### Chapter 55 - Our Daughter “Please, come in,” Letty’s voice cuts through the stillness, sending a jolt of surprise through me. I realize I had been standing there, lost in my thoughts, like a statue. I step aside, allowing them into my space, my mind racing with disbelief. The Howells were in my house—the very people who might soon be connected to me in ways I had never imagined. “How are you even out?” I direct my question at Ethan as we settle into uncomfortable silence, the weight of yesterday's events still hanging thick in the air. “Bail,” he mutters, his gaze darting around the room, avoiding me like I’m a specter. Just yesterday, Brian had posed the question of pressing charges against Ethan—an idea that gnawed at my conscience. Yes, the betrayal was horrific, and the scars ran deep. But was I strong enough to take that leap? Ethan’s crimes hadn’t just hurt me; they had twisted the fabric of my very existence. I was caught in a web of anger, grief, and the undeniable truth that he had taught me lessons about resilience I wasn’t fully ready to acknowledge. Yet, there was the matter of Travis and the police pressing their own charges, a relentless pursuit fueled by the crime he had committed. “I’m sorry for what my son did to you, Ava,” Nora’s words slice through my turmoil, laced with both warmth and the faintest hint of reproach. I stare at her, the silence thickening. Apologizing is one thing; accepting wrongdoing is another. The fact that she still referred to him as "her son" unsettled me. If she condoned his actions, then where did that leave me? If she turned out to be my mother after all, could I even accept her in my life? “Your sorry doesn’t change what he did,” I manage, my voice steady, even as Letty interjects boldly. “You’re regretting your son’s actions, but were you complicit in bailing him out? If he told us you mourned for your biological daughter for years, does this mean you’re still okay with what he did to her?” Letty's question hangs heavy in the air, probing for the truth I dare not voice. “We’re by no means okay with what he did. It was monstrous,” Theo’s voice is strained, yet earnest as he directs a fiery glare at Ethan. But how could they justify bailing him out? He should pay for his sins. I felt Letty’s indignation coursing through me, scratching the surface of my own raw wounds. Ethan’s actions felt like salt in an open wound, further festering the pain I long held inside. “Because he’s still our son, and we love him. I may not have given birth to him, but he’s been ours since we adopted him at the age of ten,” Nora’s voice quivers, her eyes welling with unshed tears. I found something unsettling yet relatable in her words. As a mother myself, I could envision standing by Noah no matter what. Even if my heart shattered, I wouldn’t abandon him—I would fight to help him, to be there. Yet this bitter reality etched deeper scars inside me. Ethan’s cold gaze locked onto mine, and it felt like staring into a chasm devoid of warmth, where once had dwelled the flicker of a love I had cherished. Was this haunting, haunting stare his true self, or just a mask forged by his actions? Shaking myself from the stupor, I turned my focus back to Nora and Theo. “You’re here because you want something. Let’s not dance around it. If this is about his case, I have nothing to offer. If that’s all you have, then please leave,” I stated, weary and ready to cut through the tension. Their shock was palpable, but I steeled myself against any hint of remorse. I needed to be forthright; there was no other reason for their visit that I could fathom. “We came because Ethan told us the truth. We came because you are our daughter,” Nora's words tumbled out, laden with emotion, her eyes shimmering with hope. The words felt surreal, echoed in my mind like an impossible fantasy. The people who raised me had never shown me the love I craved. How could I expect that from two people who had only just entered my life? “How do you know I’m your daughter?” I challenged, rising to my feet. “Ethan could have twisted the story; I don’t look anything like you.” They radiated beauty that seemed almost otherworldly, while I felt hopelessly unremarkable, lost among them. Ethan stepped forward, handing me an envelope. “I took your hair for a DNA test. It matches,” he said, almost sheepishly. With quivering fingers, I opened the envelope, and as I read, the truth unfolded like a nightmare that had somehow morphed into a profound reality. My DNA matched with Nora and Theo. “You have my brown hair and your mother’s captivating brown eyes,” Theo added, his voice firm but softening as he gazed warmly at me. “Even without those features, I just know—you are the daughter that was taken from us twenty-eight years ago.” I turned away, overwhelmed as tears cascaded down my cheeks. The weight of it all crashed into me like a tsunami. My past, the life I had built, had been a veil over the truth. Each spiteful look from the Sharp family, each dagger of disdain felt newly raw, bubbling up to the surface. They knew I wasn’t theirs. Why not let me go if they didn’t want me? Their motivations became blinding as rage surged within me. How could they hold onto me and hurt me so deeply? “It’s okay, my love,” Nora’s voice, gentle and soothing with a pet name that echoed my affections for Noah, shattered my defenses. “Let it all out,” she urged, wrapping her arms around me. The warmth enveloped me, an unyielding comfort that felt profoundly right. As I crumbled into her embrace, sobs wracked my body, and I finally felt at home in a way I had never known. I absorbed the mother’s love pouring into me, washing over the years of pain as she held me close, even as my tears soaked her designer dress. Soon, another set of arms joined us—Theo, steadfast and supportive, completing the circle. I sobbed until I felt drained, the tears ebbing away. “Are you feeling better?” Nora asked softly, her hands cradling my face as we slowly untangled. “Yes,” I managed, a faint smile flickering to life. “You’re our daughter, and we love you. We’ve always loved you, even when we thought we lost you. We’re here now, and all we ask is for you to allow us a chance to care for you, the way we never could before,” Theo implored, emotion flooding his eyes. Rapture and anguish wrestled within me. This was everything I had longed for from the two people who had raised me. It was striking to realize Theo and Nora took a ten-year-old boy into their hearts and wove him into their family, with love encompassing him fully. In sharp contrast, the Sharp family had treated me like a ghost—never seen, never loved. Before I could respond, a sudden ring at the door pierced through our moment of connection. “Don’t worry, I got it,” Letty said, her tone resolute as she moved away. I heard the door swing open, followed by a flurry of whispers—a tension crackling in the air like electricity as Letty argued with someone outside. Just as curiosity compelled me to check, Travis strode in, flanked by Emma and Rowan, his presence a storm in our fragile tranquility. Surprise rippled through me. What were they doing here? Why did they seem so inseparable, like some officially designated trio? Gabe was conspicuously absent. “I’m sorry, Ava… I tried to stop them, but he pushed past me,” Letty said, a mix of annoyance and sincerity lacing her tone as she shot Travis a glare. “What are you all doing here? What do you want?” I asked, weary yet prepared to brace myself for whatever came next. “Mom wanted to talk to you, to talk to all of us. She said she wanted to share everything, but you haven’t been answering her calls,” Emma interjected, her tone less accusatory than I expected. A sigh escaped me, echoing my resignation. The last thing I wanted was to engage in another confrontation, to hear what she had to say. Yet, deep down, I knew I was going to have to face it.