475: [Bonus chapter] everything was a lie

[Bonus chapter] everything was a lie

"Hera Cruel. That's my name, Dominic Zhu."0

Dominic's heart skipped a beat as those words rolled out of her tongue. Knowing the truth and hearing it from her felt different. Countless questions already baffled him. However, this only added to the myriad of questions invading his mind. 

"Cruel?"

"Mhm." Heaven peeled her gaze from him, setting them down to her hands. "The same as the family name Bear carried. Although he has an entirely different name, he changed it to start anew. His name was Bernard, but I used to call him Bear because he is like a bear."

She paused as she pondered on where she should start or how would she continue this confession. To be honest, Heaven already imagined how she would confess once she reached this point in life. But alas, the reality was different than what she practiced.

"Tiger... Gray, Fig, Princess, and even that Joker. They used to work for me. We used to be in the same organization. A band of..." her breath suddenly hitched, closing her eyes as she breathed out her next words. "A band of assassins — an organized assassin group which disbanded upon my death."

Death.

Dominic's lips opened and closed. "You died?"

"Five years ago. A tumor in the head, lung condition, and other complications." Heaven slowly set her eyes on him. This time, the determination in her eyes shone and was unwavering. "There was no hope for me even if I went through multiple surgeries. They will prolong my life, but at the same time, that's not what I wanted to live. That's why I asked for a mercy kill instead."

That was something expected from her. Instead of weakening with her condition, she chose to live her numbered days worthwhile. She took advantage of the days she was still strong to do everything she could. If she didn't then, she could imagine just what life would the family she claimed had. 

"Believe it or not, I was dead for the past five years until... until that night Andrea Ng snuck inside Heaven Liu's room." Dominic's entire body froze, wide eyes at her last remarks. "Yes, Dominic. Andrea Ng succeeded in the first night straggling Heaven to death."

Heaven rocked her head as she pressed her lips, licking them to moisturize them. "I don't know why or how, but the next day, I woke up in this body with all your wife's memories. Since then, I claimed this life, this identity, and everything Heaven has and called it mine. That includes you... and Basti."

A moment of silence descended on the private ward as they stared at each other without a word. Dominic's lips opened and closed, but his voice was stuck in his throat. This was a lot to take in. On top of knowing everything through the file Bear sent last night, Dominic was slapped with the reality that his wife was strangled to death. 

Sure. There was no love between him and the original Heaven. But how could she die in their own home and without him knowing?

"Hah..." Dominic hung his head low as he scoffed, breathing through his gaping mouth. "She's... dead?"

"Yes." Heaven drew a deep breath as she closed her eyes. "Heaven Liu died months ago, Dom. Andrea killed her."

"And the stabbing incident?"

"I orchestrated it." She slid her eyes to the corner. "Andrea thought she didn't do the job, seeing me alive. So, she came to me to finish the job. But... I made plans prior that night."

Dominic slowly raised his head again. "Plans?"

"I loosened the ropes I tied her with in the wine cellar and purposely came out that night. I know she will come to me, so I let her do what she wanted to do just, so she gets out of my sight. In that case, I can kick her out without raising doubts."

"Doubts? From who? Me?" Dominic scoffed once again as he shook his head. 

"Dom."

"What about Mr. Cruel? Did you call him to accompany you?"

"No!" This time, she looked back at him. "Bear is a coincidence, Dom. I told you before, didn't I? That he didn't know about me when he met me."

Her eyes softened as her heart clenched at the look plastered on his face. "Please, Dom. Believe me. I didn't plan on tricking you."

"You didn't plan to trick me? Heaven Liu… I mean, Hera Cruel." Dominic took deep breaths as he stared at her with conflict. "If I didn't raise questions or if this didn't happen, when do you plan on telling me the truth?"

Silence. 

"You had no plans to tell me. You and I know that." Dominic let out a short, dry laugh. "If that isn't planned on tricking me, I don't know what is."

"I was scared, Dom." Heaven clenched her teeth. "It scared me that you'll…"

She choked as her throat trembled. "... you'll be like this. It's true that I didn't want to tell you because we're already happy, weren't we? Why do I have to bother with this fact when it wasn't necessary?"

"Day and night, Dom, there wasn't a second I didn't wish I was Heaven Liu," she continued through her gritted teeth, feeling her eyes sweat and heat up. "Do you think I was happy being called by a different name, to look at your eyes, only to see a different face mirroring in them?"

"I…" Her vision blurred with tears as she clasped her chest. "... wanted you to call my name, to know who I am, and to be loved the same as Hera. But, I was scared that it was just my greed. So I have to delude myself and be satisfied that you love me as Heaven Liu. Because at the end of the day, we are already happy and I don't want to ruin that happiness with my greed."

"But it's all a lie." Her breath hitched at his response, watching him shake his head. 

"Was it?" she returned. "Weren't you happy all those times?"

"Were you?" Dominic quickly replied. "Completely?"

Her brows rose at his return, creating more tears in the corner of her eyes that ran down to her cheek without condition. 

"That happiness and satisfaction were all lies," he remarked under his breath, holding back the tears that were tempting to escape his eyes. "I would rather get hurt by the truth than get consoled by a lie. Even if the intention is good, it doesn't mean it hurts less."

"Dom…"

"That happiness you were talking about was built with lies, and thus, it easily crumbled." Dominic rose from his seat, eyes still on her. "I need time to think. Goodnight."

Heaven clasped the sheet even tighter, watching him walk away without looking back at her. 

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