Chapter 90 Chapter 90
12 years Theodore
Flashback to eighteen years ago.
“Do you think your life is free?”
My body shivered from the cold as I was dragged off the floor, lifted into the air. I wanted to hold him, free myself from Uncle Mateo. I could hear his voice, angry. But my hands were weak.
It was cold. My back hurt, and a headache was pounding, covering my head. My eyes were painful, begging to sleep.
“Uncle… I think… I’m…sick.” I coughed, but I didn't open my eyes. I couldn’t, it hurt so much.
“Sick? Open your eyes!”
His hand on my chest shook me hard. Slowly, I dragged my eyes open, and my blurry vision cleared up.
“Uncle…” Tears flowed down my face, my head tearing apart. “I think I’m sick, Uncle,” I repeated.
His eyes were cold. I have never seen him like that. My uncle who had smiled at me, was never this cold, glaring at me.
“Where is papa? Please take me to him.” I shivered. “I saw mother throughout the night, she was doing something to my head, and….and she said Miguel was dead. What does she mean by that?” I reached for Uncle Mateo's hands on my chest.
“Your father didn’t spend his last will for you to cry and call on everyone, Theodore!” He yelled, his eyes hard.
“Uncle you are scaring me…” More tears flowed down my cheeks, and my chest hurt. “Where is papa? My body hurts.”
“You are going to be a weakling!” More yell and then my back is dragged down and slammed against the floor.
I groaned, my back painful from being thrown. Uncle was strange. He has been strange since I came here. Since he asked the bigger guard to take me, I have been practicing. Fighting with big men for days. And they don't forgive.
Uncle was never like that.
Someone barged into the room, and I directed my gaze to it.
It was Aunty.
I inhaled at the salvation.
“Don’t you think you are being too harsh on him!” She ran to me, pulling me into her embrace, and that brought out all the tears in my eyes.
“Aunty… I want Papa, and…and Miguel. Uncle is acting strange.” I moved into her embrace, my hands cold yet I clung to her.
“Wow, Estelle.” Uncle started laughing. “What are you doing here? Why are you here after disappearing for many years?” Uncle yelled, his voice thunderous. “How dare you walk into this building!”
“How dare you treat him this way! How can you be so cruel to a child who has just experienced the worst thing? How can you be so inhuman!” She yelled back, and I held her tightly.
Laughter. Uncle laughed again.
Why? Maybe something was funny.
“Father and mother truly failed in raising their children!” He yelled, but I didn't dare to look at him.
“Out of three, two are weaklings, and one of them died, then the second dared to enter my building after five years of running with someone lesser, to point at me? Our parents must be regretting their lives.”
“How dare you. How dare you speak about our parents that way!” She stood up shifty, leaving me on the floor.
I looked up at Uncle, his face was red, his veins on display.
“If our parents hadn’t failed, Nikolai wouldn't have been killed by that sick woman he took as his wife! If our parents didn't fail they wouldn't have let him get married to someone who had killed him! They won’t have let you marry that dick head you ran away with! All these tragedies are because of them!”
Was Father killed by Mother?
What does it mean?
“You!…” Aunty pointed her finger at him. “You have always seen yourself as better than everyone. Just because you took over our father’s empire doesn’t make you a god! …… Weak? How is Nikolai weak?”
She moved close to him. “Yes, Nikolai may have been lesser than you, but he fought for Theodore, so he won’t end up dying like Miguel. He went through that chemical-infused tunnel to get his little boy. How could you say that of him and treat the same child like a prisoner!”
I looked up at Uncle. What are they talking about? I gasped, as pain spread all over my chest.
After I woke up, I heard Papa and Mother saying Miguel was dying. No, he was died. They were arguing as always.
“Uncle…what does it mean to…to.. die?” My throat tightened.
Silence. They both turned to me, shocked. Aunty started walking back to me.
“Oh, Theodore you don’t…..”
“You’ll never see your brother and father again. Just like the little rabbit your mom got for you.” Uncle answered.
And my head clouds.
To die?….
“Mateo! How can you say that!” Aunty yelled again.
“What! It’s better he knows head-on! He is smart!”
“Even though, how …..how..”
I never saw the rabbits again.
It was okay that night, but it won’t open its eyes again. Miguel had said mother put it to sleep. That it would wake up soon.
“But… but Miguel said it was sleeping.. It will wake up later .”I murmured. My eyes hurt, blurring as I held my chest.
“It will never Theodore, it has been dead for two years now. Just like the rabbit, Miguel is gone, so is my brother.”
“Aunty…” My throat is tighter, my heart painful.
I wanted to breathe but there was something holding me back. “Pa..pa..”
Aunty’s eyes widened as she turned, and rushed to me.
“Theo….Theo. I’m taking you out of here. Just breathe.” Her hands moved down on my chest, but it was hard and painful in my chest.
“Taking him out? Do you want to end Nikola’s
bloodline? That crazy woman will find everything to get Theodore again, and this time, it’ll be worse. She is going to create a monster. Can you truly protect him!”
Aunty's hands fell from my cheek, and then she looked at me, a tear dropped.
“You don’t have to turn him like you. I know what you have in mind. But you shouldn’t neglect him, he is still a child.”
“He needs it so he won’t become weak and be killed. He has to be strong.”
“I’m sorry.” Aunty stood up, but I didn't let go of her hand.
“Don’t go, aunty.” Tears rolled from my eyes.
“I’m sorry, Theodore.”
She dragged her hand away from mine and rushed out. I moved to follow her, but my chest hurt, like a cut.
“Aunty..my chest.”
“Just because you are sick doesn’t mean you shouldn’t join others to train.”
I am grabbed by my chest again and lifted.
“Even though blood is dripping out from your chest cut, never miss your training!” I’m pushed to the floor and then he walked out.
End of flashback.
I stepped out of the car, heading towards the mansion’s door.
It was dark, and everyone should be sleeping including Selena.
I had sent her a text about coming late, then she had inquired about my whereabouts, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell her.