CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SIX (02):—“Let them have their goodbyes,” Althea grabbed her hair on the back and tied it. Her reflection in the mirror was showing a light-hearted woman, smiling as she fixed her hair. “I don’t want to be like Sheryl who didn’t give me a chance to say my last words to my parents… I told myself that I don’t want to step that low.”Lies.Althea knows that the three of them won’t have a peaceful and heartwarming goodbye to each other. She could guess the horror of the two right now when they realized that they were raising a terrible monster all along.Althea paused, the smile on her lips stretched a little bit more—ops, she fixed herself. She should not be like this even if she can already taste their despair.“... Copy ma’am,” Eddie answered, he can’t help the weird feeling that was arising in his chest. He called Tyler to ask for instructions because he noticed that Sheryl—their new capture, was already awake. But he didn’t expect that it was his wife who
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SIX (03):—“Hey! Get us out of here, quick!” Diana impatiently demanded from the man that was guiding them. “These doors are freaking me out! Do they keep people here to torture?!”The man in front hissed and glared at her. Diana choked and shut her mouth. The man was satisfied, but there was still a frown on his face. “Yes. We do.”Diana’s face was pale. Sure enough! But she didn’t think that Tyler is like that at all! She didn’t even know that he had people in the underground! She didn’t think that he was hiding his true self from them and they didn’t even notice it!Of course, the way of her thinking is off course. Tyler had no people underground until now. They are not his in the first place. “But don’t get the wrong idea.” Suddenly the man added, turning his head to look in front. “The boss is not an animal like you three. He might even give you a painless death rather than torture you for everything that you’ve than to his wife.”The husband and wife’
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY-SIX (04):—Under the glaring sun, two men trailed towards the depths of a certain mountain. The thick leaves of the tall trees were serving as their shelter against the scorching heat. A very typical day. A day where the two ventures in the wood to alleviate their boredom. “How much longer do we need to walk?” The man that was falling behind can’t help complaining. “We have been walking for half an hour, my feet are dying!”“Relax.” The man ahead laughed. “We would be there soon—”“You have been telling me that for ages.” The man stopped and tugged the collar of his shirt back and forth to somehow give himself comfort from the heat. He didn’t notice that the other stopped walking and was frowning. “Just tell me that we are lost, I won’t get mad—”“Shh!” His companion raised a finger to his lips. “Can you smell that?”You hushed me because you smelled something?! He could hardly believe his ears, he wanted to tease the other, but seeing his rare serious expr
EPILOGUE: —An afternoon precisely two years after the birth of a new compass that will lead a few people out from the raging storm in the middle of an ocean. Their boat rowed and rowed on the dark scary body of water, swaying violently against the swirling winds. It creaked, almost cracked, but alas;They made it out.“Zach! Be careful!” A tiny voice of a boy yelled at the top of his lungs. His breathing was ragged, he was sweating as he chased another small figure in front. He was fast on his feet, they kicked on the ground and stomped on the grass.Zach, a three years old boy ran without heeding the older’s warning. Ironically, despite having a smaller stature than the other, he runs faster. He laughed gleefully as he continued running for the other to chase. “Catch me, Kai!”“Oh come on!” The 9 years old Kai frustratedly said under his bated breath. Nonetheless, he still chased after his brother. His lips stretched side by side as if the frustration he had was nothing but a mere
EPILOGUE (02):—The ride towards the mansion where the other family members ended in a flash. Althea stepped out, carrying Titus on her right arm and holding Kai’s hand with her left. “Don’t be nervous,” Tyler whispered in her ears. He was carrying Zach on his arm.“I’m not.” She lied. Her husband laughed, earning her a frustrated groan. “Don’t worry, I’m here.”“Hmm.” Althea nodded, his words worked like magic, suddenly, her heart was like a galloping horse slowly calmed down. She took in the sight of the mansion. It was… Big, ridiculously big. She thought that their house is already big enough, but this is two times bigger. Althea stood there in awe, admiring how it stood on the ground like a massive tree. Persistent against any winds or storms. It was truly admirable.It was already dark, the sun was down the horizon and the lights of the streets were on. Half of the world is slowly entering the night. On the other side of the mansion, the garden perhaps was well lit. She can
EPILOGUE (03):—“Are you stupid?!” Althea can’t help but blurt out rather loudly. It was fortunate that it was only them at the moment. “Why did you not tell me? You’re aware that he doesn’t know my connection with Augustine. It’s only you!”“Oh!” Charlotte realized it too late. “My bad, my bad! It should be me, huh. Well, I didn’t mention it in the past because you hated him…”“Still…!” Althea sighed then cupped her forehead. “... How am I supposed to explain it to Tyler? That the father of Kai is his own cousin…”So that's why Tyler said that they are family! I thought he was just saying that because she’s my friend… They really are a family…“You don’t need to explain it though.” Charlotte started pulling her towards the garden. “Augustine probably already did.”“That’s impossible,” Althea said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Why would he even bother about that?”That man. He never looks at Kai as his own child. He never even acknowledged him. He even told him to ignore and act like th
EPILOGUE (04):—“That’s enough…” Althea breathlessly said, pushing the beast on top of her. “Goodness, insatiable!”“Sorry,” the man groaned and pulled out. “It was you who initiated.”They paused, trying to catch their breaths. The heat has yet to subside. Moments later, Tyler stood to get something.“Here.” Tyler offered her a glass of water.“Thanks.” Althea immediately drank it, watering her dried throat. When the steam already calmed down, something entered her mind. “Ah, yes. You mentioned that your mother and father got back together?”“Yes.” Tyler was in the middle of wiping her sweat. “What about it?”“Why is it that she didn’t go to the gathering…?”“Ah.” Tyler paused and tried to recall something. “That might be because she’s still guilty about the past.”“I see.” Althea nodded. “She must be lonely alone then.”Tyler suddenly laughed. Althea asked what he was laughing about. “About that, I actually sent her a gift.”“?” —The night when Tyler and Althea had dinner with th
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE:A VICTIM OF JEALOUSY—WARNING: The following contents may include; violence, sexual assault, death, etc. Reader discretion is advised.That certain night was very dark and gloomy. The heavy and thick dark clouds hang lowly in the sky, and the once beautiful moon was nowhere in sight. In a particular secluded place where a thick forest surrounds it like a massive fortress, an eerie and bone-numbing event will happen for a whole one month.“Who are you?! Why are you doing this to us?!”A sharp yell broke the cold silence of the night. The voice was weak, but anger and fear were heard strongly in it. The voice was distant, or so in the ears of the still unconscious pregnant woman. Her finger twitched. “You don’t need to know.” A voice of a man. It was unfamiliar—yet it was not. “Ah, I guess I can tell you one thing though; blame yourselves for getting acquaintance with Tyler Barns.”Tyler? A familiar name shook her awake. Her eyes fluttered open, the blues were h
---I did what I was ordered to, and when I finally got to the bottom of it…What the fuck?“I knew things would be interesting if I keep him by my side.” Startled, I looked at my sister who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. She was looking at the photo with interest in her eyes. She looked at me. “Erase every record the police had or anything within Victoria’s reach, we can’t have her figuring out everything before I can have my fun of them destroying each other.”“Hmmm,” I glanced at her. “Isn’t she your friend?”“Friend?” She smiled, appearing innocent. “I don’t have anything like that. Father banned that word to us, brother.”“... If that’s what you say.”“Good!” She turned and stretched her body. “Ahh, I can’t wait to see Sheryl get destroyed by the man she loves. Or maybe, it would be mutual destruct
—“Is that your fiance?” I asked as soon as I sneaked at her back, wanting to scare her.“Stop doing that!” She yelled at me. I laughed at her, telling her sorry. She clicked her tongue before nodding. “He is. Handsome, right?”“Hmm?” I pretended to think about it. “Not really.”She scoffed. “Really.”She turned her back on me and continued her work, facing the paper works that were piled on her table. She was 15.I stood behind her, looking at the man on her table.From the day I knew that all along, she was the leader, I decided to stay and look after her. When I told her about my decision, the pause she had was short but eye-catching. Before I could register the pause and understand the meaning behind it, she answered my words with a smile.‘I will be glad to have you under me.’ Her smile was pretty chilling, more bone-numbing than our father’s s
—I am older than her by 5 years, and I remember her looking at me from behind. Normally, one should feel happy to know that someone was looking at their back, admiring them, but that’s not the case with me.Every time I look back, turn to look at her over my shoulder, every time I caught her eyes, I can’t help but shudder:She feels the same as our father.We were only half-siblings. We have the same father, but that’s not the case with mothers.My mother died when I was four, then our father brought another woman into the house after that. That woman was Charlotte’s mother. She was warm and kind. I remember her talking to me a few times.‘Charles, even though you don’t have my blood, please think of me as your mother too.’ She said one time when I tried avoiding her in fear that she wanted me dead. That was what most people who wanted to seize my father’s power would do if they were in her position
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (10)“He is so cute…!”Days had passed since the birth of her son. Althea was peeking at him with a glass wall between them. She still has IVs in her hand, and she hasn’t recovered most of her energy yet, but she seems like she was overflowing with one.She had her palms against the glass, Althea feels like looking from where she was is not enough, she wanted to slip through the wall and hold him. But it was still not safe, so she held the urge in.A bracelet on her son, the letters were a little bit incomprehensible, but she can read them. It was the name of her son:Alexander Kai GrahamAlthea felt giddy, she can’t wait to hold him in her arms soon.“He’s your son?”“Yes,” Althea responded without thought. When she realized what she had
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (09)—Blood was trickling down.Plop, plop, plop.Bead-shaped blood fell from her private area continuously. It seems like someone pressed the pause button of the world; Althea felt everyone in the supermarket stopped moving.‘No.’ She thought to herself as she watched the blood slowly forming into a puddle beneath her feet. She can feel the hot liquid trailing down her legs. ‘This can’t be!’This day is supposedly like the normal days she had. Strolling around and buying things she thinks she wants. But in the middle of it, she just suddenly felt it come down.She’s only six months pregnant.“Oh my god!” A lady came to her, holding her shoulders in worry. Her eyes were on the blood, aghast. “You are bleeding!”
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (08)—She didn't think of it anymore and immediately set an appointment for the abortion.The next day, she went to the center and waited in line.Althea was all covered up, afraid that someone might recognize her in this hospital. She was pale, she had to deal with the morning sickness alone, and she had no idea what to do the whole time because, in her previous pregnancy, her mother was there.Now she was alone, dealing with everything she doesn’t want to.Althea wants to sob and to get everything over with. She can’t believe she committed a grievous sin to her friend. If only she didn’t get tempted with the money, things would not escalate like this.‘It’s all his fault,’ she galed at the entrance of the hospital where few people were going in and out. ‘He fooled me!’
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (07)—“A brothel?” Althea asked as soon as she entered the place. Her eyes wandered around and she felt overwhelmed by the red hue of the place. The lights, the atmosphere, the people. Everything here was new to her. She doesn’t know what to feel.“First time here?” The lady in heels asked. She gestured to someone far away by her hand and the other nodded before leaving their sight. “Don’t be nervous, you will only be entertaining guests… Why you don’t want to? It’s money, you know.”Selling myself. If it was her in the past, she would strongly disagree and storms off from here. But now, she has nothing but emptiness, she abandoned her pride and morals. She doesn’t have any desire to live anyway. This much won’t hurt her.“Anything’s fine,” Althea said, her
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (06)“What happened to you?” Altheaopened her eyes and saw a fuzzy scene. There were heads in front of her peeking at her from above. Althea could not recognize the features of the faces, but she knew they were medical workers because of their uniforms. It was the uniforms that the nurses and the doctors wear that she sees every time she goes to the hospital for check-ups and visits to her father.“You have been stabilized…” She heard muffled voices as if she was submerged in an ocean, waters entering her ear canals. She tried to move, but her body was too heavy like lead. She gave up and remained still, still unable to do anything, not even talk.“The man who found you and sent you here already paid for the medical bills…”‘What are they talking about?’ Althea had no clue. ‘It seems important.
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (05)“Do you like it?” The man asked Althea who was silent with her head bowed. “Do you like it?”“...” She had no response.His eyebrows twitched. He dislikes being ignored despite ignoring people.He bends down and held her chin to look at him forcefully. “Hey, little mouse, I am asking you a question. Do you like it?”“...” She still had no response.With eyebrows raised, he stood up and stretched his arms. “Sigh! After all, we did to repaint the wall, that blood only amounted to that much. It wasn’t even able to cover one-fourth of the wall. So regrettable! Now, the little fierce rat is not fierce anymore…”He glanced down, his cold eyes looking at the woman who was sitting on the cold ground motionlessly. “She can’t even appreciate our