Chapter 155
ROBYN
“I’m Abraham. You don’t question my authority. You’re here, sitting where you are right now, because you gave me something against Lex Kross and Spade Kolby. You’re not even fit for that position. So, just shut up.”
“Asshole! So it was you who was feeding her information! You’re a vile, greedy old fat monster! So, let me get this straight. She ordered you to kill your own daughter for this fucking seat? And you thought you just won a prize? Who does that? Right now, you’re still useful to her. When you’re not, she will frame you for killing your own daughter, moron!” I was so mad my chest was heaving. “You didn’t save yourself and your grandchildren. You threw them into the pond full of crocodiles, you sick murderer!”
“If you won’t kill her. Allow me.” Hari stood up, challenging Hanna.
I held my breath and started praying, asking for forgiveness, hoping my mother and Piper wouldn’t mourn for my death.
Hanna ignored him, showing him who had the authority. “Razic, go tell the IT if there’s movement from the Kross. Track that bitch. I want good news today.”
Hari sat back down, scowling.
“Do you know what happened to the last person who doubted my leadership? He was pushing up daisies.”
The room went silent.
When Razic left, I stole a glance at Spade until the word track lit a light on my head. Oh, God. Spade had put a tracker in my body. Did they scan me? God, I hoped not.
“Kill him or I will shoot you both,” said the man standing beside me. I didn’t have to look at him. I knew where his gun was aimed at right now.
I flinched.
“Just do it, son. I hope one day you can forgive me. If taking my life can make you forgive me or heal your wound and your soul, then do it. I forgive you. I’m ready.” Sean closed his eyes.
“Don’t do it. He deserves another chance, Spade. Please?” I begged as I sobbed. Then I looked at those monsters on the table, hoping this was their last meeting together. “You, all of you, whatever cult you believe in. You will all go to hell, you soulless pieces of shit. Do you think taking lives is fun? You’re all sitting here watching us beg for our lives, will it make you sleep soundly at night? Don’t you have families, kids, wives? They must be so proud of you.”
“You talk a lot, woman!” Hanna came. “My patience is running thin, and you don’t wanna test me.” I believed her. She was soulless and heartless. “You got a chance to live once. That won’t happen again.”
“Just remember this. When you make a mistake, she will come after your family. She will kidnap your wife and children and shoot them in front of you, just like what Hari did to his daughter. How did he do that? Did he pay a warden to hang Cali? Is that what you want to do by protecting this horseshit organization when you can make money on your own? What does she have in you? Sex tapes? Who cares? Sad people cheat on their partners. And trust me, she will betray you, and you don’t see it coming.”
Still, they didn’t budge. I admired their loyalty. It also pissed me off. I wondered what Hanna had against them. Out of anger and frustration at failing to convince them, I laughed instead. I was as good as dead anyway.
“She has a blackmail file for all of you that could destroy your career and humiliate you, but aside from that, she has nothing. Maybe you should get up and start ripping her apart. I mean, twelve against one? What are the odds there, right? You’re all a bunch of cowards, hypocrites, and pathetic losers!”
“I can’t stand this cantankerous bitch,” said the younger man. A crypto maker without investors. His token’s price dove deep, and he went bankrupt last year. He stood up. “Let me finish the job.”
“Sit down!” Hanna barked at the man, and the man complied. “You don’t do anything stupid until I tell you so.”
“You’re not even in control of these pathetic cult worshippers of yours, Hanna. They don’t respect your authority. They think you’re weak because you have a vagina instead of a dick.”
“Shut up!” The crypto maker yelled at me.
I turned to Spade. “So, come on, shoot us now, asshole! What else are you waiting for? Pull the trigger! Check the gun and make sure it’s loaded before you shoot me, and do it point-blank because if you won’t, I will haunt you down, you cold-hearted, insensitive, broken monster! No wonder I’ve never fallen in love with you because you’re not capable of loving, you heartless, disgusting piece of shit!”
Then something happened I wasn’t prepared for, and I would never be. A gunshot rang, freezing me in terror. Then another, shaking me to the core.
I held my breath as Hanna dropped on the floor, face blanching, eyes widened in horror as if she had just realized something— regrets.
I bet she didn’t see that coming. Blood oozed from her white shirt as she grasped her abdomen, staring at Spade in shock. Her thigh bled, too.
The floor just echoed silence and tension. Those assholes at the table just froze. No one moved or breathed, or even stood up to help her or run away. Then I realized the gun was pointing at me and was now aiming at them.
A little hope rose in my chest, but we were not safe yet. Our lives were still in jeopardy.
Who was this man standing beside me?
“Oh, my God!” My chest heaved as men marched in, at least five of them, heavily armed. “Oh, God. I’m gonna die.”
Before they got closer, I watched them just drop on the floor one by one. Spade or the man beside me didn’t make the shots. The cults scramble to hide under the table.
I squeezed my eyes shut, offering everything to God. I was not even religious, but right now, I only prayed for one thing. Make it quick and painless.
One thing I knew I was still alive because I still felt scared. I was still shaking, trapped in the chair. I could still hear the buzzing, the commotion, and screams around me. I was still alive because I wasn’t bleeding to death, and my heart was still pounding so hard.
Was Sean dead? I was too terrified to open my eyes to see his lifeless body, but tears kept pouring like streams.
Then more gunfire flared, and the whizzing sound of bullets sprayed, embedding the wall enough to traumatize me for the rest of my life. And I just sat there, twisting my wrists to break the ziptie until I felt it had broken my skin instead.
I’d never been completely helpless until today. I couldn’t protect myself, but ducked my head, hoping the bullets would miss my brain. But I thought maybe point-blank to the head was less painful.
I didn’t know how long I rocked on the chair and prayed for it to be over. I blocked the noises and everything around me.
I thought of swimming in the ocean. The fall was liberating, diving into the blue sea until I felt weightless, descending into the deep darkness, mysterious endlessness. The tranquility was addictive. The silence seemed never-ending until it wasn’t.