Present Day
" Are you sure you are not insane ?!" I shouted. " The police had concluded that my brother was dead !"
" The police are a bunch of good-for-nothing lowlives who - -". Aiden stopped mid-sentence on noticing the police officer standing some distance away. However, the guy merely looked terrified, instead of offended at Aiden's outburst.
" Your brother's body was never found. " Aiden hissed at me.
" The police had concluded that it may have been washed away by the river. It was a miracle that Arriana's body was even found considering how fast that river flows. "
" Don't take my sister's name from your filthy mouth !" Aiden growled at me. All signs of his gentlemanly ways were gone to reveal the beast within.
" You keep forcing me to mention her name you psychopathic scumbag !" I cried just as ferociously.
" Call her Ms. Victor !"
" Her name was changed to Mrs.Summers before she died. Are you sure you didn't hit your head on something when you were coming here ?!"
" You don't want to cooperate with me, then. Fine. Don't. Your mother would probably need money to bail you out. Money she doesn't have. Unless your brother comes to the rescue. " He sneered.
"I am already keeping an eye on your family's activities. Wherever they arrange the money from, no matter how clever they are about it, I will know. Your brother will be found eventually." He moved to exit the room. I breathed a sigh of relief but he turned back again.
" Oh and keep one thing in mind. Your brother will be found either way. But if you don't tell me his location I will hold you just as responsible for my sister's death. After what I will put you through, you will wish you were dead."
But I already wish I were dead, I thought as I watched him leave. He turned to the meek police officer and I saw him reach into his wallet. He produced what looked like a lot of money and gave it to the sycophant.
"You know bribery is illegal". I shouted.
" Like anyone in this country cares," Aiden smirked in my direction.
" Take care of my precious cargo for me. You know the drill." He told the officer. His words sent a chill down my spine. What did he mean by that?
" If she's willing to talk let me know." And with this, he left.
I soon realized what he said to the officer meant. It was hours and I hadn't been given any food. I had too much pride to ask these assholes for a meal. But I could feel hunger gnawing at my stomach.
"Aren't you people supposed to give me something to eat?"I tried to make my voice sound intimidating, though I probably gave the impression of a scared kitten. The officers just smirked at each other and ignored me. Since I couldn't do anything about my hunger I tried to sleep instead. But just as I was about to dose off someone showed a flashlight into my eyes.
I noticed that somebody had placed a bright flashlight on a stool in front of my cell. As I tried to shift into a position where the light didn't reach my eyes I noticed a female police officer adjusting its position.
"You are doing this on purpose, right? Not letting me sleep is also a part of the plan, isn't it? You are all working for him!" The woman just laughed at this and left. All sleep had left me. I sat in my cell hungry, sleep-deprived, and alone.
I thought of my family. Mom and Sasha had already been through so much. They didn't deserve this. Mom had suffered an angina attack before because of what happened with Sean. The thought of it made panic suddenly surge through my veins.
The doctor had said we needed to keep her as stress-free as possible. God knows what she was going through. Was she OK? Was she in the hospital? I realized I needed to get out of there. For Mom's sake, I had to. I had already lost two people I loved. I couldn't bear to lose another.
I felt like smacking my head against the prison wall. I shouldn't have acted so tough in front of Aiden. As pathetic as it sounds I should have trampled my pride and begged him to let me go. For me, it would have been utter torture. A fate worse than serving my entire prison sentence. But it would have been a selfless choice. The right choice when it came to Mom's and Sasha's well-being.
We didn't have enough money for the bail. Knowing those two they would probably be willing to do anything to get the money. I hoped they wouldn't get themselves into something illegal. I remember Sasha joking about how profitable it is to sell one's kidney on the black market. Now I feared that desperation might make her do the same.
As the morning neared I knew what to do. It would be something that I will never live down. But when it comes to my family I could stoop to the lowest of heights.
"Hey," I signaled to the guard assigned to my cell. Tell your boss. Your real boss that I want to talk to".
I don't know how many hours had passed until I heard footsteps. Looking up I saw Aiden striding into view. As if he were a Hollywood A-lister coming to receive an Oscar.
Except his attire was more businesslike. A navy blue suit and red tie instead of a black bow tie and tuxedo. He looked triumphant. Except today no one would emerge as the winner.
Unless you considered achieving freedom at the expense of my self-esteem a victory. For today I was to beg Aiden and pray he had some shred of humanity buried in him.
"So what do we have here? You have finally seen some sense now, haven't you ?" He sneered at me.
"Aiden please, my family has suffered a lot. We don't know anything about Sean. He has never contacted us. Please leave us be."
Despite my best efforts, my voice came out without any emotion. I had never begged like this for anything in my life and I was definitely failing at it.
"So this is why you called me? You seem to think I have a lot of spare time on my hands don't you officer ?"Aiden fumed, turning to the terrified officer standing next to him.
"No sir. She said she wanted to talk so I assumed she had some news."
"Well don't waste my time again officer, unless you are absolutely sure she's going to tell me something worthwhile."
Aiden turned away to leave. My thoughts went to my mother and sister. For their sake, I had to try harder even if I didn't want to. I don't know what came over me. In my desperation, I lunged pushing my arm between the bars and grabbing at Aiden's hand.
He flinched immediately as if I had stung him. He violently snatched his hand away from mine with enough force to send me reeling back. "Don't touch me !" He bellowed.
Disgust was etched on every inch of his face. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny bottle. I realized it contained hand sanitizer. God, what did he take me for? A pile of dung? Or, he just hated me so much that even the slightest touch from me incited revulsion in him.
"Good thing you keep that with you, sir." The obsequious police officer ever ready to score on Aiden's good books was prompt to praise him.
"Well, officer you may never know when you might come in contact with filth." He stressed the last word, looking pointedly in my direction.
"My mother is a heart patient." I pleaded. This time I didn't even have to try putting emotion into my voice. The thought of my mother made my voice tremble naturally.
" Aiden please, I may lose her. You have a mother too. Just, please don't do this." My voice broke.
I saw Aiden's contemptuous expression falter. His eyes had widened and his mouth was left slightly open. He hadn't seen this coming.
" Sarah Summers ?"I saw another police officer appear.
He walked up to the bars, and to my utter shock started opening the door to my cell.
" Hey. Just what do you think you are doing? "Aiden's pet pooch of a police officer exclaimed at him.
" Girl's been bailed out. " The other guy told him.
Up till now, Aiden had stood still as a statue. Now hearing the police officer's words he turned to frown at him.
" You are sure it was this girl."
" Yes sir. "
Aiden now turns to me smirking in contempt." Looks like brother dear came to the rescue after all."
I was shocked as the meaning of the words truly hit me. He thought my brother had given the money for the bail. But this wasn't possible. Had they sold something else? Was there anything left other than the house?
As I was leaving Aiden blocked my path. "Make one thing clear. How your family got their hands on this money is something I will find out. No matter how 'carefully' they went about it. And when I do, you all will have hell to pay for. Your night in prison would look like a vacation trip in comparison." With this, he stormed off.
Mom and Sasha were standing in the inspector's office. Both looked worn out with bags underneath their eyes. I may have been gone for a year seeing these two's condition. We walked back silently to the car.
Despite telling myself how stupid it was and how much I will get hurt because of this, I couldn't help but hope my brother was alive and had sent us the money.
But I should have known better. My brother wasn't a monster who would sacrifice his wife's life for some money.
As we got settled in the car. I broached the subject of where the money came from. Both women sat silently. I saw Mom hesitate before she finally answered me.
" We sold the necklace. The one your father gave me with the turquoise gemstones ."
I felt as if I had been punched in the stomach. That was Dad's gift. His legacy. He bought it especially for Mom after saving up from his salary. I tried to hold in my angry tears.
" This is all my fault."
"No, it's not. It's the fault of the bastards who can't seem to leave us alone." Mom tried to comfort me.
That day I must have taken at least two hours in the shower. My compulsions were at an all-time high. I kept feeling as if I couldn't get clean enough. I kept going to the part where I had begged this monster for mercy. I wanted revenge I wanted to make him pay. But I guess that's a privilege only powerful people with wealth and connections had.
That night I fell asleep wondering how it would feel like to have Aiden Victor beg at my feet for once. For me to be the one in control. I couldn't help but silently pray that such a day would come. I felt a sudden peace descend over me. The way it did when Mom had her angina attack and I prayed for her to recover. The feeling that God had listened to my prayer.