~

It was just a dream.

His breath was was ragged, sweat glistening down his forehead, to his naked chest. His fingers gripped the headboard a bit too tightly, snapping it in half.

A dark strand of hair sticked to his forehead, his eyes glistening with shock and fear.

He let out a loud breath as he stood up, only in his black trousers, peeking through the curtains.

"Master Damian, I have tea for yo-" Alfred barges in, a tray of tea in his grasp. He stops, mouth slightly agape as he saw the broken bed.

"What time is it?" Damian mumbles, his voice still hoarse. Alfred calmly puts the tray onto the table, walking past the deranged soldier, opening the curtains wide.

"It's 4 in the morning." He smiles, leaving the distressed man in the suite, to ponder alone.

"F*cking hell." Damian hisses, grasping his keys, and puts on a grey shirt as he bites on a single piece of toast, running outside.

~

[ a l i n a ]

"Have you.. considered therapy?"

"Do you think I'm insane?!" Michael hisses, as we sat in the backyard, enjoying breakfast. He was barely eating his egg benedict that Francine had prepared for him.

"Michael, you were kidnapped by one of the world's worst villain. For years! And you won't even tell me what happened, worse, you act like everything's fine!" I yelled, quickly silently apologizing to Hugh, who accidentally snapped a rose as he heard my loud voice.

"Nothing happened." Michael murmurs.

"And I am supposed to believe that? Who do you take me for? A dunce?" I retort, as he toyed around with his food, crushing the egg mercilessly with his fork.

"I.. Talia locked me in an underground dungeon."

I stayed quiet, letting him talk. It had been so long since he's been wanting to talk about personal things with me. I couldn't let this blow away.

"But she locked me in an underground apartment, three meals a day, access to books, comics, toys and even my own tutors. That's why I can keep up with my studies. And why I'm still.. normal."

"She kept you.. like a caged animal."

"At least she didn't torture me, right?" He mumbles quietly, looking down.

Unlike me.

The scar that the Joker had so cruelly bestowed upon me still gives me trembles.

Staring at my little brother's face, I realized he'd grown up so much. But his eyes still had a glow, one that indicates innocence.

"I have to get to the office. See you." I mumble, my mind drifting off; noticing one of my bodyguards standing by my car, ready to drive me.

A few days ago, Nathan multiplied the security.

I couldn't even drive alone anymore. I had decided not to even think about it. Nathan thinks that he can control everything. My brother didn't even want my help with this problem. Then so be it. This time, he'll be all alone.

~

Luckily, the building had private, direct access to my floor without passing through the lobby. Once I had opened the door to my office, the bodyguard stayed outside, standing by the door as I slammed it shut.

Throwing my purse onto the couch, I sat down on my desk and turned my computer on. Glancing towards the clock, it was almost eight.

My attention immediately snapped to the door as I saw a distressed looking Ariana coming in.

"I need to talk to you, right now." She rushes, pointing to the door. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, and she wore her usual office attire.

"All right. We can talk here." I pointed to the couch, but she shook her head.

"No. Somewhere far. It's important. I can't risk anyone hearing about this." She mumbles, looking around frantically.

"Fine." I eyed her for a good second before grasping my phone, following her outside. The bodyguard was about to follow me, but with a swift hand movement, I blocked his path.

"No need to. I'm only getting coffee." I tell him, and he nods, returning back to his post.

Aria walks quickly towards my private elevator, pressing the button. The glass door opens, and we both get in.

During the elevator ride, I couldn't help but stare at her, as she blatantly ignored me. She kept chewing her lip, like she always does, when she has something to hide.

Before I could ask her anything, the door opens, revealing my private parking floor. There was only three cars, mine, Aria's, and Marcus.

She unlocks her car, and we both get in. She says nothing as she starts the engine, and bolts out of the building.

Hanging on tightly to my seat, I yelled at her. "What's wrong? Why are you speeding this fast?!"

She says nothing, her hands gripping the wheel tightly, as she kept focused on the road. Good God, she might get us both killed.

The car finally stops after a few good minutes, and as I got out, my breath stops. The.. bay?

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked her, as she leads me to an abandoned area.

"I brought you here, because I know that the news I'm going to tell you will anger you."

"And?"

"And when you're angry, you break stuff as you wish." She crosses her arms, huffing as I scoffed.

"So you brought me here so that I wouldn't.. trash the office?"

"And stopping people from finding out about your creepy powers, you're welcome." Ariana continues, leaving me speechless.

She avoids my gaze, taking a deep breath. The sounds of waves is reassuring to hear at this point; we're both too nervous.

"Nathan wants to get married." She starts, looking at me nervously.

I stood in front of her, blinking stupidly. Then it dawned on me. He did this with Althea once.

"What? Why hasn't he told me? And why?" I breathe out, disappointing settling in.

..And when I thought we'd be a normal family again.

"The threat of dethroning him is getting bigger by the hour. He wants the kingdom to have a Queen, so that the chances of dethroning him might become smaller." Aria explains.

"He's doing this to protect himself.." I mutter, looking away. For some reason, my anger slipped away. My family's protection comes first.

"And you thought this would anger me? I want my brother to keep his position, Aria, and if he wants to get married, then let him!" I muttered, shaking my head.

Aria keeps silenced, looking down, her face now red. Chewing her bottom lip, she awkwardly glances at me, clearly hiding something.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because the woman he wants to marry.. is Taliana."

"WHAT?!" I snapped, freezing in my place. "IS HE OUT OF HIS MIND?!"

"Alina; he-"

"She's our COUSIN! WHAT IS HE THINKING?"

"SHE'S NOT! She's not, okay?"

Snapping out, I realized that I had thrown a few cargos in the air. They stood there, dangling above us.

Breathing in, I fixed the ground as I let them fall, the sound of metal hitting against each other ringing loudly.

Aria winces at the sound, her lips pressed together.

I really need to control myself.

"So she's not?" I asked, composing myself.

"Alina, Liana was never part of our family."

It tooks me a few seconds to let the words settle in. Nathan.. is marrying Taliana. So.. all this time, she was..

Disgust crept all over my face as I stumbled a few steps backwards, my breathing slowing down. I've been lied to. Again.

"She.. I?" I kept mumbling, as Ariana took a few steps closer. "Why?" I asked, on the verge of shouting. I couldn't even get myself to cry anymore.

"Alina, she.. was hired to spy on you. She was an orphan."

"Ohmygod, Jesus Chri-." I cried out, throwing my hands in the air, turning around. Was anything even real in my life?

"Ali, please.. Calm down."

"NO! For how long did you know this?" I yelled at her.

"A few hours ago. I was just as.. furious as you." Aria's breathing is ragged, as she looks around, inspecting the damage I've made.

"Who knows about this?"

"The whole family. Except us, and the public. They're planning to reveal everything soon." Aria exclaims, as she composes herself.

If she speaks the truth, if they indeed want to reveal this to the public.. It won't end well. I need to stop this.

I nod, looking down I know what I need to do.

"Aria, call Marcus. Tell him to prepare my  jet. We're leaving tonight."

____________________________

Sorry for being absent the past few weeks! My final exams are coming soon, and to top it off, I'm extremely sick.

Thank you guys for 37k!

See you soon!

Love,
-Sophia