Emily had been wandering aimlessly through the forest for what felt like an eternity. No one answered her, no one heard her, and no one recognized her. Tears streamed down her face. She longed to return, to end the suffocating pain that gripped her heart. Exhausted, she forced herself to keep moving forward, without a destination.
“Emily,” a gruff man’s voice shattered the silence. Finally, someone in this forest recognized her and called out to her. Emily turned, her heart pounding, and saw a figure emerging from behind the trees. The man’s eyes held a deep sadness. His face, rough but familiarly gentle, stared back at her.
When their eyes met, Emily stared in disbelief. Standing before her was none other than her biological father, Thomas.
“How… how are you here?” Shock and confusion swirled in Emily’s head. She couldn’t comprehend what was happening. How could she be reunited with her father, who was supposed to be dead?
“Am… am I dead?” Emily whispered, her voice hoarse and disbelieving. Her eyes widened, gazing at Thomas with horror and confusion. “Am… am I really dead?”
“Emily…” Thomas called out, his voice raspy, his steps hesitant as he approached her. He raised his hand, as if trying to calm her.
“Stop! Don’t come any closer!” Emily shouted, her body tense, her fists clenched. Her eyes blazed with anger, piercing Thomas with a sharp gaze.
“You know, I can’t forgive you for what you did,” Emily hissed, her voice trembling with rage. “Everything you did to Daniel… everything you did to his parents.”
“How… how could you be so cruel?” Emily asked, her voice catching, her eyes welling up. “He was just a child then. And you… you took the lives of his parents!”
“I know… It’s all my fault,” Thomas said, his voice muffled by the weight of his regret. The guilt felt like a heavy stone crushing his chest, making him breathless.
“Why… why did you do it?” Emily asked, her voice shaking. Her eyes met Thomas’s, filled with a mixture of hurt and disappointment.
Thomas remained silent, unable to find the right words to explain his actions.
“Why did you have to kill?” Emily asked, her voice breaking. “You know… you know how much he meant to me.”
Thomas hung his head, his jaw clenching. “I was forced,” he replied, his voice raspy. “I was trapped in debt, your mother left me, and I needed a lot of money to treat your heart condition at the time.”
Thomas shook his head slowly, his eyes welling up as he recalled all the sins he had committed. “Anthony threatened me. He promised to free me from the debt if I killed Daniel’s parents. I refused, but he threatened to kill you. I couldn’t let him hurt you, Emily. You were everything to me.”
Tears welled up in Emily’s eyes. The newly revealed truth was like a giant wave crashing against a reef. She finally understood that Daniel’s parents’ deaths were also connected to her. Her father had killed them to protect her.
Thomas took a deep breath, trying to control his emotions. “Forgive me, Emily. I know I’ve sinned against you and Daniel. I’m so sorry. I never intended to hurt them, but I was caught in a situation I couldn’t control.”
Emily’s body trembled violently, sobbing with regret. “So it all has to do with me. I’m the one who caused Daniel to lose his parents.”
Thomas shook his head, his eyes welling up. “No, darling. You’re not to blame. It’s all my fault. I’m the one who decided to do all of this.”
“All this time, I’ve been blaming you without knowing you did all this for me,” Emily said, her voice hoarse, punctuated by sobs that shook her body. “You should have just let me die.”
Thomas fell silent, his heart pierced by Emily’s words. “How can you say such a thing? I couldn’t possibly let you die because you’re my daughter,” Thomas said.
“Forgive me, Dad,” Emily sobbed. “I’m guilty of hating you and blaming you for all this without knowing the truth.”
“No, you’re not guilty, Emily,” Thomas said.
Emily walked closer to Thomas and hugged him tightly, her body trembling with a mixture of emotions. “Dad. Forgive me for hating you. You must have suffered so much all this time.”
“It’s okay, darling,” Thomas whispered, his voice gentle, calming Emily as she sobbed in his arms.
After a while, Emily released her embrace, her eyes looking at Thomas with questions. “Dad, what are you actually doing here?”
Thomas smiled softly. “I’m waiting for you, Emily.”
“Waiting for me?” Emily asked, her brow furrowed, not understanding the meaning of Thomas’s words.
Thomas nodded slowly, his eyes welling up. “I knew you would choose this path. I knew you would sacrifice yourself to save Daniel, ignoring my words about your destiny.”
Emily looked down, tears flowing down her cheeks again. “I couldn’t let him die in front of me. I love him so much. How could fate be so cruel?” Emily’s voice trembled, filled with unspeakable pain.
“It’s all my fault, Emily,” Thomas said. “I will atone for all my mistakes, set you free from this place. I will trade my broken soul for your pure soul.”
Emily frowned, not understanding the meaning of Thomas’s words. “What do you mean, Dad?”
“I will free you from this place. This is not your place, you still have a chance,” Thomas replied, his eyes welling up, filled with deep sorrow. “You must go back, Emily. You still have a life to live. A bright future awaits you there.”
“What do you mean, Dad? I’m getting more and more confused,” Emily said.
Thomas’s gaze fell upon Emily’s face, filled with confusion and fear. “Emily, forgive me. I failed to be a good father. But I’m always proud of you. I’m grateful to have you as my daughter.”
Tears streamed down Thomas’s face, wetting his cheeks. “I love you, Emily. More than anything in this world. I will always love you.”
With his rough hand, Thomas reached for Emily’s hand and grasped it tightly. “Emily,” he whispered, his voice trembling with tears. “I will bring you home.”
Suddenly, a beam of white light ignited between them, stretching like a connecting bridge.
“What’s happening, Dad?” Emily asked, but Thomas only answered with a smile etched on his face.
The white light became blinding, enveloping Emily’s body completely. She felt her body lifted, flying upwards, leaving the suffocating darkness of the forest below.
As the light began to fade, Thomas stumbled backward, his body becoming transparent like smoke. His soul, which had been his guide all this time, slowly disappeared, sacrificed to return Emily to the real world.
“Goodbye, my daughter,” he whispered, his voice barely audible, yet full of love. “Finally, I can atone for all my sins. I hope for your happiness. Always…”