Green Eyes

Mrs. Park's room was smaller than I expected.

A single bed. A crucifix on the wall. A photograph of a young girl on the nightstand. The same photograph I had seen before. Her daughter. The one my mother supposedly saved.

"Sit down," she said.

"I would rather stand."

She closed the door. Leaned against it. Her face was calm, but her hands were shaking.

"How long have you known?" she asked.

"Lin found the log tonight. You accessed my mother's file. Then you tried to delete the evidence."

Mrs. Park nodded slowly. "I did."

"Why?"

"Because your mother asked me to."

I stared at her. "My mother asked you to spy on herself?"

"She wanted to know if anyone was watching her file. So I checked. She told me to delete the log afterward. To protect myself."

"Protect yourself from who?"

Mrs. Park walked to the bed. Sat down. She looked old. Tired.

"From the real traitor, Mira. I am not your enemy. I am a decoy."

"A decoy?"

"Your mother set me up. She knew someone was watching. She told me to access the file so the traitor would think I was the one. So they would come after me. Not her."

My stomach turned. "My mother used you as bait."

"Yes."

"And you agreed?"

"Your mother saved my daughter's life. I owe her. I would die for her."

"That is not loyalty. That is madness."

Mrs. Park looked up at me. Her eyes were wet.

"You do not understand. You have never had a child. You do not know what it is like to watch someone you love almost die. To know that you could not save them. To owe everything to the person who did."

I had no answer for that. Because she was right. I had my tubes tied at eighteen. I had sworn never to have children. Never to be vulnerable like that.

But I understood love. Or I was starting to.

"Who is the real traitor?" I asked.

"I do not know. That is the truth. I have been trying to find out for months. But they are careful. They leave no痕迹. No evidence. No mistakes."

"Everyone makes mistakes."

"Not this person."

"You said that before."

"Because it is true."

I sat down on the edge of her bed. The mattress was thin. The sheets were old. Mrs. Park lived like a servant, even though Rex would have given her anything.

"Why do you stay here?" I asked.

"Because this is my home. These are my people. I have been here for twenty years. I watched Rex grow up. I watched his father die. I watched your mother fall in love with Dante."

"Tell me about Dante."

Mrs. Park's face softened. "He was kind. Gentle. Nothing like Victor. He loved your mother more than anything. And he loved you. Even before you were born."

"What happened to him?"

"Victor found out about the affair. He was furious. Not because he loved your mother. Because he hated sharing. He poisoned Dante. Slow. Painful. Your mother watched him die."

"And then Victor tried to kill her too?"

"Yes. But she escaped. She faked her death. She went into hiding. And she left you behind."

"Why?"

"Because you were safer without her. Victor would have killed you too if he knew the truth. He thought you were his daughter. That was the only reason you survived."

I stood up. Walked to the window. The garden was dark. The roses were invisible.

"All these years," I said. "All these years, I thought Victor was my enemy. I thought killing him would set me free. And now I find out he was already dead. And my mother is alive. And my real father is dead. And my husband is my cousin. And the woman I trusted to help me has been lying to my face."

Mrs. Park stood behind me. Did not touch me.

"I am sorry, Mira. I know sorry does not fix anything. But I am sorry."

"Sorry is a word. I need action."

"What kind of action?"

"The truth. All of it. Starting now."

Mrs. Park was quiet for a long time. Then she nodded.

"Ask."

"Who killed Marco? The body double."

"I do not know. But I know when. The night of your wedding."

"The night of my wedding? He was alive at dinner."

"Yes. Someone killed him after dinner. Before his body was found."

"Who found him?"

"Your sister. Isabella."

"Isabella found the body?"

"She called your mother. Your mother called Rex. Rex called you."

I thought back to that night. Isabella at the door. Her face white. Her eyes wild. Father is dead, she said.

But she had not looked scared. She had looked... satisfied.

"Isabella killed him," I said.

Mrs. Park shook her head. "I do not think so. She does not have the stomach for murder."

"Then who?"

"I do not know."

"Who benefits from Marco being dead?"

Mrs. Park thought about it. "The person who wanted the truth to come out. The person who wanted you to know about your mother. The person who wanted you to come looking for her."

"That does not make sense. My mother wanted to stay hidden. Why would anyone want to force her out?"

"Because someone wants her dead, Mira. And they knew the only way to find her was to force you to find her first."

My blood went cold.

"Someone is using me."

"Yes."

"Someone wants me to lead them to my mother."

"Yes."

"Someone is inside this house."

Mrs. Park nodded. "Yes."

"Who?"

"I do not know. But they are close. Very close. Someone you trust."

I walked to the door. Paused with my hand on the handle.

"If you are lying to me," I said, "I will kill you myself."

Mrs. Park did not flinch.

"I know. That is why I am telling you the truth."

I opened the door. Walked out.

The hallway was dark. The house was silent. I moved past the portraits. Past the suits of armor. Past the cameras I had mapped in my head.

Someone I trusted.

Who?

Rex? He had lied about Dante. About knowing my mother. About the file.

Mrs. Park? She had been lying for months. Maybe years.

Lin? She was loyal. But she was not in the house.

My mother? I did not trust her at all.

Isabella? I never trusted her.

That left no one.

I was alone in a house full of enemies.

I found Rex in his study.

He sat behind his desk. A glass of whiskey in his hand. His shirt was unbuttoned. His hair was messy. He looked up when I walked in.

"You talked to Mrs. Park," he said.

"How do you know?"

"Because you have that look. The look you get when someone tells you something you did not want to hear."

"She is not the traitor."

"I know."

"You knew?"

"I have known for weeks. She is a decoy. Your mother's decoy."

"And you did not tell me?"

"Your mother asked me not to."

"My mother asked you. And you listened. You listened to her instead of me."

Rex stood up. Walked around the desk.

"Your mother is dangerous, Mira. But she is not stupid. She knew someone was watching. She needed a decoy. Mrs. Park volunteered."

"That does not make it right."

"No. But it kept you alive."

"Kept me alive? Or kept my mother hidden?"

Rex stopped in front of me. His face was inches from mine.

"Do you really think I would risk your life for her? For anyone?"

"I do not know what to think anymore. Everyone is lying. Everyone has secrets. Including you."

"Yes. Including me."

"Then tell me. Now. No more lies."

Rex reached into his pocket. Pulled out a photograph. Handed it to me.

A woman. Young. Beautiful. Dark hair. Green eyes.

My mother.

"Where did you get this?" I asked.

"I took it. The night she faked her death."

"You were there?"

"I was there, Mira. I watched her disappear. I helped her."

The room tilted.

"You helped her fake her death? You were fifteen years old."

"I was fifteen. And I owed her my life. She saved me from my father. She got me out of that house. She gave me a future."

"So everything. Everything between us. It was all because of her."

"No."

"No?"

Rex grabbed my shoulders. Pulled me close.

"I helped her because I owed her. I married you because I wanted you. Two different things."

"They feel the same."

"They are not. I love you, Mira. I did not plan it. I did not expect it. But I love you."

I wanted to believe him.

I could not.

"You love me," I said. "And you lied to me."

"To protect you."

"Everyone keeps saying that. Everyone keeps lying to protect me. And I am tired of it. I am tired of being protected. I am tired of being a puppet. I am done."

I pulled away. Walked to the door.

"Mira. Wait."

"No. I am going to bed. Do not follow me."

I walked out.

The hallway was dark. The house was silent.

I climbed the stairs. Walked to our bedroom. Opened the door.

Someone was inside.

A woman. Standing by the window. Her back to me.

Green eyes reflected in the glass.

My mother.

"We need to talk," she said. "About Rex. About the traitor. About who really killed Marco."

"What about Rex?"

She turned. Her face was pale.

"Rex is not who you think he is, Mira. He is not your cousin. He is not your ally."

"Then who is he?"

My mother's voice dropped to a whisper.

"He is the one who killed Dante. Your real father. Rex was seventeen years old. And he put the poison in Dante's glass."

The world stopped.

"No," I said.

"Yes. Ask him yourself. He will not deny it."

I turned. Ran down the stairs. Burst into the study.

Rex was still there. Still standing behind his desk.

"Is it true?" I asked. "Did you kill my father?"

Rex's face went pale.

"Mira..."

"Answer me."

He was silent for a long time.

Then he nodded.

"Yes," he said. "I killed Dante Marchetti."

I could not breathe.

"I was seventeen," he said. "Your mother asked me to do it. Dante was going to kill her. He found out she was planning to leave him. He was going to put a bullet in her head. I had no choice."

"You had a choice. You always have a choice."

"He would have killed her, Mira. She was going to die. I saved her."

"By killing my father."

"He was not your father. Victor was your father. Dante was just... a mistake."

I walked to the door. Looked back at him.

"I am leaving," I said. "Do not follow me."

"Mira, please..."

I walked out.

The hallway was dark. The house was silent.

I did not look back.