Pathetic

At a distant noise and then the door's being slammed open, jolted me out of my raw slumber. After one of Monet's men came to collect a sample of my blood for the test and gave me painkillers, all I could do was give in to the exhaustion to my body and mind. Well, it seemed like seeing a slight possibility that Mom was telling the truth, Monet decided to show a little mercy on me.

But I knew it wouldn't last for long. As soon as the result would come out and he would find out that I wasn't his blood, which I hoped, he wouldn't hesitate to finish the rest of his task that he left years ago. If Dad and Adrian wouldn't bow to his demands, then he wouldn't have any gain in keeping me alive.

Squinting against the darkness near the door, I tried to see the person who stood there.

From what I could figure out, it was a lady. And her gaze was on me.

"M-mom? Is that you?"

Silence.

Soon, a tall man entered the room after her.

A crease formed between my brows.

Who are they?

"I don't think James would like it if he finds out we came here without his permission," said the man. The voice I knew really well.

Tim.

A fury started to burn through my blood. My hands curled into balls.

What was this backstabber doing here? And who was this lady with him?

She was definitely not Mom.

Then something clicked in my head.

The other betrayer?

Removing Tim's hand from her shoulder, as she took steps forward, my body tensed. Her heels clicked against the floor. Ignoring the pain, I sat straight.

"Who are y…"

"You think the little lie your mother spat on Monet's face would save you?" asked the low voice. The voice that held only bitterness in it.

And my heart stopped beating down my chest even before the person stepped into the light. When she was finally before me, with her eyes boring into mine, I found only raw hatred in there. Instead of the warmth and love I had seen for years.

A gasp slipped through my lips.

I opened my mouth but words didn't come out.

When the rage and hatred stayed in her familiar gaze, mine filled with tears. Shock, hurt and a feel of being betrayed slammed on me like a hefty wave.

Not her. Anyone, but not her. Please.

As a tear rolled down my cheek, coming to my eye level, she bared her teeth in a hiss.

"No matter what your father does, no one can save you as well as him and the rest of your pathetic family! A little fucking lie cannot ruin all my hard work, all the plannings and plottings I have done! No DNA results can stop me from getting what's mine, even that sick James Monet's so called idea that he cares for his family!"

All of her words went unheard by my ears. Because all I could think was...why?

Why did she do it?

"Why?" I whispered.

I couldn't form any other words. It was like someone was crushing my heart into pieces. Tim, who was like a guardian angel to me, betrayed me in the worst possible way. And now, her.

The woman who was like a second mother to me.

My own aunt.

It didn't hurt when strangers betrayed you. But when a loved one stabbed you in the back, it hurt like a bitch.

Another tear fell as a shaky breath left me. "Why Marie? Why did you do it?"

Her features twisted into rage. "Isn't it obvious? I hate you, and your family! Especially your father! He has ruined my life! He never gave me what I deserved, not even a penny from what our father left for us because he needed it all to lift up his gang, nor had he given me any choices in my life! Because of him, I had to leave the man I loved, only because he was from an enemy gang! Because of him I had to marry a man I didn't love!"

Red painted lips pressed tight.

"I had to ask him for every penny like a beggar! I always wanted the power he contained, the wealth he had. But I couldn't get anything! In the name of protection, he always kept me caged between a bunch of bodyguards! He turned me into his fucking puppet of his hands! And you're asking why?"

A hiss left my lips as she clutched my already wounded arms with her long nails digging in my flesh.

"Marie," Tim warned, stepping forward. But she didn't pay any heed.

Gripping my arms in a vice-like grip, she shook me, her eyes were murderous. "I finally found a way to do something for me, to earn a good amount by running a business using their name. But your father and brother ruined that too! They always ruin everything!"

A cry of pain left my mouth, but her hands didn't budge. Her once sweet and warm fragrance of sandalwood now cut like poison in my senses.

"Just a few hours, Sofia. When the result will come out, you," her grip tightened, words came out through her gritted teeth, "will be dead. When James will find out that your dear mother has betrayed him once again, he won't wait for your father and boyfriend to come here and surrender. He will very pleasingly finish this pathetic life of yours and your mother's. And then, will come your father and boyfriend's turn. My dear brother will die and I will get what I want. The entire wealth Leonardo McCommer has!"

A fear knotted in my stomach. Ragged breathing came out of me. Where I was praying earlier for the results to come out as negative, but now I was fearing the consequences. Not for me, but for my family.

"They thought putting James off the track for a while would buy them more time? They wanted to keep you away from more harm until they finally came here. But they are wrong. James is no fool. He had given your family time to surrender, but they didn't listen. And now sweetheart," a sickly sweet smile tugged up her red lips, "your death is some hours away. He already gave his men orders to finish you and your brother if the results come out negative. He knows Adrian Larsen and your father will attack to get you three out of here sooner or later instead of surrendering, so there is no point in keeping you alive, now is there? James Monet hates betrayals. The consequences of your mother's lie would now take your life."

Shaking my head, with tears blurring my vision, I tried to get out of her clutch. "We are your family! How could you do this to us? Just for money and power, you would destroy your own family? Your own brother?"

"Yes!" she hissed, pulling away. "For money and power, I can do anything. I will do anything as long as I get what I want!"

"It was you who threatened Jenna using her father, didn't you? It was you who forced her to steal the envelope from Dad's office." I accused, my eyes cutting her with wrath. Hatred and rage slowly grew in my heart for the woman I loved as my own mother throughout my whole life. "Don't you even love your own daughter? Are you even a human?"

Not a hint of guilt washed over her features.

"I only love money and power. Nothing else. And for that, if I had to put her life at risk, I would have done it without a second thought. She is a coward without a backbone, I wouldn't get anything out of her anyway," she snapped.

My jaw clenched. Rage ran hot through my veins. "I swear, Marie. If I somehow make it out of here, I will make your life a living hell! I will make you pay for everything you did to us!"

"What did you say?" With her eyes flashing, her nostrils flared in uncontained anger.

As she tried to advance towards me again, Tim was quick to appear beside her, holding her back.

"Marie, no. James won't like it if we go against his orders. Until the result comes out, no one is allowed to hurt her. So we must leave. Before anyone finds out."

Her blazing eyes were still set on me as she let Tim pull her towards the door. Her shoulders rose up and down with the harsh breaths she took.

"Say whatever you want. It's your last night to run that sharp mouth of yours after all. I will forgive you for this one time," she said. "Enjoy the last couple of hours of your life, sweetheart. Because you wouldn't be alive to see the next morning."

With that, she turned around and stormed out of the room, leaving Tim behind.

When I met his gaze, something flashed across those aged eyes. But before I could understand what it was, he turned away and followed Marie out, closing the door behind him.

A shaky breath left me. Her words rang in my head again and again like an ominous whisper. Fear was clutching my heart in its vice-like grip.

Just some hours. And I would be dead.

After hearing Marie claiming Mom's revelation a lie with such confidence, I should feel relieved. But the gnawing fear and panic for my and my family's life wasn't letting me think about anything else.

I rested my head against the chair, a choked sob escaped my mouth. With my heart clenching with pain and fear, tears fell from my eyes.

I can't do this anymore. All this was too much. I can't take it anymore.

Why was my life like this? What did I do to deserve all of this?

As my eyes closed, more tears fell. My figure shook with my cry of agony.

Where are you, Adrian?

"P-please," I hiccuped. "Take me out of here. Please! I can't take it anymore!"

Even when I didn't want him to come here, at the same time I wanted him to get me out of here and hide me in his arms.

All I wanted was, just to stay in his warmth, forever. Away from this pain, enmity, cruelty and hatred. Away from this pathetic life.

And with my tears for my pitiful fate and the pain Milton left on me, darkness slowly engulfed me in it once again, leaving only two things in my mind.

Adrian.

And death.

***

A strange movement beneath me brought me back to consciousness. Distant outcries and commotion made me furrow my brows.

And when the movement came again, I opened my eyes.

No movement. The building shook, along with a loud noise coming from somewhere outside. And then soon the ear-piercing sound of gun fires reached my ears. The commotion and yells were clear now.

My heart beat started to run faster. When several more gun fires rang across the whole building, I sat straight.

What was happening?

The sound of people running outside of the room they held me in, the yells of urgency rose a panic in my chest.

What the hell was happening here?

And then all of a sudden the door burst opened, making me jolt in my place out of fright.

Mom stood there with her hand on the doorknob. While perspiration adorned her forehead and her eyes were wide with urgency, a smile spread across her face. A smile that screamed hope.

"They're here!" she panted. "They're here for us, Sofia. They're here to take us out of here!"