"You're starting to become more like your father."
Those words echoed in Fidelia's ears, and all her attention locked on Derek.
He took a deep breath and walked to the window with his back to her, as if the memories were too painful to face her directly.
"Do you remember when you were eight? You had that nightmare the one where you were calling for your mother. You woke up screaming." Derek said in a soft voice. He paused, letting her try to remember.
"I was the one who came to your room, not Alice nor the nanny. Because I heard your voice and I was worried. I sat by your bed until you fell back asleep because that's what your father would have wanted me to do."
He turned to face her and she could see his eyes shaking slightly.
"I refused to tell you about him all these years. Not because I didn't want you to know but because I wanted to protect his memory. I wanted to protect you from the pain of knowing how you lost them."
His voice was sounding broken "And now… after everything I've sacrificed, after taking you in when I had every reason not to, after keeping my promise to my dying friend… you're taking the knife and stabbing me in the back."
He shook his head slowly, disappointment were across his face.
"Is this what I get, Fidelia? Is this how you repay the man who gave up his peace to raise his best friend's daughter?"
The words hit Fidelia so hard that whatever anger she had dissolve to guilty.
There was only one thing Fidelia had ever wanted to know. 'Her Parent'
And now, Derek was finally telling her about them.
She moved closer, her eyes hardening. She tried to control herself, but the more he spoke, the more she felt more emotional.
"What happened to my father?" she asked in a soft voice
Derek was quiet for a long moment. He picked up the glass of water staring at the liquid as if seeing something else entirely and then he drank it and dropped the glass cup.
"Your father was my Elder Brother, a good man," he finally said "The best man I ever knew. My best friend."
"It was late. Past midnight. We'd just closed the biggest deal of our careers a partnership that would have changed everything for both our families." His eyes rose up like he was remembering the whole scene. "We were celebrating. Your father was... he was so happy, Fidelia. He kept talking about you. About how he was going to take you to Paris for your birthday. Your mother was laughing happily, telling him to stop making promises he couldn't keep."
Derek's left hand trembled slightly but he held it together with his other hand.
"They were driving back to the city. The roads were wet—it had been raining all evening. I was in the car behind them with the lawyers, going over documents." He paused, his voice catching. "And then... I saw the headlights swerve. Just—just a split second. The car went off the road."
Fidelia breath seized as she heard Derek's last word. Her hands gripped the edge of the chair so tightly her fingers were starting to hurt.
"By the time we got to them, the car was..." Derek closed his eyes unable to finish his word.
"They were rushed to the hospital. Your mother was unconscious. But your father he was barely awake with blood flowing on his head.He grabbed my hand and he said—"
Derek voice cracked but he forced himself to continue.
"He said, 'Derek..Promise me…Promise me you'll take care of my little girl. Protect her. No matter what it costs you. Promise me.'"
Derek looked directly at Fidelia, his eyes were now teary.
"And I promised. I gave him my word as he took his last breath. I can't forgive myself that night. I was the one that called him out that night to meet up and seal the deal its my fault."
"If not he would have been alive. I killed my brother and will forever leave with the pain"
Fidelia felt tears streaming down her face. She hadn't even realized she was crying.
He sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Though… I won't say I did a very good job at it. By nature, I couldn't protect you the way I should have."
He looked up, his voice softening. "I know you haven't been treated well by Bridget and Alice. But I want you to know… you'll always be family."
By then, Fidelia had gone quiet. Tears filled her eyes as she cried silently.
These were the answers she had longed for her whole life. She had known her parents were gone but never the story behind it.
Now, she did.
She lowered her gaze, her voice trembling. "They left with me… and I've always wanted to know about my parents how they died. But nobody ever wanted to tell me."
Her throat tightened as she fought back tears.
Derek watched Fidelia cry, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.
For just a fraction of a second so brief she would have missed it if she'd been looking his lips curved into the faintest hint of satisfaction.
Then it was gone, replaced by concern as he moved around the table.
"I know, my dear," he said softly, his hand coming to rest on her shoulder. His grip was gentle, comforting.
But his thumb pressed just soft against her collarbone like he was comforting her.
"I never wanted you to feel that kind of pain," he continued.
'She's breaking,' he thought, watching another tear slip down her cheek. 'Just a little more.'
"It was long overdue," he finished, his hand squeezing her shoulder once before letting go.
He stepped back, giving her space to grief.
Fidelia tried to steady her breathing, but her chest felt very heavy and hurt.
'He did take me in,' she thought, her mind racing. 'He could have left me in an orphanage. He could have dumped me with distant relatives. But he didn't.'
She looked at Derek standing by the window
'He doesn't look like he is lying'
'Maybe I'm being too harsh. Maybe he really did try his best. Maybe..'
Then she remembered a memory she had forgotten a long time ago. One that broke her, the memory started as a fragment in her mind and it was hurting her that she had to hold the table to support her self.
'No no not here. An alter can't come out now'
"Arggh" She groaned for a while and then she finally went silent.