Crimes Of Eregor I ✓

19 : You're never safe❇️

[A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, this is a relatively short chapter but I hope you guys like it!]

"Whenever you find yourself doubting how far you can go, just remember how far you have come. Remember the things you have faced, all the battles you've won, and all the fears you've overcome."

That's what Gwen believed in: what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger.

Tomorrow would be the day—the day they would face Laurelai and all the things she had feared the most about her father and the shadow that had been cast on his life.

The day his crimes would be exposed forever. The day his lies stepped out from the darkness.

The night was solemn and the silence in the Lester Riddle mansion was stifling. Unlike a typical Sunday night that she'd be curled in bed watching Korean Dramas, Gwen tossed and turned about in bed as the uneasiness grew in her stomach. Unable to fall asleep, Gwen phoned Elaine.

"Hey..."

"What's up...?" Elaine replied groggily as she yawned.

"With all that's happening lately, I was wondering...what if, just...what if, I was completely gone from your life tomorrow?"

"Huh?"

"Like, what if I wasn't around anymore...?"

"Why would you go away? But I think I'd be really heartbroken and shattered inside...I mean, afterall, you've been my best friend in the whole of high school..."

"It's different this time, like...I'm fighting a war with my Dad, and I'm really afraid that something goes wrong tomorrow..."

Elaine paused for a really long while, before she exhaled.

"Look, Gwen, you've got my cousins by your side. You've even got your twin sister behind your back now. And you have me, too...I'll be with you through this ordeal, okay?"

Gwen took deep breaths, her heart palpitating inside her throat.

"Okay..." Gwen exhaled, and she felt like a heavy burden had been lifted off her chest. In this entire mafia drama lately, Gwen had neglected Elaine, especially since school wasn't scheduled to start anytime soon. She hadn't found time to catch up with Elaine, nor gone out together for cafe dates in a very, very long time. She missed those days dearly.

Gwen switched off the lights and snuggled under the duvet. The deafening silence in the room reminded her of how it felt to be alone again...

Every time she was home alone, that was the same feeling that she felt.

Emptiness.

It would've been a blessing to have had a sibling at least—being the only child of a single parent family kinda sucked for the past eighteen years.

Just as Gwen was about to fall asleep, she noticed a silhouette manoeuvring around the balcony outside her room. The glass door was pushed open, and the silhouette stepped inside.

"Why are you acting like some suspicious burglar?" Gwen blurted. "Did you think of some creative way to come into my room this time?"

Geez. Kei or Justin must've gotten better at snooping around at night and trying to sneak into my room other than using the damn door.

Or at least that's what Gwen thought.

The silhouette did not respond but inched closer, and closer to her bedside table.

Just who the hell was it?

Gwen flipped the bedside lamp on and screamed in horror as the light shone across his face.

❃❃❃

Justin jumped out of bed as soon as he heard Gwen's scream echo from across the hallway.

He dashed to her room and busted the door open. "Gwen!"

"Freeze, boy..." His voice thundered as his cracked lips parted into a sinister smile. "Pretty sure you wouldn't want anything happening to your beloved Gwen now, wouldn't you?"

Was that who they thought it was? The very thought of his worst fears being confirmed made him sligtly uneasy inside.

The room was dimly lit by Gwen's bedside lamp that it was hard for Justin to even make out the man's facial features. He had terrible night vision as well, and that didn't help much either.

Sheila and his brother were sleeping upstairs, and Justin wondered if they had awoken from their slumber as well because he doubted the fact that this was an enemy whom he could tackle alone.

Justin could roughly see the man clicking a gun against Gwen's forehead. "Leave now, or she dies." He jerked his head to one side, gesturing Justin to make his move quickly.

Gwen shook her head at him, and the man only pressed the gun harder on the veins of her forehead.

"Decide, boy!" Impatience grew in his tone.

Frozen in his tracks, Justin couldn't do anything to help her.

Shit.

Justin couldn't pull a gun out and shoot him either, because that guy would probably shoot Gwen first.

Clearly, Gwen was unable to pull of out his grasp either. One move and she'd be dead.

Thwish!

An arrow?

It flew right through the balcony door that was left ajar and shot right at him, making him loosen his grip on Gwen.

"Jesus fuckin' Christ..." He blurted as the arrow got caught in his clothes. He had evaded it almost completely and was unscathed. Justin took the time to pull Gwen away and carry her to safety.

Whoever the hell it was who shot that must have been an archery legend, because it bought them time to escape.

They ran upstairs to Kei's room, as the man chased behind them. "You can't run, and you can't hide from me!"

Who on earth was this insane lunatic who managed to break into the mansion?

Oh, sweet Jesus no. No...

Justin flicked the switch of the hallway lights.

"Hand my daughter over." The smirk on his face, those tar-stained teeth...

And that voice.

It all seemed too familiar...

Justin knew this man.

The one with the very same voice he heard in the dream while he was in Eregor.