02 | FORLORN

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• His Possession   13 | callous

  "MASTER IS CALLING you downstairs." Lily- a middle-aged woman who works here informed me this ten minutes ago. I took five for making the tough choice of going downstairs or not; another five to sob, struggle, and whine to get out of this warm bed.It's said the surroundings do manage to convey a lot about someone's personality better than their behavior or actions can and Alessio's place says a lot about him, the way everything is so perfectly in place, nothing a little diagonal, or something that appears to be out of this respective place-perfectly ordered- just like how he carries himself, nothing dusty or stained-polished with perfection-again like him.His mansion may appear haunted and eerie at night time but nothing prepares you to be blown by it in wide daylight- cream-colored walls, a huge staircase right in the middle of the halls that are adorned with a red carpet that looks so luxurious and it feels like a crime walking on it, each corner here has beautiful paintings hangi

• His Possession   12 | resurgence

  I'M A CHILD again, cowering, shaking like a leaf as I step down the stairs and face my tormentors."Oh, honey!" With a loud sob, she walks towards me and gathers me in an embrace. My confusion is out of the world as I stand still like a statue and have my mother break down in my arms.A mother's embrace is like the warmest of sheets on a gloomy, cold night acting like a shield that gives you the safety that nothing cruel could ever touch you but for me, she's that cruel thing."I'm so sorry I couldn't meet you these past few days," she says breaking away from me. Tears twinkle in her eyes but there's no sadness behind those blue eyes of her, just wrath. Towards me. "It must've been so difficult! But don't worry, mom's here to make everything alright."Translation: Mom's here to make everything even worse."Thank you so much for taking care of our daughter these past days," my father speaks up.Vile and haughty. Like always. Dressed in a button-up black suit with the same somber expres

• His Possession   11 | funeral

  MY HEART FEELS tethered by a rope, which keeps on restricting any movement by tightening over and over as the church keeps getting closer to where the funeral ceremony is being held for my husband and sister.The soft and dull purr of Alessio's car is the only thing that lets me know I'm still seated beside him in his car. Other than my ears, none of my other senses seem to be responsive."Are you alright, Nicole?" Alessio questions and I cling to his raspy voice again because that's been my only anchor in this cavernous sea, preventing me from drowning. From knocking on my door every morning calling me down for breakfast- every afternoon to take my medicine- every evening asking if I want something from the city- every night asking me if I feel a bit better today."I think so." My voice is rough probably because of its rare use nowadays."We're here." With that he's out of the car and swiftly on my side of the door, pulling it open and offering me his hand to step out. Ignoring it, s

• His Possession   10 | tabula rasa

  "WHEN WILL YOU learn?" The taunting voice of my mother reaches my ears. Blinking my eyes to gather my surroundings, I find myself kneeling on a cold marble floor gasping for air."I told you to not touch Alyssa's belongings, didn't I?" her face finally comes into my view. Gazing in her menacing blue eyes, it reminds me of Alyssa every time, how alike they both are. In looks and in frightening me. "I-I didn't—" Before I could even explain myself, a sharp slap from her cuts of my words. The force of the slap is so arduous, it makes my head hit the floor severely.A sob escapes my lips and my whole body trembles violently with the tears that leave my eyes. I just wanted Alyssa's old shoes because she doesn't wear them anymore and the one pair I have is torn in such a way, that it isn't even possible to stand in them let alone walk."Do we not give you clothes and shoes of your own?" she shouts, crouching down in front of me and clasping my face in her tight grip. "Answer me!" "Y-you d

• His Possession   09 | relief

  IT IS SAID the more you try to shove and stuff something below the surface, the more it raves upwards.After having my despair, grief, anger—everything else jabbed into a deep chamber inside me for years, today it's all bursting out. Everything else passes in a blur as I stomp downstairs where my husband is still with Alyssa and consciousness only washes up to me when with sheer force I pick her up from the ground— ignoring the grunt that leaves my husband's mouth and the surprised look on Alyssa's face— the sound of slap resonates through the big hallway as my hand connects with the cheek of the girl who's done nothing but make my life worse.The slap carries all the answers to the abuses and heinous acts she's done to me in the past."What the fuck, Nicole?" Her pale face turns completely red as she clutches the side of the cheek I just whacked."You should be the one telling me— that what the fuck, Alyssa." I've never used my five foot eight height to my advantage but today when I

• His Possession   08 | kali

  BEING A PART of this-mafia world as a woman always meant attending numerous balls, and parties every other day.Today, yet again, we're supposed to attend a charity ball and this ball is the most exquisite of all because Gianni went out of his way to order my old make-up and hair stylist for me."Can you please style my hair down?" I ask, eyeing Martha in the mirror as she rummages around the drawers to put hundreds of pins on the counter."No. Your husband ordered it to be put up." A harsh breath escapes me as I try to ignore the scalding pain shooting in the side of my head that may or may not be because my husband banged it against a wall this morning. Martha is a woman of few words, who can turn her senses on or off whenever and wherever she pleases- like right now, clad in nothing but a robe, my bruises and scars on momentary display but she chooses to ignore that along with the huge bump on the side of my head."Looks like you're forgetting your manners, Nicole." A hiss escape