Chapter 4

Sekina

“Are you sure you don't need a hand, Miss Sekina?” Lumere asked in concern.

He stepped out behind me, from the Limo that had conveyed us to the funeral site. A private cemetery where only the most elite people in the city could visit.

“No,” I mumbled, hiding my trembling hands in the black shawl wrapped around me. It matched the drab black dress I had on for the funeral, even if my mind was no longer here. I had bigger problems now.

A problem rooted deep in my abdomen, slowly growing with each passing second.

“Are you sure? You look sick.” He pressed.

I snapped, trying and failing to hide my trembling voice. “I'm fine, Lumere. Please leave me alone.”

I was not fine. I was pregnant. I didn't want to be left alone. I didn't know what to do. I still had one year of college left, but here was, standing in the shambles that was once my life. Tears leaked from my eyes into the shawl, and the mourners around me just assumed it was grief over the death of my parents and sister.

Before the ceremony started, I spotted Sean standing far off from the gathering, shielded by a huge tree and staring off into the distance. He had come for Simone.

I froze in my tracks, heart pounding at the beautiful, yet painful sight of him.

His towering figure was clad in the same depressing shade of black everyone wore, but still, he stood out. The blackness embraced him, like he had always been one with it. He must be heartbroken, having her tragically die a few days after their argument and him sleeping with… me. I knew I had to tell him about the pregnancy.

It was a heavy burden I couldn't bear alone.

Maybe if he knew… maybe that look of disgust would be gone. Maybe he would feel a bit of compassion, knowing something of his, was growing inside me.

So I approached him. I had already gotten close enough to see that he was smoking when he turned to look at me.

“Sean, I—”

“For fuck's sakes!” He cut in, throwing his cigarette to the ground, and snuffed it under his shoe. His eyes were reddened and narrow as he released the fumes from his nostrils. “Not you again. At least respect your sister's death and stay the fuck away.”

Even with the crippling stab of his harsh tone and disdainful words, he looked utterly beautiful. I had never known he smoked, but it didn't come as a huge surprise given he had always been rebellious. His large, swirling arm tattoos were proof of it. Suddenly, I wished to be back in the time when I had only admired him from a distance.

I hated the tears that leaked from my eyes, “I only wanted to tell you—”

“Are you fucking dense, or are you just an obsessed bitch who can't take a hint?” He stalked closer to me, grabbing me by my shawl. “I don't want to be seen anywhere close to you. Don't you fucking get it, you cheap whore? Lost your virginity in some stinky bed, in an equally stinky party. Even homeless people have more standards than you.”

His breath was warm and minty, mixed with the smoky flavor of nicotine and cigarettes, and I was devastated. These were terrible words, coming from someone I didn't recognize anymore.

I could swear he was never like this. I'd have known. I'd have known.

I dissolved into sobs, throat hoarse, eyes raw from all the crying I'd done recently. His lips curled in disgust and he pushed me away. I stumbled and fell into the grass, curling into a ball to protect my torn and shredded soul.

“Insensitive little filth.” He snarled at me. “Why don't you fucking run along now and shed those tears over your parents' graves. They must be so disappointed right now, that you’re all that's left of the Salvador family. A weak, snivelling disgrace. Simone shouldn't have died, she was useful and perfect. If anything, it should have been you.”

I cried harder, feeling my chest blocked with something that threatened to choke me to death.

“I never want to ever see you again. Keep that in mind the next time you taint my surroundings with your presence.” He spat, and I heard his footsteps retreat.

The funeral was a somber, silent affair.

My parents were influential, so naturally, there were many mourners. Simone was incredibly loved and famous, so by the end of the funeral, the entire cemetery was packed full of people who had come to pay their last respects. With the way they all ignored me, one would think I also died.

Hell, even the graves got more attention than I did. Not that I wanted any.

I broke away from the forced tears and fake grief, and went to sit under a tree. I stared blankly at the sunset for what seemed like hours before a group of people appeared in front of me. I looked up, to see Lumere, along with my father's lawyer and my stern uncles.

“The girl still holds a lot of grief, her loss is fresh.” Lumere said quietly, “Why don't we have this talk when she's done mourning?”

“We're all mourning.” One of them snapped callously. “She's going to have to toughen up to real life from now on.”

I got up, wisely remaining silent.

My oldest uncle addressed me directly without any preamble, “Your father's chosen heiress, Simone, is now dead. This means, the position of CEO of Ultra Media, will fall to you, Sekina. It is now your responsibility, to carry on your family legacy, the same way the true heiress had been trained to.”

As expected. I was never the “true” heiress. Just the backup plan. Lumere was avoiding my eyes like he knew that too, and my sadness gave way to rage.

Raw, unadulterated rage, because I was going to prove them all wrong, keep my pregnancy, and become the most powerful Salvador, to be CEO.