Chapter Twenty-One

Annika’s POV

"What did you say I'll be doing here again?" Galina asked as she dropped from her car, in front of my parent's home "Moral support," I replied and winked at her.

Andro had dropped me off a few minutes ago as well as the lawyer to the police station where he went to file the case. The lawyer told me it might not be easy since there was no medical evidence against my stepfather.

After I mentioned that I'd gone to the hospital the first time it happened, he said he'll pull all the strings and get the reports out but for now, the evidence at hand was enough to get him arrested as well as my mother.

"What will you be doing that'll actually need moral support?"

"I'll be causing drama, loads of drama." I smiled at her.

I held out my hand and she took it before I led us into the house. I could see that she was anxious from her composure.

Who wouldn't be? She will be in the same room with a rapist and a rapist apologist.

"Hello, everyone," I greeted as I walked in, with my heels clanking the tiled floor.

"Annika, I never expected you to be back so soon," my mother said, looking up from the food she was eating. "Galina, dear, you're here as well"

Galina only nodded. I could see my stepfather fidgeting in his seat.

"I need to tell you something, mother. It's really important and sad for you, but to me, it's the best thing ever."

"What are you talking about?" She dropped the fork and wiped her mouth.

I held on to the chair directly opposite her. I took out my phone and showed her the pictures of her lovely husband and his other family.

I wanna break these two apart so much it hurts.

"What is this?" she screamed. Not at me directly but at everyone.

"What does it look like, mother? Your beloved husband has a wife and a daughter, who are in love with him."

"She's lying" my stepfather scrambled to his feet and turned to face me.

"Am I?" I replied, pointing to the pictures.

"Those are photoshopped," he argued, lying under his breath.

"Really stepfather? That's how much you can say." I asked him.

"She's trying to get revenge on me because of what I did to her. You shouldn't have done this, Annika. All I did was slip into your room and fucked you against your will as you…" I didn't wait for him to finish before I punched him in the face.

I was fighting so hard to keep my vampire at bay but since he was hell-bent on inviting crazy, my fist manifested its goodness.

"If you think I'm lying, you should check the other pictures," I advised her. With shaking hands, she swiped to the next picture, and I watched as her mouth dropped open as tears rocked through her body system resulting in a crazy sound that emerged from her throat.

"Exactly, mother; that's what betrayal feels like. You pimped your own daughter to a useless man you called a husband. I trusted you enough to fight for me but look what you did mother. Betrayal hurts like a bitch that has been catfished," I rejoiced, glad that she was feeling half of what I felt when I found out about the role she played.

"She's lying, baby. Don't believe her," my stepfather pleaded, walking slowly towards my mother.

"Don't let him patronize you, Grace."

I called her by her name; she had named me Annika because it has the same meaning as her name.

I thought we had that connection, but I guess it was all a lie. She never really cared.

"Is this the reason why you've been sneaking out during the night to make phone calls in the bathroom? You leave during the weekends claiming you went to see your parents. Are these your parents? You know what; you're a fool. When you had nothing, I clothe, fed, and fucked you, and this is how I'll be repaid," My mother yelled. I took a step back from her and Galina did the same. It was when she moved at the same speed as I that I realized she was actually recording everything.

Smart move, girl!

"Why did you do this, Annika? Why?" my mother cried, and I wondered if I was her husband or not.

Why was she blaming me for this?

"If you had cared about me so much, you wouldn't have shown me this. You should've kept it from me."

"First of all, I stopped caring about you a while ago, and two, his problem isn't my fault, and neither is your problem my fault. Lastly, the cops are here," I announced the presence of the two officers who had come with my lawyer.

"Are you Mrs. Grace?" the officer asked.

"Yes, what is going on here?" she asked, looking from me to her husband.

"We need you and your husband at the office. It's just for one or two conversations, nothing serious."

"Why am I getting arrested? For what?" she yelled.

"No one is arresting you, ma'am. Cos if I want to, you'll see a gun and a handcuff on me right now. So, please cooperate with us and let's move," the female officer corrected her and gestured towards the door.

She glared at me before walking towards the door.

"Hey, stepfather, I'll help your second wife get a restraining order against you, and I bet she'll be more than willing to do that once she heard what you did."

He lunged at me, but the officer was fast enough to stop him from hurting me. He was telling, screaming at me, telling me, I couldn't separate him from his daughter.

"You're pathetic," I cursed and walked out of the house.

I could see the two of them being forced into the police car as they drove off to the station.

"Thanks for today, Galina," I thanked her, and we hugged.

"Anything for you, girl."

By evening, we were done at the station. After several notes and questions had been asked and answered, we were dismissed with the hope of getting back to us. The lawyer assured me that he'll make sure they pay for their sins.

My phone suddenly beeped as I waited for Andro to pick me up.

Meet me at Costco restaurant by seven. Don't you dare turn back and go somewhere else, beautiful. By the way, you look good in that yellow dress. See you soon, Nathaniel.

Fear gripped me as I realized he was around somewhere, watching me, and could easily kill me.

Shocked, I waved down a cab, gave him the address, and told him to drive fast. By the time I got to the restaurant, it was empty.

I could see Nathaniel sitting in the center of the restaurant. He waved at me as I walked in. He brought out the chair opposite him for me and I took a seat.

As soon as my ass landed on the chair, more than ten men came out of nowhere, armed with guns, surrounding us.

"Relax, beautiful. I won't harm you. Only if Andro gives me what I want."

"Which is?" I asked with fear evident in my voice.

"That's not your concern. I know you're special to him and you know how he told me." He pointed to someone, and when I turned, he wasn't who I was expecting.

It was one of those who had betrayed Andro and their family.

"So, shall we begin this game of life and death?" he asked, grinning from ear to ear.

That fucking psikhopat. (T: Psycho.)