Chapter 20
TRIGGER WARNING: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND FOUL LANGUAGE.
READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.
"What are you doing here?"
Sam, as if it was his own house, sat down, with his feet up on the table and added,
"Aren't you going to order coffee for me? I'm a guest."
Axel glares in response. Sam gulps and taking his feet off the table sits properly. Clearing his throat, he adds,
"Actually, I'm here to ask for help."
"Is Aylin alright?"
"No."
"What!"
"No, I mean she is alright right now. But this is related to her. Can you sit down? Let's talk."
Axel sits down.
"First of all, I need to know something. I need to make sure. Do you truly love Aylin or are you just using her for revenge?"
"I love her. I don't want her to take any part in this rivalry."
"....I'll take your word it. I don't have time right now to make sure if what you are saying is true or not. But either way, what I am about to tell you is gonna help you so listen carefully. I'm sure you must have already sensed that things are not so as perfect between Aylin and her father as they seem. How much of that do you already know?"
"Just that her father is quite controlling."
"But do you know how he controls her?"
"What do you mean?"
"Have you ever thought of why Aylin has never once retaliated against her father? She's also a human being. She's bound to get exhausted one day or another and snap back, right? But she didn't. And it isn't because she loves him. It's because that man is holding her mother as a leverage. Ever since we were little, if she did anything of the sort that he did not like or when she refused to do something that he had ordered, he would tell her how disappointed he is in her and how he had so much expectations for her. Saying that, he would beat up her mother and tell Aylin that it was her fault that her mother is getting beaten up, if only she would've listened. Think about it. How would a child feel and would do in this situation except to obey that man just so their beloved mother, the only person in the household who cares for her would not get hurt? It's true the people including the servants don't treat her right. Even I never used to because we were all taught by that man that Aylin is just a doll that should do what it's told and thats about it."
"...What the hell...why won't Mrs. Abbott leave that man?!"
"She calls it love. But you know, just between you and me, that woman loves fame, money and all the perks that comes with being such a man's wife."
"...If only I knew beforehand, I could've helped her sooner."
"How could she tell you? You're her father's enemy. If you come to our house, you'll realise that ever since we were little, we were told to hate you because you are a bad person. Also, it's not like she never went to anyone for help. She went to her highschool friends, but they all thought she was just seeking attention and pretending to be 'normal'. And it's not like she never once retaliated against her father. She did. Back in middle school, she tried to kill herself because she thought if she didn't exist then her mother wouldn't have to go through all of this torture. Although, just recently she talked back to him. She wants her mother to run away with her because she believed you, her husband, is a nice man who will be able to protect and help them. And my question is, will you?"
"Of course! Is there even a question? The whole reason I got married so quickly was because I love her and I want to protect her."
"Then I suggest you should go sneak."
"What?"
"Go right now at their house. Without telling anyone you will go there. Sneak into the house from the backdoor. I know the people there. They will let you in. I want you to see what really goes in that house that everyone envies to have."
Axel gets up to leave,
"I have a question for you. Why did you tell me everything?"
"Because I recently found out that the man whom I looked up to turned out to be my parents' murderer and was even gonna kill me had it not been for saving face. I hate that person to the core now. And I feel guilty to Aylin for how I had acted towards her."
"Then get up. You're coming with me."
"No, I already quit last night. I'm not going there."
"You are. You are also going to confront that man."
"Do I even have the right to do that? I never met my parents."
"Then you can ask him that. Now, get up."
Axel drags Sam with him outside and all three head to the Abbott's mansion.
On the way there, Eric gets a call from someone. He says what in surprise and after ending the call, his face turns solemn.
"I don't know how to say this but we were tracking like you told us to and we connected some dots which leads us to think that perhaps Ma'am isn't her parents biological daughter."
"What?"
Axel suddenly hits the breaks.
"Woah, man. Are you trying to kill us?"
Ignoring Sam's remark, Axel in turns asks him,
"Is what he saying the truth?"
"Well the half truth. She is Brendon's daughter but her mother isn't her real mother. In fact, Aylin was born from an affair that Brendon had with some woman. I'm not sure who it was. But I've heard she was the only person Brendon truly loved and that she didn't love him and left him and Aylin to go abroad and married someone else. After that, Brendon has never been truly happy. Though I bet that shit head would never be truly happy. Aylin's current mother is Brendon's childhood friend. One who was and perhaps still is madly in love with Brendon since god knows when. She loves living a lavish lifestyle and being famous. Aylin doesn't know about all this. She looks at that woman as her own mother. She was barely 3 when Brendon married that woman. So she grew up with her."
Silence spread in the car. Axel grips the steering wheel tightly. He had no words to describe how he was feeling right now. He just wanted to meet Aylin as soon as possible.
Eric breaks the silence,
"I haven't interacted with Mrs. Brendon that much, but if you don't mind me asking, what kind of a person is she?"
Sam's expressions becomes flat. His eyes bore out the window into a past distance memory.
"...selfish."
This surprises both Axel and Eric.
"She has to endure so much suffering for Aylin, so how can she be selfish?"
"She doesn't endure it for Aylin, but for herself. She is practically living her dream life aside from the beatings. All I can say is that I can't help but doubt her motherly act."
"Did anything happen?"
"...maybe I'm overthinking this."
~~~
Meanwhile, last night Aylin had to go to her father's house because he had called her over to have a talk. Which basically means, he wanted a detailed report of all the things she could gather.
"I need you to find out what relation your husband has with Atlas Gray. Because you know how much it means to me to have that man over to my side. You got it?"
That is all what he nonstop said to her. All their talk was full of questions, lies, and secrets. She felt like a broken record repeating the same answers.
The next morning, her father again kept pestering her to make use of this opportunity of working at Axel's office to leak some documents. Their three spies will help her.
Seeing her same reaction, her father starts to get irked. He gets up and throws his glass on the floor.
"Are you even listening to me?!"
"Yes, I am."
"I don't know why but I feel like I can't trust you."
"What more should I do to make you trust me?"
"Get me a meeting with Atlas Gray."
"But Axel doesn't know him."
"He's a lying piece of shit. I bet those two are as thick as thieves."
"They aren't. Trust me."
"Then something needs to be done. He has been too quiet lately. I bet he is planning something. I don't want him to ruin my moment of announcing my candidacy for mayor. I need him to be busy. Think, Brendon, think...."
He frantically walks here and there while Aylin sits next to her mother who is busy drying her nails.
"Got it! I have got the perfect plan! This will get me more sympathetic votes and also get him busy and out of my way once and for all! This is perfect!"
He looks at Aylin and starts grinning at her creepily.
"....what is it?"
"You. File for a divorce."
"What!"
Aylin stands up in surprise. Her mother also stops blowing her nails to look at them.
"Yes and along with that file a case for how he would abuse you. And don't worry, your mother's makeup artist and my legal team will help form this case so perfectly that he won't even know what hit him."
"Dad! He isn't even doing something against you. Do we have to do this?"
"It's better to get rid of any future annoyance. Now, get ready. I'm going to call everyone."
"No."
"Huh? What did you just say?"
"I said no. I won't do this. I won't lie. Axel isn't like that. He would never raise his hand on a woman ever."
"Good for him but I dont give a crap about that. After you give sad interviews about this, I'm sure I will get a lot of people to vote for me."
"You're despicable!"
"Say that again?"
"What you're doing is wrong. Let's just stick with spying."
"Shut up. And go get ready. I haven't got time for your nonsense morality drama."
Brendon calls someone and raises his phone to his ear. Aylin, biting her lips, not knowing what to do, smacks his phone out of his hand. Since Brendon was standing next to the first floor railing which opened towards the ground floor hallway, his phone fell down. She knew she was now going to be in trouble but she couldn't sit still and watch Axel's reputation get ruined.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?!"
He storms closer to her, as she reflexively takes a few steps back until she is almost at the first step of the stairs. Behind her, there was nothing to provide her back support.
"Looks like you won't learn easily."
"Aylin! Go on your knees and apologise to your father now!"
Her mother, who had now come towards them, scolded her.
"You, shut up! If your words had an actual effect, she wouldn't be like this."
Brendon raises his hand to slap her mother but Aylin steps in and gets slapped instead.
"Enough father! I won't let you beat my mother or ruin my husband's image! Spying was one thing but this...."
"You piece of shit! Now you will tell me what is right and wrong? How dare you talk back to me and stop me?! Do you want to get hit that badly?"
He raises his hand to slap her again but Aylin stops his arm. Even though she had done so, her trembling fingers were proof of how you never judge a book by it's cover. She may seem like a courageous woman from outside right now, but in her mind, she was freaking out and scared.
Her father then uses his other hand to slap her other cheek. Swollen red cheek, Aylin turns her back on him and instead looks at her mother,
"Pack your bags, mom. We are leaving."
"Huh? Where the hell do you think you two are going?! You ain't taking a single step out of this house!"
Aylin turns and snaps back at her father,
"We will, just you watch. We won't live with a monster like you again! I am done. Being your daughter. Being a spy. I just want to be 'me'. All my life, I have just wanted to be myself!"
"You bitch. It's true they say that you can never deny your roots. You turn out to be just like your mother."
Upon this, Aylin subconsciously glances at her mother. Brendon notices this and replies,
"What are you looking at her for? I am talking about your birth mother. That woman isn't even your mother yet you so foolishly blindly care for her."
"....what..."
Aylin looks at her mother, who averts her gaze. With her shaking hands, widened eyes, Aylin inhales a sharp breath and adds,
"So what? It doesn't matter. I still call her mother. She raised me and she was there for me. Unlike you. So, I am taking her with me and leaving this hell."
"You ain't going nowhere!"
Brendon grabs her hair and she tries to free herself. In that fight, her foot slips and Aylin falls from the stairs.
Before she could fall completely, Axel catches her. Behind him, Sam was standing. Everyone was surprised to see each other.
Axel glares angrily at Brendon, who glares back,
"What the hell are you doing here? Who the hell let you in here?!"
Axel helps Aylin stand properly and they move away from the staircase. He observes her face, her disheveled hair, her red cheeks that look like they hurt.
Caressing her hair and face, he softly asks her,
"Are you okay?"
Aylin nods, looking down. She felt ashamed to even meet eyes with him. She doesn't know what he is doing here but when she sees Sam with him, she concludes that he must have brought him here. While she feels over the moon to see Axel, she also feels pathetic because she never wanted Axel to see this side of her.
"Hey you! I'm talking to you. Don't turn your back on me. What are you doing here?"
Axel stands protectively in front of Aylin, gritting his teeth, he replies,
"I am here to get my wife but what the hell is going on here?"
"None of your business. Now, step aside. I need to talk to my daughter. You can come get her some other time."
"She was your daughter, now she is my wife. I won't let anyone hurt her. Not even you. So, don't you even touch her."
He then caresses Aylin's hand and whispers,
"Lets go."
Aylin nods and then looks at her mother, once again pleading,
"Mom, please let's go."
"Oh god! Enough! Stop calling me that! I'm not your mom. What are you even?!"
Her mother remarked, making everyone's eyes go round.
"...are you talking to me?"
Aylin asked in disbelief
"Who else but you?"
She rolled her eyes and added,
"I showed you a tiny bit of pity and you continue to follow me like an abandoned dog. Girl, have you self worth. You just found out that I am not your real mother and still you want me to follow you? You are the reason I had to suffer all those years! You are the one who made my life miserable and you now have the nerve to tell me stories about running. God, I am exhausted from all the acting I had to do. I have had enough of this. Of you. Of everything. I just wanted to live a lavish, beautiful life. But no, you had to become attached to me. I tried to shake you off so many times yet you kept clinging to me. Annoying bitch."
Tears started rolling down from Aylin's face. She couldn't believe that the woman in front of her was the same woman whom she loved as her mother.
"You ruined my image so I had to save my face and show you pity. I guess its true once you feed a hungry person, they will literally become your pathetic slave."
"Enough!"
Axel gives Aylin's hand a squeeze and stops that woman from continuing to speak, but after a pause she looks at Brendon and adds,
"And you! We are done! I can't stand you anymore. I'm leaving!"
She turns around to leave but Brendon grabs her arm. He is about to hit her because his face was dyed beetroot due to anger. His bulging eyes felt like they would pop out.
But before he could hit, Aylin comes in the way. And before Aylin could get hit, Axel grabs his hand and stops him from doing so.
Emotions took control of Axel as he went a step further and punched Brendon hard.
"I warned you, don't touch her!"
Axel hisses as Brendon nearly falls to the floor. The shock got so much to him that for the first few minutes, he couldnt get hold of what happened to him.
Aylin's mother look at her with her eyes full of only one question. Even after all that she said, why did she save her?
But Aylin ignores her and grabs Axel's arm and squeezes his hand slightly. She whispers, weakly while sniffling,
"Let's go home....please...."
Axel nods and they both them leave.
Brendon was about to follow them when Sam came in his way.
"Get out of the way, Sam!"
"We need to do some talking, Mr. Murderer."
So so so?? How do you guys like the chapter? What do you think about the mother? Did you know she was like this? And what about Sam? What do you think will happen next? Keep reading to find out more! 🤩
Hope you enjoyed reading! ♥️🫶🏻