Chapter Three: Resolutions

Trina’s POV 

Standing right before me, she spat, “I tried to be lenient with you but I guess you and your rebellious brother want it the hard way so I will just cut to the chase.”

She paused just a little before going on. “The family lawyer has already prepared all the documents so all I need is your signature. Hand over all your shares of the company and also that of Mason’s. He is still a minor and since your vegetable of a mom made you his legal guardian, you’ll have to sign for both of you.”

Another wave of vertigo overcame me once again. I couldn't believe my ears. Our shares? They want us to hand over our shares– the only source of livelihood that remains for me, my brother and our ailing mom after they usurped the company she inherited from her family?!

"Y…you can't do this!" I stuttered, my voice trembling with a mixture of rage and desperation. "These shares, they are all we have left! You can't take them away from us!"

But Emily's lips only curled into a cruel smile. "Oh, but I can, dear. Your stupid mom may have been foolish enough to leave you and your brother those large shares, but she's not here to protect you anymore. She's helplessly stuck in that ICU bed until the day she finally gives up and follows her ancestors that founded the company, remember?

Her words really stung, but before I could do or say anything, Mason somehow managed to break free of the bodyguards’ hold and run towards us once again.

"I told you guys to leave my sister alone! And how dare you insult my mom, you gold-digger!" he yelled.

And what happened next was so fast that I had difficulty registering it. The two bodyguards rushed over, grabbing Mason roughly by the arms. Despite his struggles, they easily overpowered him, throwing him to the ground with a frightening thud.

"Mason!" I cried out, as I rushed to my beloved brother's side. As I helped him sit up, I noticed a bruise already forming on the left side of his face. My face instantly squeezed with terror.

Before I could do anything, Emily’s much-hated voice rent the air. "Now that I have your full attention, let me make this very clear. You have two choices, Katrina Ryder. You either sign over your shares and agree to never involve yourselves in company business again, or..."

She paused, deliberately letting the threat hang in the air.

"Or what?" I lashed out in rage, as I cradled my brother's head in my bosom.

"Or we stop paying for your mother's treatment and your brother's tuition," Emily finished, her tone matter-of-fact. "It's your choice, Trina. It all lies on you now, so think carefully before you make your decision. Your beloved family's well-being or your wealth."

Never before have I ever felt as shell-shocked and helpless as I feel at the moment. How did things escalate so fast like this? My mother, Sarah Ryder, was fighting for her life in the ICU. Without the company's financial support, I will never be able to afford the cumbersome amount of money the hospital charges for her treatment. And Mason... he was just in his eighth grade now. How can I put him through school without the financial support of the company? How can they do this to us?!

All of a sudden, I felt fury and rage, like never before coursing through my veins. However, deep down within me, underneath all the rage, I could feel a crushing sense of defeat. No matter how outrageous their demands are, how furious it made me, I just have no other choice. They know my weakness and used it against me and now, I’m completely helpless.

Looking at Mason who was snuggled in my arms, I saw the fear and uncertainty in his eyes and that made up my mind. Taking a deep breath, I looked at Emily who was already looking smug.

"Fine," I mumbled, in a very low voice. "You win."

Emily’s smug smile instantly widened, making Mason scoff in anger beside me. "I knew you’d make the right decision, Trina. Stacy will bring you the paperwork."

As if on cue, Stacy, whose exit I didn't even notice, reappeared with a thick stack of documents in her manicured hands. With trembling hands, I began signing on every part I was required to.

As soon as I finished signing all the documents, Stacy's face brightened with a triumphant smile.

 "Finally! Now I can live the rest of my life happily without the burden of step-siblings!” 

Then all of a sudden, the smile vanished from her face as she sneered at Mason and I. 

“Get out! You don't belong here anymore, so get lost!”  With a flick of her fingers, she signaled the maids and out of nowhere, mine and Mason's personal belongings appeared before they were unceremoniously dumped  outside the front door.

Utterly dumbfounded, Mason and I just remained rooted on the spot until Stacy ordered the burly bodyguards to drag us out while shouting,  "Get lost, and don't ever come back because you're dead to us!"

As they dragged us out, I turned to take one last look at our dad, who had remained standing, silently watching everything unfold right before his eyes with a satisfied smile on his face. He neither moved nor tried to stop Stacy or the bodyguards, indicating that he's with them. That he was also part of the plot, as usual.

As the heavy oak door slammed shut, leaving Mason and I standing shell-shocked on the same driveway we had played on as children, my mind raced, trying to process everything that just happened. How our entire world has just crumbled around us.

"What do we do now?" Mason asked. He was no longer the bold, courageous young teenager I know as his voice sounded small and scared.

My heart went out to him as I saw the frightened look on his face. Perhaps it's time for me to step up and play the role of his protector. As they say, when push comes to shove, you taste what you are truly made of. Perhaps I have just been waiting for such a moment to emerge as my true self…

Squaring my shoulders, I took a deep breath, before giving him a reassuring smile.

 "We survive," I spoke in a firm voice. "We take care of Mom, you finish school, and we figure out the rest as we go."

As I spoke,  a plan was already forming in my mind. I can't stay here, not with the toxic presence of those monsters that call themselves my family looming over every aspect of our lives. I need a fresh start, somewhere far away where I can regroup myself and come back stronger.

Smiling at Mason, I announced, "I'm going abroad." As I said it out loud, the decision solidified and felt more concrete in my mind. "I'll find work, save money, and when the time is right, I'll come back and make things right."

Mason looked at me with a mixture of both admiration and fear. "But what about Mom? What about me?"

I quickly pulled him into a bear hug before speaking in a consoling tone. "Don't worry, Mas. I'll make sure everything is taken care of before I go. We'll set up a system to manage Mom's care, and I'll send money for your tuition. This isn't goodbye forever, Mason. I’ll be back. I promise."

As the reality of our situation sank in, we gathered our little belongings and made our way to the hospital. It's against protocol to sleep in the ICU but the kind nurse on duty allowed us to spend the night by the side of our unconscious mother's bed. 

Throughout the night, I couldn't sleep as my head kept buzzing with plans and possibilities. By morning, I had made all necessary arrangements after draining up my savings account. I had booked a one-way ticket to Paris, arranged for Mason to stay with Aunt Pat, our mom’s friend and set up a remote monitoring system for mom’s care.

With a heavy heart but a determined spirit, I left my homeland. I may have been forced to leave my family behind but I'm going with a vow to myself; I will definitely return bolder, stronger and ready to reclaim what is rightfully mine…