Heiress in Distress

•Chapter 28•

•Word Count: 1,800

Making a final turn in the maze of corridors that's Juniper's mansion, I stomp towards the bedroom I sleep in, shoulders stiff and chest heavier than ever, before shutting the door and locking it behind me.

Once inside the en suite bathroom, I take deep breaths and as I stare at the spotless white tile floor, I notice how the hits I received loose some of their numbness and stings of pain begin to register.

I walk towards the sink, eyes still focused on the ground, refusing to look at the mirror to meet the weakness that would stare back at me.
However, when I do lift my eyes off the floor, I don't see weakness staring back at me, I see something else that I refuse to acknowledge.

"Don't you dare cry!" I snap at my reflection's verging on tears.

My chest rises and falls dramatically for a few seconds before the first, lone, rebellious tear rolls down my cheek, and when I glimpse it, a rush of anger washes over me, and I squeeze my eyes shut, as though to stop the tears from overflowing, but because the universe seems to have other plans for me, the opposite happens.

Hot tears continue to stream down my face in steaming trails and my trying to hold the sobs back results in my shoulders' violently shaking and my need to hold onto the sink with both hands for support.

My mother would have been disappointed in me right now.

A tsunami of mixed emotions wrack my body, the metaphorical jolt puts me off balance for a second before I drop to a squat next to the bathtub.

If Juniper is his sister, there's no way this woman is. Besides, what does she even mean by 'the others' ?
I wince against the way the word spears my gut.

Although I have an idea about who these others might be, I deny myself the upset that contemplating it might bring along.

The instant I turn the faucet on, I shove my hands under the icy stream before it warms up, gritting my teeth against the cold as I splash my face with the ice cold water a few times.
As I walk back into my room, my steps falter on the soft knocks on the door.

I ignore the first few knocks, switching the lights off and heading for the bed, wanting to sleep the stress of the day off. Then again, the knocking becomes more desperate, and I know for a fact who-

"Mira, open the door please," Elias' deep voice smoothly travels through the door, wrapping around my throat, choking me.

But of course my stubborn nature doesn't allow for space. And that stupid little part of me that remains charmed by Elias no matter what begins whispering into my ear, telling me I need to hear him out, that I shouldn't deny him the right to defend himself.

Then the other self-condemnatory part of me tells me I have no right to be mad at him for not bringing up his previous relationships since I haven't brought up my own.
It also reminds me that I'm supposed to worry about the present and if I'm lucky enough, the future, and to keep what's in the past in the past.

Faint knocks make my thoughts and steps towards my bed falter for a second, my mind reeling at the sound tiny knuckles make. I freeze, my heart soaring as I creep towards the door.

Pressing my ear against the door, I hear deep murmurs and happy babbles, but then my heart completely stops at the familiar voice uttering unfamiliar words.

"Ma.. ma,"

"Again," A male voice says.

"Mama,"

"Louder now,"

"Ma.. Mama!"

I twist the doorknob, pulling the piece of wood so violently that a whoosh of air leaves a trail of goosebumps on my skin.