Dark Inheritance

Chapter 3

Alexandra

It's almost 5pm, I've been lying in bed since I woke up. Yesterday was the funeral of Sarah and my father. It's as if I've been in a nightmare for the last few days. I am brought out of my thoughts by hearing knocks on my door again.

- "Open the f*****g door Lexy," Lucas yells, a little more upset than he was a few hours ago when he stopped by to ask me to leave my room.

I ignore him and continue fiddling with my phone.

- I swear I'm going to break it down if you don't open it in 10 seconds.

I jump off my bed and open the lock. I don't want him to stop me from being safe in my room

- What do you want?", I ask him, annoyed

- Go downstairs and eat," he says curtly.

I nod slightly and close the door. I head for my bathroom. I take a very long shower and I ignore the reflection of my face on the mirror. I put on a pair of shorts and a crop top and go downstairs.

I find him on the phone with someone who seems to be his secretary. He has ordered sushi. I sit down as far away from him as possible and help myself. Who would have thought that I would ever sit at the same table as him after more than five years without seeing each other. I hate him so much and the fact that he was there for me yesterday doesn't change what he is, a monster. He has destroyed and broken me. Underneath his charming smile, he is the devil himself. I hate myself for even thinking about it, but he is more handsome than I remember with his mysterious eyes and his birth beard that makes him look sexier. He finishes his call and I hurry to look down before he sees me looking at him. I hope he gets the hell out of my life soon and gets busy with his business. My dad was so proud of him, he kept talking about him at every turn, how he's a good manager and how great it would be if he agreed to take over his empire. I know he loved him like his own son even though at one point I know there was a problem between them, but I don't know what the reason was.

I feel his gaze on me and I hate myself for putting on the clothes I am wearing. I feel naked under his gaze. I continue to eat anyway and try to control my shaking hands.

The silence is so heavy, but I keep stuffing my face with food, since I haven't eaten since yesterday.

- How are you doing in school?" he asks me after a while.

- Good," I answer quickly.

- "are you still living at the apartment my mom rented for you?"

- "yes"

I limit myself to these answers hoping that he will leave me alone and I don't even know how he knew about this apartment

- Why were you not responding to your phone the day before yesterday?

If I didn't know him too well, I would have said it was a simple innocent question. But unfortunately, with him nothing is a coincidence. I get up from my chair and pick up my plate.

- Thank you for the meal," I say as I head for the kitchen.

My exit stops short when he pulls me back by the hair. It is hurting me so much that I want to cry but I don't want to give him that pleasure or show him that I'm still the little one who was afraid of him and made him do whatever he wanted

- I asked you a f*****g question", he says without containing his anger

- Let go of me", I tell him, trying to control the tone of my voice to hide my fear

- Don't make me repeat the question, Lexy," he threatens.

- What do you care?", I answer, irritated by the situation

He pushes me suddenly on the wall behind me and chokes me. I try to loosen his fingers, without success. I can't breathe because he's holding me tight. My tears start to fall.

- I was with Allison," I lie, avoiding his gaze.

He always knew when I was lying when he looked into my eyes. He squeezes his hand tighter

- I see you're still a f*****g liar," he spits.

- I swear I'm not lying to you. If you want, I can call her in front of you, you'll see," I tell him quickly.

I don't know what I'll do if he asks me to call her knowing that she is currently in Mexico.

He releases me and I fall to the floor and take a deep breath. He straightens my hair and I get a sick feeling in my stomach with a sense of déjà vu, which is not a feeling because it brings back too many bad memories.

- "Listen to me very well princess," he says as he lowers himself to my level. "If I call you, you answer your f*****g phone. And a word of advice, for once in your life, stop acting like a slut, sis. Is that understood?"

Reluctantly I nod, because it's the only thing I can do

- You see how easy it is to answer," he says with his evil smile. "I'm leaving tomorrow for New York, but I'll be back in Los Angeles on Friday. The will will be read on Monday, I'll pick you up at your house at nine."

He holds my face and kisses me for a second too long on the cheek then leaves. I remain on the ground and collapse not being able to hold back my tears anymore.

I manage to calm down after a few minutes. If he thinks I'm going to let him destroy my life again, he's wrong. I already know that the only solution I have is that as soon as I get my share of our parents' inheritance, I will leave his life for good, and he will never find me again to make me suffer.