Chapter 18: A friend or a foe?

Nadia's POV.

I tied my shoelaces, yeah, shoelaces.

I wasn't going to wear heels to work; having a sprained ankle on my first task was enough lessons, well, till my ankle was completely healed.

"Mom... I'm done, gonna be on my way!" I yelled out as I strode to Dad's room.

"Nadia..." He sniffed, smiling as soon as he realized my presence.

"Hey champ, oh goodness, you look really handsome this morning."

I placed a kiss on his forehead and heard him chuckle.

"Flattering me now?" He raised a brow as he tried to straighten himself on the bed.

"Easy," I bent over him and stacked pillows behind his back for support.

"I will be a fool not to acknowledge how handsome you are. I'm sure the flirty nurses at the city hospital will be hovering around you."

I sat on a stool, taking his hands.

"Why don't you believe me?"

I furrowed my brows.

"Mom has been hesitant to commence treatment because she's kinda anxious about all the flirtatious stares and winks you will get...

You know," I leaned closer, "I heard there's a lady down the street who has a crush on you."

I whispered with a naughty chuckle but froze as I heard Mom clear her throat behind me.

Oh shit...

"Umm, Mom, you are here?" I smiled awkwardly as Dad turned away as if I wasn't about to be roasted.

"You should be on your way. Your father needs his rest because I’m taking him to the hospital," she said sternly.

I knew she heard my whispers.

"Yes, ma," I turned to Dad.

"I will see you later, champ. Just don't let that stop you from getting compliments."

I whispered some more, and Dad ended up giggling, his sore weak eyes gleaming with rare amusement.

"Argh, ok then, I will be on my way."

I stood up from the stool and walked out of the room,

out to the hall and towards the door, only stopping when I heard Mom's voice.

"Nadia..." I swallowed hard.

"I need to talk to you." I turned slowly, and my eyes rested on hers.

They looked heavy; she looked disturbed.

"How's your ankle?"

The trembling smile on the corner of my lips proved I didn't expect her question.

"Fine... Umm, it has gotten better."

Why did I feel like it wasn't my ankle that made her stop me?

"That boy Jeremy, Mr Deluca's son, what's your relationship with him?"

Of course, it wasn't about my ankle.

"I told you, Mom, he's the captain of the hockey team. We're just teammates, nothing outside that." I said briskly, hoping she would let me leave.

"Just teammates, you said? Then why is he outside, waiting to pick you up and drive you to work?"

My eyes widened.

Jeremy?

He was outside, what the hell?

"Answer me, Nadia. You said you got a job in one of the Deluca companies, but you never told me you befriended his son to the point where he drives you to work. Tell me, what's your relationship with him?" she asked again, and I found myself trembling.

"He..." I stuttered, the sudden lump in my throat keeping me from speaking.

"He knows, doesn't he?"

I blinked hard.

"Nadia, does he know that you are Noah, the new hockey player who signed with the Cheetahs?" she asked, and I froze, my whole system shutting down for a moment.

Even the air seemed too heavy to inhale.

"He knows your secrets, he knows you are pretending to be a boy?

How could you?" she yelled, her voice reeking of disappointment. I finally blinked, lost for words, thrown aback by her words and her confrontation.

"Mom, I... I..." I continued to stutter as I swallowed on nothing.

"Look at your father!" she yelled, pointing in the direction of his room, and I flinched.

"Did you see how weak he is?

How sick he is? He only has you, Nadia, only you.

Only you can save him, only your position in the hockey team can save his life. And now, you have revealed your secret to your number one enemy," she bellowed, and I swung my head as my eyes began to sting.

"Why, Nadia?

Why were you so careless? How did this happen? Why did you present yourself to your enemy?

You were supposed to take revenge on them for goodness' sake. And now? You handed him your secret on a golden platter."

She quarreled, turning to leave, but I grabbed her arm.

"It was a mistake, Mom. He walked in on me getting undressed in the locker room. I... I thought everyone had left, but he walked in, and I couldn't help it. There was nothing I could do..." I said, my eyes becoming wet as my voice continued to tremble.

"There was nothing you could do? Is that why you befriended him?" she asked, turning to me, her eyes red with anger like a command and I let go of her arm.

"But you asked me to befriend him, that's the only way we can get our revenge right?"

I asked with a shaky voice and watched her turn away.

"The plan was to use him, not to really befriend a Deluca, an enemy." She spat and I was quick to object.

"I didn't really befriend him.

I found out his father made Dad suffer, he was never my friend, even before then," I sniffed back away some tears.

"Mom, listen to me... I know what I have to do, I know I need to keep Dad alive, and I know I need to take revenge on his enemies.

Jeremy is nothing but a pawn, whom I'm going to use to bring his father to his knees. Believe me..." I pleaded, trying to convince myself as much as I was trying to convince her.

"Believe me, Mom, I can never be real friends with my father's enemy.

Just like I suffered seeing my father's tears, he too will suffer seeing his father's own tears," I said, and she nodded, her eyes regaining a bit of light.

"Alright then, I believe you and I trust you to bring honor to your father's name and punish those who offended him."

I bowed my head, my shoulders curled up as I tried to steady my breath.

"Your family should be your priority. I trust you to do what's best."

She continued, and I said nothing. "You can leave now; I will prepare your Dad for the hospital. Take care."

She drew closer and hugged me weakly. Afterwards, she walked away, leaving me standing in the corner of the hall, my breath heavy, my throat tight.