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
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim Of Jealousy “Please, stop!” Althea sobbed loudly. She struggled and struggled so much but she can’t get away from the chair to which she was tied. “Don’t hurt her anymore!”“AAAHHH!!” Alannah let out a piercing scream as the pliers pulled the last nail she had on her feet. “AAAHHH!!! Stop!!!”Althea was having a hard time breathing watching the bloody scene in front of her. She can’t help but sob again and she twisted to try and break free from the rope. But being starved for a day made her hopelessly weak. She sat there, helplessly as they do inhumane things to her mother.Her mother’s scream echoed in the four corners of the room. It was a numbing scream like a pig getting butchered. Althea’s ears feel like they are bleeding from her cries, she struggled again and wounds started to emerge on her flesh. “Please, let it be me!” Althea begged. Her tears were obstructing her visions. “Let my mother go! I’m the only one you want, right?! She hasn’t even me
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy Coldwater trickled down, and Althea watched as it fell beneath her feet. While as she watches the translucent water, she can’t help but wonder if it was the shower or her tears. “It’s okay, Althea.” She can hear her mother’s voice again, with her bandaged hands cupping her face. “I will get us out of here.” —she started giving them her body. Wham! She slammed the side of her fist on the wall, hoping for the physical pain to take the pain in her heart away. “What are you doing?” A man outside the bathroom asked. “You better finish your bath early. Or else I will wash you myself.” Althea turned to glare at the closed door with tears in her eyes. I will kill them all! Althea seethed in her heart. I swear, I will kill them all myself! The man punched the door and reminded her to hurry bathing, making her rub her skin harder than usual so that it turned red. She didn’t bathe for too long, she was already out before five minutes could pass
Special Chapter One: A Victim of Jealousy (04)“Let me go!” Althea struggled to get her hair away from the painful grasp of the man who discovered her. It was their boss, and she can’t help but panic and ask herself;Isn’t he suppose to be away for days?! “I know what you want to ask,” the man dragged her from hall to hall with her hair. The men who were tardy suddenly stood up straight at the sight of him. Their leader growled at them angrily. “If I haven’t felt that something is wrong, this little mouse could have escaped! Incompetent! Do you want me to send your head flying?!”The others flinched, and they mumbled sorry to him. Their boss ignored them and kicked the door of their room open. Althea struggled once more when her eyes caught a bloody sight. Inside the room, the man who ‘helped’ her was lying on the ground, unconscious with blood gushing out of his head.He’s dead!Althea yelled in her mind. She wasn’t particularly concerned for the man, rather, she was delighted seein
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