I hadn’t thought the vase would actually touch him. I just wanted to throw something. I was angry. and bitter, and I wanted to make it feel my anger, but I hadn’t meant to hurt.


    The vase connected to the back of his head, falling and shattering into a hundred pieces.


    Axel barely flinched, he just stood still, and I just watched with my eyes wide with terror and blood welled up at the back of his head.


    “Axel…” I whispered as I tried to get off the bed, but as soon as I tried to move, the piercing pain between my legs made itself known. I cried out, going still as I tried to breathe through the pain.


    Axel’s eyes went wide and in a blink, he was on me, grabbing my shoulders. “Don’t move,” he said as


    he tried to help me back on the bed as gently as he could.


    Iy back down, staring up, my breathing harsh. Axel stood over me, staring at me with a tortured expression. He leaned down, pressing a kiss to my temple as he whispered, “If it’ll be of any constion, Kross is suffering right now. I could say he’s almost gone mad.” A pause. “He’s sorry,


    Rosette.”


    To be honest, I wasn’t angry or something; I was just disappointed. Disappointed with him and myself. He had tried to warn me. He’d told me it was reckless, and I still insisted. I was disappointed


    that he didn’t show more control.


    Axel pulled back, heading to the back. “Your mother is here to see you.”


    I turned my head and looked at his head. There was no more blood, just the blood that had welled up earlier, but that was all.


    I looked back up, closing my eyes. God, I felt like I was going crazy.


    A few minutes after Axel’s departure, the door opened. I didn’t need to look to know who stepped in. Somehow, I’ve always been able to feel her presence.


    She paused at the door, and I felt her eyes on me. I couldn’t look at her. I didn’t want to see the look of disappointment on her face.


    She walked slowly to the chair, sitting beside me. She said nothing, just watched me.


    “Rosette.”


    The softness of her voice was what made me look over at her, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. My mother who took pride in her beauty, and did everything she could to maintain that beauty was


    12:55 Tue, 9 Sept


    now looking pale and sunken.


    43.73% 7


    She was too thin, her skin had lost its color, and even her hair looked a mess, with circles that looked like bruises under her eyes.


    “What happened to you?” I asked, my voice low.


    She inhaled deeply. “Varkas. Ss Varkas was what happened to me.” She grabbed my hand, looking into my eyes. “He’s a beast, Rosette. He and his sons.”


    “What are they, Mom?”


    She bit her bottom lip, shaking her head. “I don’t know. But I’m close to figuring it out.” Her hands tightened on mine, shaking slightly. “I hear you got into college in London. Go back there, Rosette. If they know where you live, you have to move out. Go somewhere they don’t know about. Stay away from these men, Rosette. They’re beasts. Look what that monster has done to me.” She caressed my cheek, and I closed my eyes, inhaling shakily.


    This was the first time my mother had touched me and it wasn’t to hurt. “Look at what they’ve done to you. I’m sorry, Rosette. I should have listened when you told me I didn’t know anything about this man. I should have listened and tried to find out more about him. Maybe things wouldn’t have gotten. to this point.”


    I nodded, unable to speak, because if I did, I might just burst into tears.


    My mother raised my hand to her lips and kissed it. “Don’t evere close to these men again. They’ll be your ruin.”


    She left after that, and I still didn’t open my eyes.


    They’ll be your ruin.


    Kade had said I would be their ruin, but it seems it was the other way round.


    I spent a week in the hospital before I was discharged. Nobody came to see me, that was because I told my nurse that I didn’t want to see a single soul and I didn’t want to know when I got a visitor.


    When I was finally able to sit up without feeling like I would rip, I was discharged.


    I left the hospital alone, but when I stepped out, Chris was waiting in front of the car. I went to him and when he was about to take the bag from me, I shook my head.


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    “This is where we part ways, Chris,” I said, my voice hoarse from not having used it for long.


    He frowned, taking off his sunsses. “What do you mean?”


    “I mean that I don’t need a driver anymore.” I was going to cut off everything that tied me to the men, and that included Chris. It was hard, but it had to be done.


    “Mr. Kross was who hired me,” he said, his voice set in determination, “and he’s the one who can relieve me of my duties.”


    I took a step towards him, my jaw clenched. “I don’t give a fuck about who hired you, Christoper. I’m the one you drive around, and now I’m telling you I don’t need a driver anymore. Respect my wishes, and don’t show up again.” I turned away from him, walking away. “Goodbye, Chris.”


    On my way to the airport, I called Sofia and told her just half the truth about my situation. She told me toe to her parents’ ce in Manchester. I canceled my flight and booked another.


    This was thest this ce would ever see of me again.