Chapter 11
1641 Words
Laura Sterling
“L-Leave me alone…” I whispered, my voice trembling as I slowly lifted my head, my breath catching the moment my eyes met his.
“Derick.“ My eyes widened in terror. My blood ran cold.
Right in front of me like he owed the whole world.
He was dressed in a perfectly tailored, expensive suit like he hadn’t just tried to burn me alive.
Like he hadn’t destroyed my entire existence.
“Well, well…” he drawled, his lips curling into a cruel smile as he bent down to my level, his shadow swallowing me whole. “Look who crawled out of the ashes.” He chuckled softly, the sound sending chills down my spine as his fingers reached out and brushed against my hair like I was something he owned.
I flinched violently. All the bad memories rushing through my mind.
“Don’t touch me!” I snapped, my voice suddenly rising despite the fear clawing at my throat, my hand weakly trying to push him away even though I knew it wouldn’t do anything.
He didn’t move, not even an inch and Instead, he laughed.
A low, mocking laugh that made my stomach twist in disgust.
“You’re still just as pathetic,” he said casually, tilting his head as he studied me like I was some kind of failed experiment. “Did you really think you could run away from me?” His smile widened, crueler this time. “After all the effort I put into making sure you burned alive in that cell?”
My heart dropped.
My fingers tightened around the armrests of the wheelchair.
“You… you did that…” I whispered, my voice breaking as tears filled my eyes again, my chest tightening with a mixture of rage and despair.
Of course he did.
“I told you…” he continued, straightening slightly, his tone almost bored now. “You belong to me. Even death doesn’t get to take you away unless I allow it.”
“Stop it…” I muttered, shaking my head weakly as I wiped my tears with trembling fingers, forcing myself to look at him through blurred vision. “Just leave me alone… please…” My voice cracked at the end, but I still tried to sound firm, desperate to hold onto even a shred of dignity.
He ignored me. Of course he did, that's what he always did. Because in his selfish world, my emotions didn't matter.
Instead, he casually moved behind me.
And grabbed the handles of my wheelchair.
My breath hitched.
“What are you doing?” I asked quickly, panic rising again as my fingers gripped the sides tightly, my body stiffening.
“We’re going home,” he replied smoothly, already pushing the wheelchair forward like my resistance meant nothing, like I was nothing.
“No!” I cried out, my hands pushing against the wheels in a futile attempt to stop him. “Let me go! I’m not going anywhere with you!”
But he was stronger. Far stronger than anyone I knew.
The wheelchair rolled forward effortlessly under his control.
“That’s not your decision anymore,” he said coldly, his voice dropping into something darker, more dangerous. “And if you scream or try anything stupid…” He leaned down slightly, his breath brushing against my ear. “…I’ll make sure you go right back to prison. This time, no one will come for you.”
My body went rigid. My voice died in my throat and fear wrapped around me completely.
I bit down hard on my lower lip, muffling the scream that desperately wanted to escape, tears streaming silently down my face instead.
“This is it…” I thought numbly, my chest aching as hopelessness settled in. “I’ll never be free. Never.”
The car came into view. My f*****g car.
Or… what used to be mine.
My stomach twisted painfully as I recognized it instantly.
The sleek design that I specifically picked with polished exterior. Everything that once belonged to me… now under his control.
Just like everything else. My gaze shifted slightly and that was when I saw her.
“Lilly.“ I breathed...she was sitting comfortably in the front seat.
In my seat.
A smirk already forming on her lips as she looked at me like she had won.
Like I was nothing but a joke.
“Please…” I whispered again, my voice weaker now, drained, my eyes fixed on the car as dread filled me. “Derick… just let me go. I won’t come back. I’ll disappear. You’ll never hear from me again…” My fingers trembled as I clutched the armrest tighter, desperation leaking into every word.
He stopped the wheelchair. For a second, hope flickered..Maybe he had changed his mind.
Then....
“No,” he said simply.
Just one word.
My heart shattered again.
“You see…” he continued casually, stepping around to face me again, his expression almost amused. “You’re actually more useful alive.” He leaned in slightly, his eyes glinting with something disturbing. “Now I can use you properly… for my experiments.”
My blood ran cold.
"Experiments?“
“What… what are you talking about…” I whispered, my voice barely audible as terror flooded me completely.
Before he could answer, a strong hand shot out and grabbed his wrist so hard.
Derick’s body jerked slightly as he was forced back.
“Get your hands off her.”
The voice deep icy was calm. But dangerous.
I turned sharply, my heart leaping into my throat as I saw him.
Aaron was standing there towering over Derick.
His presence alone felt overwhelming, his sharp features set in cold anger, his grip firm and unyielding as he pushed Derick away from me like he was nothing.
For a moment, everything froze....even the air felt tense.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Aaron said, his voice low, controlled, but carrying a quiet threat that made even me shiver.
Derick blinked in disbelief.
Then suddenly, he pulled up a nervous smile.
“Big bro…” he said casually, straightening his suit like nothing had just happened, his tone almost playful. “Relax. I was just messing around.”
“Big… bro?“ My eyes widened in shock as I looked between them, my mind struggling to catch up.
“No…” I whispered under my breath, my heart racing for a completely different reason now. “Aaron… Cole…?”
The name hit me like a wave as fragments of memories flickered in my mind.
I suddenly remembered his small acts of kindness after my wedding to Derick.
All the money left behind when I had nothing other than a husband who barely slept home or gave me bare minimum.
He was a quiet concern when no one else cared...When my father and brothers....couldn't speak to me because I couldn't leave that jerk Derick.
“Y-you…” I stared at Aaron, my chest tightening as realization dawned on me slowly, painfully. “You’re… his brother…” My voice shook, confusion and disbelief crashing into each other.
How did I not see it?
How did I not remember?
“Have I really fallen this far…?” I thought bitterly, my stomach twisting. “Or were those pills messing with my head all along…?”
A new kind of fear crept in as bits of the cold reality forced itself up my throat.
“If he’s Derick’s brother…” I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening again. “Then what if he’s worse? After all, they share the same blood...What if he was only showing care because he wanted to trap me?”
My breathing quickened and my trust shattered all over again.
While the two of them faced each other, tension thick in the air...
I moved away slowly and quietly. I had no friends to run to, but I was willing to go anywhere else apart from here.
My hands gripped the wheels again.
And I pushed it with all my strength.
“I need to get away… from both of them…” I thought desperately, my heart racing as I forced the wheelchair to move, inch by inch.
I needed to get my freedom and that was all I wanted and nothing else.
My eyes lifted slightly...and locked with Lilly’s.
She was watching me with a daring on her face.
Her lips curled into a knowing smirk.
“Laura is trying to run…” she purred lazily from the car, her voice dripping with amusement as she tilted her head slightly, clearly enjoying the show.
My breath caught.
“No....“ I thought, my eyes welled up with tears.
Aaron turned towards me and his gaze landed on me instantly like I had just made the biggest mistake of my life.
But beneath it… something else lingered that I couldn't figure out yet..
Something I couldn’t understand. But if you were to ask, it looked like genuine concern. His eyes looked scared, worried and restless. Like he was trying go tell me that being with him was my only option.
Before I could react... He walked over in a few quick strides and grabbed the handles of my wheelchair firmly.
My body went still, my chest was heaving at this point. My lips parted, and I watched him as his eyes trailed down to my lips and up into my soul.
Deep down my heart, I wanted to trust him...But could I?"
He swallowed hard, and his eyes grew cold again. I could hear faint voices of Derick mumbling and complaining under his breath.
Then, Aaron spoke...
“You don’t get to run,” he said, his voice low and final, sending an unwanted shiver down my spine as my fragile hope crumbled once again.
- Writer
