82 | In Red Underlined
I fucking knew it.
Time seemed to have stopped. A stillness, so delicate but devastating coated our surrounding and I selfishly couldn't wait for it to just snap.
I didn't like hurting Vittoria like this but this was the only way I'd get Camila's real face out. I still don't know why Vittoria was trying to hide Camila's sins.
"You're lying. She's lying." Camila screamed, tugging on her red curls. "She's in trauma. She doesn't know what she's speaking."
"Cut the crap, Camila. Don't you see you're busted." Liam scowled, barely being able to contain his anger.
I honestly didn't know what I was going to do to her. I was afraid I'd cross all my boundaries and I won't be able to stop myself even if I wanted to.
"What is she saying, Camila?" Rafael asked, his voice nothing more than a whisper. Even he was too shaken by the revelation.
But I was more worried about Oliver.
"I reached the secret hallway and saw a man pointing a gun at her. She had run out of bullets. I shot him. I saved her life and not the other way around. Turns out that was the greatest mistake of my life." Vittoria explained.
"And Travis saw all of it and so she shot him to keep it a secret." Liam stated, continuing his theory which was precisely the truth.
A disbelieving gasp tumbled from Toby's lips. The truth hurt him physically. He winced, clutching his stomach which must hurt due to his sharp gasp.
"Is that the truth, Camila?" Oliver asked with a deceiving calm.
I was dreading this moment. He was going to be hurt the most.
Poisonous green eyes began pooling with unshed tears. A raw terror surfaced which was evident on her face.
Her game had come to an end.
"I asked you something, Camila." He repeated, his knuckles going white with the amount of pressure on his fists and body shaking with anger.
She blinked rigorously and shut her eyes tightly. I knew what was going to happen ahead. I had witnessed this routine way too many times. Now when she'd open her eyes, all the vulnerability will be gone and there will be pure darkness.
And it was gone.
But instead of the darkness, I saw red. A bright burning red.
"Yes I did. I shot Vittoria. I wanted her dead-"
She never got a chance to complete her confession as Rafael shoved her into the wall, beating me to it. His hand curled around her throat and his dark grey eyes hooded with a procellous tempest which carried a determined will to end her life. She struggled fiercely but there was no way she could overpower him.
"If you think you'll get away with this, you're so fucking wrong." He spat, increasing the pressure over her throat.
I couldn't help but notice the amount of hurt lancing through Oliver's eyes which passed on to Alli but there was nothing she could do. He'd have to face the bitter truth. That was the only way through this. We all knew what was going to happen to Camila now and he'd have to see it all.
He'd have to see her die.
Much to our surprise, Rafael let her go. Her chest heaved up and down heavily as she gasped for breath. Her condition was pitiable.
But no one pitied her. Not even Jake, this time.
"Why?" Rafael demanded, not giving her enough time to recover.
Turned out she didn't need any. Supporting herself against a wooden cabinet, she took one short breath and the wicked Camila was back.
"It's because of her." She sneered, pointing her manicured finger at Vittoria.
"Oh please, Camila." Rafael scowled. "I was clear with my intentions. I stated it in more than clear terms that I will never be able to love you."
She scoffed.
That's right. She freaking scoffed.
"I'm sorry but it was no longer about you, Rafael. It was about him." She screamed like a madwoman and this time I was at the receiving end of her finger.
Me? Really? Me!
Once again Rafael, Oliver and Toby were the only one to expel a reaction. Well...and me.
Others seemed to know it way before. The idea itself made me want to throw up.
"I'm sorry what?" Oliver did a double take.
"She's apparently in love with Mason." Alli rolled her eyes.
Enraged emerald eyes snapped to her. "You of all people shouldn't be making fun of my feelings."
"Feelings?" Alli laughed. "I'm sorry, but trashcans with a fake botoxed face don't have fucking feelings."
You tell her Alli. I feel so creeped out by Camila when she says things like that. I mean eek!
"That still doesn't explain why you tried to kill Vittoria." Toby spat, eyeing her disgustingly.
"She was the reason he hated me." She yelled, frustrated.
"Oh trust me bitch, you are enough to have people hate your guts. You really don't need my honorary services for that." Vittoria said nonchalantly which aggravated her even more.
She dropped to the couch, thrusting her head in her hands, doing something like trying to gain our sympathy by fake crying.
"Why is it so difficult to believe that I love you, Mase?"
"For the hundredth time, Camila. I don't. I'm sorry but I don't love you and I never will. Stop using it as an excuse to go on with your ulterior motives."
"And you stop insulting my love." She shouted, springing up to her feet. Her hands fisted my shirt and she looked up at me, literally begging me to believe her.
I couldn't. I just couldn't.
"You asked me to call off the wedding if I really loved you and I did." She sobbed, her hold on me tightening. "I was ready to be defeated by the person I hated the most. For you. Seeing her hurt caused a million wounds to you and I couldn't see that."
Everyone was stunned. And so was I.
Stunned, but not convinced.
"So you thought killing my sister would make me happy. Makes sense." I shoved her away, calculating how long I'd have to shower to get her puke inducing touch off my skin.
"I was angry alright. I wasn't thinking. I did what you asked me to, hoping to gain your respect but what did I get in return? Your punch. You wouldn't hate me if it wasn't for her." She kicked the couch in aggression.
I was so fucking done with this fake bitch. I casted a rather impatient glare at Rafael, silently asking him to do the needful. He understood my discreet request and the Leader was back in action.
"That's enough of talking." He said like it was no big deal, trapping her wrists back in handcuffs before she could even know it.
My stomach churned at the sight. My heart beat went for a toss when a poisonous quietude fell over the entire mansion as he pushed Camila down on her knees, green eyes blankly looking up at me.
I was about to break into tears. But not for her. I would give the entire city a pizza treat at her funeral.
It was Oliver that my heart hurt for. No matter what, Camila was his sister. She grew up with him. And I knew he loved both his sisters equally. Being a brother I could understand how unbearably painful it must be for him regardless of what kind of a person Camila was.
"Oliver." Rafael said, guilt dripping from his words even though he knew he didn't have a reason to feel so. "Please go away from here. I can't do this in front of you." He begged, his gun almost slipping away from his shaking hands.
He simply stared at her, feeling defeated. Alli was in tears already and Vittoria joined her shortly, shaking her head with her eyes pitched down to the floor. She couldn't muster the courage to look at him.
"Do it. I'm not going anywhere." He affirmed.
"Oliver please." Alli cried harder, his pain passing on to her in a multiplied form.
"She's not my sister anymore." He spat with so much hatred.
"I never felt like I was your sister, Oliver." Camila replied heartlessly. "Ever since mom mentioned this Ava, you had only one sister. Her." She jutted her chin out towards Vittoria. "She had taken my people away from me even when she wasn't there. And you all have the nerve to call me poison."
Rafael's grip on his gun became tighter. His jaw ticked as he pressed the gun to her head. "I don't know if it's funny or pitiful that you didn't realize how lucky you were to have a brother like him. But then again, you don't deserve his love."
"Fuck off, Rafael." She sneered.
He ignored her comment. "And don't even dare say Chelsea's name from your rotten mouth. You're hundred percent Raymond. Don't insult her by calling yourself her daughter. You see her over there?" He nodded at Vittoria. "She is Oliver's sister and she is Chelsea's daughter. You're a mere disgrace."
I couldn't help but think how foolish she was to destroy everything she had. Had she been a good person, she'd be the luckiest of all.
But universe had it's own justice. You only get what you deserve.
Toby closed his eyes, tears rolling down his cheeks as he did so. For them, Camila was their sister and she was getting killed before their eyes. Liam was trying hard not to break down but I'm sure at some point he'd eventually give in.
Rafael took a deep breath, staring down at her with brooding eyes. There was no remorse. There was only anger. A lot of it.
"Camila Rivera, you have infracted the rule of being faithful and loyal to your people. Attempting to kill your own people is seen as betrayal."
Vittoria sucked in a breath. She couldn't believe it was really happening.
"You have broken the Esztar Code. And betrayal leads to death."
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be conflicted about her death. I wanted her gone, that's for sure but at the same time my heart shattered whenever I thought about Oliver.
"Is there anything you want to say?" Rafael asked dryly.
She smiled and looked at me. "The last thing I would ever want to say before I die is that I love you, Mason."
I was speechless. It was slowly getting to me. Maybe she wasn't lying. Why would she say that out of everything. I sure didn't love her but I couldn't deny my own confession about her being the first person to understand me completely.
We had a conversation on the garden bench which replayed in my head. It was the one where she told me to relax for a while and give some time to myself which I deserved. She was the first one to notice how exhausted I was with my life but at the same time she also knew I would keep doing it, keep giving in my everything to protect the people I loved.
Camila could be a friend as good as Alli. But she chose to be the villain.
"But I won't say that just yet, dear Leader." Her rarely seen innocent smile soon contorted into a smirk, pulling me out of my thoughts. Green eyes snapped at Rafael as if she was mocking him. "You won't kill me, Rafael." She challanged.
"Bold of you to assume that when you've tried taking my Vittoria away from me." He unlocked his gun but it had no effect on her. It didn't scare her one bit.
"Tsk tsk." She rolled her eyes before throwing Vittoria an annoyed look. "You all have spoilt her so much, really. Not everything is about her, Rafael. You won't kill me because you're weak. You don't have the courage to kill an innocent girl."
"You're anything but innocent."
She laughed like a maniac, tipping her head back. She looked pure evil. It was crazy how she switched to being the powerful villain from a helpless girl who was going to get executed.
"Quite funnily, not everything is about me either." Her lips curled up into a lopsided grin, craning her head to the side, her darkness growing at the sight of a guard running frantically inside.
"Surprise, surprise." She mocked all of us, watching us blow back in shock mixed with fear at the guest before us who just entered through their door.
"Put that gun away, Mr Grayson." The man ordered.
Rafael obeyed at once.
Twist twist twist. Enjoy, dear readers!