Astrea's pov

"Ryan! I want you in my house right now" I said as soon as he picked up
"What happened? Are you okay?" He asked in a sleepy voice
"Just come here" I said in a hard voice before hanging up the call

Fifteen minutes later my door is being slammed open before he enters frantically
"Astrea. What happened?" he started before freezing when he saw me.

My makeup is probably running down my face, mascara and eyeliner are probably smeared and my eyes are probably bloodshot.

"Did he do something?" He asked in a concerned voice.
"He did. But you did too" I said causing him to look at me confused

Smoothening the scrunched up the photo that I stole from Nikolai, the only photo with my biological family on it and another man who looks like Nikolai, probably his father, I show it to him.

"What is this Ryan?" I asked. My voice came out dry
My question is met with silence.

He looks anxious, his eyes did not meet mine and instead focused on his shoes.

"Astrea we were just protecting you" he said. His expression displayed how miserable he felt

"From what? What can be so dangerous that you lied for so long?" I whispered barely able to control my tears

He didn't say anything but just stood there silently staring at me
"Please Ryan, just tell me"

"Your memories" he finally mumbled too quietly that I barely heard him. his eyes watery and his expression dishevelled

"What do you mean?" I asked
"You don't want to know Astrea. Trust me" he said shaking his head.
"please. For once tell me the truth" I yelled desperately.

Taking a long breath he said
"Your memory loss is a blessing in disguise Rea. You weren't in an accident you were abused" he breathed out

"What?" My heart broke.
"It's true. You were abused physically but mental abuse can be much more lethal. It can kill a person from the inside and you didn't remember it and We wanted you happy so we lied. We protected you from your memories"

tears escaped my eyes. It seems that I had a lot of tears tonight and I know he is still holding some truth back and I don't even want to know it.

I saw the scars, that I thought were from an accident everyday, and I am astonished I survived them.

"Did you knew about Nikolai or my biological family?" I asked not wanting to think about what Ryan just revealed when my head started hurting too much

"I just came to know a few weeks ago after the day he met you again. we both agreed that it's best if you don't know and" he sighed before continuing

"In my fucked up mind, I thought you may not need me or love me after you came to know your real family so it was also one of the reasons" he admitted

I hugged him because he need my comfort and assurance right now and I need him too. I understand they did it to protect me and because they love me however much it hurt me. I know they did what they thought was right

"You are my big brother Ryan and I love you and our parents too. I will always need you because you, mum and dad were there when no one else was even though you had no obligation to love me. Never doubt that"

....

I sat there as Daniel side hugged me, Atlas sitting in my lap licking my hand and snuggling against my chest while Diana sat opposite me doing something on her phone.

I woke up feeling like shit and took the day off from work, still not ready to see him. I probably look like a zombie right now with the whole night of crying I spent and not a single second of sleep. Ryan sent Daniel here probably sensing my mood who brought along Diana.

Daniel brought me a tub of ice cream to make me feel better and is right now rubbing my back.

"It's okay Astrea. Everything will be alright. They were just trying to protect you" Daniel whispered sweetly. I know he is right but I just feel betrayed and I still don't know how to feel about the mafia thing. Daniel and Diana don't know about it and the abuse. they just know that I knew him from childhood and how they lied.

"Stop being a crybaby. You are probably just a conquest for him. He probably do this to everyone" Diana's said in a prissy voice

I know he hurt me but I also know he isn't like that. I know his feeling are real. Anyone can see the love and tenderness in his eyes even in the photos of our childhood.

"He isn't like that. I know I mean something to him" I said defending him against my best friend

"Stop being naive Astrea. You are being played" she yelled at me. Just when I am about to ask her what her deal is and why is she being a bitch Daniel did

"Stop being jealous Diana. Just because he rejected you doesn't mean you have to take it out on her" and my eyes widen. She hit on him even after knowing how much I liked him

"Fuck off" she said directing it at both of us before stomping out of my house

"She really hit on him?" I asked him
"She had always been jealous of you. I just didn't say anything because she was my sister but you are like my sister too. I heard her yelling to herself yesterday" he said shrugging his shoulders

The betrayal from tomorrow was still fresh when another was blown to me. I wonder what else I can't see? Am I too naive to not notice everything going around me? I would have cried but I had no tears left after last night.

"Don't worry about her. She is not worth it" he said hugging me again and Atlas licked my palm making me smile at him.