Chapter 21 Chapter 21.

Chapter 21 Chapter 21.
(Lucian)

Taking in the beautiful scenery of the garden, I took a long drag of my cigarette. Her words echoed in my mind, “So it was you all along… You did this to me.”

Memories from the past flashed before my eyes, igniting a tempest of emotions within me—pity twisted with rage.

Another drag of my cigarette, and I heard footsteps approaching. I turned, alert.

"It's done, sir," a young woman facing me said, breaking my concentration.

Earlier, I had seen Rebecca running hurriedly towards the garden, tears streaming down her face. My instincts urged me to comfort her, but knowing our tumultuous history, I knew we’d likely end up in a heated argument. Thankfully, another young woman was casually strolling in the garden. I approached her with a proposition: help me comfort Rebecca, and I’d reward her with ten thousand dollars. The allure of easy cash had worked like a charm.

I dictated what she should say, and she simply relayed my instructions to Rebecca. I should have been relishing my revenge against her, basking in her pain, but instead…

I fished out a few thousand dollars from my wallet, handing it to her. She counted the cash and returned a few dollars, “There were three extra on it,” she said.

“Keep the change,” I replied, deflecting the act of kindness with disdain.

With gratitude, she smiled. "Thank you so much, sir."

As she walked away, I was left alone with my swirling thoughts. Time lost meaning as I stood there, lost in the haze of smoke and memories until my cigarette burned out.

Cursing under my breath, I decided to leave the garden to fetch another pack. But as I turned, I collided with her.

The moment her eyes found mine, she instinctively turned to leave, but I called out, "Are you alright?"

"You don't have the right to ask me that," she shot back without looking at me.

"And what, you think I’m asking out of concern?" I challenged, and she finally turned to face me. "Don’t be ridiculous. You’re nothing to me but a means to get my cash from this place."

She scoffed, then laughed, a pitiful attempt at humor. "Me too," she replied, her eyes locking at mine with such seriousness. "So stay ten steps away from me if you don't want trouble," she warned.

I scoffed, but within me, a sense of satisfaction ignited. She was finally back to her usual self.

I closed the gap between us, leaning in with a playful smirk. "Honestly, I plan to come ten steps closer because chaos has a way of finding me."

She nodded curtly, her expression unreadable. "We'll see about that." With that, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving me chuckling, an impulse so lighthearted that I barely recognized myself.

But soon enough, she stormed back toward me. Didn’t she just say to keep ten steps away?

"We need to talk," she stated seriously, her tone hardening.

"What did you mean by, 'I know. But what I planned was something grander, something beyond the mere shame her exposed videos from the game house brought them’? What does that even mean?" Her eyes drilled into me, searching for answers.

My heart raced, not expecting such questions from her.

"Who's 'them,' and why would you get back at them using me? Why did you hurt me just to hurt them?" she pressed, her voice shaking with frustration.

"I don't owe you an explanation for my actions," I replied, coldly turning away, but the bite in my voice was tempered by the turmoil simmering beneath the surface.

She stepped closer, invading my space, fire igniting in her gaze. "Yes, you owe me an explanation for tarnishing my reputation and ruining my life," she countered fiercely.

"Ruined your life?" I scoffed, the words edged with bitterness. "Well, you ruined..." I faltered, feeling the heat of my emotions threaten to spill over. I couldn’t let that happen, not now.

"Ruined what?" she demanded, her voice rising. "What did I ruin?"

Ignoring her, I started to walk away, but she followed, relentless. "Tell me what I ruined, Lucian!"

"Some things are better left in the dark," I said, pausing for effect, "because if they come to light, they'll utterly shatter everyone, and everything." With that, I walked away, desperate to escape the weight of the moment before it crushed me under its gravity.



(Rebecca)

His words echoed in my mind: "Some things are better left in the dark because if they come to light, they'll utterly shatter everyone, and everything."

What are the things in the dark that could destroy everything that he’s trying so hard to keep covered?

Whatever it is that you’re hiding, Lucian, I’m going to dig it all out. Just you wait and see, and be down to Earth cautious.

“Well, well, well, look what we have here…” Tina’s voice rang out behind me, laced with an unsettling confidence. I turned to find her leaning against a nearby tree, her expression that of a predator eyeing its prey. “…a disowned sheep.”

Her words echoed ominously in my head: “A disowned sheep.”

I brushed off her condescension, trying to focus on my phone. The latest news flashed before my eyes—news of my father’s public disownment of me. His own tweet read: “I apologize to the world and the Christian community for not being able to raise my daughter properly. I apologize for the shame she has brought us, and I promise that a thing like this will never happen again. Therefore, I, Dr. Raphael Clement, disown Rebecca Clement as my child. We have no ties between us anymore, and I hope you earn a few bucks of sense, Rebecca.”

Scoffing, I let out a harsh, bitter laugh, my hand raking through my hair in disbelief. The craziness of it all spiraled up from my gut, erupting in a sound that startled Tina. She backed away cautiously, eyes wide, clearly taken aback by my unhinged laughter.

“What is wrong with you?” she asked, though the tremor in her voice revealed her true concern, she was afraid of the crazy woman standing before her.

“Everything,” I finally replied, my voice low but loaded with venom. “Everything is wrong with me, Tina, including you.” I erupted into laughter again, the manic energy surging through me in desperate waves.

Tina’s face twisted with fear, and she shook her head in disbelief. “You’re crazy,” she muttered before scurrying away, glancing back as if afraid I might suddenly attack.

Of course, she was right. I felt untethered, like I might shatter if I didn’t reign it in. I felt as if the walls were closing in, each heartbeat echoing the chaos in my mind. Every ounce of my being screamed in agony; I could hardly breathe. My father's harsh words tore through my soul, leaving behind a jagged wound that seemed too deep to heal. What had I done to deserve this torment? Was participating in a game truly a sin that warranted such punishment?

As I paced back and forth in the garden, tears streamed down my face, each drop a testament to my broken spirit. I could hear the echoes of my father's cruel tweets reverberating in my head, amplifying the pain until it felt unbearable. I was on the edge, ready to shatter. All I wanted was to disappear, to slip away from this suffocating reality. But then, like a flickering candle in the dark, Veronica’s voice whispered in my mind, “If you quit now, you've let them win, every single one of them...Do you want them to win and you the loser?”

Drawing in a sharp breath, I felt a flicker of strength reignite within me, piece by piece. I refused to let them win. With trembling hands, I grabbed my phone and logged into social media, heart racing as I prepared to assert my truth, putting on a live video.

"I see I've been the trending topic since this morning," I began, forcing a smile despite the turmoil inside me. "How sweet of you all?" I paused for dramatic effect, letting the weight of my words sink in. "But let me make this clear: I won’t apologize for anything because I’ve done nothing wrong to anyone, not even to my family." My voice rose with conviction. "Am I a sinner because I chose to engage in a game? Beat my ass if you want, but you’re all a bunch of hypocrites. And the biggest one of them all? That's right, my father." I gasped, realizing the error in my words. "Sorry, I meant Dr. Raphael Clement," I quickly rephrased my words. "There's no tie between us, I forgot," I smiled.

My smile shifted from forced to fierce, my resolve shining through the cracks. "Here’s my verdict: watch your backs. I will come for each and every one of you who has caused me pain today. This isn't just a promise; it's a warning. You will regret the day you chose to tear me down."

As I ended the live video, a sense of empowerment washed over me. I felt a weight lift off my shoulders, like I'd finally spoken my truth. The comments started flooding in - some supportive, some not. I scanned through them, a mix of emotions swirling inside.

Veronica messaged me: "You did it, Rebecca! Now they're the ones shaking 😈"

I smiled, feeling a sense of solidarity with her. But my mind kept drifting back to Lucian's words: "Some things are better left in the dark..."

What was he hiding? And why did it feel like I was just a pawn in his game?

I looked up, my eyes locking onto the path I'd seen Lucian take earlier. I have to pull out the answers from him no matter what.

Just as I made my way back into that mansion, my phone rang. Checking the caller identity, it was my sister. My eyes welled up with tears again as I ignored her call but she kept calling persistently until I had to switch off my phone with a heavy heart.