THE TRUTH IS OUT

Maya’s pov~

The plane had turned upside down now, rocking heartlessly as we descended at an accelerated rate, my life flashing before my eyes.

I held on to the seat belt, but there was so much it could do; I found myself flying towards the pulpit. I grabbed onto another hanging seat belt, alarms now blaring outrageously.

I looked forward to where he had gone ahead. 

“What happened!” I asked, my eyes bulging out of my skull in fear.

“He is dead! We are going to land this plane ourselves!" I heard him yell back. Just then, there was a loud explosion. I looked outside; one of the engines had blown clean off.

My stomach instantly turned. “We are going to die, and it's all your fault!”

Shit, how did I get here?

FLASHBACK, 72 HOURS AGO>>>>>>>>>>

The outreach was bigger than I expected, built more like a fortress than a camp; the crowd lining up was insane and terrified me. 

But I was thankful. I have to remind myself that I'm doing this for Kate. After last night's very vivid dream, I can't tell anymore.

Everything feels so conditional now; I should brace myself for anything.

The event was all clean. Very polished. 

Almost too polished.

People moved in and out, some chatting, some quiet, all clutching different forms or IDs. 

A temporary setup, clearly funded.

But why? Why do they need so much blood? And for 5k? I mean, I'll take it, but come on, it makes you want to think.

I stepped inside, clutching the pamphlet like it might disappear if I let go.

“Name?” a woman at the desk asked without looking up.

“Maya,” I stated. “I’m here for the blood donation program.”

She nodded. "They all are," and handed me a clipboard. “Fill this out.” I filled out a form and handed it back to her.

She gave me a quick look before printing out my ID.

“Great, here you go." She smiled, handing me a card number. "Go right in there; you’ll meet Samantha. She's going to take you through the rest. Have a great donation!”

I walked over to where Samantha was. "Hi, I'm Samantha. "You are going to fill these out; they will help us a lot." She smiled. I looked down at the form, all weird questions, but Kate was more important.

I had just started writing when the air shifted.

That was the only way I could describe the malicious presence that entered the open camp.

“Well, well… look who we have here.”

My grip tightened on the pen, shit! This bitch again.

Petra stood a few feet away, perfectly put together as always, her lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile.

Evil lurked in her soul; something tells me she’s about to ruin my plans.

“You again,” she said, tilting her head. “This is getting embarrassing. Are you stalking me?”

“I’m here to donate; I couldn't care less about you," I replied flatly.

She laughed. Loud enough for people nearby to finally turn and look. Just like high school.

“Donate?” she echoed. “Or stalk?”

My jaw clenched.

“I don’t have time for this, Petra. Move on.”

“No, I won't," she said, stepping closer. 

“Clearly, you have time to follow my fiancé and me around, accuse him of crimes, and now—what? Show up here, too?”

Murmurs started, eyes turned, gossip and mockery ensued. I felt the heat crawl up my neck, but I refused to shrink.

“I’m not here for you,” I stated, clearly pissing her off. "Everything you do seems to involve me,” she snapped.

Then her expression darkened immediately, like a switch flipped in her head. “You really don’t know when to stop, do you?”

Before I could react, her hand lifted—

But it never landed; if it did, I'd probably be well on my way to jail. 

"Petra," his voice thundered, cutting through the room like a blade. She quickly withdrew her arm.

Instant Calm resonated through the room. Controlled.

She froze. So did I; memories of last night’s dream whooshed past my mind as he walked towards us.

His eye patch was perfectly in place, his long hair covering almost all of his good features. His gaze flicked to me briefly before settling on Petra. “That’s enough.”

“She’s harassing us; she’s stalking us," Petra shot back immediately. “I can see that." He turned to meet my gaze; I took a sharp breath in as his deathly aura arrested my thought. “Explain yourself, or I'll have you dragged out of here. Why are you stalking me?” he asked, stepping forward, his gaze didnt leave me, “im not here for either of you” I replied.

“Is that so? Perhaps, you are here for a rematch from last night?” he grinned, showing off his perfect dentition.

Last night?

“Im not here for you!” I exclaimed, stopping him. It took a lot of courage because the way he glared at me scared me half to death.

"Then you should leave,” he pointed to a muscular man infront of him, “escort her out and dont let her back in” 

The man stepped forward and grabbed my arm aggressively “Let me go! How dare you!” I slapped him and his grip got tighter, people watched as he dragged me towards the main gate.

“Hey ! Stop!” I knew that voice but where? The man stopped in his tracks, “Why are you treating our donors in this disgusting manner?” the man asked. I looked back to see him, oh my God, it can't be!

It's my favourite art lover and the best philanthropist in the world, Kevin Carter! How is he here in Tallinn? I heard him reprehend the man in the Estonian language before settling on me.

Shit, I didn't know he was Estonian.

“Are you okay?” he asked, smiling at me. I nodded.

From the side talks and gossip now filtering through the room, it seems Kevin was getting the blame for this huge embarrassment instead of the real perpetrators.

I felt so bad for him.

“If this is how you plan to treat our guests at the next event, I don't think I'll be attending…” another voice chimed in. All eyes turned to welcome his honourable presence.

I saw Kevin adjust uncomfortably. "Mr Krueger,  this is one big misunderstanding; I assure you this was a mistake,” he stated clearly. “Is it?” another man in a well-tailored suit questioned.

I saw him swallow hard; I could tell I'd put him in a bad spot. 

Kevin saw Alek standing in the corner with a smiling Petra; he seemed to look unfazed by Kevin getting the heat.

An older man wheeled forward from the far side of the room, adjusting his cuffs like he had all the time in the world. His presence was… different. Lighter, but no less powerful.

Danger wrapped in charm. “Grandfather, I thought you weren't going to make it." 

He ignored him.

“From where I’m standing,” he started, “it looks like you’re the one making a scene, Kevin, and in front of my shareholders no less.” The shareholders nodded in agreement.

I could see there was a bit of tension in the room; he glared at the crowd already turned against him, he sighed, and he turned to me.

“You should be fairly compensated," he started. “What?” I exclaimed, “Oh no! I don't think that would be necessary, Mr Kevin; I'm just here to donate. this was all a misunderstanding and…”

“I want you to come work with me at my company, Harrington CORP," he declared. Everyone gasped. I was dazed. "Sir… Are you offering me... a... a job?” I couldn't believe it!

He stretched his personal card to me. “Call me; let's set up a meeting sometime this week." The other donors erupted in a cheer.

But across the room, someone was clearly not happy; he was furious. And he walked to where we stood. “Your company?” he snarled. “Aleksandr!” the older man cautioned, but he went on anyway. Everyone watched as he shoved Kevin away from me.

“You have no right to make any offers! You are a usurper brother, and you are a bastard who will never have what’s mine” his voice was laced with hatred as Kevin smiled in his face.

Are they brothers?

“I'll advise you sit this one out brother, there’s not much you can do, except maybe you’d like to tell everyone the real truth, I've got time, do you?” 

Aleksandr was quiet, a look of victory flashed through Kevin’s face before we heard him say the unexpected.

“On behalf of My Company Harrington Corp, I'd like to buy the last golden ticket for our dearly beloved victim” he smiled and Kevin’s dimmed.

“With what money Alek, you are dead broke” he mocked, Alek grabbed his brother’s shirt. “I've got money saved you bastard”

Wait? AM I BEING USED AS PARLEY FOR THEIR BROTHER FEUD?

I need to get out of here, this is too much for me, Petra wasn't loving it either, “Gold digger!” she growled at me.

“I don’t need anything please, I just…”

The old man nodded and soon 2 nurses had come to escort me inside a special tent, it was transparent and everyone could see samples of my blood being drawn, “Can I know why you are taking samples? I'm here to donate” no response; instead, they patched me up and sent me on my way.

Everyone glared at me like I was something special, side comments and corner eyes followed me, for the duration of the time I was there, I just wanted my 5k so I could bounce.

2 hours later they were announcing the winner of a competition I didn't even know about, and the winner was me.

The old man from earlier looked very happy, in short very pleased; he took my palm in his and kissed it.

“I've been searching for one such as you for years now, as fate would have it, you are here before my very eyes, blood so pure I can't pass it up” Everyone was confused and so was I.

“I'm sorry sir but I have no idea what you want from me? Im just doing this to help out my friend” 

He smiled before turning to the other older men in his circle“The Harrington name has claimed this bride” We watched them snicker.

What’s going on, “oh dearest, you really have no idea who you are?” the old man asked, i shook my head still confused.

“You are descended from a very powerful bloodline and I've been searching for years, with that said, I'd like to offer you five hundred thousand dollars”

Everyone gasped, “What!” People started taking their phones out, recording.

500k? That’s enough to save Kate and also pay for school, “but on one condition”

We all leaned in to hear it. “You have to decide which of my grandsons you will choose to marry, together you will make the next heir to the Harrington name."

I stepped back in fear, it was all too much, too soon, who are these men?

“Grandfather! You can't mean that…” Alek snapped; Kevin stayed quiet, his eyes fixed on me.

“Well?” someone from the crowd yelled. The pressure rising from my body, I finally opened my mouth. “No, I'm sorry." 

The old man shook his head, “You’ve got 72 hours to think about it” I heard the old man say

 I just couldn't do it, not with every eye on me. I bolted out of there like my life depended on it. Because clearly it did.