"In the tempest of my existence, he always remained the unwavering calm, an anchor to my turbulent sea."

************

Lilly's POV

My horrified and confused gaze remained fixed on Chase as he left my dad's side and casually walked into my room, shutting the door behind him, and shielding us from the eyes and ears outside. His eyes met mine, and he seemed like he was about to speak but hesitated when he noticed the concern etched across my face.

His furrowed brows mirrored my confusion, "What?" he asked.

My eyes widened, "What?" I repeated his question, taking a step closer toward him, "You were talking with Dad," I pointed out, lowering my voice a little just in case he was still outside or near, "And now you are in my room," I looked around, "Well, my old room," I clarified. Chase looked double confused and perplexed so I carried on explaining, hissing the words at him in a hushed tone, "And he saw you walk into my room!" And close the damn door behind!

Lines formed on his forehead, and he nodded slowly. "Yeah."

I shot him an incredulous glare, wondering if he could be any more dumb. With a light slap on his arm, I pressed on. "So, what did he say? What were you two talking about?" They'd been conversing for over half an hour, and my imagination was running wild with the myriad of questions that might have passed between them. Were they discussing our relationship? Did Dad ask him about Christian? Did they discuss the recent danger I'd faced? Did he question our relationship and its seriousness? Did he interrogate him for every damn detail...

The questions swirled in my mind as I recalled the serious discussion they'd been engrossed in. Chase better have some answers.

Gosh, how old did I become yet I am still terrified of my dad catching me with a guy...

Chase's confusion seemed to deepen, and he shook his head, as if he could sense the torrent of questions racing through my mind. "It's not what you think," he replied, his tone soothing, as he moved closer, bridging the gap between us. "We were simply agreeing on not informing my dad about what happened here tonight," he clarified. "Both he and Mom are out of the city, and since no one else got sick yet, there's no need to alarm and get them worried for no reason."

I took a deep breath and nodded in agreement. After Nikolas had taken Nathan and left, the rest of us were forced to be quarantined within the boundaries of this house till the following day. Nikolas informed us that whichever virus had infected Emma was contagious, and there was a risk it could have spread to any of us. So, we collectively decided to stay at my parents' house, opting for a sleepover of sorts to monitor if anyone else would display symptoms.

My fingers fidgeted with the hem of my shirt, nervous still because Dad hadn't spoken to me yet. If he didn't interrogate Chase, then he was going to interrogate me very soon; about everything, about Chase, Christian, and the fact that I was almost killed at the hands of Nathan during that stupid reunion.

I felt Chase's hand rest over mine, gently removing it from over my shirt and wrapping it inside his before he used it to pull me closer to him, "What is it?" he questioned, gazing down at me and reading my immense distress.

Now, that Emma was getting better and Nathan was captured, I finally had time to worry about everything else of less importance.

I sighed, my unease still gnawing at me. "Well, it's Dad, It's not like him to not overreact, so I am kind of scared of his silence," I mumbled, "You're sure he didn't ask you anything about us or...you know." I mean, it's quite obvious that we are dating again but he didn't even question nor acknowledge it. Something just doesn't feel right.

He shook his head in a reassuring manner, "No, he didn't."

"But it's Dad!" I wanted to throw my hands in the air, a surge of frustration building, "He saw you walk into my room, for god's sake, and he is just okay with the fact that we will sleep on the same bed tonight...god, why aren't you panicking too?!" How could he be so calm when he is on the other end of this? "Did you forget how many times he threatened you with his gun?"

Chase let out a soft chuckle, clearly amused by my state of panic. His fingers brushed my cheek gently as he spoke, trying to soothe my racing nerves. "Relax, there's no need to worry," he reassured me. "He's not going to do anything."

I couldn't help but scoff in disbelief. "So, what, he suddenly trusts you?"

Chase nodded his head, "Yes, he does," He said it like he actually believed it, almost like they'd had this conversation before and that left me more baffled.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at him. "You're not hiding something from me, are you?"

He raised an eyebrow in response, clearly puzzled by my dramatic reaction. "Something like what?"

After giving him a lingering stern look, I finally relented. With a soft sigh, my shoulders slumped, and my gaze fell to the floor. "Never mind," I muttered in a subdued tone, wearing a slight pout. "I think I've become a very paranoid person."

He edged closer, releasing my hand so his arms could envelop me, cocooning my vulnerable and insecure self within the warmth of his embrace. I let out another sigh just as my cheek nestled against his chest. My eyelids drifted closed, and I felt the soft press of his lips on the top of my head. "It's okay," he murmured, his voice a soothing balm to my frazzled nerves. "It was one hell of a day for you," he continued, offering understanding for my emotional state. "But it's kind of over now. Try and relax, okay."

I nodded my head and kept my eyes closed, finding solace and feeling my heartbeat reach a harmonized rhythm as I listened to his own, beating in perfect consonance with mine.

My arms snuck around his waist, seeking comfort in this fleeting moment of tranquility. "Hmm," I mumbled, "It all feels slightly better now," I whispered softly, sensing his hand gently caressing my back in a soothing, almost random rhythm.

I felt myself snuggle closer to him, his embrace the warmest most secure I've felt in a long while, "What is it about you," I mumbled lowly, "That silences all the voices in my head and calms me down." In the tempest of my existence, he always remained the unwavering calm, an anchor to my turbulent sea; there to guide me out of the darkness and into the break of a new dawn.

Behind my closed eyes, vivid memories flooded my mind - of us dancing in the candle-lit room, his efforts to ease my troubled thoughts, and the confession I made, admitting that my love for him had never waned. How instead of pushing me away after, he pulled me in and drew me closer, kissing me in a way that proved how he felt the exact same...He didn't say the words out loud but at least, that's how it felt.

I pried my eyes open, my cheek still resting against the comforting warmth of his chest. My gaze drifted toward the mirror across from us, trying to asses his expression and body language, searching for clues to delete all of my doubts.

It was as if the mirror unveiled the deeper layers of his silence, highlighting the subtle but telling signs in the way his arms embraced me, just a touch tighter after I spoke. In the mirror's reflective surface, I could discern the complexity etched onto his face, noticing the lines on his forehead and the clenching of his jaw, a clear indicator of emotions and words he evidently wished to shield me from.

The sudden shift in his mood had me slightly edge backward, so I could face him. His eyes met mine and he tried to cover up his previous distress and that alone got me all types of paranoid yet again. I couldn't shake the thought that he might be really hiding something from me. He wouldn't, would he?

My eyebrows pulled closer and I asked one of the many questions troubling me, "Why are you with me, Chase?" I asked, shaking my head, "And I know how that sounds so insecure and weak but I just want an answer or I will go crazy."

My words had him slightly tense, I swear I felt it, and all of a sudden, the voices were back and I was scared again, of everything, of everyone, of trusting again, of being tricked again.

His eyebrows pulled closer, the lines on his face hardening just slightly, "Lilly, what do you mean?"

"Just, why are you with me?" I shrugged helplessly, needing an answer, "Why are we together again?" I pressed a hand over my chest, over my stupid silly heart, which couldn't comprehend that someone could love it or care for it again, "Because I know how I feel about you but I don't think I really know how you feel about me," I shook my head, trying to make my point clear, "Because I am scared of going through the same thing again, of being...tricked and of getting hurt in that way again."

He shook his head, refusing the indirect accusation, "I would never hurt you, at least not...not in the way you are hinting at," The muscles of his jaw tightened, there was a hint of buried anger in his voice, "I am not Christian, Lilly."

"Everything I feel for you, everything I ever felt, is and has been only real," He added, his tone shifting from his usual calm composed one to a mix of emotions ranging between anger, hurt, and affection, "I am with you because...it just doesn't make sense otherwise," He said, the genuineness behind his words could never be questioned, "I am with you because I never got over you and I am a hundred percent sure that I never will."

He wasn't done. My insecurities had triggered him to speak out his innermost feelings, "I'm with you because you complete me, Lilly. You're like that final puzzle piece I've been looking for, the missing link that makes everything fall into place," He confessed and I wanted to cry because I could still not believe that this was real. He sensed the tears threatening to spill over so he edged closer, bringing his hand to my face, and his voice dropped lower, "I am with you because you are my little ribbon, the one I keep losing but just can't bear to let go of."

As the first tear slipped from my eye, he tenderly brushed it away. I felt myself getting swallowed by the turbulent sea of my own regrets and guilt, the relentless insecurities clawing at my skin and etching their marks on my soul. At that moment, I questioned if I'd ever find solace or completeness again.

Chase added, unaware of how his beautiful words were tearing my heart apart and weaving a delicate tapestry of emotions, "I am with you because it's only with you that I find the air to breathe," His fingers traced the contours of my face, a gesture of reassurance, "I am still me, Lilly, I am still the same me, I am still the same person who fell in love with you all those years ago."

"All these years and you still got so much power over me," His lips formed a somber sad smile, "Why can't you see that, Lilly?"

I shook my head, ever so helplessly, "It's just...you feel like a dream, that's not real, and I don't like this feeling at all." I softly confessed my troubled thoughts.

It's almost like in the tenderness of our moments, I keep seeing a veil, a hidden truth that keeps making my heart quail. I don't know why I am questioning if his love is authentic and pure, or merely an illusion, a mirage that would blur.

Another tear felt, trickled down my cheek and I tasted it over my lips as I spoke, "I am sorry, I think...I think that Christian messed me up so bad that I keep questioning everything and everyone," I added, blaming myself only for these feelings, "I am so sorry."

He shook his head, the pain in my eyes reflecting all over his face. It was almost like my shattered heart was harming him too, the sharp edges scratching at his heavily guarded one, tearing through the surface and ready to scar him again, "Don't apologize, I get it, believe me, I do," He said, offering me a stable ground, a chance to put my feet down and keep going, "I knew this was not going to be easy, the past is was too complicated for this to be easy, but it's okay, let be as hard as it is, I don't care, not as long as I have you by my side."

"We can do this, together, but you have to trust me first, Lilly," He shook his head, "It can't work otherwise."

My gaze flickered all over his face, the face I had known since I was a kid. The face that had grown and matured as the years passed by but he is still him. He is still the boy I kissed in my backyard and over this same bed. The one who was all of my firsts. The one who loved me before he knew what love meant. The one who broke my heart and mended it after. The one who didn't fight for me once but is now willing to do much more than fighting. The one I should believe in and trust with my whole heart.

I nodded my head, sealing the deal, because he was so right. If he had enough faith in me to start this again then I needed to trust in him too.

************

It was five in the morning when I woke up so thirsty. Carefully, I pulled my body out of Chase's embrace, dropping a soft kiss over his cheek because he was the most adorable thing while sleeping. I fixed the blanket over him before I left the room, on silent footsteps I descended the stairs, heading for the kitchen.

To my surprise, the lights were left on but slightly dimmed. I paused by the entrance, lines etching on my forehead when my eyes fell on my dad sitting over one of the stools, leaning forward over the counter, his elbows propped over the ceramic surface and his face covered with both hands.

Gulping down, I inched forward. He felt the presence of another person and lifted his head up from his hands, his gaze falling into me and my heart quivered. He looked tired, so tired, the life he was living wore him off.

"Dad, did you not sleep?" I questioned as I paused right by his side.

He shook his head and rushed a hand over his face, "No, I couldn't."

My eyebrows pulled closer, "Why?"

He shook his head, "Nothing, just..." He shook his head again, his eyelids falling down for a second as he sucked into a deep breath before he pried them again, "It's nothing, little bug," He dismissed the topic, "Why are you awake? Are you feeling well?"

I nodded my head, "Yeah, yeah, just got thirsty," I answered right away, erasing the worry that started to etch over his face.

He sighed, his shoulders sinking down, "I was worried most about Max," He mumbled, "With his meds, his immunity isn't as strong," He added, indirectly giving me the reason why he couldn't sleep, he must be checking on him every now and then, "But he seems okay, I hope it stays that way."

I nodded my head, his words tightening my chest and I whispered, "I really hope so."

I closed the gap between us as my arms snuck around his waist, hugging and leaning into him, sensing exactly how the stress was eating him alive. He has become more troubled than me. Since the day I returned from London, I haven't seen his genuine free-spirited smile...and that breaks my heart beyond measure, knowing how I am the reason behind that.

"I need you to calm down and rest, Dad," I mumbled and felt him bring his arm around my shoulders, tucking me in close, "You can't keep doing this to yourself," I added, worried sick to my stomach of how badly all of this could impact him.

"I am fine, little bug, don't worry about me," He was doing what he does best. Pretending to be okay and being such a parent, focusing on us and neglecting his own self.

I pulled back slightly to face him and my eyebrows drew closer in distress, "Of course, I worry about you," I said, "You're taking all the stress and the weight over your shoulders only and that's not okay," I added, "Things will get better now, so you need to take a break."

"Uncle Roman said the medicine worked, and Emma is fine," I showed him that things were getting better so maybe he can breathe and rest now, "Nikolas has Nathan locked away," I added, the thought surreal still, "Max's health is much better now and he is slowly getting back to his old self, things are getting better, so please dad, just take a step back," Tears of worry gathered in my eyes, "Because you look like you are one step away from falling apart."

"Everything will be okay soon," I reaffirmed, opting to convince him, which is usually the other way around.

His eyes were focused on mine as he spoke his inner troubled thoughts, "That's the thing, Lilly," He shook his head, "I don't believe it will ever be okay again."

Initially, his words left me puzzled. It took a few moments for me to grasp that his statement was aimed squarely at me, highlighting how I had initiated this situation, sparking a never-ending chain reaction with no apparent resolution or way out.

I had a sense that, as a loving father, he felt compelled to forgive me. Yet, beneath the surface and in reality, he hasn't yet and it seems that he won't anytime soon.

****************

One week later...

I clutched my sports bag as I exited my apartment, ensuring I locked the door before turning to make my way to the gym. With Chase away on another weekend flight, being alone often gave my chaotic thoughts room to flourish. Instead of surrendering to that solitude, I chose to channel my energy into exercise. So every time that I am free with nothing to do, I go to the gym. It not only helped me physically but also acted as a release valve for the stress and mental clutter that had built up within me.

I placed my headphones on, preparing to blast some loud music to silence any other voice in my head, but the scene that greeted me in the hallway made me come to an abrupt stop. The desire for music vanished, and I realized that maybe I didn't need the gym after all. I could release all my pent-up energy right here and on her pretty face.

Aylin, with all her glory, was standing right outside of Chase's apartment. She rang the bell for the second time and waited, hoping for him to open. Now, I am really glad that he is at work.

My jaw ticked and I stepped closer to her. The sound of my footsteps had her eyes drift to the left and fall on me. She seemed taken aback by my presence and I wanted to smash her head into the nearest wall.

"He is not home," I shot out, my tone hostile enough.

Her jaw clenched tight, her hand on the side curling into a fist when she came to the realization that I lived just next door, "Some of my things are still here, I just wanted to pick them up," She justified her presence and I trusted her with the same amount I trusted Nathan, which is zero.

She was about to take a step backward, ready to run away, "I will come another time-"

"No need, I have a key," I interrupted, pulling my keys out and inching closer to the door. I wanted this to be done with now, so she wouldn't dare to step a foot again into this place, especially not when Chase is here and alone.

"Of course you do," She mumbled with a low scoff, bitter that I was sharing his personal space instead of her. I sucked into a deep calming breath and entered the apartment, expecting her to follow, because I wasn't about to respectfully invite her. Her shoulder bumped into mine as he stepped forward and I sucked into a deep calming breath, thinking of how it would be wiser to close the door behind us because I might up killing her and I can't have witnesses.

I shut the door and looked at her, "Go ahead, get your things," I said, urging her to be quick, "I don't have all day."

She didn't like my attitude and I couldn't care less. I am still not over how she pushed me into Christian's arms back in Italy. The bitch. If it had been Nathan instead of Christian at that time, I would've been dead. Ugh, I wish I could punch her again!

Deciding to keep silent, she headed forward, moving around like she owned the place, and a low sound in my head said that she once did but I decided to ignore that.

I followed her around because I definitely didn't trust her one bit.  She halted by the bathroom cabinet, swinging it open and taking a bottle or two of some type of medicine. Probably brain meds because she wasn't normal.

Look who is talking...My inner self-loathing couldn't help but comment back.

Aylin's steps faltered when she spotted some feminine items tucked away - the kind of things that belonged to me. Items like shampoo, lotion, makeup remover... You name it.  When Chase wasn't crashing at my place, I often spent the night here, so having a few of my essentials around just made sense. Like I mentioned earlier, I wasn't particularly fond of being alone, not in the least bit. So, it was either his place or mine.

Aylin left the bathroom, her gaze avoiding mine as she brushed past and swung open the bedroom closet. She began stuffing her belongings into a bag with an air of frustration she couldn't quite mask. I struggled to maintain my own anger, but my conscience weighed heavily on me, and I began to feel...sorry for her. Sorry, because, albeit indirectly, I had played a part in dismantling her relationship. Sorry, because I understood the feeling of walking into your ex-boyfriend's place and finding another woman's belongings scattered all around.

I went through that same horrible feeling when I first arrived from London and Chase took me in.

I felt sorry, especially when I noticed the tears she couldn't hold in, the few that trickled down her face and she immediately kicked them off with her hand, trying to hide her weakness away from me. When she was done gathering her belongings, she turned around and left the bedroom. I followed her, my hand reaching for her arm, making her pause when she seemed ready to bolt away without having to exchange any other words with me.

She tensed at my touch, "Hold on," I urged, using her immobile state to take the bag from her hand and drop it beside us. I guided her to the nearby couch, "Sit," I said and her eyes shot to mine, wide and glassy, trying to comprehend what I was doing.

I rolled my eyes, "I don't bite, just sit," I grumbled out.

Hesitantly, she sat down, on the same couch, next to me, her wary eyes flickering over me and I let out a low sigh, "I just want us to talk, Aylin," I mumbled, justifying myself, "I don't think we ever did that," I added with a low sigh, "But the thing is...I don't know where to start from."

Her throat bobbed heavily and she waited for me to initiate this. I sucked into a deep breath, my eyes on her, my tone no longer furious or angry as I opened the books to the past, "We were friends, Aylin, we were the closest of friends," I started, "I cared about you, a lot," I shook my head, recalling the bad old days, "Which is why I never understood how you were able to do that to me."

"But now I get it, it's more clear," I shook my head, "You never cared for me as a friend. To you, I was only a way to get closer to Chase, wasn't I?" I scoffed at my own stupidity, "I was just too damn naive and blind to see it back then."

She shook her head, refusing the accusation, "No," She said, firmly, "You were my friend too, my only friend even, and I cared a lot about you-"

"Yeah, cared enough to lie and steal my boyfriend," I interrupted, recalling how she got him drunk and lured him into her bed.

Her gaze fell down, maybe in shame, maybe in regret even, who knows. When her eyes met mine, they were sorrowful in a way that felt genuine, "I did care about you but...but I just, I loved him more," She confessed, "I will never pretend that what I did wasn't wrong, because it totally was, I know that-"

"It was, you knew that I loved him yet still-"

"No, Lilly, you didn't, you didn't love him," She interrupted my words, "I did it because I knew you, I knew that you were going to hurt him, I knew you were never going to be good enough for him-" I was about to speak out but she kept talking, "And I am not saying I am good for him, I am not either, but especially back then, you were so impulsive, and I knew you were going to ruin it and you did exactly that, I saw you kiss Zack that day and I took action afterward."

She shook her head, "But still, I couldn't succeed. Even drunk, he couldn't get you out of his head, even in his most intoxicated state, he wouldn't look or touch any other girl that wasn't you."

"What are you saying?" I shot out furiously, "You slept together that night!"

My words had lines pull up between her eyebrows, confused, "No, we didn't," She said in a matter-of-fact tone, "He didn't tell you?"

"What do you mean you didn't?" I asked over a low whisper. They did, it's why we broke up that first time, it's why my trust in him was broken, it's why I couldn't get myself to give him a chance when he was far away.

"Back then, I...uh, I kissed him but he pushed me away, he rejected me like he always did," She said, her tone somber and pained as she recalled past memories, "Still, I didn't let him leave because he was so drunk, and when he fell asleep, I uh.."

She felt ashamed to say the rest so I carried on her behalf, "You snuck into the same bed and in the morning claimed that you slept together."

She nodded her head and I felt like I was about to explode, "Chase knows about this?"

She nodded, "Before we started dating, I told him," She mumbled and I couldn't believe that he was able to forgive her after that, forgive her when her lie was the main reason that broke up apart, "I didn't want us to start our relationship over a lie."

I scoffed, "Yeah, the perfect girlfriend, aren't you?"

She returned my comment with silence, very aware of how wrong and messed up all of that was.

"I hope you realize just how absurd all of this is," I grated out, "I hope you can see just how abnormal your so-called love for him is," I added and my words seemed to hit her in a very sensitive spot.

After a short while, she nodded her head, "I know," She whispered, the tears gathering in her eyes and she fidgeted with her hands in her lap, "I know but...but I don't know what else to do," Her teary eyes lifted up and met mine, "I can't get him out of my head, I can't stop loving him, I can't just move on, I tried Lilly, believe me, I tried and I thought it worked but when we met again, I was back to square one," It felts for once she was speaking of those inner feelings out loud, almost like she never had anyone else to share this with, "God, I thought we were happy together, but we never were," She shook her head, "We were both just pretending," She said, coming to the realization on her own.

"I loved him, a lot, and I stayed even though he didn't for once reciprocate an ounce of that love," She whispered, more to herself, "I stayed and thought if I fought hard enough, if I worked hard enough, he will finally see me, he will finally love me back and not just use me as a way to fill into the gap you left behind."

She covered her face with both hands, "God, how could I be so pathetic and stupid," She cried into her hands and my heart clenched tight in my chest. She lifted her head up, looking at me as she mumbled, lost as to how to make her way out of this mess, "No one should love this much, right?"

I shook my head, "No, because it becomes something else, something that's not love anymore," I mumbled and she nodded her head, wiping at her cheeks, "He didn't deserve anything I did, he didn't deserve the love I gave him," She whispered, "Because the second you came back, he threw me out right away," She added, "And now, now you are here, in the house that we picked together," She said with a low scoff as she looked around, at the furniture that they probably chose and arranged together. From her point of view, she is actually right and I suddenly felt so damn uncomfortable and self-aware.

I don't know if this was her motive now, to make me rethink my relationship and reshape the way I see Chase. I don't put it past her to do such a thing, to fake tears and try to indirectly push me away. Even though, everything she said was still the truth I knew and saw. Maybe on a subconscious level, Chase did use her. He isn't a bad person, I know that and he wouldn't do it on purpose. But at the end of the day, it's what happened.

She sniffled and wiped the remaining tears from over her cheeks, "Do you know what the messed up thing is," She said, "I know that if you were to break up again and if he was to come to me, I would take him without a second thought," She shrugged with a helpless gesture, acknowledging the irony of her predicament.

"You need to find a way to get past that, Aylin," I advised, "For your own sake only," I shook my head, "Or you will just ruin your whole life while waiting for him."

"You need to focus on yourself; if you need to move, to change the environment around you, then do it, maybe try and give someone else a chance, try and have friends who will stand by you, who will support you if you were to fall weak again," I urged her to do things I am trying to apply on myself and failing sometimes, "Give yourself a chance, away from him, because he can't...a guy can't be your whole life, Aylin, or this will keep happening."

Her lower lip trembled slightly and she nodded her head, sniffling again and looking away from me as she wiped her face clean, scared if she didn't stop, she would break down on the seams and in front of me.

She gathered herself together and got up to her feet, "I should...I should leave," She said, needing to get out because it seemed like she was suffocating and unable to breathe.

I got up as well, nodding my head, "Okay," I said, hoping she would find her way at the end of this very dark tunnel. It's true that I hate her, but I also don't...

She was about to whirl around and leave but something stopped her and she hesitated. All I felt after was her getting closer before she wrapped her arms around me. My eyes widened and I tensed at first, but her body was slightly shaking, her tears dripping into my neck and I slowly brought my arms up and wrapped them around her. It felt like maybe she had no one else to hold onto, which is why she couldn't break free of him.

"I am so sorry, Lilly," She choked out, "I am so sorry for everything," Her regret sounded so genuine and I wanted to believe her. There is no way we'd be close friends again, and no chance that I would trust her but it felt only logical to give her the benefit of the doubt, because...because I was no better. We were all very bad people.

"After you, I didn't have anyone, I had no other friends," She whispered before she pulled away, "I am really sorry."

I nodded my head, feeling a huge rock lodging in my throat, "It's okay."

She took a step backward and wiped at her face, "Take care," She mumbled, "And if you two will make each other happy, then I really hope it all works in your favor."

I rubbed a hand over my aching throat and gave her another nod, "You take care too."

****************

Nikolas's POV

He is...not normal.

Not at all.

Not that I am either, but he is another level of fucked up.

Over the past week, he did nothing. Absolutely nothing. Every time I dropped by, I'd see him sitting back on the uncomfortable bed, the notebook I gave him settled over his lap, a pen clutched between his fingers as he went on scribbling something with utter concentration. He'd pause and think it through before he'd carry on, writing...god knows what.

He hasn't complained. He hasn't rebelled yet. He didn't attempt to do anything.

He is here because he wants to and I still can't decipher the reason behind that.

I broke my gaze and edged forward toward the door, pulling the keys to unlock it and step inside. He noticed my presence, his head lifting up, "Ah, you're back," He said with a hint of excitement, as if seeing me was the most pleasurable part of his day. He closed his notebook, setting it aside so he could give me his full attention.

I walked into the cell, not bothering to lock the door behind me. It was obvious he wouldn't escape. Even if he tried to though, he knows that I will snap his neck before he takes a step out. My gaze left him and flickered to the tray of food placed beside him, it seemed like he'd taken a few bites only. He doesn't eat. Every day, he takes bits and pieces, enough to keep him surviving but not enough to fulfill him and I tried to understand the reason behind that.

His eyes followed my gaze, falling on the food and he commented, "To be honest, I didn't think you'd be generous enough to offer me food."

I didn't think that of myself either. I thought once I had him locked away, I would have the chance to drain his blood slowly and steal his life in the most brutal way, but...

But every day I drop by here, I only watch him before I return back home empty-handed.

Natalie hasn't asked about him yet, she is scared to ask. She probably thinks he's drowning in his blood now because that's what I would usually do.

"So, when are you going to start with the whole torturing and killing me and whatnot?" He asked, crossing his legs over the mattress and leaning back into the wall.

I rested my back against the wall across from him, getting comfortable as well as I crossed my arms over my chest. I shook my head, ever so calmly, "That's not how I usually operate," I said, my words etching lines between his eyebrows, "When I want to hurt those who had hurt me, I don't usually go for a physical fight."

"Do you know why," He seemed interested and he listened intently, shaking his head in answer and waiting for me to carry on, "Because I have tasted every physical pain there is, so I know, I know how that type of pain fades away, how with time, you just...get used to it and it just doesn't hurt anymore."

"But psychological pain," I added, "Emotional pain, those...those are the ones that never fade away," I shook my head, "They etch themselves so deep into your mind and soul, you never forget them. The scars they leave behind, though invisible, they still hurt and bleed even after years and years."

"At this moment, even if I tried to recall, I can't remember any of the physical pain that I had gone through; for example, I don't remember what it feels like to break your leg but I sure as hell still remember what it felt like to lose my mother," I explained and my words triggered him to test the theory.

Stressed lines etched on his forehead as he thought of similar emotional pain. His jaw clenched when I realized that I was right.

I straightened myself and tucked my hands into my pants pockets, "So, when I want to hurt someone, I go for that specific type of pain," My head tilted as I gazed at him, more than ready to inflict all of that on him, "Because I want them to never forget it. Even if the years pass by, I revel in how they will look back and remember exactly the agony I inflected."

Nathan's lips lifted up into a small smile, "And here I thought you were getting soft."

The corner of my lip lifted up just slightly, "You can never change who you really are, right?"

He nodded his head, "Definitely," He said, trying to ease himself back into the moment, not allowing my previous insinuation to mess him up, "So, my dear brother slash brother-in-law, how exactly do you plan on inflicting such pain on me?" His eyebrows pulled closer in fake confusion, "I told you before, I've got nothing to lose."

I stepped forward, getting closer to him, "That's where you are wrong," I interjected, "You do have one thing, one thing only, and it's everything I need."

He scoffed, rolling his eyes as if to call me on my bullshit, "And what is that, exactly?"

I paused when I reached his bed, crowding his personal space, "Your undying love and loyalty for Isaac."

He smiled, "Bad news for you then," He remarked, "You can never make me lose that."

I returned his smile, "Even when you try to pull on the dark psychotic killer, you are still so damn innocent, Nathan," I said, "You are still the same kid I stole from Isaac."

He nodded his head, not liking my words, "Yeah, the same kid who squished your son's kidneys with his own hands," He retorted back and his words had me curl my hand into a fist, my nails digging into the flesh in an attempt to control myself. He wants to trigger me and I won't let him win.

"Why do you hate me, Nathan?" I asked before I gave him the answer myself, "Because I killed your father," I stated and he nodded his head, "By the way, true that I hurt him but I wasn't the one to give him the last blow that actually killed him," I added and his eyebrows pulled closer, confused.

"You hate me also because I hurt you, right," I carried on and he nodded his head.

My eyebrow raised, "But that's the thing, I never hurt you, I never laid a finger on you," I said and his jaw clenched, "Of course, yeah," He mumbled sarcastically.

"You've been brainwashed into believing that," I leaned in closer, my voice determined, "And if I'm completely honest with you, it's going to feel so satisfying to finally make you see who your daddy truly was," I added playfully, tapping my hand over his head with a wink.

My words had the desired effect as he pulled his head out of my reach, his hazel eyes now ablaze with anger, their once-bright hue darkening.

"How he is the one who planned that attack on you, how he is the one who actually hurt you," I broke the news on him and his jaw ticked, glaring at me as he grated out, "As if I am going to believe you!"

"Oh no, I know you won't, which is why I didn't come empty-handed," I said as I pulled my phone out of my pocket, going for that recording in particular, opening it up before I let the phone rest on the counter, broadcasting a long lost conversation from years ago.

Nathan's eyes widened slightly when he heard his so-called father's voice come out of the phone's speaker and I knew it was at this moment that I would shatter every belief he ever had.

For payback, I didn't go for his already weakened, clearly dying body. I aimed the gun at his mind, at his emotions and I pulled the damn trigger.

"By the end of this, I want you to tell me just how painful will it feel like," I said, "To discover that the man you devoted your entire life to didn't hesitate to hurt you at the first chance he got."

*******************************

Hey! Long time no see 🫣

Don't worry, we have a few chapters to go before we hit the end of the story, and I am trying to skip scenes and just reach there as fast as I can. Once this book and the other one are finalized, I will put the author hat down and leave wattpad, because my writing-phase is over for sure.

I used to like writing and I used to get excited. But for the last two years, I am only doing it just because I don't want to leave my work unfinished.
Writing feels like a really heavy weight that I can't wait to get rid of.

So, buckle your seatbelts, we are getting there! ;)

See ya soon 👋🏻