Chapter 164 HANDS TIED, HEARTS FREE

Chapter 164 HANDS TIED, HEARTS FREE


NIRELLE

"Nirelle? Nirelle?" My eyes open, and I look at Zane, hunched over, hands on my shoulder. I blink, trying to wake up fully from my nap. The only thing this baby liked was to make me sleepy at very random times of the day. "Are you awake?" he asked, and I nodded.

"What is it? Have I been asleep for too long?" I asked the evacuee, and that was the only reason he could wake me up like that. "I am fine, I promise," I murmur. He had done this, Estefau, when I was in bed for eight hours all afternoon. There was nothing to do, and sleeping felt fun, so I did it.

"No, it's not that; we have to leave now." My stomach dropped as my throat tightened almost immediately. I jump into a sitting position as my eyes dart around the room.

"What do you mean?" I ask, hearing how foggy my voice sounded. I clear my throat and then look up at him. "What is happening?" My voice does not get better.

"Many things, but I do not have the time to explain this to you now. We have to be ready for Theo to come get us, and then we can explain it."

Hearing him get so afraid and that Theo was the one who was coming to get us instead of Lucien made my heart drop. Zane had said that once it was time, Lucien would come here, and I had waited for that time, keeping up with the news as much as I could. I will take out time to read every article as slowly as I can to make sure that I understand what they are all about.

"Okay," I nod as I pull off the covers from my body. "I have to change into something better." He did not wait for me to say anything more.

"I will be on the other side waiting." The urgency in his voice was loud enough. I slipped out of the housegown I was in hurriedly and wore a pair of jeans and a shirt over it. I take a jacket because I am not really sure what the weather outside is supposed to be like. When I step out, Zane takes my hand and pulls me down the stairs. Michael is sitting at the table, eating from a bowl of cereal as leisurely as he can.

"Dad?" Zane was shocked to see him still in the position he had left him in. "What are you doing? I asked you to change, but you are still here?"

"You did ask me to change, but I do not want to go with you." Michael was adamant. "I can't stand against your mom, no matter how much you try to convince me."

"You do not need to stand against her." Zane's words confused me. Was he also forgiving her already? Was I too hard on her? "We have many people ready to come forth with enough evidence to put her away, so you do not need to worry about that anymore."

Michael looked up at us and then swallowed. He began coughing violently. "I think it is selfish of you to only think of yourself," I start, and he hits his chest as he looks at me.

"You only care about yourself, not your children, and we did not ask to be born, so you should take responsibility for us."

"I thought that once she could throw Enoch in jail, we could become a happy family."

I laugh, and he looks at me as if he were trying to figure out what seemed to be so funny to me. "Did you, for once, think that Yvette was going to let go of all the wealth she had gathered and come to you?" I point at his face.

"From all she has done so far, you should have known that she cares about no one but herself, and even now I am sure she is not here, not caring even for a strand of hair on your head."

"Lies, you are lying, just trying to slander her name."

"Sure, that is what we are doing." Zane nods. His hand leaves mine as he goes up to him. "Why don't you come with us so you can see for yourself what is really happening?"

"No, I do not want to go."

"You do not want to go because you know the truth deep down. You know that there is no way that Yvette has changed overnight, and you want to keep living in the bubble you created for yourself, hoping she would come back to you," I say as my breathing quickens. "Instead of falling into her trap, why don't you come along with us now and end all this once and for all?"

"I won't do it." Zane looks so done with him but does not say anything. Michael goes back to his bowl and continues pushing the spoon in his mouth and munching loudly. "It's soggy now," he mumbled under his breath.

Zane came back to my side and pulled me through the house until we were at the front door. I had only seen up to this point on the first day we came here.

"Are we going to leave him here?"

"Of course," Zane beckoned to the bodyguard at the door, and he came to him. "My father is inside and refusing to come with us." He paused, and my eyes widened. What was he about to do? "Make sure to get him out into the car in time."

"Yes, sir." The man moved through the house, and the next thing I heard was shouts of protest.

"You can't do this to me; put me down this instant. I am not going; leave me." Michael kept on protesting, his voice coming closer and closer. By the time they passed us, he was over the bodyguard's shoulders as if he were just a piece of linen.

When we get out, there are three cars waiting for us.

"Go on in." Zane points to the one at the front for me. "I have to make sure we have everything we need," he adds. I nod and open the back seat of the car. Theo turns to me, and I sigh with relief to see him. I had never thought there would be a time I would be this happy to see them. I guess he wore on me more than I would have thought.

"Hi," I murmur as I scoot into the car.

"I want to give you a hug, but I am driving," Theo says as I settle behind him. "I might give it to you later, if your husband agrees," he shrugged, looking at me through the mirror. "Are you okay, though?"

"Pretty good considering how princessly you all took care of me."

Zane gets in the front beside Theo. "Where is he?"

"In the second car with the bodyguards," Zane said as he ran his hand through his hair. "I do not think I would be able to deal with his murmuring from here to the station," he added.

"Don't worry, this is going to be the end of it all." Theo sounded too confident. It was almost as if he had been to the future and back. "Trust 'em," he added as he started the car.

"I hope so," Zane and I say at the same time.

By the time we arrive at the station, I see Lucien sitting in one corner; his head was down as if he were taking a nap. My legs feel heavy to see him, and my heart pounds against my chest. I walk to him without even thinking about it, and as I am about to touch him, a shrill but familiar voice cuts through the air.

"Nirelle!" Yvette screams as she comes towards me. Lucien jerks up and stares at me with wide eyes. "You are here," she continues, her voice filling the entire room as she steps in front of them. She pulls me towards her and begins to inspect my body. "Here, let them see. Are you hurt?"

I pull back from her and shake my head. "Why are you pretending to care about me after kidnapping me twice?" She does not expect me to say that, and I can tell from the way she takes two steps back.

"What are you saying, Nirelle? I'm your mother. Why would I do something like that?"

"That is exactly what I want to ask you. You are my mother; why would you do something like this?"

"I do not know what you have heard, but..."

"I do not know what game you are trying to play," I cut her off. "No one's falling for that again. You are going to face the consequences of your crime this time."

Michael stepped forward and held my hand. "Nirelle, don't you dare talk to your mother like that." 

"Want to join her behind bars?" I ask, and he shakes his head. "Then stop trying to act like an accomplice and tell the police what she has done to you." My voice scared me, but it seemed to work because he turned to the police, ready to confess.