"Everything you think you know about me, everything I've told you before now... it's all a lie," she whispered, her voice tight with emotion. "None of it was real. It was all a setup, a plan. I was forced to do it, to play along, because my sister... Tina, you know right? they took her. They put her in that cell, and they promised me they'd let her go if I helped them, get you." Her throat tightened, and she swallowed hard, her eyes pleading with Daniel.
"I thought I was doing the right thing, but right now I discover I'm the most stupidest person to ever existed, I felt so awkward, I'm so sorry please"
"That's why I begged you to give me a chance to explain. To understand why I acted the way I did. Everything was a plan, but the pain... that was real. They were hurting me, Daniel, and there was no escape. I couldn't get out unless my sister was freed. I did everything in my power to make them help her. They promised they would, and they had the power to do it. That's why I did what I did."
With all this emotional statement she had made, she expected Daniel to easily give in, but Daniel's reaction was unexpected. He simply smiled, a slow, knowing smile that sent a shiver down her spine. It was a smile that held no warmth, no understanding. It was a smile that said he knew she was lying, that he saw through her facade.
"So, you betrayed me, you helped them try to kill me," Daniel said, his voice low and dangerous. "And you expected me to believe that you were doing it all for your sister? That they were going to save her? You think I'm an idiot?"
She felt her heart sink. He wasn't buying it. He believed so much that he knew the truth, and the truth was ugly.
"They promised me they would save her," she pleaded, her voice cracking. "If I helped them get rid of you, they said they'd let her go. I had no choice."
"They lied to you," Daniel said, his voice cold and hard. "They never intended to let her go. They were going to kill her. Even after they have me in their grasp, They were going to kill both of you."
He paused, his eyes boring into hers, and then he continued, his voice laced with bitterness. "And I was the one who saved her. Not them. I was the one who risked my life to get her out of that prison. You see, they used you. They played you like a fiddle, and you fell for it."
She stared at him, her face pale and drawn. The truth of his words crashed over her, leaving her feeling broken and exposed. He was right. They had lied to her. They had used her. And now, her sister was free, thanks to the man she had betrayed.
"I..." she began, but the words died in her throat. There was nothing she could say. She had been a fool, blind to the truth, blinded by her desperate need to save her sister. And now, she had nothing left but regret, but she's also not forgetting that it was her betrayal that still lead to the rescue of Tina, so she ain't totally regretting it.
But that doesn't mean that she wasn't used, fueled by a desperate hope that they would actually help her sister. She was foolish, she knew, but she couldn't bear the thought of her sister suffering in that cell while she did nothing. She gambled with her life, believing they might keep their promise, but they didn't.
Not forgetting that she could have still be following and doing their wills blindly if Daniel haven't helped get her sister out of the prison, she could have still be following that old man blindly.
Daniel's presence here was a reminder of her past mistakes, of the trust she had shattered. He was right, her past haunted her. It wasn't easy to forgive someone who had betrayed you, especially multiple times.
"I know I messed up," Gina said, her voice filled with a mixture of regret and determination. "I came here to fix it. Please, If my sister is inside or wherever she is, just tell her I'm here. She'll be happy to see me, no matter what you think. I did what I did because of her, and now that she's here with you, I wouldn't betray her or any of us ever again. We're a team now, stronger together."
Gina took a deep breath. "And about my name... it's Gina, not 'Kate.' I'm sorry for lying. Please, if you can forgive me, I'll be so grateful."
Daniel stared at her, his expression unreadable. The smile that finally touched his lips was not a happy one. It was a smile that held a hint of skepticism, a reminder that he wasn't easily swayed.
Gina understood. She had hurt him deeply. She had betrayed his trust, and it was understandable that he found it hard to believe her now. She had done this before, and the pain of her actions was still fresh. How could he believe that this time would be different?
"I believe you're Tina's sister," Daniel said, his voice firm. "I'm not arguing that. But I can't trust you to stay here with us. It's simply not possible, not after what happened."
His words were a blow to Gina's hopes. She'd come here hoping to mend the broken bridges, to prove her loyalty. But Daniel was right. Trust was a fragile thing, and she had shattered it.
"This isn't about not wanting to save you, or not loving your sister," Daniel continued, his voice softening slightly. "I'm doing this because I need to protect her. I need to make sure you're not here to hurt her or me again. I believe what you said, but I don't know if you're here to trap us or not."
His words were harsh, but they were also laced with a desperate need to protect Tina. Gina understood. She had put him through hell, and he was right to be cautious.
"The choice is yours," Daniel said, his gaze unwavering. "You can stay here, and your sister will come out to defend you. But then you'll both be thrown out onto the streets, and you know what that means. Or you can leave, calmly, and we'll be okay. Maybe, if you survive the streets, I can find a place in my heart to believe you're not lying."
Gina's heart ached. She had hoped to bridge the gap between them, to earn his trust. But it was clear that her past actions had created a chasm too wide to cross. She had hoped to help, to be a part of their team, but now she realized that was impossible.
She knew that staying would put Tina at risk, and she couldn't bear that. She had to leave, to give them a chance to heal, to give herself a chance to prove her worth. It wouldn't be easy, but it was the only way.
With a heavy heart, Gina nodded. She would leave. She would find a way to survive, to make things right. Maybe, someday, she could earn back his trust. But for now, she had to walk away.
Gina knew the odds were stacked against her. Survival on the streets was a long shot, and Danforth's men would be hunting for her. But she couldn't risk Tina's safety.
She couldn't bear the thought of her sister being dragged into this mess, of facing the same dangers she had. Tina had already suffered enough. Gina had to take this burden alone.
She swallowed the lump in her throat, the tears threatening to spill. Daniel's face was a mask of stoicism, devoid of sympathy. He wasn't ready to forgive her, and she couldn't blame him.
She rose slowly, her legs trembling. She turned and walked away, her heart heavy with regret and a desperate hope that she would survive.
Daniel watched her go, a knot of guilt twisting in his stomach. He couldn't believe he was sending someone to their death. This wasn't the man he used to be, the man who had vowed to protect others. This was a man forced to make impossible choices, a man burdened by the consequences of Gina's actions.
He knew Tina would be devastated if she found out what had happened. The guilt would eat at her, the knowledge that Gina had sacrificed herself for her. He had to protect Tina, even if it meant letting Gina face her fate alone.
He would tell Tina that Gina was free, that she had escaped. He would lie, but it was a lie born of love and a desperate attempt to shield Tina from the truth. He would hope that Gina would survive, that somehow, she would find a way to make it out alive. He would hope, but he knew the odds were against her.