One

ASHVILLE CITY

EVE SANCHEZ POV

"Eve! Eve! You better come out from wherever you are hiding right now!" Margo screamed, the veins on her neck standing out as her eyes darted around the room. "If I find you myself, I'll make you regret it" she yelled, her footsteps stomping around the room. 

I burrowed deeper into the closet that I'd hid in, sweat dripping down my neck as my pulse raced. I closed my eyes, trying to breathe right as the terror bubbling up my chest threatened to suffocate me. At least this time she wasn't holding any object. 

If there was one thing I have learned from Margo's countless attacks, it was that; it was better to hide from her and hope she didn't find me whenever she got into her fit of rage, because if I got caught, it always ended in a disaster, for me.

The closet door flung open and my eyes widened, almost bursting out of its socket from the shock.

Margo's eyes zeroed in on mine and her hands reached for me like a flash, her hand gripping me by the hair and twisting hard as she yanked me to my feet and out of the closet.

I yelped in pain, my head smarting from the pressure on my hair.

"Let go of me" I yelled, trying to escape her hold, but she just dragged me like a woman possessed and she didn't even stop to let go as she got to the stairs.

A hard push from her sent me tumbling down the stairs. I screamed, my stomach dropping as I hit the railing, my vision getting blurry from the panic that bubbled up my chest as I rolled, Then it all stopped and I lay still, my breathing coming out in sharp painful gasps.

Margo stomped down the stairs toward me at the same time her mother walked into the living room. I managed to raise my head in her direction, my whole body aching but I could tell that I hadn't broken any bones.

"What the hell is going on here Margo" my stepmother- Amore- yelled and Margo jumped back, her hands clenching and unclenching.

"She stole my watch. It was on my desk this morning and after she cleaned my room it was gone"

"I did no such thing" I managed to cry out, but a glare from Amore had me biting back my words.

"Is that why you pushed her off the stairs?" she asked, her voice sounding bored.

"I didn't push her. I was just talking to her and she slipped and fell" she lied, her gaze cutting viciously in my direction, daring me to say otherwise, before she looked back at her mother.

Amore rubbed at her head, sighing tiredly and moving towards Margo. "How many times do I have to tell you to rein in that temper of yours until the lawyer's visit" she gritted out, grabbing Margo by her wrist, her vice-like grip cutting off her circulation. "Do you want us to lose everything! If they find a mark on her skin before we get our hands on everything, do you know what that would cost us".

"But she's so annoying" Margo yelled, then jerked her hand from Amore's grip. "Why do I have to be nice to her now her father isn't here anymore... You promised me that I could do whatever the hell I want to her after he died".

"Watch your tone, Margo! What is wrong with you" Amore snapped, her gaze cutting to me. "Until the will is read, do not hurt our poor little Eve here... Once we have everything, you can do whatever you want with her" 

"You both are monsters" I got out, sitting up to look at them, and hoping they saw just how much I hated them. They both burst out laughing and my gut clenched tighter, my heart twisting in pain. "My Dad loved you so much, he brought you into our lives and gave you everything you ever wanted and this is how you choose to repay his kindness" I spat, and Amore's palm struck against my cheek jolting and pulling a shocked gasp out of me. She'd never hit me before. I stared at her, holding onto my stinging cheek as she glared down at me.

"Be happy I let you live, or else you'd have been dead with your pathetic excuse of a father. He gave me all I ever wanted?" She laughed. "That is so ludicrous it's not even funny. I wanted my own family but what did he give me instead, the ugly daughter of his dead wife"

Tears dropped down my cheeks and she scoffed. "You're just as pathetic as he was." She leaned forward. "Once the lawyers read the will, I am going to give you away then I'll have all I ever truly wanted"

"You won't have your way" I got out bravely and braced myself for another hit but she just chuckled.

"We'll see about that, but you better pray it turns out just the way I want it to because if it doesn't, I'll make you wish you died when your father did. Return Margo's watch"

"I didn't take her watch. I am not a thief"

"Are you calling me a liar" Margo roared, rushing toward me, but Amore stopped her, then called for security.

I trembled where I sat on the floor knowing what was going to come next. 

"What are you going to do," I asked fearing the worst.

"What do you think I am going to do Eve, since I can't beat the truth out of you, I guess I'm left with no choice but to lock you away".

My heart stopped beating for a second. "If you put me in there again, I am going to tell the lawyers, I'll tell them about all that you and your daughter have been doing to me ever since dad died" I got out bravely and Amore grinned.

"And you think anyone will believe your words against mine?" She said, then leaned towards me. "You better keep your mouth shut when the lawyers get here or else I am going to give you to the guards to play with... Do you understand what I am trying to tell you" 

My heart broke into a million pieces because I did know what she was trying to tell me and that scared me even more than the dark room. This wasn't the first time that she had threatened to do that. Amore had changed our old workers and had them replaced with new ones she selected herself. The new staff didn't know my father and literally did whatever Amore told them to, so I was sure that she just wasn't saying it. She could do it if she wanted. 

Footsteps registered and my gaze snapped to those of the Gaius, Amore's favorite bodyguard and just the sight of him sent my heart spiraling out of control. They were going to lock me up in the dark room, and I was going to feel suffocated, and I'd beg but no one would come to rescue me. They never did.

Gaius's gaze landed on me as soon as he entered the room and a grin touched his crocked lips. 

"Take her to the dark room," she told him, then turned to face me. "You'll stay there until you learn to stop being a thief and a liar"

"No! You can't" I screamed as Gaius reached for me and lifted me from the floor.

I trashed in his hold, screaming at the top of my lungs for help, and it drew some of the staff's attention but they all pretended not to see me, or they just didn't care. 

Gaius soon stopped walking and he dropped me on my feet, his grip on my shoulder like iron. He pushed open the door to the room- it was pitch black- and shoved me inside, then locked the door plunging me into total darkness. 

My heart drummed in my ear, the panic in my chest rising as darkness closed in on me from all sides. Something touched my feet and I gave a bloody scream, stepping further into the room, my hands reaching out in front of me to feel for the wall. 

I was getting dizzy, my breath coming out in sharp painful gasps. I couldn't faint, not when I did not know what lay on the floor.

My hand suddenly touched something solid and I jerked back, screaming and dropping to the floor and then I felt things crawling all over me.

"Dad. Help me! Help me please" I screamed, frantically brushing the stuff that was climbing me off.

In my panic, I got up from the floor and rushed forward then flew back as I smacked my head right into the wall. 

I reached up to feel the bump and felt something sticky on my finger. My eyes rolled back, and I fell to the floor, the darkness enveloping me.