" MAX?!" I shouted getting on my knees attempting to wake him up. I was panicking as my heart rate increased like crazy and my breathing became haggard. " no no no no!" I quickly turned facing my father " WHAT DID YOU DO?!" I shouted as tears welled up in my eyes. How was I not supposed to fucking cry. This was like seeing my mother die in the car crash but instead it was my love dying from poisoning. My father stood up and walked over "oh Bradley... I had to get rid of the main issue that was holding you back. Your disgusting feelings. These sinful behaviors will be no longer. We will soon find you a wife and marry you off to her and you will give me a new heir. You have to realize that this relationship was never meant to truly last Bradley, he was only going to get in the way of your future and destroy everything you had later on. Father knows best my boy. It's about time you realize that" he smirked lifting my chin to make sure I looked at him in the eye as he spoke with such malice in his voice. The power this man holds all because of his money was unbelievable and I could do nothing but follow his every direct order. How could I love? How could I exist? How could I dream? How could I even think? How could I be? If not to just be a pawn in my fathers life. Something he could utterly control. I wasn't a human being I was a pawn used in this deranged game of chess my father had called the harsh reality of this world. What was I, if I wasn't just another Uppercrust upholding the family business and made to reproduce to keep the business afloat? I was nothing. I was put in this world to live in this deranged hell.

I often thought of how my father grew up as a child. Was it as bad as I had it? Was it worse? Grandfather wasn't any better than father but at least he was an earnest man who actually made the company while my father had it given to him.

When I didn't reply he let go of my face. He stepped on my thigh and leaned over weighing on it. I screamed in agony realizing he was putting pressure on the bullet wound he had created a few weeks ago. "You don't want to speak then I'll take away your ability to walk as well" he said in a monotone voice. I leaned over to grip his leg and rest my forehead on his knee " STOP STOP! IM SORRY!" I shouted in a panic. Everything was crashing down so quickly. He eventually let go and I realized that the simple weight on my leg was to prove to me how much power this man truly had over me. He scoffed and formed a fist with his hand punching me straight in the face and I just let him.... I said nothing in return. As he said " if you disobey me once more I promise I will put you through true hell" he threatened as I nodded "yes sir..." and he walked off.

I had watched him walk off and once out of sight I took immediate action. I ran to a maid and asked her. Practically begging her for her phone. When she refused I searched for waiter after maid after chef after bodyguard as they refused. I went nuts and grabbed a knife from the kitchen and swung it towards a maid pointing it at her throat " give me your phone. Immediately..." I demanded as she froze and hesitantly gave her phone to me. I snatched it from her hand and called 911 as fast as I could. "Pick up pick up..." I urged as they answered "911 what's your emergency?" As I explained the whole situation from my father kidnapping Max and I to him poisoning Max in an attempt in murder. I begged for an ambulance to arrive and shortly after they did.  They tried arriving as fast as they could as I let them in. I directed them to Max's limp body as they loaded him into the ambulance. I went into the ambulance with him. I held his hand sobbing horrified at what was to happen. I could only pray that Max would come out alive.

In the end, when we arrived to the hospital, the doctors checked to figure out what Max had consumed and found out that he had consumed Cyanide. This had made me panic and I immediately thought the worst. Max was going to die. I went into a full blown panic attack, this time I truly couldn't put up a front. The doctors tried to calm me down but I just couldn't.

They treated Max immediately. I wasn't in the emergency room to find out the details but they were rushing and attempting to save Max as I was in the waiting room shaking uncontrollably. I couldn't contact anybody. I didn't have a phone anymore so I sat there alone in the waiting room trying to collect myself. I just couldn't. I kept on getting odd stares and concerned ones as well from the others in the waiting room. They seemed curious but didn't dare ask which I was grateful for. But of course since Max's emergency contact was his father. He had arrived as soon as possible. I felt a pair of arms wrap around me while I sobbed and I realized it was Goofy.

I had hugged him tightly as I profusely apologized "I'm so sorry, it's all my fault" I repeated in a raspy voice not realizing that since I had been crying so much my vocal cords had been scratchy. I couldn't help it truly. I was in such distress as I repeated.

"I'm sorry"
"This never should've happened"
"I can't believe I brought him into this mess"
"He didn't deserve this"
" it should've been me"

And all this. I just couldn't believe Max's father still was hugging me and rubbing my back gently as he whispered " its going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay" why wasn't he hating me? Why didn't he hate me?! Why did he comfort me and treat me like the victim? Why was this man being so kind to me? I didn't understand... All I knew was that in his arms was a safe space of a true father. One I'll never get to have. And for that I cried my heart out into his shoulder.

Once I had eventually calmed down I explained everything to Goofy. From my own kidnapping to the meeting with Claire's parents, the her parents breaking off the marriage and how it lead to Max's current state. His father sat silently and listened to it all as he held my hand. He just held it... gently... no malice or anger towards me just a firm squeeze to let me know he was there and listening. I felt horrible every time he offered me a hug. I felt as if I didn't deserve this man's grace at all. Yet he still gave it to me.

Eventually we were allowed into Max's room.  He had been saved and the doctor described to us to short term effects of the poisoning. How Max would be nauseous and dizzy for a little along with some head aches. I promised to keep check of him and take care of him as he got better. I walked over and sat beside his bed holding his hand as I sobbed into it. All I wanted was for Max to be okay. I'm so grateful he's alive.

Soon enough Max woke up as he groaned and looked at me. He smiled softly as I met his eyes and quickly stood up to kiss his lips. "You're okay..." I sobbed as I hugged him tightly. He weakly hugged me back as he replied "I'm alright..." he said softly. Oh how I felt this despair weigh off my shoulders instantly. I felt like life was granting me a miracle for once.

Max's father Goofy offered him a hug as well as he smiled softly. "My boy... Im so happy you're alive" he said softly as tears fell. I couldn't imagine what it felt like to have such a thoughtful and devoted father. Max's dad is crying over Max's injuries and almost dying mean while my father didn't visit me in the hospital. In fact he almost tried to kill me. But to see Max have such a logout father made me happy. I was happy to see Max and the old man Goof being so United. It made me over joyed.

That was until Bobby, Tank, Stacey, PJ and what I assumed was PJ's father ran in panting " MAX?!" Bobby shouted as they crowded to check on Max seeing if he was alright. I backed away silently. Letting the friends check up on their own friend. I was shocked when only one person hugged me.

It was little miss mochachino herself... Stacey offered me such a comforting hug as she whispered.

" you might act all high strung but your eyes say otherwise."..... She knew... she knew that I thought that this whole was my fault.

She knew....