"A mother's greatest masterpiece is her children."
~ Unknown
...♛...
I wake up to a lightly painted ceiling and the constant beeping of a machine. Lifting my right hand, I pull the oxygen mask off of me.
Helping myself up, as soon as I crane my neck, a string of pain travels from my collarbone down to my left arm. Leaning on the elbow of my left arm, I stay in that position until the pain subsides.
Without much movement, my eyes travel around the area and I remember this as the hospital room in my house. In a slow and steady pace, I move up and sit on the bed.
I pull out the wires connected to me and one of the machines starts to make a loud and annoying sound. I cover my ears in panic and hope for the sound to go away. A few seconds later, it simmers down.
The pain in my body slows me down, but I climb off the bed and suck in a sharp breath.
Come on, Summer.
Exhaling, I walk over to the cupboard and look for clothes. As soon as I find a pair of sweats and an extra large t-shirt, I grab it and head to the bathroom.
Changing, I realize that these clothes are probably one of my brother's. They're way too big on me, but since I like wearing big clothes, they suit me pretty well.
When I look myself in the mirror, I look at all the bandages covering my body.
Thanks, Dean.
I roll my eyes, but what was I expecting? To return home and have them throw me a welcome home party? Hell no. I'd be stupid if I thought that would ever happen. I'm actually very lucky that I'm still alive.
Once I clean up a bit, I head out. Instead of walking like a normal human being, I tend to walk by lifting my hip and then my leg.
As I walk through the hospital wing, I pop my head into every room hoping that Kai and Alec might be in one of them. If not in one of the hospital rooms, I hope that they're somewhere else besides the basement.
When I don't find them in any of the rooms, I decide that it's better to check in the basement than refuse to believe the worse. Making my way through the house, I wanna think of all the memories linked to this place, but my mind runs away from any sort of thoughts related to that.
I think that I'm scared that the time here won't last as long as I want it to. I'm afraid that it'll all be ripped away and I don't want to feel the pain when it is.
It takes me longer than I'd like, for me to reach the basement. Taking small steps, I grow impatient and mentally curse at myself. As I approach the stairs descending down, I hold onto the railing and go down.
There's guards stationed on each floor, but I guess they know who I am, so I'm not stopped or even questioned about where I'm headed or what my intentions are.
My feet land on the main floor and I take a deep breath preparing myself for the next flight of stairs to go down to the basement.
This fucking house needs an elevator.
Halfway down the stairs leading to the basement, I start hearing loud groans.
Oh fuck no.
I fasten my pace and jump down on the floor. I immediately regret jumping and it takes me a minute to start walking again. I walk as fast as I can to the main room.
In the middle, I see Kai. His hands tied above him, his toes hardly meet the surface of the ground. I can't get a full view of his body with Vincent disturbing my view, but I can tell that he's shirtless because his shoulder are bare.
Vincent, on the other hand, has a white shirt on and a belt in his right hand. I watch the white shirt dip into his back as his arm winds back and a dimple forms. In a quick motion, I hear the whip of the lash and then a helpless groan out of Kai's mouth.
"Vincent!" I yell. "Stop!"
Ignoring my plead, he takes another swing with the belt.
"Vincent!" As soon as I reach him, I push him away using all my force.
A gasp escapes my lips as I see Kai's body.
"Kai?" my fingers touch his wounds, but he winces and I pull my hand back. "Can you hear me? It's Summer, Kai."
I see his eyelids fidget, but since they're swollen, he can't open them.
"Get out of the way," I hear Vince's heavy voice trying to dominate me. I turn around and face him.
His shirt covered with Kai's blood and sweat, I look up at his face. He holds no regret, just rage in the waves of his irises.
"Kai isn't yours to toy around with," I tell him.
"So then who's is he?" Vince questions taking a step forward. My eyes fall down to the belt still in his hands before I cautiously answer.
"He's no one's property. Get away from him," I warn using my inside voice. Yelling will only rile him up and I don't want to risk getting whipped by the belt in his hand.
"Or what?" Vincent closes the distance to only inches.
I hold myself back from shaking under his gaze and keep a firm hold of my stance.
"Vincent, get away from me or I will kill you."
"Kill me, huh?" Vincent backs away and flashes a sinister smile. "Have you forgotten? I've taught you everything you know."
"Vince," I warn.
"You're not my sister," Vincent grits. Before I can react his hand wraps around my throat.
"V -Vi -ince," I choke and try to loosen his grip.
"You should've died three years ago," he threatens. His eyes darken with more rage and I feel helpless. The fingers around my throat aren't teasing, but suffocating me in a manner that I can't even get a bit of air through to my lungs.
My eyes find his left hand holding a knife.
"V -ince, n-no!"
I close my eyes preparing for the pain, but instead, I feel the grip around my throat disappear. I fall onto the ground and start to cough out my lungs.
I claw at my own neck as it feels like the hands are still around me. When I find nothing, I massage my neck as I breathe heavily. I see the knife on the ground and then hear a loud slap echo in the room. Lifting my head, I see Vincent doubled over to the right.
"I should've done that a long time ago," I hear my father spit. "Get out."
Without any defiance, Vincent walks out.
"What are you looking at? Help him down!" my father instructs his men.
"Summer?" he kneels down.
"Don't," I move back when he tries to see the marks on my throat. His hand lingers in the air. It encloses in a fist before he pulls his hand back and sighs heavily.
"Dean, help your sister back to her room," he orders while getting up.
"No," I hold out my hand out preventing Dean from getting any closer.
"I'm fine on my own," I get up onto my feet and dust off my pants. I can't stand tall like I usually do, but I'm still able to stand and for me, that's good enough to not ask for anyones' help.
I watch as men help Kai out of the room.
"I'm sure they're taking him to the hospital wing?"
"They are," my father assures.
"Good," I respond. "Now, if you don't mind, I have to go check on my other friend."
"I think you mean friends," Dean corrects halting me in my track. It's not like I got far, but it was a lot considering the amount of pain I'm feeling. "We caught your other friend trying to sneak into the house. Quite a fighter if I say so myself."
I turn around and put on a sarcastic smile.
"Get them out of the basement and into the hospital wing before I decide that leaving is the best option I have."
"If you think you have an option, then you're wrong."
"If I didn't have a choice, my bedroom door would've been locked."
I step back and take in his all black outfit.
"It's a shame you changed, my blood looked good on you," I tease humourlessly. His jaw clenches at my comment causing me to laugh.
Since Dean's too angry to reply, I don't waste anymore of my time and head to the rest of the rooms to find Cole and Alec.
...♛...
It's been seventy-eight hours since Kai was seen by the doctor. His wounds were stitched up, but the doctor said that he's suffering through severe trauma due to a head injury he had gotten when he was a child.
He hasn't woken up since. I sit here, next to him everyday, and wait for him to wake up. My hope falters, but I don't let it die out.
I even talk to him as the doctor suggested, but nothing has worked. As my eyes take in his limb body, my inner guilt increases.
I've never seen him so pale before. His tan is gone and replaced with a ghostly shade of white. His veins bright and more persistent than before, I take his hand and enclose it with mine. I shiver under his cold temperature, but I decide that I'll let my hold give him heat.
"I'm so sorry, Kai. I'm so so so sorry. I never wanted this to happen. I know you think that I did this with some motivation to hurt you and maybe a part of it was, but I never wanted it to get this far. I just wanted to hurt Nick. I was selfish - I am still selfish, but I hope you can forgive me. I know that this feeling we both carry inside of us will destroy us, it's inevitable. But I hope that you will understand why I did it. You need to understand, Kai. You need to, because you're the only one who will," I bring his hand up to my lips and kiss the back of it.
I hear someone clear their throat. The sound coming from the door, I wipe away my tears before standing up and looking at who it is.
"Father wanted me to tell you that your room has been cleaned out, he said that you can sleep there if you please to do so," Dean speaks in a formal tone.
"I'm fine staying here just as long as Kai regains consciousness, but even then, I'll stay in one of the guest bedrooms," I make known. Dean nods in response. His eyes keep moving around, avoiding my gaze. "And next time, don't be so formal with me. I'm your sister and the girl you almost killed. Don't show me your regret, show me that the redemption is true."
"Summer, I-"
"Not today though," I cut him off. His lips seal and he nods understanding. As he walks out, I add, "I'll make dinner for Alec, Cole and I tonight, so don't bother sending up food."
My wounds have been healing nicely and surprisingly fast, so I've been able to walk around easily since yesterday and I plan on taking full advantage of that.
...♛...
Standing in the kitchen, I stir the vegetables while humming along with The Weeknd's new song Starboy.
"I didn't know Xavier got a new cook," my head snaps to the door where a bunch of men walk in. From the top of my head, I name each of them as they walk in.
Felix, Lane, Calliste, Graham and Anthony.
All of them take a seat at the small dining table except for Lane who walks in and stands across from me. His eyes take in my appearance and linger longer at my breasts.
"Up here, buddy," I tell him. Probably baffled at how a servant talked to him like I did, his thick brows furrow.
"I wonder where he picked you up from," he comments as he walks to the edge and around towards me. I feel his breath on my shoulder before he walks around turning on the tap for some water.
"Can you pass us some drinks," Calliste is the one with the request.
"Not your servant, Calliste," I roll my eyes as I reply. I turn off the gas to the rice and transfer them into a bigger bowl.
"If you're not the servant, then you must be one of Dean's one nights," Felix comes to a conclusion.
My lips part to correct him, but Lane butts in, "Whoever you are, we're hungry and you're cooking."
"God, you pigs. Your food is out on the main dining table, this is for me and my friends and I'm not Dean's fucking one night stand, I'm his sister!"
"Dean's sister, ha," Lane laughs taking a spoon full of my rice. "Wai- wha?"
"Anthony?"
Everyone turns their attention towards him as they come to a conclusion in their minds.
Anthony gets up and looks at me. His six foot four figure covered with a maroon suit, he buttons up his coat. As he stares at me, my eyebrows rise.
"My sister died two years ago," he speaks.
"No, I'm standing right here," I bob my head. "I guess no one told you. I was actually wondering why I haven't seen you yet."
"Wait, what? Summer's dead," he words.
"Denial, huh? Didn't serve me so nicely," I show him the bandages on my stomach.
His eyes open wide and his mouth drops open.
"What?" he seems lost as he turns around and ruffles the hair on his head. "Am I drunk? Did someone put something in my drink tonight?"
"No one put anything in your drink, Anthony. We all hear what she's saying," Graham says.
"Wait so... what's happening?"
"Why don't you sort it out with father first, I'm sure he'll enjoy telling you how I came here and ended up with these lovely stitches," I grab the big tray that holds all my food. "By the way, your reaction has been the best by far. Vince and Dean almost killed me."
"What!"
"And that is my cue to leave, vale!"
With that, I take my tray heading out and up to the hospital wing.
"I brought dinner!" I announce as I enter Cole and Alec's room. Since both of them are conscious, I got them put into the same room so they can keep each other company.
"Oh my god, please tell me it's homemade!"
"By yours truly," I smile as I put some food into two plates and hand them both one. I sit down on a stool and watch them devour their food.
"Did you talk to Dakota and Amelia?" I question Alec.
"Yes, I did. I told them about everything that happened and they're going to come down in a couple of days," he acknowledges.
"Well, the more the merrier," I laugh. "How are you guys feeling by the way?"
"Nothing we're not use to," Cole answers. "What about Kai?"
"He hasn't woken up since," I tell them. "The doctor's coming to check on him tomorrow."
"That's good, he'll be fine," Alec says in an effort to lighten my tension.
"I'm sure he will," I smile.
"So, I know we're mad at you and all, but I have to ask: how are you?" Cole questions sincerely.
I clear my throat and think for a second about what to say. Not really coming to a consensus with myself, I speak out of the top of my head.
"I just returned home after two years of letting my family believe I was dead and was almost killed by two of my brothers. The guy that I potentially wanted a relationship with hates me because I took his son away from him, lied to him about my whole existence and to top it all off, my oldest brother used him as a fucking punching bag. I'm devoured in guilt and full of resentment for the person I am, so thanks for asking Cole, I'm feeling just fine."
Alec clears his throat.
"Glad to see you're doing good."
"I'm surprised actually," I get up from the stool. "I'm gonna go and take a walk."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I could use some fresh air," I tell them before heading out. I don't wander around much and take the path down to the backyard.
Once I'm outside, I walk to the end of the lawn and into the small forest. I jump over a small stream towards my mother's headstone. When I see a second headstone next to hers, I walk closer to it and read off the writing.
In memory of a beautiful human being, Summer White.
I shake my head and ignore the stone.
"Hey mom," I take a seat right in front of her stone. I look at the flowers lying on both mine and mom's stones.
Dad must have visited on the fourteenth.
"I think I should start by apologizing for not visiting you for two years, I'm sorry," I clear my throat as I feel words get caught in my throat. "Has much changed around here? I've changed a lot. How do you like the blonde hair? I think the blue eyes are my favourite or maybe the scars, but I couldn't possibly choose one. There's just too many," I laugh.
"Uh- I should tell you about Alice. She was my sister. I don't know where she is now. I kind of ruined her life, but hey, at least that's not new. She was a great person though. Always kept me in check and helped me through my emotions. Her parents – no sorry, actually they were my parents too, but they were murdered. Again, because of me. I'm sure you've met them up there and thanked them or something. They were great to me, you know? Better than Vince, was. Dad tried of course, but work always came first. Micheal and Melissa cared and taught me a lot about what it means to be a part of a family."
I clear my throat again.
"Nick uh- let's not even talk about him. I'm sure you've seen it all. Let's talk about Kai. He – he's something alright. I could describe him in many words, but the way he makes me feel is something I just can't put together and it terrifies me to say that out loud. It drives me crazy knowing that his feelings, his words and his actions mean so much to me and effect me in ways I don't want them to. He's breaking every wall I've ever put up without even trying to."
"And the point of me telling you all of this, is to tell you that I wish you were here. There hasn't been a single day in the past where I haven't thought about you. I think about you everyday and wonder how life would be for everyone else if I was never born. Don't get me wrong, I'm not disrespecting your decision to choose my life over yours, but maybe knowing why you did, would help me fight better or even sleep at night. I know you probably had your reasons and maybe that's why I've made it this far, but sometimes I just wish you were here to guide me through it."
"All these men around me, it's tiring. I don't know how to deal with them. I can't deal with Nick, Kai, Vince, Ant, Dean, father or even any guy that has ever set foot in my life. I just want to be normal, mom. Go to school and worry about who my date to prom will be instead of worrying about when I'll be attacked next. I want normal injuries that people get from papers, playing sports or slipping at work for not wearing non-slip shoes. I don't want these stupid gunshot wounds, knife scars and toxic chemical poisoning because someone is trying to kill me. I want you here so that I don't have to celebrate my next birthday while knowing that it is the same day you died. I just want you here, so that I can put my head in your lap and hear you say that everything will be okay."
"Look at me mom, I'm a fucking mess," I say as I wipe my tears away. "I'm sorry, you're probably so disappointed in me."
I get up and look at her tombstone.
"I've never met you, but I've never missed anyone as much as I miss you every single day. I'm standing on the ground that people say is my home, but every time I enter that house, it feels far from it. I love you mom and I wish you were here," I take the back of my sleeve and wipe away the tears. Sighing heavily, I turn around to go back inside the house.
A/N:
Ivy: Remember when I said in chapter 20 there's only 11 chapters left? Well, that was the biggest lie of my life😭. So now I'm planning to finish this book by the end of March (before March if I can).