Page 106 of About Love and Revenge

Maybe it's hard for her to understand, but it's not for me. I know exactly who the person that brought me into this world is.

“I realize that this might sound strange, but if my father is to blame for what happened to his cousin, I can understand Odin's desire to bring him to justice. Despite that, I worry about what will happen to my mom.”

“Yes, from what you said, your mother is very dependent on her husband, isn't she?"

“Totally.”

“May I give you some advice?”

“Yes, you may. That's why I asked you to have lunch with me.”

Zoe arrived in New York yesterday with her husband. She said shewouldn't miss my first party for anything, and we agreed to have lunch at this burger restaurant too. They make a potato chip with salt and truffle cheese, and she’s been craving it.

“Try to process one thing at a time. Since you’ve managed to separate in your heart what you feel for Odin from his problem with your father, maybe you should focus only on whatyouwant.”

“I know what I want. Him. As much as I think there's a chance he could hurt me—because if I accept his proposal, I'll be the one bringing love into the equation—I really want to say yes.”

“So what's the problem?”

“I'm not exactly a brave person. I don't like to take risks.”

“You think very little of yourself, Elina. Courage isn’t not being afraid of anything. It's not backing down even though you’re scared. My self-esteem wasn't great either when I first met Christos, but he's been helping me rebuild it ever since.”

“Christos adores you, Zoe.”

She smiles and nods, but then turns serious again. “Do you know what I’ve learned? Not all love stories are the same, my friend. Don't look for a recipe for happiness. Each couple has their own way of making things work. I don't consider myself capable of judging what's going on inside a person, but I can say with certainty that Odin is crazy about you. From that first day we met, the energy between you was palpable. He couldn't look away for even a second.”

I try to interrupt her, but she makes a gesture with her hand, stopping me.

“If what you want is my opinion, then given what you’ve told me about being in love with him, I think you should go for it. But I'd feel like a terrible friend if I didn't insist that you need to tell him about your dyslexia. I think his reaction will show you exactly what kind of person you are getting involved with.”

“I already told him. We’ve talked so much today that I forgot about it. I told him I think I'm dyslexic.”

“And?”

I shrug. “He said he didn't understand what it had to do with his proposal.”

“Yeah, I think I've now forgiven Odin for all that stupidity when he called you his employee.”

“Why?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

I shake my head, denying it.

“Odin is crazy about you, Elina. He may not even realize it himself yet, but my guess is that he's just as much in love with you as you are with him.”

“Do you really think so?”

“I do. He could choose any woman he wanted, and I'm not saying this to belittle you but just because it's a fact. The response he gave you just shows me that he wants you more than anything. Give the two of you a chance.”

“I’m scared. I suffered a lot at the hands of my father because of my learning difficulties.”

“Odin is a good man. He’s not your father.”

“I don't want him to stay with me out of pity.”

“That's not what I meant. I’m saying that he reallyseesyou.” She looks a little frustrated and drops her sandwich on her plate before looking me in the eye again. “It's not a common thing, you know? People getting involved to the point where they want to know each other on a deeper level. I think that's why there are so many divorces. Couples bond with their own mental image of what their ideal other half is like. They don’t allow themselves to see who their partner really is.”

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