Chapter 84: Any Means Necessary

Sharon sat on her bed with all sorts of thoughts playing cat and mouse in her head. She didn't know what course of action to take.

Her hatred for Addicus hadn't changed one bit just because he wanted to give her back her father's land or the fact that Martha was never killed by him. She still hated him and wanted to see him dead, but this opportunity was a golden one.

*Being able to go back to her hometown and live out the rest of her life with the man she loved without having to worry about Addicus chasing after her. Being able to see Lily's parents and give them closure about the cause of the death of their daughter. Being able to visit Roseline and her family, who were like family to her, and spend time with them, time that she couldn't spend because of the fear of Addicus.*

***It was a good deal, she thought! But then again, could he be trusted to keep his word and never seek out revenge or retribution?***

Wouldn't it be better to just kill him and ensure her safety without any form of doubt? Although killing Addicus would be harder this time. She already had two chances to finish him off and she didn't take them. Addicus won't make it easy for her a third time, and he'll surely have more security and more weapons.

*What should she do? She was confused and unsure.*

"My dear? Would you like some company?" Martha asked from the open door to Sharon's room, breaking the spell of deep thoughts she was in.

"Of course, I would, Martha," Sharon said sadly and stretched out her arms, inviting Martha in for a much-needed hug.

Martha walked in and embraced her. They sat side by side and stared at the deed to the land.

"I think you should accept the truce, my dear child," Martha suddenly said.

"What?" Sharon asked in surprise.

"I can only imagine the trials you've had to face all these years because of the hatred and disdain you and Master Addicus have for each other. You must have lost so much because of it, but now, you have something else to live for. You have a wonderful man that loves you unconditionally, friends who are willing to go to the ends of the earth for you and the potential for a calmer and wonderful future," Martha said with a palm on Sharon's cheek.

"I do want all of that, Martha. I really do. But, I don't know if I can trust him. He's wanted to hurt me for so many years, and it seems very unlikely that he would all of a sudden just stop," Sharon told her.

"I understand why you don't believe that he truly wants to make peace. He has done a lot of horrible, unforgivable and unredeemable things, but he was molded into what he is today by his father, Mr Marcus," Martha began to say.

Sharon sat up properly on the bed and paid more attention to Martha's words.

"Addicus was a sweet child when he was younger. As a little boy, he wanted to play and have fun every day. He was kind, well-mannered and generous. He wasn't the pompous prick that he is today, he was an angel.

"His father didn't like how he was with the servants. He felt that Addicus was too friendly and casual with them and should be more authoritative, to instill fear and respect in those beneath him. He would beat him badly for playing with the maid's children, for eating with the workers in the kitchen, for entering our sleeping quarters and sometimes, for even smiling at us," Martha said.

Sharon knew what Martha was trying to do. She wanted to paint Addicus as not as terrible as he actually was to inspire some confidence in his promises. She wasn't falling for it, but she was interested in knowing how the story would turn out.

"When the Master became a young man at fifteen, he would insult the maids and the servants and belittle them whenever his father was around just to please him, but after Mr Marcus leaves, he would come to us and apologize for how he had treated us, saying that he was only trying to please his father to avoid another beating. We understood and never held any grudges against him. He was fighting against his father's lessons and ideologies and didn't want to be molded into a heartless monster who stepped on others just to feel good about himself."

"But that's what he still became," Sharon cut in, "He was still shaped by his father and became a terrible person. He's killed so many people just to get whatever it was he wanted. He's hurt me countless times and tried to kill me as well. There is no excuse for him," she said with conviction.

"I'm not trying to defend his actions. I'm only trying to help you understand him and realize that this monster you know isn't the real him. He became this way because of the hardships life brought his way and if he says he wants to change and doesn't want war anymore, he's most likely telling the truth because the real Addicus I knew was a peaceful person as a boy, a teenager and a young adult. But, everything changed after his father died, and his uncles came to claim his assets," Martha said.

Martha stood up from the bed and walked over to a large mirror hanging in the room. She stared at her reflection, remembering how young she had been when Addicus' uncles came to the house in Colorado to claim their brother's wealth for themselves.

"His uncles, Franklin and Marshall, came to Colorado under the guise of wanting to attend their older brother's funeral, but what they really came for were his properties, properties that rightfully belonged to Addicus and his mother. It seemed that the ideology of **TAKE WHAT YOU WANT BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY** ran in the family as they came to take everything."

"What happened next?" Sharon asked, wanting to know more.