4 ~ The Cut That Made Me Bleed

Brinda's POV 

The weight of yesterday’s trauma pressed heavily on me. My mother had been thrown out of the hospital, and I was left with nothing but remnants that could ruin me. 

The little money I saw in my locker at the club was gone. All the people who promised Peter some money had refused to give him. And the balance from my salary had been paid to the hospital which can't be reversed anymore. 

At that moment, I sealed my fate. It is finished. 

Amidst that, Peter's cold hands wrapped around me from behind, my skin froze but his hot breath melted the cold away quickly. “Don't worry. We will save her.” 

“What will you do?” I asked, my voice calm. “Will you trade your life for hers? There's barely twelve hours left. What miracle can happen?” 

“I understand this is taking a toll on you but we will have to keep trying. As long as there is life, we can't lose hope until the last minute.” 

Peter's words gave me some encouragement and I understood that we would have to keep on trying till the last minute. My eyes travelled to the bed where my Mom laid unconsciously. 

She had given me life by struggling to raise me and I would do the same. I would fight the whole world for her because she deserves it. 

We had some cereal in a hurry after taking our baths since there was nothing left to eat in the house. Peter gave me a bone-crushing hug like never before and pecked my cheek then he placed his lips gently on mine, pushing his tongue into my mouth. 

I closed my eyes as I let go of my worries and let his actions take control of my thoughts. He pushed his tongue far deeper into my mouth and he let out a groan while I tightened my laps together as my right hand reached out to the back of his head. 

My left hand went low to his pants zip but he stopped me. “Not now. We can do this later. We need to save Mom first.” 

“Of course… and I would devour you.” I smirked. 

“I can't wait!” He chuckled, adding a wink. 

I locked the door carefully and dropped the key in my bag. Peter wrapped me into his warm embrace again and I loved it, my body twitching with delight. 

Peter darted away quickly, ticking his hands into his pants. I smiled at his playful side before I moved towards the main road. My phone rang. 

The number was private.

My stomach sank. My mother was no longer in the hospital. Peter couldn't have called with the number. Maybe, it's an angel who would help. 

I answered quickly, hoping it was someone—anyone—who could help.

“Hello?” I didn't wait for the person to respond before I continued, “Who is this?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Brinda, you have two options,” the voice on the other end said, a deep, menacing tone that sent a chill through me.

Fear crawled up my spine. “What options?” My voice was shaky, trembling with the weight of the unknown.

“Will you come meet me?” The voice asked, ignoring my question. 

“Yes, but… who are you?” I couldn't stop asking the same question over and over again. There was silence from the other end and I remained there waiting for a response. 

“You haven’t moved, Brinda. What are you waiting for? Or are you still the cold-hearted Brinda I used to know?” The voice was calm but laced with something darker.

I glanced around, feeling the sharp, oppressive sense of being watched. The black cars. The men in black suits. Who were they?

“Why are you doing this? I’m already in distress. How can I handle all of this?” I begged, my voice breaking under the weight of everything.

“A cab is waiting for you across the street. Get in,” the voice ordered.

Nervously, I scanned the street. I saw the cab, parked across from me. With no other choice, I walked to it and climbed in.

“Tell the driver where to go,” the voice instructed.

I refused to speak. I wouldn’t give them control over me, not yet. But the cab started moving anyway. It was clear now—the driver was in on it too.

The ride to an unknown destination felt like an eternity. My hands gripped the seat, and my mind raced. 

What was waiting for me at the end of this ride?

After what felt like hours, the cab stopped. I stepped out, and my breath caught in my throat. There, at the edge of a cliff, was Peter standing there as if he was instructed not to leave the spot. I screamed his name, but he didn’t react. He was just there staring at me. 

My phone rang again.

“Do you think that you should punish him?” The cold voice on the other end asked. 

Punish him? Why should I punish him? He had always stayed with me every step of the year since I knew him three years ago. 

Never would I be an ingrate. 

“I will help you make a choice. Did you know that your lover was the one who showed Dr. McMasters the video of you stripping?” The voice inquired. 

My breathe caught in my throat with a voice in my head screaming, “NO!!!” I raised my head to look at Peter who lowered his gaze. 

My skin crawled with unease. And my eyes burned with indignation, “How dare you?” I voiced, my heart pounding in my chest. 

“I didn't want you to go back. That's all! I have been staying with you, following you around like your dog. I didn't expect you to start changing sides by going back to that motherfucking place. Can you see what problem it had brought us? Who are these people by the way?” Peter said with no ounce of remorse in him. Instead, his voice was cold and unwelcoming. 

I wondered if he was the same Peter who hugged and pecked me a few minutes ago. Was he the same Peter who stood by me always? Was he same Peter I wined and dined with for three years? Was it the same Peter that I shared every detail of my life with or maybe not? 

“Peter, what are you saying?” I cried, tears rolling out of my eyes as I walked slowly closer to him, ditching the distance between us. 

“I can't believe this. Why? Why would you do that? I trusted you. I loved you. I gave you everything but you…”

I was still talking when Peter cut me short of words, “Don't lecture me. I was only fighting for us. I was fighting for our future. Your mother won't make it, so it's better to start thinking ahead and…” 

“Shut the hell up!” I screamed, my voice echoing through the area. “Why were you trying to do?” I grabbed his shirt and shook his body. 

“There is no race we will run. With the amount of time left, she will die. We shouldn't have false hope.” Peter replied. 

“Really?” I scoffed. “Then, what were your sweet words for? To make me believe that you care?” I questioned, tears still flowing out of my eyes. 

“No, I was only helping you. I was saving you. If I hadn't pulled you back that night, you would have been dead. You owe me.” He said. 

I felt a rush of anger within me and I stomped my feet on the ground angrily. He moved his hands around my arm and it only made my skin crawl with unease. I yanked his hands off my body and I heard his scream. 

He was falling backward. My eyes widened and the anger I felt vanished away in a second. I reached out to him and grabbed his right hand, stopping him from falling off the cliff. 

With me holding his right hand, he managed to get his left hand on the edge of the cliff. I began to pull him up but I hadn't done much when I was kicked from the side. 

My hand got released from Peter's as I fell to the side. I watched a foot step on Peter's left hand that gripper the edge of the cliff. His scream echoed through the air as he fell into the abyss below.

My body felt numb as I stared at the spot where he had fallen, his last cry still haunting my ears. I let out a soul-wrenching wail from the very depth of my soul while I stretched my hands towards his disappearing body. 

The sunset began to cast a red glow across the horizon as my breathing increased rapidly. Who was the bastard that stepped on his hand? Who had let Peter fall off the cliff? 

I turned slowly and saw him. 

The man who had orchestrated all of this. The masked man. His presence was commanding and terrifying. His laughter reverberated through my ears before he placed his hand on his face and removed the mask.

My jaw dropped, my eyes mixed with a fearful glint locked onto his, my hands shook uncontrollably, my breath caught in my throat and fear etched itself on my face like a mask. 

“Francesco Dante,” I whispered, the shock and horror filling every inch of my being. 

As Francesco crouched down beside me, he was accompanied by the thundering sound that was soon followed by unexpected droplets of rain. 

My heart sank as his face came into the view—clear enough for me to see it. It's been five long years but he remained the same. 

Why didn't I recognize him at the bar?

I gripped the hem of my clothes as the memories of our past flooded into my head. He locked his eyes on mine for the first time letting a sly smile appear on his face. 

Five years ago, Francesco was my boyfriend. We both worked tirelessly to make ends meet which included me working as a stripper and him working as a bar attendant then he vanished out of nowhere leaving me an eternal scare. 

He raised his head and inhaled deeply then he brought his face back to our normal level. “It's so nice to see you again, Brinda.”

“And it's not nice to see you. You bastard!” I yelled.

He chimed, “I know I'm a bad person, damsel but who is more terrible between us?” He cupped my chin in his hand. “Where is the old Brinda? This new Brinda I'm seeing is a weak one.”

“Stop saying nonsense,” I said, removing his hand from my chin. “You've lost the right to touch me years ago when you left me all alone. You're a wicked person and… I regret having met you in this lifetime.”

“Who cares?” He said icily which forced me to touch my chest which was beating rapidly. “Well, I'm here for a purpose.” He declared. 

“What purpose? I can't help you with anything,” I replied. 

“I need you, Brinda. I need the Black Rose. The one who inserted rods in throats to kill, the one who would do anything to hide a dead body, the one who once chopped a body into one hundred and eighty pieces. Where is that side of you?”

The Black Rose, which happened to be me, was a spy under Alpha Exposition—A spy agency, popular in the underworld, but can't be heard of outside. 

While struggling to pay my fees in college, Cecilia, my friend, introduced me to a man who was the leader of Alpha Exposition. Later, I got to know the man was her father, Andrew. I was ordered to deliver drugs and as time went by, Andrew saw through me and realized I had the potential. I was the type he was looking for. One fateful day, he called me into his office. 

Guess what? 

He told me to be his personal spy. My duty then was to secretly monitor all the activities in the agency. I accepted the offer and did really well after which, I resumed my training to be a brutal spy. 

All I needed was the money so I worked really hard. 

When I started killing high-profile citizens, I got a job at Donald's clubhouse where I mostly attract my targets and silence them at the snap of my fingers. 

Things went perfectly well until the sudden demise of Andrew evoked chaos and Cecilia's elder brother attained power. He dismissed us all, including me, not knowing that I was the real deal. 

“Black Rose died years ago and I'm not going back to that lifestyle.” I finally answered after a long silence. 

“Look,” he said and dipped his hands into his pocket before he walked to my back, brought his head to my ears then whispered, “I’m not here to bargain with you. I'm here to instruct you on what to do?” 

My eyes shone brightly as I was ready for a showdown. I should have known there was nothing good that would happen with his presence. “I can't fulfill your request,” I told him. “Wait, how did you know Black Rose?” I asked, surprised because that was meant to be a secret I would take to my grave. 

And where the hell did Francesco get so many men that worked for him? How did he get so much money? Did he have a hidden identity or something? 

And most importantly, why is he back? To begin my death by making my life hell?