A Soldier's Oath (Completed)

CHAPTER 36

Tessa

"They think that hurting me is the lesser evil. But when I hurt them back, I was the evil'

The way my mother said those words gutted me inside. I never heard her explaining her side between the feud with Tate's father.

Life is so unfair– I am aware of that. I just never fathomed that life was worse with her.

He left her broken and betrayed. He not only crumpled and turned the Regime into ash, my mother was too.

She was just 19, so young and vulnerable– but then he destroyed her.

"Then why did you kidnap my sister and raise her like the monster you are? " Tate was still angry but calm, now he heard Ade's words.

"Marina asked me to take the baby with me when I planned to kill her in her birthbed. She pleaded to take her away from your father because she knew Arys will kill the baby once he knew it was a girl.'' The true story of Rhayna in my mother's words shocked me.

I know she's not my sister but blood doesn't matter to me anymore. She's my sister whether they like it or not.

"That's bullshit!! My father would never hurt my sister. She was his blood!" now Tate was furious. I held his trembling hands.

Alam kong halang ang kaluluwa ni Arys but the revelation only adds to the list why I hate Arys Montezano.

"If you fucking think that you already know your Father, then think again" she smirked.

"He sent me to rescue Rhayna from you because he knew it was his daughter a long time ago" his words were shattering one by one.

"Don't be a fool, Montezano. Why do you think he wants Rhayna back, hmm? To reunite with her?" she threw her head back at the back of the velvet sofa "Oh come one! The Osirus knew he had a daughter under my care and they would use her to crush me once more. Rhayna was so precious for me to give up. That brat was stubborn but I will never give her up like her father. The likes of Rhayna were already rejected in your world–women were nothing but a baby factory and a living sex doll. But in my world, they have the chance to be someone they wanted to be"

That statement put Tate in silence. He knew what his father liked, and I felt bad for him.

"What about Deacon? Why did you kill him? " He pants muttering those words. I know he's breaking right now and the hold I have in his hands was not enough.

Ade didn't reply instead someone decided to join our party. I think he's not late this time.

Binitawan ko ang kamay kong nakasaklop sa kamay ni Tate at sinalubong ang bisita.

"Deacon? — how? " Tate was trembling now.

"It's nice to see you again, brother" Deacon went to Tate and gave him a tight hug.

Tate was on his heels now pacing back and forth"What the fuck is going on here? Don't play with me as if I'm one of your toys!" his voice bombarded the whole cold basement.

Ade waved her hands as if dismissing the threatening brawl between the brothers. The guards around us alerted their senses and hands were on their guns.

My body was alerted too, ready to protect Tate at all cost.

"Boys, calm the fuck down. Now settle on your seats and manage this as gentlemen not some fool cavemen. " she said, pouring her flute into another Dom Perignon.

When settled, we were given another batch in our flutes while the torture sessions continued. Muffled screams and sounds of equipment clanking and our heavy breathing covered the whole room.

"Now where were we?-- Ahh about Deacon. Why not take this chance to explain everything to your little brother." she nodded in the direction where Deacon was sitting comfortably.

"You better explain everything to me, Dee. I fucking mourn you in the last 10 years. Margot– she was devastated as Mom. You left her devastated, so are we." The pain in his voice was evident and it broke me.

"I'm sorry, Tate, I failed you all. I wasn't the man you used to look up. What happened in Iran and the information they have fed you was shallow. Maire didn't kill me just like what they told you. It was the other way around...

"It was a trap, they wanted me to seize a lab where the drugs had been made.When I realized he just used me to infiltrate their enemy's den para kunin ang pera, I dropped the mission and was about to go home but they killed my comrades, including me. Osirus was not the organization you think, those rotten bastards fool everyone and Arys was one of them. He hurt Mom every chance he got and I was glad he died that day.

"He doesn't deserve to be our father nor does he deserve to know Rhayna. I was living in the shadows for 10 years and it hurts not to be with you everytime I see you gather around" somber painted in Deacon's face.

"Why didn't you approach me, I'm your brother!! We shared everything" the sternness of his voice was still vigorous.

"I wanted to but Ade suggested not to. She was right when she said that surfacing will only lead you to danger. I saw how their men hounded our house for the last 10 years. They've been playing our lives especially Arys"

The hurt in Deacon's voice thundered the four cornered wall, my pity was on his family. The mission I had in his family started with befriending Jake and making him trust me but it went otherwise.

I had fallen in Jake's cute antics and innocence, the very thing I lack. Jake didn't need to put so much effort to turn the tables around because I was willing to turn in, biding into his wants.

The mission was supposed to be trapping Arys and securing the safety of Marina's but I fell in love with Jake. My mission goes on while planning a life with him.That's why it devastated me when he kept me in the dark about his health.

I was so good at finding the truth but I failed to find him.

Part of me died when he left me that day, I couldn't even tell him about Deacon. I think that's the saddest part about it.

When Tate came, I never thought I could love again– not the same love I have with Jake. He was a calm ocean on summer nights while Tate was the storm coming from the pacific ocean– so vigorous and disruptive.

In the midst of chaos, Tate was there reminding me that I should still paddle my feet and keep my head above water.

He made grief bearable and painted the town blue with me. He peeled the layers of vulnerabilities out of my skin and kissed it.

Now when the world falls at his feet I would be glad to do the same for him.