Lucy is really your daughter, then there’s no reason for you to be afraid. I can’t get her from you if that’s the case.”

“Did you know why no one in our family loves you?”

Devon stopped in her tracks upon hearing that and turned to her. “Oh yeah? Come on, tell me. I’m curious about it too.”

“Because you’re a spoiled brat who only thinks about herself. You’re a selfish woman who prostituted herself to a Druft just to spite her own family. Did you think by doing that, you’ll get their attention? You only put our names into embarrassment! How shameless!”

Without batting an eyelash, she slapped her hard on the face and smirked.

“Devon!” Brian ran to his wife’s side and pushed his sister away. “What did you do?! How dare you do that to my wife?!”

She smirked. “I didn’t do anything. I just thought what a waste for you to marry a weak wife. She can’t even handle one slap.”

Brian clenched his fists to keep himself from hurting his sister physically. “Did you know why no one in this family likes you? It’s because you act like you’re always the victim when you’re not. You wanted to have all the attention all to yourself.”

“And you ganged up on me!” she exploded. “All of you! You, Richard, Luke, mom, dad. Did anyone of you did something for me when I was begging for it? No one. When I was forced to marry that asshole, did anyone of you stopped dad from giving me a life sentence?! No, because all of you were just as evil as him!”

“You’re planning something,” Brian deduced when he saw how determined she looks like.

A pang of fear crossed her heart but it didn’t take too long before it disappeared.

“No, I’m not. My heart is just so big and forgiving that I came here to repair my ties with you all. I’m giving up finding Emily because I’m pregnant now. That’s how kind and strong I am, Brian.”