SOFIAHow was I even supposed to deal with living with a man like Ronaldo? He hated my sister and I, but Olivia still enjoyed some benefits from him because she prioritised working herself out to be his 'favourite' step daughter. But me, all I ever lived for was finding those who killed our parents and bringing them to justice. Other things should be finding a good job, having a good house and a car.Wasn't that all I was supposed to be thinking of?I remembered my childhood days. I slowly remembered those days, those times when I had no care in the world. These times were the times kids my age would dream about being a doctor, a pilot, or even a famous singer or a versatile artist. Some would begin working towards their dream work. Back then, I was among them, having nothing to worry about, having no harm from the outside world. All I thought about was school, playing with my friends, and getting home in time for dinner, and dinner meant well if my dad's friend came with a bagful of
SOFIAI was dreaming…I opened my eyes in the dream, my heart racing and my body tangled in sweat-soaked blood. It felt like I wasn't dreaming. It felt like I was truly blood-soaked and locked up. It was a dream, but it felt so vivid and engaging. I was a damsel in distress, trapped in a forest and in excruciating pain. My captor was staring at me with a deranged smile and it turned everything in me upside down. He was about to devour me and I was about to give up, then he left me alone for a while.Fast forward to the remaining part of the dream. I found myself in the middle of a dense, dark forest, and because it was a dream, this place looked like a room, but trees loomed overhead, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor. The air was thick with an oppressive stillness, broken only by the distant sounds of wild animals and something else I couldn't fathom.As I stumbled through the forest, a sharp pain shot through my side, causing me to stumble and fall to my knees. I clutched at
SOFIA I squeezed my legs to my chest. Maybe I should never have ran away. I should have stayed and gotten married to him. I'll have money and the sex couldn't be all that bad. I won't have to go through all this. And who knows he might just let me finish my investigation.Now I was pimping myself out. Looking for holes in the past. Looking for something a genuine reason to make me escape from the reality of what had happened. They were odd and my worst nightmare a few months back was beginning to look like a sort of mistake for me. That I shouldn't have ventured into.Well, there was nothing I could do now. I'd come this far, going back would just be suicide. The mafia would be after me and so would Ronaldo. I had tasted freedom and I could not go back to being confined by the choices of everyone around me. It was an easy no.The word 'why' was starting to feel sour in my mouth. I kept asking myself. What could I have done better? I couldn't help but blame myself. I mean I saw the sig
SOFIAThe biggest issue of the female gender in this current society had to be the problem of picking the right clothes. Alex had asked to see me and even if it wasn't a date, I still wanted to look good. Like I said, he just brought out this side of me. Everytime.I don't think my wardrobe got the memo. Apparently apart from my office clothes which I never planned on wearing again infact I didn't mind dumping them in fire, the rest of my clothes were not it. I stared at the wardrobe irritated from all the piles and heaps. This was going to be a big job to do and I needed to clear my head before I could go on.I decided to try out some music. Everything needs a little harmony right? I started swaying my hips pretending to enjoy the song. I increased the volume to the highest and I tried to block out the thoughts in my head. It wasn't working out for me. I wanted to scream loud and pull my hair. I put off the music immediately. Why me? Why did this have to happen to me?I was already a
SOFIAHe kept looking at him and subconsciously, I reached to touch my face to feel if there was something there. I checked myself well before leaving the house and I looked great. The make up was good and the dress was not revealing.I just couldn't ignore how his eyes kept flicking up to the rearview mirror, stealing glances at me. It was unnerving, to say the least. I felt like hitting my bag on his damned head. For some reason, he gave me the vibes of my boss and it irked me. Now, I was stuck with him. I should have just walked!I tried my best to ignore his piercing stare, focusing instead on the passing scenery outside the window. The streets were busy, people were trooping out of banks and other shops. For a while, I focused but every time I glanced up, this man's eyes were on me once more. It was as though he was trying to unravel the very fabric of my being, touch me or feast on me with the intensity of his gaze.I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, stealing a quick glance at
ALEXThe cartel would be mine. So I had thought.Not until that night, not until I read that very terrible message. With the buzz of my phone and me picking it up. I could have ignored it, oh, I could just toss it aside but then I checked it. It was the strange, it was unusual, it was the most unexpected message I have ever seen and received.My heart skipped two beats, my whole body had erupted and the shock travelled from my legs up to my face, making me go all pale and shivering and I had mistakenly dropped the cup of water I was holding, letting out a loud, "What?!"That night had been the most terrible, apart from the day I lost my mother. That night, I felt all I ever looked after crumbling. It was like I had been pregnant for nine months, nursing my baby in me which was the Cartel, and then when it was time to give birth, I was told the baby died.For all my life, for all of my life, all I think of was owning the Cartel. Apart from dangerously loving hockey, the Cartel was very
ALEX "What a funny joke." I couldn't stop myself from laughing. Laughing was my comfort act, and I kept making silly chuckles to comport myself. I still couldn't believe that my father would be so brutal towards the whole successor thing. I mean it was successor for a reason. Hello? Next of kin? The man was dumb.I wondered if I had no one to back me up or root for me back at home. I would have never known about his decision. He didn't even plan to inform me. I chuckled again. I was basically out of business then. I wasn't sure if he considered me as a son, seeing all his recent decisions. At least he'd let me know.I shifted uncontrollably in my seat. I'd forgotten to wind down the glass for some air and I was getting choked up. I immediately pressed the buttons and let myself out. Wow, suffocation was definitely not the best way to go. Just less air and I felt like puking my insides out.Perhaps I needed to go to a hospital. The stress of thinking lately had begun to dawn on me. I
SOFIAThoughts were still running wild in my head like little children in a playground and then I composed myself when I saw Alex. He seemed lost, I wondered what he was thinking about. From afar, he doesn't look this pensive, but now, going closer to him, he wasn't here anymore. His mind had travelled out of planet Earth."Alex, are you okay?" I asked him with concerned eyes. He was quick to look up, and I knew he hadn't even bothered to look up all this while, not to talk of pretending to not see me coming."Hey, Sofia." He said, standing up. He then pulled out the chair opposite to his and gestured for me to sit. "Sit."I stepped aside with a smile as he pulled the chair away. I then thanked him with a nod and sat down in the comfortable chair. The chair was thin and tight but I squeezed myself in it, doing my best to avoid meeting Alex's eyes. I could feel the weight of his gaze on me as we made small talk and greeted each other."Are you comfortable?""Yes." I answered.Alex wave