CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

"So a week before, you were meant to transfer the money to James's account. Melina found out she was pregnant with your baby. She was 100% sure it was yours because once you and she started dating, she stopped sleeping with James. Melina was planning to leave James and be with you, and once she found out, she was pregnant with your child, her decision to leave James became stronger. She was able to devise a plan to help her get away from James and be with you, but unfortunately, James found out.

He found out she wanted to leave him and was pregnant with your child. In a rage, he beat her up, leading to the baby's loss. He also told her that he would harm you if she didn't help him successfully sign the deal with you. Unknowing to Melina that you are more dangerous than James, she agreed to help him. That's why Melina helped James."

"Why didn't Melina tell me this when I found her" Thomas passes his hand through his hair. He feels like his brain is about to explode. All these pieces of information were too much. He didn't even know what to believe right now. His mom is practically saying Melina was in love with him and never meant to betray him. How can he fucking believe that?

"Because she believed it won't change anything. She came to you to seduce and steal your money. She didn't think you would believe her feelings were true."

"Fuck!" Thomas punches his fist into the closest wall to him.

"I know you are wondering why I am telling you this. I am telling you this because that woman loves you, and she doesn't deserve what Rafael would do to her if you don't get her back" Katherine was referring to the don of the Mexican cartel. Rafael Gomez. They didn't need to be told to know who had Melina. The Mexican cartel is the only one who would dare to hurt Melina and send a video to Thomas. They believe Thomas is in love with Melina, so it would kill him to see her get hurt.

"Don't worry, mama, I will do everything in my power to make those bastards pay, and I will bring Melina back home," Thomas vows before his mother. He wasn't 100% sure of Melina's feelings for him, but one thing was certain. She lost her baby twice because of him, and there is no way Thomas doesn't plan to make James pay for that for the rest of his life.

***

Melina

I wake up to the sounds of someone screaming. I quickly get up from the bed to find the voice's source, but I cannot take even one step. I shut my eyes as I feel a shooting pain in my head. As I stand on my feet, I feel all the muscles in my leg ache and not just there my hands too. I open my eyes to inspect my body and am covered in bandages. No, why did they treat my wound? I don't want to live; I need to die so this pain and suffering can end.

I am about to rip off the bandages around my arms when the door creaks open. I move my eyes to the door, and they widen once I see the source of the screams I heard. They throw her into the room and bang the door close. I quickly rush to her on the floor.

"Franky," I sit on the floor and take her head. I place it on my lap. She is covered in blood from head to toe. Oh my God! What did they do to my sister?

"Franky, please wake up" I pull my sister's body to my chest as tears begin to swim in my eyes. She is not moving. Please, God, don't take my sister away from me. Please, I beg of you.

"Mel," Franky says, barely audible, but I hear it since her mouth is close to my ear.

"Franky, Franky, you are alive" I pull her away from my chest and examine her body. Her whole face is covered in blood and bruises; I can barely recognize her.

"Yes, how are you, Mel? I hope they didn't harm you. I told them I would take all the beating for you," Franky rasps out as she tries to open her eyes but fails.

"Oh my God, Franky, why would you do that? Please never do that again" I can't even bring myself to tell her right now that what she did was in vain. These monsters here won't spare a chance to hurt either of us.

"You sound okay; I will take that as a yes; that's good to hear, Mel" She lifts her bruised hand and tries to find my face. I quickly grab her hand and place it on my cheek. I make sure it's not my injured side. "Don't blame yourself for what happened to me today. I chose to protect you. Remember that Mel, I chose to protect you. I love you" Franky's hand against my face falls down to my lap.

"No," I scream as I watch Franky's chest stop moving

"No, you can't leave me, no, you can't," I scream louder as her body starts to feel cold against mine.

I place my ear to her unmoving chest and try to find a heartbeat. More panic fills me as I don't hear a heartbeat. I don't give up, I grab her hand and try to find a pulse, but I don't. I again place my ear above her heart and try to find a heartbeat. I almost throw her off my body as excitement fills me when I hear a heartbeat, it's faint, but it's there. She is still alive; I just need to find a way to save her.

"Somebody, anybody, please, I need help." I can't let Franky die like this. I refuse to lose my sister like this. I gently drop Franky's head on the ground and walk to the door. I begin to bang on it. I don't care as my skin scrapes the door while hitting hard. I can feel blood trickling down my arm, but I don't care. As far as it will save Franky, I will keep banging on this door till my hand can't.

After what feels like forever, the door finally opens, I drop to my knees before the person and begin to beg them to save Franky's life.

"Please, I beg of you, please get someone to treat her. I will do anything you ask."

"Anything" James grabs my hair and forces my head up. He smirks at me, and I know he must be basking in my misery.

"Anything, I swear, I will do it. Please save her" I bring my palms together and beg him.

"Do you know I love you best like this" James traces his disgusting finger on my shoulder. A disgusted shiver runs down my spine as his hand trail up my face. The urge to vomit has never been high as it is right now.

"Tell me what you want, and I will do it. Please save her."

"Kill Thomas"

"What" I am praying I heard him wrong.

"You heard me, kill Thomas, and I will save your sister."

'I-I ca-an-n-n't" I stammer. I am too shocked to speak correctly. How can he ask me to kill Thomas?

"Then your sister dies" He turns around to exit the room, but I grab his leg.

"Wait," I swallow hard. I look at the ground at my dying sister, and I don't think about the magnitude of the following words. I say, "I will do it."

"Really, you will kill Thomas," James crunches down to my level. His face is only a breath away from mine, and I can smell the alcohol in his breath. Everything in me right now wants to slap that smile off his face. I have never hated someone in my life as I hate James. He killed my unborn children, hurt my sister, and now he wants me to hurt Thomas. Thomas is the one man who truly loved me. Thomas might have hurt me recently, but before that. He is the only man who has ever made me feel loved. I can't believe I just agreed to kill him. Can I even do it? No, I can't, but I don't have a choice. Franky is dying, and that's the only way to save her now. At least they are not asking me to do it now. When the time comes, I will deal with it.

"Yes, I will."

"Great, I will have someone come and attend to your sister's wounds."

"Thank you"

"No, Melina, thank you, you just made things so much easier for me" James walks out of the room with a big smile on his face.

The second the door closes after him, my shoulders drop, and my head falls forward. When will this torture end? New tears flow down my cheeks as I come to terms with what I just agreed to do. I throw my head back and release a loud scream from the depth of my soul. My body and soul are both in excruciating pain. I can't even mourn the death of my child because I have to be strong to save my sister. My sister was harmed because of me. God! I just wish I could disappear right now. I am exhausted. I wish everything could just end soon.