My father continued introducing me to every person in attendance, and to be honest, it was a nightmare. The fake appreciation and gratitude he displayed made me want to puke. I forced a polite smile onto my face, nodding at everything being said, but I could feel my insides churning.
Every now and then, my father would nudge me with his elbow, glaring at me with those steel-gray eyes of his, demanding that I speak up. I wanted to pluck my eyes out in frustration. Why couldn't I have inherited my mother's beautiful forest-green eyes instead? They were so enchanting; I could gaze into them all day. In those depths, I could see the love she had for me, an overwhelming warmth that filled my heart.
My eyes roamed the crowded room, searching for her, and I finally spotted her standing before a woman. My mother's head was bowed, and the woman spoke to her in a rapid, unintelligible manner. My heart sank as I noticed my mother wiping her face-she was crying.
I took a step forward, my instinct kicking in, but my father's iron grip held me back. "Where do you think you're going, young man?" he growled, his frustration palpable.
"Mum..." I pointed toward her, desperate to reach her side.
His brows furrowed, and he glanced at the commotion. "God, I can't have any peace with this woman in my life," he muttered, his voice dripping with disdain. I watched in horror as he marched toward her, pulling her into his arms, forcing her to face the woman who had upset her.
"Don't do this," I whispered to myself, but I was powerless to intervene.
I tried to move forward again, but I stopped when I caught my mother's eye. She was shaking her head, urging me to stay back. Confusion and worry filled my mind, but I did what she said, remaining rooted in place. I felt the weight of helplessness bearing down on me as I watched my father's anger spill over.
He began to speak to the woman, his voice low but intense. I could see the tension in my mother's shoulders; she was trying to keep herself composed, but I could sense her breaking inside. I clenched my fists, wishing I could do something, anything to alleviate her pain. The fake smiles around me felt suffocating, as if the very air had turned toxic.
----
After what felt like hours, the party was finally over and we all retired to our room. The laughter and chatter still echoed in my mind, but all I could feel was the exhaustion weighing heavily on my body. I laid down on my bed and closed my eyes, hoping for a peaceful sleep to erase the events of the evening.
Suddenly, a loud thud jolted me awake.
I sat up in confusion, straining to understand what had caused the noise.
Just as I was about to lay back down, the sound repeated itself, louder this time. My heart raced with fear as I sensed something was wrong.
"Mama!" I cried out, leaping out of bed and racing towards their room. I barged inside and what I saw inside shattered my heart and mind. My father was on top of my mother, his hand clamped over her mouth, while he viciously slammed her head against the ground
The room was a chaotic mess __furniture overturned, shattered glasses scattered everywhere , and broken vases lying in pieces around the floor.
"Mama!" I screamed again, my voice cracking as I rushed towards them. I pounded my fists against my father's back, desperate to pull him away from her, but he was relentless. His hands were now pressing down hard on her neck, cutting off her air.
In panic, my eyes darted around the room, searching for anything to help.
That's when I noticed a vase lying on the vanity desk, it's ceramic surface glinting in the dim light. Without thinking, i grabbed it, feeling the weight of it in my hands and swung it with all my might at my father's head.
He groaned, momentarily stunned, and i seized the opportunity to shove him aside and help my mother stand up. She looked so pale, her head bleeding, and her neck bore angry red fingerprints. My heart sank as I realized she must have a serious concussion; she could hardly stay on her feet.
"How dare you!" My father shouted, his fury turning towards me.
"You are hurting her!" I shot back, my voice trembling with rage and fear
"She's a shameless woman who has no place in my life," he seethed, pointing an accusing finger at my mother.
"Please, I didn't do anything." She stammered, desperation lacing her words.
"Yeah and I'm blind" he sneered. "What were you doing in Xander King's arms then, huh? In front of everyone?
I looked at him in disbelief, my heart pounding . Could this man be anymore foolish. It was a party and my mother was simply being polite to a family friend. But he had twisted it into something vile.
As he leveled a gun at her, I immediately stepped in front of my mother, shielding her with my body.
"N-no Ace! What are you doing? Move aside!" she urged, panic rising in her voice.
"No! I'll protect you!" I declared, my determination burning bright.
My father laughed mockingly, a cruel glint in his eye. "Aww, poor mamma's boy. You are seeing her for the last time, because she will be a corpse in the next few minutes."
My heart plummeted. No! He wouldn't dare. He was bluffing.
Behind me, my mother started sobbing, and i wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly to my chest. "Shh... It's okay," I whispered, trying to reassure her more than myself .
"Move aside!" My father commanded, his voice laced with menace.
When I refused, my mother, in a sudden moment of clarity, pushed me to the ground to protect me. I hit my head against the floor, dazed, and then I heard a deafening band echo through the room.
I froze. No, this couldn't be happening.
As the haze began to clear, i turned around , my heart racing . There she lay in the pool of her own blood, my father standing over her with an expression devoid of any remorse.
"No,no,no!" I cried, scrambling toward her. I cradled her lifeless body in my arms, feeling the warmth seep away as reality crashed down upon me like a tidal wave.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I rocked her gently, desperate to wake her from this nightmare . "Mama! Please, wake up! Please!"
But there was no response , only the heavy silence of a heart broken beyond repair. In that moment, i understood the true meaning of despair, knowing I had lost the one person who had loved me unconditionally. My cried echoed in the empty room, filled with the darkness of what had just transpired- a tragedy I could never forget.
----
YOU ARE READING
Bound by blood
Short Story--- Two powerful mafia families, one Russian and one Italian, bound by an ancient code of silence-Omertà. Both driven by secrets, their histories are entangled in bloodshed, revenge, and a deep-seated hatred passed down through generations. Despite...
