The Grand Viper

20. Triad

TW: abuse, self-harm

"I feel like he is slipping from my fingers!" Maria cried as he paced back and forth around the room.

"Come take a seat, here." Theodore patted the soft mattress next to him. She reluctantly sat and crossed her arms.

"You know I've never been on edge like this. I never had to..." Her gaze lingered away from him.

He placed his hand on her cheek gently and smiled, "I'm thankful you're doing this for me."

"Why can't we just be together? We don't have to go through all this." She said looking at him genuinely.

He promptly removed his hand from her cheek and looked at a distance, as if he was hurt. She took his hand and placed it in hers. On the other hand, she made him turn to her. "I'm getting impatient and having to pretend to want another being other than you is- exhausting. I don't want to hide and meet you every time.", She spoke in a low purr.

"Do you love me, Marie?" He asked, looking into her eyes.

"Is that even a question?" She crawled onto his lap. When his gaze remained stern, she replied, " Yes. More than anything." She laid her head on his chest.

A smirk formed on his lips as he started stroking her hair, gently. "So, you must help me get what belongs to me, shouldn't you?" She nodded her head while nestled on his chest.

"What happened to that bitch? Is she on your team?" She asked, raising her head.

He chuckled at her rage but pulled her head against his chest again. "I thought of using her but it looks like she might soon turn into a bug we have to get rid of."

"Better now than never." She hissed, clutching his shirt tightly.

***

Tears streamed down my eyes as I lay on the bed, facing down and looking into the darkness of the room. The feelings I had been trying to run from, the feelings I was uncertain of meant nothing now.

He died in the same pool of blood my mother died in. No matter how much I tried to run away from my past, it came back haunting me. Another death again. The only family I had left is no more.

I don't think I can take this anymore...

For three days, this bed was my refuge. Shutting my door, locking myself out from the world, and throwing my phone away. Just staring into the abyss. This abyss was eating me slowly and slowly.

I don't know what to do. I don't even know if I want to see it another day.

Everyone left- no they were killed... by someone I never expected.

Just then the doorbell rang loudly. When the ringing got persistent I walked up to the door and opened it. I found a package right outside the door. I looked around but the delivery girl had already walked away to the elevator.

Closing the door behind me, I looked at the package.

"To my beloved, Sapphire." I read the little tag. It was written in my father's handwriting.

I ripped open the thin yellow paper to find a diary and a small document inside which was folded in half to fit in the small diary. I took out the document and unfolded it.

His will...

The first thing that grabbed my attention was the name "Bloomfield company."

Did he leave me for the Bloomfield company?

His diary was the answer to all my questions... But little did I know how I would react to what I was going to learn.

***

The warm bath and the splendid city view did little to ease his mind. The whiskey didn't help either. Keeping the glass on the edge of the bath, Reece submerged in the bath. His hair floated in the water as bubbles escaped his mouth.

Let me out. I don't want this anymore.

_

"You are my son! You're supposed to be strong!" His father's voice echoed in the huge study room.

Reece flinched whenever the thick leather clashed against the floor because he knew what was going to come. His breath was shaky as he tried his best to hold his tears back. He couldn't let the tears out, no matter what- he didn't want to face the consequences.

"Have I not been a good father?! Is that why you're grieving over your dead mother?!" He clenched his teeth as he glared at his son. "It's been years Reece!" 

"Y-you have." Reece stuttered. But as soon as he spilled those words out, he felt a sharp sting on his side. He reluctantly looked up to see the same rageful eyes looking at him.

That night his body was added with additional scars which he would go on to hide for the rest of his life.

_

He gasped for air as he got out of the water. He ran his hand through his hair. His brown eyes looked like honey as looked at the horizon. A beautiful dawn. A beginning of something new.

But this was only the silence before the storm.

***