AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My scream caught in my throat as she pressed a finger against her concealed mouth, warning me to keep silent. What chilled me to the bone was the glint of a wedding ring on her finger – my ring. Elena...
"There's a guard outside. Come with me, quiet and willing, or else you won’t like the consequences," she spat. My breaths were jagged, a sense of panic gripping me. I considered outsmarting her, my hand darting to grab the gun, but she swiftly pulled it back, concealing it beneath her coat.
"Don't play games, Luna. Out. Now. Or I'll off you and him right here," she hissed, her threat hanging heavy in the air. She was a menace to society, a danger lingering in my bakery. The vergeof insanity was evident, and I couldn't bear more guilt and harm spawned from my existence. I nodded, moving from behind the counter. She allowed me to lead the way, the cold barrel of the gun discreetly pressed against my back.
As we exited the cafe, heading towards a nearby car, a man emerged from behind some bushes, startling me.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Petrov, but I'm under strict orders that you shall not leave—" Before he could finish, Elena frantically surveyed the surroundings, ensuring no witnesses, before coldly shooting him in the head. He wasn’t in a defensive state, not expecting a thing. My scream tore through the air, birds scattering in response. Gory splatter coated me, and I gagged – she was unhinged.
Grabbing me by the hair, she yanked me toward the car, but I resisted. I landed a punch on her face, causing the scarf to slip, revealing a bleeding lip. Seizing the opportunity, I ran, her shot narrowly missing me. The bullet's whizzing by my ear made time stop for me. I didn't relent, but she was close behind. She caught up, clutching the back of my jacket, sending me tumbling. My knees scraped against the ground, pain surged through me. Still, I kicked her feet, making her stumble beside me.
"Bitch," she snarled, slamming the back of the gun into my head. I tried to stay conscious as she dragged me across the cold ground towards the car, but I couldn't. So, I started praying – praying for someone to intervene, hoping it was a nightmare, wishing for the strength to fight back. No response came. She propped me into the car, groaning at my weight, before everything faded to black.
I came to in what seemed like a descent into hell. My skin felt ablaze, and as I cracked my eyes open with a scream of agony, she was the first hellish sight. Tossing a bucket aside, she mademe grasp the gruesome reality – She poured scalding water on every damn inch me, drenching me. The sensation was brutal, as if every nerve ending in my body was getting fried; the pain was excruciating.
Struggling to sit up, I surveyed my surroundings. A basement, no windows, and dim light casting eerie shadows. It was bone-chilling, and I huddled into a corner, yearning to be as far away from her as possible.
She perched on a chair, legs spread wide. I couldn't recognize her. Her hair was falling out, huge bald patches marring her head. A front tooth was missing, and judging by the way she glared at me, my punch was the culprit. Her face, once radiant, now pallid, cheekbones protruding sharply. Unhealthy. Where the hell did the beautiful Elena disappear to?
My gaze shifted to her stomach, seemingly flat. Wasn't she claiming to be pregnant? Her eyes honed in on mine, catching my fixation on her midsection. She rocketed out of the chair so damn fast it toppled backward. Advancing towards me with wide, predatory strides, she exuded an aura on the brink of murder
. As she reached me, a swift slap across my face sent me reeling. I didn't know if I could retaliate; she had the upper hand. Armed with a gun and not in any compromised position.
She squatted in front of me, screeching "Are you happy that your niece died?" I had no clue what she meant – maybe a miscarriage? That was all I could fathom. I shook my head, adamant that no matter how much she hurt me, I wouldn't rejoice in a baby's death.
"Liar," she spat, squeezing my face hard. Her usually perfectly manicured fingernails were dirty, and they were digging into my cheeks.
"You're happy. Why wouldn't you be? Your husband's affair baby is dead," she barked. Unable to keep silent any longer, I ripped her hand off, and she crashed straight onto her ass.
"It wasn't his baby, Elena."
"How dare you?! It damn well was. Don't delude yourself into thinking otherwise," she yelled. I wasn't buying her lies anymore. Anyone who behaves like her – kidnapping, killing – can't be trusted.
"The baby is Nathan's. I know everything; there's no need to lie to me anymore," I told her. Her expression crumbled, a mix of shock and despair washing over her.
She paced, tearing at her hair, carving fresh bald patches into her scalp. "That isn't true. Adrik is lying to you, Elena. The baby was his. I'm not the one spinning tales," she insisted, but her words fell on deaf ears. I wasn't buying into her bullshit. Silent, I endured her nonsensical rambling.
"You just don't want to believe it because the idea that I was able to get pregnant by him, and you couldn’t, grates on your nerves," she sneered.
Her words sliced through me like a knife, but that wasn't why I dismissed her. It was because I chose to trust Adrik. He showed willingness to change for me, provided evidence of his innocence. On the flip side, all she did was try to obliterate me.
"I mean, you can't blame him. He tried for a year with you, and nothing happened. You're lacking; I'm not. It's only natural he cheated," she persisted, but I remained unswayed.
"Oh, fuck it," she growled, charging at me with a vengeance. Swiftly, I dodged to the other side of the cold wall, and she collided hard with the unforgiving bricks. Her face flushed with rage, the cartoonish image of steam seemed fitting. Undeterred,she lunged again, landing a brutal punch on my face. My ears rang, a likely broken nose throbbing in pain. Unable to restrain myself, I thrust my foot deep into her stomach, eliciting a gagging, blood-coughing response.
"Where's the damn gun?" she muttered, struggling to get up, patting herself down to locate it. Seizing the opportunity to distract her, I murmured, "Were you stalking me? Is that why you struck when Adrik and I reconciled?" She erupted into maniacal laughter, hand slapping her thigh.
"Of course, silly. I didn't want all my hard work to go to waste," she coughed up more blood before continuing, "I didn't think you would forgive him. You ruined my fucking plan." Shaking her head, she regarded me as if I were the villain. "And what plan was that?" I inquired.
Closing in, she sat facing me. For a fleeting moment, it felt like old times when we'd sit and play Uno in foster care. I couldn't fathom how she morphed into this monster. "Well, if you hadn't forgiven him, he would have sought me out instead. I would have been all that's left of you. All he could salvage of your essence."
"I was this damn close," she hissed, her fingers indicating a minuscule gap. "And you had to ruin it."
Blood infiltrated my mouth as it dripped from my nose, no matter my attempts to wipe it away with the sleeves of my shirt. "Why would you want to do this to me? I never once hurt you," I questioned, my insides feeling like they are corroding.
"Never hurt me?" she scoffed incredulously. "I was always the damn villain. Me." She screamed, pounding at her chest. "People would look at you with love and adoration. They couldn't get over how heroic you are, taking care of your little sister like that." Tears welled in her eyes as she whispered, "But when theylooked at me, their demeanor changed. They saw me as a burden dragging you down. A hurdle in your bright future."
I shook my head fervently, insisting, "You were never a burden to me—"
