I was so pissed at Brian for disturbing me that I made him run behind my car as the other goon drove the black SUV they came in. I kept glancing in the rearview mirror to make sure he was keeping up and not hiking a ride with the goon.
By the time we reached home needless to say Brian needed a shot of IV or glucose. As I waltzed inside the house, I saw Martha out of my clothes and in another maid's outfit, vacuuming the living room.
"How long were you able to keep up the disguse?", I halted beside her and questioned.
"Till it was time for lunch and they asked if they could come in", She meekly replied.
"Let me guess you replied with a 'please' in the sentence, didn't you?", I arched an eyebrow at her while she just nodded.
Stupid.
"Is dad in the office?", I looked towards dad's door
"No Miss he stepped out for a minute", I nodded in acknowledgement before walking in to the office.
Loitering inside, I took a close look at the documents on dad's desk, most had to do with the upcoming elections and new proposed building plans of the town. But what caught my attention was the unaddressed yet opened black envelope sitting on the desk
Seating my self on dad's chair I grabbed the peculiar envelope and pulled out the red letter inside.
"It's that time of the year again White. Elections...Who is it this time? What will your sacrifice be? Your other daughter or power? Can't wait to see you make the same mistake twice. Await me old friend"
My blood ran cold as I let the letter fall on the desk. You don't need to see Hawthorn written in big bold letters to know who this was from. So this is why the sudden increase of security...as if that could stop Hawthorn. The fucker has a way with getting what he wants, except for the position he's been after for so many years.
"Princess! What are you doing there?", Dad entered the office.
"Oh nothing. I'm just scanning through the upcoming business proposals and threats from Hawthorn."
"Hm- What!", Dad took a minute to comprehend the last part of my sentence.
"How long were you planning on keeping the fact that Hawthorn threatened you with my life from me?", I stood up from his desk and walked towards him.
"Don't be stupid Natalie. I called you in to tell you about it, so you could understand why I insist on you having security around. Don't sneak out like that again unless you want me to ground you", Dad spoke with full authority making me gulp.
"Yes dad I understand but I can't really have security when I'm with my boyfriend!", I tried reasoning with him.
"What boyfriend? I thought you dumped the abuser!"
"I did! He's someone else"
"This fast?"
"Gee dad don't make me sound like a whore"
"Sweetheart I don't care about your dating history and what not but your little boyfriend can't protect you! So you must have security around even if it's embarrassing"
"He's a boxer daddy"
"A what?"
"A boxer...a person who punches another person for a living?"
"How old is this boyfriend of yours again?"
"Nineteen"
"And you're telling me he's a professional boxer at the age of nineteen?"
"Professional? Er...But he's most definitely a boxer who can whoop butt of people twice his age"
"Well then I intend to meet this professional boxer of yours"
"Woah woah woah. We just started dating, maybe later I'll introduce him to you. My point is daddy...I don't need security around him as he can protect me just fine. Not he'd ever need to...I can take care of myself just fine", I added the last part under my breath
"Fine. He must be good for you to speak of him this way but if even a hair on your head is harmed when he's with you, I'll hold him responsible", Dad finalised with a threat.
"Understood", I saluted my dad teasingly before walking out the office.
Once I was in my room, I fell down on the bed and tried not to think of Hawthorn but my mind trailed to Emma. Her memory has always been painful and traumatising that I never really got a chance to appreciate her life.
I tried imagining a smiling Emma's face in my head but memories of the crash replayed like The Ring's tape in my mind.
"I'm scared Natty". Hawthorn. "Coward". Shot. Blood splattering.
"No!", I pulled my hair trying to get past that haunting memory, yet those same scenes replayed on a loop inside my head
I grasped myself as I made my way to the back of the closet like an intoxicated person trying to walk in to a bathroom.
Pulling Emma's chest of favourite things AKA my memory vault of doom out the closet, I grabbed the key from under the mattress.
Taking a deep breath, I sat myself infront of it and opened it. Grabbing the first thing that touched my hand, I inspected it. It was Emma's pink tutu, she wore it to her first performance and adored it so much that I had to chase her around the house to get her to remove it since my Mom was too busy to be bothered with it. Once I did catch her, she broke in to a fit of giggles as she struggled against my arms. I chuckled a little at the chaotic memory while a lone tear slipped past my ducts.
Next I pulled out of the box an old rag doll with blonde wool for hair that used to belong to me before I got too old for it and chose to play with boys instead. Emma adored the old doll though, it was always her favourite out of the numerous latest toys she had. I cried a little remembering how I told her off when she told me I looked like that doll. I remember being mad for being compared to an old rag doll but looking at this now I don't understand why I ever got mad about my baby sister comparing me to her favourite doll.
Next I pulled out an illustrated copy of Frozen before bailing my eyes out remembering how she always made me read it to her every night before bed, constantly reminding me that I'm Elsa and she's Anna.
Looking back at all this I can't help but think that...her world centered around me. I miss the only person that ever loved me.
My phone rang snapping me out of my misery as I saw Xavier's name pop up.
"H-ello?"
"Bella were you crying?"
I sniffed before wiping my tears and answering, "I was just thinking of Emma"
"Do you want to come over so I could hold you?"
"Stop being sappy, it isn't you", I laughed lightly while sniffing
"Is that so?"
"It is so"
"Bella?"
"Hm?"
"Would you mind visiting Cheriè with me tomorrow?"
After a period of tense silence I made up my mind.
"Okay."
"So you'd come with?"
"Yes. Maybe I can give her the love I never got to share with Emma"
"Why did I ever think that you were a prude?"
"Maybe because I am? With exceptions to a few", I laughed hearing him laugh on the other end.
"Alright then...I'll see you tomorrow at noon"
"Bye Xav"
"Xav huh? It's not too bad of a nickname...I was fearing you'd call me something cringey anytime soon"
"I'm hanging up", I rolled my eyes with a smile on my face as I hung up on him.
I grabbed my laptop and pulled up some articles on coma and informed myself with things so I don't come off as an insensitive idiot tomorrow.
After reading something interesting, I glanced towards Emma's chest and bit my lip as I contemplated something. Making up my mind, I grabbed the frozen book and placed it in my Versace handbag.