LOGINChapter 202*~°*~°*~°*Elizabeth*~°*~°*~°*Nothing has changed about the house since the last day I saw it, since the day Gemma screamed at me never to return. I sit at the back of the car, staring through the tinted window, while one of our guards walks towards the entrance. Mama wanted to accompany me inside, but fortunately, I was able to explain to her that I need to speak to them without her presence influencing the conversation. Although she did respond by telling me that letting me walk into a house full of people she didn’t trust is a ridiculous idea.Then we went back and forth until she finally agreed to stay in the car while I go inside alone. Two of our guards stand outside the entrance of the house I used to call my home, while another waits beside the car. More men position themselves discreetly around the house.We have the house surrounded.Oh, sorry, let me rephrase that— Mama has the house surrounded.I stare at the guard close to the car. “Do they really have t
Chapter 201*~°*~°*~°*Elizabeth*~°*~°*~°*A warm hand that I have recently grown familiar with touches my shoulder. I flinch, but not enough to be noticeable.“Elizabeth?” There’s a pause, then she adds, “It’s alright,” she murmurs making gentle circles at my back. I shake my head, disagreeing immediately, “No, it’s not. They died because of me. I killed them, Mama. I caused their death… I’m the reason for the murder.”I don’t know why or when she got out of the car, all I know is that she doesn’t hesitate to lower herself beside me, forgetting that the ground might be too damp for the expensive clothe she’s putting on.The next thing I’m waiting to hear, is her telling me to stand up or asking that I stop crying. She doesn’t.Instead she wraps her arms around me and that is all it takes for me to fall apart.I turn into her embrace, clutching the back of her coat as if I’m a child again. I can’t speak. When I try to, another sob rises in my throat that leaves me gasping for air.
Chapter 200*~°*~°*~°*Elizabeth*~°*~°*~°*LOCATION: Chicago, Illinois. {MARY AND WALTER}___________________________________Beloved in life. Remembered in every life to come.Some people become our family not by blood, but by love they give when the world has given us nothing.____________________________________I stare at the words engraved on the stone for a moment longer than I can actually remember. I read the words at first, then I reread them multiple times till it’s stays in my memory, because it resonates with me.Everything it said, it was exactly how I felt when they opened their doors to a pregnant woman who had nowhere to stay.The flowers in my hand feels heavy as I stand in the graveyard hoping that all of this is a bad dream, that Mary will wake up and bake all her delicious treats for us, or Walter telling me to always make sure I have a happy face on.But the silence and blowing wind reminds me that it’s not. All of this is real, and I’m at the wrong side o
Chapter 199*~°*~°*~°*Elizabeth*~°*~°*~°*As our convoy moves through the road, I peer my head through the window, seeking some sort of relief.While Mama stays in constant communication with the guards and drivers in the other cars, with a tablet in her hands.Each second that passes by reminds me of how close to the airport we are, how close I am to saying goodbye to a particular chapter.And I’m still not sure if I want to. I have never been more confused.My roaming thoughts are interrupted when Mama’s phone rings.She scrolls through the screen immediately, answering, “Yes?”I don’t hear anything else from her after that, which is unusual. When I turn to look at her, I find her facial expression different now, almost like something bad has happened.“What is it?” I’m asking before I can even remember that she is still on a call.She lifts a hand, silently asking me to wait.“Repeat that,” she urges the person at the other end of the line.I try to listen for words, something…
Chapter 198*~°*~°*~°*Elizabeth*~°*~°*~°*The first thing I notice when Mama leaves is the balcony door. For some reason, it’s open.I stand there, staring at it, waiting for something to make sense, but nothing happens since it’s just me in the room. Slowly, I start walking towards the door and then I look outside.There’s nothing.The adjoining balcony is empty too, no sign of anyone there. Nevertheless, my eyes still searches to check if I would spot a familiar shadow anywhere, but I don’t.As usual, he vanished.I should feel relieved, but instead there is this gnawing ache within me that urges me to close the doors with speed.Mama has made her position on the matter perfectly clear. She does not want him near me, at least not until I have thought things through.She thinks he will hurt me again and again. Maybe, she’s right but I’m probably too blind to see it.*~°*~°*~°*To be honest, I cannot sleep. And before I can complete the final rolling on the bed, it is already morni
Chapter 197*~°*~°*~°*Elizabeth*~°*~°*~°*I want to dissapear. I need to, and I’m talking anytime soon.“Elizabeth, darling, what happened to your lips?”I touch them instinctively, wondering what’s wrong with them. “Nothing,” I answer, even though I’m not so sure.“Nothing?”“I must have bitten them,” I add quickly.Mama’s gaze shifts from my lips to my neck, her eyes widening when she sees the marks. My robe must have fallen from that area the moment I shifted from her when she tried to hold me.“What is that?!”She reaches for it, but I move away… again. “Mama—”“Come here, darling.”“It’s nothing, Mama.”“Elizabeth, let me see,” she insists, trying to get a closer look.I try to pull the robe more tightly around myself, but it is too late. She has already seen it and she is no longer looking at me as if she thinks I’m tired.The look on her face is one of terror, like she thinks someone hurt me. “Oh, my God.” She catches my wrist. “Who did this to you?”“Mama, wait…”“Who, plea
Chapter 8 *~°*~°*~°* Elizabeth *~°*~°*~° “Hello, sister,” he rasped, in that familiar voice that does things to my insides that I can't explain. His voice is deep. But gentle. Soft even. And my brain doesn't know how to react. My stare shifted from him to Mama, but she's too excited to notice h
Chapter 85 ••~••°••~•• Luciano ••~••°••~•• If there was ever a moment when it felt like my heart had been ripped out, and life squeezed out completely from it—then right now is included. As soon as the child slipped, falling on the raining, it did feel like my lungs had been seized completely of
Chapter 87*~°*~°*~°*Elizabeth*~°*~°*~°*She is still breathing. Thank the Lord, the child is still breathing. I know, because I’ve checked thirty-two times. And in every single one of them, I half expected my heart to burst out of my chest due to how fast it was beating.Nothing could have prep
Chapter 88*~°*~°*~°*Elizabeth*~°*~°*~°*“Thank you,” I utter, my voice barely audible as I take the tea cup from Ms. Gladys, Luciano's housekeeper who I'm just meeting for the very first time. Turns out she was on leave during the periods I had been here. She's old, looks like she is in her earl







