Shattered Vendetta

Family Portrait Chapter 26

Amara:

As the wedding day loomed only two days away, my mind was a tumultuous sea of emotions, memories, and doubts. Everything had happened so quickly since the encounter with Leo. The decision to get married, the dinner date, the kiss.

Do we regret it?" he repeated my question and I didn't know what to say. He was too close to me. His eyes were right on mine and my hands found their way to his chest right above his heart. It would be so easy to just pull out the knife below my skirt and just stab him right in the heart. No, that would be too easy.

I had to remind myself that I was marrying the man who had a hand in the death of my own sister. It was a plan, a meticulously orchestrated revenge plot, but for some inexplicable reason, it felt more genuine than that. It felt as if Leo and I were getting married not because we had to, but because we wanted to. It was a complex cocktail of emotions, and I didn't know how to untangle them.

I left my room and made my way to Zoya's. I hoped that she might shed some light on these bewildering emotions.

"How's it going, Piccola Volpe?" Zoya was alone in her and Uncle Elijah's shared room. She was wearing her bridesmaid dress. It was an extremely light blue and it fit her perfectly. She looked so beautiful and I just stared at her for a few seconds.

"You look... great but why are you wearing this right now?" I asked, Zoya turned around and looked at herself in the mirror. She adjusted her blonde hair which was up in a ponytail and looked at the fit one more time in the mirror and turned her attention to me.

"The tailor just dropped it by. There were some issues with the fitting of the dress." I nodded my head and sat on her bed. She sat next to me.

"You didn't answer my question," Zoya said, she flexed her hands and looked at her nails.

"What question?" I asked, not understanding what she was asking about. She turned to look at me and took my hand in hers.

"How's it going, Piccola Volpe?" She repeated the question she asked when I entered her room. I looked away from her and stared at myself in her mirror. I don't know this person who is staring back. Who is she?

"I am fine-"

"Don't." Zoya let go of my hand and rose to her feet. She went into her closet and came back with what looked like pajamas. They were silk and red she dropped them on the bed and looked at me. Her eyes looked like she was annoyed.

"Don't lie to me, Amara. If you are fine then why did you come into my room and just sit on my bed without saying anything?" I had no answer to her question. I just stared at the floor. "Amara, tell me what's wrong?" She asked again and this time I told her.

"I am getting married. In two days, you can't even count today as it is almost over. It's night time which basically means that I have one day before I get married to the guy who-" I stopped myself right there.

"Killed your sister." Zoya finished my sentence and nodded her head she continued, "I never wanted you to get married to him. I warned you, Amara." She was telling the truth. She warned me but I said I could do it now that everything is hitting me I realise that maybe I am too weak for this.

"I know,"

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I descended the stairs and found my father standing in the hallway, gazing at the enormous family portrait that adorned the wall. It was a picture of happier times when our family had been whole and unbroken.

Quietly, I moved to stand beside him, The picture was taken long back. Around the time when I was eight. Kiara was four at that time. It was a simple family portrait. Mom holding Kiara in her arms and Father holding me in his arms. Zoya and Uncle Elijah were both standing next to each other with a huge smile on their face. Zoya was looking at Kiara and smiling and Uncle Elijah was looking at the camera. I was looking at my Father. I remember being mad at him at that time. I was mad at him because he didn't let me eat the last of my candy because he gave it to Kiara. In the portrait, I was looking at my Father with an angry expression and Kiara was smiling at my mom as she ate my candy. My mom and Father were looking at the camera. It felt so real.

"Are you sure?" My father asked his eyes still on the portrait. I turned my gaze from him to the portrait again and found myself staring at Kiara.

"I am," I answered even though my Father never asked what I was so sure about. I just knew it.

"I want you to be happy my child." My father did something that I never expected him to do. He hugged me. The last time he'd ever hugged me was when we found out that Kiara was dead and that her body was extremely damaged and we weren't allowed to even see her. It felt weird and still does. They just let us bury her body. Mom, Father, Zoya, Uncle Elijah and I weren't allowed to look at her body. We just saw her coffin and she was buried.

"I have not been a good father to you. I am sorry, Amara."

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