Bound by Justice

-CHAPTER 21-

VALERIA

Dressed in a black gown, I braid my raven black hair to the side, and look at my reflection in the mirror. My face is sullen, and when I smile (more like trying to smile), I look like a serial killer in depression. It's been a few days since my heated conversation with Mr. Xaiden, and he has done exactly as he said. All of us now have bodyguards following us around left and right, but I'm just glad that it doesn't hinder my work.

Today is the burial of Mark McGregor. Though he was a criminal, he still kind of deserves a proper burial and that's the reason I'm dressed in black today. We're all going to the ceremony except Sylvera, and the twins.

After wearing my shoes, I head downstairs to see if everyone is ready to go. In the living room, there's Mr. Dominic, Alison, and Mr. Xaiden all dressed in black too. Mr. Dominic is as stylish as always with his perfectly well ironed blue shirt, a black vest on top of it and black pants to match the whole black theme while Alison is decked in a long-sleeved black dress that has a blue brooch attached to the side and a grey scarf wrapped around her neck. Mr. Xaiden wears a grey colored shirt with a long black jacket layered on it and a pair of black pants.

My eyes linger on him for a small while, but I immediately look away before he notices me staring at him.

"Are you ready?" Mr. Xaiden asks and I nod silently. Ever since our conversation, I haven't said much to him and I have been avoiding him too. I don't have any grudge against him for saying all that but after my crying session that day, I realized that he was right. I thought that since I knew how to fight, it meant that I would be able to protect myself or defend myself. I thought that I was getting strong but I was wrong. Being strong is not about physical strength or being athletic or knowing how to fight. Being strong is about being able to accept any challenge that comes in life, to do the right thing when things are wrong, and so much more. I have a lot to learn.

We leave the penthouse and go to the underground parking lot. I open the door to seat in the back seat, but Mr. Dominic gently pushes aside and enters then slam the door. I narrow my eyes at him through the tinted window, but it's too shaded to see anything. I go to the other side to open the door but Alison pushes me too and enters before slamming the door shut.

I stare at them in shock. What is wrong with them?  They've occupied the whole backseat leaving only the passenger seat as my last option. I hesitate for a bit before slowly opening the door of the passenger seat and getting in. I can feel Mr. Xaiden's eyes on me from the side but I just buckle my seatbelt and look forward.

The car engine starts and I stare outside. The attached quickly grows awkward but none of us tries to start the conversation.

30 minutes into the ride, Mr. Dominic has had enough of the akwardness and says, "Why are you all so silent? I almost thought that you turned mute."

"What do you want me to say?" Alison shrugs.

He answers, "Anything such as the weather is great today–"

Alison interrupts him by saying, "It isn't. It's literally raining cats and dogs right now."

The rain drops slide down the window glass. She's right, the rain is quite heavy today. The sky must be crying because one more human is gone from its earth.

"Or you can say that you can say that today is such a happy–"

She interrupts him once again, "It isn't. We're going to a funeral."

"At least we're well dressed today." He playfully glares at her, waiting for her come back.

She retorts, "We're dressed in black so I don't see what's so good about that."