SECURED

ACCEPTANCE.

• CIYA •

I hurried to the room Dad and I had slept in last night. I needed space, some time to think and process everything I had just learned.

The moment I shut the door behind me, I collapsed onto the bed. My mind was reeling. My brothers. My family. The betrayal, the pain they went through-all because of me. I had no idea. I didn't remember any of it.

How was I supposed to handle this? My family was out there-real family, brothers who had been searching for me all these years. But my heart felt torn. I had always had Dad. He had saved me, raised me, and protected me. What did this all mean now?

For a while, I just sat there in silence, letting my thoughts swirl around. I didn't know how much time had passed when there was a soft knock on the door.

"Ciya?" Dad's voice was gentle, almost hesitant. "Can I come in?"

I wiped my face quickly and took a shaky breath. "Yeah... come in, Dad."

The door opened, and Dad stepped in, his eyes full of concern. Without a word, he crossed the room and sat beside me. I didn't even have to think. I threw myself into his arms, hugging him tightly. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me close, like he always did when I needed him.

"I'm sorry," I whispered into his chest, my voice shaking. "I don't know what to do. I don't know how to feel. Everything's so confusing."

Dad stroked my hair gently, his voice soft and reassuring. "Shh, it's okay, angel. You don't have to figure it all out right now."

I pulled back slightly to look at him, my eyes searching his for some kind of answer. "What if I can't accept them? What if I'm not ready for all of this?"

He smiled, a sad but understanding smile. "It's a lot to take in, Ciya. No one expects you to be okay with everything right away. This is your journey. You can take all the time you need."

I nodded, feeling a little more grounded by his words. "But they've been waiting for me... What if I let them down?"

"You won't," Dad said firmly, cupping my cheek with his hand. "You're not letting anyone down by needing time. They love you, Ciya, and love means understanding. They've waited this long for you, they can wait a little longer."

"I don't know what to do, Dad," I whispered into his chest, my voice cracking. "I don't know how to handle this. I want to accept them, I really do, but... I don't want to lose you. I don't want anything to change between us. You're my dad."

His arms wrapped around me just as tightly, and for a moment, we stayed like that-just holding on to each other. "You won't lose me, angel," he said softly, his voice filled with emotion. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

I shook my head, fear still gripping my heart. "But what if something happens? What if they think I should be with them now?"

"They're your family, yes. But I'm your dad. You're my daughter, and that will never change," he said firmly. "We've been through too much together for anyone or anything to change that."

I sniffled, resting my head against his chest. "I don't want to lose you, Dad. You're all I've ever had."

He kissed the top of my head gently. "And you're all I've ever had too, Ciya. I've always been afraid of losing you, but we're stronger than that. We'll get through this together. You don't have to choose between them and me. We'll figure it out, one step at a time."

I searched his eyes, looking for any hint of doubt, but all I saw was love and reassurance.

"You've always been my little angel," he said softly, wiping the tears from my cheeks. "Just because you found your brothers doesn't mean you lose me. You can have both, Ciya. They're your family, but so am I . You don't have to choose."