Chapter 113

—Four Yrs Ago, Ortega's Mansion—

Seeing that Evelyn took her cup of juice, Ixora also took hers, and they drank at the same time.

Immediately the juice hit Ixora's system, she didn't remain the same, and the next thing was the cup falling from her, and she blacked out.

When she woke up some minutes later, she was already sitting on a chair in a dark room in that same house.

In front of her, there's a pendulum swinging left and right, and a bright light is shinning on the pendulum only, but the reflection of the light hit the faces of three more people in the room...

Evelyn, Mrs. Ortega, and Matron.

She recognizes them, but the juice must have numbed her cos her senses feels dead.

Matron sat in front of her.

"Focus on the pendulum" she said, and as if under control, Ixora's eyes moved to the swinging pendulum, following it left and right.

Her eyes followed the swing for one fuckin hour till the only thing she could see is the pendulum.

A hypnotist's pendulum, the sound entering her ears.

Tick.

Tack.

"Listen to me...Warren Creed killed Mr. Ortega. You and Evelyn saw him" Matron said.

"Warren Creed killed Mr. Ortega, I and Evelyn saw him" Ixora replied, her drowsy eyes still following the pendulum swings.

Tick.

Tack.

"You'll testify in court, and you'll forget about this particular scene" Matron said.

"I'll testify in court, and I'll forget about this scene" Ixora replied without blinking.

Tick

Tack.

"Good girl" Matron replied, standing straight.

She stopped swinging the pendulum, and Ixora slept off.

"That's it" she faced mother and daughter.

"That's all? She's already hypnotized?" Mrs. Ortega blinked.

"Of course, do you think the liquor you mixed with her juice is for nothing? She's trapped" Matron replied.

Evelyn smiled, looking at sleeping Ixora.

"Warren likes her? Pfft, Let's see what happens after she testifies" she said.

—Present Time—

Blood rushed out of Ixora's nose, and more tears left her eyes after the striking remembrance.

"Ixora!!!" The parents screamed, and Ixora looked up for the first time.

Her eyes met with Warren's at the back of the court, and she stood.

This needs to get over...once and for all. An eye for an eye, tit for tat.

"I killed Mrs. Ortega" she admitted, and all eyes widened.

"No!!" Romeo stood.

"Xoxo!!" Nadine stood too.

"Ixora!!! Ixora don't do this to me!" Stonia's eyes widened insanely.

"Ixora!!!!"

"What are you saying Ixora!!! What are you saying!!" Rafael cried out.

"I killed Mrs. Grace Ortega, pronounce the verdict." Ixora faced the judge, and everyone froze.

At her admittance, the judge went straight to business.

"Case number 2025BeH174, I'll pronounce my verdict." He cleared his throat.

"The defendant, Ixora Rhodes, injected Grace Ortega with a throat-numbing poison, capable of ruining the heart. Furthermore, she stabbed and completely killed Grace Ortega with a knife. The statement of Silas Deane—Grace's secretary, who was present at the time of the murder, is consistent. Also, the defendant's fingerprints were found on the murder weapon. Considering these factors, it is indisputable that the defendant committed the crime. Taking all of these into consideration, the court has decided as follows..." The judge read, adjusting his spectacles.

Everyone held their breaths, and Ixora closed her eyes.

"The defendant, Ixora Rhodes, is sentenced to twenty years in jail"

Stonia immediately fainted.

"Aunt Stonia! Aunt Stonia!!!" Serena screamed.

Rafael staggered as another round of his tears started.

First time in history, his money is useless. He's a useless father.

Nadine fell devastatingly on her seat, and Romeo's mouth wouldn't close.

Bethel had to cover her mouth and muffle her tears.

"Why am I crying? I don't like her" Tina muttered, wiping her tears.

Monty stayed neutral.

Konstantin smiled, but the rest of the guys stayed blank especially Warren.

Anfisa swallowed.

Warren stood and walked broodingly out of the courthouse, and the cops handcuffed Ixora again, ready to start the jail journey.

As she was taken amidst the tears and scream, something leaked out from the middle of her thighs.

Blood.

As Ixora was led out of the courthouse with the blood between her legs, her eyes met with the eyes of her loved ones one by one.

Her dad Rafael who's crying like a baby as he got held down by the cops who're stopping him from getting closer to her.

Her mom Stonia who's on the ground, passed out with Serena screaming her name.

Her best friend Nadine who's stretching her hand towards her, and when Ixora stretched her own hand too, the cops pushed her forward before their hands could touch.

Romeo, the boy whose mother ruined her life with her hypnosis. He's standing, hands shaking as he stared at her with teary face.

Then Bethel who's beside him, crying with her palms on her mouth.

Monty and Tina too...

She doesn't have a peculiar relationship with them apart from the night they gave her a lift to the ice hockey meet.

Tina is wiping her tears, and though Monty isn't crying, but her eyes are red like she wants to cry.

Anfisa...she's not crying but her eyes are full of pity and guilt.

Then the rest of Satan's Heirs at the far back who're looking at her like she's their miserable ball which they just scored.

And of course they scored.

Now it's all over

Her illusion is over, her fantasy is over, abruptly and in the cruellest way ever just like she expected.

As she stepped out of the courthouse with the cops, she was met with several reporters in front of the building who kissed her face with their camera shutters and asking several stinging questions.

They were clamoring, pushing each other as they tried to get the best pictures of her.

Snap.

Snap all you want.

Have a feast of my misery.

Ixora didn't bother to look away from the camera shutters, she didn't blink either, and the cuffs on her wrists reminded her of where she's going.

The Cali jail,... hell on earth.

But then...she's not scared for what may come, and a sentence resounded in her head suddenly...

"If life treats you with hostility, take it like tea and drink it. The teacup shall soon become empty"

Those words were from the mute boy she met at the mill, and as she remembered, she smiled dryly.

She was pushed into the van which immediately drove off.