Chapter 93: Traitors

Vanessa.

The sunlight is blinding when I wake up and it shoots to my head starting a headache. I try to move my hand to touch my head and that is when I realize that my hand are tied to the back and I am on a mattress on the floor. The matress is so thin that I feel like I am directly on the floor. I try to free my hands but the rope is tight. I want to scream and that's when I feel the duct tape holding my lips shut. Where am I?

I try and try and struggle to sit up and am successful after the fiftieth time and my back comes in contact with a wall which I use to hold myself up. My belly prevents me from moving as much as I want. I give my eyes time to take in the surrounding. I am in something akin to a prison cell but I'm sure this is no prison cell because I don't remember coming here. Muffled sounds draws my attention to the other end of he room.

There is a girl with hands tied to her back just like me. And she also has a duct tape preventing any words from coming out of her mouth. Like me, I think she just woke up and is trying to get familiar with the new place but she is not as calm as I am because she keeps thrashing around trying to break free. I keep my focus on her to try make out her face and I recognize her.

Alana!

What is happening? Why are we here? I want to call her but it comes out as muffled screams but she hears me and turns. There is a hint if recognition in her eyes and she drags herself on the floor to get closer because her feet are bound also.

We huddle closer to each other. She looks at me questioningly and I hope she understands the confusion that is probably prominent in my face. “You both are finally awake. I thought you were going to spend the entire day sleeping." It is the same voice from yesterday. Belonging to Leon who until yesterday, I had considered family. We spent too much time together along with the others.

But that is what makes betrayal so. It isn't considered so if it was done by a stranger. Only the people who are close enough to stick an knife in your back can betray you.

“I come bearing good news. I'm gonna take off the duct tape." That is all the warning we get before he pulls it roughly from our lips. Alana's first then mine.

“Vamessa! Are you okay?" She scoots closer to me and worry streched over her face. “Why are you doing this to us?"

“It is not my doing. You can ask that question when you meet the ones in charge. I am merely a messenger."

“Of course you are. There is no way someone like you is capable of coming up with something like this. Look at yourself." I use my shoulder to jab her. We should try not to provoke him.

“You can run your mouth all you want. It won't be long before you don't."

“How much do you want? My brothers can get you anything you want. Name it. You can have all the money you need."

“You think this is about money? You think you can flaunt your money in my face and everything will go back to normal?!!" He slaps her hard across the face and it sends her falling backwards “Don't worry. In your next life, you will know not to be a brat." I have never seen him like this before. It is surprising to see that someone I used to call a friend will be capable of something like this.

He reaches down and pulls her up, roughly by her hair and hit her again making her scream “Leon, please. I beg you. Please stop! We can talk about this."

“Talk about what? Alright. Let's talk. How did you enjoy being Dimitri's whore? You used to talk about them a lot but you seemed to like Stephan more. Did it change after Dimitri flashed some money in your face?" I let the tears spill. I cannot respond because that was how the relationship started in the first place. He made an offer and I signed myself off.

“Leon please! I beg you. Have mercy. My baby." I can't touch my belly even if I want to.

“Stop trying to make this about you because it isn't. You are just collateral damage because you couldn't keep your legs closed."

“Would you please stop taunting them Leonardo?" Leonardo? I am not surprised at the figure that follows the voice.

“Francesca." Alana says through gritted teeth.

“I told you not to torture the bastard. The pregnant whore should be the one getting all the beating." She turns to me with a mocking smile on her face.“You don't look surprised to see me."

“Because no one has ever expected any good from you. We all think you are a witch remember?" Alana retorts earning her another slap. Francesca grabs my jaw and tilts my face to look in her eyes. “No smart remark today?"

“Dimitri will kill you."

“Maybe he will, or maybe he won't. But I sure as hell will enjoy watching you die." A figure steps in after her. The coldness of the room can only be attributed to her father. Shivers run through my skin as he makes eye contact with me.

“He loved you like a father. Why would you ever do this to him?"

“It started long before you both were born. I'm not going to stop because of some idiotic child." He turns to Leon. “Have they had anything to eat." And he shakes his head in response “Good. I am going to drag on this torture for as long as I want. Make sure they starve for now. Il figure out what to do with them next."

He turns to walk out but I speak before he leaves “You are a coward. A weakling. Which is why you never wanted to face him on your own. You had to devise all sorts of plans to get rid of us. But I'm sure he will find you." My words make him stop in his tracks. Leon hits me this time around. But I'm not done.

“And what are they giving you to make you act like this. You were my friend."

“I wanted to save you before because I found you attractive. But you made me disgusted with every moment."

“Put a bag over their heads and lock them up again. And chain them to the wall. Away from each other." He walks out after giving his order and Francesca is right on his heels.

“Don't forget to hurry up, brother." Now I understand.

Other well built men walk inside and grab onto us. They untie the rope but we don't stand a chance against seven of them. Eight including Leonardo, Francesca's brother.

They untie our hands and force us in opposite sides of the room. They force our hands into shackles and attach it to the wall. I am barely able to stand on my feet but they force me to stay upright. I want to feel my baby. To assure him that he will be safe but I'm unable to. Tears keep falling from my eyes as I plead with them but no one listens.

“Please. I beg of you. My child. My baby!!" The length of the chains leave no room for me to fall to the floor. I have to stand on my feet. They tape our mouths again and before putting the bags over our heads. I hear the sound of gates being locked.

For the next two days, no one comes in. Our heads are still covered and my legs are killing me. I know the days have passed because the bag is not do thick that I cannot see the sunlight. The only thing that fills the room is the sound of sniffing nose and muffled sounds. I am thirsty hungry and in pains.

My heard turns in the direction of the cell door when I hear approaching footsteps.

“You both stink." Her voice comes up. The hood is pulled away from my head and I struggle to keep my eyes open. The sun is to bright and threatens to bling me. I give my eyes time to adjust to the light. “Release the chains. They have a guest." A guest? Who?

One man comes and reaches above my hands and without any warning, I fall to the ground on my back and sharp pain shoots up. My legs gave up because I am tired. “Not so smug now, are you." I hear her venomous voice before I feel another pain at my back caused by her shoe. I scream in pain unable to bear it. I clutch to my belly to protect my baby from the violent attack.

“What is so special about you that made him choose you? You look like nothing."

“Yet, I am his everything." She laughs.

“Everything that he will lose very soon. Seems like you still have the energy to talk back." She takes out a pocket knife and tells the guards to hold me down.

“No! Don't!!" I try to scream but one of the guards covers my mouth and hold out my right arm. I feel the sweat running down my forehead. It feels like fire when the knife slices down my arms.

Alana screams as she watches what happens. They throw me down to the floor and I violently fall on the side of my stomach. I cannot cry any longer as it is evident that my tears cannot do anything to help me. “What did she ever do to you?! What did we ever do?"

I cannot look up at her because of the pain eating my arm up. I only look at her red shoes as she walks around slowly, one heel in front of the other, one by one.

“Maybe he should have sucked it up and married me then I would have convinced my father but to do anything. But he chose you instead." She pauses, maybe to let her words sink in. “Leave her to bleed a little, then patch her up. I want this to go on as slowly as possible."