Bringing her sight back

★★★

Zac Bratva

"You said you arranged the girl. Where do your keen eyes fall short?" My tone was low as I asked Carlo, who had his eyes down.

"I-" he began, but the words seemed to choke in his throat as I narrowed my eyes at him.

My cabin was quiet, save for the faith ticking of the clock on the wall. Yet my mind was anything but calm.

Thoughts of her keep intruding, like an itch I couldn’t scratch.

I was not pitying on her condition, I am sure. Nevertheless, something was not right as my mind continuously drifted to the moment when I admired her sleeping face.

"Forgive me, boss. It wasn't the woman I had arranged for you. What I found out is that Givon Martinez sold the woman to Raiden, who mistakenly sent her to your room rather than to another party where she was supposed to go," Carlo said, looking up with a disappointed expression since he was well aware hated mistakes.

"Other party!" I repeated unconsciously.

"Yes, Raiden was supposed to escort the woman to Paulo, but he was clouded by drugs he had taken before the job, and...." Carlo paused, releasing a breath, continuing, "Forgive me, boss. I can make things right."

"Make things right!" I exclaimed as I did not understand how Carlo would make up the mistake.

"Killing the girl and her boyfriend, who sold her off including Raiden. They were all involved in this," said Carlo with a firm tone, which he usually used before gearing up for the act- the tone that impressed me in the past. But now it grated against my nerves.

As soon as he turned around to leave, I said, "The girl is blind."

Carlo turned to me and replied, "Yes, but a mistake is still a mistake, and she is involved whether willingly or not. I know this is what you want to hear from me. Don’t worry, boss, I will settle this exactly how you want without pitying on her condition." And Carlo turned to walk off.

"Wait," I said, standing up from my seat, my voice sharp "Do you know where she lives?" I stepped around my desk.

"Boss, I got every single detail about her the moment you called me."

"I want to finish her off myself," I said, and Carlo nodded.

As soon as Carlo left, I dialed my father. My expression shifted from cold indifference to barely restrained fury.

"It's you!" I said through my clenched teeth.

"What are you blabbering now?" My father said, his voice carrying the same flat, emotionless tone he used my entire life.

"You think you are clever?" I snapped, "You drugged me. Then hired Paulo to send the girl you selected for me so that I would marry the girl," my tone dipped lower, "But guess what? I have decided to marry the girl I actually slept with? Now tell me what happens to the deal you made with Shaon Dedil? I believe you know how to run."

"Zac!" My father's voice rose in warning, but I ended the call before he could finish.

He used to be the king of the underworld until I snatched the position from him. Since I am his son, he could not kill me. That was why he was forging alliance with foreign crime lords, all to regain his throne. For that, he wanted me to marry Sharon Dedil's daughter.

★★★★

Katherine

Even after crying for a long, I could not stop myself from feeling wrecked and betrayed. The hollow ache in my chest refused to subside. I couldn’t rub off the invisible stain from my skin even if I wanted to. Givon sold me off to an unknown man, and I spent a night with him.

Although his people helped me to reach home, I couldn't stop myself hating him.

'Ugh! How could he do this to me!' I screamed out, hurling my favorite pillow on the floor. My heart was crushed in millions of pieces.

My chest heaved with sobs, and my tears soaked the sheets beneath me.

"I know what I should do," I muttered to myself as I wiped my tears off my face. I swung my legs off the bed, planting my feet on the cold floor as I made my way to the wardrobe. Yanking the door open, I searched for the keys to my locker. My hands moved underneath my folded clothes, and there I touched my key.

But as I tried to slide the key into the lock of my small compartment, my frustration boiled over. My hands shook and the key refused to fit.

"God damn it! Please!" My frustration was increasing. But somehow, I managed to unlock the compartment and brought out the gun my aunt left for me for my protection.

I clasped the gun with my trembling fingers, my heart shook in its place. I shut the door of the wardrobe and placed my head on it with closed eyes before I turned the barrel toward my chest, my breath uneven as despair consumed me.

I inhaled sharply and was about to pull the trigger when suddenly the door of the room burst open as if someone had broken it down, leaving me terrified. Whipping around I aimed the gun in the direction of the noise and shouted, "Who is this? I have a gun in my hand. Don’t come any closer or I will shoot!"

"I had broken another door before it because you failed to hear my voice. Now I see why!" The voice spoke and I realized it was the same man, which infuriated me more. But before I could say anything, he commented, "Let me guess- you were planning on ending it all?"

"It's none of your damn business. Get out of my house if you do not want to be shot," I yelled, my hand holding the gun quivering as I had a hard time sensing where to point the gun.

He scoffed, unfazed, "With what aim? The gun is shaking more than you are!"

His mocking tone reverberated in my ears, lightning a fire of rage. As a result, I pulled the trigger without thinking much. His words drifted as soon as I failed to shoot, "You can’t even shoot me."

I lowered my gun and asked in between my tears, "Why are you harassing me? Please leave me alone. I don't know what Givon had told you, but I am not that sort of woman! If you do not walk out now then...." I paused my shaky voice, "I will shoot myself and you will be arrested for my death."

I shifted the barrel again against my chest and was about to pull the trigger, but the man grabbed my hand while his other hand wrapped around my waist. I immediately jerked up, and screamed, "Let go of me." I fought with him. Using my elbow, I tried to hit him in his face, but his strength was far more than normal, overpowering my strength.

"Please, let me go. Please!" I cried out, my voice raw and filled with anguish.

"I want you to be my woman," the man said, leaving me stunned. I did not understand what he meant, but what I knew was that I did not want to stay a second with him.

"I am not a pet. I know what this looks like- a blind woman to entertain you, a novelty to keep you amused. But I won't be that for you! I don't want to be yours just let me go. Please, for God’s sake," I calmly said without fighting with him.

"What if I bring your sight back tomorrow? Will you be my woman?" He whispered, his warm breath brushing against my ear, sending an unexpected ripple of hope through me.