ERICAI heard Ephraim’s and Antonio’s conversation, and I might’ve missed some parts but I understood it well enough so when we stepped down from the chopper, even though I was angry I couldn’t banish the spark of worry that came alive in my heart. I stopped and turned around. “Antonio!” I called out his name over the noise of the chopper. He looked back at me and then walked toward me. I erased the remaining distance between us and looked up at his handsome face. “What is it?” He asked.I licked my lips, suddenly hesitant after the tension between us. When I placed my palm on his chest, feeling his strong heartbeat an image of him in a hospital bed flashed in my mind. He was there then because he had gotten shot while saving me and the bitter helpless feeling from that time coated the back of my tongue. I didn't want the repeat of that, so I said, “Please, be safe.”His golden eyes sparked yellow and he slipped his hand at the back of my nape as he replied, “Don’t worry, little devi

ERICA“I am sorry. I didn’t know about your situation. That papa brought you here against your will. I just didn’t want anyone to change what we already have.”Hate welled up inside me, surprising even me in its intensity. I clenched my fists by my sides unless I punch her in the face. She was a real bîtch, wasn’t she? “And what you were going to do about it?” I gestured at the open packets of pills and the white powder she had thrown all over the bed. “Make it all my fault!” I was aware that I was on the verge of losing control but I didn’t know what to do. Thor barked and growled at her, I commanded him to be silent and sit down as I fought my rage.“I made a mistake. I just thought—”“What did you think, that you’ll blame it all on me. Tell your father that I was the one who bought these drugs. And what else?” I could only think what Antonio would have gone or behaved like when he found this. I wondered if he'd have believed his daughter’s lies or trusted me, but then considering m

ERICA It was loud enough. The cracks that formed in my heart and how it started to break into pieces as I opened the next email. There was another picture of me. It was edited in such a way that it highlighted my hands with a bandage and my back to be specific, with red lines that looked horrible and blood smeared on the side of my arse cheek. The picture in itself looked horrific, like someone was beaten so severely. My whole back looked like any moment it’d start bleeding and while I knew that wasn’t the case, sobs started to pour out of me to think that my sister saw this and Gabe saw this. They must’ve been so scared for me, and Antonio’s words accompanied with these pictures were cruel and heartless. The way he described what he did and what he would do if Gabriel didn’t surrender himself. 

ANTONIO “Erica!!” I dropped down on my knees, every cell in my body screaming at the scene in front of me. It was like someone pulled out a worst nightmare and made it a reality. “No. What did you do!!??” Fear escalated inside me, poisoning my heart as I took her in. My heart cried. My little devil. This couldn’t be happening. I have already lost enough, suffered enough, but this would end me. Her face was ashen, her lips blue and there was a thin line of white foam dripping down her chin from the corner of her mouth. It was a nightmare that never even imagined will come into existence as I realised that her chest wasn’t moving.“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!” Ephraim cursed as he came up behind me. With sheer determination I pushed terror away and took a shuddering breath, trying not to fûcking lose it. Because she needed me right now. I turned to Ephraim, noticing Gianna and Mario entering the bedroom behind him. I said, “Take them downstairs. Call the chopper. Now!”I didn’t wait as I focus

ANTONIO I don't want to lose her. Ephraim’s words were rattling around my mind and all I could think was that I don’t want to lose her. Even the thought made bitterness and a hollow feeling fill me up like one by one my organs would shut down if it became a possibility. And yet I still couldn’t come up with a solution. I knew Ephraim was right and I knew I made a mistake by sending these pictures and keeping her in the dark when I was moving forward with my plans. But the question remains, haunting me and poisoning my heart with guilt, how could I possibly let go of something that had driven me all these years. Let the killer of my sister live happily while she died so young? It would be equal to not only betraying her memory but the brother I was to her. And even if I managed to put my hatred of Gabriel Wolfe aside, if I laid my revenge to rest, will it solve our problems? Will Erica stop hating me for the pictures I shared with Gabriel? Will she forgive me for the betrayal? Wi