Thorns of Roses

Dark thoughts

Song for this Chapter:

Every time-Britney Spears

CHAPTER 26

CORINNE

True to his words, after I’m done eating, Blaze did drive me home back in New York.

He didn’t talk during our 43 hours’ drive, I am absent from school in two days because of the drive back. If I can, I will just take the flight, but he insists that he will drive.

I didn’t hear anything from Father or anyone else, except Diesel. He kept asking me when will I go home and if I was okay. I don’t know up until now on how I can talk to my best friend that apparently have feelings for me too. I have waited for that moment to come, and when it did, it felt surreal and unreal that I don’t know how I can manage him anymore.

On the other hand, Blaze is different than the other day who is an ice breaker in these total silences, who would have thought that I will miss his cranky deep voice pestering me from time to time.

Once he stopped in front of our gate, I bid him my good bye and even thanked him for the drive, he didn’t look at me. he just nods.

Told about being cold, he’s the one who pushes himself on me. I didn’t even want his attention nor his time, and yet here he is making everything about me and our marriage.

Maybe if I didn't meet Diesel, and he remained the boy I met then, maybe I would be ecstatic to marry the person I love. I liked him, back then when we were so young that we hardly knew what Love and Life really meant.

But now, we are both broken beyond repair. I don't know if there is still hope for our soul to be formed or at least fixed because even though our earthly body is still alive, we are already burning in hell. I will not clean myself anymore, I am not a saint nor an angel no matter what cleaning I do. Because the truth is, whatever happened or is happening to me now is because it was my choice. I had made some decisions that will benefit my needs. I am partially responsible for all of this.

When I entered the house, Nora immediately said that Dad was in the office, she seemed worried because she thought I hadn't told Dad that I wouldn't be coming home for almost four days. But I assured her that Dad knew that Blaze was with me, and Nora was even more uneasy when she heard Blaze's name. I told her that I will tell her but I just need to rest today because I feel so tired, and Nora understands. I think, I will talk to my Father about this and see what he really plans or intends to do why he will marry me off to the Mafia Prince of Cosa Nostra.

Even before I got inside my room, someone pulled me and let me into her room, It's Carina. She locked her door when we entered her room and she seem scared or nervous, I think?

“Carina, what’s wrong?” For a moment, I got scared. The look on her face is the same expression I held five years ago when our asshole of a Father decided to abuse me.

“I know you love Diesel, and he’s in love with you.”

“Carina—”

“The moment I see how beaten up Diesel is last weekend, I know he’s stepping out of the line for you.” Her eyes water. “I—I need him, Corinne.”

“Are you in love with him?”

She shakes her head “I am not. I didn’t even expect this.”

“Then why are you saying yes to this? Father and your Mother loves you, I am sure they will listen to you.”

She shakes her head frantically, “You don’t understand, Corinne. When you don't agree to your marriage with blaze and decide to go with Diesel, they will replace me in your position, that's what I've heard. There is something in you that Blaze wants for him to plot something like this, and whatever he saw in you I am thankful. I-- I can't marry him, Corinne. Diesel is better than Blaze, please." She looks and sounds really desperate for her to even talk to me and pleads with me about this.

“Why?”

“I believe your story about Gian Montgomery’s death. I don’t want to end up like her.” She bows her head defeated.

"And it's okay for me to share the same fate as Gian for marrying Blaze?" I snap.

Her head snaps on my direction, and shake her head “No, you don’t understand. He won’t do something like that to you. I don’t know if you didn’t notice but for years, he’s into you.”

Maybe I'm numb or I just don't really care about Blaze for me not to notice or even see that he likes me or whatever it is.

“Please, Corinne. Please.” She sobs.

I nod and can’t even form a sentence to tell her, if Blaze really plot something like this, he made sure that I am going onto the dead end. That I can’t even run anywhere.

After I went out of Carina’s room and she seem to calmed down, I headed straight to my Father’s study. My tiredness and sleepiness have also disappeared, it's better that I can talk to him now while the wounds still fresh, and my angers boiling.

I knock before he said I can come in, he looks straight at me. “Sit down.”

And I did.

"When do you plan to marry me to Blaze?"

He was still typing on his computer but I know I caught his attention “Some time before last winter, before you even planned to get rid of him.”

“Why me?”

He looks at me “What?”

"Why did you choose me to marry off the Mafia Prince? We both know that I am not your favorite daughter at all to marry me off the next heir to Cosa Nostra. What are your plans, Dad?" I emphasized the word "Dad" at least to remind him that he is my father. Tears kept falling in my eyes as my expression remained neutral.

He laughed frantically that caught me off guard, and bracing myself for the insult he’s going to throw my way “I knew you two aren’t dating.”

“What?”

“What is your plan and Blaze? Why both of you pretending that you two are dating?” He looks serious this time, or I can in his eyes that he even faltered, a sign that he’s scared or bothered.

“We are dating.”

“If you are, you should be happy that you’re going to marry someone you like, isn’t it, darling?” He crosses his arms on his chest, waiting for me to answer. “You’re in love with the Diesel boy, aren’t you?”

“I can run away with Diesel and the Mayhem’s will turn their back on you, leaving you the hands of your enemies without their protection.” I warn.

He looks beyond mad “Go on. We both know what will happen next if you do that, aren’t we?” He smirks darkly.

He took some photos from inside his drawer and laid them out one by one on his table for me to see. All the people in the photo about five or more are inside the hospital where my Mother is admitted. A shiver ran down my spine "I know you will do what you said from now on, that's why I chose to step ten times further than you, darling."

“What are you doing? Who are they?” My voice shakes.

He stood up and circled me as I sat. "All the people you see now are my people inside the hospital where your Mother is. Try to disobey all my orders, one by one they will move. And I will make sure I will make you feel all the pain." He put his hands on my shoulder "I know you're smart, Corinne. There's so much potential in you. Marry Blaze and do everything I tell you."

“What are you going to do with him? And how can you even threaten the life of the woman you used to love?”

“Used to love. Past tense, my dear. And you knew what they say about the past. It won’t take you anywhere if you keep looking back.” He sat down again on his chair. “And bout your question on what’s my plan for him, I want you to kill him.”

My mouth gaped in shock as my body tremble nonstop.

"Honestly, I don't really want you to marry Blaze. It was supposed to be Carina, who would have been my successor. It's the case that arrogant Blaze chose to change the previous plan and he chose to marry you, if I said no, they will cut my protection. So, I have no choice. I have to do this so that Carina can still be the successor of Cosa Nostra because after Blaze in line is Diesel."

“I am your daughter.” My voice shakes.

“You are, and you need to fill in that position.” He said so cold.

“You’re sick. If they find out that I killed the Mafia Prince, it will be my head next.”

“Then you better make sure you won’t get caught.” He smirks “Easy, right?”

“How can you make sure that I won’t tell Blaze what you did to me and your plans?”

He clicks his tongue and shove the picture again “You know the answer. You, Your Mother, and Carina, you’re all going down with me.”

I stood up, had enough of his sick mind, he’s pure f*****g evil “f**k you.”

I leave his study and shut my bedroom door, once again consumes by my dark thoughts.