FIRST SESSION
1760 Words
"Yasmine?"
"She's over here. Should I bundle her to the house?"
Tristan tapped his phone case with his index finger. "Let her be, she'll come back. Send somebody to watch her. Come get me here." Lowering his phone, he swiped the red button.
"What did you tell Sapphire?" Wilson stormed before him with a death glare. "You dared to present my wife in front of everyone!"
"I thought we were through with this topic?" Tristan asked, tone flat with boredom.
"To hell with you, Tristan!" Wilson grabbed his collar, pulling Tristan close to himself. "Give me a f*****g answer! How did my wife agree to your s**t!? What did you promise her? Money? A share of the property?"
His eyes clashed with Tristan's eyes. For a moment, he saw Tristan's blue eyes disappear into the orbs, scary darkness that screamed danger lurked in them. That look was something Wilson knew very well.
"If I were you, that is something I'd not dare to try."
Wilson's grip loosened like Tristan's eyes programmed his body to do.
With a step back, his eyes hovered around Tristan like he had just seen a ghost. "Y...you haven't changed."
Tristan arranged his shirt, his dark eyes still fixed on Wilson.
"T...that darkness is still in you."
Tristan's lips curved. "Still brainy as always, little brother."
Wilson's eyebrow lifted in shock. "What did you do to yourself? This is only a pretense."
"Pretence? Do you think sixteen years away from home can do a thing? It does three things. Better, calm or worse. It's either the better gets better, gets worse, or learns how to hide better in calm and composed."
"Which one are you?"
Tristan tilted his head. "Run along. Your pesky girlfriend must be waiting."
Wilson dragged his feet, in a cold attempt to slam a fist on his jaw, but seeing the cold warning Tristan's eyes gave, maintained his stance, and balled his fist.
"Don't think you're a winner. The game is just starting. It isn't over!" he threatened.
"I didn't come back just so it could be over."
Uncurling his fingers, Wilson stormed back into the house.
Tristan's car drove before him. The front window came down.
"Are you coming?" Yasmine asked.
Tristan glanced at the house. "Let's go."
He got into the passenger seat, and the front window wound back up.
"Are the divorce papers ready?" Tristan took out a black lighter from his pocket.
Yasmine looked at him through the rearview mirror. "I've contacted the lawyer. It'll be ready by tomorrow."
Tristan's gaze locked on the lighter, and he snapped it, once. "Scrap it."
Yasmine slowed down the car. "T?"
"That isn't for me to repeat myself?"
Yasmine concentrated back on the road, increasing the car's speed back to its initial speed. "I'll inform the lawyer."
Tristan didn't reply again as he focused his attention on snapping the lighter. On and off.
--
Storming back into the house, Wilson found only Yvonne present.
Yvonne, who was pacing around, rushed to him immediately she saw him. "Wils?..."
"Where are Dad and Grandpa?"
She held both his arms. "I don't think this is the best time to argue with them."
"Then what do I do!?" Wilson yelled. "That bastard has my wife."
"My wife! My wife! I'm f*****g tired of hearing this!" Yvonne snapped, releasing his arms. "You don't love her! If it's for the plan, it doesn't matter if she's with Tristan! Our only focus should be Tristan!"
Wilson rolled his eyes angrily. "You just don't understand."
He rushed to the elevator, got into it, and pressed the button. Using the stairs was something he didn't want.
--
[THEODORE'S ROOM]
Rosa sat on the vanity and took the hair dryer. Her eyes caught Theodore typing on his keyboard.
"You didn't say a thing at the dining table?" She switched on the dryer.
"There was nothing to say," Theodore sighed. "Tristan had the upper hand."
Rosa turned her chair towards him. "Are we going to allow him to have his way with old man every time? This is something Wilson has sacrificed his life for. I don't understand why old man decided to make that sudden decision. Now..."
"Tristan has the upper hand here."
"Does that mean I should allow that bastard to claim my wife?" Wilson came in without knocking.
"If you knew you valued her so much, she wouldn't have been in tears on her wedding night," Theodore said, resuming typing.
"Dad... you're speaking of value. It's obvious Tristan is only using her. He doesn't value her."
"It doesn't matter, Wilson," Rosa turned off the hairdryer. "You know how much we value our reputation. That single video would have been the end for all of us."
"You both aren't helping me! You're only siding with Tristan."
"No, Wilson," Rosa replied. "This isn't about siding with Tristan. You put this reputation at stake."
"Then let everything destroy! I wouldn't sit back and watch an outsider claim what I've worked hard for! I'm going to talk to old man!" Wilson wanted to leave when Theodore's voice stopped him.
"What will you say? You know old man values this name more than us. Going to see him now won't do a thing."
----
[OLD GARAGE]
The scent of rusted engines, abandoned tires, and cars hit Sapphire. She sat on one of the old dirty cars.
Sapphire puffed out smoke from her cigarette, staring at nothing in particular. She's not a chronic smoker, never has been a lover of it, but it always has a way of calming her down whenever she's high on emotions. It has always helped, but today, even the hard smell, the burning sensation down her throat, and the way it filled her brain did nothing to jolt her out of the situation she's found herself in.
Married to two brothers. Sounds weird and hilarious at the same time.
She laughed at herself, fishing out her lighter from her purse. Adding more fire to the roll, she brought the lighter close to her face. The flame shone in her eyes, and the hot sensation kissed her face.
"I'm glowing like this flame. Extra hot." Snapping off the lighter, she tossed it back into her purse.
"I'm a joke," she laughed again, dragging in deeply.
Blowing them out, it covered her entire face like fog, like it understood a share of the mess she's deep in.
It was morally wrong to sign a contract with her psychologist in the first place, but turning out to be her husband's brother was something she didn't expect. He was never mentioned. Not his family, Wilson or even Google.
Her thumb went to her cheeks, and somehow she expected tears, but met none. Her cheeks were dried despite the fact that they gathered underneath her lids. Maybe the tears aren't understanding like cigarettes. Maybe...
Her phone flashed with a call.
Seeing the caller, a painful smile appeared on her lips. "Even you won't be able to understand this."
She purposely left the call to ring until it stopped before switching off her phone. "I'm sorry, Lys."
Sighing softly, she threw the cigarette on the floor and marched on it until the fire went out.
She was still putting out the fire when a car pulled up before her.
The window was down so she saw who the driver was. The receptionist lady.
"If you're done, get in."
Sapphire got in without any hesitation, argument or question. Not as if the lady would provide any information if she asked.
----
[TRISTAN'S PENTHOUSE]
The drive from the gate to the compound took roughly thirty seconds, unlike the DeVille's own that always takes three to five minutes. Thanks to the mint she always carried, she's sure she has gotten rid of the smoke in her mouth.
Her eyes stayed on the house, questions gleaming in her eyes. The house was something she didn't expect. Compared to the way he changes cars, she expected the house to be bigger than that of DeVille, or the same as Wilson. This one looked so small compared, cozy like, and something she'd find near an island.
"Here." Yasmine tossed her a box. "You'll need it."
Sapphire caught it to her chest.
"What's inside?"
"Why do you ask questions when the answers are minutes away?"
"Have we met before?" Sapphire couldn't help but ask.
Yasmine's eyes trailed up to the rear-view mirror to look at her.
"You don't like me, and I can't wrap my head around why."
Yasmine removed the car keys and opened the car door. "T is inside. Stay here and seek answers if you want." She came down not expecting to hear any reply.
Sapphire looked at the box still on her chest, then back at the house, not denying one truth. The darkness she felt from the house, just like the one she felt whenever she visited his hospital. It's never too loud, but always giving her the chills.
She couldn't find the courage again, and decided to come down. The breeze rushed past her skin, and she felt that same energy she gets from him.
Not in the mood to confuse herself, she hurried her steps into the building. The old feelings resurfaced, and now, she's walking into the devil's abode.
She didn't look around until she got inside the building.
The first person she found was him, sitting on the longest sofa like a devil she'd concluded in her mind that he is. A blunt devil.
Sudden waves crashed into her head, and memories of how she confessed her s****l problem with him struck her. The reality of knowing she had said all those things to him, and he never for once thought about introducing himself despite knowing the relationship she shared with him.
He's not a devil. He's a fish. A blue-eyed fish.
"You came back?" he asked, his voice in a whisper, but she knew well enough that wasn't out of comfort. If anything, she guessed he was mocking her. After the arguments, she returned.
"I'm keeping my part of the contract deal."
"That's what I wanted to hear." He stood, his height casting that usual shadow it always does over her.
Approaching her, his eyes never for once left her. Sapphire knew those eyes weren't staring for staring's sake. They were studying her as a subject. His particular subject.
Stopping behind her, he stood close enough that she could feel him around her, but not too close to make her uncomfortable.
"Are you ready for your first session?"
She breathed. Silence stretched.
"Yes."
- Writer
