Chapter 3
"I've been to orphanages before. They're not always good to the kids. She's way too young. We can't send her there," Elodie said.
Vernon frowned. "But our lifestyle—"
"Having a kid won't slow us down," Elodie replied.
Vernon was quiet for a moment, then nodded.
"Alright, let's head back and sort out the official process," Vernon said.
That day, a black sedan with an Elarion license plate drove all the way from the old alleyways of Virella up north to the military district.
That's when I was officially adopted and became Daniela Ward.
"Ward" was my father's last name, and "Daniela" was after my mother's hometown—she picked it because she thought I had soft, gentle features.
My name carried her hopes for me—to live a peaceful, smooth life and grow up safely.
From that moment, everything changed—my story began anew.
My father, Vernon, was a high-ranking official in the military and government of Elarion.
He hailed from a prestigious family of scholars and had a distinguished and honorable career in public service.
In the heart of Elarion, he was someone people looked up to—a man of real influence and reputation.
And my mom, Elodie, was one of the youngest top researchers at the Crestmor Academy of Sciences.
She was a true prodigy, yet had a gentle temperament.
She loved cats and flowers most of all and was a natural at caring for others.
They were a newly married couple.
Yet after adopting me, they never planned to have biological children of their own.
"A child is heaven's blessing," Elodie said.
"We ought to give her a second chance at life," she added.
They never neglected me or held back their love.
From my very first bottle of formula to learning how to read, from falling sick to losing my baby teeth.
From that first burning fever all the way to the proud moment I took home an award for my handwriting.
They were always there, every step of the way, right by my side.
To me, they were my whole world.
In a flash, more than ten years flew by—time just slipped away before I even noticed.
From a baby left behind, I grew into a young lady with a bright, steady gaze and a composed aura.
It felt like I had just woken up from a long, vivid dream.
By the time I woke up, the wind had already changed direction.
In 1986, on the day I graduated from the military academy, I wrote just one line.
It read, [I apply to join the First Air Force Squadron in Virella, as a political officer.]
Everyone was shocked.
Vernon even wondered if I'd filled out the form wrong. "Daniela, you've always excelled at school and kept your cool. You could get a staff post anywhere. Why insist on going somewhere so far away?"
I gave a faint smile. "Dad, I just have an unfinished matter to attend to."
No one ever knew.
That place was where everything in my previous life veered off course.
And it was also where the story finally ended.
Antonio from the Torres family in our compound happened to be applying for the pilot entrance exams.
He was set on making the First Squadron his goal, same as me.
When he heard about my assignment, he followed me around, teasing. "Daniela, you're not going there just for me, are you?"
I gave him a faint look. "Don't flatter yourself."
He laughed, carefree, and stuck by me constantly.
On the day of the military skills competition, he insisted on dragging me along.
"Come on, you have to be there. I need you to cheer me on," Antonio said.
I didn't really want to go, but in the end, Antonio was so persistent, I couldn't resist him.
So, under the blazing sun, I stood by the review stand.
In my ears, the shouts of the instructors mingled with cheering and the thunderous rumble of engines—it was a whirlwind of noise.
Just as I took a sip of water, my eyes caught sight of two familiar faces in the crowd.
It was Rodney and Gabrielle.
My biological brother, Rodney.
And that fake daughter, Gabrielle, wearing a flight nurse's uniform, her smile serene and gentle.
Almost without thinking, my fingers curled and a chill spread across my palm.
This dramatic reunion had come way earlier than I ever could've expected.
Rodney's eyes landed on me in the crowd, and he just froze, staring for what felt like forever, completely dazed.
For a split second, it felt like I was swept right back to that day in my previous life.
The sun was glaring white, and the breeze rustled the jasmine just outside the door.
Everything seemed as peaceful as before anything went wrong.
Yet, beneath the surface, trouble was brewing.
Gabrielle hosted a special party in honor of Rodney passing his flight training.
She wore a flowing white dress, her smile gentle and full of warmth.
She was the very definition of kindness and grace—like the gentlest girl one could ever imagine.
That day, I accidentally saw something I never should've witnessed.
Gabrielle was in the kitchen, quietly mixing something into Rodney's drink.
I quietly swapped out Rodney's drink and stashed the cup somewhere safe.
Then, clutching the cup with its leftover liquid, I found someone who could run an analysis on it.
When the test results finally came in, my heart was thumping out of my chest.
[This stuff makes people lose focus for a while and messes with their ability to think straight,] the results said.
I tracked Gabrielle down and asked her point-blank.
"Why did you drug Rodney?" I demanded.
Unhurried, Gabrielle smoothed her dress, her smile still gentle.
"Don't get me wrong," she said, "I just feel some things need to be sped up a little."
I shook my head.