The day before I was set to leave, Ted held a party. It wasn’t in the honor of my departure. It was coincidental perhaps. But most likely, it was another one of his set up. For Ted, everything was by design, nothing was left to chance.

My father was in attendance. It had been years since I last saw him. He looked different than how I remembered him. He looked much older than he should have. His eyes were hardened. His smile was gone. He carried himself with hard won dignity that risked crushing him every step he took. He didn’t look like the man who had been my father. He looked like an old bulldog worn out by life.

The Chancellor was there too. Benagher’s father. Contrary to my father, the man seemed jovial, as he smiled and shook hand with everyone, including myself. I wondered if he missed his son. He certainly didn’t seem so, and that bothered me.

There were many other people in attendance. Fiori was there. Dr. Bari too, with some members of her team. I recognized one of the driver and some other people I had cross path with at Project EDEN. I roamed around the room until I got bored. There were well over a hundred people, but none interested me.

I wore the blue dress with the yellow sash Mrs. Weatherspoon liked so much. It made me look childish and out of place in that crowd of black ties. The Weatherspoons were busy socializing. Far from their watch, I ate as many jam sandwiches as my stomach could handle. It was while reaching for one more that I notice a little boy wearing a white suit. I didn’t think there would be any other children in attendance.

“Hi! My name is Eva. What’s yours?”

“’vin,” he said a mouthful of crackers.

“Where are your parents?”

The little boy didn’t answer.

Eva threw a quick glance around. No one seemed to be missing a toddler. She scratched the top of her head.

“How old are you?”

The little boy slowly raised two fingers.

“So young…” Eva mumbled… “Well, it was nice meeting you, little one.”

She turned away and as she was about to leave, felt a little hand grab the pan of her dress. She suddenly felt sick, nauseous with a headache. It was so sudden, so violent. She leaned on the table to steady herself as her whole world when dark. It lasted only a few seconds but to her, it felt like an eternity. When she came back to herself, the little boy had tears in his eyes.

“So’y,” the little boy said with a sad smile.

His hand dropped to his side.

It took a few seconds for Eva to collect her thoughts. The sick feeling was gone. The little boy was starring at her with his big brown eyes.

“So’y,” the little boy said again.

“Sorry? Sorry for what?” Eva didn’t understand. What had just happened? That feeling. She had felt it before, once. When was it? It was after one of the experiments, she recalled.

“Was it you?” she asked, confused. “No, it couldn’t have been. That’s crazy. What was it? What happened.”

She frowned.

The little boy didn’t explain. He was too young for that. But the sad smile on his face was enough for Eva to understand that what ever had happened was his fault, and he had no control over it. It made her heart sink.

“It’s ok,” she said with a soothing voice. “It wasn’t your fault. You didn’t mean it, I’m sure.”

She knew the pain hidden behind that smile; it was the same pain hiding behind hers. She offered her hand to the little boy. He hesitated for a moment.

“It’s ok! I want to show you something.”

The little boy took Eva’s hand and together they made their way to her room. This was her last night at the Weatherspoon’s house. Tomorrow she would move to Nova Urbi, leaving everything behind. She lifted the corner of her bed and pulled out the picturebook from under her mattress. It had been a while since she had last looked at it! Ever since the hideous chandelier had been installed, she had tucked the book away under her mattress. She hated seeing the image in the book; the resemblance was uncanny. It reminded her of how much she wanted to go home.

Hoping it would bring a little happiness to the boy, she offered him the book. “Here, would you like this book? It was mine but I no longer need it. You can have it.”

Instantly, the little boy’s face lite up as he carefully flipped the pages of the book.

“One day, you’ll be big enough, and you will be able to read all the words!”

The little boy went from A to Z, before he turned to the door. Eva heard the hurried steps coming down the hallway.

“Right,” she said to the little boy, as she gently pressed the book against his chest. “It’s time to go back to the party! They’re probably looking for you.”

In the doorway Ted appeared followed by an unknown man.

“There you are Evian. I was so worried!” The man said.

“I am so sorry Mr. Li. But in the end, all’s well that ends well. Evian was simply playing with my little Eva. Looks like they made friends. Perhaps one day, we could get the girls together, Eva would simply love the company!”

“My daughter?” the man mumbled while searching for his words.

“Your daughter, Lianna.”

“She doesn’t usually like company,” the man finally said.

Ted was about to press again when Eva interrupted him.

“It’s ok father. I don’t need any company. I have Benagher. And besides, it’s not like I am going to be here anymore…”

“Right, let us get back to the party! We have so much to celebrate tonight!”

Mr. Li took his son by the hand and off they went with Ted.

Eva took a moment, looking at her empty room, unsure of what tomorrow would bring. She buried her face in her pillow and enjoy the lemon scent.

“I better get back to the party,” she whispered to herself.

As soon as she re-entered the ballroom, Fiori made his way to her.

“With you in the room, I am surprised there are any strawberry jam sandwiches left on the table!”

“I have to pace myself, so Mrs. Weatherspoon doesn’t scold me,” Eva replied with a smirk.

“Where you’re going, there won’t be any, so eat up child, it might be a while before you get good food again.”

“Tell me about Nova Urbi,” the girl asked.

“There isn’t much for me to tell. I’ve never been there. Ted won’t let me get anywhere near his prized possession.”

“His prized possession?”

“Fenix.”

“Ted doesn’t trust you?”

“Should he? Keep your friends close, and your enemy closer,” Fiori said with a mischievous smile.

“Is that why you befriended me?” Eva asked inconspicuously.

“Maybe… or perhaps I am just using you,” Fiori whispered back.

Eva frowned.

“That little boy over there, the one you were talking with earlier. That’s the youngest of the Li siblings.”

Eva looked at the toddler holding his father’s hand tightly.

“What’s his characteristic?”

“He’s still young, and we still have a lot to learn but I think you and him have a lot in common.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s the original version of your characteristic. You are a pale copy of it. He’s only 2 years old and already surpasses your ability. As long as he lives, Ted will never value you.”

Eva froze. Fiori’s words were chilling.

“I am Ted’s daughter,” the little girl finally articulated.

“And what does that mean?”

“I am his daughter,” the little girl insisted.

“You are a tool, nothing more to him.”

“I am indispensable. I am going to control Fenix.”

“And then what?”

“I… I…” The little girl fell quiet. Defeated.

Fiori didn’t have to say it. Deep down I knew it. I might only have been 8 years old, but I knew what I was in Ted’s eyes. So why was I willing to ignore it? Because I desperately wanted to feel loved, to feel important in someone’s eyes. I wanted to matter to someone and that was exactly the lie Mrs. Weatherspoon fed me.

“I thought you’d might want to know that Benagher is adapting well in military school. I paid him a visit yesterday. He’s a lovely boy. He has a bright future a head of him.”

Eva sighed.

“Benagher is a nice person. I hope he can stay like that for ever.”

“It’s a cruel world out there, careful what you wish for,” Fiori answered as a shadow crossed his face.

The man stared at the young girl in front of him. He couldn’t quite understand her character. She was a mixture of hope, sadness, naiveté, drive, and cruelness. She was a ticking bomb with a powerful mind. Fiori couldn’t help but feeling sad when he looked at Eva. Just like him, she seemed to walk down the path of self-deception.

“Good luck!” he suddenly said as he turned on his heel and walked away. The conversation had been longer than he had wanted. He didn’t want to attract to much attention on them. Ted was watching. Ted was always watching. But that was ok with him. He damn well hoped that Ted was watching.

“Right under his eyes,” Fiori mumbled as he walked away and joined a tall person standing still by the door.

Eva watched him leave, as she struggled to keep a smile on her face.

Ted was watching. I had to smile. I had to look natural. Ted was watching. Ted was always watching. So, I smiled and pretended everything was well. I couldn’t leave the room. I couldn’t hide away, so I made my way to the buffet and stuffed a little triangle sandwich in my mouth.

“Darling! That’s quite enough strawberry jam sandwiches for you tonight!” Mrs. Weatherspoon said as she forcefully pulled the girl away.

Eva swallowed her bite whole. It scratched the side of her throat. She wished she had water to wash it off. But she didn’t complain. She followed Mrs. Weatherspoon like an obedient child and stood by her side for the rest of the night.

Deep down… since the day my mother died. All I ever wanted, was to feel loved again.