Chapter 19

Amelia

Looking at my uncles and aunt, I have a pang of longing hit me square in the chest. I didn't realize how much I had missed them all until this moment. I turn to face my mom and my breath hitches, she's not looking at me like she usually does. The intensity in which she is scrutinizing me is unsettling, it's making me feel like she can see beneath the mask I wear and is forcing me to bare all my scars.

"Everyone put your fucking weapons down, now!" The sound of my father's voice has me trembling, not with fear but with… shame. I'm a fucking coward. I can't even look at him because I know the moment I do, I'll break and I won't be able to hide from reality any longer. He will take control and force me to be strong, he won't allow me to cower and hide out with Cronos. He'll make me stand on my own two feet and take back control of the life I built for myself. He'll allow me to push him away and hate him just because he thinks it will make me happy.

"Not until I know what the fuck happened to my daughter," Mom grits out. She darts her gaze from me to Cronos and scowls at the man who has done nothing but try to be there for me and love me through all my flaws.

"Ally, put the fucking knife down, now," Dad snaps, drawing Mom's gaze back to him.

"Come again?" she grits out. My uncles step back, knowing this disagreement has nothing to do with them.

"Baby, I am telling you to get rid of the fucking blade because our daughter looks like she is about to flee if anyone threatens Cronos again." My dad isn't wrong, given the choice I would happily run with Cronos. I'm even rethinking my decision about coming here.

"King, look at her?—"

"I am, Allison!" he roars. "I'm begging you to put the fucking knife away because I can't go another year without seeing my daughter." My bottom lip trembles as guilt washes over me, without me needing to say a single word Cronos is at my back rubbing his hands up and down my arms, offering me his silent support. The small gesture means more than he will ever truly know, I have never had someone stand beside me against my family.

I've never brought anyone home either.

Given who my father is and the fact I keep my true name a secret, so I can live a semi-normal life, means I lie to everyone. No one outside of my family and Cronos know who I truly am. To not have to hide that I am Amelia Murdoch is… freeing. I never expected to feel like that. I always thought it was a burden I would have to carry for the rest of my life, but turns out, I was wrong.

"Meelz?" I subtly shake my head to clear my thoughts and look at Uncle Bishop. He looks stoic and ready to pounce at a seconds notice.

"Yeah?" I ask.

"I think you need to explain what is going on before your mother resorts to her tactics of torture. I don't like the idea of my granddaughter being upset and your mother slicing her best friend would most certainly piss her off." The pleading tone he uses has me thinking my uncle may actually fear London's wrath as much as her father does.

"Cronos never hurt me. He… helped me," I answer with conviction so there is no way they can dispute it. They exchange a loaded look, which I choose to ignore, as I press back against Nos, trying to soak up some of his warmth and strength. I've never been the type of woman to need a man to hold my hand or be my rock but with him, it's different. This isn't about power or who is in charge, this is about us as equals needing the other to just be there.

"Amelia, can you explain to me why you look like you have seen a ghost then?" A whoosh of air escapes me at my mom's question. I open my mouth but no words come out, I haven't the slightest idea on how to explain this situation to them.

"Would you feel better if I wasn't here?" I slam my eyes closed at my dad's question. "I'll… leave." Before my dad can take a step, I snap my eyes open and face him for the first time since arriving. He looks… ashen and distraught—I did that to him. Just the sight of him has tears filling my eyes. My bottom lip trembles the longer we stand here staring at each other. He looks like he wants to eliminate the space between us but is scared I'll push him away like I always do.

"Daddy…" I choke out before a sob tears out of me as tears finally fall down my cheeks. It takes him a fraction of a second to clear the space between us. Nos releases me the second my dad pulls me into his embrace. I grip the back of his shirt in a vice-like hold and cling to him as horrible gut-wrenching cries claw their way out of me. Dad has an arm wrapped around my waist and the other gripping the back of my head as he holds me against his chest. I drove a wedge between us for years. Cronos is wrong, I didn't save this family I fucking destroyed it! "I'm… so… sorry," I stutter out through my tears, his hold on me tightens.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, princess." I push back and stare up at him. Shock ripples through me at the sight of his own tears wetting his cheeks.

"I blamed you for everything?—"

"You had every right to blame me, Meelz. I should have tried harder, been better?—"

I shake my head, denying his claim. "No, Dad. I fucked up. I broke us and I'm so sorry. Please don't hate me," I cry out. He pulls me to him again and crushes me against his chest.

"Hating you would be like hating myself, I could never do that, princess. You are the reason why I smile daily, you are everything good about me. I love you, Amelia. I never smiled until the day I found you. You give me the strength to want a better life and make sure our family never suffers like me and my siblings did. I am so fucking proud of you for wanting something different and making something of yourself. You did that, baby girl—not me or your last name. Max Kingsley gave you the freedom to be who you were meant to be." I pull back and sniff as I wipe away my tears and look up at my dad, it's like I'm seeing him for the first time in a whole new light.

"I don't want to be Max Kingsley anymore, Dad. I want to be Amelia Murdoch." His eyes widen as his mouth parts on a gasp. My mom steps forward and stands beside him, looking just as taken back as he is. I swore I would never want to accept my last name and even tried to go under my mother's maiden name but my whole family was in uproar about it.

"Honey, are you serious?" my mom asks timidly, as if she is scared I may change my mind.

"Meelz, are you sure this is what you want?" Dad cuts his gaze from me to Cronos, who just snorts.

"If you think I had anything to do with this decision, then you clearly don't know how fucking stubborn your daughter is." I scowl at my family as they all begin to mutter under their breath, even my parents are joining them. I pin each of them with a look that promises retribution. My aunt and uncles are the first to close their mouths and smile sheepishly, my parents follow suit.

"Can we maybe… go inside and talk?" I ask. Everyone begins speaking at once. I jolt backward and smack into Cronos. I look up at him to find a smile on his face.

"Still here, angel," he reassures me. Some of the panic that was rising inside me begins to ease. Nos interlocks our fingers as we follow after the others, I haven't been here since the night Uncle Bishop granted me my freedom from the family. It feels weird and kind of like a full circle. When I left here, I was adamant that I would never return and Amelia Murdoch would never see the light of day again. Now, as I enter the home I grew up in I feel… at peace. I don't need to be Max Kingsley anymore. If I'm going to raise a strong independent woman, then I need to lead by example and show my daughter that I was strong enough to face my fears and not give a fuck what the rest of the world thinks about my last name.