Chapter 21
2069 Words
“And if you think that’s where it ends, you’re wrong Erina. We have everything to destroy the people you care about the most.”
I stared at Hades as he speaks daggers directed at me. How could they be this cruel? Are they really willing to abandon all their morals just for what? Money? What have become of our world?
“Y-You are so cruel.”
“This is business Erina. You have to understand that. We invested money on you, on your group. And just for one f*****g boy you’re ready to risk all your sacrifices for the past years? That’s not love. That’s just plain stupidity.”
“No,” I uttered as I evened my breathing to stop my tears from falling. “You don’t understand. You don’t know how it feels to finally have someone who will love you for who you are! Someone who will stay! You don’t understand any of that! Because you both are so cruel that no one dared to love you!”
“Huh!” Haze with his mocking voice. “You dare say that to your boss? You have really lost your mind!”
“I am perfectly aware of all the risk! I know that people might not react well. But how long am I going to consider what other people think? I just want to have a life! A life that is actually worth living. Can’t you just give me that?”
“Okay fine!” Hades as he abruptly stood up from his seat. I can feel his anger. And I can see his glaring eyes. “You f*****g do what you want Ms. Lee,” he added as he smirks. “We’ll do what we want to do too.”
“You don’t have the right to tell people about Raqi’s situation! It’s her life. It’s out of your jurisdiction!” I shouted as I point at their f*****g annoying faces. This is making me insane!
“Okay. Let’s not exposed Raqi. Hmm…...” Haze even has the audacity to put his hand under his chin like he’s thinking about what bullet he wants to throw at me. “Oh!” He acted like he just thought of something brilliant. “Did you know that Sassy used to look like this?”
Haze threw a photo in the table. It was upside down, so I walked near them to check the picture. “W-Who’s she?”
I stared at the photo trying to comprehend who might be in it. Or maybe I was just fooling myself. Because I know who she is. The woman in the photo looked too familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.
“Try guessing, Erina,” Hades raised his brow mocking me. Because he knows that I know who exactly the woman in the picture is. It’s Sassy. But a very obese version of her. Her cheeks are swollen and bloated. Her neck almost not visible. Her small mouth seems to not match her face.
Sassy has always said in every interview that she didn’t undergo any cosmetic surgery. And we believed her. Everyone believed her because she’s extremely beautiful. She has angel-like features and a very innocent face. She is jolly, kind and enthusiastic. She brings life in our group.
And if it was just me that she lied to, I would totally understand. I wouldn’t dare judge her. I love her. I love every version of her. And I think that Kesha, Raqi and Leina will agree too. But what about other people? People who have fallen with Sassy’s charm. People who think she’s perfect. People who envy her so much that they would do everything to find flaws in our Sassy.
If this goes out, they will have a bullet shot straight at Sassy’s head. She would be ruined. She would be hated. And she doesn’t deserve any of that.
“What Erina? Do I need to spell it out for you? Now I’ll make you f*****g understand,” Haze said as he walked towards where I am. “That’s Sassy. Your dear friend whose image is about to be ruined in just a flick of my fingers. What do you do now?”
They f*****g know. They’re f*****g cunning. They know how to manipulate people well.
Will you fall victim to this Erina? Will you let this trample your hopes with Silas?
“Or is that not enough Ms. Lee?”
“W-What?” I stuttered as I gaze at Haze’s piercing eyes.
“I’m asking if that’s not enough to stop you from what you’re about to do. Because guess what Erina? I will f*****g use every shovel you can f*****g see to dig your friends every little dirty secret! You think we’re cruel? Then you’re f*****g right! Now, the question is, do you want your friends to be the subject of our cruelty? Because we will do that.”
As I slowly accepted my defeat, my tears started to fall too. How easy it is for people in power to play with other people’s life. How cruel it is to deny someone his or her happiness. How unfair. Thoughts run in my mind as I sobbed uncontrollably in front of the two people, I hate the most.
“You need to decide now whether you’ll follow us, or we’ll trample you. You know what I hate the most? It’s not just losing money. It’s losing in general. So, you better choose wisely.”
I’ve been staring at the wall in this conference room for half an hour now. The two devils have already left but I can’t even make my feet to work. What do we do now Erina? I keep thinking of ways to get around the situation but in every scenario, there’s someone who will be hurt. And I can’t afford that.
“There you are!” I turned to look at the door where the girls are. “We’ve been looking for you all over,” Kesha said as she marched inside the conference room.
“You just finished?” Raqi asked pertaining to the meeting.
“Yeah.”
“Can we go home now? I’m hungry,” Sassy pouted as she grabbed my arm. We were walking side by side as they blabber about their day. Normally I would be interested and drawn to their tales but now, my mind is just somewhere else.
Look at them Erina. Look at Sassy smiling so widely. She looked so happy and free. Would you dare take this happiness from her? And Raqi, she’s still hurting. I know that. And I will never understand just how painful it is because I’m not a mother. Would I dare add to her pain?
And what about Leina and Kesha? No matter what their past is, they don’t deserve to be hurt by something they did in the past. We don’t deserve to be invalidated just because of something that we regret doing.
“Let’s get Simba first,” Leina reminded us because we almost forgot about my cat.
We walked towards the cafeteria where most employees are. And there we saw most of them playing with Simba. Or more like pinching and teasing my cat who have no expressions at all. Simba is quiet and shy, just like his father.
I thanked the staff for taking care of my cat before we all walked towards the parking lot. We reach GreyHouse immediately and decided to order food because we’re all too tired to cook.
“Let’s eat!” Sassy shouted after setting up the table.
I volunteered to wash the dishes because if I don’t, the girls would just converse with me and they might notice my sudden change of mood. I was so happy just this morning and now, I felt like I carry the whole world in my shoulders.
“I’ll sleep first,” I told them after washing the dishes. I saw Leina’s confused face immediately. “What? Why? It’s still early,” she asked.
“Let her be Leina. I’m sure she’s tired,” Raqi answered for me. Thankfully, they let me go.
The next day, I refused to go to work with an excuse that I’m still tired and the dating scandal between Silas and I is wearing me down. The girls went to work already while I’m in my bed staring at my phone filled with missed calls and text messages from Silas. I don’t know what to say to him. I don’t deserve him.
When lunch came, I just ordered food again. I am in no mood to cook anything or do anything. When I heard the doorbell, I immediately went out of the house thinking that it was the food already.
“We have to discuss things,” Miss Diane was in front of me looking all serious and in business.
She didn’t even wait for me to open the gate as she walk straight inside the house. She settled in the sofa across the door.
“Sit.”
“What is this about? Is what Hades and Haze told me not yet enough?”
“From now on, I will have the only access and authority to all of your social media accounts.”
“W-What do yo--”
“Let me finish. Is that proper manners interrupting someone Erina?”
Is manipulating someone proper manners? f**k all of you!
“We were also informed that Silas Kim have been frequenting this village. From now on, don’t expect to see him here because he is banned from all H&H properties including this subdivision and of course, the company.”
Wow. Maybe that’s fine. Because then it wouldn’t be too hard avoiding him.
“You will not be allowed to get out of this house. You will not be attending any music shows from now on. This will be your situation until the scandal subsides.”
“Is that all?” I looked at her with my blank expression. But I’m raging inside. I can’t believe how easy it is for these people to ruin someone’s life.
“You will be here. Twenty-four hours, all day Erina. You can compose songs or cook or exercise. Do whatever you want except those that I just told you earlier. Do you understand?”
“I do. Now, can you please go?”
“Huh,” she smirked. That look. Exactly like the twin devils. “You won’t even offer me a drink? I visited you here.”
“I can prepare something right now, but I might just give you poison, and I don’t want to be a murderer so get the hell out of our house,” I saw the shock and a hint of fear in her eyes.
That’s right. You better fear this girl. Because when I have the means, I will come and bite all of you.
“You got guts now that you have a man backing you up? Oh god, dream on Erina!”
She said then walked her way outside the house. Finally, I can now breathe. But then as I breathe, as I let air consume me, my tears started to fall. Because I know that after all this, Silas will be hurt. It’s not just the twins or Diane who is cruel. I’m a bad person too. Because I’m choosing to hurt him. In exchange for my friends’ peace of mind.
How cruel, Erina.
How cruel.
- Writer
