The knock against Beatris door had startled her and thrown her off the bed, to the ground. She picked herself up, gently massaging her wrist that was mostly affected by the fall. She was still all shaken up by the events that had transpired the previous day and the so many tissues she'd used to cry herself to sleep lay all over her bed as evidence.

She couldn't believe Marcus was gone. She couldn't believe Norman had been the one to take his life.

Marcus had only taken her in and shown her kindness and yet she'd brought death upon him as a reward because she was one hell of a woman that only attracted ill fate and bad luck.

The memory of having to watch life seep out of him slowly, his eyes begging for help, caused an unbearable ache in her chest. It was as though a piercing knife had been stabbed right through her heart.

*If only Marcus had left me alone. If only he didn't try to help me. He should've just left me to suffer alone...*

Her eyes were filled with tears once more and she hugged her pillow in a sheer attempt to soothe herself. Was there ever going to be a point in her life where she'd get past this trauma?

The knock came again and didn't fail to startle her once more.

"Coming," She yelled as she got up and looked around the mess that was supposed to be called a room.

She cleared all the unwanted materials from her bed and threw them into the dustbin before walking towards the door. As she walked past the mirror, she took a glance at her red, swollen eyes and the uncountable traces of tears on her face. She tore her eyes away immediately, she couldn't bear to look at herself like this.

Carelessly, she pulled up her top and used it to wipe her face. Her hygiene was probably the last thing that should be on her mind right now. Though, she knew she'd definitely cease to exist if she stayed in this filth for the next one minute without doing something about it.

"Who's there?" She asked as she felt her heart racing again. It wasn't possible for anyone to find out where she was, was it? After all, she'd gotten away almost immediately, even before the police showed up. She shook away her paranoia as the reply came.

"Room service."

"I didn't order anything," she said a bit confused.

"I'm here to clean the room. But if it's a bad time, I can always come back later." The voice on the other side replied.

Beatris heaved a sigh of relief, knowing this room definitely needed some thorough cleaning now rather than later. She opened the door but instead of what she was expecting, she'd seen Mac standing at her door. Her eyes couldn't grow any wider.

"What are you doing here?" She asked furiously. "Get out! Get out of here!" Her voice was laced with anger and her face had grown red the particular instant she set her eyes on his face. Why did this godforsaken hotel not have a peephole?

She struggled to push her door close, but Mac was too strong for her and he held the door open.

"I came to talk to you," Mac said his intimidating blue eyes boring into hers like he had no remorse whatsoever for the number of years he had made her suffer.

Before she could protest any further, he shoved her in and locked the door behind them. "Get out of here!" Beatris yelled at the top of her voice. Not only because she loathed him so much but also, he scared the hell out of her. What if he made an attempt to rape her again? She was certainly not prepared to face him ever again in her life.

In her defense, she hurried towards the telecom beside her bed. Heaven knew she'd die if she had to spend another minute sharing the same air with this man who could be comfortably rated next to the devil. However, Mac had sensed her motion and hurried after her, grabbing both her arms and pulling her to face him.

"Let go. Let go of me!" Beatris fought him for all she was worth, she grabbed the telecom and hit him on the head with all her might, before pushing him away. She sighted her phone on the bed and picked it up, trying to turn it on hastily.

However, Mac was already advancing towards her. She threw it down and headed for the door but he caught up with her, grabbing her hands with his strong, filthy ones.

"Let go of me!" Beatris filled with rage slapped him in the face and he loosened his grip on her. But before she could turn to make way towards the door again, Mac was down on his knees.

"Beatris... Please, I just came to talk. I don't know. I..." His voice was quiet and maybe there was a glint of remorse underneath his perfectly chiseled and hard looking face. "I'm so sorry. You... you don't... I know you'll never forgive me and I'm not here to ask for forgiveness. But..." His eyes travelled to the ground.

Beatris chuckled as tears streamed down her cheek much against her wish. "Just leave me alone. Just go. Mac, I want you out of my life. I don't want to ever see your miserable face ever again!" She yelled.

"Then... Send me out of your life." He got up with unexpected enthusiasm.

Beatris stared at him confused. "You really have some nerve to show up here after what you did to me, you disgusting pig!"

"Beatris..."

"Don't you dare say my name!" She yelled and with a quiet voice, she continued. "I was just seventeen..." She said as tears filled her eyes but more than feeling sad, she was filled with rage. "Did you know I was pregnant with your baby?" She asked.

Mac could not deny it as he nodded his head, causing the enraged woman to attack him with blows and kicks and slaps, all of which embodied a far less severe pain than the one she had to go through.

"I had to beg a stupid, unlicensed doctor to take that thing out of me because I was a minor and no one would give me permission. They all wanted me to have the baby so they could donate it to some rich, childless couple. No one was thinking about the effect it'd have on me. I was happy to take it out, even though it almost cost me my life, and seeing you in my face right now, I'm so thankful I made that decision," she said as she moved away from him, realising that fighting him was pointless.

Mac bowed his head in shame.

"Since you're here to talk, you're lucky I have some questions for you. Tell me, Mac. How many other seventeen-year-old girls did you rape? How many other lives have you ruined?" She smiled, contrary to how she was feeling.

Mac shook his head. "I'm not a rapist. I was an addict... I didn't even know what I was doing. I had no idea you were drugged or that you were even seventeen," he said as he raised his head and looked into her eyes. "I have been clean since that day... Beatris, I was wrong and there's no way to justify my actions, but... there's a way to solve all of this," he said pleadingly.

"And what would that be?" She asked, never taking her eyes off him.

"Take back your statement. The one you gave to the police. Tell them... Tell them..."

"What statement?"

He swallowed hard. "The police arrested Norman. I'm not sure what happened, but he said he killed someone, and now he's been arrested." The devastation on Mac's face was not comprehensible. What felt like two days ago, the brothers were arguing on who got to rape her and who sat to watch, and right now, it seemed like Mac was genuinely worried his brother had been arrested.

"He killed Marcus." And the sound of his name brought tears to her eyes again. "I warned them." She sniffed. "I warned both of them, but..." She moved back and leaned against the door with her blurred vision. "I don't know what to do or say, I wish all of this can just... just go away."

Mac walked closer to her and maybe he wanted to console her but he knew better and preferred to keep his hands to himself instead. "Have you talked to the police? Have you told them exactly what happened?" He asked.

She shook her head. "I couldn't stand it. I was going crazy and I ran away. I ran here and I don't even know how you found me, but... Mac, I'm done. I'm done with you. I'm done with your brother. I'm..." She wiped her face again. "Stop following me. Let me be in peace. I don't care how many places I have to run to get away from all of you!"

Beatris walked forcefully towards the wardrobe and pulled it open to take out her things.

"You can't leave. Beatris, you have to help Norman. Norman is not a murderer. It was a mistake!" Mac pleaded.

Beatris turned to face Mac. "Whoever brought Norman into existence made a terrible mistake!" She yelled and watched how Mac went cold before her eyes. She felt like that was a little too harsh concerning the actual circumstances around his birth. "You know, it baffles me that you're suddenly interested in him."

"Because you were right and I've been wrong for too long. Whatever Norman is now, it's all my fault and I have to pay the price. Norman didn't kill that man, I did," He said pointing accusingly at himself causing Beatris to watch him, dumbfounded. "This is the time to take your revenge on me, Beatris."

She shook her head. "The both of you should go to hell!" She clutched her bag and made another attempt to walk out, but he held her hand.

"Norman has not wiped a chair in his life. He doesn't know how to wash his clothes or take care of himself. He has a severe eating disorder. He cannot abide by simple rules. He doesn't know how to behave or live with people. He cannot stay in a confined space without throwing tantrums or hurting himself. He's weak and stupid. Locking him up in a prison with big guys who'll prey on him and do terrible things to him is gonna kill him. He won't last a day in there."

Mac slowly released Beatris' hands even though they were now stiffened between his palm but she still had her back to him.

"What he needs is help, you said so yourself. Maybe it's too much to ask and maybe it's too late but I want to save my brother." His words were heavy and she'd turned slowly to see how much he hurt, through his eyes. "I'd say I'm sorry, Beatris but I'm not even trying to get your forgiveness because what I did to you is unforgivable and I deserve to be punished. But please, let Norman go." He begged.

Beatris stared at him, filled with hate and detest as she uttered the words, "I'll think about it."

Mac nodded and he lingered for a few seconds, just watching her while she glared at him, before he walked out of the door.

Beatris sighed only realising then that she'd been holding her breath. She ran to the door, closed it, and leaned against it trying to catch her breath before she heard her phone ringing.

She took slow steps towards it and picked up the phone.

"Beatris, where the hell have you been?" She was not expecting the loud voice that came from the other side of the phone. "I have literally been calling your phone for days but it has been going straight to voicemail. Have you suddenly forgotten the purpose of having a phone? What is wrong, are you okay?" The sound of Brianna's voice made her heart heavy.

Beatris was about to give her usual reply and make excuses when Marcus' words came ringing in her head. Maybe everything had gone wrong from the start because she was always trying too hard to be self-sufficient, dealing with all her issues alone.

"I'm not okay. When have I ever been okay?" She sobbed.

"Oh my God. Oh my God! What happened? Beatris, are you crying? What's going on? Talk to me, please!" She could already imagine her overdramatic sister causing a scene wherever she was.

Beatris settled down on the bed and as she wiped the tears from her eyes, she said, "Where do I start?"

A/N

Thanks for reading this chapter. I honestly enjoyed writing it. Like, Mac the big annoying guy actually showing that there's still a heart-shaped organ in his chest? 😅

Beatris also learning a thing or two about sharing her problems.

If you were placed in Beatris shoes to punish one of the two brothers who have both hurt her, who would be serving a lifetime in jail? 😅😅