Ethan was talking to Dorothy, his secretary, about some adjustments on his schedule since he needs to rest for a couple of days as what the doctor said. However, he instructed her to gather all the needed doc.u.ments so Larry could pick it up for him tomorrow. He decided to bring his work home while having his rest. He was giving out a specific instruction when he heard a loud slap. His eyes widened to see Aisha pursing her lip as she tries to prevent the tears to flow from her eyes. He himself was caught off guard.
"Rio!" Archie yelled when he realized what had happened. He just arrived with Lisa holding a tray with cups of teas on it.
Rio was trying to control his anger. He was indeed worried about his daughter but angry at the same time. Why does she needs to be selfish and act alone without asking him for help? If only she didn"t keep it a secret from him then Caleb wouldn"t be hurt that much. He nearly died!
"Mommy!" everybody heard Eli yelled when he saw a tear escaped from Aisha"s eyes. He was about to jump out from Master Omni"s arm but the old man held him tight. He started to sob.
"Larry!" Master Omni called out Larry and signaled him to take Eli outside the room. he immediately took the struggling child and went out as he locked the door.
Lisa wanted to go out as well but her knees were too weak to move so before she drops the tray, she went inside and placed the tray on the side table. Archie on the other hand went beside Rio and tried to calm him.
"Rio calm down!"
"No! she needed one for her to wake up from the reality!"
Ethan wanted to interrupt but the current situation deemed to be a confrontation of the father and daughter that needed to be settled among them. He looked at Master Omni but the old man shook his head.
"How long will you act foolishly huh? When will you stop your unreasonable dramas?! Do you really think that you can handle your enemies lurking around you? do you think you can bring them down? ALONE?! What you are doing is not heroic at all. It"s selfishness, Aisha, it"s pure selfishness!" Rio couldn"t control his own emotions any longer.
"Do you really think you could beat those men out there alone? Aisha I am telling you that they are not your usual thugs. they are not the same people whom you can just beat like when you were in the North! You don"t have any idea about the people whom you are dealing!"
He was angry when he received a call about what happen to Caleb. It was Sophie who called her father Archie to let them know. Rio was terribly worried but at the same time mad when he heard about the children"s encounter so he called Master Omni out.
"Yes, I must admit that I taught you how to fight, how to be brave, how to be strong but I never taught you how to be selfis.h.!.+ I never taught you to sacrifice your own people for your safety!" Rio must admit that his heart hurts when he saw Aisha"s tears. She"s crying silently! But Rio must educate his daughter.
"Have you seen the result of your selfish actions? Caleb almost died! And what if something bad happened to your friends and your family? How will you take responsibility for their lives?"
"That"s the reason why I wanted to drop everything and just leave everyone --- including you." her voice was almost a whisper but everyone heard what she said. Now all eyes are on her.
Did Rio heard her right? She was also planning to leave him?
"Do you really think that I didn"t care? You don"t know how I struggled a lot! You don"t have any idea about the sleepless nights I had just so I could plan on how to end this fight. Yes, I needed help. Do you know how much I"ve wanted to ask for your help? I wanted to tell you badly but for the past weeks, you"ve been obsessed with that woman!" she softens a bit when she realized something.
"I was angry at her but when I think about it, I actually don"t have the right to obstruct whatever feelings you have for her. I"m just an adoptive daughter after all." Her heart hurt a bit.
"Aisha, you know that"s not tr -----"" Rio tried to comfort her but she interrupts."
"Maybe I was really selfish back then because I didn"t want you near her. but you"ve been taking care of me since I was young and I don"t want to hinder you if she will make you happy." She wiped away her tears then looked at Master Omni, then to Ethan, then to Lisa.
"Since everyone is here, I want to apologize for everything. " She lowered her head.
"I"m sorry that I lied to you. Master Omni, I"m sorry for all my lies. Lisa, sorry that I didn"t trust you and that I brought you more harm than good. Dad, uncle Archie, sorry that I kept you from the dark. Also, I"m sorry that I failed to protect Caleb…"
"Aisha, what happened to Caleb isn"t your fault. He should be the one protecting you and I"m proud of him that he did." Archie tried to ease her burden. Aisha cracked a smile then she looked at Ethan.
She met his eyes, "And Ethan," she lowered her head guiltily, "I don"t know how and where to start but I"m very sorry for deceiving you." She simply doesn"t know how to explain herself to Ethan. Tears started to flow from her eyes again.
"I know saying sorry isn"t enough to pay for all my sins and I am willing to face any consequences. But I just want to let you know how much I desired to tell you the truth, b-but I, I was afraid! I was afraid to see how you will take all my lies and pretensions. Maybe because I, I got to love the things and the people around me and I was afraid that you"d hate me forever!" she covered her face with her hands as she continually sobs.
Concurrently, Ethan walked towards the sorrowful woman and embraced her lovingly. The warmth embraced, the strong arms that cupped her body and the manly scent; how she misses it so much. She has mix emotions at the moment but her heart is in so much pain. It made her knees go weak. Her mind, her heart and her body is in complete mess. She"s near to collapsing but Ethan was holding him tight. Now, her agonizing cries echoed inside the room.
Ethan looked at the crying woman in her arms. He smiled contentedly. It was the very first time that he saw her gave in. she looks so fragile, so far from the strong woman he knew at first.
"Go on. Just release all your bottled fears and worries away. It"s alright. Everything"s gonna be alright, I promise." He caressed her back. His action softens her heart even more and so she hugged him back.
Rio and the others were rooted to where they were standing. It is indeed their first time to see a fragile Aisha in front of them. Rio nor Archie haven"t seen her this vulnerable before, not even when she was young.
Rio guiltily lowered his head. His heart ached as he looked at his helpless daughter. "Looked like she"s been battling all her cares and fears all these time."
how could he not notice it? what kind of a father is he not to see past through her daughter"s suffering?
Aisha was trying to calm down. Then Ethan lift Aisha"s face gently and wiped away the tears from her cheeks. He look into her eyes pa.s.sionately.
"Aisha, don"t ever forget that from now on, Your not alone. You are never alone this these fight." he smiled as he kissed her forehead.