Her Seven Deadly Brothers (Part 1 and 2)

Chapter 23

Eleanora could hardly breathe due to the clenching pain in her ribs. She noticed Anastasia approaching her and tried to look the another way but a small almost hesitant tap on her shoulder told her that it was pointless.

Stretching her lips up in a small smile, she turned towards her but the smile came off as a slight grim.

Anastasia stared at her for a moment. Suddenly her eyes softened.

"A-a-are y-you h-hurt?" Nora's eyes widened when she heard this small voice. If she wasn't looking right at Anastasia, she would have presumed that it must be someone else.

"Ana?" Nora whispered still awe-struck. A loud honk of her car startled Nora and she looked at her brothers' car.

"Let's get going, Nora." Angel said from the open window.

Nora nodded slowly and looked at Anastasia again. She was looking down at her feet.

Without thinking much, Nora wrapped her arms around her. Anastasia stiffened for a moment but relaxed in her embrace.

"T-thank you for trusting me, Ana. I promise I will tell you everything but I just need time to figure something out." She whispered.

She pulled away from her and looked up in the direction of Ermanno, Anastasia's twin brother who was waiting for her.

"Until then please be safe. Promise me that you won't leave your brother's side."

Nora held out her palm. Anastasia could not help but give her a look of confusion. Though, she placed her hand in Nora.

Nora gave her a quick hug again and slid into her brother's car.

Ermanno approached Anastasia with a blank look on his face.

"Father called. We need to get home soon." Anastasia heard her twin clearly but she simply stared in the direction where Nora's car was gone with some sort of growing worry in her heart.

'Something was wrong.'

Eleanora reached home soon and directly made her way into her room. She made sure to lock the door and placed her bag down on the bed.

She approached the mirror in her room while pulling her shirt up, she glanced at the dark bruises that covered her stomach.

Tears welled in her eyes as she remembered the beating and humiliation they made her go through as a punishment of disobeying.

They threatened her that it could be Anastasia in her place and the thought almost made her choke on a sob.

Nora wasn't just worried about it. Her mind was set on the right stage of horror just thinking about that video they had taken. They threatened her that if she refused to do what they say, they might leak that video of her being beaten down like a piece of scum. In one part, one of the guy had touched her inappropriately too that sent nothing but shivers chilling her spine.

She knew the extent of humiliation her brothers would have to go if something like that happen. On second note, she did not even want to steal that file. She had zero guts literally and she knew the consequences would be of no good.

But for her dignity and Anastasia's sake, she knew that she needed to do something.

Sighing heavily, she pulled her shirt down and moved across the room to reach bathroom.

After taking a bath and scrubbing her body clean, she was on her way downstairs. But as she passed William's office, a low murmuring got her attention.

"We are heading out tomorrow nig--"
She heard Vincent's voice that suddenly paused.

"Eleanora!" William's voice boomed in the room and she flinched back in surprise.

The door was opened by a scowling Hunter.

"Eavesdropping you little brat?" He asked once and grabbing her hand, he dragged her inside once again.

The embarassing blush on her face thickened and she tried to stutter out some excuse but a single stern look from William froze her completely.

She glanced around the room awkwardly to find a amused but all well looking Vincent and a little concerned Damon were present too.

"I don't think I need to scold you like a kid that eavesdropping is a bad thing, Nora." William said a little displeased.

Nora felt bad. Her emotions were at the time mess and she could easily feel tears welling up in her eyes and her throat clogging.

"I-it wasn't my i-intention." She hardly managed to choke out and suddenly she burst into tears.

Hunter blinked in surprise while trying to get the idea of what really just happened. A moment ago she was just fine.

Vincent stared at her with growing worry when she suddenly started bawling her eyes out.

Damon was first to approach her and he placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

William silently stared at the scene and motioned at Damon to take her out of there.

William's sharp eyes followed after his siblings.

'Something was up and his littlesister was clearly suffering.'

Damon wasted no other second to lead her towards his room that was closest.

It took her more than few minutes to calm down.

"T-thanks. I-I needed that." She whispered and hastily wiped her tears.

"I-I need to go." She stood up from his and practically sprinted out of the room while making sure to not to look at disappointed and hurt on Damon's face. Just as she rounded the corner, she collided into a hard chest.

"Woah cool down." Lucifer's voice rang in her ears. Without saying any word, she tried to run past him but he grabbed her shoulder. It was enough to stop her from moving.

"Were you crying?" He asked. All that joking phenomenon vanished from his personality. His facial expressions hardened.

"No. I mean yes. It doesn't really matter. I need to go to my room." She whispered and pushed his hand off her shoulder. She tried to walk away from him but he again blocked her way.

"You are not going anywhere without a explanation. I need names.!" He said in a blank, unforgiving tone.

Nora stared at him for a moment.

"Are you going to spit out whatever is bothering you? Or do I need to find it my way? My ways will not include me being asking you nicely, you know?"

He only got her silence.

"Looks like I will have to interrogate your little bestfriend at school first." It was just a mere thought that occurred in his mind. He knew no-one from the family would make her cry especially Alexander because he was out of states right now. He assumed something must have happen at school.

But unknowingly, he struck a point. Why was everyone dragging Anastasia in middle?

"I don't think I'm liable to explain everything to you. Stop interfering in my personal matters." Nora said instantly in anger and annoyance but immediately regretted it.

Lucifer was silent. Nora was filled with guilt. She came out more harsh than she intended to. Just as she thought about apologizing, he spoke.

"Ok."

Just a single, calm word escaped his lips.

Nora stared at his back with a new set of fresh tears in her eyes when he turned and started to walk away from her with his hands stuffed in his pockets.