Insouciant (The Billionaire With A Choice)

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Quit

"Sixteen times seven?"

"Cent douze."

"Quali sono le principali città del Madagascar?"

My mind blanks, "um, uh." The timer.

Five... four...

"THE MAJOR CITIES IN MADAGASCAR ARE ANTANANARIVO, TOLIARY AND ANTSIRANANA!" I rush out before the time reaches zero.

And the question we always end off with... "Qui es-tu?"

My head spins. I can't take this.

Before I'm out of it. I say it, "Le petit ange de papa." And with that everything goes black.

...

When I wake up, Henry is at my bedside.

"Saffron?"

"Mhmm?" I rub my face.

"You're not sleeping." He says.

I slowly shake my head.

He clearly wants a why.

"I don't think you realize how exhausting it is to behave when I don't want to." It's morning. I currently don't give a shit about anything.

"We are treating you well, Angel." He pouts.

"You speak to me like a five-year-old. You had my training last 12 HOURS! I haven't eaten in 48! I'm asked a question in English I answer in French. You speak to me in Italian I speak English. You ask in French I speak Italian! It's so hard to switch! If I mess up, you trigger my hydrophobia which your brother caused! By dunking me in a hole of water! I want to scream! To hit you! To yell at you! I am your daughter! No father should speak to their child the way you do! No father should feed on his obsessions the way you do! No father should partner with their brother and touch their child the way you do! I HATE YOU! I HATE HIM! LET ME GO!" My head is wracked. I can't do this anymore. "Let me go." I sob.

He sits there silently.

His eyes narrow. "You've grown weak."

"Or maybe I just don't care anymore. You ruined everything!"

"Without me, you would never be where you are."

"But I'd be happy."

"You're wrong."

"Am I? If you were who left, I would've lived my life with my siblings. Maybe Caroline would've liked me more. You know cuz she's your wife and thinks you're insane for obsessing over your daughter."

Me and my dumbass are now failing to breathe. And I frankly don't care.

"If you are going to kill me, do it already. I'd rather die than stay here with you!" I spit out, not even trying to take his hands off my neck.

"You are spoilt and selfish. I've given you the greatest gift, and you disrespect me-"

I'm totally fine with using up the air I have left. I'm now starting to see spots.

"I got nothing. The only thing you gave me was an X chromosome! You took Milan away from me!"

"He chose death over telling you he was leaving. He did it to himself! I gave him so many chances to leave! And he stayed!"

I close my eyes, accepting what is about to happen.

But no! Why does the universe hate me!

The pressure is gone, but my body hasn't recognized it. So my mind blanks as the convulsions start.

...

When I open my eyes, I take in my surroundings. I don't know where I am. And Steels nine and ten are in the corner playing a weird game.

I sit up and take the mask off.

I open my mouth, and Cedric puts his finger to his lips to tell me to be quiet. His eye seems to have healed.

He takes a whiteboard off the side table.

He writes down... sorta watched and heard what happened... Nathaniel might've tazed Henry...twice. And left him passed out. And he brought you here. And I put the IV, mask and tank on you. This is our getaway room. We found it when we were younger. You probably don't want to talk. We can't risk being caught right now, and we can't tell if he damaged your windpipe. So better be safe than sorry.

Nathaniel narrows his eyes at me. I raise my eyebrow at him.

He grabs another whiteboard.

You broke his switch.

I grab the last whiteboard.

You be awake for 23 hours straight. Have physical testing. Then my training. Constantly switching languages. Math, geography, science. Making a business pitch in seven minutes about lutefisk! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT IS! Every time I do something wrong I am dropped in a six-foot hole filled to the brim of water! My mind turns to mush every time! I'm sorry I've had enough!

He stands and comes down to my level.

He drops his whiteboard on my lap before walking through a door.

When did he write...

Brontide's steering wheel.

The border of your office walls.

Nox.

Kenta.

Milan's journal the very first page.

I look at Cedric, and I look at the door Niel went through.

Cedric turns his whiteboard. It's a closet. He's angry and needs to calm down.

I've been ignorant. And I know Nathaniel is right.

And he just showed me how we are different. He never puts his guard down. And from the moment I woke in this building, I went back to that girl on Decker and Decker.

Milan's journal is right next to me. And it certainly says it on the first page.

I had the border of my office redone. All around says it.

I have Y.M.S.M.S...B.Y.W.N.S.M.Q stitched on Brontide. Nox and Kenta's steering wheels.

You may see me struggle...but you will never see me quit.

The both of them... saw me quit.

Short but let the explanations begin.