Orion’s belt shines brightly in the night sky.
EPILOGUE
“While we might be named after certain characters from well-known myths.
It doesn’t mean we need to live their lives.
We have the power to change our destiny.
And that’s the true beauty of being a mortal.”
Orion
Eight years later
Orion
“Hurry up, Leon!” a cheery young voice shouts, her bare feet soundless on the emerald-green grass as she races through the garden, the wind blowing her golden locks in different directions, her blue eyes sparking with mischief. “We need to catch the full moon before it’s gone.” She shakes the camera in her hand. “It’s vitally important.”
“Have mercy on my knees and heart, little one.” Leon huffs and puffs behind her, wiping the sweat dripping down his forehead with a white napkin. “There will be another full moon in a month.”
“Tonight is magical, Leon. It’s the night before my birthday. Marta says I was born on a full moon, so we’d have to waita whole year,” my six-year-old daughter argues back, halting her movements and placing her hands on her hips as her yellow summer dress skirts over her legs. “I’d be very upset.”
Leon takes a short, deep breath while wiping away beads of sweat. “If you say so, princess.” He ruffles her hair, making her laugh. “You’re a future photographer after all.”
My daughter has been obsessed with her new camera for the past couple of weeks, dragging it everywhere with her and snapping endless pictures that she later developed and put in various photo albums. Her favorite ones got framed, and she hangs them all over the house or gifts them to the staff.
Which means Actaeon is getting daily phone calls and praises since he’s the one who gifted it to her.
I’m just glad it wasn’t a limited-edition gun because when he gave her a huge black leather horizontal case, my heart plummeted, and I was ready to punch him.
She wiggles her finger at Leon. “No. I’m Daddy’s heir, which means I’ll own his corporation one day. This will be a hobby.” She taps on her lips. “It teaches me to be observant. Uncle A says it’s very important to pay attention to details, especially when you’re a leader.”
“All this work for a hobby?” He wipes his sweat off once again and fans his face. “Child, you have to be more kind to your elders.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re still hot, or so Matilda says. Not sure what it means, though. What does it mean?” She tilts her head, studying him, and his cheeks grow red.
I cringe on the inside from the mental image these words create. They practically raised me, I don’t want to know that they find each other “hot” or how they still sneak into each other’s rooms at night as if anyone gives a shit about their relationship.
But then, according to Matilda, rules are rules, so we all have to pretend they don’t love each other. The whole thing is hilarious and disturbing at the same time.
“Well—well?—”
The old man struggles to find the words to cover his ass, but that’s when my daughter notices me. Her whole face brightens up, and she puts the camera on the grass, opening her arms wide and sprinting toward me. Her voice echoes through the space. “Daddy!”
I have a second to catch her before she smacks into my knees, and I lift her high up, her laughter warming me from the inside out. I bring her to my chest, and she wraps her arms around my neck, hugging me tight. “I’ve missed you, Daddy,” she whispers into my ear as I return the embrace, rocking her side to side in my arms. She leans back, cupping my cheeks and patting them gently. Her touch is always very gentle, as if she’s afraid to hurt the scars on my face that healed a long time ago. My little princess still tries to spare me any discomfort. “How was the work trip?”
“Uneventful.”
Time away from my family always is.
“I was afraid you’d miss my birthday, but Mommy said you would never.” She gives me a toothless smile. “I’m so happy you’re back.”
“I’d never miss your birthday, princess.”
I lost my heart twice in this life.
The first time was when I met my beautiful wife, who turned my world on its head, changing everything I knew about myself and giving our love a chance by accepting every dark part of me.
