Revelations

SOPHIA POV 

The cafe air felt thicker after Emily's words, her piercing gaze lingering on me like a spotlight I could not escape. I forced another sip of my iced tea, the cold liquid doing nothing to quench the heat rising in my cheeks. 

"I won't hurt her," I repeated, my voice steadier than I felt. "Darcy's important to me." Lie layered upon lie, stacking like a house of cards in a breeze. 

Emily nodded slowly, her smile not quite reaching her eyes, but she dropped the subject, shifting to lighter talk about Darcy's art and campus life. We parted with a hug, hers was warm whilst mine was stiff, and I walked back to the dorm with my mind spinning.

Had she bought it? That question haunted me the entire way. Emily struck me as perceptive, the kind of woman who could spot deceit from a mile away and that familiarity was more than just her looks now. It was in her mannerisms, the way she stirred her tea clockwise, three times, before sipping. It reminded me of my mom, a habit I had seen a thousand times growing up but that was ridiculous because my mom had no siblings she ever mentioned, just distant relatives we never saw. I shook it off, focusing on the path ahead, leaves crunching under my feet in the crisp afternoon air.

Darcy was waiting when I got back, lounging on her bed with a sketchpad in hand. She looked up, her expression curious but distant, like she was holding something back. "How was your mysterious outing?" She asked, setting the pad aside. Her tone was light, but there was an undercurrent, a subtle probe.

"Just grabbed coffee," I replied, shrugging off my jacket. "I needed a break from studying." I avoided her eyes, busying myself with my backpack. The aloofness from this morning lingered; she had been quiet during breakfast, picking at her toast without her usual chatter.

"With who?" She pressed, sitting up straighter.

I hesitated a fraction too long. "A friend from class." Another lie. They were coming easier now, but each one chipped away at me.

Darcy nodded, but her smile was tight. "Okay. Well, I'm thinking about the next plan for Mom and Dad. Something bigger this time… maybe a weekend getaway, force them to spend time together."

My stomach dropped. Another scheme? I had just sabotaged the last one, and the guilt from the picnic kiss still burned fresh. "Sounds... ambitious," I managed, forcing enthusiasm. "What do you have in mind?"

She pulled out her phone, scrolling through ideas—cabins, hikes, the works. As she talked, I nodded along, but my mind wandered to Eric. That kiss in the park, brief but consuming, replayed in loops. His hand on mine, the sunset warming our skin. I love you. The words echoed, tempting and forbidden. I had run away, tears blurring the road, collapsing into bed exhausted from wanting what I could not have, but sleep had not erased it; if anything, it amplified the ache.

That evening, I buried myself in homework, trying to drown out the thoughts. Darcy headed out for an art club meeting, leaving me alone with the silence. My phone buzzed with a message from Eric. "Need to see you. Office, 8pm?" I stared at the screen, thumb hovering over delete. 

His pursuit was relentless as always. The flowers, notes and now this? I can't deal. I typed a no, then deleted it. I don’t know if it was curiosity or longing but it won. "Fine. But just talk."

His office was dim when I arrived, the door ajar. He sat behind his desk, grading papers, but looked up immediately, his face softening. "Sophia. Thank you for coming."

I closed the door, staying near it like an escape route. "This has to stop, Eric. Emily suspects something."

He stood, rounding the desk slowly. "What did she say?"

"That I remind her of you… your type. Asked if we're involved." My voice shook slightly, reliving the panic.

Eric's eyes widened. "And?"

"I denied it, but she's smart. And Darcy is acting weird today. More quiet than usual."

He stepped closer, the space between us shrinking. "We can be careful. I meant what I said in the park. I love you."

The bond tugged, pulling me in. His scent… cologne mixed with old books filled my senses. "I can't," I whispered, but my feet did not move.

"Why fight it?" His hand brushed my arm, gentle, sending sparks. I refused intimacy, always had since cutting him off, but the proximity weakened my walls. Our eyes locked, the room fading. He leaned in, lips inches from mine.

A knock shattered the moment. We sprang apart as the door opened and standing right there was… Darcy. Her eyes darted between us, confusion flickering. "Dad? Sophia? What are you doing here?"

"I... office hours," I stammered. "Question on the lecture."

She frowned but bought it, turning to Eric. "Mom called. She's extending her stay. I want to do dinner tomorrow—all of us."

Eric nodded, composing himself. "Sounds good."

Darcy lingered, chatting about class, but the tension hummed. As we left together, she linked arms with me. "You okay? You seem off."

"I’m fine," I said. That was close… too close. I need to be careful.

Dinner the next night was at a cozy Italian place downtown. Emily arrived first, waving us over. That familiarity hit again—her laugh as she greeted Darcy, the way she tucked hair behind her ear. We ordered pasta, wine (non-alcoholic for Emily this time—I made sure), and small talk flowed, but under the table, Eric's knee brushed mine and I knew that he was doing it on purpose. I shifted, my heart racing.

As the plates were cleared, Emily turned to me. "Sophia, tell me more about your family. Darcy says you're from the East Coast?"

I was tense. "Yeah, small town. Mom raised me alone… my dad left early."

Emily's fork paused. "Your mom... what's her name?"

"Anna," I said cautiously. "Why?"

She paled slightly. "Anna... last name?"

"Reed." My mom's maiden name, the one she reverted to.

Emily set her fork down slowly. "This might sound crazy, but… my sister's name was Anna Reed. We lost touch years ago because she ran away at eighteen."

The table fell silent. Darcy stared. "Wait, Mom... you have a sister?"

Emily nodded, eyes on me. "Estranged. But Sophia, you look just like her… the eyes, the smile and the way you talk."

My world tilted. "My mom never mentioned a sister, she said she had no family."

Eric cleared his throat. "Emily, are you suggesting...?"

"Aunt?" Darcy whispered, turning to me. "Cousins?"

Emily pulled out her phone, showing an old photo—young her with a girl who could be my twin. "This is Anna."

Tears pricked my eyes. "That's Mom… oh my God."

The revelation hung heavy. If true, Emily was my aunt, Darcy, my cousin and Eric... my uncle by marriage? The forbidden deepened, madness hooking tighter.

We ordered tests that night, rushing to a clinic. Waiting for results stretched eternal—two days of awkward silences, stolen glances. Darcy clung closer, excited at the family tie. "This is amazing," she said. "Real family."

But for me, terror. If confirmed, our affair became taboo.

Results came via call. Positive. Emily, my aunt and Darcy, my cousin.

The dorm exploded with hugs, tears. "Welcome to the family," Emily said, embracing me.

Eric's eyes met mine, shadowed. "This changes things," he whispered later.

"Does it?" I challenged the bond defiantly.