Chapter 2| The Moment I Became the Villain

Diamond’s POV

My heart sank, and I felt a surge of panic. The moment I heard my dad, I knew I had to get home as soon as possible. I quickly put on my clothes, not bothering to look back at the stranger. "You're leaving without getting paid?" he called out. 

I ignored him. I had to get out of there, and fast. “Is something wrong?” He asked, his voice full of concern. "Yes, something happened to my dad, and I need to get home right now,” I replied, trying to stay calm. The stranger hesitated, then said, “I can give you a ride, if you like.” 

Getting a cab might be hard right now, I thought, and I needed to get home quickly, so I reluctantly agreed. We rushed downstairs to the parking garage, where his car was parked. But as we got to the car, he suddenly stopped and started patting down his pockets. 

"What's wrong?" I asked. "I can't find my keys I think I left them upstairs," he said. "You're joking, right?" I could feel my anger rising. He shook his head, looking sheepish. I didn't wait for him to respond. I turned and left him there, stopping for a taxi. 

As I got in, I heard him call out, "Can I at least get your number or your name?" But I ignored him and told the driver to hurry. I kept praying in my mind that nothing bad happens to my dad; he’s the only one I’ve got.

Getting home, I noticed the house was unusually quiet and Lily wasn’t in the living room. “Ma!! Crystal!!” I called out to my stepmother and stepsister. But no one answered. The house was too quiet, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was actually wrong. 

Then I decided to call Lily but was surprised when I heard her ringing tone from upstairs, so I figured she would probably be in my room. Reaching the top of the stairs, I saw the most shocking thing in my life. I saw a dark pool of liquid, and I couldn’t tell what it was, but I just knew it wasn’t good. 

So I took a few steps forward, and when I saw it, I couldn’t believe my eyes; it was blood coming out of my father’s room. Closing my eyes tight I moved closer to the door and pushed it open, only to see Lily, my best friend lying lifeless on the floor covered in her own blood. 

And when I looked up, I saw my stepmother holding a knife covered in blood, and her hands were trembling. I rushed to Lily’s body, holding her tight and crying. “What had she done that made you kill her?” I cried. The sight of my best friend’s lifeless body burned into my mind. 

I looked up at my stepmother, filled with rage and fear. “What made you kill her??” I screamed, but my stepmother just stood there, saying nothing with a grin on her lips. I looked over at Crystal, my stepsister, who just sat there unbothered. 

The silence was deafening, and my heart was pounding in my chest. I couldn't believe my own eyes. My best friend was dead, and they seemed to have nothing to say about it. "Why are you smiling, Crystal?" I yelled, my voice trembling. But my question was met with more silence. 

I held Lily in my hands as I continued to cry profusely. I didn’t know what my best friend might have done to deserve this cruelty. But as I cried, something else caught my eye. I looked over to the bed and noticed my father wasn’t moving. 

I had totally forgotten about him. So I left Lily and rushed over to my dad, shaking him to wake up, but he didn’t answer. When I checked his pulse, I realised he was gone too. “No, no, no, this can’t be happening to me.” I fell on his body, crying hard because he was the only family I had left. 

"Dad, please wake up!!” My heart sank as I realised that not only was my best friend gone, but my father was gone too. I was overcome with grief and anger, and I felt like the world was spinning out of control. I laid on his body, sobbing uncontrollably. 

I had lost everything, and I didn't know what to do next. The silence in the room was broken only by the sound of my own sobs. All I wanted was to wake up from this nightmare. I worked so hard as a stripper even when I didn’t like it because some men would want to go the extra mile to take advantage of me. 

With all the risks involved, I did it regardless so my dad wouldn’t end up like this, but they killed him. Adlyne’s voice broke the silence as she laughed out loud, dropping the knife she was holding. 

When I noticed she had dropped the knife, with a swift movement, I pushed Adlyne down to the ground, holding her neck. “Why the hell did you kill my father?” I yelled at her. “Get off me, you bastard,” she said, trying to push me off. But I wasn’t going to let her get away from me. 

“You murderer, I’ll kill you today; you’ve always made my life a living hell,” I said. Suddenly I heard a sound and turned to look, but I was met with the terrifying sight of Crystal holding a bat. Before I could even react, I felt a sharp pain in my shoulders, making me fall to the ground. 

I was lying on the ground in pain as Adlyne and Crystal stood over me. I had no idea what would happen to me next, and I could only pray that I would survive this nightmare. "Mum, are you okay?” I heard Crystal ask Adlyne as she looked at her body, checking for any injuries. 

“You want to know the truth, huh? Your father has been useless ever since he lost his company; we’ve been living in poverty for years now. What do you expect? That I continue with this life,” Adlyne said as she laughed hard. 

“We killed him because he had one last property that was meant for you only; how about my daughter Crystal, huh? What did he keep for her?” "No, no, no," I thought as I tried to stand up. But I couldn't move and could only listen in horror as my stepmother and stepsister continued their cold-hearted conversation. 

“We killed them because we needed the money, Diamond," Adlyne said. "Your father was weak and useless, and we're better off without him. We had to get rid of your bestie too, because she was so stupid to get into our business. 

She saw us kill him and couldn’t shut her mouth, she still went ahead to call you." Crystal nodded in agreement. "Once we get our hands on the property, we'll be set for life," Adlyne said, her voice filled with greed. 

“And you know what? He already signed the documents in my name.” So they killed my father because of the property he left for me?” I held my shoulder as tears slipped out of my eyes. My heart broke as I listened to their cruel laughter. I couldn't believe that they would kill my father just for money. 

I felt betrayed and devastated, and I couldn't understand how they could be so heartless. My whole body ached as I tried to move. “And since you’ve gotten in our way, I’m afraid we’re going to destroy you too,” Adlyne said. I knew I couldn’t just lay there and allow them to kill me. 

Luckily, the knife was close to me, so I grabbed it and stood up to my feet, shaking. I pointed the knife towards them, making them move back. “Don’t come close to me, or else I’ll kill you.” 

"Please, don't hurt us," Adlyne begged in a mocking tone. "We're sorry; we didn't mean to do this. We were just desperate." I just couldn’t believe how they could make silly jokes after killing my dad and bestfriend in one day. I held the knife tighter, my hand trembling with rage. 

Tears streamed down my eyes as I looked at my father and best friend one last time. Looking at them, I knew what I had to do. “I’m going to call the police right now,” I said, grabbing my phone from my pocket. But Crystal said something that made me freeze. 

“What do you think we meant by saying we were going to destroy you, Diamond? Because I’m certain you have no idea.” 

“The thing is, we already called the cops,” Crystal said with an evil smile. “And why would you do that, knowing you killed my father and Lily?” I fired back. "No, Diamond, you killed them,” Adlyne replied. 

"No, no, no, it wasn't me! You're the ones who did this!" I cried, my voice cracking. "I'm innocent!" Just then Crystal and Adlyne fell to the ground, holding Lily, and said, “You killed her, Diamond. Why did you kill them?" I became really confused by their act. 

“Have you guys gone crazy??” I yelled. 

Before I could say anything else, the door was pushed wide open, and in came the police while I was still holding the knife covered in blood, pointing at them. When they saw me, they pointed their guns at me. "Drop the knife now!" one of the officers shouted.