BLEACHED

127: The judgement

The breeze was soft, slightly warm but it felt nice as it crawled into the room and glazed Domen's skin as his eyes remain fixed on his sleeping girlfriend.

He isn't smiling though.

It feels as though all that's happened is because he's not doing his part in protecting them both.

He felt he needed to have taken her to a peaceful place, away from all the things going on.

But even he couldn't keep her away from his grandmother's watchful gaze.

A blue light suddenly flashes into the room, getting him to flinch only a bit when it flashes right where the gap between the curtains is.

He sits up as yet another light flashes into the room, red this time.

Each flash growing brighter by the second.

He glances to the window as the clear flash of colors instantly tell him what's going on.

Despite the lack of sirens, he can tell something is going on just behind those walls.

His room has always faced the front of the mansion of his parents. Simply because he liked the view as a child.

So everything that happens in the front of the house usually catches his attention first before anyone else.

Getting up from the bed, Domen walks towards the window without his slippers and instantly draws the curtains aside.

The sun is just starting to rise, as slow as it can, so there isn't any sunlight to blind anyone present in the room.

Dropping his gaze down to the ground beneath the window, he notices nearly three police cars, all with beaming lights as they park parallel to the parking lot with their lights flashing brighter now that he's staring directly into them.

He instantly spots his father talking to what seems to be the bigger authority of the police men there, dressed in casual clothes with just a black jacket to show a little decency with a badge peeping from inside the front pocket.

Is he... Getting her arrested?

"Domen... What are you doing?... The... The lights..." Lavender groans as she turns away from the window and draws the blanket over her head.

Domen watches her for a moment, glad she is falling back to sleep before rushing to his side of the bed and slipping his slippers on, ready to venture out the door.

"IS THIS HOW HE'D TREAT HIS OWN MOTHER!?!!!" Penelope's voice thunders into the corridor, getting Lavender to sit up in an instant and look around with wide horrid eyes. "SHAMELESS! BASTARD! IDIOT!"

"What on earth is going on?" Lavender whispers towards Domen who is still standing by the bed, staring towards the door as though he could see through it. "What... Are those police lights?"

"I think so." Domen sighs and glances down at Lavender with a small assuring smile. "I think it'd be best if you stayed in this room. Okay?"

Lavender frowns slightly but knows it's only for the best. It's for the health of her and the child.

Staying away from it all would be the best option.

"I'll be back soon-." Domen is cut short when the door to his room opens with a loud bang. Beating back against the walls and scrapping off a bit of the paint where the handle bruised the wall.

Penelope emerged into the room, eyes bloodshot and nearly squeezed shut by her enraged eyebrows.

Her eyes scan the entirely of the room and land right onto Lavender who freezes under her venomous gaze.

"YOU!" She hisses and stomps over to Lavender who crawls back and meet the headboard as Domen rushes over to her side, standing between her and his grandmother. "It was you wasn't it!? You're the one that told him to do this!"

"I didn't!" Lavender shakes her head in denial as Domen furrows his brows at his grandmother.

"How would she have influenced my father? They don't even talk." Domen explains as Penelope grits her teeth while standing at the foot of the bed. "You're blaming the wrong person."

"LIES!" She hisses and grabs a fist full of the blanket. "She was the one that talked to me earlier this morning as though she was talking to a child. Speaking nonsense about my family going against me! She's obviously the one that planned everything before she became pregnant! How do you know she's not only using you to claim the Southren name!"

"Grandma... She's not like that!" Domen hisses as he clenches his fists.  "She's in love me the same way I am -."

"You are only a child, Domen. You don't know love. It doesn't exist. In this world it's give or take and I chose to take in order to give you a life worth living and yet you and your idiot father turn against me for what!? A stupid woman who used to be a nobody!? AFTER ALL I HAD DONE FOR YOU FOOLS, THIS IS HOW YOU TREAT ME!? LIKE A CRIMINAL!?"

Domen clenches his jaw as he widens his eyes at his grandmother whose eyes are staring to glisten with tears.

They aren't pouring out, but he can't mistaken them for anything else.

Domen can see it, she's not just angry... She's hurt.

"It's only because you're putting the people we love at risk... You're the one we're afraid of... If you promised to change-."

"Change what!?" Penelope glares deeply into Domen's eyes. "You think this is a game? Your company is only successful now because I had to pull some strings to make it easy for you to start your business. The reason you're successful is because of me... All the sacrifices I had to make were for you and your father... Yet... You treat me this way."

Lavender frowns as she drops her gaze down to Domen's back instead, knowing she must feel some betrayal from the people she devoted her life to.

But she was wrong.... She did it the wrong way... She deserves punishment... Right? Lavender thinks as she clenched onto the blanket. ... Right?... So why do I feel... Guilty?

"I..." Domen trails off when he runs out of things to say. Dropping his gaze to the ground. "You did it in the wrong way... You wanted my brother dead. And now you're a threat to Lavender and my unborn son."

"All of it was for you." She sighs as she runs a hand through her hair as the deep voices of countless men can be heard from within the corridor, getting louder and louder. "I'll be punished for wanting the best. Just because of a woman who could leave you if everything of yours came crushing down. Without me you might lose your companies, your status, your image. All for what? Love? If you so desire it, along with your father, I hope you regret the choice you're making."

Heather is the first to step into the room and quickly rushes past Penelope and walks over to Lavender, grabbing her shoulders and checking her with her eyes, assessing to see if Penelope laid a hand on her.

Fortunately, she didn't.

"It's over, Penelope." Heather says as she turns her gaze towards the old woman who rolls her eyes at Heather. "Your sins will be judged."

"I've always hated you." Penelope hisses as Desmond and the three men he is with nearly pass by the room but spots Penelope there, getting then to also walk into the room. "If it weren't for your looks and status, I'd never have thought of you as my son's wife. You've always tried to brainwash Desmond and failed. Now you've brought Lavender to control your own son into going against me."

"No, Penelope, you brought this on yourself. It was sooner or later, your time was only ticking." Heather nearly smirks as Desmond stands beside his mother and sighs, staring at his mother who shifts her gaze from Heather to him.

"I'm sorry I had to do this. But I have to choose my children, mother. I hope you understand." Desmond explains as he glances behind Penelope and gestures to one of the men to proceed. "It's time for you to take responsibility of your actions."