Chapter eight

I was seated between my parents. The word parents seemed extremely foreign to me. I still had no idea how to feel about this. I had grown up around people who cared for, loved, and cherished one another, so the issue of parents had never been much of a bother—maybe just plain curiosity.

Justin cleared his throat again, and I couldn’t help the snicker that left my lips. I quickly covered it with a cough, then blushed when I saw Mase smile. Justin said nothing about it and continued with whatever he wanted to say.

“Andrea, I want to acknowledge the fact that you didn’t grow up where you were supposed to. But the way you reacted when we came to get you shows that you at least had a nice upbringing.”

I glared at him.

“I had the best upbringing anyone could wish for. It might not have included certain comforts, but it was full of love and care, and that’s all I could have wished for!”

The woman who was my mother winced again. I felt bad for saying that, but it was the truth. I had grown up with love and care, and that’s what really mattered.

“I’m so sorry, dear. I never wanted that to happen. I was heartbroken when I left you back then. I couldn’t bear the pain. I know I’m a failure, sweet one, but I had no choice. I had to put your life first because I knew, somehow, that I would see you someday.”

I couldn’t help but feel bad for her. She spoke with so much emotion that I could feel my heart breaking for her. She was my mother, after all. Seeing her state right now, I knew she had never wanted to abandon me. Her eyes filled with tears again, and desolation hung in the air. I couldn’t help myself.

“Mom, don’t worry. I’m sure you didn’t want to leave your child just like that.”

My mother broke down crying. She cried so hard I thought she might lose herself. I knew her reaction was because I had acknowledged her as my mother. My father leaned in, placed a hand on my shoulder, and looked relieved. Some of the tension in the room lifted just like that.

Justin went on to inform me that I was the second-born child. My parents had a daughter before me, and I also had two younger siblings—a girl and a boy who were twins.

I looked up at Gabby and knew then that she was my big sister. She gave me a small smile, and I returned it. No wonder I had felt a familiar connection with her.

Justin continued his story. He said that after I was born, my parents noticed strange features in me as an infant. Specifically, I had a star-shaped birthmark. But according to him, this was no ordinary star.

He explained that the star had glowed and emitted a bright light on the night I was born. My parents, shocked and afraid, sought him out to share what had happened. Apparently, they had never seen or heard of anything like it before.

At the time, Justin had been flabbergasted. He told my parents about the family history. He spoke of my great-grandmother, who was said to have had a similar star in the exact place I had mine. She had been gifted with special powers to fulfill certain tasks.

Justin also mentioned that, apart from her, the only other person with a similar gift had been my great-grandmother’s great-grandmother. It seemed this trait was passed down through the family from time immemorial.

However, it was unusual because it had always been the first-born child who inherited it. I was the first second-born to display these traits, which was why my parents hadn’t been warned about the possibility. That glowing star had marked my first danger.

The room fell silent after Justin paused. I looked around and saw that everyone was listening intently, though I was sure most of them already knew the story. It seemed they were waiting for my reaction, but I was too caught up in the tale to respond.

After a while, Justin continued. He said that after the star glowed that night, a heavy rainstorm followed—a special occurrence because they hadn’t experienced rain in a long time. At the time, famine had seemed inevitable. When it rained, everyone was surprised and celebrated the rainfall.

However, after the rain, their leader broke a pact he was about to sign with a neighboring state. The agreement would have traded land in exchange for food and water. The other leader, enraged by this perceived disloyalty, vowed revenge.

At this point, I began wondering who Justin really was if he had been the one my parents consulted about these events.

I didn’t get the chance to ask because he continued his story.

Justin explained that the looming war became another danger to me. He had advised my parents to take me away, but they refused, insisting on observing me for further strange occurrences.

Eventually, my parents noticed peculiar behaviors in me. For example, I became very excited when it rained. They would dress me warmly and let me sit near an open window to watch the rain, where I would coo and cackle happily until I fell asleep.

They also noticed that I seemed able to sense danger. Before anything bad happened, I would cry nonstop.

Justin said that because of my special gifts, I became a perfect target for those with ill intentions. The neighboring state, still angry, became a significant threat.

As time passed, my parents realized they couldn’t keep me there. Just before my first birthday, they decided to move. Word had leaked to the other state about the child with peculiar gifts, and its leader launched an attack.

My parents acted quickly to protect me. Every trace of my existence was destroyed, and they fled in secret. That’s how I ended up outside the orphanage. My parents believed it was the safest place for me, far enough from home that no one would suspect a thing.

That was also why my name was changed.

Justin finished speaking and looked at me. I met his gaze with a blank expression. I realized everyone else was also looking at me, waiting for my reaction.

I had heard him, but my brain was still processing the information. One thing, however, was clear in my mind.

“There’s much you haven’t told me. I feel like you left out the major parts and gave me only the basics.”

Everyone seemed shocked. That was definitely not the response they were expecting. But Justin smiled, and I knew I was right. There was more I hadn’t been told. Instead of feeling satisfied, I was frustrated.

“There’s something I need to show you first,” Justin said.

Now we were finally talking business.