Chapter 2

l used to hate the storm but today the thunder and my screams echoed together through the whole house. The rain poured down as tears flowed down my eyes. l cried until there were no tears left. l sobbed until l lost my voice but the pain in my heart didn't subsidize.

l hadn't left the house for a week after the funeral. If l wasn't crying ,then l was sleeping. l couldn't deal with the loss. l was depressed and so damn alone. My godparents came to see me every day but l didn't speak to them. l could see the pity in their eyes when they looked at me but l didn't want their pity, l wanted my parents.

Today was the day the will was being read. My parents were rich, our house is in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Las Vegas. Both my parents were doctors. l wasn't interested in the will though but l wanted to honor my parent's wishes. l wanted to make them proud wherever they are.

l freshened up and put on a large t-shirt and some boy shorts. When l went downstairs my godparents and the lawyer were already here. l gave them a small smile and joined them as we all sat down on the couches in the sitting room.

"There's not much to say on the will except that Mr and Mrs Porter left all their assets to their daughter considering that she's the only living family they had" the lawyer said looking at me solemnly but l didn't want their pity.

"But she's still so young " Max my godfather and my dad's best friend said.

"We'll take her in" Elena his wife and also my godmother said ,her eyes narrowed at her husband like he said something he wasn't supposed to to say.

"You don't need to because their wish was for her to be the sole beneficiary of their assets. Eliana Porter has full reign over her life." the lawyer pointed out and l stared at him in shock. l honestly thought that they had left me in Elena and Max's care.

Uncle Max and Aunt Elena didn't seem happy about the decision though, in fact they looked annoyed and irritated.

"Your father left you a letter" he smiled sadly at me while passing it to me and l swallowed harshly.

"How about you come to my office in a few days and we'll navigate through your assets and what you want to do" he said standing up to leave and l gave him a tense nod.

"You know that we're here for you if you need anything right" Uncle Max said and l shrugged.

l locked the door and set the alarm as soon as they all left. l am glad they left. l hated being near anyone at this moment. They all felt sorry for me. l could see it in their eyes and l hated it.

l entered their room where l have been sleeping ever since they died and opened dad's letter.

"my beautiful girl, I remember the day you were born, so small so cute so fragile and then I think the girl that you've become.

Strong, resilient, humble, kind and in fact sometimes I wonder if we're the ones that raised you. You have filled my life with meaning. I know that there were times where I was too busy with work to come to your chess tournament and prizegiving days. But I want you to know that a day has never passed by and I haven't been proud of the girl that you are ,and grown into.

I am not afraid of death but I'm afraid of what will happen to you and your mother when I die. I'm not sure if your mother will be strong enough to deal with the grief but I know that you will take care of her and you'll be strong for the both of you.

Maybe I'm putting to make responsibilities on you but you know that I will never give a task that you cannot handle. I won't tell you that everything will be okay after my death but sooner or later he will learn to live with the pain.

I am afraid that there is something that your mother and I have never told you. We hid a truth from you , maybe you'll hate us for it, maybe you might never forgive us but we hid it because we love you. We hid the truth because it didn't have the potential to hurt just our family but also another family.

I know that your mother will not have the strength to tell you this after am gone which is why I have decided to tell you the truth before I leave. The truth doesn't change who you are my angel. It doesn't change the fact that you are the apple of your mother's eyes, it doesn't change the fact that you are your daddy's little princess. It doesn't change that you are Elliana Porter.

Do you remember when both you and Mom were tested in order to find me a bone marrow. You weren't a match in fact your blood type is AB which is close to impossible considering that your mum and I are blood type O.

It bugged mom and me a lot. We decided to take a DNA test, and just as we suspected the DNA test came back negative. We were shattered my angel. We were shattered that the girl we love and I adore is not our biological daughter, but then we looked at you, and in that moment it didn't matter that you don't have our blood but the values we instilled in you and the way you looked at us. That was all that mattered and you were a daughter in every possible way.

It doesn't matter that you were exchanged or whatever happened in the hospital. We haven't cared to find out till date. What matters is that you scrunch your nose when you're thinking of something just like your mother does. What matters is the fact that you are is crazy for RnB as I am. We share so many characteristics but most importantly we share love.

Even if we were to find our other child, it will never be the same. I don't think this overwhelming love and feeling that I get when I see you I will ever be able to shared with somebody else. Your mother and I we didn't have other children in order to give you the world.

The reason why I'm telling you this is because I want you to find your parents, I want you to find your father. I know that when you grow up you will need your father to walk you down the aisle, you'll need your father to kick the boy who will break your heart. I'm not sure if your mother will ever recover and live without me, I want you to have a family and a support system as you grow and I think your family will be exactly that.

When you do find that girl or boy who was exchanged with, please do tell them that in another world or universe I would've loved to get to know them but in this one my life was cut short.

Don't lose your shine my angel. Don't ever doubt my love for you. Don't ever even for a second wonder who your parents really are because me and Mom will always be your parents.

I love you and I'll be watching you from above. Live and let live. And remember the most important thing ,even the night has to give way to the day.

The darker the night, the brighter the stars.