Morozov

Chapter 52

I made my way to my room, leaving Archie and Jack behind with confused looks on their faces.

I hopped into the shower and let the water flow over my face. It felt like it washed all my worries down the drain with it.

When I got out I threw on some brown gym leggings with a crop top and one of Ace's zippers on top that I closed halfway.

Then I put on some perfume and cleaned Ace's room and changed the bedsheets to have it ready for him once he wakes up.

I was sitting on Ace's bed later that day when I got thirsty so I made my way down to the kitchen.

"Arch do you want a drink as we-" I looked around the living room and kitchen confused but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Archie? Jack?" I shouted but no one answered. "ARCHIEEE for fucks- WHERE ARE YOU?" They didn't even tell me they'd leave.

"Mallory?" I suddenly heard Lucía's voice from the stairs before her footsteps approached me so I turned to face her.

"Do you know where Archie went?" I asked but she just shook her head no. "Jack?" I asked again, desperate she knows something about him but she shook her head again.

I sighed in despair. "You can come out now" I yelled into the house as I turned around, tilting my head up and looking nowhere in particular.

"For god's sake why are you screaming?" Mr. Rodrigues suddenly stormed out of his office on the upper floor and rushed down.

I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. It was as if my words got stuck in my throat. I knew that Mr. Rodrigues blamed me for what happened.

"That's what I thought" he hissed through gritted teeth before he turned around to leave. I scoffed causing him to turn around and charge at me. His hand met my throat and pressed me against the wall behind me painfully.

My lower back slammed against the edge of a small desk standing for decoration which resulted in the porcelain vase that was sitting on it to fall and shatter loudly, swallowing my wince of pain.

"What was that?" he asked with a raised brow, turning his head to the side so that his ear was in front of my mouth.

"I-" I tried to breathe in but nothing reached my lungs as I stood on tip toes, trying to separate his hand from my throat.

"Maybe Ace let Nadia shoot him on purpose hoping he would die instead of standing you one second longer" he hissed at me, the words 'standing you' left his mouth extra gritty as his hate-filled gaze bored into my eyes.

He let go of me and I inhaled deeply as I supported myself on my knees, trying to blend out the stinging pain in my sore throat.

I heaved for air as I whispered something under my breath. "As if you care."

Lucía shot me a shocked look and it was at this moment that I realized how stupid that was.

The furious man immediately turned in his tracks and grabbed me by my hair while kneeling down to level our faces. He then pulled my head back to look at him.

"You unworthy peace of filth. No wonder your father got sick having to stand a disappointment like you half of his life" he spat and I got even angrier at him by the mention of my father. He reminded me of him more than I liked to admit it.

"Ace was right" I weaved angrily earning his glare. "You are exactly the same dumb, insecure idiot just like my father. You're weak for letting out your anger on your children and wife. You traumatized your family because of the anger and hatred you feel for yourself. Because deep down you know that everything Ace achieved, you wanted to achieve it originally."