He’s Not My Father, Just Lord Poseidon

My daughter, Chloe, had begged my partner, Poseidon, to take her to the mortal market. After she asked again and again, he finally agreed. But when the day came, something “came up,” and he left her in the care of his ex, Thalia. Claiming that “Poseidon’s children need to be tested,” Thalia simply abandoned Chloe in the middle of the market. I didn’t have time to argue with Poseidon. I rushed to the market and found Chloe huddled in a corner, her face streaked with tears. When Poseidon saw her, he just frowned. “My child should not be so weak.” “Thalia was right,” he said. “Chloe is too coddled. Ethan would never act like this.” Ethan is Thalia’s son. I looked at him, and a chill washed over me. He had chosen Thalia and her son. Again. He had abandoned Chloe and me. Just then, Chloe tugged gently on my sleeve. She choked back a sob. “Lord Poseidon is right, Mother. I’m okay. Let’s go home.” Poseidon and I both froze. Chapter 1 A month ago, when I realized his heart was no longer mine, I’d started a new rule. Every time he chose Thalia over us, I made Chloe refer to him as “Lord Poseidon.” It was a reminder, for both of us, not to break our hearts over someone who wasn’t worth it. But Chloe didn’t see it that way. She’s only seven, an age when a girl worships her father-god. Every time I asked her to call him “Lord,” she would hesitate for a long time before whispering the title. But today, she said it on her own. It rolled off her tongue—smooth, cold, as if she’d practiced it in her heart a thousand times. Seeing us stunned, Chloe took my hand and turned to Poseidon. “You must be busy, my Lord. Please, don't let us keep you.” Then she looked at me. “Mother, let’s go.” She led me away. The trip to the mortal market was Poseidon’s idea. It was meant to make up for missing Chloe’s birthday to be with Ethan. Chloe had been looking forward to it for two weeks. I followed her numbly, a bitter sorrow tightening in my chest. I first knew his affections had shifted because of a pearl. He had gone to see Thalia. When he returned, the box that once held the Sea Heart Pearl was empty. It was a divine artifact only a queen of the seas was worthy to wear, a symbol of the Sea King’s supreme love. On our last anniversary, I’d asked for it, wanting to feel the magic of when we first met. Poseidon had said he planned to gift it to Zeus’s partner. I was disappointed, but I understood. A few days later, he gave it to Thalia. And Thalia made a point of wearing it in front of me. “An eternal treasure,” she’d purred, “is for an eternal love. Poseidon said he felt only I was worthy of it.” Thalia was his old flame, a deep-sea nymph with a young son. That night, we had the worst fight of our lives. I told him I was petitioning the King of the Gods to dissolve our sacred bond. Poseidon called me unreasonable. He asked how I could bear to leave Chloe without a father. He swore on his own divinity that his relationship with Thalia was merely a god’s protection over one of his people. Seeing the fear on Chloe’s pale face, I bit my tongue so hard I nearly drew blood. I knew if I left then, she would never forget him. But I also knew that one betrayal would lead to countless more. I wouldn’t let my daughter suffer for his so-called “protection.” So I chose another path. I tricked Poseidon into signing a contract to dissolve our bond. When I presented it to the Emissary of the Styx, he sighed. “The contract will take effect in 30 sunsets,” he warned me. “If you change your mind within these 30 days, come back for it. I will act as if this never happened and will not inform the Sea King.” I won’t change my mind, I told myself. I spent those 30 days doing everything I could to break my daughter’s attachment to him. Today is the 28th day. And Chloe had called him “Lord Poseidon” on her own. My daughter’s small body trembled against me. There was no triumph in my heart. Just a cold, sharp pain, like being pierced by a shard of glacial ice. We had already walked some distance when Poseidon finally snapped out of his shock. He took a few steps after us, about to ask what was wrong, but his message conch chimed. It was Thalia again, her voice a drunken, weeping mess. “Poseidon, is Nerida still angry with me? I swear I was just trying to toughen Chloe up, I would never hurt her! I know Nerida doesn’t like me, I’ll leave right now…” Poseidon rubbed his forehead, annoyed. “Don’t be ridiculous, she’s not angry. Besides, where would you go, alone with Ethan?” “I’m on my way. Wait for me.” He turned back to me, leaving me with a curt, “We’ll talk later,” and vanished in a surge of water. The sea god’s chariot sped away. Chloe stopped, turned, and buried her face in my robes, her tears soaking the fabric. “Mother,” she sobbed. “Can we not have Lord Poseidon anymore? Please?” Chapter 2 I took Chloe back to our quarters and began to pack. I was ready. I was taking Chloe home. Back to the Southern Coral Sea. My father is the god of that small domain. I met Poseidon while traveling with my sisters. He was captivated the moment he saw me and, with the arrogance of a god, dragged me back to his palace. At first, I despised him. I hated his arrogance and his dominance. But over time, I saw a gentle, tender side to him. He wouldn’t let me leave, but he gave me everything I could ever want. The slightest mention of a desire, and it would appear before me. How could I not fall for such a passionate, powerful man? I agreed to marry him. But my father never forgave him for taking me. He always insisted Poseidon was nothing but a tyrant. When he heard I was coming home with Chloe, he was overjoyed, ready to come and get me himself. Just then, another message came from Thalia. It was a moving picture—a memory captured in the shell. In it, Poseidon was gently tending to a cut on her hand, his own hand covering hers as his divine power healed the wound. They looked like lovers, their hands clasped together. As always, Thalia’s message was a taunt. “You see? The Sea God’s love can be mine whenever I want it.” Before, a provocation like that would have earned her a swift lesson in a sea nymph’s magic. But now, as I watched Chloe carefully polishing her small conch shell, only one thought crossed my mind: It’s not worth it. I snapped the message conch shut. We would leave at dawn, the day after tomorrow. Not long after, Poseidon returned to our rooms. He was carrying a golden toy chariot, inlaid with pearls. Chloe and I both stared, stunned. He’d always despised such things, calling them “cowardly trinkets.” Because of him, Chloe had to suppress her fascination with mortal crafts, her pleas always met with a stern refusal. Why would he bring one home now? Chloe and I exchanged a look of disbelief. Poseidon walked in slowly. Seeing the half-packed trunks, his expression shifted. “Thalia was very drunk, so I stayed a little longer. On the way back, I remembered you two like mortal toys, so I bought this.” He gestured to the trunks. “What are you packing for? A trip?” I nodded, then shook my head. “Sort of.” With only two days left until the contract was sealed, I didn’t want any complications. For some reason, he seemed to let out a breath of relief. “This whole thing was my fault. I was careless. I’ll take you to the market myself. How about tomorrow? I swear I won’t break my promise this time.” He knelt in front of Chloe, his voice earnest. Chloe’s hands stilled. She looked at him, then at me. Her eyes were filled with a mix of hesitation and a fear of being let down again. Seeing her waver, my heart softened. “Alright,” I said. It’s only for one last time. As soon as I spoke, Chloe’s eyes lit up. She hugged her little conch and scurried off to her room. After she left, I went back to packing. Poseidon came to my side, his powerful presence enveloping me. He spoke, his voice hesitant. “About Chloe calling me ‘Lord’ today…” My breath caught. I looked up at him. He knelt, placing the golden chariot by my hand. His voice was laced with that familiar, deliberate affection he used whenever he wanted to soothe me. “My Nerida, I know what you’re thinking. You feel I’ve been too good to Thalia, that I’ve neglected you and Chloe.” “But I swear, I am only protecting her as a god protects his people. She’s a widowed nymph. I just don’t want her to suffer.” He took my hand and pressed it to his heart. “Just give me a little more time. I will handle the situation with Thalia and her son. I won’t let you or Chloe be hurt again.” I stared at him, stunned. I could barely remember the last time he’d looked at me with such sincerity. Maybe at our bonding ceremony, when he held my hands before all the gods and swore to protect me for eternity. Or maybe the day Chloe was born. He had held our divine child so carefully in the temple, his hands trembling as he placed a kiss on my forehead. “Nerida,” he’d said, “I will never let you or our heir suffer any injustice.” I thought of those memories and was silent for a long time. Finally, I decided to tell him about the contract. “Poseidon, the truth is…” Chapter 3 He cut me off, his tone leaving no room for argument. “There’s a banquet on Olympus tomorrow. Thalia’s son’s birthday is coming up, and his wish is to see it, to experience the world of the gods. I want to take him.” I knew of the banquet. It was an event only for the major gods and their chosen heirs. I watched him, my silence a question. “I know this chance should be Chloe’s, but she’ll have plenty of chances in the future. Ethan… he’s different.” “So, for the market trip tomorrow, let’s go after the banquet.” He didn’t know. Chloe wouldn’t be here in the future. There would be no more chances. But I just nodded. “Fine.” Poseidon smiled, relieved. He leaned in and kissed my forehead. “My love, I knew you’d understand. I’ll go tell Thalia the good news right away.” With that, he grabbed his trident and hurried out. The door slammed shut with a bang. His figure was gone. I stared at the door for a long, silent moment. Then, to the empty room, I finished my sentence. “The truth is, Chloe and I don’t want you anymore.” Two days left until we were gone. Late that night, after I’d finished packing, I lay exhausted on the bed. The message conch glowed. It was a message from Poseidon. [Ethan is so excited for the banquet tomorrow. Thalia wanted me to thank you for being so understanding.] It was midnight, and my partner was still bothering me with another nymph’s gratitude. A dry, bitter laugh escaped me. But I couldn’t even be bothered to be angry. Maybe it was because I had no expectations left, but I felt none of the usual heartache. Just… a hollow nothing. I replied. [You’re welcome.] [And let me remind you, the trip to the market was your idea to make things up to Chloe. She is very much looking forward to it. Do not break your promise again.] After sending it, I went to Chloe’s room. Her brow was furrowed in her sleep, a sign of her unease. I rested my head beside hers and slowly drifted off. As for Poseidon, I didn’t care what he thought when he read my message. The next morning at eight, Poseidon returned to the palace, unusually early. He took off his divine robes at the entrance, then froze, staring at the neatly arranged trunks in the main hall. “Do you need to pack this much for a day trip?” he asked, walking into the rooms without even putting his robes away, a hint of panic in his voice. I was helping Chloe into a dress, one covered in pearls and gems that she adored. “The place we’re going is far away,” I said casually. He immediately looked at Chloe for confirmation. When she nodded, his expression relaxed. He set his robes aside and smiled at her. “You be good and wait for me at home. I’ll be back before you know it, and then we’ll go to the market, okay?” Chloe’s face flushed with excitement. “I know! I’ll be good!” I smiled, but before I could speak, Poseidon continued. “But Chloe… that dress seems a bit too flashy. You know, Ethan only wears the plainest cotton clothes. He says it’s so the other sea folk can have more resources…” He went on, his voice thick with admiration, oblivious as the color drained from Chloe’s face. I couldn’t listen anymore. He’d forgotten he was the one who gave her that dress for her birthday last year. That’s why she loved it so much, why she wanted to wear it for her day out with him. I was about to say something, but Chloe cut me off. She forced a smile. “I understand.” “I’ll change.” Poseidon, oblivious to her sadness, beamed with approval and patted her head. “That’s my daughter.” “Well, I’ll see you later.” He stood and walked away. Just before he reached the door, he turned back. “My Nerida, my daughter. I am so lucky to have you both.” Neither of us said a word. After he left, Chloe jumped off the bed and grabbed the small bag she had already packed. “Mother, I don’t want to see Lord Poseidon again. Can we leave early?” Chapter 4 I moved our departure time to three o’clock that afternoon. After confirming everything was ready, I made the final preparations. At nine, I made our last breakfast in the palace. The golden chariot Poseidon had bought sat in a corner. Chloe picked it up and threw it in the trash. The Emissary of the Styx appeared one last time. “Are you certain?” he asked, his voice echoing the finality of his domain. “Yes,” I said, without hesitation. He said no more, simply nodding before he vanished. As we were about to leave, another message from Thalia arrived. [Poseidon just gave Ethan a little wooden trident. He said it makes Ethan look more like his heir, hahaha.] Beside me, Chloe took out the wooden trident Poseidon had once given her. It had been her favorite toy. After seeing the message, she said nothing, but quietly removed the trident from her bag and left it behind. “Mother, let’s go.” At one in the afternoon, after lunch, Chloe and I left with our bags. It was still two hours before our scheduled meeting with Poseidon. Chloe held her message conch, silently watching the images stored within. There was one from her first-month ceremony, with Poseidon holding her, proudly showing off his heir to all the major gods. There was a photo from when she was three, of Poseidon holding her as they built a coral castle together. And there was one from this year, before Thalia. Poseidon was behind her, his hands over hers, teaching her how to summon her first small tide. She watched them over and over. She didn’t cry, but I could see a wave of sadness wash over her small frame, making her shoulders slump. She was too young to understand why the father who had adored her suddenly didn’t love her anymore, why he had another child. But she was old enough to have learned my lesson: don’t cling to what you’ve already lost. I sat beside her, saying nothing. At two, we were nearing the edge of Poseidon’s domain when his message came through. “Nerida, tell Chloe I’m sorry. Ethan fell down the stairs and he’s hurt. I have to get him to the healers.” “I don’t know if I can make it by three. We might have to postpone our trip again.” “Tell Chloe I’m so sorry!” He cut the connection so quickly he never heard it—the sound of his world shattering as we crossed the boundary of his realm. “Let’s go,” I said, taking Chloe’s hand. She nodded and deleted all the images from the conch. The scenery ahead grew more familiar. I was getting closer to home. I let out a long, slow breath. Goodbye, Poseidon. At that same moment, Poseidon, ignoring Thalia’s tearful pleas, rushed out of the divine infirmary, racing toward the mortal market.