Chapter 98
BLAIRE
It's only been thirty minutes since Sebastian left, yet I'm already missing his presence. I'm not sure why, but I feel safe whenever he's around, as if my heart knows that he's going to protect me no matter what.
Protect me from what? I heard a tiny voice ask inside my head. I can't explain why, but I feel like there's something sinister about to happen. Especially now that we're getting closer and closer to the truth. After I made sure that I locked all the doors, I went upstairs to take some rest. As soon as I stepped inside the room, I felt the breeze of cold air brushing against my face. I frowned when I noticed the curtain dancing against the rhythm of the wind. I can't remember seeing it open the first time Sebastian showed me this room.
I looked around the dimly lit room, only to find myself alone inside. With all the things going on around me, I wouldn't blame myself if I started to get paranoid. I shrug my shoulders and proceed to close the window. However, the moment I finally did, I felt something pressing behind my head.
"Nice to see you again, dear sister."
I felt shivers all over my body, and I felt something twisted inside my gut as soon as I heard that woman's voice. The same voice I heard in my dream before I got shot. With a gentle and calculated move, I slowly turn around and face her to finally put a face on that voice that's been hunting me since my memory started coming back.
My heart raced as I turned, anticipation mingling as I braced myself to confront the source of that haunting voice. There she stood in front of me wearing what seemed to be a prison uniform. Her hair was tied into a messy bun. Dark circles below her eyes were evident. She looked totally different from what I can remember from my dream.
Though I couldn't see her face, I'm pretty sure she was wearing elegant clothes and expensive stilettos. What happened to her? And what did I do to deserve her anger?
Her eyes met mine, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still as we regarded each other in silence. There was a familiarity in her gaze, a recognition that sent a shiver down my spine and raised the hairs on the back of my neck.
She smiled, a knowing smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "Surprised to see me, Blaire?"
"Who are you?" I whispered, my voice barely audible as I struggled to find the words to articulate the storm of emotions raging within me.
Her voice sent a chill down my spine, each syllable dripping with a sinister edge that sent alarm bells ringing in my mind. Memories flashed before my eyes, fragmented images and disjointed scenes piecing together like shards of glass as I tried to make sense of the connection between us.
"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot about that memory loss thing you had there, my dear sister," she replied.
"Do I know you?" I finally managed to stammer, my voice trembling with uncertainty.
She chuckled, a sound that sent a shiver down my spine. "Oh, you know me alright. Better than you realize."
"You call me sister. If you're my sister, then why are you doing this to me? You're the one who caused my accident. What did I do to you to deserve this?" I yelled in frustration.
"So, you're starting to remember? That imbecile man! I already told him that drugs won't work for long. I should have killed you when I had the chance!"
Her words sent a wave of unease washing over me, the pieces of the puzzle slowly falling into place as I began to piece together the truth hidden beneath the surface of my fractured memories.
But before I could delve any deeper, she spoke again, her voice like a dagger poised to strike at the heart of my newfound understanding.
"But I'm not going to make the same mistakes twice. I'm here to finish what I started."
Her words hung in the air like a dark cloud, casting a pall over the room as the gravity of her intentions sank in. Fear prickled at the edges of my consciousness, a cold realization dawning upon me like the first light of dawn after a long night. "What do you mean?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, though the weight of my words seemed to echo off the walls of the room.
She smiled, a predatory gleam in her eyes that sent a shiver down my spine. "You may have thought you escaped me once, but you were wrong. I've been watching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And now, that moment has arrived."
My heart hammered in my chest, panic rising like a tide within me as I struggled to comprehend the full extent of her threat. Memories flickered before my eyes, fragments of a past I had long tried to forget surfacing with chilling clarity.
"I won't let you," I said, my voice trembling with defiance even as doubt gnawed at the edges of my resolve.
She laughed, a sound that sent chills down my spine. "What are you going to do, my dear sister? In case you haven't noticed, I'm the one holding the gun."
"What did I do to you?" I can't help but ask in the midst of this dangerous situation. If I'm going to die here tonight, at least I need to know the reason why she's doing this.
"You took everything from me! My family, my love, everything!" she shouted.
I can see her pain, even though I have no idea what she's talking about. It's starting to make me question myself about whether I'm the real villain in this story.
"I'm sorry, but I had no idea."
"Of course you don't! You never do! All you know is to take everything so spoiled, brat! Sebastian, he was mine first until you inserted yourself in the picture and took him away from me!"
Her words hit me like a sucker punch, each accusation a dagger to my already fractured sense of self. Sebastian-her mention of his name sent a jolt of confusion and disbelief coursing through me. Was it possible that I had unknowingly played a part in causing her so much pain?
"I didn't mean to," I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't know..."
She scoffed, a bitter sound filled with resentment and rage. "Ignorance is no excuse, Blaire. You may not have known, but that doesn't change the fact that you've destroyed everything I held dear."
"I may not understand the pain that you're going through, but I don't think this is the right solution for this."
Her laughter was sharp and mocking, a sound that cut through the air like a knife. "Oh, how naïve you are, my dear sister. Do you really think I came here to meet in peace? I came here with one thing on my mind. I already lost everything, but I'm not going to let you be happy while I'm rotting in jail, drowning in misery!" she yelled at me, pulling the safety lever of the gun as she tightened her grip against its grip panel.
My breath caught in my throat as her words struck me like a physical blow. The glint of the gun in her hand seemed to taunt me, a stark reminder of the power she wielded in this deadly game of cat and mouse.
"I won't let you hurt anyone," I replied, my voice steadier now.
She smirked, the corners of her lips curling into a cruel smile. "Oh, how noble of you," she mocked. "But we both know that you're in no position to make demands."
Every instinct screamed at me to run, to flee from the imminent danger that lurked in the shadows. But I stood my ground, refusing to cower in the face of her threats. "I've done nothing to you! Why are you doing this to me?"
Her laughter echoed off the walls, filling the room with its chilling resonance. "You'll find out about it soon," she said, her voice dripping with malice.
With a flick of her wrist, she leveled the gun at me, her finger poised on the trigger. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as we stood locked in a deadly standoff, the tension crackling in the air like electricity.
But before she could pull the trigger, a sudden commotion erupted outside the door, with the sound of hurried footsteps and raised voices echoing in the corridor beyond.
Her eyes widened in alarm, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her features before she regained her composure. With a menacing glare, she turned the gun towards the door, her finger tightening on the trigger. "It looks like we have company," she said, her voice cold and calculating.
My eyes widen in surprise when another man walks into the room. "Catherine, someone's coming. We need to leave now," he said.
"Grant..." I uttered it in disbelief.
He looked at me with dead eyes, blaming me for abandoning him.
"Nice reunion, isn't it?" Catherine sarcastically remarked. "Change of plan. You're coming with us. Killing you won't be enough. You have to suffer as much as I did!" she shouted. "Get her!" she ordered Grant. "No! Don't touch me!" I said as I tried to fight him off as he tried to grab me by my arm.
As Grant moved to grab me, I twisted and writhed, desperation lending strength to my limbs. With a surge of adrenaline, I managed to break free from his grasp, stumbling backward in my haste to evade him. Catherine's eyes blazed with fury as she watched my escape attempt. "Don't let her get away!" she barked, her voice echoing off the walls of the room.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.
As I raced through the corridor, the sound of footsteps echoed behind me, signaling that Grant and Catherine were in hot pursuit. Panic surged within me as I frantically searched for an escape route, but every turn seemed to lead to a dead end.
Suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrapped around me from behind, pulling me to a halt. I struggled against my captor, kicking and thrashing in a desperate bid for freedom, but their grip was relentless.
"It's over, Blaire," Grant's voice whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
Defeated, I slumped in his grasp, my chest heaving with exertion as I resigned myself to my fate. Catherine approached, a triumphant smirk playing on her lips as she surveyed her captive.
"It looks like you're not as clever as you thought," she taunted, her words laced with malice.
I met her gaze defiantly, refusing to let her see the fear that churned within me. But deep down, I knew that I was at her mercy, and there was little hope of escape now. But I won't give up without putting up a fight. With every ounce of strength left in my body, I bit his arm as hard as I could.
"Argh!" He winced in pain as he started loosening his grip on me.
I didn't waste another minute. I ran as fast as I could, trying to get away from them.
"You imbecile!" I heard Catherine shout.
I gathered all my strength to escape, but the next thing I knew, I heard a gunshot followed by a searing pain coursing through my body. That was when I noticed blood rushing through my arm.
Despite the searing pain shooting through my side, I pushed myself to keep moving, every step a battle against the agony threatening to overwhelm me. Adrenaline surged through my veins, lending me strength as I fled down the corridor, my breath coming in ragged gasps.
Behind me, I could hear the sound of pursuit, the echoing footsteps growing louder with each passing moment. But I refused to give in to despair, focusing instead on finding a way to escape the clutches of my captors.
As I rounded a corner, a sudden, sharp pain pierced through me, causing me to stumble and falter. I glanced down to see blood staining my clothes, a grim reminder of the gunshot wound I had sustained.
Gritting my teeth against the pain, I pressed on, driven by sheer determination to evade capture at any cost. But my efforts were in vain, for no matter how fast I ran, I could not outrun the relentless pursuit of my enemies.
With a final burst of strength, I pushed myself to my limits, my heart pounding in my chest as I raced towards freedom. But just as victory seemed within reach, a sharp pain exploded in my back, sending me sprawling to the ground in agony.
I cried out in pain as darkness threatened to engulf me, my vision swimming as I struggled to stay conscious. But even as I fought to stay awake, I knew that my efforts were futile, for the darkness was closing in and there was no escape from its cold embrace.
But before darkness fully consumed me, I saw a vision I'd never seen before. A child's face is holding Sebastian's hand. They were happy. And the child was calling me.
"Mommy, come! Play with me!"
Those were the last phrases I heard before I finally lost consciousness.
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