Lorraine


    My mother!


    He killed my mother.


    My body went cold, my eyes trained on the man who snickered at me with satisfaction. I didn’t know what to feel, how to feel. My brain had gone numb, or maybe it was processing the nerve-wracking information and searching for the perfect way to react.


    I tried to speak, but the words remained stuck in my throat. Then my emotions began to seep out of me-a roller-coaster of pain, sadness, anger that I didn’t search for this loathe-worthy man and kill when I had the chance.


    It would be the number one thing on my bucket list if I ever survived this situation.


    “You killed her?” I asked through a whisper, searching his eyes for any flicker of remorse and trying toe to terms that I was sitting in front of a murder.


    He didn’t disappoint me because if there was anything I saw, it was greed, hatred and maybe lust. Thest one got me shivering because I’d never allow him to touch me again.


    I’d rather die.


    “Of course, I did. She was too trusting and loving and she was a very rich woman, but she never allowed me to ess her money even though I was her husband.” He said nonchntly and returned to his chair.


    I let out a gasp, horrified at how normal he thought it was to kill not just anyone but my mother.


    He wasn’t just an abuser and a drunkard, he was a murderer. A heartless one.


    Tears sprouted in my eyes and I didn’t bother to blink them away. “My mother loved you, Leonardo. Even though I was young, I saw how heavily she spent on you and treated you well. If she didn’t allow you to be a part of her business then it was because you didn’t prove yourself worthy. Obviously, you aren’t even worthy of anything good.” I snarled at him, surprised at the calmness of my voice.


    I was supposed to be yelling at him not scolding him like a kid.


    His body wrecked withughter as threw a you’re-so-dumb nce at me. “Yes, your mother loved me but she was too weak. I didn’t want her to continue giving me peanuts when I could have some shares in thepany. I’m the man of the house.” He scoffed as if we were still in the past.


    “Man my foot!” I huffed. “I know that my mother was very smart and she knew that you just wanted to be reckless. I’m sure that she already regretted marrying you before you killed her.”Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    “Watch your mouth, bitch. A bullet from my gun can end you in a fleeting second. I wonder how Dexter will feel when he realises that his beautiful wife is gone.” He feigned a pitiful face as I held back my sob.


    Dexter would be mad with frenzy and I could only hope that he would find me before this sociopath tried to kill me.


    I shook my head vehemently, the tears sliding off my face. “Why don’t you go ahead and kill me? I’d like to go and meet my mother over there.” My teeth rattled as the thought of dying shed in my head.


    His yellow teeth became visible as he brandished it at me with a shit-eating grin. “You’ll die for sure, but there’s something you have to do for me first.”


    My eyes widened as the woman beside him produced a big brown envelope and gave it to him. He brought out a file and showed it to me.


    I squinted my eyes in confusion then he dropped it on my thighs. “What is this?” I snarled in irritation.


    “Since you are acting dumb, I’ll just exin it to you. Your mother didn’t leave you penniless as we both thought.” He dropped the bombshell as I ducked my head in greater confusion.


    After my mother died, I resented her for dying without leaving anything for me. Even if it was just some money to help me through college.


    “What the hell are you talking about?” I asked in annoyance.


    “Apparently, she left a huge amount of money for you, but you can’t have ess to it until you’re twenty-five and by my calctions. You’ve hit the age…”


    Impatience ate at my guts as I red at him. If he thought that I’d sign away my inheritance to him just because he had me caged up like a rabbit then he was in for a big joke.


    “So you want my inheritance?” Iughed and he snapped his fingers.


    “Vi! Smart ass! You got the point. It’s a simple thing to do. I drafted a document saying that you’re willing to hand everything to me because you aren’t interested in the money and all I need is your signature.” He smirked confidently, crossing his leg over.


    I couldn’t hold back myughter so I let it flow,ughing hard at his stupidity. How could he be so delusional? Why didn’t his father use a condom while having a good time with his mother? Because if they had taken precautions, he wouldn’t be alive to bber such words to me.


    “You’re wasting my time.”


    “I don’t think I am, Leonardo. Do you know what I’m going to do?”


    His eyes lit up with expectation. “What is that?”


    “I won’t sign the document. I’d rather give all the money to charity than to have an undeserving mistake of a man sign this paper.” I spat at him.


    His face reddened, and his eyes followed suite as he lurched at me with a heavy punch on my stomach. His fingers gripped a handful of my hair so tight I thought my scalp woulde off.


    My stomach churned at the pain that burned within me, my mouth tasting like copper. I felt like throwing up but nothing came out which was disappointing because I wanted to have my nausea on him.


    “You would do as I say, you loose bitch.” He grabbed my hair harder and my eyes saw red.


    “I won’t do it, Leonardo. You’d better do it and free yourself from the stress of forcing me.” I countered.


    His grip loosened as he took his hands off me and pped me. My lower lip broke with a thick warm liquid forming a small pool at the corner of my mouth.


    “You’re so selfish, Lorraine, just the way you’ve been since childhood. Now you’re putting others in pain as well.” He sighed and tossed on a stoic expression that got me wondering if he wasn’t ring at me earlier.


    The selfish part caught my attention. “I’m not putting anyone in pain.”


    His dark chuckle resonated in the room. “Of course you are. I mean whose going to pay for your disobedience?”


    My heart mmed against my chest as realisation dawned on me. “Ste and Victoria! Don’t you dare do anything to them!” I hollered at him.


    “Like I said, your selfishness is doing more harm than good. So, are you going to sign the document willingly or do you want to watch them die because you aren’t willing to let go of some little money Dexter can give you?”


    Oh God! Imented.


    The tables had turned and there was no way I’d risk the lives of my friends because of the money, but I was going to hurt Leonardo in the worst way possible.


    With clenched teeth and a hard decision taken I took a deep breath.  “Hand me the pen. I’ll sign it.” I forced the words out of my lips as a triumphant smile covered his face.


    The door pushed open, and Emilia trudged in with her bridesmaid dress, shing a scathing look at me. I blinked hard to be sure I wasn’t imagining things but when I opened my eyes and gaped at her, she was still there and this time she had gotten close to Leonardo.


    “What are you doing here, Emilia? We were searching for you.” That wasn’t the main issue. “Look, Emilia, Victoria and Scarlet are in trouble. We need to save them.”


    She grimaced the rolled her eyes, then nted her attention on my stepfather. “Hi, dad, has she signed the papers already?”


    Dad?