《The Haunted’s Kiss of Regret and Repentance》


 BRAT’S MISTAKE

    ¡°One more drink. Come on, you can¡¯t be that weak.¡± I said to my friend as I downed another shot of alcohol from my own ss. ¡°I¡¯ll drink that if you say pass, but I¡¯d call you weak for the rest of the year.¡± I watched my friend sway out of drunkenness.


    ¡°You know your father would shoot you dead on the spot if he sees you drunk, Shyne. He¡¯ll never forgive his perfect daughter if he finds her messing around with us.¡± My ssmate said as he slyly tried to grope one of my best friends, who was a little too drunk for my liking.


    ¡°Keep your hands to yourself, KP. I¡¯ll break that faster than you can drink that shot.¡± I said in a yful yet warning tone. He reluctantly removed his hand from my friend¡¯s thigh and fixed his own school uniform.


    We finished drinking just enough to make us tipsy but not yet drunk enough to pass out. We still had exams in an hour, and we had to make sure we were presentable enough to not get caught. Going to school and taking exams drunk for me was easy. The problem was making sure my stupid friends didn¡¯t make it obvious. They had peas for brains whenever they were intoxicated.


    I finished the test as fast as I could to go straight to my boyfriend¡¯s house. I didn¡¯t love the guy, but he was a good trial run to try all the firsts I wanted. I didn¡¯t want to show him to anyone because he was definitely NOT my type.


    Being with Rian was stupid, but I¡¯d rather be foolish and free than be stuck at home with people who don¡¯t understand me. All the money and awards will never be enough for me. I was looking for love, a home, and a ce where I could be myself.


    I knew wild activities were not what I would consider as my authentic self either. However, I dug my own grave in this pretend life I¡¯m living, and I have no way out.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Rian says as he covers me with the nket. ¡°You¡¯re looking into space again. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re too drunk to even feel anything.¡± He said yfully while hugging me.


    ¡°You look like a psychopath with that mustache, so I guess that¡¯s distracting me,¡± I said as I yfully hugged him back. ¡°But no worries, hon, I won¡¯t call the cops on you for looking like a psychopath. I¡¯d be in trouble too ¡¯cause they¡¯ll see me with you.¡± We justughed and enjoyed ourselves for a few hours until I was decent enough to go home.


    A few hours after I arrived at my house, my mom called me into the living room. Usually, I¡¯d only be slightly nervous; however, my mom¡¯s eyes showed me otherwise. She is looking at me as if I was a walking disappointment, and the tears on the corner of her eyes added to the face of anger and disappointment that she was wearing inly.


    ¡°Why were you seen by your aunt walking with an unknown guy in the middle of a small vige a few kilometers from school?¡± She asked coldly. ¡°How did you get there without anyone knowing, and who is that person?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my boyfriend, mom,¡± I replied carefully. ¡°I just visited him, and we¡¯re not doing anything wrong. Just leave it alone.¡± I said and ignored her stares as I sat on the couch.


    ¡°I hired an investigator. He¡¯s an addict, a delinquent, and he didn¡¯t even finish his studies because he¡¯s wild and they can¡¯t afford his studies. Now, I want you to cut everymunication with him and leave him. You are a De Leon, and your name as well as your father¡¯s name will be put to shame if you don¡¯t stop this.¡± My mother ranted for an hour, and all I could do was nod.


    My mind raised a hundred scenarios in a minute and nned out what I should do as soon as my mother allowed me to go back to my room. I was thankful for the perfect posture that I was trained to have, no matter the situation. If my family found out about Rian, I was positive that they wouldter find out about all of the crazy things that I was doing. An entire investigation could happen just to do a background check on my friends. If my father found out, the head of the n would surely do everything in his power to polish the identity that I have tainted. Freedom was not an option as the eldest child of the boss of the De Leon n.


    ¡°I can hire a killer to just shoot that boy, but I won¡¯t. But, it would be a waste of our family¡¯s money, and I don¡¯t want my uniform as a police officer to be tainted with his blood.¡± My mother continued and said in disgust. ¡°I¡¯m giving you onest chance to get that boy out of your system before I take matters into my own hands.¡± She looked me dead in the eyes. ¡°Do not disappoint us, youngdy. Never throw your future away for some bastard who has no future.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Leaving Rian isn¡¯t that bad, and honestly, I would dly do it now that I have no choice. However, the bad thing is if my parents figure out that I haven¡¯t had my menstruation for nearly four or three months. I didn¡¯t even tell Rian I was having this problem. If I get pregnant at the age of twenty by a twenty-four-year-old out-of-school addict, then I¡¯d be disowned for sure.


    I left the room and went straight to my room, crying silently. I called because I had no idea how to get out of this mess for the first time in my life without getting busted. This is bad. The family can¡¯t know about this, or else both Rian and I would be dead meat. LITERALLY.

 Forcefully Yours

    ¡°Are you sure you want to go to Rian? You can just break up with him through text or call. I mean, everyone does that these days.¡± Perry said after I told her of my mother¡¯s ultimatum.


    ¡°You know I can¡¯t do that. The guy is too obsessed with me, and I have something to tell him in private too.¡± She looked at me as if I grew two heads.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re pregnant.¡± I raised an eyebrow and shook my head in denial. ¡°You BETTER not be pregnant, Shyne. Your mom and dad will shoot you. Oh my goodness, you said he respects you. I mean-¡±


    ¡°I am not pregnant, okay? I just need to talk to him, because as far as I know, the guy is too obsessed, and I don¡¯t need a future stalker.¡± Weughed as I went straight to Rian¡¯s house after school.


    I moaned louder and louder, and my breathing became more ragged. I bit my sleeves as I tried to hide my screams as thedy pressed harder and harder on my tummy.


    The old woman looked like a witch with her frizzy white hair with gray and white streaks. Her eyes were cold and pitch ck, and she was wearing a in red shirt and brown pants just below her knee.


    ¡°Just a little more. You should¡¯ve thought of this before the both of you decided to be stupid in the bedroom,¡± The woman said with a bored expression as if it was the most normal thing to say and do.


    As a first-year college student, you¡¯d think that I¡¯d be in ss or at a bar or something during a weekday. Unfortunately, I¡¯m in a small vige in the middle of nowhere at an olddy¡¯s house, getting checked if I was indeed pregnant or not. I¡¯ve made many dangerous choices in life, but this is by far the stupidest and deadliest of all.


    I could feel my tears threatening to fall as she pressed hard on my body to make sure no fetus was formed. I looked up and saw my boyfriend Rian holding in hisugh. He was wearing his ck shirt, and he looked a bit older than his age. Other people would have feltfortable having their boyfriend beside them, but all I wanted to do was punch him where the light wasn¡¯t shining.


    This dummy better notugh, or I¡¯ll make sure he¡¯ll never have any kids in the future, even if he wanted to. I thought to myself as the olddy stopped torturing me and helped me sit up. My shirt was now a bit oily, and I tried my best not to faint because of the pain.


    ¡°You both are stupid.¡± The olddy said bluntly. ¡°Next time you make stupid decisions, make sure you¡¯re both prepared for the consequences. Good thing you¡¯re not pregnant, or else you¡¯d be in greater pain.¡± She said in a bored manner.


    ¡°Well, hon, this is what you get for having fun with me,¡± Rian said yfully. I pped his hand so hard it left a mark.


    ¡°Shut up. It takes two to tango, so I wasn¡¯t the only one who made a stupid decision.¡± I said as I slowly stood up, and we bid our goodbyes to the olddy.


    We went back to Rian¡¯s house, and we talked for a few hours about all the things we shouldn¡¯t do. One slip-up could¡¯ve cost me my whole future and both of our lives. My dad would¡¯ve shot my boyfriend dead knowing I was only neen and in myst year in senior high school, while he was twenty-four and didn¡¯t have anything going on in life. He didn¡¯t even have a diploma to show he graduated high school. He would be in jail if my parents were concerned.


    He kissed me once. Twice. Thrice. I lost myself in the moment again. But this time was different. I felt lost yet exposed. He kissed me again, more demanding and more forceful. I looked at him straight in the eyes, and his face started to change. His face became more rigid and more menacing. I hugged him and closed my eyes as a lone tear from my eyes fell. I¡¯ve never felt so disgusted in my life, and yet I can¡¯t seem to force myself to leave. Every second felt like years of emptiness, and all I could do was force myself not to cry again.


    ¡°I want to go home. It¡¯s getting dark, and my mom and dad are probably looking for me.¡± I said while fixing myself. ¡°There¡¯s no signal here, so they¡¯ll probably think I turned off my phone, or I¡¯ve been kidnapped or something.¡± I continued talking to eliminate the tense atmosphere.


    Regret was not alien to me. However, the shame I felt at the moment made me want to carve out my brain just so I wouldn¡¯t be able to think anymore. I¡¯m not pregnant. I should have left already and made sure never to make the same mistake again, yet I am doing it again. The reality of a nonexistent future was enough to make me feel the worst kind of regret I have ever felt.


    ¡°You can stay a little longer. I can drive you hometer.¡± He said and held my wrist a little too hard. ¡°Come on. You¡¯ve only been here for a few hours.¡± He said while pulling me back to sit beside him. His arms snaked around my waist and held me tightly.From N?velDrama.Org.


    I looked straight into his eyes, and I felt the hairs on the back of my head stand up as his eyes turned ck and a little wider than usual. He wasn¡¯t smiling. Instead, he was looking back at me with the same intensity as he did in the past when he was about to make me do something I knew I¡¯d regret.


    He¡¯s mad. He doesn¡¯t want me to leave him. He knows I¡¯m going away from him for good. He¡¯s mad. He¡¯s mad at me. He¡¯s not the Rian I know. I said to myself over and over again as we locked eyes for a minute or two.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go home in a few minutes. Let¡¯s just walk outside for now. I feel stiff, and it¡¯s getting a bit dark here inside the room,¡± I said in hopes that I could leave Rian¡¯s room and his territorial eyes fast. Why am I suddenly terrified of him? I asked myself.


    FEAR was what I felt as I let him hug me after our staring contest was over. I felt myself shiver in fear but yed it off as if I was just cold. I finished fixing myself and took my bag. Rian agreed, and we walked hand in hand while I said goodbye to his mother outside. No one bothered us because they all knew we were a couple. I felt both weed and alienated by their stares and smiles.


    I shouldn¡¯t be here. What am I doing with my life? I asked myself as I unconsciously held my sore wrist and back. I looked at Rian as we made small talk about his ns for our future. A house, a family, kids, marriage. It felt good hearing it from him, but it also felt unnerving whenever I remembered his eyes.


    ¡°You know what? I can¡¯t wait for you to finish school and live with me. Why don¡¯t I just get you pregnant after graduation so you¡¯ll have no choice?¡± He asked as heughed a little. We were walking on the road while looking for a way for me to go home.


    ¡°My dad will shoot you if you do that, and you know he¡¯ll probably shoot me too in the process.¡± I jokingly said.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll just shoot him first.¡± He said with a smile. I smiled back but felt uneasy. Can he do it? Or was it just a joke?


    ¡°Come back tomorrow morning, and make sure your schedule is cleared tomorrow.¡± He said as he held my hand softly.


    ¡°I have dance practice tomorrow. How about after lunch?¡± His grip on my hand tightened, and I felt my heartbeat quicken.


    ¡°Do as I say. Do you understand me?¡± He said as we stopped walking. The road was empty, and the air felt colder. I just nodded as I stared at his eyes. The moonlight gave me enough light to see his face looking demanding as fear once again crept in.


    Why does it feel like I¡¯m signing a contract with the devil or something? His eyes make me feel like I¡¯m being chained by him. What¡¯s happening to me? Am I going crazy or what?


    His eyes suddenly turned ck as he held me with an iron grip, and I couldn¡¯t move. My voice was stuck in my throat while his face shifted to a terrifying image filled with malice and anger.


    No! No no no no no no no no no! Let go of me! Nooooooooooooo! Let me gooooo! Noooooo! No no no no no no no noooo! I felt his grip on my hands tighten, and his smile turned even more terrifying. I have to get out of here!


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to leave me, right? I know that face. You can¡¯t leave me. I¡¯ll do anything and everything I can for you to stay. YOU. ARE. MINE.¡± He whispered into the darkness of the night. Nooooo! Somebody help me! He¡¯ll kill me if he doesn¡¯t stop.


    I took a deep breath, and I screamed as loud as I could with my eyes closed tightly. I suddenly woke up looking at the clock inside of my room while I breathed heavily.


    ¡°It was just a dream. A terrible dream of the past. Nothing is real.¡± I said to myself. I couldn¡¯t stop my hands from trembling as I remembered the past. Every night I would dream of the same nightmare.


    Perry was usually here to rub my back and tell me it was alright, but she recently went home to visit her mom in her hometown. I felt like Rian¡¯s eyes were still on my body as I slowly looked around my room. It had been a long time since that night I left him, and I could still feel Rian¡¯s grip on my arms.


    He¡¯s gone. He isn¡¯t here anymore, and no one can hurt me anymore. I told myself over and over again as I rocked myself back and forth while trying to calm down my racing heart.


    ¡°You know you should learn how to lock your doors, honey.¡± A voice said as my door slowly opened to show Rian dressed in a bloody shirt. I couldn¡¯t breathe. I stared at his appearance as I felt myself go numb with fear. ¡°You didn¡¯t think I would lose the mother of my child, did you?¡± He said as he slowly walked towards me. ¡°You¡¯re mine, and you will never escape me, my love.¡±


    This time he was now near my bed, and I felt faint as I could smell the blood on his shirt and hands. He then choked me as I snapped out of my dazed self. I tried to scream, but he was on top of me swiftly. Finally, I poked his eye, and he was able to let go of my neck as I tried my best to escape and force the air in my lungs.


    I got out of my room and into the empty hallway of our t. A hand then pulled my ankle, and I fell hard on my behind as Rian smiled in front of my aching body. His eye was bleeding, but his grip on my ankle was firm, so I screamed as loud as I could while Rian wasughing hysterically.


    No. This can¡¯t be happening. I thought as I thrashed and felt the man¡¯s hands go up to my waist as my tears fell. I left him! This should not be happening! He shouldn¡¯t have found me! They promised that he wouldn¡¯t see me. I felt tears as I tried to think of how he found me and tried my best to escape.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never stop chasing you. You are mine, and I don¡¯t care if I have to kill everyone who gets in my way.¡± He said as lights from the rooms inside the t began to open and people checked out the scream¡¯s source. I tried to scream again, but Rian covered my mouth and pulled me to the nearest bush while he firmly held my hands.


    ¡°You¡¯re mine, and you¡¯ll never get away from me.¡± He said as he pushed me behind the bush and sat on my legs while covering my mouth and holding both hands on his one hand. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that you never got pregnant. I know you got pregnant that day and left so you could give birth here and hide my child away from me.¡± He snarled and tightened his hold on my hands and mouth.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t give me my child and live with me, then let me do the honors of showing you how much I want to have a family with you, my love.¡± He whispered as he began to kiss my forehead. I screamed while he covered my mouth.

 VISITATIONS

    I suddenly woke up screaming. It was all just a nightmare within another nightmare. Rian was nowhere near me, and I wasn¡¯t in my room or the t. However, I was at the library this time, and my ssmates looked at me with weird expressions while the others shushed me. I shakingly took all of my things and walked out of the library with hurried footsteps while avoiding everyone in the hallways.


    ¡°You should really consider getting slimmer before you identally injure someone when you bump into them.¡± A voice said as big hands held both my arms to stop me from mindlessly running away from the library. I looked up and saw dark eyes staring at me, filled with worry.


    ¡°What happened? Why are you running away? Did something happen? Was it a bad dream again?¡± Randy asked as he led me to the nearest bench near the field. ¡°You should really stop thinking about that guy. He¡¯s gone now, and he won¡¯t find you. You¡¯ve been having nightmares more often these days, and it really shows.¡± Randy said as he rubbed my back while I tried to calm down my racing heart.


    ¡°How did you know I had a bad dream about Rian again? Are you a mind reader or something?¡± I asked while trying to drink from the water bottle I took out of my bag. Randy has always been that annoying yet good friend to me for three years. It¡¯s great to have someone in your twisted life who actually knows what¡¯s happening to you despite your silence.


    ¡°You¡¯re not someone who easily gets shaken up, andtely, you¡¯ve been on edge. The only thing that could cause you to get really shaken up is when you get random texts or calls from that stupid ex you have back in your hometown.¡± He started taking something small out of his bag and handed me a tissue. ¡°You should really learn how to cry like a normal girl and not look like a mother who just got divorced. Wipe your face, and let¡¯s go to the publication office. Your EIC is waiting for you.¡±


    I wiped my tears, and we both walked for three minutes to get to the publication office. However, as if hallucinating, I saw a man near the school gate from the corner of my eye. When I looked at him, he was gone.


    Was that Rian? I asked myself as I did a low sweep of the area and the possible routes he could have taken to hide. Am I losing my mind? Or was this because of that dream I had? I kept repeating the unclear image of the man outside the gate as I entered the office. I felt all the hair in the back of my head was standing as I tried to ignore my racing heartbeat.


    ¡°Shyne. Are you listening? What¡¯s going on with you?¡± My Editor-in-Chief spoke louder than she usually did. I snapped out of my train of thoughts as I looked at her straight in the eyes. ¡°I need you to focus on this one, Shyne. You know we can¡¯t get this magazine done without you.¡± she sighed. ¡°Are you alright? Is this because of too much stress and studies? Do you need to go to the clinic or something?¡±


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve had bad dreams these past few days, so I couldn¡¯t get any sleep.¡± I tried to ignore the twelve sets of eyes staring worriedly at me and began typing on myptop. ¡°You guys can stop staring, and let¡¯s proceed with the meeting.¡±


    I tried my best throughout the entire day to ignore the man I saw earlier staring at me outside the school gate. It was impossible for Rian to suddenly know where I was currently studying. I left everything behind when I went to college. I left my past and started a new life here as a better person.


    Three weekster¡­


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m leaving!¡± I yelled as I left the house to go to the bus station. As I was closing the gate, I suddenly saw a figure standing near me. It was the exact figure I saw outside the entrance of our school three weeks earlier.


    A chill went up to my spine as I turned around and saw nothing but a white cloth hanging near me. The uneasiness still remained as I looked at my mom, who was now looking at me questioningly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I thought you said you were in a hurry?¡± She asked as she slowly approached me. ¡°You look like you just saw a death eater .¡± My heartbeat increased its speed, and I thought I saw the exact figure on the reflection of the car¡¯s window near the gate.


    ¡°Mom, you ever get that feeling like you¡¯re being watched?¡± I asked as the figure again disappeared from the window of the car when I looked at it. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of uneasiness. It¡¯s like something is not right,¡± I said honestly while trying to stop my voice from shaking.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright? Do you want to skip school and just stay here in the city for now? You can just be absent for a day.¡± She began to open the gate again so that I coulde in.


    ¡°No. I really need to get to the office. The school publication needs me to function properly.¡± I said my goodbyes once again and went straight to the bus station. I couldn¡¯t shake the terrible feeling of being watched. I decided to take a quick nap to get rid of the odd feeling.


    ¡°Long time no see, honey.¡± My eyes snapped open, and I turned pale as I was now looking at a familiar face. ¡°You look like you just saw doomsday. Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t remember me.¡± Heughed awkwardly as he tried to sit beside the empty seat by my side.


    ¡°By the look on your face, it seems like you¡¯re not that thrilled to see me. I guess seeing an ex who still calls you honey would really make anyone pale.¡± He continued talking, but the awkwardness was still there. ¡°You really don¡¯t feel like talking to me, huh? Sorry if I called you honey, I thought it would be fun, but I guess I was wrong.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was just overthinking about something, and I¡¯m a bit shaken.¡± I said finally after Iposed myself. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again, Rex. I thought you were still out of the country. It¡¯s nice to see you¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. It¡¯s nice to see you again too. What did you think that made you look that pale? I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯m nosy. I guess even if we¡¯re separated, I couldn¡¯t help but be worried when you looked terrified for a second.¡± He stared straight into my eyes, and I suddenly remembered why we only dated for a year. These eyes held so much love for me back then that I chickened out. I couldn¡¯t give him the love he deserved, and now I¡¯m suffering the consequences after leaving him.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, don¡¯t mind me. So what¡¯s up with you? I haven¡¯t heard from you for years. Did you get the dream course you wanted?¡± Rex and I talked usually. The bus stopped, and as I was about to forget about the figure I kept seeing, I saw it again in the corner of my eye.


    When I looked at it where it was standing outside the bus, it disappeared again. ¡°Are you alright, Shyne? Is something wrong?¡± I looked up at Rex, and Rian¡¯s pale face was staring back at me. His eyes were ck, his neck was bloody, and his face held a smirk.


    ¡°I finally found you, my love.¡± I felt my body losing its strength, and I saw Rian¡¯s face change back into Rex¡¯s face. People from the bus were now crowding me. ¡°You¡¯re mine.¡± A man¡¯s voice whispered as Ipletely cked out.

 DELETED FUTURE

    ¡°I love it when you y hard to get with me, my love.¡± Rian¡¯s voice echoed as I kept running away from him. The trees were getting thicker and thicker, and I couldn¡¯t seem to lose him even if I tried. ¡°You¡¯ll never lose me. You¡¯re mine, and I will never let you go.¡± The voice was getting louder and louder.


    I could see lights from cars passing by in the distance, and I assumed it was a road up ahead. I could feel the air thicken, and I couldn¡¯t breathe. Rian¡¯s footsteps were getting closer, and I heard twigs breaking behind me. I finally reached the road, and I ran directly to the car.


    ¡°Please let me in! A guy is chasing after me! Please open the door now!¡± I kept hitting the ss as the fog thickened and the driver opened the door. ¡°Thank you! Oh, my goddess! Thank you so much! Please get me out of here!¡± I stuttered breathlessly and put on the seatbelt. I turned my eyes beside the car¡¯s window and saw that there was no sign of Rian. The car started moving again, and I finally looked up at the driver.


    ¡°I told you you¡¯lle back to me.¡± I froze in shock as I saw Rian driving the car. ¡°What happened, honey? You know that I would never let you leave without our baby and me.¡± He then grabbed my hand as I just sat there wide-eyed, heartbeat racing and catching my breath.


    Rian justughed hysterically, and I heard a slight sounding from the back seat. It took all of my strength and willpower to move my eyes away from Rian¡¯s driving form and look at the thing behind me. In the back seat was a small pile of white cloth moving up and down as if it was breathing. My breath hitched, and I forgot about Rian, only to look at the small thing covered by the cloth.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, mommy?¡± Rin took my hand hard and pulled it close to his lips. ¡°Don¡¯t wake up the little angel, or else we¡¯ll both be in big trouble.¡± I looked back at the moving thing behind us and finally snapped out of the shock and pped Rian hard across his face.


    ¡°Are you crazy?! You should tell her mom now!¡± The angry voice in my head shouted twice. Everything was ck, and I felt pain all over my body. A man¡¯s voice called in the far distance. I could feel warm sheets covering me, and I could hear more bickeringing closer and closer as I tried to open my eyes. ¡°She suddenly fainted, and you¡¯re telling me that I should just keep quiet? How is that even the logical answer to¡±


    ¡°Shyne! Oh, thank God you¡¯re awake!¡± Perry¡¯s face was suddenly in front of me as she held my hand. ¡°I knew you were going to be alright. How are you feeling? Does anything feel hurt? Is your head okay? Do you need water? Are you-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Perry. Rx.¡± I looked straight at Rex, who had a look of relief written on his entire face. ¡°I assume you called this little sentimental rapper her?¡± I said as Perry yfully rolled her eyes and let go of my hand.


    ¡°Yeah. I would¡¯ve called your mom, but your phone was locked, and I remembered that I was still friends with your nagging radio here on Facebook. Sorry I couldn¡¯t contact anyone quieter¡± He earned a p on his forearm with hisment, and I just sat on the hospital bed smiling.


    ¡°You suddenly fainted, and the doctor said you were too stressed, and you had a panic attack.¡± I swallowed hard and recalled the entire incident at the bus station as I looked at Perry in a panic. ¡°Anyway, Rex, thank you so much for calling me and helping Shyne. I think you¡¯ve been here too long, and you could still get thest bus to where you needed to go.¡± She said as she tried to cover my face from Rex¡¯s line of sight.


    ¡°What? What do you mean? I still need to make sure you call Shyne¡¯s parents and help you get her settled before I leave.¡± Rex was trying his best to get out of Perry¡¯s shoving hands. ¡°Shyne, do you want me to call your mom and dad for you? You could just give me the number and-¡±


    ¡°No, thank you, Rex. I¡¯ll be fine. Perry is with me, and I¡¯ll just tell my parentster after I¡¯m fine. You should get going. I know you were in a hurry when we met, and I don¡¯t want you to waste your time here any longer.¡± Rex looked like he was about to argue, but he just nodded and promised to update me on Facebook.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Alright. Now Shyne, tell me what really happened to you back there at the bus station?¡± I told Pery everything, even up to my dream, before I woke up. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense unless you still have feelings for Rian.¡± She eyed me cautiously, and I shook my head furiously.


    ¡°I feel like everywhere I go, he¡¯s there, and I feel like I couldn¡¯t run away from him. There is something wrong, Perry. I¡¯ve been living a bit peacefully since I left our hometown. Now, why am I having these hallucinations and dreams now?¡± I said exasperatedly and took my phone as the two of us went silent once again.


    ¡°Okay. We need to think of all possible problems. Maybe you haven¡¯t really moved on from Rian, or maybe you¡¯re hiding something that you forgot to tell me. Like, oh, I don¡¯t know, maybe that Rian is a witch or something?¡± Perry eximed as she took her phone and kept quiet when the nurse came and told us I could go home in a few hours.


    ¡°All I remembered was Rian was obsessed with me. He was too obsessed to the point where he already had our entire future nned out, and he would always say that our vows would be different when we got married. He said it would be ¡®Not even death will take us apart.¡¯ He always said that whenever I tried to avoid the question.¡± I told Perry all of Rian¡¯s ns and even his tattoos of my name and the name of our future child.


    ¡°Wow, girl. I know you were a bit wild before, but I never knew you were into the freaks¡± I pped her leg yfully, and weughed for a while about how stupid I was. I slept early due to my medicines, and I couldn¡¯t escape the darkness of sleep that overcame me once again.


    ¡°Why are you doing this to me, Rian? Why are you so obsessed with hunting me like a deranged animal, huh? Was the torture and shame you gave me not enough?! Come out of the darkness Rian and face me, you coward!¡± I screamed in the darkness, but nothing happened.


    However, the voice I heard next was enough to nail me into ce. I swallowed hard as the voice of a crying child became louder and louder. ¡°Shhhh. Now the baby is crying, mommy¡± The voice was raspy near my ear, and I felt myself stiffen even more if it was possible.


    The darkness I saw shifted, and then I stood on the side of a crossroad in the middle of nowhere in broad daylight. The heat was intense, and I was all alone. Everywhere I looked, there was no one in sight. ¡°Pst. My love. Look at me¡± I closed my eyes as I felt lips brush my earlobe, and I felt a warm breath fan my cheek. ¡°Open your eyes, honey, and look at me.¡± I closed it tighter than ever before.


    ¡°No, Rian. I won¡¯ open it, and I refuse to move. Get away from me so we can talk at a distance.¡± I said as I felt him move away from me, and I opened my eyes. Rian was wearing his red shirt, the one I saw him use thest time I saw him. He was now clean, and he had this sad expression on his tanned face. The blood on his neck was gone, and he was holding a small basket. ¡°What¡¯s with the basket, Rian?¡±


    Rian slowly told me to walk with him at the right side of the crossroad, and the image of my dream suddenly shifted again. This time, we were both at an open field, and he took the basket with a white cloth inside it. Simrly, the fabric was moving, and I had the urge to open it. Rian followed my eyes, and he left the basket near me and walked three meters away from me and the basket. I opened the basket, and a fetus the size of a phone was barely wiggling, and I screamed while I crawled away from the basket that toppled over.


    ¡°That¡¯s the future that you deleted, Shyne.¡± Rian was suddenly behind me as his voice was but a whisper near my ear. ¡°That¡¯s the future that you denied the both of us without even a single exnation!¡± For the first time, Rian called me Shyne. He had no love for me in the sets of words he said.


    ¡°Come here, baby¡± Rian held both my hands behind my back, and I saw the fetus crawl out of the basket. ¡°My love. I know you¡¯re a kind and loving person. Our child has been longing for his mother¡± I screamed as loud as I could as the fetus slowly crawled towards me. Rian tied my hands with a handkerchief behind my back, and he used his legs to open my thighs a bit. My nightgown was now up my thighs, and I couldn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Honey. Our baby needs you. I told you, I want to make a family with you and remake the future that you selfishly deleted¡± The fetus was now holding my leg. I screamed as he slowly crawled from my calf up to my bent knees. The little thing got closer and closer until I opened my eyes, yelling, and Perry came rushing into my room.


    I cried to Perry and hugged her hard, and as I was crying, something small under my bed grabbed hold of my ankle. Perry and I screamed our lungs out at the little creature still attached to the ankle I lifted.

 LIAR’S LETTERS

    I kicked my leg hard, and I saw the rat flying across the room and ran outside of my open door. Perry screamed harder, and I was left in shock. My heart was beating like crazy, and I felt like the world was spinning as Iy back slowly on my bed.


    ¡°What the heck happened to you, Shyne?¡± Perry asked worriedly but softly. ¡°I think the entire t could hear you. They might think I¡¯m trying tomit murder here. Did you dream of him again?¡± She was rubbing my arm to soothe me while I continued to stare at the ceiling.


    ¡°Perry, I cannot believe that this is happening to me. I made a mistake in the past, but I never expected to be tortured this much¡±. My tears were now falling, and my throat felt like it was burning as I tried my best to tell Perry every detail of the dream that I had. I saw how her expression turned from anger to sadness and thenplete shock and fear.


    ¡°When I left Rian, I believed that he would never bother me again. I understood that my conscience would always affect me. Still, I never would have imagined that it would torture me this much¡± Perry sat beside me as I began to wipe my tears and hugged her lightly. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why I¡¯m having these dreams more frequently. Plus, the hallucinations are getting out of hand now. I can¡¯t live like this anymore.¡±


    ¡°I think that all of this is happening because there are still secrets that you are hiding and denying. You can¡¯t escape your past Shyne, but you can learn to let go when you fully release those secrets that you¡¯ve been hiding. You leave your old cage for a bigger one, but no matter how wide the space is, you¡¯re still in a cage. You need to be free from your own mind Shyne. Wait here. I¡¯ll get you a ss of water.¡±


    Perry went out of my room. I sat on my bed, contemting what she said. After a few moments, Perry came back with the ss of water, and I decided that it was time for me to let go of a few heavy weights in my chest that I have been hiding for years.


    ¡°I¡¯m used to being the one giving you advice, and now I¡¯m not used to giving you one. But you¡¯re right that I should just be honest and tell the truth.¡± I decided to dial my sister¡¯s phone number so she could listen to what I was about to tell Perry.


    ¡°You¡¯re dialing Izzy¡¯s number? Does this mean she also knows about what¡¯s happening to you now?¡± Izzy De Leon is the third and youngest child in our family. I wasn¡¯t very close with my sister growing up, but she knew about everything that happened to me about Rian. ¡°I thought you said you¡¯d never tell anyone in the n about Rian?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t escape the city and start a new life if I didn¡¯t tell Izzy. As young as she is, she¡¯s still as influential in the n as I am. Plus, I would rather ask her than my brother Alister. That guy is as strict as my parents, and he would never let me get away with everything that I¡¯ve done. At least Izzy had my back even if she detested my situation.¡± Izzy answered the phone, and I exined my dream to her.


    ¡°Perry is right sis. You need to get all those secrets out of you or else you¡¯ll explode with worries. You¡¯re already hallucinating, and it won¡¯t stop if you won¡¯t face your past and move on¡±.


    ¡°I know that, but I just feel like if I let the secrets out, I¡¯ll go back to square one. I¡¯ve done everything I can to forget about the mistakes I made in the past, and opening it up again just because of my stupid dreams doesn¡¯t feel like it would change anything¡±. I sobbed quietly as Perry and Izzy looked at me with worried eyes. ¡°I just want to forget the disappointment that I gave myself and our family¡±.


    ¡°I know you do, sis, but covering it up would just make it more unbearable for you, and you¡¯ll just live a life of regret. You made a mistake, now it¡¯s time to stop avoiding it, and right that mistake¡±. I suddenly stood up and ran to my closet to grab a brown box, and ran back to my position on the bed.


    ¡°What¡¯s that dusty old thing doing here? I thought you said you left every memory box you had back home?¡± Perry moved the phone so Izzy could see me and what I had.


    ¡°I did, but I couldn¡¯t leave this one. My diary when Rian was with me is still here, and I couldn¡¯t risk leaving it at home where my nosy mother could find it,¡± the diary I had also had the letters and drawings that Rian gave me in the past. ¡°I never threw this away ¡¯cause I felt like I had to keep it for some reason¡±.


    A letter from Rian fell when I opened the notebook, and I saw that the letter had those weirdtin words that he loved to write at the beginning and end of the letters. I never understood them, and I¡¯ve always believed they were nice words about his love for me. The hair on my arms stood up, and I prayed to God that I was wrong.


    ¡°Shyne, are thosetin words on that love letter?¡± Perry took one from the box, and her eyes zeroed in on the unfamiliar letters. ¡°Why would a letter from Rian have these written on them?¡± She showed the letters to Izzy.


    ¡°That guy is too weird. I still can¡¯t believe you chose a freak like that sis. I¡¯m sorry but if men are vors, I think you just bagged the worst kind¡±, I continued to take photos of the letters and decided to research them. My mind was racing, and I had an idea that was both stupid and desperate. I returned everything in the box, and ced it back in the closet while Perry and Izzy just patiently waited for me to speak. They probably noticed my tense aura.


    ¡°Rian once told me that he gave me these letters as a sign of his love for me. I never minded them because I never loved the guy. I don¡¯t even know why I kept them even after we broke up. I guess it¡¯s just for remembrance on my part¡± I said unsurely.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well Shyne, these letters are too freaky for me. Why don¡¯t we just burn them after Izzy finds the meaning? I think you need to get rid of everything that has something to do with Rian for you to move on¡±, Perry continued to stare at me with an encouraging look when he saw the hesitation in my face. ¡°I won¡¯t force you, and I know neither will Izzy. But Shyne, you need to let go for good. Now, tell us the truth. I know you were about to tell us something before these letters were brought up.¡±


    ¡°Hold that thought guys¡±, Izzy interrupted when I was about to speak. ¡°I just finished checking the Latin words for one of those creepy letters he gave you¡±, I felt my heart skip a beat when I saw Izzy¡¯s face pale on the phone¡¯s screen. ¡°One of them says ¡®DEATH CAN¡¯T SEPARATE THE SOULS OF THE MATES¡¯, and then another one says ¡®TOGETHER ABOVE, TOGETHER BELOW¡¯. This is so messed up sis! I mean, what¡¯s with this guy?¡± I was shaking while listening to the words that Izzy tranted.


    ¡°Those are the words that he kept telling me every time we fought and I threatened him with a breakup. He said that too the day I left him¡±, I shook hard, and I could also see Perry¡¯s breathing a bit ragged due to worry. ¡°The night I left, he said that I could never escape his love for me because his love for me is greater than anything money can buy. He swore that he owns all of me whether I like it or not. I thought it was all words and my parents¡¯ money could get me away from his empty threats¡±, I suddenly remembered a chilling memory and Perry and Izzy were silent when they saw me turn even paler. ¡°Rian said he was once part of a cult before he met me.¡±


    ¡°That means, those letters and the Latin words sneakily written there were not made for him to express his love¡±, Perry¡¯s voice cracked a bit as she spoke. ¡°It was meant for him to secretly cast a form of unbreakable bond with you. It¡¯s so he can bind your soul to him for eternity.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it sis, I am going there tomorrow, and no one can stop me. For now, just go to sleep and stop worrying. Don¡¯t let that freak bother you¡±, Perry nodded in agreement and I could see both of them in deep thought after a few seconds. ¡°Tomorrow when I arrive, you better spill every detail about you and Rian. Well, every detail except the cheesy ones that can make me throw up like you make outs.¡± Iughed at her words and we said our goodbyes.


    ¡°Well then, now that your little sister is sleeping here, you need to sleep in my room tonight. I don¡¯t want another rat climbing on your ankle. That thing was more disgusting than your taste in men.¡± I pped her arm hard and for a moment, I forgot about what I¡¯ve just learned. I need to prepare myself for tomorrow¡¯s confession. I was ready to tell the truth to Perry and Izzy, even if it meant showing them the filthiest side of me.

 WALKING DISAPPOINTMENT

    In the morning, I woke up tired and felt terrible due to stress andck of sleep. I was inside the publication office with my juniors while recalling the day I confronted her mother about her possible pregnancy.


    shback¡­


    I came back homete and saw my mother, Lyna De Leon, in the living room. My mother looked like she wanted to explode, but she bit her tongue since my siblings were there. I could feel the dread that she perfectly hid. I felt the same as I looked at herposed face. The seemingly collected woman understoodplicated cases, yet she failed to understand her daughter.


    ¡°Why are youte? Where were you? I can¡¯t contact you for hours, and the security guard back in your school said you left after lunch¡± There was venomced in her words and I knew if I didn¡¯t answer carefully, I¡¯d get more than just a time out.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry mom, I was with my friend Kim. Today is their sports festival and I decided to go to her and hang out. She said anyone, even if it¡¯s a person from another school, could go there, so I took the chance and went. I¡¯m sorry if I wasn¡¯t able to contact you. I lost track of time, and my battery died unexpectedly. I just borrowed her friend¡¯s phone to call you so you wouldn¡¯t be that worried¡±.


    Mother looked at me with a face that tells me she doesn¡¯t believe me one bit. I knew she would never believe me. My mother may not understand me ny-five percent of the time, but she was eighty percent right whenever I tried to lie. I saw her have an inner debate and nodded.


    ¡°Go wash up and eat your dinner. Clear your schedule tomorrow morning and let¡¯s talk.¡±


    ¡°Talk? Is there a problem with the family again? Don¡¯t tell me dad wants me to do something that I don¡¯t want to do again.¡±


    ¡°Enough! The meeting is not about your father. It¡¯s about you and your decisions in life. You¡¯re still not agreeing on your father¡¯s proposal about being part of the Philippine National Police, and it¡¯s worrying the both of us.¡±


    I knew she was going down that road. My parents have money, yes, but they also dare to force their dreams on their children. I know my mom is not that bad, and she wants to support me with my dreams. However, herck of faith and her martyrdom when ites to my father is the reason I hate her guts to speak to me as a loving mother. Money could never rece nor buy the true loving connection that our familycked.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll talk to you mom, but I¡¯d rather do it tonight when dad¡¯s out and everyone¡¯s asleep¡±.


    I proceeded to go to the bathroom and had the urge to throw up everything I ate. I left the bathroom and overheard my mother talk to my cousin Perry and Annie. They have been staying with us for years, and my parents helped them with their schools since they bothcked parental figures and financial assistance.


    ¡°Are you sure that her period is stillte? I know she has irregr periods because of her size, but it¡¯s been months.¡± My mom asked my cousins.


    I knew my cousins would always cover for me unless I¡¯m in a gigantic mess and I need real assistance.


    ¡°I want you to sit down and keep your voice quiet. Your father won¡¯t be home until dawn so you and I have a few hours to ourselves¡± Her eyes became a bit glossy and I suddenly knew where this talk was heading.


    ¡°You fell asleep while you were making your projects yesterday night, and your ount was open. I saw the name of the guy that you were messing around with, and was able to read every conversation that you and that guy had.¡±


    I froze, and I did everything in my power to prevent the unwanted tears from escaping my eyes. No wonder my mother has been extra strict and extra nosy with my schedules. I was a hundred percent sure that she hired someone to hack my ount.


    ¡°Shyne, you¡¯re my daughter and I know I did my best to raise you the best way I knew how. You have everything you could ask for, and your future is brighter than most people. Why would you throw it away for a bastard who has nothing to offer. Did you do it because he was great in bed? Are you in love with that guy to risk getting pregnant at such a young age by a thug?!¡±


    Everything that my mother was saying stabbed my heart like a ming sword. I couldn¡¯t breathe properly and tears were escaping from my eyes slowly. She kept repeating how stupid I was for loving a guy with no future and I snapped.


    ¡°Do you hate me and your father that much for you to destroy the future that we tirelessly built for you? Just because of a lowlife that offers you nothing but sex, you¡¯d throw away all of our dreams for you and your future?!¡±


    ¡°I went wild not because I wanted to, mother! I rebelled against you because I am so sick and tired of being this trophy child that needs to be seemingly perfect for the sake of this family¡¯s pathetic ego! I am so tired of being chained by your expectations and rules. I just want to be free to think and move, to make mistakes and learn, and to have a family that treats me like a daughter and not just as a test subject or a dummy that you control, mom¡±.


    I wanted to make her feel my pain. I knew no one forced me to be in the mess I was in now, but I couldn¡¯t stop the words that came out of my mouth. I knew I struck a nerve inside her, and I could never take back any of the words I said.


    ¡°Do you believe I am that low to cling to that man for the sake of sex?! Do you think that I am that big of a whore to risk everything just because I wanted to?! Yes, I dated him for experience, but I never stayed with him just so I could be in his bed. I couldn¡¯t escape because he was too obsessed with me, and I couldn¡¯t risk his mouth running too loosely and destroying that precious De Leon name that you are all concerned about. You don¡¯t know how many times I wanted to end my life because I couldn¡¯t escape him, mom¡±.


    Tears were falling from my eyes, and I saw my mother release a few tears as well. I was on a roll and continued my rant to her while keeping my voice as low as possible.


    ¡°You keep telling me you love me as a mother, you did everything, but everything you did was WRONG mom. Always doing the wrong thing, having the wrong timing, and I can¡¯t breathe. I am so sorry for getting impregnated by a disgraceful man. I¡¯m sorry I disappointed you when all I have ever wanted was your acknowledgement, not for doing what you want, but for being who I am. I lost my way and I hated the fact that I can¡¯t evene to any of you because I KNOW you¡¯d just push me farther¡±.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    A silent sob escaped my lips as my throat burned. The words mom said next caught me off guard. Her sincerity felt like it choked me with guilt, and all I wanted to do was use the gun she hid under the couch and kill myself.


    ¡°All I wanted was for you to be the best you could be Shyne. Right now, the name of the De Leon n is not as important as the fact that you might be pregnant. You are my daughter, and it pains me to know that you were never happy with your life. I would never have thought you would hate your life enough to be blinded to the point of this¡±.


    A heavy silence fell and me and my mother each tried to collect ourselves. Whatever my mother would decide will have to happen, and I have no power to change it.


    ¡°A check-up is not an option or else your father will know it. If you¡¯re pregnant, you will need to tell your father and give birth far away. If you¡¯re not pregnant, we will keep this to ourselves, and no one will ever know¡±.


    I felt both heavy and relieved at the thought of her sincere desire to help me.


    ¡°Finally, I¡¯ll make sure he won¡¯t be able to go near you. I won¡¯t kill him even if I can and want to because I still fear God. I want you to stop every form ofmunication and to stop worrying about his mouth. Shyne, I¡¯ll handle his words, and you make sure you live as if none of this ever happened.¡±


    ¡°Yes mother, I will. I¡¯m sorry for troubling you again and for disappointing you.¡±


    My mother left me, and I went up to my room to cry in private. I texted Rian that I¡¯m breaking up with him and that I will never see him again. I received multiple texts from him and calls, but I decided to change my number.


    I held my stomach tightly, and I had the urge to cry more and talk to the possible fetus that was forming inside of me.


    ¡°Hey little guy, I¡¯m sorry if you heard mommy and your grandma arguing for a while. I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re there or not, but-¡± a sob escaped my lips quietly. ¡°But if you¡¯re there, please be an angel and let go of mommy sweetheart. I want to have you but now is not the right time. If you are there now, we can¡¯t meet each other when youe out¡±.


    I hugged my belly and just cried my eyes out while whispering my guilt to the child that I¡¯m not sure I have. At midnight, I stood up and took the bible disyed near my bed. I¡¯ve never read it before, but at times like these, I needed to believe in something, in anything that can give me hope. The bible fell and it opened to a verse that gave me goosebumps.


    Jeremiah 29:11 ¨C For I know the ns I have for you,¡± deres the Lord, ¡°ns to prosper you and not to harm you, ns to give you hope and a future.¡±


    For the first time in my life, I kneeled on the floor and hugged my tummy while I poured out all my feelings to the God my mom introduced to me before as Papa Jesus. I was an Atheist before, but this time, I would believe a rock if I had to out of desperation.


    The moment I slept that night, something dark fell on me, and I could feel something dark and heavy looming and surrounding me. It felt eerie and unsettling as I was half asleep and half awake.


    Present time¡­


    ¡°Hey sis, you okay? You fell asleep while doing press work, and everyone just let you rest,¡± Izzy and Perry stood in front of my desk, and worry was etched on their faces. ¡°What did you dream of this time?¡±


    ¡°When I broke up with Rian, this dark and heavy thing began to surround me in my dreams, and I¡¯ve felt it from time to time ever since. I just realized that the same dark thing only disappeared when I began having hallucinations of Rian¡±.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s both bad and useful news sis. I checked every letter you sent, and I found a book online that had the same words. A cult member posted a few pages of the book and they matched the ones on the letters. I think your ex is part of that cult, and he¡¯s the one haunting you¡±.

 BEDSHEET PROMISES

    ¡°Wow, sis, talk about obsession. We¡¯re going to need a full-on food date today just to piece all of the puzzles together.¡± We rode in my car and went to the mall to talk and shop at the same time.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that out of all the guys that you¡¯ve dated, younded a voodoo addict for a stalker. I mean, I knew you were wild, but I would have never imagined you were wild enough to bag the spawn of Satan¡¯s heart¡±. Perry tried to lighten up the mood, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile at the support system that I had.


    ¡°So what did you tell mom and dad for them to let their youngest childe all the way here without a bodyguard?¡± I¡¯ve noticed; these past few months that the secret bodyguards my parents appointed to tail me, became lesser in numbers, and I assumed Izzy had them as well.


    ¡°You know mom and dad gave me bodyguards. I just have no idea where they are now, but I bet they¡¯re somewhere around here eating pizza or something. You know those guys love it when we go to the mall because it¡¯s like a rest day for them too.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, Shyne, you need to tell us whatever secrets you still have with Rian. This man is putting some weird voodoo spell on you, and it¡¯s affecting both of our beauty sleep. I can¡¯t keep running to your room when you¡¯re having a nightmare, especially during exam week¡±.


    ¡°I know and I¡¯m sorry, Perry. Let me just go grab a few things in the school supplies section while you two buy something to drink at Starbucks. I¡¯ll tell you guys everythingter, oh, and let¡¯s just order delivery and eat in my room. If I will tell you all my secrets, I need to be in myfiest clothes in case I have an emotional breakdown¡±.


    We went back to my room, and we decided that Izzy should first exin to us everything that she found out about the Latin letters.


    ¡°Okay, so here are the photos of the pages of that cult book I was talking about,¡± I took all of the letters, and we eachpared them to the words written on the book Izzy found online.


    ¡°The book says that the Latin words are like a prayer meant for two souls to be bound for all eternity. These are just torn pages of that woman from the cult, so we can¡¯t retrieve the entire text. However, we can figure out how this guy was able to get his hands on those curses and spells if we could talk to him or anyone who is in the same cult as he is.¡±


    ¡°Well, Izzy, that would be a little hard since it would mean we need to go to their vige and ask around. That is a n that I definitely will not do, I¡¯m sorry, but you can take Perry with you if she¡¯ll agree¡±.


    ¡°Oh no. I will definitely give a hard pass on that suggestion. That man is too freaky for me. I think the only reason you¡¯re not having hallucinations now is that we found out about this curse thing¡±.


    ¡°Sis, I think the best way to know how he was able to get this spell or curse on you is to tell us what happened between you two¡±.


    ¡°Okay fine, I¡¯ll tell you guys everything I can remember from him,¡± I said as I mentally prepared myself. I could see Rian¡¯s silhouette in the corner of my eyes, standing behind the heavy curtain. I ignored him and sent a silent prayer to God for protection as I told Perry and Izzy everything.


    ¡°Rian was a guy that loved giving me cuddles and whispering stupid promises of love to me, especially after we finished. I¡¯ve always hated it because I knew it was one-sided. We both had a simple agreement to not take things too seriously, but after a year or so, Rian changed¡±. I could feel the fear creeping in me as realizations struck me along with the story.


    ¡°Rian would text me Latin words and send me those letters. He would always ask me to send him a photo of me when I was happy or just doing random stuff every day. Whenever I failed to give things to him, Rian would be mad at me and be a little rougher than epted. He would never hit me, but wherever he held me, it left a small bruise, so I decided to find a way to leave him without the risk of him telling anyone about us¡±.


    The silhouette disappeared near the curtains, and I had to hold my breath when I saw a shadow¡¯s hand near the bed I was sitting in. It was as if he was under my bed. I continued my story and decided to fight against the fear.


    ¡°Rian would take my handkerchiefs, shirts, hairbrush, perfume, etc. I thought it was weird, but the fear of him flipping out was worse because, at some point, I lost the courage to say no to him.¡±


    ¡°Wait, sis, do you mean you left all of those things with him even after you guys broke up? The letters, the photos, the whole enchda?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I did because I never thought of anything out of the ordinary. Rian promised that when we got married, he¡¯d make sure to keep those as a remembrance. He also said it was to be shown to his grandmother and other members when the time was right. However, after I met a few of his family, I wanted to take the items back. We had a fight, and he never gave it back¡±.


    ¡°Shyne, you have to get those back from Rian. I think those were the things he used to cast this weird voodoo soul-binding trick on you¡±.


    ¡°Now that you mention it, I remember that Rian¡¯s grandmother was the abortionist that helped me prevent my first pregnancy. The baby was never formed because he took me to his grandma to get a massage and ritual thing to keep a baby from forming. It was both terrifying and painful. I went there twice, but the third andst pregnancy scare was when I broke up with him¡±.


    The shadow¡¯s hand disappeared, and I felt like it was standing beside me now, but I just could not see it. I calmed my heart down and focused on finishing my story.


    ¡°I remember his grandma whispering something to him, and he had this evil look on his face. I was too tired to mind it at that time, but some words sounded like Latin. Whenever we went back to his ce, he would promise that he would be a good father if we got married. He also promised that I would always be protected by him, not because he had money, but because he had friends that would always stick by my side. He mentioned spirits, but I just assumed he meant angels.¡±


    I could feel a sudden chill, and by the looks on Perry and Izzy¡¯s faces, they did too. They both knew that something was with us, but no one wanted to acknowledge it.


    ¡°So, let me get this as straight as I can without being overly dramatic and judgmental,¡± I could Feel Perry¡¯s sarcasm building as she took a steady breath.


    ¡°You had unprotected intercourse with a delinquent guy who had no future, and now we find out that he probably cast a spell on you from a cursed book he had from his cult?! What¡¯s next? Are you going to tell me you¡¯ll transform into this mythical being that teleports using shadows?! This is too freaky, Shyne! Oh my goodness!¡±


    ¡°As much as I hate to agree with this woman, she¡¯s right. I am inplete shock right now, and I can¡¯t believe I almost had a delinquent addict who is also a spawn of Satan as a brother-inw. Tell me honestly, did you do drugs while you were with him, or was that the ck magic talking?¡± Izzy obviously wanted to be as dramatic as Perry but kept herposure.


    The heavy feeling was still around, but their loud reactions made the situation bearable. For once in my life, I felt as dumb as they were exining. I sat there staring at them as they went back and forth about how they could cut the spell that Rian possibly gave me. All I could do was drink the frappe I ordered while the three of us talked inside my room.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t I unblock him and confirm this impossible situation? I mean, that guy has been stalking me nonstop, so I suppose unblocking him and getting the gist of things would be a piece of cake.¡± I exined as calmly as I could, but my voice still shook.


    I found Rian¡¯s ount in my block list, and my fingers shook as I unblocked him. Immediately, I checked his ount, and what I saw made me feel a mix of emotions I never knew I would feel.


    The three of us gasped as we saw the local news that Rian¡¯s friends and family tagged him in. Rian Batista was a resident of a small vige, and hanged himself in his own room using a thin nket. The date of his death was the day after I began having hallucinations of him.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

 WASTED CHANCES

    ¡°Please tell me I¡¯m dreaming right now, and this is not real. Please tell me Rian didn¡¯tmit suicide,¡± I felt like I could faint, and all I could hear was my ragged breathing and loud heartbeat. ¡°This is all my fault, and I know he wouldn¡¯t have killed himself if I didn¡¯t leave him.¡±


    ¡°Shyne, calm down and breathe,¡± Perry held my arm, and Izzy took away my phone. ¡°Don¡¯t faint on us, Shyne. You need to calm yourself down and remember that his decision to kill himself was his own choice. Do you hear me, Shyne?¡±


    I heard Perry¡¯s words, but my vision was getting blurry, and I did my best to avoid passing outpletely. Tears kept falling from my eyes as realization dawned on me.


    ¡°Perry, he killed himself because of me. He killed himself because of me, and he even dared to sell his soul to the devil to prove his point!¡±


    ¡°Sis, that¡¯s enough, stop, don¡¯t believe that. Rian took his own life, and no one forced him to do it, not even you. Unfortunately, he died this way, but no one is to be med but himself.¡±


    ¡°Izzy¡¯s right Shyne, he made one wrong decision after another, and you never forced him to do it.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no, you don¡¯t understand, guys. I-I AM part of the reason he¡¯s dead. He-I-I never went to him and gave him the proper closure. I should¡¯ve spoken to him when I had the chance¡±.


    ¡°You never had the chance, is, and we all know that. Mom and dad would never allow you to get that chance even if you both wanted to¡±.


    ¡°I had the chance, Izzy, I just never took it,¡± I saw the two of them look at me in confusion, ¡°I had the chance a few months before Rian killed himself.¡±


    I took a deep breath, and the three of us had a silent understanding to getfortable as I had an internal battle between myself of whether I should tell them or not.


    ¡°Shyne, the time for contemting is up, and you need to talk, NOW.¡±


    ¡°Perry¡¯s right, sis, you need to spill, or else you¡¯ll drown in your own secrets. We have been through this multiple times, sis,¡± the exasperation in her voice was enough to make me wince.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll spill, but only if you guys promise to let me finish first before the both of you get all dramatic.¡±


    ¡°We promise.¡± They said in unison.


    ¡°The truth is, Rian was able to contact me using someone else¡¯s ount a few months ago. The guy told me that he wanted to be friends and that he was doing great in life. Rian said he was trying to fix himself so that we could at least be friends. At first, I agreed and told him we could only be friends if he forgot our past and that we should only be friends from afar¡±. I recalled the happyugh he gave me and the momentary relief I felt from the guilt and anger I once had.


    ¡°A few dayster, he kept texting and chatting with me too frequently, and I told him that my parents are monitoring my every move, and I knew I could never meet up with him even as a friend. He got angry at first and then,ter on, told me that he¡¯d make a way to see me without the risk of my parents knowing. I ignored his promise and told my friend Sweet about Rian¡¯s ns since she knew about Rian and me when I was still back at our house.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sis, hold up, let me get this straight. You told Sweet this but didn¡¯t even bother telling either Perry or me? I think you are turning crazier by the day. I mean, what could she do for you?¡±


    ¡°I know that, Izzy, but at that time, I didn¡¯t think that the issue would explode like this¡± I internally groaned at my sister¡¯s point. ¡°Anyway, when I told Sweet about it, she told me that her little sister was Rian¡¯s ssmate in high school. She said that Rian was telling everyone about everything that he and I were doing in the bedroom a few years ago.¡±


    ¡°What?! He TOLD people about what you guys were doing in bed and had the guts to tell you he¡¯s trying to fix things for YOU?! Is that man a psycho or what?! I¡¯m sorry for his deceased condition, but he makes me want to go there and punch him in the balls¡±.


    ¡°I agree with Perry, I feel sorry for his way of death, but I still want to give Rian a piece of my mind. I mean, what kind of person would do that after iming that you¡¯re the love of his life?!¡±


    ¡°Guys, rx, there¡¯s more, and you¡¯ll explode after I tell it to you. Rian also told all of his ssmates and the entire family in his vige that he got me pregnant. He also told them that I suddenly left because I tried to hide the baby from him. After all, my parents never wanted him for me¡±.


    ¡°Rian did what?! Oh my goodness! That man had the nerve to even THINK of going back to you after that?! Plus, he made a deal with the devil, and now YOU are the one suffering?! That is it! I need a LOT of salt and holy water ASAP before I bad mouth the guy too much¡±.


    Iughed at Perry¡¯s outburst, and for a second, it lessened the tension I was feeling.


    ¡°Girl, I think you have been watching too many paranormal shows. All we need to do is find a way to cut this bond he had with my sister¡±.


    ¡°You talk like we¡¯re just looking for something in a grocery store, Izzy. This is a paranormal voodoo wack, and I am NOT going to just ignore it. Shyne, you need to have someone beside you at all times, and I volunteer Izzy¡±.


    ¡°Oh sure, volunteer, the one who is both living almost two hours away from here and is a minor,¡± Izzy¡¯s sarcasm is on point, and I couldn¡¯t me Perry for side-eying her.


    I decided to get back to the issue at hand. Because at this point, just telling both of them what I found out made me infuriated and guilty at the same time.


    ¡°When I confronted him, he asked for forgiveness from me, and I just went nk, and I went on a rant for ten minutes. He tried to exin himself, but I just told him to never contact me again and blocked every ount he tried to use to contact me¡±.


    ¡°A rant is eptable because if that were me, I would¡¯ve told your mom and just let her deal with him.¡±


    ¡°I thought about that, but I decided that I didn¡¯t need the extra drama. A few dayster, Rian sent me a message that said his father had died. He wanted to talk to me since I knew his father, and the man was fond of me whenever I was at their house. However, I denied his offer and just said my condolences. That was thest time that Rian and I ever spoke properly, and he stopped bothering mepletely¡±.


    An unsettling silence fell on the room, and by then, I¡¯d forgotten the shadow that was with us the entire time. When I slyly looked for it, it was gone, and I was somewhat relieved.


    ¡°Guys, look at Rian¡¯s post the day his dad died,¡± Izzy showed us Rian¡¯s Facebook post. ¡°He posted another Latin text, and ording to google, it means: The tears I shed will be the binds that I offer to the dead.¡±


    As the dark presence returned, a chill went up to my spine, but I didn¡¯t feel fear this time. I felt sadness as I scrolled lower to check what else Rian posted before his death.


    ¡°You can run from me, but you can never escape me. I will forever be in your mind and imprison your heart,¡± I read aloud the words, and a tear fell from my eyes. I read more of the posts that were written in English, ¡°The world will forget, but in my world, your name is my only memory left.¡±


    ¡°Check out hisst post guys, it was a week before he died,¡± Lizzy did her best tranting the words, ¡°It says, the love and hurt I will feel will be multiplied to the heart of my heart. The eternity I am promised to enter is my destination when I depart¡±.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So that means Rian¡¯s final offering was not your photos or clothes,¡± Perry¡¯s whisper was loud enough for my aching heart to hear.


    ¡°Yeah, sis, hisst sacrifice was his own life so he could be bound to you for eternity.¡±


    All three of us screamed when we heard the loud knock from the t¡¯s door, and the two of us looked at Izzy to open the door.

 HIS ESCAPE AND HER PRISON

    The knock on the door repeated again, and this time, it was a bit louder. Izzy was the only one brave enough to open it, and since I¡¯ve been seeing the shadow all day, I had to hold on to Perry as the three of us went to the door.


    As soon as Izzy opened the door, no one was there. I screamed as Katherine¡¯s smiling face popped up from the left side of the door.


    ¡°Wow, you guys need to tone down your caffeine intake, you¡¯re too jumpy today. You guys need to get a life and get out of this room. You will all turn into one of those hermits if you won¡¯t leave this ce.¡±


    Katherine proceeded to go inside of the house while the three of us calmed ourselves down. She keptughing, and only stopped a few seconds after we were seated on the sofa.


    ¡°What is wrong with you Kath? You nearly gave the three of us a heart attack! We could have all died on the spot if we had weak hearts, sheesh!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Perry, don¡¯t be overly dramatic. I came here because the two of you have been gone for the entire day, and I didn¡¯t even know Izzy was visiting. As your best friend ms. Perry Bernardino, I have the right to wonder where you are.¡±


    ¡°Okay fine, Kath, but next time, you could have at least given me a call first before barging in here. We were in the middle of solving a mystery, and your insufferable knocking is ruining the moment of thrill.¡±


    In the end, we told Katherine about my problem with Rian and his spells. She was terrified at first, but since she also goes to the same church and school as us, she helped me feel more calm when I heard her preachings. I was now beginning to go to church so I gradually epted the fact that there is indeed truth inside it.


    The following morning, Izzy went home, and we all decided that it would be the best if I was able to help myself heal. I wanted to visit Rian¡¯s grave, but I knew the family would never allow me because of the lies that Rian told them about me. In the end, I decided to contact Sweet and let her monitor the situation of Rian¡¯s widowed mother, and his remaining family members.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you write those scary dreams into a story and submit it to the school¡¯s literary folio? People would go nuts if you made a story and put a note that said it was based on a true story.¡±


    My friend Hazel was giving me ideas on how to maximize my time despite the situation I had with Rian. She was a close friend of mine, and she was helping me cope with my situation. Hazel and Pearl are my best friends in college, and we were now hanging out in the cafeteria as I exined to them my situation with Rian, the curse, and even the hallucinations and its effects.


    ¡°I know that what happened to you and Rian is hard, Shyne, but Hazel is right, your life shouldn¡¯t stop. The curse that he made by offering his body is not enough reason for you to just give up. Your final decision and your mind will always be greater than some voodoo madness  that anyone will try.¡±


    ¡°Pearl is right, I personally don¡¯t believe in curses, and I know that there can be a way out of this terrible situation. You just have to first, focus on the positive side, and remember that you have an entire support system waiting for you and backing you up.¡±


    ¡°Thanksdies, I really hope that we can find a way for my nightmares and hallucinations to stop. My insomnia is getting worse, and it¡¯s affecting my studies and responsibilities.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that, Shyne, me and Pearl can help you get your grades up. You¡¯re still the smart girl even with the voodoo madness trying to distract you.¡±


    Pearl and Hazel left me alone in the publication office after a few hours of bonding and walking around the school¡¯s quiet spots. As I sat there, tears fell from my eyes. I felt a presence with me, and it was suffocating me. The door suddenly opened, and I nearly hit my head by standing up too quickly.


    ¡°Rx! Hey, babe, it¡¯s just me, Shyne. Sorry, I should have knocked before opening the door.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Brixton Del Mundo was one of my best friends who was from another school. He was the editor-in-chief of their school¡¯s publication, and it¡¯s the reason he cane and go to our publication.


    ¡°You really need to learn how to knock, babe. Seriously Brixton, you¡¯ll give me a heart attack. It¡¯s still early, why are you visiting here today?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to have a meeting with your editor-in-chief. Wow, babe, do I look that bad for you to scream like that when I came in? I mean, I know you¡¯re partially blind, but my face is the kind of beauty that can restore your eyesight.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and my fist can restore your memory of how untrue that statement is.¡±


    We bothughed at ourselves, and I felt the room lit up as we both talked while waiting for my editor-in-chief. I forgot about Rian and the whole curse that he gave me, and I forgot about the shadow that was about to take over a few seconds ago. It felt great talking with Brixton, and it felt great to just be around him.


    ¡°So, you have feelings for that guy, that¡¯s the reason why you can¡¯t bring yourself to ept me, Shyne?¡± Rian¡¯s voice echoed around the ck void that I was standing in.


    The surrounding ce was pitch ck, and all that I could see were my own hands and body. I couldn¡¯t see where Rian was, but I could feel his presence surrounding me, and his voice could be heard from multiple directions.


    ¡°My love, you know that you¡¯re mine and no one else can have you. The love I have for you can never be matched by that bastard you have right now in your life.¡±


    ¡°Stop it Rian! Brixton and I are best friends, and he has nothing to do with you! Stop this torture you¡¯re doing to me right now, please.¡±


    A sob escaped my lips, and I fell on my knees begging him to stop as hisughter became louder. A ck smoke surrounded my trembling body, and the smoke turned into arms as Rian materialized while hugging me from behind.


    ¡°This is the best feeling in the world, my love. Now, I have the freedom to embrace you and be with you for eternity. Soon, my love, you¡¯ll understand that the boy you decide to love now needs to be gone for us to be together for all eternity.¡±


    Rian proceeded to kiss my hair and embraced me tightly as I felt myself tremble with fear, anger, and frustration. His ice-cold lips and body moved as I sobbed once more.


    All that was in my mind was Brixton¡¯s face as he smiled. I will never forgive myself if Rian will do something to harm him or anyone that I loved. I found the strength to push Rian away and stand up on shaky legs.


    ¡°Get away from me, Rian! You are a sick and twisted bastard if you think I¡¯m still that coward who¡¯ll fall for your threats!¡±


    Rian¡¯s face morphed into a terrifying demon with red eyes and a bloody mouth. He was surrounded by a ring of fire as I backed away in fear of being burned. Suddenly, the fetus I saw before was clinging to Rian¡¯s biceps. The fetus looked like a demon baby covered with blood and bluish veins.


    ¡°You can never escape me you little pathetic wench! We will be together for all eternity, and you will be mine, and mine alone! We¡¯ll have a family, and I¡¯ll make sure that I¡¯ll put our baby in your womb whether you like it or not!¡±


    Rian¡¯s face was no longer his, and his voice sounded like a monster¡¯s. There was no longer any love, remorse, or any kind of soft emotion in his voice, and it was more terrifying than ever. I took a step back, and Rian shifted his weight to prepare himself to pounce.


    The fetus hugged his arms as Rian prepared himself to either hug or bite me, I have no idea. The emotion that he had was like a rabid dog on a hunt, and I felt my legs turn to jelly as fear consumed me.


    Rian stood up and finally lunged in an attempt to crush me in his embrace, but a light behind me started to shine and I woke up. I gasped as I tried to catch my breath while looking at my bedroom¡¯s ceiling.


    A scream escaped my lips as I saw that I was no longer alone in my room. Someone was beside me under the covers.

 KISSES, VOICES, AND PROMISES

    I jumped out of bed, and Perry¡¯s head popped up under the covers as my ear-piercing scream echoed in the night. She instantly covered my mouth to stop any scream that threatened toe out.


    ¡°What the heck do you think you¡¯re doing under the covers, Perry?! MY GOD! You are going to be the death of me even before this stupid curse could get me!¡±


    I felt like I did the ice bucket challenge, and every part of my body was shaking like crazy. It felt like the ice in my veins formed earlier out of fear suddenly melted and turned intova.


    ¡°You are such a noisy roommate, Shyne. Did you forget that you passed outst night because of the sleeping pills, and you nearly begged me to sleep beside you so you won¡¯t be afraid? I only agreed because it saved me time and energy if you ever woke up having a nightmare again. However, I never expect you to scream and scare the living daylights out of me. It makes me feel like spirit left my body for a split second.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t remember that part of the eventsst night. I¡¯m sorry, girl.¡±


    Both Perry and Iid down and sighed as afortable silence came to us. I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I went to my table and decided to draw whatever came to my mind. I yed Christian music to eliminate the creepy feeling I was having as Perry slept behind me on the bed.


    ¡°You know, Shyne, you should just go home and visit Rian¡¯s tomb for you to at least give a proper goodbye to him.¡±


    ¡°I know Perry, but you also know that I can¡¯t do that unless I¡¯m willing to risk being insulted or possibly maligned for being the cause of their son¡¯s and brother¡¯s death. Rian told everyone I took his child and left without any exnation, and I don¡¯t believe that would be a reason to ept my condolences.¡±


    I turned around and saw that Perry was fast asleep, and no one talked aside from me. The hair on my body all began standing up, and I instantly ran towards the wall and turned on the lights. The nightlight I had no longer provided me with enoughfort, and I felt like the dark suffocated me.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the lights, Shyne? You know I can¡¯t sleep with that light bulb on.¡±


    ¡°Did you just talk to me and tell me to visit Rian¡¯s grave, Perry?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Shyne? I was sleeping peacefully until you decided to turn on the sun inside this room. I feel like I¡¯d go blind with that bright light in front of me. I am so sleepy, and I want to sleep a bit peacefully for once, Shyne. Let¡¯s talk about this tomorrow. My body can¡¯t handle insomnia anymore.¡±


    I was left there staring at Perry dumbfounded. She was too sleepy to even process my question, and now I was left with no other choice but to go back to sleep with the lights on.


    A monthter¡­


    ¡°If you leave me here, I swear I¡¯m going to die and haunt you for the rest of your life, Randy.¡± My hand on his shirt became more forceful as he attempted to run ahead of me.


    The school election was done, and as part of themission on elections, I had to go homete just to finish everything for the announcement tomorrow. Randy and the other publication members went ahead of us, and we were left alone.


    Once the time reached past ten in the evening, the school was dark and spooky, so Randy had an idea to scare me. Unfortunately, the moment I realized his n, my hand instantly held on his shirt, and I threatened to rip it.


    ¡°¡± If you do that, then you¡¯d be a terrible ghost, Shyne. You¡¯d be too terrified to even try and haunt me because you¡¯d be afraid of all the possible ghost buddies you¡¯ll meet.¡±


    I wanted to tell Randy that I had all the right to be terrified. I had a shadow demon for a babysitter that is possibly my dead ex-boyfriend, so getting freaked out while inside the creepy school building was eptable.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh, shut up and take me outside of this stupid building, you ungrateful dummy. I swear you get all the food you ask me to buy for you, and THIS is what I get for my awesome generous heart? You are such a traitor, Randy.¡±


    There was a lot of bickering from both of us and multiple attempts of escape from Randy. But, we got out of the school safely. He drove me home, and I did my best to ignore the shadow that kept following us, even in the back seat of Randy¡¯s car. The constant small talk and bickering between us made me partially forget the creepy shadow following us.


    ¡°Okay, tell me the truth, are you and Randy hooking up, Shyne?¡±


    ¡°What in the world are you talking about, old woman? Randy and I are just friends, and it is a disgusting question.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t ask about Randy, but I am more curious about Brixton and you. You guys keep calling each other, going on food trips, and always meeting upte at night. You know that if you hook up with someone, I still want to get the juicy information.¡±


    ¡°Nothing is going on between Brixton and me. You, Hazel, Pearl, and everyone have been asking the same thing for a month. The only thing that both of us have is friendship.¡±


    ¡°Oh, cut the facade, ms. De Leon, we all know that the both of you love each other, and the only thing you both have ismitment issues. Seriously, what if this voodoo nonsense that Rian used on you could be broken with a true love¡¯s kiss?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stop the sudden chuckle that came out of me after hearing Perry guess the childish solution. We both had a goodugh as we began our weekly movie marathon and binding time.


    ¡°That is both disgusting, disturbing, and idiotic if a spellcaster or a cult would make a cure that could be broken by a kiss. Besides, the dreams are getting worse, but I¡¯ve learned that having people with me and having fun most of the time is enough to somehow help me ignore the shadow.¡±


    ¡°What about your bad dreams, Shyne? Your nightmares are getting worse, and anytime that you don¡¯t have nightmares, the hallucination happens. It¡¯s been a month since we found out about Rian¡¯s death. I think it¡¯s time for you to go back home and find more clues about how this can stop. Maybe your parents can find a spellcaster or something. I¡¯m sure they can afford to pay for a voodoo person.¡±


    ¡°I know, but if I go back home, I don¡¯t think hiring a voodoo expert is the best path to take here. My mom is the only one who knew about Rian in the past. The moment I step foot on my home and use their connections to find solutions, that woman would track me down like a bloodhound, and I¡¯d get busted.¡±


    ¡°Now that you mentioned it, your mother has always been the best at making sure your excuses fail. I feel like aunty Lyna is a voodoo person, too, or something. Well, it¡¯s either that, or she¡¯s a pretty good police officer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather believe my mother is just good at her job and that she is nothing like my Rian. I¡¯m just d that I can still cope with everything that¡¯s happening with school and my life. I feel like I aged a hundred years with insomnia and stress.¡±


    The movie was done, and the both of us just sat there in my room eating popcorn while I helped her prepare her visual aids for tomorrow¡¯s ss. The fact that we are both graduating students and trying to juggle our responsibilities to our education, clubs, and now my problem was insane to me. I will definitely remember this school year for the rest of my life.


    ¡°My love, I know this torment is too much for you. Join our child and me now, Shyne. Death is the quickest way to the destiny that we await.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wait for that same destiny, Rian! I know this is all a dream, and I will wake up, and you will not be real. I refuse to believe that you are really there.¡±


    I closed my eyes, and I felt Rian¡¯s rough hands roam my body as I cried and thrashed in his hold. I desperately tried to wake myself up from the dream and seeded.


    Catching my breath, I looked up at the ceiling and recited another prayer to God in Jesus¡¯ name. I didn¡¯t know anything about prayer, but I just closed my eyes and begged for protection and for Rian to stop.


    ¡°What Do you mean he offered you death?! Is he insane to say something like that to you, Shyne?!¡±


    ¡°I just want to get away from him and make all of this torture stop. Perry, I can¡¯t do this anymore. He is ruining my life all over again, and this time, I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    Tears kept falling as Perry, and I sat at a cafe I liked. People were looking at me, and I couldn¡¯t help the feeling of eyes watching me.


    ¡°Perry, why are you making this beautiful woman cry? Don¡¯t you know it¡¯s impolite to bully a woman in a cafe?¡±


    Rex sat beside me while facing Perry. I didn¡¯t notice him until now, probably because I was preupied with talking and crying.


    ¡°Shut up, Rex, I saw you a few seconds ago, and NO, I didn¡¯t make my cousin cry. Are you still annoyed that I threw you out of the hospital a few months ago?¡±


    ¡°Perry! That is enough. Rex, what are you doing here? I thought you left the country or at least the city by now.¡±


    ¡°I came to find you since I didn¡¯t have time to really check on you after the incident at the bus station. Also, I wanted to catch up with you about life and other things. However, I guess we can never be alone again since you have your guard dog beside you again.¡±


    Perry was about to start a war with him when I suddenly waved my hand enthusiastically. I saw Brixtone inside the cafe, and his face lit up when he saw me wave at him. However, when he saw who was sitting beside me, his face turned sour.


    ¡°Hey babe, I didn¡¯t know you had anotherpany. I would have refused your offer and set up another time.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, babe? I invited you, so you¡¯re wee to join us. I¡¯m sure you remember Rex from the photographs I showed before.¡±


    They both did a manly shake but never smiled. I could feel the tension rise as the ck shadow¡¯s nk face started to manifest behind Brixton.


    ¡°You are mine, Shyne. No one will ever have you but for me.¡±


    The voice was threatening, and I calmed myself as I saw Brixton and Rex have a staring contest. I forgot about the two of them when I suddenly looked down at my legs under the table and saw two shadowy hands holding them.


    ¡°Mine.¡±

 BRAIDED NECKLACE

    ¡°Shyne, what is the matter with you? We¡¯ve called your name three times already. Are you alright?¡±


    I snapped out of my hallucination when Perry touched my arm a bit harder than expected. I felt like I was losing my mind, and I began to look straight at Brixton and Rex.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was in deep thought, and I thought I saw an insect near my leg, so I just froze, but it was nothing.¡±


    Perry saw right through me and gave me a look that told me we would discuss the scenarioter when we got home. I always tried my best to change the subject and focus on the task at hand, which is separating Rex and Brixton.


    ¡°Why are the both of you so tense, Brixton? Seriously, you look like you don¡¯t even wanna try the white chocte frappe I ordered for you.¡±


    ¡°¡±I want to be here, babe. I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯m zoning out. Why don¡¯t I order another cake for you? My treat, but only for you since Perry here looks like she has eaten enough already.¡±


    ¡°Hey! No one but a fellow female canment on the amount of a fellow female¡¯s food intake. Just admit that you want me and Rex to leave so you and Shyne can have a date.¡±


    ¡°Wait, does this mean Brixton is your boyfriend, Shyne?¡± The three of them were looking at me, but my eyes were locked with Brixton.


    ¡°Actually, Rex, Brixton is my best friend, and I treat him as someone I could always definitely trust,¡± I earned a small smile from Brixton.


    ¡°Also, I don¡¯t remember correctly when the both of us began to officially call each other babe. I guess it happened naturally between Brixton and me, and it kind of just stuck as a nickname for each other. I am not even shocked that you would think me and him are in a romantic rtionship.¡±


    ¡°Oh, then that¡¯s good, I was nning on asking you on a date this weekend, and I thought maybe we can catch up with each other more properly. I rushed you to the hospital before, and I want to know what happened to you.¡±


    ¡°A date is fine, but I am a little too busy these past few weeks and the weeks ahead, Rex. I¡¯m sorry, but I would have to give you a rain check on that one.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I am staying here in the country for good, so I can have plenty of time to catch up with you whenever you have the time for me. Can I get your number so I can call you, or you can call me whenever you decide that I¡¯m worth the spare time that you have?¡±


    Rex stayed for a few minutes before he left the three of us to meet with his father online. The entire time, Brixton was quiet, and I didn¡¯t like the looks he gave both me and Rex. Perry never gave any good solution either. She decided it would be better to leave both Brixton and me alone to have quality time together.


    I ended up telling Brixton the truth about what was happening to me for the past few months and why I was constantly zoning out whenever he was talking to me. I also began telling the truth about my situation with Rian, his curses, and my hallucinations.


    ¡°So your ex is now tormenting you wherever you go, and you froze because you were hallucinating again?¡± There was both shock and anger in Brixton¡¯s voice as he spoke quietly and forced himself to avoid screaming in disbelief.


    ¡°Yes, and the reason why I haven¡¯t been going out on our usual food dates is that I didn¡¯t think you should be involved in this. I wanted you to stay out of trouble by not being involved in whatever I was going through.¡±


    ¡°Shyne, you are important to me. For the love of God, Shyne, you are more important to me than I would like to admit. If this is happening to you, you should have at least given me a heads up to help you.¡±


    ¡°Okay then. From now on, I will tell you what I¡¯m going through. But, I will only tell you what is appropriate for you and things I might need your help with. Deal?¡±


    ¡°I hate that deal, but I have no choice, so, fine, I¡¯ll take that deal. I¡¯m sorry if I was a jerk when Rex was here. The guy makes my blood boil, and I know he is up to something fishy. I don¡¯t want you to get hurt by that man, babe.¡±


    ¡°You are such a drama king, Brixton, and your overprotectiveness is getting out of hand. If you don¡¯t trust Rex, babe, then trust me enough to know when and how to avoid getting hurt.¡±


    Brixton drove me home after sharing a few words of God from the gospel. I was reminded that his mother was a pastor, and I felt great that the only male that I fully trusted now was the one driving me home. The presence of the shadowy thing was nonexistent as I was fully immersed in our conversation during the drive home.


    ¡°You still owe me more dates, babe. A dead stalker is not enough for me to forget all of the dates that you owe me, Shyne.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fines, fine, you are such a drama king, babe. I will personally make sure that I will have a date with you again. Now, you better drive home safely, okay? I don¡¯t want you to be distracted with the thought of free food from me.¡±


    I watched from the other side of our gate as Brixton drove away. I couldn¡¯t feel the presence of the shadowy figure as my mind revolved around the thought of another date with Brixton. My smile widened more when I opened our t and saw Perry and Kath smirking like idiots while they were sitting on the couch.


    ¡°So, did you kiss him yet, Shyne? Please tell me that you got the true love¡¯s kiss that can break this stupid curse. It has been months of torture, and I want to get a goodnight¡¯s sleep for once without the fear of you screaming in the middle of the night.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Perry is right, Shyne. I want to know the juicy stuff. Did the two of you admit your feelings to each other yet? Or do we have to find a worse scenario for the both of you to get together?¡±


    ¡°I think Shyne is having a hard time choosing between Rex and Brixton, Kath. Man, I can¡¯t believe we are all single, and yet Shyne is the one who has both the living and the dead fighting for her.¡±


    I threw a pillow at Perry, and the three of usughed genuinely after months of worry. However, the moment was short-lived as I remembered the conversation that Brixton and I had at the shop.


    ¡°I told Brixton about Rian and the curse that he made. I also told him of my hallucinations and nightmares, but I didn¡¯t have the guts to tell him about Rian¡¯s threats during the dream. I don¡¯t think I can tell him that he might be in danger because my ex believes that the two of us have a rtionship aside from being good friends.¡±


    ¡°Shyne, I think I speak for both Kath and me when I say you made a mistake of leaving that detail behind. Brixton still has the right to know whether he is in danger or not.¡±


    ¡°Brixton¡¯s mom is a pastor, Shyne. I believe that he can handle the truth if you tell him about Rian¡¯s misunderstanding. Both of you are not in a rtionship, so you don¡¯t have to worry about anything from Rian. I¡¯m sure that he won¡¯t me you for any misunderstanding that Rian has.¡±


    That night, Kath stayed in our t, and we all stayed in my room. The ambiance was better, and although I was still bothered by my guilt towards Brixton, I still fell asleep as soon as Iid my head on my pillow.


    I woke up inside a room that I never imagined I would visit ever again in my lifetime. I tried moving my hands and legs, but I was frozen in ce. I fought back the fear that crept up my spine as the scenario changed.


    I felt like I was watching a scene on television as I saw Riane inside his bedroom and near the bed where my frozen body wasid. He climbed up the bed and hovered over my body as I began to move stiffly.


    My arms circled Rian¡¯s neck as he kissed my nose and helped me sit up on the bed. I was wearing a white shirt and shorts while he wore nothing but his jersey shorts. Rian suddenly looked towards me as if he saw through the veil of the television-like scenario. He continued to stare at my eyes and refused to look at my body nkly staring at him. As my body that was hugging him began to turn into dust, his arms fell to his side, and he began to stand up.


    My entire body shook as Rian walked towards me as if he was walking towards the television screen. I was frozen in ce as I waited for the next move that he would make.


    Rian stopped a foot away from me, and he turned around to take a thin cloth under his bed. He stood on top of his bed and tied the fabric on the wood that looked thick enough to support a heavy material.


    When I understood what Rian was about to do, I did my best to try and reach out my hands to grab his shoulder near me. However, there was an invisible force like a forcefield that prevented me from reaching him. He finished tying the cloth, and he began to turn around to look at me.


    However, instead of looking at me, Rian stared nkly at me as if he was looking at something else behind me. I couldn¡¯t turn around as I closely watched his every move. All the words that came out of his mouth were Latin words that seemed like nothing to me. But, knowing the letters existed, I tried my best to quiet my beating heart and read his lips as clearly as possible.


    After Rian finished reciting the words, the entire room quickly became darker and darker as he began to climb up the bed again toplete the deed. I tried to move again, but my whole body froze as I realized I was only viewing the past happenings inside the room.


    I turned around when Rian finally jumped with the cloth around his neck. As I turned around, everything was silent, as if the word was muted by force. My eyesnded on the thing that he was looking at previously. My name was written on the wall of his room as he stared at it while he did the deed.


    My tears fell as I tried to cover my mouth for the scream to be concealed. Under my name, he wrote, I love you forever. The room began to be surrounded by a cloud of thick ck smoke that made it impossible for me to see.


    Before everything becamepletely dark, I decided to turn around, and the fading image of Rian above the ground made me release tears of guilt. An arm suddenly pulled me, and I closed my eyes as I hit a chest that I assumed was a man¡¯s.

 TALKING TO HER DEMONS

    ¡°How does it feel to know the full extent of my love for you?¡±


    A man¡¯s voice whispered near my ear, but no matter how much I struggled, I couldn¡¯t move or open my eyes.


    ¡°How does it feel to know that my promises were all true and that you could never escape me nor my love for you, Shyne?¡± My eyes snapped open to search for Rian, but it was pitch ck. The chest that I bumped into was nowhere in sight, and I couldn¡¯t feel it either.


    ¡°Are you looking for me, my love? I¡¯m not in front of you, I¡¯m not beside you, nor am I behind you. Look up and look at me, Shyne¡± I saw Rian hanging with his tongue sticking out long enough to be terrifying like a demon¡¯s tongue. His eyes were closed, and his neck was bloody as if the rope was eating his flesh.


    I screamed as loud as I could and wanted to cover my eyes, but it remained open. I couldn¡¯t move my body either. Rian¡¯s eyes opened and looked directly at me as my entire body froze in fear.


    A cloud of ck smoke covered his hanging body that stared at me as if he was looking straight into my soul. A tear left his eyes, and his hand reached me as I was slowly backing away. Then, Rian disappeared, leaving me shaking in fear and looking at the pitch-ck void that made me feel blind.


    ¡°Why Did you take everything from me, Shyne?!¡± Rian¡¯s voice echoed throughout the ckness of the void I was in. ¡°You took everything without even a proper excuse. I gave everything to you and never even thought twice of selling my soul to the devil just so we could always be together.¡±


    His voice was harsh and filled with dread and anger. The tremble in his hoarse voice made the guilt inside me increase a hundred folds.


    I calmed my heart as his words repeated like a broken record. I covered my ears and closed my eyes tightly.


    ¡°I never asked you to do those things for me, Rian! All I asked from you was to take it slow and let things happen on their own, and yet you chose that road on your own without even informing me!¡±


    I felt like I was on fire with rage and hurt by every word that he was saying. His voice grew louder to overpower the sound of my voice. My lips felt like I was dragging the words out of my mouth as I had difficulty moving my own mouth.


    ¡°I know I made a mistake by not talking to you properly in the beginning, and I regretted that, but you were wrong too! You know your faults, and yet you choose to me me for your own actions!¡±


    A sudden silence came, and all that could be heard were my deep breathing and fast heartbeat. An ear-piercing scream of a man suddenly tore through the silence, and I was face to face with a full-body mirror.


    ¡°Why are you tormenting me, Rian?! Whatever you gave me, I gave it right back, so don¡¯t you dare use fear to make me sumb to your twisted thinking¡±.


    I looked directly at Rian¡¯s reflection in the mirror, which was behind me. I didn¡¯t want to risk moving, knowing he was inches away from me. All I want is for him to talk rationally and somehow break this stupid curse that he gave me.


    ¡°You want to talk because you want to break the curse, am I right, Shyne? You don¡¯t want to talk because you love me and want to spend eternity with me.¡±


    Rian¡¯s eyes were menacing and judgmental as he looked at my entire body¡¯s reflection in the mirror. He was looking at me as if I was a deer in headlights, and he couldn¡¯t wait to kill me and take me home as a prize.


    ¡°Oh, my lovely Shyne, there is no way to escape the love that I offer you. I have said it before, and I will dly repeat my words. You are mine, and we are bound to be together for all eternity. That is the price I paid to show you how true my love is.¡±


    The floor cracked in between Rian and me, and we fell deeper into the void. However, Rian disappeared again. This time, my feetnded on a rock in the middle of a cave covered in fire andva.


    ¡°Wee to my hell, my love, Shyne,¡± Rian¡¯s voice echoed, and I saw him on the other side of thevake being surrounded by fire and ck smoke.


    I covered my open mouth, but no voice came out of it. My eyes felt like they were burning from the tears that were rapidly cascading down my cheeks. The heat was intense, and it felt like I was being slowly roasted alive. However, my body did not show any signs of burning.


    Rian was now standing in the middle of theva. However, he didn¡¯t show any signs of pain or emotion other than happiness in his eyes and smile. Theva was rising, and he was being consumed by it slowly.


    I screamed when a drop ofva fell from the ceiling and on my shoulder. Theva burned so much that it felt like I was shot by a gun. I quickly made sure I was far from theva droplets, and I was now at the side where the flowingva and Rian couldn¡¯t reach me.


    ¡°I gave everything for you to permanently love me as much as I love you, Shyne. I just wanted to hug you every second of every day and build a family with you¡±.


    I felt the guilt build up inside me once again, and I couldn¡¯t stop myself from shedding a tear. I know I was partly to me for Rian¡¯s suicide, but I remembered Perry¡¯s advice that I shouldn¡¯t beat myself up for my ex-lover¡¯s own decisions.


    ¡°We almost had a chance to be friends, Rian, but you destroyed that when you decided your ego mattered more.¡±


    Rian took a step towards me as theva was now below his knee. He was walking smoothly as if theva was nothing.


    I froze on the spot I was standing on because there was nowhere else to go. A realization suddenly came to me, and I jumped in theva while closing my eyes and praying to God I wasn¡¯t losing my mind.


    ¡°What in the world do you think you¡¯re doing, Shyne?! That¡¯s dangerous! Hey!¡±


    Perry pulled my hair as I woke up in front of the window. I freaked out and sat on the floor while my body shook.


    ¡°What did you think you were doing leaning against the window¡¯s ss, Shyne? The ss could have shattered, and you would have fallen!¡±


    Kath was now the one scolding me while she held my arms that were visibly shaking.


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t realize I was walking towards the window and attempting to lean on it. I was talking to Rian in my dream. I didn¡¯t even feel like I was moving or anything.¡±


    I saw both Kath and Perry¡¯s faces shift from anger to worry as I told them what happened in my dreams.


    ¡°You faced that man all alone even if you were afraid, and I think that caused you to sleepwalk. You haven¡¯t had any sleepwalking moments for years, Shyne.¡±


    ¡°I know, Perry. I think right now, I should prepare myself to go home and find a way for this stupid curse to be stopped.¡±


    My phone rang, and I saw that it was Brixton calling me. The clock showed that it was already four in the morning, and I had a bad feeling about the call.


    ¡°Hello, Shyne? What¡¯s up, babe? Are you alright? I had a nightmare, and when I woke up, I instantly grabbed my phone and dialed your number.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m alright, babe. I had a nightmare too, and I just woke up.¡±


    Kath and Perry had knowing looks that showed sadness for some reason. I knew it was because they knew that I would never tell Brixton about Rian¡¯s jealousy towards him.


    ¡°Brixton, babe, I¡¯m going home tomorrow to get a few things. Can you tell me your nightmare tomorrow before I leave? Right now, I just want to know if you¡¯re alright.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, babe, but I am more worried about you. You don¡¯t sound like you¡¯re fine, and I could worry in your voice. Is Perry and Kathy with you? Make sure you are with them at all cost, Shyne.¡±


    A small smile formed on the corner of my lips as I felt warm and fuzzy inside. Brixton always had this calming effect on me that I have no idea how to describe.


    ¡°Well, well, well. It looks like my cousin doesn¡¯t need Kath and me anymore since that smile you have clearly shows you are now more than okay.¡±


    I heard Brixton¡¯sugh on the phone, and I allowed myself a genuine giggle. Perry and Kath began to go back to bed while I sat on the floor talking to Brixton for a bit longer about safety measures if I had hallucinations again.


    ¡°Okay, babe, that is enough. I think you covered every possible instance that I would need to call for backup. Just pray for me, babe, and I know that I can get through this.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tone down my overprotective nature just this once. I¡¯ll just say good morning since it¡¯s already four in the morning. So, good morning, babe!¡±


    ¡°Good morning to you too, babe. I¡¯m going to hang up now. I have to prepare breakfast for the three of us. God bless you!¡±


    I made kissy sounds on the phone and heard a faint ¡°I love you¡± from Brixton. I couldn¡¯t help the smile that spread across my lips.


    ¡°Mwah, mwah, mwah. I love you so much, babe. I can¡¯t wait to kiss your lips when we meetter.¡±


    Kath¡¯sughter echoed at Perry¡¯s poor attempt of mimicking my voice and creating a scenario while sitting on the bed.


    ¡°Wow, Shyne, the level of the friend zone is tough to ovee, huh? I can¡¯t believe you and Brixton are still only friends.¡±


    ¡°Kath is right, cousin. You and that babe of yours should just get together and have a happy ever after, so all of us can just sleep properly at night.¡±


    Iughed at their words, and I decided to ignore them as I went straight to the kitchen. I stopped walking, and my breath was caught in my throat when I saw a man sitting on the sofa.

 RELIVING HIS TOUCH

    ¡°Hey sweetheart, did you miss me, my love?¡±


    I screamed, but my voice was stuck in my throat, and I felt a chill run up my spine as Rian walked closer to me. This time, I clearly saw the damage that the rope did to his neck. The flesh was bleeding, and it turned both purple and red.


    This time, I heard footsteps running in my direction, and I felt relieved when I realized that those footsteps were probably Perry and Kath¡¯s. They must have felt that something was wrong or that they heard Rian¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Now that you have her, Rian, make sure she doesn¡¯t get away from you this time. It will be a pity if you have to sacrifice more for her to be yours.¡±


    The voice was demonic as if it was multiple men with hoarse voices speaking all at once. I couldn¡¯t force myself to turn around and look at the two people standing behind me.


    ¡°I won¡¯t lose her again, my friend. I believe that Shyne has already had enough of the chasing that we were doing. Right now, you need to leave us alone, so I can fulfill my desire of being with the love of my life.¡±


    My knees trembled as I felt Rian go near me and touch my right wrist. His cold dead hands were enough to nail me in ce and make my lips tremble in fear.


    The look of both anticipation and pure possession was enough to shut my lips and cry in painful sobs. The two entities behind meughed hysterically as Rian began to pull me out the door of my t. He took me into the darkness once again. My feet were numb, and yet it moved on their own as if it was being controlled by a powerful source I didn¡¯t know.


    I pulled my hand away from Rian, and with just barely enough force, I was able to kick his balls and shock him, but all I could do was kneel and close my eyes as I felt hands grip my head. An ear-piercing scream left my lips as I woke up sweating bullets.


    Perry fell on the bed as Kath instantly stood up to check on me. I was panting, and I was gripping the sheets as if my life depended on it.


    With fresh tears falling from my eyes, I hugged Kath tightly and sobbed loudly. Perry rushed over and rubbed my back as the both of them fell silent and allowed me to cry my heart out.


    I shook uncontrobly as I remembered Rian¡¯s dream and those men that I didn¡¯t see clearly. I knew that something big and terrible was about to happen, and I was terrified of what it would be.


    ¡°Shyne, sweetie, what happened to you? You¡¯re still shaking. You need to drink a ss of water, so justy down while Perry gets you some water.¡±


    Iy down and continued to sob as I covered my face with the bedsheets. I couldn¡¯t stop crying as I remembered how terrified I was when I realized that Rian was no longer the only one that I had to worry about. Everything was gettingplicated, and I now had two more terrifying entities torturing me.


    ¡°Hey cousin, you need to speak to us when you¡¯re ready. Shyne, you can¡¯t just hide behind that bedsheet. As much as I want you to just cry your heart out, we all know it won¡¯t solve anything. You need to talk to us, Shyne, so we can help you more.¡±


    ¡°I-I saw Rian again. This time, he had two demonic men behind me. I-I thought it was the two of you, but I was wrong. I couldn¡¯t move because it felt like I was frozen by fear and something else.¡±


    I told them every detail of the dream, and I saw the shock mirrored in their eyes. I was amazed that I finished speaking to them about the details of the nightmare without breaking down.


    ¡°This is serious, Shyne. You really need to go home. I bet aunty Lyna could still get you someone who can help you get through all of this.¡±


    ¡°Kath is right, Shyne. I believe that it¡¯s for the best of you to go home now and get the help you need. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go home with you now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you fix your things, Shyne, while Perry calls Izzy to get everything ready. I believe that your mother can send someone to get the both of you, and the secret bodyguards you have will help you.¡±


    I remember the time I fainted on the bus when Rex was with me. It only happened because I made sure that I lost the guards my mom gave me. However, now is the perfect time for them to guard me, and I will make sure they won¡¯t fail me just in case I faint again.


    The entire ride, I felt heavy, but not as much as I did when I was in our t. Perry was sitting beside me as I stared outside the bus. I could have driven and asked my mom to get me a driver, but I liked bus rides ever since I was a kid.


    I was lost in thought as I looked at the passing scenery outside the bus window. I remembered the only time I was with Ryan that I had a moment of pity for him. The only moment that I felt like I wanted to try and acknowledge the possible future we could have had.


    Three years ago¡­


    ¡°I am still amazed at the thought of you wanting to go out with me, Shyne. I mean, you came from a family of royalty-¡±


    ¡°That is such a big fat lie, Rian. I am not part of the royal family. I am anything but royal. It just so happens that my family has a more privileged lifestyle than normal people. I am still a normal person in every way possible.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but you are definitely filthy rich, honey. I mean, your family rules the business in this city, and you are the heir to that throne. It must be amazing knowing you have all of that money and power in your hands.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true at all, hon. Once again, you are dead wrong about my life and how it really is. I have no freedom, you know that. It¡¯s the reason why I keep trying to get away from the civilian guards my parents kept giving me.¡±


    ¡°So, how did you lose the guards on your way to my house? I don¡¯t expect you to use a car since you still can¡¯t drive one of those properly without dying. So I expect that someone helped you get past those stalking guards of yours.¡±


    ¡°You said I was the heir to the throne of the De Leon n. Since that is practically true on many levels, I still have a huge influence. Huge enough to get people to make fake decoys, so my bodyguards won¡¯t notice me leaving the school by using the gate at the back.¡±


    Rian and I were lost in our own world while we were lying down on his bed. We were both enjoying each other¡¯spany, and for the first time, Ipletely forgot that I only came to him for entertainment. For the first time, I saw Rian as a person who was worth my life story.


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered my question, honey. Why did you choose me out of all the guys that I assume are your suitors?¡±


    Rian was now rubbing my arm and cuddling with me as I stayed silent. I was contemting whether I would tell him the truth or not. It was the first time I enjoyed hispany without having the worry of getting caught.


    ¡°I chose you because you are NOT what my n wants for me. You are FAR from what I am expected to choose, and so I chose you. I¡¯m sorry if I don¡¯t have anything more romantic to exin.¡±


    I saw the disappointment in his eyes, and for the first time, I was angry at myself for being such a jerk to him. I kissed him to pacify the hurt I ignited in his eyes, and for a moment, it worked.


    However, my means to pacify the situation ignited a different fire that I knew wasing. As the hours passed by and the fire died down, I felt sadness creeping inside me while Riany beside me, catching his breath.


    My phone rang, and the caller was one of my ssmates whom I had a massive crush on. Rian must have seen the look I had, and he quickly snatched my phone.


    ¡°Hey! What the heck are you doing, Rian?! Give me back my phone! That call is important. Now give it back to me!¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Shyne, and tell me who that caller is? Why are you suddenly excited and blushing when you see the name? Are you cheating on me with this guy? Does he take you in his bed too, Shyne?!¡±


    I pped him hard, and his cheek looked like it was going to throb like crazy, and it turned a bright red. I felt anger boil inside me, and I saw the same anger in Rian¡¯s eyes.


    Rian quickly grabbed my wrist and pulled me close to him. I struggled but refused to make noise so people wouldn¡¯t go rushing into his room while the both of us barely had clothes.


    ¡°Get off of me, stupid! Let go of my wrist, Rian. You are hurting me!¡±


    My voice was like a whisper, but it held all the intensity of a silent shout. Rian suddenly pushed me, and he was now above me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you will never even have the AUDACITY TO THINK of that man, my love. I¡¯ll fill every empty ce you have so you won¡¯t have an inch to offer that man.¡±


    Rian covered my mouth the entire time that he punished me out of his own jealousy. I wanted to fight back but felt useless as he was far more robust than I could ever be.


    Finally, Rian kissed me slowly and nearly crushed me while he tried his best to cuddle me. My eyes were red from crying, and I could feel my eyeballs sting with the number of tears that I produced.


    ¡°Now, my love. Make sure you remember every touch I gave you. Remember that you are mine alone. I can take that man down if I want to because you are mine.¡±


    I stayed silent as I began to fix myself and applied just enough makeup to hide the bruises I had. I set my face to look as fresh as possible, and I stared back at Rian as we both looked at each other¡¯s reflection in the mirror in his room.


    ¡°You crossed the line today, Rian. Out of everything that you could have done to me out of jealousy. You chose to do this to me just to tell me you own me?¡±


    I whispered to Rian and made sure the words I said held the venom I felt from anger. I looked at him usingly, but what made my blood boil was the hidden triumphant smile he tried to conceal with a cough.


    ¡°How can you tell me you never wanted it when you can¡¯t deny that you loved every second of it, my love? Shyne, no one will ever make you feel the way I do, and I¡¯ll spend every moment proving it. Not even time and death can separate us.¡±


    I wanted to p Rian, but I felt suddenly cold with the words he had said. The terms didn¡¯t feel empty, but they felt threatening. It was like a promise from Rian that you know wille true somehow.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    I then saw Rian get up and take the hairbrush he had and brush my hair. Rian hated my hair, but he loved touching it even if Iined that I had a lot of falling hair.


    ¡°I love you, Shyne. I love everything about you, and I don¡¯t care if all I have for tonight is your hair on my brush. This is enough for me to have a memory of you, my love. Weird as it may be for you, I know that we are destined to be together forever.¡±


    As I stood up, Rian led me out of his room. However, as I was about to head out, I saw Rian¡¯s slightly opened drawer with a notebook in it. The notebook had the words ¡°Mine¡± written outside. I had a sudden cold feeling that the notebook was about me.

 WHAT IFS AND WHY NOTS

    The car we rode in was now outside the mansion, and I felt my nerve going haywire. We waited for someone to open the gate, and I saw the look of shock on everyone¡¯s faces as I began to get out of the car with multiple bags as if I was staying for more than two days.


    I realized that for almost four years, after I changed schools, that I hardly stayed long in our house. Even during the holiday, I celebrated them in our ancestral dwellings all around the country where my grandparents and other rtives lived. It was a rare sight to pack a bag, knowing I would be staying here longer than two days.


    The people inside the house greeted me respectfully, and as I looked up at the mansion, it felt like I was entering a cage that I wasn¡¯t getting out of. Izzy ran towards me as I was walking up the steps of the house, and I gave her a genuine smile. We never hugged nor shook hands; it wasmon for us to not be touchy aside from giving each other high fives or random touches or backrubs when one is upset.


    ¡°So, mom has no idea that the reason you¡¯re back home is because of Rian¡¯s hauntings? When do you n on telling her and getting this thing settled?¡±


    Izzy was with me while Perry went back to school when I entered the car that took me back home. It was a waste of bus fare, but she insisted that she wanted me to travel long distances with someone I wasfortable with. She had a ton of work to do, and her being with me would dy her in her school work.


    I looked around my room and saw that it was well kept and there was no dust in it. I was d that I could rest after a long bus ride. I looked back at Izzy as she patiently waited for me to answer her.


    ¡°I want to tell mom about what¡¯s happening, but I feel like she would just be as cold and distant to me as ever. I still have negative feelings towards her from time to time, Izzy.¡±


    ¡°Okay fine, I¡¯ll respect your decision, but you need toe with mom and me to this new church that we found. There is a pastor who is both fashionable and spits the truth, and I think you would find her very interesting.¡±


    ¡°Church? Since when did you be so keen on going to church, Izabe? You are definitely someone who doesn¡¯t see the church as something interesting unless the church sells your favorite branded clothes and things.¡±


    ¡°I know, but when I went there, there was something that made me feel like I should stay. Plus, the pastor is a woman who actually knows what she¡¯s doing while standing on the pulpit. Knowing you, I¡¯m sure you would find her interesting, especially her exnations and clothes. The woman definitely has style.¡±


    ¡°Okay, fine, but if that church is anything but effective, I will get up and leave. I need to find the right solution to this curse because I have no n on being miserable my entire life.¡±


    ¡°I think misery has always been part of your life. You need to find a solution for your problems as the heir and not just a frustrated ex-girlfriend. Sometimes I¡¯m d that I¡¯m the youngest, sis. The level of problem you¡¯re always carrying makes me d that God postponed my birth from first tost.¡±


    Iughed at her sentiment, and I realized how right Izzy was about the life I had. After a few minutes of talking, Izzy left the house to have a study date with her friends since it was technically a weekday. I left school, but I was in college, and I was sure that my friends and teachers would allow me to be absent for a few days.


    I checked my drawers and found the old diary that I never knew was still there. It was located at the bottom of all my stuff. While cleaning, I saw the words ¡°Mine¡± outside of it. I never noticed that my diary had that word on the cover, and memory hit me.


    In the past¡­


    ¡°Honey, if there is even a slight chance that you get pregnant and you won¡¯t lose the baby, what do you think would be our first kid? I want it to be a boy and name it something like Ryu Kenn. That would be awesome, hon.¡±


    ¡°That is a bad name, Rian. I know those names are from that game you¡¯re addicted to. It sounds like a name for an artificial human being that didn¡¯t pass the trial run. Can¡¯t you think of any other name that your kid would probably ept in the future?¡±


    ¡°Oooh, so you agree that we should keep the baby if you identally get pregnant by me? That is awesome! Let¡¯s get you pregnant right here and right now!¡±


    He earned a p on his arm from me as I tried pushing him away. I can¡¯t believe the idiot tricked me into answering that stupid question. Of course, I want children, but I am NOT going to make him the father.


    ¡°Are you crazy, Rian? I don¡¯t want to get pregnant now. I have so many dreams I want to fulfill, and a baby will only get in the way of everything. I can¡¯t risk my future just because of a pregnancy that I don¡¯t n on having untilter when I reach twenty-six or twenty-seven.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but what if you DO be pregnant with a boy or a girl? What would you name it? I¡¯m sure girls like you already have a name that¡¯s prepared for the future. So what name did you dream of giving our kid?¡±


    I thought for a moment, and I knew that I didn¡¯t want to have a kid with him, so I wanted to give him a different name. However, I saw his sincerity in asking, and my guilt was enough to just give him the actual name I wanted.


    ¡°I wanted to name my daughter Lovelle. It means loved by all, and I didn¡¯t want to name my son because I wanted his father to name him. So whoever I marry in the future, I want him to name my son if we have a son.¡±


    Rian¡¯s face changed, and I felt his grip on my hip tighten while we were cuddling on his bed under the sheets. I could feel his anger, but I decided to ignore it since I knew I would just be lying if I agreed that we would have children.


    ¡°Are you thinking of someone else to marry, Shyne?¡±


    His voice was barely a whisper, and yet I heard the threatening tone loud and clear. I knew that his possessiveness was once again showing, and it added to the fear of what he could do the moment I decided to leave him for good.


    ¡°Rian, you and I could never predict the future. We can never be sure enough to know whether we will end up as husband and wife or not because time will always change people and rtionships.¡±


    ¡°Time is just time, Shyne. A person decides if they want to change, and I have already decided that I won¡¯t change. You are mine as I am yours, and even if you try, that will never change. I can do anything and everything to have you, my love.¡±


    ¡°Rian, let¡¯s stop this discussion. All of the what-ifs that we have still do not depend on our own decisions because there are a lot of factors affecting it. Now, all I want is to forget this topic and take it slow. The future is still far away, and I am sure that there are still things that are bound to happen.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    Rian suddenly flipped me into a sitting position, and he held my neck in a soft hold. However, his eyes showed possession as he began to tighten his grip on my neck and my thigh to keep me in ce.


    ¡°Just remember this, my love. Even if you change, my love will never change. I will love and possess you in every way possible, and not even fate can stop me. All these what-ifs and why not will not only be words. I¡¯ll make it into reality and make sure you¡¯re mine alone.¡±


    I felt like he was going to entirely choke me as he started to move forward and kissed me roughly on the mouth, his hand on my neck and his other hand holding my waist tight was possessive. I closed my eyes, and my body burned with his tight hold and movement.


    ¡°Rian. You¡¯re-you¡¯re hurting me. Please let go of me. It hurts too much I-¡±


    ¡°You. Are. Mine. Shyne.¡±


    Rian whispered in my ear as worry and fear of the future began to take over me. However, no matter how I think about it, all I could do was close my eyes in regret. I was digging a hole, and I couldn¡¯t get out of it now.

 GUILTY AS CHARGED

    ¡°Shyne, hey, you have to wake up, sis. Mom and dad are here, and they want to talk to you before dinner starts.¡±


    I realized that I had fallen asleep while checking out my old stuff, and Izzy was now back and shaking me.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m up. Sheesh, I thought there was an earthquake with the way you shook me. You could have just tapped my arms or cheeks gently.¡±


    I had bed hair, and as my eyes scanned my bed, I saw that I moved a lot in my sleep. Based on my dream, it wasn¡¯t a surprise that the bed was a mess.


    ¡°Well, forgive me, little miss sleeping beauty. I was too busy screaming your name outside your room to get your attention. Since you never bothered to wake up and respond, I already assumed I had the right to wake you up in any way I saw fit.¡±


    ¡°Fine, tell them I¡¯ll get ready, and I¡¯ll see them in a minute or two. I don¡¯t want to go down there looking like I passed a hurricane.¡±


    While I was busy fixing myself in the bathroom, Izzy decided to help me clean up the mess I made on my bed. It was nice that after leaving home and what happened to Rian, my sister and I gradually became closer.


    ¡°Hey sis, what is inside this notebook that has the word ¡°mine¡± on it? Is this a diary or something?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t open that, Izabe!¡±


    I grabbed the notebook while my mouth had toothpaste on the corner. I was worried, and I saw the shocked expression on my sister¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for yelling, Izzy. Unfortunately,  that notebook is an old diary, and I don¡¯t want anyone reading it. It is off-limits, and I would like to keep it that way.¡±


    ¡°I respect that, but I hope you¡¯re going to change your mind someday and show me. Judging from the fact that you¡¯re making, that diary has something to do with Rian. Am I right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is about Rian and me. I think I¡¯ll be able to show you, but now is not the right time.¡±


    ¡°Shyne! Izab! Your mother and father are waiting for you downstairs! They said they have been waiting for ages, and you need to show yourselves to them this instant.¡±


    Mrs. Jacobs was outside my bedroom¡¯s door as she announced my parent¡¯s instructions. Izzy and I answered politely and proceeded with fixing my things more quickly.


    ¡°Mom and dad would be asking you about your sudden decision to go home, sis. You know mol has a knack for separating the truths from the lies.¡±


    ¡°I know that, Izzy. Mom has always been blessed by God when ites to telling whether I lie or not. However, I don¡¯t n on lying to her.¡±


    Izzy only gave me a questioning look as we both proceeded to go downstairs to our impatient mother and father. The four of us sat on the couch as the maids served us tea and coffee.


    ¡°Shyne, sweetheart, when you said you wanted to go home, I assumed it would only be for a day or two. However, your sister told me that you nned on staying for at least a few days or a week. May I ask you why you decided that so suddenly?¡±


    I could see the wheels on my mother¡¯s mind turn as she waited for me to answer. My father, on the other hand, looked barely interested as he kept ncing at his watch.


    ¡°I just wanted to take a few days¡¯ rest, mother. I have been so busy with school and my other clubs and extracurricr activities that I didn¡¯t spend enough time to rx my brain.¡±


    ¡°You could have rxed back at your t or gone to the mall to shop, Shyne. This time, you rode the bus, avoided the secret bodyguards we gave you and went straight home when you could have asked them to apany you. So, it is either you did all of that to rest, or you have something else nned during your stay here.¡±


    The using tone of my mother¡¯s voice was enough to divert my father¡¯s attention back to me and away from his watch. This time, three sets of eyes looked at me, and I felt nervous.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else nned aside from rxing and catching up with my siblings and old high school friends. You can¡¯t expect me to just drown in my studies, mom.¡±


    ¡°Shyne, your mother and I want you to be the best, and that means best for your studies as well. You can¡¯t just skip school to rx because you can do that there.¡±


    My father was an intimidating man, but he was too busy to know his daughter¡¯s attitude. I looked at my father¡¯s eyes as I spoke, and I knew he would believe me.


    ¡°I know that, dad. However, I made sure everything was settled before I came here. Please, I just want to refresh myself, so I can focus even more in school.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    The look in my mother¡¯s eyes told me she didn¡¯t believe the things that wereing out of my mouth. She knew that I came here for other reasons that my father should never know.


    ¡°Honey, I think you should go back to your duty now. Shyne obviously wants to just take it easy and refresh herself before going back to school.¡±


    My father agreed with my mother and left the three of us alone in the living room. I felt the tension shift, and I knew that J had to be honest with my mother as much as I could.


    ¡°Okay now, Shyne. I want to know the truth. Izzy, I want you to go back to your room and let me and your sister talk in private.¡±


    Izzy left the two of us, and I felt more uneasy. I knew that I needed my mother¡¯s help with that curse, but my mother was not who I expected to get help from.


    ¡°Mom, Rian died a few months ago. I don¡¯t know if you knew, but I wanted to tell you. He took his own life, and aunt Agnes was one of the police officers who responded to the scene.¡±


    My mother looked like she was taken aback for two seconds but quickly got back herposure. She cleared her throat and proceeded to look at my eyes without a hint of emotion.


    ¡°Well, Shyne. Since we both know that Rian is a drug addict, that revtion is not that shocking. What could we expect from someone who clearly had no n for his own future.¡±


    My mother must have seen the look of shock and sadness in my eyes. She suddenly had a soft expression on her face as she stared at me in pity.


    ¡°I know that you liked that boy, Shyne. I may not like him, but I pity how his life ended. All that we could do now, Shyne, is pray that he at least repented before he died.¡±


    I knew my mother was just saying that to try andfort me, but her words were different. I still felt the guilt inside me, and I knew that sooner orter, I would have a nightmare again.


    In my mother¡¯s eyes, I saw that I could never get the help I needed from her because of her distaste towards Rian. I decided that I couldn¡¯t look at her straight in the eyes without breaking down and crying.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go back to my room now, mom. You can just send someone to get me when dinner is ready. Please excuse me, I have to finish something for school so I can send it to my teacher while I¡¯m here.¡±


    I knew my mother wanted to say more, but I guess by the look on my face, she decided against the idea. I rushed to my room and decided to just take out a small box that I hid behind my cab. I was the only one who knew about it, and I knew that no one would find it because the room is never rearranged, only cleaned from time to time.


    I saw all the photos that I had from when I was with Rian a few years ago. I never kept any pictures of him on my phone or my photo albums.


    I knew that for me, he was never going to be permanent. What I never expected was the impact that the breakup would make. I suddenly remembered every tortured word Rian said to me in all of the nightmares I¡¯ve had of him.


    The guilt was eating me, and I could feel the dark presence inside my room. The presence grew whenever I was depressed, and I knew that I needed to get a hold of myself or start hallucinating again.


    The hallucinations came whenever I was too engrossed with the thoughts of Rian. Over the past few months, I learned how to control my thoughts, so I could somehow get through the tortures.


    However, every day it gets worse, and I always find myself guilty of what Rian tells me. A loud banging suddenly sounded beside me, and I felt like my heart was going to burst.


    My eyes widened as I saw the person who opened the door. The man was staring at me with using eyes, and a deep frown was on his lips.


    I felt both anger and shock as I looked at Alister¡¯s form standing on my bedroom¡¯s opened door.

 FAMILY?

    ¡°I know that you told mom you were going to stay here for a week or so, but I can¡¯t believe that you decided to go home in the middle of the school year. Are you seriously telling me that you are risking your studies for rxation?¡±


    My brother Alister was never close with me, and he and Izzy became much closer over the years. I disappeared as the eldest to study in another city a few hours away from home, and I knew he hated my guts for leaving the responsibility to him.


    ¡°Wow, you haven¡¯t seen me and spent time with me for months, and this is the wee greeting that you give me? Don¡¯t you have a softer side for your sister, Alister?¡±


    I saw my brotherpose himself, and the well-trained Alister De Leon was now present before me. He was definitely more mature than me, and I would never get shocked if they suddenly announced that he was now the new heir and not me.


    ¡°Well, big sister, I am aware that you were never the most responsible one, but I did assume for a while that you would take college seriously enough to actually not mess it up.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, little brother, I may be the ck sheep of the family, but I still aim to be a sess. Whether people believe that I can be or not, it no longer matters to me.¡±


    The shock in my customarilyposed brother¡¯s face was pleasing to me. I have to admit, it was rare for me to outsmart or outtalk my younger brother, and this moment is priceless for me.


    ¡°Now, little brother, I would appreciate it if you would leave me alone and focus on your own studies. Based on what Izzy said a few hours ago, you¡¯re doing great, and you should make sure you keep it up. You know that any mishaps could cause you more than you¡¯d like to admit to me.¡±


    I knew I hit a nerve since my younger brother has always hated my carefree spirit. He envied myck of interest in the n¡¯s future, and I envied his self-control. Nobody was perfect, and whenever the three of us were together, we all had a silent agreement that what the othercked was the other¡¯s strength.


    Alister left with an annoyed expression, but I knew that it would only take him a few minutes or hours to get over our little bickering. He was still more responsible than me, and I was proud of how he stepped up when I was away.


    I silently thanked my younger brother for disturbing my thoughts because the dark and heavy presence was now gone. I was so absorbed with bickering with Alister that I forgot about the situation I was in.


    I fixed the mess I made in my room, and I decided it was time for me to catch up with my studies while I was waiting for dinner. I knew that I had left my responsibility to the school publication and the other clubs that I was in. However, I was thankful for the chance to have friends that always got my back.


    Perry, Kath, and the others ensured that everything I needed to worry about was taken care of. They even helped me exin to the teacher about my horrible mental situation. Apparently, they told my teacher that someone I cared for died bymitting suicide, and it even took a toll on me both mentally and physically.


    It was a good thing my teacher believed the half truthful story from them, and I was excused in all my sses. When dinner was ready, the entire family was at the dining table, and only my mother spoke to me about random stuff at school.


    ¡°Sis, you have to think of other ways to break the spell because mom obviously doesn¡¯t have the solution. Didn¡¯t you say that you were going to a church here in the city? Do you think that the pastor could help me chase away this entity and get rid of this curse?¡±


    ¡°Hey, this is real life. I don¡¯t think that the things in the movies are the same as in real life. However, tomorrow is Sunday, and you could go with us and check out the church.¡±


    ¡°At this point, I am very willing to try everything and anything. I may look like I still have everything in control, but I feel myself slipping, Izzy. I can¡¯t be strong for long, and I know that if my mental health would go down the drain-¡±


    ¡°Shut up, sis. Don¡¯t even attempt to say those horrible words. Rian decided on his own, and no matter what he says or does to you, it is because he made a choice. You made a choice in the past, but your past doesn¡¯t define you.¡±


    ¡°Wow, Izzy, thanks. I never knew you had those motivational quotes in you.¡±


    We bothughed at realizing that we were both getting closer because of the horrible things happening to us. I decided that I would go straight to the church that she and mom were talking about by tomorrow.


    For now, the only thing I needed to worry about was the fact that it was nighttime again, and I was not excited to go to sleep because of the terrifying encounters I had during my nightmares. Izzy must have seen my face and guessed what I was thinking, so she volunteered to have a sleepover in my room tonight.


    ¡°Okay, so the preaching was great, and the woman pastor had a great point about forgiveness and repentance. I think I need to message her tonight if I could find her ount online.¡±


    The four of us: Alister, my mom, Izzy, and I, were going to a restaurant after the church service. For the first time, I felt like I was both being attacked andforted as I sat in one of the chairs in the middle of the church.


    ¡°¡± So how did you feel about the entire experience, Shyne? I¡¯m sure that you would be d to know that the pastor is known to be very effective actually doing what she¡¯s preaching, unlike the others.¡±


    My eyes grew a bit after hearing my mother¡¯s words. She had a church back in their small vige where she grew up in poverty, and she was always defensive whenever a church was discussed. However, for the first time in my life, I saw the sincerity of my mother as she talked fondly of the testimonies of the people she met at their new church.


    ¡°¡± Shyne, I believe that this church can help us heal as a family and get to know each other more. I realized after the service that wecked connection as a family.¡±


    The sudden talk about family obviously shocked me, and by the looks that my younger brother and sister were giving to mom, she all had the same thought. I found both my younger siblings nodding their heads as a sign of surrender, and I, too, found myself nodding in agreement.


    That night, I was too busy contemting all of the words that the preacher delivered during the sermon, and there were a few phrases that struck me harder than the others.


    ¡°You made a mistake, but that doesn¡¯t mean you have to live with it your whole life as a burden and a blockage for your appointed blessings in life. Everyone is bound to make mistakes. That is why we are told to repent and change our ways.


    The Lord gave us a way to be forgiven, and we must take it. Not as a way to say sorry and do it again, but to regret and change for the better. We all deserve a second chance to be better and forgiven, even if the person doesn¡¯t ept your apology. Forgive for your own peace of mind and changed life, not to restore the exact same rtionship, but to personally be better.¡±


    I looked outside my window and decided to take my sketchbook and draw how I felt at the moment. Every line that I drew made me feel at ease and forget about my surroundings. By the time I was done, I had looked out the window and saw that it was almost nighttime.


    ¡°Hey babe, how are you feeling about going back home?¡±


    Brixton called me while I was preparing for dinner, and I couldn¡¯t deny the annoying butterflies that fluttered in my belly. I felt like I was a teenager again and not a mature adult.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, babe, but it would have been nice if the rest of the gang was able toe here with me. I just remembered that you have never met any of my close rtives aside from my cousin, Perry.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°¡± I would love that, Shyne, but knowing your family, your father, and brother would be too paranoid if you suddenly introduced a guy you call ¡®babe¡¯ to them.¡±


    Iughed at Brixton¡¯s words, and we talked for more than an hour before I decided to hang up to go downstairs. Dinner was served, and I knew that the family would NOT appreciate it if I camete.


    ¡°Tomorrow, the church will be preparing a show for the arrival of the Korean pastors and missionaries that visit the church every year. I have already decided to include you in their list of young people who would be doing an intermission number.¡±


    ¡°What?! But mom, why didn¡¯t you tell me first before signing me up? I have a lot of things to do tomorrow, and signing me up means that I would need to practice instead of having time to myself.¡±


    ¡°I already did with Alister¡¯s help, Shyne, and I am sure that you are going to love it since it involves painting. Now, I expect that you and your siblings will go to the church tomorrow afternoon and begin meeting the other kids.¡±


    I was furious, but I refused to showcase how annoyed I was since I knew that going against my mother and brother meant that I would have more trouble. I was now in Izzy¡¯s room, and I looked at the books she had while I waited for her to get ready for bed.


    ¡°You know that mom is trying to make amends too, sis. She just has ame way of doing it since she is obviously winging it even after two decades of being a mom to you. You know how mom never understood any of us that well, especially you.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to make me guilty, Izzy? Because if you are, your n is working, and I hate it.¡±


    ¡°Just go with us to the practice. Even if you¡¯re already twenty-three years old, you still need Jesus Christ, sis. Plus, you need a way to get close to the pastor to ask for help from her more properly. I know your prideful self is not capable of asking for help from someone you don¡¯t know.¡±


    I decided to agree with Izzy and went straight to my room to get some sleep before the practice tomorrow. However, Sweet called in the middle of the night to tell me a piece of news that made me rush to my sister¡¯s room unannounced like a panicking three-year-old.


    As Izzy sat up, she read Perry¡¯s text on my phone, and her eyes turned as wide as mine.

 DEAD CONFESSIONS

    ¡°Come home by tomorrow. I saw a note from Rian in one of your weird time capsule boxes. I think I know how you can fully, or at least partially get rid of your undead stalker.¡± Izzy read Perry¡¯s text aloud as I was waiting for her to help me decide what to do.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go home tomorrow because I promised mom and dad that I would go to church with you and Alister.¡±


    ¡°Okay, sis, we are going to figure this out. However, right now, I need to sleep to figure something out properly. The Church has three services, so you don¡¯t have to worry about beingte.¡±


    I rxed a little at Izzy¡¯s nonchnt reaction. I decided to just decide in the morning and message Perry when I do.


    ¡°Hey, Izzy? I never thank you enough for your help with all of this. Thank you for everything.¡±


    Izzy had a soft smile on her lips as she just waved me goodnight. I proceeded to go back to my room, and as expected, I knew that I would feel the creepy presence again because of all my worries.


    I decided to get my bible from my night table and tried to calm myself. I needed to sort out my choices and decide by tomorrow about whether I should go back to school or stay here.


    ¡°Ssssshhhhhhhhhhh,¡± Rian¡¯s voice echoed in my mind and the hairs all-over my body stood up in fear. ¡°Shhhhhhhh.¡±


    I swallowed the scream that was threatening toe out of my mouth. y vision was getting blurry and I knew that I couldn¡¯t read the words of the bible anymore due to the panic and fear I was having.


    ¡°Shyne, My love,¡± the words were only a whisper but it echoed in the room as if it came from every direction. ¡°Look at me, Shyne.¡±


    ¡°Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.¡±


    I read the verse aloud as my heartbeat was beating faster than I thought was possible. I felt an awful urge to throw up my dinner, and the dark presence didn¡¯t help me to calm down.


    However, as I repeated the bible verse three more times, the voice stopped. I was able to release a deep sigh as my body began to rx.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think that repeating verses was enough to get rid of me did you, my love?¡±


    I looked at the full length body mirror on my right and I stiffened. Rian was now looking directly at me in the mirror as he stood a few inches away from me.


    The moment Rianughed hysterically, I felt myself faint. The darkness slowly consumed me as hisughter faded into nothingness.


    ¡°Hey, you have to wake up or else you¡¯ll be the reason why everyone iste. Come on, sis, WAKE UP!¡±


    My sleeping form bolted right up due to my brother Alister¡¯s loud voice. The guy was definitely annoying me more than Rian right now.


    ¡°Could you at least wake me up in a more humane manner? Sheesh, you act like dad all of a sudden.¡±


    ¡°Oh shut up, you are making everye for church. Hurry up or you¡¯ll go there by yourself.¡±


    With thatst remark, my brother left my room without closing the door. I just stared at the back of his head annoyingly.


    ¡°That guy is such a control freak. He really needs to chill or else he¡¯ll grow up like dad.¡±


    Izzy was now outside my slightly opened bedroom door, and I just growled on my pillow. I faintedst night and slept the entire time at the edge of my bed.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Wow, you look like a tornado destroyed your hair. What happened, and why are you at the edge of your bed? You¡¯d have sore muscles.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you every detailter, Izzy. Right now, you can leave me alone so I can get ready for church. I¡¯ll just go back to the campus tonight after the two church services.¡±


    The rest of the day, I tried to ignore the fear that was trying to ovee me. Rian and those ghostly hallucinations around me were driving me crazy, but I had to get a hold of myself for the sake of my family¡¯s dignity.


    Walking to the church felt weird, but Izzy was right, it was interesting. The Pastor and the people were all nice, yet they had a weird aura.


    ¡°You were right, Izzy. I have been to so many churches but this one is indeed different. I felt like I wanted to leave, but my feet were glued to the ground, and my butt was stuck to my seat.¡±


    ¡°You and I had the same reaction, sis. Now, at least you can use whatever you heard at the church to calm yourself down.¡±


    I was allowed by my mother to go back to my t under the condition that Ie home the next day. I agreed to be a part of the church¡¯s program. After spending a few minutes talking with other young people, I considered the thought and agreed.


    ¡°Hey Perry, where are you? I¡¯m home!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Shyne. How was the bus ride back here? Did you have any problems?¡±


    ¡°No, thank God I went straight here after church. I felt like the dark presence was being stopped somehow.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s because you just came back from church and I guess you¡¯re protected in a way.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but, Perry, I need to be permanently freed from this thing, not just temporarily freed. I am so sick of the night terrors and the weird voices and hallucinations.¡±


    I felt my tears threaten to fall, and Perry instantly came to give me a friendly andforting embrace. I allowed myself to sob for a few seconds, and we separated after.


    ¡°When I couldn¡¯t sleepst night, I decided to go through your stuff. I¡¯m sorry but it was like something was telling me to go and look through your old boxes of memories.¡±


    Perry gave me a folder letter that had the initials R. B. on the back. The letter was not familiar to me, but the initials and handwriting was indeed Rian¡¯s doing.


    ¡°When I was flipping through your diaries, this letter fell out of it. Don¡¯t worry, I never read your diaries. I just had a hunch that something would fall out, just like in the movies.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Perry. I understand. However, this letter is not familiar to me.¡±


    I opened the letter, and I had chills running up and down my spine as I read Rian¡¯s words. It was a letter that Rian slipped in my Diary the day that we went to the abortionist.


    The letter says:


    Shyne, my love,


    I looked at you moaning in pain as the abortionist pushed hard on your belly. I wanted to put a child inside you for months, and I hated that you didn¡¯t want one with me yet. I tried multiple times to get you pregnant, but a baby was never formed.


    Today, I want to confess that the abortionist that massaged you was actually a family rtive, and I paid her to put a spell on you to stop you from leaving but she didn¡¯t give me any. She doesn¡¯t want to give me a spell to make you fertile, because she said she took lives and never helped make them. She told me I made a mistake of choosing you because even the spirits told her that you were not for me.


    However, I refuse to believe that, my love. You are mine. She was part of a cult that worshiped the dead, but she decided to stop her practices and offer unborn fetuses instead to be kept healthy and alive for years.


    My love, I¡¯m sorry but I would rather disobey her than lose you. Not even her so-called spirits or cult can stop me. I love you, and I will always love you even in death.


    I wrote this letter, because I know you¡¯ll leave me someday. This is my confession to you and exnation as to why I¡¯ll take my life so early. It is for you and me to be together. Don¡¯t be afraid of death, my love, I¡¯ll be right there weing you.¡±


    My eyes are tearing up, and I felt the chills again as the dark presence began to once again unfold in my room. Perry was looking at me with a worried expression, and she took my hand in hers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that, Shyne. Take my hand and let¡¯s pray. Right now, all we need to do first is call God.¡±


    ¡°Shyne¡­¡± Rian¡¯s voice was loud in my ear, and I screamed with my pent up fear.

 VICTIMIZING

    ¡°Shyne, snap out of it! Hey, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯m right here, Shyne. Shhh, it¡¯s alright.¡±


    Perry was rocking me back and forth as I had a panic attack. I was shaking as I closed my eyes and covered my ears.


    ¡°Shyne, I¡¯m here, cousin. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re alright. Everything is going to be alright, just rx, Shyne.¡±


    I was still shaking badly as Perry wrapped her arms around my body, and her legs were entangled with mine. She exerted enough force to stop a little of my thrashing, and we both fell on the floor.


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t do this anymore, Perry. I can¡¯t live every day of my life pretending that being haunted by my ex isn¡¯t affecting me as much as it really does.¡±


    Big and fat tears continually fell from my eyes as Perry continued tofort me with words of encouragement and words of God from the bible. I was slowly calming down until I remembered something.


    I quickly let go of Perry and got out of her embrace. I went to the closet and took out a small box that had a ring in it.


    Perry looked at me questioningly as I opened the box, and what was inside was not a ring, but a ne. The ne had a pendant that opened up to reveal Rian¡¯s photo.


    A chill went up to my spine as I remembered the day Rian gave it to me. I didn¡¯t want to take it, but it was like my body moved on its own and epted the gift he gave me.


    In the past¡­


    ¡°Why are you always so demanding, Rian? Seriously, I¡¯m not a pushover that you can give orders to.¡±


    I grabbed my bag and tried to leave Rian on the road. We were about to go to his house, but he kept forcing me to stay overnight which he knew I could never do. I decided to go against going to his house and go back home instead because he ispletely irritating me with his childish stubbornness.


    ¡°Shyne,e one, hon. Why can¡¯t you just stay here for the night and just go back home tomorrow? Just tell them that you lost track of time and had no one to send you home. Tell your parents that you didn¡¯t think calling was needed because you slept in a penthouse nearby.¡±


    ¡°Rian, I won¡¯t lie that much right now, because mom and dad are already mad at me for ditching my bodyguards the majority of the time. Seriously, we are both lucky that my friends are helping me ditch them, or else, we¡¯d both be in huge trouble.¡±


    ¡°You are already at the right age to sleep wherever you want, Shyne. Why don¡¯t you just tell me that the real reason why you don¡¯t want to sleep here is that I¡¯m poor and your family is filthy rich!¡±


    I pped him, then I saw his face change from shock to anger. I also felt hot with anger when I realized that we were standing in the middle of an empty road.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight with you in the middle of the road, Rian. I still have more dignity left. Now, I want to go home, and I don¡¯t want to talk to you right now.¡±


    I tried to get away, but Rian pulled me back too hard, and I felt my wrist begin to bruise. I stared at his angry eyes that matched mine, and we had a staring contest.


    ¡°Do you seriously believe that I would let you leave me just like that? I know that you¡¯re the heir to your big n, Shyne, but I don¡¯t care. You are mine. Every inch of you is mine, whether you¡¯re a lowly teenager or a billionaire¡¯s daughter.¡±


    He let go of my left hand, and he began to slowly choke me while he held my right wrist tightly. The anger inside me began to subside, and I felt fear slowly creep in. I saw how his eyes changed, and his anger was boiling.


    I felt a heavy sensation surrounding me, and I couldn¡¯t move a muscle. Rian began to power walk towards his house, and I felt my body move automatically.


    ¡°Mine. You are mine, Shyne, and I will prove it to you. I don¡¯t care what it takes.¡±


    I was beginning to feel confusion build up inside my mind as I felt my body move as if it was on autopilot. I wanted to run in the other direction and scream at the guy but I couldn¡¯t.


    When we arrived at Rian¡¯s house, the people there were ignoring us. They had judgmental eyes as they nced towards my direction, but I ignored them.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if I have to force it in you, Shyne, but I will let you feel my love for you. All that you are is mine, and no one can change that. Not even you, my love.¡±


    ¡°Rian, please, I just want to go home. I won¡¯t leave you, but I need to go home now. I suddenly feel sick and I think I need to rest.¡±


    I was lying and I knew that he knew it too. I was being desperate as he locked his bedroom door and looked at me with both anger and interest.


    I was begging him to let me leave and I didn¡¯t know why. I never begged anyone in my life, and it all felt foreign to me. It was like my body and mind were fighting, and my body was winning.


    ¡°Home? You can go hometer my love. I know you¡¯re rich and you prefer your mansion over my simple house, but I can change your mind in a few minutes.¡±


    I was shaking, but I didn¡¯t know if it was because the air felt cold, or because I felt worried. I looked at Rian¡¯s sinister smile, and I knew I would regret this day like the other days.


    Rian took his time showing me how much I meant to him, and I felt like I was separated from myself the entire time. It was like I was watching myself, and I wasn¡¯t there.


    I looked at Rian the entire time without much of an expression. He was a victim for a minute and an user the next.


    Suddenly, Rian took my finger and he put a ring on it. I took my hand away before he could, but he pulled my hand closer with force to put the ring properly.


    ¡°Never take this off, my love. I don¡¯t care what lies you have to tell to keep this on your finger, but never lose it.¡±


    The room was getting dark as I looked at Rian¡¯s face. He was looking at the ring fondly, and as I looked at him, I felt like there was more to the ring than meets the eye.


    ¡°What would happen if I lost the ring? You know that I don¡¯t like wearing jewelry that much.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that because this ring is not as expensive as the ones your billionaire parents give you? I mean, I know you¡¯re raised to be materialistic, but can¡¯t you say thank you to me?¡±


    I felt regret instantly at his using words. I thought of a reply, but my tongue was tied.


    ¡°I understand you, my love. I know you don¡¯t want to ept a cheap gift, but this one is special.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean special? Does this ring belong to your family like an heirloom? If it¡¯s so special, I don¡¯t want to lose it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t lose this ring, my love. Trust me, this ring is a piece of me, and now that you¡¯re wearing this, you are bound with my soul.¡±


    Present¡­


    I felt Perrye closer to me and look at the box I was holding. She was looking over my shoulder, and I knew I had to tell her where I got the ring.


    ¡°He said that his soul was now bound with me forever because I decided to keep the ring. I didn¡¯t know what he meant, and I didn¡¯t know that I kept this.¡±


    ¡°You told me before that you threw every gift he gave you when you broke up with him. So why do you still have this ring, then there¡¯s the letters, as well as the diary?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Perry. I told you, it was like my entire body was on autopilot, and my mind was losing. I wanted to throw everything, but my body kept.¡±


    ¡°Okay, we need to go out of this house for a bit and go to mommy Mitch¡¯s house. She¡¯s our leader at the church, and I¡¯m sure she can help us even with just a simple prayer.¡±


    I was reluctant at first, however, Perry was able to convince me. The logic was out the window by now, and I was bing more desperate.


    Kathy lives a few blocks away from our house, and both Perry and she were attending the same church with Miss Mitch. The two of them came with me to ask for a prayer from Miss Mitch.


    ¡°Okay, Shyne. Before we pray, you need to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior. The bible said, ¡°You need to repent first and ept Jesus, so your prayers can be heard by God.¡±


    I took a deep breath and prepared myself. I¡¯ve done this with other churches in the past, but I did that before out of respect for other people¡¯s beliefs. I never tried doing this personally for myself.


    ¡°Alright, Shyne. Right now, I just need you to close your eyes and think of all the mistakes you have made in the past. Think of them, and just ask for forgiveness from God. Grace is always avable for you.¡±


    I closed my eyes, and I felt a dark presence once again, and it was difficult to close my eyes. I kept peeping and saw Miss Mitch, Perry, and Kathy closing their eyes.


    I closed my eyes too, and I felt a cold breeze touch my right earlobe. I felt goosebumps erupt on my skin, and I let go of both Perry and Kathy¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Shyne? Are you alright? Sweetheart, can you hear me? you need to rx.¡±


    The world was spinning, and I knew I was having a panic attack. I sat on the sofa, and both Perry and Kathy surrounded me while Miss Mitch left to grab a ss of water for me to drink.


    ¡°Here, sweetheart, drink some water to help you calm down.¡±


    ¡°Shyne, are you alright? Do you want me and Kath to take you home?¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I could see the worry in all three sets of eyes that were looking at me. I nodded my head and decided that I should just leave.


    Miss Mitch decided to still pray for me, and for a few minutes of prayer, I felt calmer. I knew that her prayer somehow worked, but it was weird that I had a panic attack at first.


    ¡°Sweetheart, I know that you¡¯re probably confused why you had a hard time with the confession and repentance part. That is because the one fighting against you is both that curse and your own guilt. You need to free yourself first, Shyne. We can help, but the biggest help you can get is help from within yourself.¡±


    I just stayed quiet as Miss Mitch talked, and I saw Perry and Kathy observing my reactions. I was thankful for the three of them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Shyne. I know that you can get through this by the grace of God. I will continue to pray for you, and I know that when the time is right, you can find the courage to surrender to the Lord and free yourself.¡±


    I was silent even when we arrived home, and I went straight to my room. I looked at all the things that Rian left me. I cried hard again, and this time, I allowed sleep to ovee me as I began to hear multiple voices whispering to me.


    ¡°Come with me, my love. Be with me forever, Shyne.¡±

 PERFECT DAY, PERFECT DRAMA

    I woke up with the sun shining brightly outside my room¡¯s window. I felt great for some odd reason, and I chose to ignore it.


    ¡°Well, looks like our sleeping beauty had no nightmaresst night. I hope that this continues on throughout the entire day.¡±


    Perry was smiling ear to ear as she brought me breakfast in bed. It was an odd thing, but I decided to believe that she might just be happy to get a good night¡¯s sleep for once.


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t say that I¡¯mining either. I feel like I haven¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep for ages.¡±


    Perry gave me a te of omelet, rice, a ss of water, and hotdogs. Everything looks appetizing, and I felt myself salivating.


    ¡°By the looks of it, Perry, I¡¯m guessing you decided to cook me breakfast because you got the beauty sleep that you wanted. I hope you sleep well every day so I can get the perfect breakfast in bed from you every single day.¡±


    ¡°Well, I could do that a few times if I¡¯m in a great mood. However, as much as I love you, I¡¯d rather cook an amazing breakfast for myself. You need to learn how to cook the little miss heir of the De Leon n.¡±


    ¡°Ohe on, I would rather hire a cook, Perry. BUT, you COULD teach me how to cook meals so I don¡¯t starve in case you¡¯re not with me.¡±


    ¡°As if that would happen, little missy. You know I¡¯m far too busy to do that. However, you could ask Brixton to help you since I know you two have been missing each other these past few days.¡±


    ¡°First of all, you know I¡¯d rather bake than cook actual meals. I would just give the fire department more work if I cook. I¡¯m lucky enough that mom allowed you to join me so I could somehow live normally without the extra extravagance. Second, I can¡¯t deny that I¡¯ve missed Brixton, so I¡¯d just ask him.¡±


    I whispered thest part, and I saw Perry shake her head and leave without saying another word. She had a small smile on her face that tells me she already knows what I¡¯m thinking about when ites to Brixton.


    The day was amazing, and everything was surprisingly going smoothly. I haven¡¯t felt the odd presence, and I haven¡¯t had any breakdowns or hallucinations of Rian.


    I was now at a cafe waiting for Brixton to finish his sses. We were supposed to meet in thirty minutes and I went early since my sses ended already.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think that I would get the opportunity to spend time with my heiress friend.¡±


    Brixton¡¯s voice echoed in the empty cafe, and I looked up at the smiling guy behind me. He took the seat opposite of mine, and everything else that I was thinking about instantly faded away.


    ¡°I think heiress is a bit much, babe. I prefer being a normal girl with aplicated life who just wants to enjoy her coffee at peace. Plus, I expect you to give me a free slice of chocte moist cake because I graced you with my normal presence.¡±


    I earned augh from Brixton, and he did as I requested. I allowed myself to just close my eyes and rx while I waited for him to finish ordering.


    ¡°So tell me, babe, what have you been up to aside from worrying? I haven¡¯t seen or spent time with you for a few days, and it¡¯s not a nice feeling. You make me a little bit too worried for my liking, babe.¡±


    ¡°Well, I have been a bit busy these past few days. Ever since I¡¯ve found more clues about Rian and the past, it feels like the days are longer and on repeat.¡±


    ¡°You really need to rest from time to time, babe. I¡¯m sorry if I can¡¯t really help you as much as I want to.¡±


    I felt the sincerity that Brixton had, and it melted my heart. Today is an amazing day, and I sat there exining to Brixton everything that happened for the past few days in better detail.


    ¡°You know, babe, I¡¯m really happy that you¡¯re getting closer to God. I know that it doesn¡¯t sound possible, but I know that you¡¯ll get through this.¡±


    ¡°I know, babe. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m blessed with people like you who are there to support me. Though I¡¯m not yet as keen on calling the almighty as often as you guys do, at this point in my life, I¡¯m willing to try anything and everything to get this stupid curse over with.¡±


    The both of us held each other¡¯s hand as afortable silence fell between us. I looked at Brixton¡¯s eyes and it felt so right being in the warm moment with him.


    ¡°Well, well, well, if it isn¡¯t my favorite princess. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d meet you here, hon.¡±


    Rex was walking towards us, and his words were a bit louder than they should be so the four other people who just came in looked at us curiously.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think that I would see you back here, Shyne. I thought that you would spend at least a few more weeks back home.¡±


    Rex stopped in front of us and I didn¡¯t have a choice but to break the moment that Brixton and I were having so I could stand and shake Rex¡¯s hand. However, Rex pulled me into a hug instead of just shaking my hand, and it left me a bit shocked.


    ¡°I missed you, Shyne, honey. If only I had known that you were going back earlier than expected, I would have hung out with you much sooner.¡±


    I was able to break free from Rex¡¯s embrace and politely took my seat while he took a nearby seat from a different table. He didn¡¯t know anything about me and Rian so I had to think of a little white lie to make sure he remained oblivious about the topic and problem.


    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t been here long, and I¡¯m sorry but I guess I was a bit too busy with deadlines and other things. Brixton and I are having one of our food dates to help me rx from all the problems that I¡¯ve been trying to solvetely.¡±


    ¡°Brixton? Oh, yeah, you¡¯re her friend who goes to a different school right? Nice to see you again, man. It¡¯s nice that Shyne could have a little friend by her side when she needs it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah man, nice seeing you again, I guess. I¡¯m d that Shynees to me every time she needs someone to feel rxed.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, Shyne, right now, I¡¯m just all over the country and my father is making me travel all the time. However, now that you look like you¡¯ve rxed more and I¡¯m almost done with my father¡¯s biddings, do you want to hang out with me sometimes? We can hang out anywhere you want.¡±


    Rex was speaking to me as if Brixton didn¡¯t exist and I saw how much effort it took Brixton to stop himself from punching Rex. I looked at the two men in front of me, and I felt like the perfect day had turned into a perfect day for a drama.


    ¡°Well, thank you for the offer, Rex, but I¡¯m afraid that I really need to focus on my studies and my other extracurricr activities. I mean, I can¡¯t just ditch all of my responsibilities just so I could go on different trips.¡±


    ¡°I understand that hon, but you gave your little friend here the time to hang out, so I thought that I could also ask you out like old times. I mean, you said you were single, which means that no one would get a man if I took you out to dinner or something.¡±


    I didn¡¯t have an answer for Rex, so I just gave a small nod that made him give his charming smile. Meanwhile, I saw Brixton drink his coffee in silence at Rex and I¡¯s exchange, and by the way, he was holding his cup, I was guessing he was almost at his limit of tolerance.


    ¡°Hey, Rex, I just remembered that Brixton and I have somewhere else to go. It was nice seeing you again. Come on, babe, we need to get going, or else we¡¯d bete.¡±


    I gave Rex a polite smile while I semi-dragged a confused and pissed Brixton out from his chair. I held his hand as I was pulling him out of the ce and into the parking area.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Rex, Brixton, I didn¡¯t think that he was going to be there, and I know you don¡¯t like him. Plus, you and he are always on edge even if you guys have only men twice, and-¡±


    Brixton pulled me and hugged me tightly in the middle of the parking lot. My heart felt like it was going to explode, and the perfect day became somewhat perfect again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I was being a jealous idiot back there, babe. I just-I-¡±


    I hugged him back with equal force, and the both of us just stayed infortable silence. We hugged each other for ten more seconds, and I could feel both of our heartbeats going from intense to calm before we eventually both let go of each other at the same time.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the sudden hug, Shyne. I guess that idiot made me so angry that I just needed to hug you to calm me down a bit. I¡¯m sorry if I startled you a bit.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Brixton. I understand you.¡±


    The both of us looked at each other¡¯s eyes, and as I closed my eyes, I felt cold lips touch mine. He tasted like the coffee that he drank. Our bodies moved, and a few secondster, I felt a car door behind me.


    ¡°Shyne, I¡¯m sorry, I-¡±


    ¡°Shut up and just kiss me, Brixton.¡±


    I felt myself being lifted and sat down on the hood of a car. Brixton and I moved as if we were both in a daze because of the heat of the moment.


    ¡°You taste divine, my love.¡±

 HEAT OF THE OLD FLAME

    I froze as cold lips were kissing me from my neck to my corbone. Hands were also touching me hard and possessively. I could taste blood when lips aggressively kissed mine, and the ufortable feeling of fear crept in an instant.


    I wanted to open my eyes but it felt like I was stuck in the sitting position that I was in. My body felt like it was frozen as lips continued to ravish me all over, and I couldn¡¯t utter a single sound.


    ¡°Did you enjoy your little perfect day, my love? Watching you be sweet with that insolent man made me both hot and bothered in a bittersweet way.¡±


    The voice was Brixton¡¯s, but I knew it with all my heart that the man I was with now was Rian and not Brixton. I was being choked, and I know that I was either in a dream while I was in my bed, or I was hallucinating and zoning out somewhere.


    ¡°Your body heat tells me that you still remember my touch, my love. I know that you remember everything that we did, Shyne. You can¡¯t deny that no matter who you try to be with, you will alwayse back to my touch.¡±


    My eyes felt like they were glued tight, and my entire body was burning with everything that Rian was doing to me. I felt like crying and yet there were no tears falling from my eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel the old me burning again, my love? The way I make you feel with every touch I give you? I know that no matter how much you deny it, Shyne, you will never forget me, especially the way I handle you and your body.¡±


    The hystericalugh that Rian made was eerie and it felt demonic in a way. His voice echoed in the darkness, and I desperately tried to open my eyes and move my body to get away from the cold hand and lips that were raveging me.


    ¡°P-p-please, R-r-rian. I-I can¡¯t breathe. Let g-go of m-me, Rian. I b-beg of you, p-please let me go.¡±


    Somehow, the numbness in both my arms and my legs were fading as I continued to force myself that everything that was happening wasn¡¯t real. I forced myself to try and ignore Rian¡¯s body and touches, but it was difficult.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I have always liked the way you beg, my love. You make me feel alive with your begging alone, Shyne. Beg me the way I beg you to be with me, the way I begged you to love me more. I want you to feel every inch of me, my love.¡±


    I screamed with everything I had as Rian moved more viciously against me. I was in excruciating pain, and it felt like the pain reached my soul. My eyes opened a little as I looked directly into his eyes, and Rian¡¯s eyes told me that the man who was ravaging me was no longer the guy I used to date.


    There was a sense of demonic aura that covered Rian, and somehow I knew that it was no longer just him who was doing these things to me. The darkness slowly enveloped the both of us, and I saw the light redness of the white part of Rian¡¯s eyes. The red color made Rian¡¯s dark pupils turn even darker and more menacing.


    I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes open for long due to the intense pain I was feeling, so I had no choice but to close it back again. After closing my eyes, it felt like my eyes were glued again, and no matter how much I tried, I couldn¡¯t even take a peek at Rian.


    ¡°R-ian, please, p-please, I-¡±


    He kissed me roughly and cut off whatever words I was desperately trying to form. The taste of coffee was no longer there in his mouth, and it was reced with a metallic taste of blood.


    I still couldn¡¯t open my eyes, and by the wet feeling that I have around my body, I¡¯m guessing that it¡¯s not just Rian¡¯s disgusting saliva. The smell of blood was stronger now, and I was sure that I was covered in blood as he continued his movements.


    ¡°You know, my love. I have always had multiple fantasies and I¡¯m sure that you are well aware that we are living one of them. Now, I¡¯m sure that you know all the other fantasies, my love. Why don¡¯t we do a few more, Shyne?¡±


    I was shaking and in pain when I felt the hood of the car under me disappear, and my body was now above something soft yet cold. I felt Rian¡¯s presence disappear, and with onest effort, I tried to open both of my eyes.


    The blinding light made opening my eyes more difficult, and the red colored room I was now in made my blood smothered body and torn clothes stick out like a sore thumb. I was still shaking, but not only was I shaking with fear, but I was shaking because of the cold temperature inside of the room.


    I tried to move, however, every part of my body was sore but at least I could somehow move enough to have a better look at my surroundings. I knew that this was all a dream, but I felt sick at the thought of how much Rian could make a dream feel like a reality.


    The bed and the entire room had red lights on every corner, and the sheets were all crimson red with red roses covering the entire dresser that was opposite of the bed. When I looked at the left side of the bed, there was a photo of me and Rian when we were in his room.


    I remembered that the photo was taken during our first anniversary after the both of us finished doing the deed. I threw the picture frame across the room, and I saw the ss shatter at the impact.


    ¡°My love, you look so beautiful, and you are bing more and more beautiful the more I look at you.¡±


    Rian was now on the right side of the red bed, and he was wearing a ck hoodie with ck pants and ck shoes. I was wearing my torn beige dress and blouse, and I was barefoot. I tried to stand up while attempting to cover my exposed chest, but Rian disappeared and reappeared behind me when I was about to fall.


    ¡°Well, I guess that you¡¯re still tired after our little session back at the parking lot, my love? It¡¯s better if you justy down and let me make you feel so good, you might just join me in eternity right now, Shyne.¡±


    ¡°N-no. G-get away from m-me, Rian. I-I-I don¡¯t w-want anything from you. P-please, I-I just want t-to get all of t-this over with. R-Rian, p-please I-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you get it, my love? You will ever get away from me, because you are mine. YOU. ARE. MINE. AND. MINE. ALONE!¡±


    Rian pped me hard enough to fall on the floor and nearly copse. I was getting dizzy, and I felt a man¡¯s hand on my hair pulling me hard to get me to stand up. At the same time, I felt rough hands pull my dress up and tear it to shreds.


    I screamed and decided to headbutt Rian to let me go. It worked, and I was able to fix myself and crawl to the other side of the bed where I hoped that Rian wouldn¡¯t go.


    I was shaking severely, and I saw blooding out of Rian¡¯s mouth at the impact of my maneuver. I tried my best to focus on calming myself down so I could wake up from my dream, but Rian was already behind me again, and I was trapped in his embrace.


    The both of us fell on the bed with Rian on top of me, and I tried to fight back, but my strength was deteriorating, and I knew that Rian would overpower me easily. The smile he had, along with the crazy light of his reddish eyes showed me that he was no longer thinking straight, and his only goal was to force himself on me and get whatever he wanted to get from me.


    ¡°You¡¯re feistier now than you were in the past, my love. Why don¡¯t we call a few of my friends over so they can see and feel the same beauty and warmth that you gave me, Shyne? You always told me that I should learn to be generous, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll enjoy it, my love.¡±


    ¡°W-what do y-you mean friends? W-what are you p-nning to do, Rian?¡±


    Tworge shadows in the form of two buff men came in through the door, and I felt my blood run cold. The shadow¡¯s eyes were pure red, and they had nasty smiles that sent a jolt of panic and fear creeping in me.


    I looked back at Rian who had magically tied both my hands on either side of the bed with ropes, and my legs were also tied apart on the two edges of the bed. I was shaking horribly as the two of them stood at either side of the bed, and Rian stood at the foot of the bed while examining me.


    ¡°Now, my love, let¡¯s begin, shall we?¡±


    The three of them got closer, and I felt the bed dip because of their weights. The burning inside and outside my body became unbearable.


    ¡°Open your eyes, Shyne. You¡¯re having a very bad dream again, babe. Hey,e on, Shyne, snap out of it. Please, Shyne, open your eyes, I¡¯m here.¡±


    I opened my eyes to see that I fell asleep at the coffee shop where I was waiting for Brixton in my dream. I looked straight at the worried face of my friend, and I could see that he was relieved as well that I managed to wake up from that horrible nightmare.

 ANOTHER STORM

    ¡°Hey, babe, are you alright? You fell asleep while waiting for me, and just when I came through the door, I saw you were shaking. You were saying words that I couldn¡¯t really understand, but it was a good thing you were whispering. I think the owner of the cafe decided to let you rest while you waited for me since the shop is empty.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry if I fell asleep while waiting, babe. I didn¡¯t think I was that sleepy. I didn¡¯t even remember closing my eyes other than when I was thinking about some random things.¡±


    ¡°No, Shyne, babe, I¡¯m the one who should be sorry for taking too long to get here. I never expected to get held up by the teachers about something.¡±


    Brixton looked guilty, and he kept checking my face as if I was going to burst in tears of anger at any given moment. There was an awkward silence as I tried my best to fix myself after the nightmare that I had.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for the dy, Shyne, I didn¡¯t mean for you to wait and sleep here on your own. The publication is busy these past few days because of the multiple events at the school.¡±


    Brixton was stuttering, and though I felt horrible after the nightmare, seeing a worried guy like him was amusing for me. He was usually calm and collected no matter how worried he was over something.


    I giggled a bit loudly when I saw that he was looking more and more exasperated while he was speaking. Brixton was looking at me like I lost my mind, and from the corner of my eyes, I saw that one of the employees of the cafe was looking at our table.


    ¡°Brixton, it¡¯s alright if you werete. I guess I was just really tired prior to this meeting so I fell asleep. Right now, what you need to do is stop apologizing and start ordering our coffee so they don¡¯t have any reason to kick us out.¡±


    He looked reluctant at first, but when I gave him my sweetest smile and giggled again, he finally smiled and stood up. He went straight to the counter and never even dared to ask for what I wanted. However, based on his gestures to the cashier, he knew what to order for me as always.


    I was lost in thought when a smooth yet annoying voice of a woman talked behind me with inaudible words. I turned to face the owner of the voice, and I was faced to face with one of my most obnoxious cousins in the entire n.


    ¡°Well, well, well, if it isn¡¯t our dearest little cousin. I didn¡¯t know that out of all the ces you could be hiding in, you would be here in an unimpressive cafe, Shyne.¡±


    Nixie, the oldest of the twins, was the one who talked, and by the anger that boiled inside of me, I could imagine that some of the crew in the cafe heard them. Amarah Nixie De Leon and Carmina Trixie De Leon were twin daughters of my dad¡¯s second cousin. They both had brte hair, but Noxie had blue-green tips on hears, while Trixie had bluish pink tips. They were both wearing ck crop tops that showed their entire abdomen, and almost half of their breasts in a deep V cut. Nixie wore a blue leather jacket over hers while Trixie wore a faded blue denim jacket. Their heeled leather boots made the outfit look amazing, but I would never tell them that.


    Overall, the twins looked amazing, and I couldn¡¯t help but admire how much puberty did them good. They were two years younger than me, and ording to tradition, they were under my authority. Therefore, they were supposed to regard me with respect, but I knew that no rule could make them submit to me.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Shyne? You know that you should learn how to reply to your little sisters when they talk. I was expecting that you were raised better than this, you know.¡±


    Nixieughed at Trixie¡¯s snidement. They both giggled and gave each other high fives as they towered over my sitting form.


    ¡°For twins to be both little glittery monsters is a shock for me,dies. I always assumed that at least one of you would have grown up with a bit more breeding and, well, I don¡¯t know, maybe ss? I mean, even your insults are out of style, and you both im to always be on trend.¡±


    I sat straight, and though they towered over me, I still radiated the authority that I was born with. I hated being the heir to the n¡¯s authority, but being able to be trained how to radiate authority when facing spoiled brats like them was a perk for me.


    ¡°What did you just say to us?! How dare you say that in front of Trixie and me? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be the head of the n when your parents die or retire? You should be kinder to us since, unfortunately, we are both blood rtives, and partners in ourpanies. You have no right to even speak to us out of ce or else our parents will hear about this.¡±


    Iughed at Nixie¡¯s outburst, and at that moment, I saw how annoyed they both were. When Nixie was about to step forward, I didn¡¯t even flinch, because I saw Brixton walk over to us quickly and catch Nixie¡¯s hand in her attempt to p me hard.


    ¡°Excuse medies, but what in the world do you think you¡¯re doing to my friend over here? I was nning on ignoring the both of you because I knew that she could handle you. However, I wasn¡¯t going to let my friend be pped so easily if I¡¯m within reach to help.¡±


    Brixton lets go of Nixie¡¯s hand, and by the looks that the twins shared, they were interested in Brixton. I instinctively stood up, and the three of them looked at me and followed my every move. I talked as I walked towards Brixton, and unintentionally became a sort of barricade separating Brixton and the twins.


    ¡°Listen here, both of you, I came here because I knew that this ce could never be a social climber¡¯s choice. Thus, making sure that people like the two of you would avoid. However, I never expected that the two of you would stoop so low that you would even DARE toe in here to insult me.¡±


    I saw the two of them pale, and those who heard me in the cagewere now watching the scene intensely. I looked at each of their eyes, and I stood closer to them. We were about the same height even if I only wore t shoes, because they were shorter than me, and the heels only helped them a bit.


    ¡°Furthermore, before you begin to insult me with your father¡¯s money or status, make sure that you belong to a higher status within the n. I pity my uncle for having ungrateful and entitled brats to run hispany in the future. I¡¯m sure, if pushes to shove, uncle would rather give your shares and rights to someone who is actually worth it.¡±


    Nixie tried to p me, but I caught her wrist and twisted it enough to scare Trixie a bit and Nixie to bend in pain. Trixie looked like she was contemting leaving her twin sister.


    ¡°Finally,dies, if I were you, I would do good in school and try to find a capable husband to run everything. Hopefully if you both graduate as useless students, you would at least be good daughters by finding husbands that could run thepany while you try your best to shop until your bodies drop.¡±


    I let go of Nixie¡¯s wrist, and both of them walked out of the cafe in  a hurried manner. They never even nced my way, and ignored the people along the way.


    ¡°Wow! Babe, that was awesome! I mean, you should have seen their stic faces that paled. I mean, even their make-up couldn¡¯t hide the embarrassed faces that they¡¯re trying to deny.¡±


    I ignored Brixton¡¯sment and went straight to the owner of the cafe who was looking at the entire scene. I felt him follow me as I went straight to him with guilt written on my face.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for the drama that just happened between me and my cousins, sir. I don¡¯t know how to apologize for the disturbance that we did here at your cafe.¡±


    ¡°Little girl, it¡¯s alright, you don¡¯t need to apologize for anything. Those twin cousins of yours should be the ones to apologize for ruining your day. I just hope that you won¡¯t stoping to my shop just because they found you here.¡±


    ¡°What? I would never do that, sir. I¡¯m d that you forgive me and their behavior. I promise to bring more people here that I know of, so that they could taste your coffee and cakes. They taste amazing, and the whole ce looks great, because it¡¯s both simple yet warm andfortable.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for yourpliment, little miss, and thank you for your enthusiasm for my food. I¡¯ll hold on to your promise of new customers okay?¡±


    ¡°You can count on me Sir Johnny. I¡¯m Shyne by the way, and my friend over there is Brixton. Wee here at least once a month or when we are not in the mood to be with people. Your ce is really nice, especially for students like us who need a ce to rx.¡±


    After a few more seconds of small talk with the owner, I went back to our table where Brixton was already eating the sandwich he ordered. He watched me approach our table and gave me a smile with his mouth covered with sauce.


    ¡°Eww, babe, you look like a kid whose mom left him at the kids¡¯ table. Wipe your face and leave some for me!¡±


    He took my sandwich from my te, and I tried to grab it. We wereughing, and for a moment, I felt like everything else didn¡¯t matter. We talked about random stuff, and when the food was gone, afortable silence was between us.


    ¡°Shyne, I know you¡¯re tired of hearing this from me today, but seriously, you annihted those twins. They were hot, but your reply to them was hotter, babe. I mean, if karma had a voice and an attitude, it was you at that moment.¡±


    Iughed at his exaggerated exnations. I proceeded to drink my coffee while I listened to hisments.


    ¡°Brixton, that¡¯s enough. As fun as it was, I think I also made a mistake. I mean, the twins are spoiled to the core, and I¡¯m sure that aunty Fergie would demand an exnation. After all, the twins and I have had a bad history, especially since their mother would always take their side.¡±


    ¡°Well then, I believe your aunt is nuts, and she deserves to be questioned in that part of her mothering. She shouldn¡¯t let those two be spoiled too much, I mean,e on, they looked like a blinged out barbie with bad taste in attitude.¡±


    ¡°Well, no matter how true that is, I need to get ready for the twins¡¯ payback. Those two were never quitters when ites to their prides. I just need to brace myself for the storm they¡¯re willing to bring.¡±


    I crossed my arm and stared outside the ss doors. My mind was now racing with the problems that I would be facing regarding Rian, and now, the twins were added into the mix.


    ¡°I should have shut my mouth, Brixton. I mean, I already had enough problems with Rian, now the twins are bothering me. Plus, I still can¡¯t get over the fact that Rian pretended to be you in my dream just so I would make out with him and-¡±


    ¡°He what?! W-what do you mean made out? He turned into me in your dream? When? Why would he do that, I mean-¡±


    I gasped, and the two of us stared at one another. Our eyes were never letting go of each other¡¯s gazes as both our minds raced, and an awkward silence came.


    ¡°Well, Rian, he-he, I mean, I made out with you at the parking lot at first, then, well, and I-I-¡±


    My whole face turned red, and so did Brixton¡¯s. The two of us just stared at one another.


    ¡°THE TWO OF YOU MADE OUT AT THE PARKING LOT?!¡±

 HONESTLY IS THE POLICY

    Brixton and I looked at his friend Karl, and he had this look of utter shock and amusement in his face. He was holding a little girl¡¯s hand. The little kid wearing the princess dress had the same dusty blonde hair like him, and she looked like she was three years old or so. Her eyes were bluish gray like Karl, and by the cleft chin that she had like Karl, she was either his sister or child.


    All four of us, including the little girl looking at me, were all silent after Karl¡¯s sudden question. I recovered first, and I quickly shook my head as a way of answering him.


    ¡°Karl, that¡¯s not what happened. Me and Brixton never made out at the parking lot and-wait a minute, how did you know it was at the parking lot?¡±


    ¡°I knew that when you¡¯re with Brixton, you would use his car, and the two of you have always had moments when you almost kiss each other when I was still in studying with you two. So the parking lot is a no-brainer I guess.¡±


    Brixton was still quiet, and he was just looking at me directly, while the little girl holding Karl¡¯s hand suddenly walked towards me while still holding his hand.


    ¡°Mami? Are you my mami? Papi, is she mami?¡±


    Karl, Brixton, and I looked at the little girl, then Brixton and I looked at Karl in a questioning way. Karl gave a dryugh, and he didn¡¯t give us a panicked expression, but a sad one.


    ¡°No, mi bebita. She is your aunt Shyne and your uncle Brixton. They were papi¡¯s best friends when papi was still in school, before you were born.¡±


    Karl picked up the little girl, and I saw the love in his eyes as he quietly fixed the princess dress that was crumpled when he carried her. Brixton suddenly looked at me with a weird look that I couldn¡¯t quite exin, but my heartbeat quickened with the intensity of his gaze.


    ¡°Guys, this is my daughter Isabe. She¡¯s two and a half years old, and she¡¯s the reason why I told you guys that my parents wanted me to study in another country. I¡¯m really sorry if I was a coward and hid her from the two of you.¡±


    ¡°Man, don¡¯t worry about that. Me and Shyne would never call you a coward for hiding her from us at first, because we are more than proud of you for stepping up for her. Not many men do that for their daughters or sons.¡±


    ¡°Brixton is right, Karl. This little princess here is more than blessed to have a brave papi beside her who shows his love for her.¡±


    ¡°Thanks guys. I really appreciate thating from the two of you. I felt guilty that I hid her from everyone, including the two of you, especially after her mom didn¡¯t make it after giving birth to her. I felt like I didn¡¯t just ruin her mom¡¯s life, but I ruined my baby¡¯s life as well. I guess it took me years to get the courage to tell anyone.¡±


    ¡°We were about to leave because of a little scene that my cousins made a few minutes ago, but I don¡¯t think the owner would mind us staying a bit longer to catch up. Especially if a little princess like Isabe would grace us with her amazing presence.¡±


    Isabe giggled whenever I called her princess, and after a few minutes, we got another round of coffee, cakes, and I specifically bought a pink cupcake for Be to bring home forter. The three of us were catching up, and suddenly, I saw another dark apparition on one of the mirrors at the shop.


    ¡°Hey, Shyne, are you alright? You look like you just saw a ghost.¡±


    Karlughed a bit, but Be suddenly got teary eyed and was attempting to cry.


    ¡°Hey, hey, what happened, sweetheart? Does something hurt?¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°P-papi said the ghost is here. I don¡¯t want ghosts. Be is scared, papi.¡±


    The little girl tried her best to stop herself from crying by wiping her tears and then covering her eyes. She was too adorable, and I felt a warm feeling when I sar Karl take her in his embrace and give her a big bear hug so she could hide her face on the crook of her dad¡¯s neck.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I said that, sweetheart. Papi didn¡¯t mean to scare you, because papi and aunt Shyne were just joking around. There are no ghosts here, and you don¡¯t have to worry, alright?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, uncle Brixton and your papi will make sure that we will protect our princess Be.¡±


    I giggled at Brixton when he spoke softly to the little crying girl. I saw her quiet down, and she looked at Brixton with glossy eyes, and she held her pinky finger as a question of his honesty.


    ¡°Uncle Brixton, do you promise that? Are you not scared of ghosts like papi?¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯m not scared of ghosts, Be, because me and your papi will scare that ghost away if there is one.¡± Brixton suddenly looked at me while talking to Be.


    ¡°No ghost would ever be scary enough to take you away from me. I will always be there to save you and protect you from the ghost.¡±


    We held each other¡¯s gaze as the words he uttered were directed to Be, but his gaze told me it was also meant for me. We broke eye contact when Karl cleared his throat, and a smiling little Be was also intently looking at the both of us.


    ¡°Your words are promises to my daughter, but both of your eyes are telling me that those words are meant to be something more interesting than the topic we had. May I question the question that wasn¡¯t answered previously?¡±


    I blushed hard when a mischievous grin was on his face. I realized that Be was already rubbing her sleepy eyes while her father was talking, which is why Karl was bold enough to question me and Brixton.


    ¡°After my baby finally sleeps properly, I would like the both of you to tell me the truth about what¡¯s happening between the two of you. Also, why are you two stealing nces with each other as if I¡¯m not here. I mean,e on, I know that the both of you like each other, but it has been YEARS. You guys really need to hook up or something and give my daughter a ymate, but not a boyfriend ¡¯cause she will be a nun.¡±


    I decided to tell Karl all about what was happening to me with Rian and the curse, and throughout the entire story, he was silent. The only times that Karl¡¯s eyes left my face was when he would rock little Be back and forth to keep her from waking up.


    I only did a summary of the important parts of my story, but I kept the details of my dreams. As much as I trusted them, I couldn¡¯t bear to tell them the abuse I experienced both in person and in my nightmares. The mere fact that I was able to tell them the details about how Rian was indeed torturing me and following me was already turning both Brixton and Karl¡¯s moods darken.


    ¡°Look guys, by the look on your faces, I really shouldn¡¯t have told you about the contents of the nightmares. I¡¯m sorry if I told you, I mean-¡±


    ¡°Babe, why are you even apologizing for the sick things that the guy is doing to you even after his death? There should never even be a reason for you to say sorry to us except the fact that you said it only now. I mean, even so, you are still not obliged to say sorry.¡±


    ¡°Brixton is right, Shyne, you made a mistake in the past, but that sick bastard is still bothering you and stalking you up until now. You are more of a victim than he ever was. So please stop apologizing.¡±


    ¡°Thanks guys.¡±


    My eyes were a bit glossy, and by the determined look on both of their faces, I already knew that they were going to make sure that my problem would get solved as soon as possible.


    ¡°Shyne, I feel like I shouldn¡¯t be the one asking this right now, but you mentioned a baby inside a basket that Rian held and showed you in your nightmare multiple times. What does that baby mean, and why do you think he showed it to you multiple times?¡±


    I stiffened at the question, and so did Brixton. I didn¡¯t realize that I was being too honest with them that I identally mentioned about the bay that I was supposed to be hiding from them.


    ¡°T-that baby. The baby that Rian kept showing me in my dreams was a failed pregnancy. Actually, I had multiple pregnancy scares, but those times, there was never a baby or any form of life formed. The only time that I had a failed pregnancy was when-umh, it was- ¡±


    ¡°Babe, you don¡¯t need to tell us anything that¡¯s too ufortable for you to say. We know that this topic isn¡¯t something that we can tell us.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Shyne, I¡¯m sorry if I asked about the baby. I¡¯m okay with whatever you¡¯re willing to tell us.¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t told this to anyone yet other than my cousin Perry. I know that you¡¯re one of the few people that I can actually trust enough to tell this to.¡±


    ¡°Alright then, babe, whatever it is, and whatever you did in the past, it will never define who you are trying to be now. You¡¯re doing your best to get out of regret, and I know you¡¯re almost there.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, babe, and thanks, Karl.¡±


    I took a deep breath, and I looked at my reflection on the coffee in my mug. A tear fell from my eye, and I took another shaky breath before speaking.


    ¡°There was a time in our rtionship that I noticed how obsessed Rian was with me, and I decided to leave him. However, something already happened between him and me, and I was afraid that would tell people lies about us.¡±


    I closed my eyes and I could imagine the terrible look on Rian¡¯s face when he saw one of the text messages that I sent my friend Sweet. It was a text that contained the reason why I felt like I should leave him.


    ¡°That afternoon, we met in a different ce that was a few blocks away from his house. It was an abandoned hut near the paddyfield that they owned. At first, Rian seemed okay, but I was creeped out at the fact that we were so far from people and other houses. He said that he had a surprise for me.¡±


    ¡°Shyne, you don¡¯t have to go through your story if you¡¯re notfortable with it. You¡¯re going to break that mug if you grab it harder and shiver more.¡±


    ¡°No, Karl. I can tell you the story. I should tell you what happened to me.¡±


    The both of them kept silent, and I looked at Brixton before looking back at my mug of coffee.


    ¡°He was so mad, and we got into a fight after he told me that he saw my text about wanting to break up with a guy like him. He told me that his love was devotion and not obsession, so my reasons were not valid to break up with him. He never used his hand to hit me but he-he used them to force me. He said that he would do anything to keep me, and he would make sure that even if I leave him, his memory would never leave mine, and I would always look for him.¡±


    Tears were now falling from both my eyes, and Brixton gave me his handkerchief and offered his frappe to cool me down instead of my hot coffee.


    ¡°He-he forced himself on me multiple times that day, and I wasn;t able to go home sooner because everything hurted. I felt like I was vited both physically and mentally that I nearly killed myself when I arrived home. He kept tabs on me everyday after that without causing any suspicion from my parents and my guards. I felt like I was a zombie that lost everything, but I had to keep going because I was too embarrassed to admit that I was raped by my own boyfriend whom I had coitus with multiple times already.¡±


    I whispered thest bit when I suddenly remembered that there was a baby with us, and I saw Brixton close his eyes and held the corner of the table lightly to stop himself from punching it.


    ¡°I saw him once a week, and he would still touch me every time we met. A monthter, I showed signs of pregnancy, and my mom said that we should go to the doctor, because she said I looked like I was a ghost half of the time. Before the results came out, I was able to talk to the doctor in private, and she told me that I could possibly be pregnant. However, since it has only been a month, the fetus looked like it wasn¡¯t developing properly. ¡±


    I looked at Be, and another set of tears fell from my eyes.


    ¡°I tol Rian and he was happy, so he didn¡¯t touch me for another month until another check up was conducted by the doctor. It turns out, the pregnancy was a failure, and the baby wasn¡¯t formed. It stopped developing after a month, and it was the reason why I felt weak.¡±


    I looked at Brixton, and my face made the hatred in his eyes go away.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to lose the baby, but I felt guilty because I was happy it didn¡¯t develop. Rian would always tell me that I lost the baby on purpose, and everytime he touched me, I tried to pretend that I liked it so he would stop being hard on me while I tried to figure out a way to leave him.¡±


    ¡°Shyne, I¡¯m sorry to hear that. It¡¯s cheesy I know, but I don¡¯t know what else to say. None of it was your fault.¡±


    ¡°I just-I felt so dirty after everything. Whenever he called me his whore, I felt like the toxicity in the rtionship was eating away my identity.¡±


    ¡°Babe, you made a mistake, but that was a mistake that you¡¯re trying your best to correct now. He forced you, and you never lost any dignity after he forced you. Remember that. You are not at fault, and you losing that child and being happy about it doesn¡¯t define you as a person.¡±


    Brixton stood up and sat beside me to give me a big bear hug.


    ¡°Babe, the devil worked hard when he used that man to force you, but God made a way for you to get out of the mess you entered in, and now that mess can be a message. You survived, and you are now trying your best to make amends.  I¡¯m proud of the person you are now, and it¡¯s the reason why I will always love you.¡±

 HUGS AND SHADOWS

    I looked at Brixton, and a look of realization came to his face when our eyes met. The awkward atmosphere made me forget that I was crying, and we were in a public ce.


    ¡°You guys are always having drama. You should just hook up and get together and maybe true love¡¯s kiss would make all of that go away.¡±


    I pped Karl¡¯s arm and his daughter giggled at his father¡¯s whining.


    ¡°Brixton and I have no drama whatsoever, Karl. Besides, we¡¯re friends, and there is nothing going on between the two of us.¡±


    Me and Brixton nodded as our gazes met for a moment.


    ¡°Besides, Perry has been telling me about that true love¡¯s kiss thing multiple times. If this is a fairytale, I bet that it would work, but we¡¯re in the real world. We need something more powerful than just a kiss to break this curse thing that he did to me.¡±


    ¡°Babe, tomorrow, Perry said that you guys would have a week-long break. Are you going to go home again?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I promised my mom that I was going to stay there for a week or so. I also promised the woman that I was going to go to church more.¡±


    ¡°My daughter here is attending Sunday school in our church, and she prays like a pro. Why don¡¯t you let her pray for you before we all leave? You could use as many prayers as possible.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Karl. I also thought about bing more serious in church, because if that man made a deal with the devil, only God can undo what he did.¡±


    ¡°Wow, babe, I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯re getting more serious in your faith. I am so proud of you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Shyne, I can¡¯t believe it only took a curse from an ex boyfriend to get you going.¡±


    I pped Karl again, but this time, his daughter also pinched his forearm.


    ¡°Ow! Baby, why did you pinch daddy like that?¡±


    Iughed at his exaggerated reaction. He was such a drama king.


    ¡°Daddy. No bad. No no bad to Aunty Shyne.¡±


    The toddler was so cute as she shook her head while talking. I picked her up and gave her a kiss on the cheeks.


    ¡°Thanks, princess. Aunty Shyne is so lucky to have a princess like you.¡±


    ¡°No, daddy. Lucky, bad. Mimi Jolene said blessed.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry princess. I mean, I¡¯m blessed to have you protect me from your papi.¡±


    All four of usughed at the scene, and after a quick prayer from the little princess and a few goodbyes, we left.


    Brixton insisted on driving me back to my boarding house, and we just had random talks throughout the entire ride. After fifteen minutes of driving and traffic, we reached my home.


    ¡°Brixton, you know how, I¡¯ve always told you that I want to go on an adventure in the middle of the night without telling anyone?¡±


    ¡°I know that look. What adventure do you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just get my things and get ready. Buy snacks and whatever. I wanna go to the beach tonight.¡±


    ¡°But what about those guys who have been following us all day? If I take you somewhere else aside from your house, those men might just pull us over and drag you back home.¡±


    ¡°I know. Just meet me at the cafe three blocks from here. I can just make a way to ditch them with Perry¡¯s help.¡±


    ¡°You are such a crazy woman. I have no idea why I¡¯m even letting you talk me into this.¡±


    He wasughing and shaking his head with a small smile on his face.


    ¡°Well, for one, you love me too much to deny me my desired pleasure and thirst for adventure. Second, you also want to ditch these guys as much as I do. Come on!¡±


    I took off my seatbelt at the same time that the car stopped in front of my ce.


    ¡°Remember to meet me at the cafe, okay? Oh, and bring a few cans of soda and something sweet and salty. I¡¯ll make sure to grab a few things too. I¡¯m sure the beach near us has rooms where we can dump our stuff.¡±


    ¡°I still say that this is crazy, babe.¡±


    I left him while he wasughing inside the car. He normally opens the door for me, but he wasughing too much and I was too excited. I went straight to my room.


    ¡°Excuse me, my dear cousin, but do you mind telling me why you¡¯re packing clothes in the middle of the night?¡±


    I stopped when I realized that Perry was awake and I needed to have a solid exnation for her. The look on her eyes told me that there was no lying that could save me from her.


    ¡°Okay, fine. I¡¯m going to go to the beach with Brixton, and we¡¯ll look at the sunrise. I was feeling really down and I just wanted to go on an adventure to somehow forget things for a while.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°What are the guards that your father specifically assigned to guard you? They will be waiting outside of that gate.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s where you can help me. I was nning on just going outside and wearing a disguise, but one of them would probably follow me and catch us escaping. However, if you got out first and went to a store nearby, that would definitely follow you, and their guards would be down. That way, I can escape with a disguise!¡±


    ¡°No. I won¡¯t do it, Shyne. You are already in too many problems right now, and thest thing you should do is get in trouble again.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be gone for too long. I would go back home before school starts at ten thirty in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Shyne, there is a shadow man following you, and you only have Brixton.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just me and Brixton.¡±


    ¡°Lie one more time and I won¡¯t even consider helping you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, fine. It¡¯s just me and Brixton. Bit, Perry, nothing bad will happen. I just want to forget about everything for one night. You know I can¡¯t even sleep without Rian following me.¡±


    I was about to cry as tears started to build up in my eyes. The loom on Perry¡¯s face turned from stern to soft.


    ¡°I hate your nerve, you know that right? I don¡¯t want to hear any problems when you get back here.¡±


    ¡°I love you so much!¡±


    I hugged her then I continued to prepare my things and get ready to wear my disguise. Perry went out to begin the n.


    As I was changing my clothes, a pair of hands embraced me.


    ¡°Perry, I thought you said you¡¯d get-¡±


    I turned around and was face to face with a shadow that had horns. It was pitch ck, and it had no features that resembled anything that was human.


    ¡°My love. Thank you for betraying me.¡±

 UNWANTED EMBRACE

    I froze as I looked at the ck shadow that was only an inch away from me. It didn¡¯t have any facial features, but I could feel and smell the hot sulfuric breath when it spoke.


    ¡°You betrayed me, my love, as if I couldn¡¯t see you.¡±


    I froze in fear as the shadow¡¯s hands held both my arms in a tight grip. I felt like it was snowing as the temperature in the room dropped suddenly.


    ¡°If you were going to be a whore for another man, you should have told me, my love. I would have spoiled you like a queen and raped you like the whore you are.¡±


    My whole body shook with fear, and my trembling continued as I tried to focus on calming myself. The shadow¡¯s arm rubbed my left hand as his other arm held my right hand to keep me from moving.


    ¡°You are my queen, and yet you go to another bastard.¡±


    My eyes snapped to the shadow that started to appear near the closet. It was the same humanoid shadow, but it had little horns.


    ¡°Shyne, you are getting bolder in defying me and trying to run away from me.¡±


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re, you¡¯re n-not R-rian.¡±


    I managed to speak a little, but the shadow¡¯s fingers dug deeper to my exposed arm. I felt the coldness of the shadow¡¯s lifeless hands as it began to move from my arm, to my hips.


    ¡°I am Rian. However, Rian¡¯s face no longer gives you the fear needed to control you. I merely took over his soul for a while in order for you to listen.¡±


    Four more shadows appeared out of nowhere, and the six of them surrounded me. One of the shadows walked behind me and held my shoulder.


    ¡°You were careless today, my love. We saw everything you did today.¡±


    His hand went inside my shirt and started caressing my stomach. I trembled more as he began to go higher.


    ¡°P-please. Please, stop this.¡±


    I dragged the words out of my mouth as my tears began to fall. The room felt dark as the six shadowsughed in unison.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, little girl. Beg for me.¡±


    The four other shadows drew closer and the six of them carried me to my bed. Shadowy ropes began to appear at the corners of my bed, and they attached themselves to my arms and legs.


    ¡°You look beautiful, my love. Like a delicious offering waiting to be consumed by me.¡±


    I sobbed as each of the shadows went to the bed and pulled the shadowy ropes attached to my limbs. It was both embarrassing and terrifying being spread eagle despite having clothes on.


    ¡°Hmm. Rian did a good job choosing the offering.¡±


    ¡°L-Lord, please help me.¡±


    I began to pray silently as the six shadows hissed in unison.


    ¡°You need to learn how to shut up, you whore!¡±


    The four shadows pulled on my restraints hard and the fifth one sat on my stomach to choke me. The one speaking was standing on the foot of the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure you are in so much pain that your prayers won¡¯t be for salvation but death.¡±


    The shadow leader floated andnded on the foot of my bed where he kneeled and licked my exposed leg. I squirmed and cried. I wanted to scream but the choking intensified whenever I tried to speak.


    I closed my eyes as the shadow figure reached the buttons of my shorts.


    ¡°Shyne! Hey babe! Open the door!¡±


    I opened my eyes when the door burst open, and Brixton was standing on the opened door with two of my body guards behind him. Perry looked like she could faint while looking at me.


    I looked to my arms and legs and saw that the shadows were gone, and I was spread eagle with my shirt slightly raised just below my breast. My short¡¯s button was open, but aside from that, I just looked like I had a weird dream.


    Perry ran inside and covered me as I tried to sit straight on the bed. The guards averted their eyes, and Brixton stood beside my bed when he finished roaming around the room quickly with the guards.


    ¡°Babe, you have been here for nearly two hours. I was waiting, and when I couldn¡¯t call you, I tried calling perry.¡±


    ¡°When I realized that you were not with Brixton, I thought that you would be inside of the room. I figured you had a nightmare or something that you couldn¡¯t get out of.¡±


    I was still trembling by the time they finished exining, and the only thing on my mind were the guards.


    ¡°You two, thank you for being here. I¡¯m sorry if I scared all of you. I had a nightmare and I couldn¡¯t wake up. I¡¯m sorry to trouble all of you.¡±


    The guards looked at me in confusion but nodded their heads and left. I looked straight at Perry¡¯s eyes and avoided Brixton¡¯s worried gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get you a ss of water while Brixton guards you. Alright?¡±


    I nodded as Perry ran to the kitchen to get me what I needed. Brixton sat at the bed beside me, and looked at my trembling hands.


    ¡°Babe, when I knocked and you never answered, I tried to listen inside. I heard you moaning and crying a bit, so I know that Rian is behind this.¡±


    I nodded, but still avoided his eyes. I felt like I was endangering them all, and I felt guilt eating me.


    ¡°Did this happen because we were hanging out the entire day? Or did this happen because you told me and Karl everything that happened?¡±


    Perry came back and I drank the water quickly. I felt like my throat was dry, and I couldn¡¯t form any words.


    ¡°T-there was a shadow man. H-he looked like a demon, and he had five more with him.¡±


    I trembled at the memory, and I could feel Perry¡¯s warm hands rubbing my back as Brixton looked at me intently.


    I told them everything that happened in detail. The looks on their faces says it all. The pity, the fear, the worry, the anger, and the frustration was very visible on their faces.


    ¡°Brixton, I should have never asked you to go to the beach with me. I may have just put you in danger because of this stupid curse.¡±


    ¡°Babe, my mom is a pastor. I can handle them. You said that they were annoyed when you prayed . Do that same thing if ever this thing happens again. Whatever can give you protection, let¡¯s do it.¡±


    ¡°Brixton¡¯s right, Shyne. We need help from God and the church. This is no longer something that money or connections can solve.¡±


    ¡°Shyne, babe, you have been so strong, but you need to be stronger right now. Based on your story, this is no longer just Rian tormenting you. This is something much worse, and we need professional help.¡±


    ¡°O-okay.¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    I was still distraught, and all I could do was nod and stare into the distant corner.


    ¡°Shyne, I¡¯ll call your mother and tell her that you are going home tomorrow. We¡¯ll ride with the guards so I know we¡¯re safe. I¡¯m sure that Izzy would be there. I think that it¡¯s time for us to admit that God is the only one who can help you now.¡±


    ¡°Perry is right, babe. I¡¯ll also get the car ready so I can join the two of you.¡±


    ¡°N-no. Brixton, I-I want you to leave. J-just, just stay away from me for now.¡±


    ¡°Babe! No. I won¡¯t leave you alone.¡±


    ¡°You have to!¡±


    I stood up and looked down at Brixton who was sitting on the edge of the bed. My tears were falling, and I could see the hurt in his eyes.


    ¡°Brixton. Rian and those things are after me, and they see you as a threat. If something happens to you because of me, I would never forgive myself, Brixton.¡±


    Brixton stood up and attempted to speak, but I lifted my hand to shut him up.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be forever, Brixton. I just want all of this to be over without hurting anyone else. P-please.¡±


    Brixton nodded and pulled me into a big bear hug.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be praying for you while I wait for you to call me, alright? I am always here, Shyne. I will never leave you even if I¡¯m physically not there.¡±


    I hugged Brixton back as I allowed my tears to just fall like a waterfall. I felt water droplets on my temple, and when I looked up, I saw that Brixton was crying a little too.


    I stood on my tiptoes and kissed Brixton on his chin. We exchanged tearful smiles and hugged onest time.

 DE LEON’S DELUSIONAL HEIRESS

    I tried my best to apply my makeup and cover up the dark bags under my eyes.  I wasn¡¯t able to sleep properlyst night because of everything that happened.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Perry, I look like I¡¯m a single mother to twenty kids. My hair won¡¯t cooperate, and I feel like my eyebags are still growing like a nt.¡±


    ¡°That is over exaggerating things, Shyne. You look like you haven¡¯t slept a wink for a week, but you don¡¯t look like a single mother at all. Just a mother that probably has three kids and a busy husband that has no time for her.¡±


    I threw the pillow beside me to Perry as she dodged it and disappeared from my room. My life would be a little easier without her, but it would also be empty if she wasn¡¯t with me.


    ¡°Shyne! There¡¯s a box here that was delivered this morning, and it says that it¡¯s for you!¡±


    Perry screamed from outside, and I went to check out the package. The brown box was only about a foot wide and half a foot in length. However, the way Perry carried it with a bit more force, I expected the thing to be a few pounds at least.


    ¡°Hey, Shyne. I guess I know who this package is from.¡±


    Perry giggled as she gave me the heavy box and left while she hummed to herself. I followed her with a confused look, and she just looked back at me and winked.


    ¡°Perry, there¡¯s no name written here. How do you even know who it¡¯s from?¡±


    ¡°Oh, honey. You need to go get your sses and check that little smiley face written beside your name.¡±


    I looked at the smiley face that was mentioned, and I smiled when I realized who drew it.


    ¡°You and Brixton really need to fix yourselves after all of this curse thing is done. You guys are giving me heartburn with your drama.¡±


    Iughed at her nonsensements and took the box to the kitchen to check what¡¯s inside. I wanted to go to my room, but after what happenedst night, I can onlyst a few minutes.


    I shook my head to avoid remembering what happenedst night and focused on the task at hand. When I opened the box, there was a folded white bond paper with a handwritten note inside.


    ¡°You better do your best and let God do the rest, babe. I¡¯ll be here waiting. I love you. xoxo Brixton.¡±


    A crooked drawing of himself and myself was on the upper part of the nite, and it looked like he was hugging me.


    I giggled when I realized that he probably avoided sleepingst night to make this gift and think of what he should put on the small note.


    ¡°So what did you get from your bashful lover boy?¡±


    I opened the box and the both of us looked inside. It was a New King James Version Bible, a notebook, a box of pens, a box of chocte, and a small box with a red bow.


    ¡°Wow. That guy is really practical with his gifts. I mean, seriously, Shyne.¡±


    ¡°Not practical, Perry. He just knows me too well to know I prefer these.¡±


    I took out the small box and unwrapped the bow. Inside was a beautiful ne with a heart pendant. I opened the pendant that was half an inch big, and I saw a photo of a semicolon.


    ¡°What is that? I was hoping it was a photo of him or the both of you or something. Why a semicolon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s our secret, Perry. Now go get your things so we can leave. We have a few hours to travel back home, and I don¡¯t want to stay here longer than necessary.¡±


    I put everything back in the box and wore the ne. I took a photo of me wearing it and sent it to Brixton with a heart and kissing emoji as a thank you to him.


    I paused when I felt cold all of a sudden, but I shrugged it off and offered a quick prayer in my mind while I ignored the feeling of being watched.


    ¡°Hey, Shyne, let¡¯s go.¡±


    We drove for a few hours, which is longer than usual  because of the traffic. I fell asleep the majority of the ride, but I thanked God that I didn¡¯t dream anything.


    ¡°Hey, we¡¯re almost at your house. You betterpose yourself so your mom and dad won¡¯t see a bird¡¯s nest on top of your head.¡±


    Ibed my hair as the gates opened, and our car maneuvered in. I looked out the window and saw a shadow standing outside of the gate.


    ¡°Shyne, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Perry was whispering, and by the look on her face, she had an idea of what was wrong with me. I shook my head and decided to ignore what I saw.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter. Right now, the king and queen are waiting for their delinquent little princess to get out of this car.¡±


    My sarcasm was oozing and I giggled at how much effort it took Perry to avoid hitting me when the door suddenly opened. The two of us got out, and Izzy was the first one to embrace the two of us before Perry nodded at my mom and dad.


    ¡°Hi mom, hi dad.¡±


    I gave each of them an awkward hug and kissed both of their cheeks.


    ¡°Your mother told me that the reason the two of you are going home early is because you¡¯ve already done everything that the school required, and you wanted toe home and get an early vacation? Is that right, youngdy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, dad, that¡¯s right. I was able to do good in school, so there was no need for me to take the extra sses that the school offered, and the school publication can contact me while I¡¯m here. There is no need for me to be there since I can work online.¡±


    I stood my ground and held my head high. The perfect posture that my parents have taught me. My father looked at me for a few seconds as if checking whether or not there was an error in any of the words that came out of  my mouth.


    ¡°Very well then. Me and your mother have some important business to attend to for the next three days. I expect you and your brother to run this house properly while we¡¯re away.¡±


    ¡°We will, dad. I hope you and mom have a safe trip.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go now, Lyna. We are going to bete.¡±


    My mother gave me a nod before the two of them left. Perry, Izzy and I stood straight and waited for their car to disappear, and the gate closed before the three of us gave a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Being your cousin is really a stressful job. I¡¯m going to go inside and sleep for a while. I am exhausted because of all that traffic.¡±


    ¡°Hey, big sis, while Perry sleeps, want to go to the mall? By the look on your face, it looks like everything in your life is in chaos and you need some down time with your little sister.¡±


    ¡°I thought that mom and dad told you that I was in charge and not you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but you¡¯re not in charge of a mall, only the house, so it¡¯s an area where we can both be in charge of ourselves. Besides, I want you to fill me up with whatever happened to you back in your t.¡±


    Gave up trying to force my sister to stay at home. I knew that she just wanted to talk and shop. If there was one thing that me and my sister have inmon, it was going to the mall to find coffee shops and spending money. Though among the two of us, she was better at saving money than I am.


    ¡°Let me change first before we go. I want to wear something that¡¯s a bit pleasing to the eyes. I might just see the twin demons in the mall again.¡±


    ¡°Twin demons? Do you mean Trixie and Nixie?¡±


    I was walking to my room while Izzy followed me close behind. I nodded and I could hear her groan in frustration.


    ¡°Does that mean you saw those two somewhere near your school?¡±


    ¡°No. I saw them at the mall while Brixtona nd I had coffee at one of our favorite shops. They made a little scene so I had no choice but to fight back with my words.¡±


    We were inside my room and I began to change my clothes while Izzy sat on the bed and kept asking questions about my encounter with the twins.


    ¡°Shyne, you know that the moment they left, they would have probably told uncle and aunty about what happened back there.¡±


    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I made sure to text uncle and aunty while Brixton drove me back home. Those two gave me the biggest headache of the century. I can¡¯t believe that we¡¯re somehow rted to them in any way.¡±


    The two of us went straight to the mall to find a coffee shop that we¡¯ve never tried before. I seldom go to the mall here, so it¡¯s mostly Izzy telling me where to go. The bodyguards just followed us a few meters away, and as per my directions, they also had a good time drinking coffee and talking while tailing us.


    ¡°Hey, Izzy, I really want to ditch them again.¡±


    ¡°Why would you do that when you¡¯re technically in charge of everything while mom and dad are away?¡±


    ¡°Bad habit I guess.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to ditch them, but we can make them think we¡¯re ditching them so they¡¯d have a panic attack or something. You look like you haven¡¯t had any real fun for a while.¡±


    ¡°You and mom said you guys are going to church more often. I didn¡¯t expect you to give me ideas like this.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but there¡¯s no harm in ying a prank on them. Besides, I know that you¡¯re just trying to distract yourself because it helps you ignore the shadows following you, so it¡¯s my job to help you rx.¡±


    Herment was a bittersweet truth to me, but I nodded at her suggestion. However, upon mentioning the shadows, my smile faltered as I recalled what had happened the night before.


    ¡°That fallen smile tells me that I messed up a bit. I¡¯m sorry if I mentioned the shadow, sis.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Izzy. I don¡¯t feel like running away from the guards. I guess I really just want to take a nap or something, but I can¡¯t because there¡¯s that fear of dreaming about them.¡±


    The two of us sighed heavily as the heaviness thickened.


    ¡°Hey, Shyne, how about we just go to one of the art shops near here. There¡¯s a new art shop here that opened a few days ago. You could spoil yourself and get that heaviness out of you for a while. Sunday is in two days, so you can just rx yourself while waiting for help toe.¡±


    I nodded and we went straight to the art shop.


    ¡°Hey, Shyne, is that you?¡±


    I turned around and I felt the color drain from my face as my hands and feet became cold. Amy, the ck haired half chinese woman who was five feet tall approached me. She still looked slutty as always, but she looked a bit more mature with her slutty secretary attire.


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Amy! How are you? I heard that you and that Rian of yours already had a family and everything before you left. I wondered why it wasn¡¯t all over the nes since the De Leon¡¯s heiress just had a baby with amoner.¡±


    I felt bile rise inside of me, and couldn¡¯t answer her. I knew that Rian once told other people that I was pregnant after I left, but I never expected the news to reach one of the best gossipers in the city.


    ¡°I remember that Rian also said you were wild in bed. I never knew that such a perfect heiress could be a wild animal like you.¡±


    She gave me a sarcastic smirk and a wink.


    ¡°Excuse me bitch, but my friend isn¡¯t as big of a slut as you. Now, please stop making a little scene and embarrassing yourself. An heiress should not be caught dead speaking to amon whore in a store.¡±


    Amy and I turned and saw a redheaded woman wearing skinny jeans and a red crop top with matching red high heeled boots. Ang De Marco was standing a few feet away from us with a smirk directed to Amy¡¯s pissed off face.

 HEIRESS’ ESCAPE

    Ang approached Amy and the two had a stare down. Unfortunately, Amy was a lot shorter than Ang, so she  just rolled her eyes in annoyance at her defeat.


    ¡°Wow, Ang, I never expected the infamous rebel to be back in the city. I thought your daddy had you thrown into a boarding school on a remote ind or something.¡±


    Amy¡¯s sarcasm was thick, but I saw how Ang just smirked and walked towards me.


    ¡°Hey, Shyne, I didn¡¯t know you were back. I guess we both chose the perfect time toe home.¡±


    Ang ignored the annoyed Amy, and proceeded to hug my little sister.


    ¡°Izzy! I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯ve grown so much! I thought that you would have been shorter than your big sister. I guess there¡¯s going to be a model in the family.¡±


    She winked at Izzy and the three of usughed. Ipletely forgot about the annoying dwarf that began to tap Ang¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Excuse me bitch! I was talking to you, so how dare you ignore me?!¡±


    I rolled my eyes and didn¡¯t even bother to stop her. Knowing Ang De Marco, she could handle a woman with a tantrum like Amy. Ang did her usual graceful hair flip and faced her.


    ¡°Excuse me, whore, but please stop touching me. I don¡¯t know where you have been, and I have no idea what virus you¡¯re bringing. Now, if you would excuse me, I¡¯m talking to important people, and I have no time for losers who have more time gossiping than actually being useful. I don¡¯t like talking to people who add no value to me in any way at all.¡±


    I saw that Ang struck a nerve, so Amy turned around quickly and left mumbling to herself. I looked back at Ang and saw her staring at me with a small smile. I returned the gesture, and the three of usughed at what had happened.


    ¡°Thank you for the assistance, Ange, that woman caught me off guard. I didn¡¯t want to exert too much effort for someone who isn¡¯t worth it. It was a good thing you said everything that was on my mind.¡±


    ¡°It was my pleasure, Shyne. Besides, that woman has been on my nerves ever since we were in high school. She needs to pay for gossipping after I leave.¡±


    ¡°Oh right. Amy was the one who made that issue about you and Dean Johnson who had a mad crush on you. She said you and Dean almost had a kid but you left because you lost it.¡±


    I said thest words a bit quieter, and I saw the anger inside of her surface out.


    ¡°Yeah. The issue got to my mother¡¯s ears and she had me check if I had or haven¡¯t. In the end she found out that it was a lie, but she also found out that I wasn¡¯t a virgin anymore at the age of sixteen.¡±


    She grimaced at the thought of the nagging and punishment that her mother gave her.


    ¡°Thankfully my dad never found out about it. I remember you had the same close calls too a few times, right?¡±


    I nodded at her question, and we bothughed at our dilemmas back in high school.


    The three of us decided to just do a bit of window shopping while we tried to catch up with each other¡¯s lives. Ang De Marco was one of the most famous girls in our school. She is now living in Beverly Hills, California, and is training to take over her father and mother¡¯s chain of boutiques, and shirt lines.


    The two of us were never close aside from the clubs we entered in, so talking to her like old friends was a bit odd for me. However I could see the sincerity in her eyes and decided to go along with it.


    ¡°So, Shyne, I partially heard what that lowlife Amy said before I got annoyed. You really shouldn¡¯t let her get to you.¡±


    My smile faltered as I blindly looked at the shirt¡¯s price tag without any interest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ange, she doesn¡¯t affect me. I was caught off guard because I wasn¡¯t expecting to see her here, and hear those words instantly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to know. No matter what she says, you know yourself better than her. That woman should just work for the media since she¡¯s great at gossiping and making fake stories.¡±


    ¡°Ang¡¯s right, sis. That woman is like a public restroom that has all the dirt and gossip in town.¡±


    ¡°You guys are too much, and I hate that I agree with everything you two said.¡±


    We were having lunch, and I found out that Rian did tell others about what we were doing, but only a few believed him since they either think it was impossible or they just don¡¯t care and are afraid of my n.


    ¡°By the way, Shyne, thest thing that I heard about Rian was that he went berserk and got into illegal substances. They also said that he died suddenly because of suicide.¡±


    Ang looked at me with both pity, apology, and curiosity. I nodded my head and decided to focus on looking at the food on my te.


    ¡°It¡¯s all true. His dad died and his brother got into an ident, and I guess everything else caused him to just end everything himself using a rope.¡±


    An eerie silence was between us, and I could see pity in Ang¡¯s eyes, while Izzy tried to hide the anger that began to build in her eyes. I looked at Izzy, and her eyes turned soft as she held my hand over the table.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that Rian is gone, Shyne. Though you guys never really worked out, I know it still affects you.¡±


    ¡°It does affect me, but I guess I just decided to ept it and not let it affect me any more than it should.¡±


    Ang held my other arm and smiled brightly at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s a great way to face this kind of problem, Shyne. I¡¯m d that you think that way.¡±


    After a few more minutes of talking, we got each other¡¯s contact number and bid our farewells. It was a dramatic day, but I was somehow able to enjoy it.


    ¡°Hey, Izzy, before we go home, do you want to go to the ridge? I feel a little sentimental today and it¡¯s getting dark, so the city would look amazing.¡±


    ¡°Sure! It¡¯s been a while since we went somewhere else aside from the mall.¡±


    Izzy and I rode in the car and told our driver to go to the ridge. It was thirty minutes away from the mall, I was sure that my guards were already tired of chaperoning us.


    ¡°Izzy, we really need to go back to the mall tomorrow and give gifts to our guards. These guys have been through multiple shits just to guard us. Though I don¡¯t appreciate mom and dad¡¯s rules, I appreciate their efforts.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea. They might just let us go off the hook if we want to do little things. Keeping your friends close and your enemies closer is the best example.¡±


    I softly hit her arm at herment, and I made a mental note to also get my sister a gift.


    We reached the ridge faster than expected, and Izzy and I, along with about four guards including two drivers, stood near the edge. The ce overlooked the city, and the city lights were breathtakingly beautiful.


    ¡°I know that there¡¯s another reason why you wanted to go here, Shyne. What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    The tears fell from my eyes and I wiped them away. I kept looking at the city while taking a deep breath.


    ¡°I just felt like my life is no longer mine. I just wanted to do something random, and just take hold of the steering wheel of my life again. I felt like I have been in the dark for months because of what¡¯s happening to me, and I just needed something to remind me that even during the dark, there can still be light. Just like these city lights.¡±


    A sad silence overtook us, and I could feel the tears in my eyes continue to fall. Izzy rubbed my back, and I couldn¡¯t help but tear up all the more.


    ¡°Thanks, Izzy. I¡¯m sorry for getting you involved in this mess.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying? You¡¯re my sister, and this mess can still be fixed. Everything won¡¯t be back to normal, but I¡¯m sure you can get through all of this and win.¡±


    I felt lighter, and as I looked once more at the city lights, I tried to remember shadows I saw. I shivered at the thought of them, and I knew that they were around despite the fact that I couldn¡¯t see them.


    I closed my eyes and told Izzy and the others to go back home. We took the car ride back, and at the corner of my eye, I saw a shadowy hand on my shoulder.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    I prayed internally, and I felt the hand grip tighter. I tried to ignore it, as I could slowly hear whispering near my left ear.


    ¡°Shyne.¡±

 HEIRESS’ BABY

    I woke up with a splitting headache and I decided to stay in bed until the pain subsided. My eyes scanned my entire room, and I saw that it now looked like someone was living in it because of the little mess. Thest time I was here, it was spotless and felt so empty.


    I looked at the scar on my wrist and remembered the night me and Izzy went to the ridge. The car ident that happened gave me the small cut as a scar. I regretted the incident that nearly ruined our lives.


    shback¡­


    ¡°Shyne.¡± I heard the eerie sound as if the person speaking was beside my ear.


    I tried to cover my ears to stop myself from hearing the creepy voice, but the sound began to go inside my head. It wouldn¡¯t stop calling my name and chuckling evilly.


    ¡°Stop talking. Stop it. Stop calling my name, I beg you.¡± I whispered over and over again. I was closing my eyes in case I saw something terrifying like another shadow or hallucination.


    ¡°Sis, are you alright? What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    Izzy was talking to me, but I was panicking. She grabbed my hand, and I swiped it away. Her phone was on the hand she used to touch me with, so it was thrown across the car and hit the driver¡¯s head hard.


    The driver grunted in pain and was shocked. The driver then swerved the car to the otherne by ident, and a blinding light was against his eyes. Our car wasn¡¯t able to move away, and we collided with another car, and the front window of the car shattered. A shard of ss lodged itself to my wrist that I used to cover my face, and a few more scratched my face as well as my exposed forearm and shoulder.


    There was smoke, and I was dizzy as I tried to open my eyes. I heard an eerieugh when everyone was at a standstill. Nobody moved, and I looked at Izzy who was also covering her head with her hands and her bag. Her eyes were closed shut and she was shaking a bit.


    I looked up and saw a shadow beside our driver. I screamed in fear of both the shadow and the crash. By that time, my scream enabled everyone to snap out of the shock and move.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Our driver was severely injured because a big chunk of ss lodged itself to his right shoulder. The guard in front of him was also injured, but Izzy didn¡¯t have a scratch on her. Meanwhile, the driver of the other car was also severely injured, because a metal rod was embedded in his forearm, and his hip was broken.


    That day, my parents came home furious with us and the drivers. Izzy was grounded, and so was I. My father handled the problem, and I knew they were able to shut up the mouths of the people who were involved. In the end, they were able to say that the ident was due to control problems on our car and nothing else.


    end of shback¡­


    I could still feel a bit of the heaviness around me after the ident, but I was practicing the act of ignoring it. The more I ignored it, I realized that it didn¡¯t bother me that much. The presence onlyes when my emotions are too riled up and uncontrolled.


    ¡°Shyne. Wake up, I¡¯ming in.¡±


    A voice sounded from behind my door, and by the urgency in it, I knew it was my mother. Lyna De Leon was a patient woman, but she was annoying when she¡¯s irritated. I was so much like her, even though I hated admitting it.


    ¡°The door isn¡¯t locked, mom, you cane in.¡±


    I never left my position on the bed. I was covered by the sheets up to my neck, and I was facing the covers. Mom entered looking sophisticated and regal, but she only wore her nightgown.


    ¡°Mom, you have never visited me this early in the morning. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Well, fish of all, I want you to be up when I¡¯m talking to you. Sit down and stopying on the bed like a murdered woman. That is not how you should talk to your mother.¡±


    I groaned in annoyance, but I did as she said. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to argue with my mother. I was stubborn, but so was she, and I couldn¡¯t beat her stubbornness.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sitting. But why are you still standing, mom? There¡¯s a seat behind you.¡±


    She raised her eyebrow at me, but reluctantly took the seat and faced me. I could see that she was trying not to get mad at me for my chill attitude. I was never thisfortable with my mother, because I was always a bit controlled and stiff around her.


    ¡°Youngdy, I noticed that you have been a bitx these past few days, and I don¡¯t like it. It¡¯s like you¡¯re changing everyday into thiszy woman who has no will to live. You are always in your room painting or reading, but the maids could hear you whispering to yourself.¡±


    I recalled the time I was praying while I tried to ignore the voices in my head. I guess one of the maids heard me and freaked out. I decided not to talk, and let my mother continue.


    ¡°Shyne, we both agreed to try and be a proper mother and daughter. However, your childishziness isn¡¯t helping. We will have to introduce you to the n formally as the heir, and you need to get your act straight, youngdy.¡±


    ¡°You mean we¡¯ll have a party for me?¡±


    I sounded neutral, but I hated the party she was saying. It was a party to formally bind me to the n and give me the burden as the head.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just give it to Alister? I mean, he¡¯s the one who would carry the n¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°Shyne. You already know that he is still young, and he has not proven his capabilities yet. Besides, you three are the ones who would handle the n, but you¡¯re just the one who would lead it until your brother proves himself to be better than you¡±


    I hated the hierarchy that my family is ustomed to. Nevertheless, I knew I couldn¡¯t change it.


    ¡°Mom, this dinner, this would just introduce me right? I don¡¯t have to lead the n yet? I mean, I haven¡¯t graduated yet.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is just to formally introduce you as an heir.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then. I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    An awkward silence began, and all I could do was stare at my hands on myp.


    ¡°Shyne, I have one more thing to ask you.¡±


    I looked at her, but the look of worry and doubt in her eyes showed me that I should be nervous, and now I was.


    ¡°Shyne, are you pregnant right now? Because I saw the positive pregnancy test.¡±


    ¡°The what?!¡±


    My mind raced at the possibility of someone in our daily life making fake news about me. However, there was a look on my mother¡¯s face that told me I should answer her quickly and truthfully.


    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about?! I am NOT pregnant, and if you saw a pregnancy test, that wouldn¡¯t be mine.¡±


    I was infuriated because she was asking, but her tone was using.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not pregnant, then why are you acting stranger than ever?¡±


    ¡°Mom, I AM NOT PREGNANT!¡±


    My voice was a bit louder due to my frustration, and I saw my mom nod and stood up.


    ¡°Good. My dream was wrong then.¡±


    ¡°What?! What do you mean your dream was wrong? What dream? Are you a voodoo witch now or something?¡±


    My mother looked at me with an irritated look and sighed as she sat back down again in a more poised manner. She rubbed her temple as she closed her eyes.


    ¡°Shyne, I had a dream that you were pregnant. I saw you looking at a pregnancy test and crying your eyes out because it was positive. In my dream, your whole life was ruined because you were pregnant. I didn¡¯t want that to happen so I went to you and tried to check on you.¡±


    Looked at my mother like she grew three heads on her shoulders. I couldn¡¯t believe that my mother would believe I was hiding a pregnancy because of her dream. Given I have been experiencing nightmares for months, but that was because of Rian. I never would have expected she would be riled up because of her dream.


    ¡°Mother, I am not pregnant. I don¡¯t even have a boyfriend, and I haven¡¯t even been seeing anyone since Rian. So please, stop believing your dreams. Ask me first, mom.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go back and get ready for today. You and your sister are still grounded, aso I want you to help her in making sure that the two of you are well behaved for your party. That party is your first step to ruling this n, and you must make sure you are presented well. Do you understand, Shyne?¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    ¡°Youngdy, your sarcasm is not wee in my presence, and it¡¯s not wee in your party either. So, make sure you get rid of it.¡±


    My mother stood up and left the room.


    Iid on my bed again, and this time, instead of the presence that I was feeling again, I was more worried about the party. I need to make sure that I don¡¯t cause a scene, and my emotions won¡¯t go haywire during the party. I won¡¯t let Rian¡¯s curse destroy this party.


    ¡°Shyne.¡±


    I closed my eyes as I felt cold fingers trace my right leg. I shivered as fear creeped up inside me. I looked at my leg and saw nothing, but the touch lingered.

 UNWANTED EVIDENCES

    It was the day of my party, and everyone in the n was invited. My mother and father bought me an ind when I was born, and this was the first time that I was allowed to be on the ind.


    I was sitting at the balcony of my own private vi, and it was at the highest part of the ind. The window overlooked the entire ind, and I saw the smaller vis where some of the main family members were staying.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Hey, sis, what¡¯s with the long face? This is your big day, and everyone is excited for you to be officially introduced as the heir.¡±


    I didn¡¯t look at Izzy who was getting ready behind me. The breeze was amazing, and the smell of fresh air made me close my eyes.


    ¡°Sis, you can¡¯t ignore me and pretend that I¡¯m just the sound of the wind. You need to focus. Remember that our mother said everything should be perfect today. You can¡¯t zone out on me like that, you know. Mom is going to kill the both of us if something bad happens, and she will ground me more if I don¡¯t get your head in the game.¡±


    I sighed and turned to see Izzy sitting on the bed with her flowing in mint green dress that was just above her knee. Her ck and gray ombre hair was swept to the side, and she wore a simple make up thatplimented her skin and dress beautifully.


    ¡°Izzy, first of all, you look amazing. I love your entire look.¡± I said with a warm and genuine smile on my face.


    ¡°Second of all, I think you look better than my fat behind. I feel like a cupcake whenever I need to wear dresses and pretend to be the little miss perfect daughter in front of the n.¡±


    I made a sour face to express my distaste for my body and the situation. I was a chubby girl, but I can¡¯t deny that I was beautiful. I thank my parents¡¯ genes that God gave.


    Izzy just rolled her eyes and took my dress that wasid out on my bed. The dress that my mother prepared reached just below my knee. It was a faded bronze fairy dress that was flowing and soft. It was an off shoulder dress with a sweetheart neckline, and had butterflies embroidered all around it.


    ¡°Shyne, you are just as beautiful, so stop the pity party. Besides, your dresspliments your body, and it makes you look even more beautiful. So shut up, stand up, and get dressed!¡±


    Iughed as she pulled me with her left hand from my sitting position on the chair beside the window, while her right hand held my dress. I felt like I was the younger sister whenever Izzy took control of my outfits.


    ¡°Izzy, I don¡¯t need you to babysit me while I change my clothes. I am not going to run away or do something stupid.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re my sister, Shyne, and I know for a fact that we have the same mind sometimes when ites to mischief. That means, I need to be very careful with you, because I know that you¡¯re worse than me.¡±


    Iughed at her usations, but did as I was told. It has been a while since thest time I did something stupid in front of the family. I was tempted to just skip the n¡¯s dinner and go to the beach, but I knew that I would be dead meat if I did what I was nning.


    The preparations were done, and everyone was gathered at the open area of the ind. The ce was beautiful, and it was covered by lights and red and white flowers. I was behind the double doors as I waited for my father to formally introduce me.


    I was feeling very nervous, and I had a bad feeling that something bad was about to happen. A hand held my shoulder and I covered my mouth to suppress my scream.


    ¡°Shyne, it¡¯s okay. It¡¯s me, your cousin Earl. Hey, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    I caught my breath as I held my chest and tried my best to calm my racing heart.


    ¡°Earl! Why would you do that?! You nearly gave me a heart attack!¡± I said in a loud whisper. The dummy only suppressed hisughter as I hit the back of his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shyne. I just saw Trixie and Nixie walking toward your direction a few minutes ago before arguing and leaving this ce. Knowing the twins, they were bound to do something that could affect you and the n. They were the reason why our cousin Andy had one of the worst birthdays, because they ruined it by bullying Andy about his failed grades. I just wanted to check on you if they did something to the heir of the n.¡±


    My eyebrows scrunched up and I wore an angered expression on my face. I knew that the twins wanted to be the new heirs of the n, but I never thought that they would n something today.


    ¡°Shyne, I know that look. You have that look when you¡¯re out to get someone.¡±


    I looked at him, and I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.


    ¡°Look, Earl. I really appreciate your concern, but for now, I can¡¯t do anything. I would introduce myself in a minute or two, and I won¡¯t be able to move. Make sure you tell my brother and sister about what you think and saw. They¡¯ll handle it on behalf of me.¡±


    Earl nodded and left in a hurry to find Izzy and Alister. The two of them are my best shot in preventing whatever disaster the twins were nning.


    ¡°Shyne, it¡¯s time.¡± My father said as he approached me from somewhere and took my hand in his.


    The double doors opened, and my blood ran cold. I could see shadows all around my family. Each family member had a small shadow attached to them like reptiles, and my skin crawled from the sight.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! Let me introduce to you the future of the De Leon n! Miss Shyne De Leone!¡± My father announced as the people cheered, and the demonic shadows started to detach from them and crawl towards me on the stage.


    I gave a silent prayer before looking straight at my family and giving them my perfectly practiced smile and nod. I needed to calm down in order for me to focus and control my emotions.


    The shadows were getting nearer as I met Izzy¡¯s worried gaze. I pleaded with her with my eyes, and she got the message and cheered loudly to distract the people.


    ¡°Alright, people! Let us all settle down and allow my daughter to give us her short speech.¡±


    From the corner of my eyes, I saw the twins, Trixie and Nixie try to grab a microphone, but Alister and Izzy were able to stop them. Earl gave back the microphones to the operators, and I saw the three of them silently drag the twins inside.


    I quickly gave my prepared speech about doing my best and honoring the family, and then I was excused to go to the bathroom. I ran as fast as I could to my room, and saw that the twins, Earl, Izzy, Alister, and my mother were there. The twins sat at the bed with their hands crossed over their chests, and a worried yet proud look was on their pale faces.


    ¡°Sis! Why are you here?! You should be downstairs!¡± Izzy eximed as she approached me.


    I walked past her and went straight to my mother who was reading a folder that had the word ¡®EVIDENCE¡¯ on the outside.


    ¡°M-mom, wh-what are you reading?¡±


    My mother pped me with her free hand, and threw the folder to my chest. It stung, but the shock of it happening made all of us in the room grow silent.


    ¡°You had MULTIPLE FALSE PREGNANCIES?!¡±


    My face paled and my entire body trembled in nervousness and fear. I could hear my blood moving in my veins and I felt like everything was floating. I felt like I was going to faint.


    ¡°How big of a SLUT did I manage to raise?!¡± My mom shouted as she kicked the scattered papers on the floor.


    Tears were falling from my eyes, and I knew that my makeup was ruined. I couldn¡¯t hear anything anymore, and I knew that I was having an anxiety attack.


    Everything was moving, and I heard a deep and demonic chuckle before Ipletely passed out.

 TWIN DEMONS

    ¡°You are a disgrace to this family! A slut like you should never even be allowed to live! What in hell were you thinking while that boy thrusts inside you over and over again, huh?! Did you just enjoy it and forget about your future?!¡±


    My mom pped me hard on my right cheek while I sat on my bed. I didn¡¯t cry, I didn¡¯t make any noise as I held my cheek with glossy eyes.


    ¡°How could I have raised a slut! This is¡­This is impossible. NO! I don¡¯t have a whore for a daughter!¡±


    My mother went to my study table and threw everything to the floor. Myptop, my pens and paper, my photo. She held the edge of the table and breathed heavily. I wiped a stray tear that fell from my eye as I saw my mother go crazy.


    ¡°Mom¡­¡± I whispered.


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t call me that! I can¡¯t believe I gave birth to a woman who would open her legs to a pathetic worm who has no future!¡± My mom threw a pencil case in my direction, and I was too shocked to avoid it.


    The metal pencil case hit me on my shoulder, and I groaned in pain. I looked at my mother in shock, but instead of regret, her eyes held greater anger.


    ¡°If I had known that you were going to be born as a disgrace, I would have just tried harder to get you aborted as a child! You¡¯re the reason why I was forced to be married to that father of yours!¡±


    Mom grabbed a handful of my hair and pulled hard. I tried my best to get away, but she got on top of me and pulled harder on my clothes. My dress began to rip, and I couldn¡¯t hold the tears that began to fall from my eyes.


    ¡°Mom, please! Don¡¯t do this, please!¡± I tried to stop her hands from ripping my dress, and she continually shouted insults to me.


    ¡°You want to be slut for the family?! Here! Let me help you!¡± She grabbed my sleeves and pulled until it ripped. You could see my underwear inside, and I trembled in fear, disgust, and uselessness.


    ¡°Please, mom¡­¡± I whispered as she grabbed the hem of my dress and pulled it apart.


    I saw the zipper rip in two and I was left with my lingerie, a torn upper dress, and the lower part was on the floor and torn to shreds. My mom was standing on the foot of my bead breathing heavily.


    I cried as I tried to pull the covers and cover my half naked self. My tears kept falling as my trembling hands held on the covers. My mom pulled the covers, and I was left on top of the bed with torn clothes and my hands trying to cover myself.


    ¡°Sluts shouldn¡¯t be ashamed to have torn clothes, so why are you covering yourself, huh?! You should have covered yourself before you became a permanent disgrace to this family!¡±


    The matriarch of the family has lost her wits, and she took the family photo that fell on the floor. She threw it to the wall, and the ss frame shattered. I watched in horror and tears as she took the photo from the shattered frame and showed it to me.


    I was at the right side of my father in the photo, and she ripped it. She removed me from the family, and she crumpled my torn photo. She watched me as tears fell from my eyes in pain and regret.


    ¡°As your mother, I am disgusted that I made you. As a person, I am disgusted by the whore you have be, and as the family¡¯s Matriarch, I DISOWN YOU!¡±


    My eyes grew in shock and I forced myself to stand up and held on to my mother¡¯s wrist. She pushed me away, but I crawled and grabbed her ankle.


    ¡°Let go of my leg, you slut!¡±


    She tried pulling my hair to get me to let go, but I held on with both hands while my body was on the floor. She tried kicking me, but I endured the pain. I didn¡¯t want my mother topletely disown me.


    ¡°You won¡¯t let go of me?!¡± Mom took the vase on the floor and threw it on my head as I copsed, surrounded by my own blood. My eyes were closing, and the word was spinning. I tried to lift my hand but I didn¡¯t have the strength.


    ¡°M-mom¡­please. M-mom¡­mom¡­¡±


    I opened my eyes and I was on my bed with the covers up to my chin. My head was throbbing and I felt like it was about to explode. I didn¡¯t move, but I looked around my room, and I saw that I was still in my room in my private vi on the ind.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake, sis. Oh my goodness, thank god.¡±


    Izzy walked to the right side of my bed and sat beside me as she took my hand in hers. I looked at my hands and there were no scratches. I was so confused. I looked at the room and saw that nothing was out of ce except my dress that was on a hanger beside my cab.


    I checked the inside of the covers and I saw that I was wearing a nightgown. I looked at Izzy confusingly, and she took a deep breath before releasing it frustratedly.


    ¡°Shyne, please tell me you don¡¯t have amnesia. I have been through enough troubles today, and I don;t think I can handle you having amnesia.¡±


    I rolled my eyes and forced myself to sit up straight.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t force yourself, sis. Are you sure you¡¯re okay enough to sit up and you don¡¯t have amnesia? That movie I saw made it seem like a person who faints can have amnesia if they hit their head hard enough.¡±


    ¡°Izzy, please stop talking. Thank you so much for worrying, but I have an unbelievable headache and all this talk of amnesia is making me think I want one too.¡±


    Izzy hugged me hard, and as shocked as I was, I hugged her back. It wasn¡¯t normal for us to hug things out, but it was nice to hug your sister back.


    ¡°Sorry, Shyne. I was just worried about you. But thank goodness you¡¯re alright.¡± She lets go of me and we share afortable silence and smile to one another.


    ¡°Izzy, what happened?¡± I figured out that whatever mom did to me was just a dream.


    ¡°The twins, Trixie and Nixie had your past investigated and they attempted to tell dad about it to ruin you before you were introduced to the family.¡±


    ¡°What?! So the part where I copsed while mom held a folder in front of the twins wasn¡¯t a dream?!¡±


    Izzy nodded as Iid on the headboard in shock. I was looking at my hands, and tears fell. Izzy wiped my tears as she held my hands in hers.


    ¡°Shyne, hey, sis, rx. I know that it seems like a terrible thing, but Earl and Alister were able to stop the twins and drag them inside the room. However, mom saw them, and everyone had a fight, and when I got inside the room, the twins were also showing mom the folder. A few secondster, you also showed up, and you just fainted after mom shouted at you with insults.¡±


    I was trying my best to calm myself as I realized that the twins now had something against me that could not just destroy my name, but my family. I was hyperventting, and I felt like my heart was going to explode.


    ¡°Shyne, take a deep breath and rx. Mom was furious about what you did in the past, but she was also furious about the twins. Don¡¯t worry, she was able to shut their mouths, and their parents were informed about their attempt to destroy the family.¡±


    I looked at Izzy in confusion, and she nodded at my thought.


    ¡°The twin¡¯s parents?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Mom had to ckmail them, because if the twins did what they intended to do, mom threatened that she would also destroy the twin¡¯s reputation of being bigger sluts. Mom already had the twins investigated before because of what they attempted to pull during your birthday party a few years in the past. I don¡¯t know what else mom found out, but I know that she was able to keep everyone¡¯s mouth shut.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°For now.¡± Mom was standing in the bedroom¡¯s door.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re awake youngdy.¡± My mom said with eyes of disappointment, and a slim smile that showed she was forcing herself to not hurt me.


    ¡°Mom, I-¡±


    ¡°Izzy, leave me and your sister, now.¡±


    Izzy took my hand and gave it a squeeze before leaving.


    ¡°Mom.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. I don¡¯t want to hear any words from you.¡±


    My mom threw the folder of evidence on the foot of my bed. My eyes followed the folder and then looked back at her as she closed the door.


    ¡°Shyne, tell me, is this your way of destroying this family for a dick that¡¯s now buried six feet underground?¡±

 MY HOLOGRAPHIC ANGEL

    ¡°Ouch! Hey, don¡¯t be too rough, and be gentle!¡± I whined as Izzy pressed the ice on the back of my head.


    ¡°I¡¯ve angered mom in the past, but the worst she did was identally pulling two of my teeth when he pped me hard on the mouth for talking back at her. I would have never guessed mom would p you with a folder hard enough for you to fall on the bed and bang the back of your head on the floor. This bump feels like your head was intentionally hit on the floor.¡±


    I hissed at the pain and the cold that I felt from my head and the ice.


    ¡°Shyne, I know that mom was infuriated with the contents of that folder, but I would have never believed you that sheid a finger on you if I¡¯m not the one doing this. What happened with you and mom inside the room?¡±


    I sighed and closed my eyes as I had a shback of what had happened an hour ago.


    shback¡­


    ¡°Shyne, tell me, is this your way of destroying this family for a dick that¡¯s now buried six feet underground?¡±


    My mom had a luke of pure anger in her eyes, and I swallowed the lump in my throat. I felt like all the water inside of my body was gone, and my throat was so dry that I couldn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°Shyne. Speak when you are being asked a question.¡± Mom said in a low tone that was filled with venom.


    ¡°Did this boy¡¯s dick mean so much to you that you were willing to risk multiple false pregnancy scares, huh, Shyne?¡±


    Her tone was on edge, and it held a warning that I knew too well. I¡¯ve been at the end of my mother¡¯s wrath, and her words would always be more painful than her hits.


    ¡°Mom, please don¡¯t say it like that. That is not the reason why all of those false pregnancies happened¡­¡±


    ¡°Then what was the reason, Shyne? We gave you everything that you want in order for you to have a life as close to perfect. You got everything that you¡¯ve wanted, and I even agreed to send you to a faraway school just so you could leave this man. You should have told me about all of this sooner!¡± My mom said in a loud voice.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky that this day is still not done, and there are still visitors outside. If it was up to me, I would have sent you back home and chained you to the house so you couldn¡¯t disappoint this family again.¡±


    Her words stung, but I knew that she was right. Imay have been trying to fix my future, but it still won¡¯t get me away from my past. I can tell people what I¡¯ve done, and I can regret them, but it would never be enough.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Shyne. Your irresponsibility and rebellion is what you should me in this situation. I already agreed to help you before, and yet you were never honest. You are such a¡­ a¡­¡±


    ¡°A what, mom?¡± I asked her in anger. My eyes were watering, but I held the anger in her gaze.


    ¡°What, mom? I¡¯m such a slut? A whore? A disgrace? Do you need me to help you find the best description for your disappointment, huh, mother?¡± I said in a sarcastic manner.


    My mother was quick, and she walked straight at me. I never moved, because I would never have expected her to grab the folder and p me across the face with it. It was hard enough for me to fall from my bed and hit my head on the foot of the bed that was exposed.


    I groaned in pain, but I never heard my mother say a word. Instead, she left me groaning on the floor as I tried to focus my vision, and I heard her open and close the door.


    Tears fell from my eyes as my emotions swelled and I could feel the shadows again. I tried to calm my nerves, but I felt like they were fried. I saw a shadowy hand on my leg, and I screamed as I felt it try to pull me from under the bed.


    ¡°Shyne!¡± Izzy shook me as we both sat on the floor. My eyes focused and I saw that the arm was gone and it was just me and Izzy on the floor.


    End of shback¡­


    ¡°Shyne, no wonder mom pped you. You know how that woman has this idea in her head that she¡¯s trying to be a great mother, even though she¡¯s not that great in the emotional part. You should have just let her speak and leave.¡±


    ¡°I know, Izzy, it¡¯s just annoying how I¡¯m trying my best to change, and yet all of these things are happening to me. Plus, mom just left, and it didn¡¯t even look like she cared when I groaned.¡±


    ¡°Sis, she called me here, so we know that at least she felt guilty. So all you need to do now is focus on how you can get through this party.¡±


    I sighed and nodded. I could still feel the cold presence of the shadow hand earlier, and I looked at my leg that was hanging on the edge of my bed. Izzy followed my gaze, and she also gave a sight.


    ¡°Shyne, I¡¯ll sleep beside you tonight, so you don¡¯t have to worry. You know that you could trust me. You¡¯re getting better at controlling your emotions, so all you need is to make sure that you control it long enough for us to find a way to break this curse.¡±


    I nodded, and as Izzy helped me change, I realized how I¡¯ve really lost my job as the eldest, and now my brother and cousin Earl knows about the folder.


    ¡°My life is soplicated, man, I feel like I¡¯ll explode.¡± I whispered as I followed Izzy out of the room.


    We got back to the party, and I saw that the twins and their parents were nowhere to be found. I had a thought that my mom had already done something to shut them all up.


    I searched the crowd and saw my father talking to one of his friends, and a few secondster, I saw my mother take my father¡¯s hand as they socialized. I took one of the sses that was served by the waiters, and my eyes caught my brother¡¯s eyes as he walked towards me with a grim expression.


    ¡°Hey, sis. I know this is your day, but what happened back there is not what I expected.¡±


    The two of us were looking at the crown while we stood about a meter apart. The both of us had that perfect poker face as we spoke to one another. Although, I felt the anger and disappointment in his voice, and I felt the sting of embarrassment at the fact that I did nothing good for the family on my own. My mother was right about me being a disappointment.


    ¡°Hey, sis, next time you want to ruin your life, I just hope you think of how much it would affect the family. Because while you were busy living life destroying your future, I was busy building the future you were breaking in this family.¡± He faced me as I remained silent. ¡°Since you¡¯re officially the legal heir, make sure you don¡¯t bring this n down with you.¡± Alister said and left.


    I tried my best to swallow the lump in my throat, and ignore the growing sorrow in the pit of my stomach.


    ¡°Your brother is right. Just end your life so you won¡¯t be as big of a disappointment than you are now.¡± The shadowy figure beside me said.


    I was trembling in fear, but I was in a public ce, and thest thing I wanted was to be a freakshow in front of the entire n. I drank my champagne and went straight to my mother.


    ¡°Mom? Excuse me, but can I talk to you in private please?¡± I whispered in her ear. She looked at me with an annoyed look but nodded.


    ¡°Mom, what happened with the twins?¡±


    ¡°I made them leave, and made their parents shut up. Now, I¡¯m going to investigate your ex lover¡¯s entire background, and that includes your current school. I don¡¯t want to be caught off guard in case you still haven¡¯t changed. Now, excuse me, I need to assist your father.¡±


    My mother left me speechless, and I could feel the growing insecurity inside of me at how my mother has zero trust in me. I turned around and went to the nearest fountain in the garden where I could cry as hard as I could.


    ¡°Just jump in the fountain and drown yourself. It would be better than being the constant disappointment in your entire n.¡± The voices whispered, and I looked at the water in the fountain.


    ¡°Go on, my love, drown for me.¡±

 NEW LOVE

    I looked at Brixton as the two of us stood near the cliff. Shock was all over my face, and Brixton just sighed. He pulled me farther from the cliff when he realized that I was not moving an inch out of shock.


    ¡°Listen, Shyne, I know that it¡¯s a confession that¡¯s not supposed to be said after what happened to you here on the cliff, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Brixton. You can¡¯t love me. You-you shouldn¡¯t love me¡­¡± I whispered.


    Brixton¡¯s face turned sad, and his smile was gone. It was reced by a frown, and his eyes showed the sadness inside. We were silent for a few seconds, but he held my right hand, and he gave me a half smile that was forced.


    ¡°Shyne, I know that your situation with Rian and your family isplicated, but I also know that you feel something for me. I see it in our eyes and the way we fit together perfectly.¡±


    ¡°Brixton, I can¡¯t¡­I can¡¯t do this¡­¡± I said as I looked down and gently pulled my hand from his hold. His hands fell to his side, and he just stared at me as I did my best to stop myself from crying.


    ¡°Shyne, I want to help you with Rian¡¯s curse, because we both know you deserve to love whoever you want without that bastard¡¯s threats. I can¡¯t exactly meet all the standards that your parents require, but I¡¯m willing to try. Please, babe, give me a chance even if you don¡¯t believe I can meet their conditions¡­please.¡± He said softly.


    My tears fell as I listened to his words. He wasn¡¯t afraid of the shadows because he couldn¡¯t really be bothered by them as much as they bother me. He wiped my tears, and I stepped back to stop him from touching me more.


    ¡°Brixton, we are graduating in two weeks. I¡¯ll leave this ce right after and go to another country to study and train to fully take over the family business. I still need to break this stupid curse, because if I work on apany that stresses me, there¡¯s a good chance that I won¡¯t have enough control over my emotions, and I¡¯d lose my mind. I¡¯m not the kind of person that you should love, Brixton. I¡¯m-I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    Brixton¡¯s eyes were bing glossy, and he nodded his head without saying a word.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back then, Shyne. By the look on your face earlier, you didn¡¯t intend to be here, and you shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± he said as he gestured for me to go back to the tent first.


    The two of us walked back side by side, but none of us said a word. A few minutester, I could see the dim light of our campsite. Brixton grabbed my hand and stopped me so we both faced each other.


    He let go of my hand, and he looked at me with a sad but determined look. He gave me a warm smile, and I felt hurt that I couldn¡¯t give him the same smile because of everything that happened to me tonight.


    ¡°Shyne, I know you said that I shouldn¡¯t love you, but I can¡¯t promise you that. I can promise to give you the time and space you need, and I¡¯ll wait.¡±


    ¡°Brixton. Please. Waiting will only make things moreplicated and¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. I know that it would make thingsplicated and a bit weird. I¡¯m not asking you to be with me and pressure you into choosing me. I¡¯m waiting to see whether you and I are meant to be or not. I believe that whoever was meant for us will always find a way to go back to us.¡± he said with a small smile of hope. I smiled a bit and nodded my head.


    We got back to the camp, and Abby was just about to go back inside when she saw use out in front of the woods.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Shyne! I thought¡­ I mean, you were.. Uhh¡­¡± She stuttered as she looked at Brixton and then me. Her eyes shifted from my face to Brixton¡¯s and she blushed hard.


    ¡°Sorry for interrupting you two. I guess you heard me calling. I¡¯ll just go back to the tent and you two can carry on with whatever you were doing in the woods. Not that I know what you¡¯re doing, but¡­ I mean.. Umh, okay. Good night!¡± She said as she stuttered and hurriedly went back to our tent and zipped it back up.


    Brixton and I looked at each other, and we shared an awkwardugh before we bid our goodbyes and went to our respective tents. I was zipping my tent¡¯s door when Abby suddenly bolted back up in a sitting position with Dina, and the two had wide smiles.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I disturbed the two of you back there Shyne, you guys should have just gone back to the woods.¡± Abby said as Dina giggled.


    ¡°Abby, nothing happened between us. I was sleepwalking, and he saw me and woke me up before I nearly fell over the cliff.¡±


    The two of them stopped giggling and worried looks on their faces.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine guys. He was fast, so he pulled me back quickly, and we walked back just in time for Abby to see us. You should just go back to sleep guys. Tomorrow¡¯s hike back home would be just as hard.¡±


    The two of them said their goodnights to me and to each other, and went back to sleep.


    ¡°Brixton¡­¡± I whispered as tears fell from my eyes while Iid on my side of the tent. I couldn¡¯t erase the fact that saying no to him hurts so much. I wanted to tell him how much I love him too, but I knew that I couldn¡¯t.


    In the morning the hike back was a bit awkward between me and Brixton, and the group noticed, but they tried their best to not make us feel weird. The girls talked to me about random stuff, and so did the boys with Brixton. I was thankful that they didn¡¯t push us.


    Upon reaching the city, we all went our separate ways, but Brixton suddenly pulled me to a corner.


    ¡°I said I¡¯ll wait for you, Shyne. But while I wait, can we still be best friends? I don¡¯t want this to break our friendship apart. I want you in my life whether as my girlfriend or as my wingman if we both fall in love with other people. please , Shyne?¡±


    I smiled and nodded. I hugged him, but this time, our hug was longer. It was as if we convey our feelings through that one hug. We released each other after a long hug, and I kissed his cheek before bolting away and running towards my car.


    ¡°That was so cheesy, Shyne.¡± I screamed when someone was sitting on the chair beside the driver¡¯s seat with me.

 PRESSURES

    ¡°Oh my God! What in zes are you doing inside of my car?!¡± I hit my head on the window beside the driver¡¯s seat as I looked in shock at Alister.


    My brotherughed, and Izzy popped out from behind us whileughing her head off. I tried to calm myself down as I looked at the two of them back and forth.


    ¡°Are you two doneughing? Seriously! What if you guys made me have a heart attack, huh?!¡± I shoved Alister, and he just chuckled as he fixed his seatbelt, and so did Izzy at the back.


    ¡°Wait a minute, you two. Why are you fixing your seatbelts?¡± They looked at each other and stared at me in confusion.


    ¡°Well, Izzy and I don¡¯t want to die in case you hit the brake a little too hard. Come one, sis, didn¡¯t they teach you to buckle your seatbelts before driving?¡± I looked back as Izzy snorted. I threw my bag at Alister, and the guy just caught it and threw it at the back with Izzy.


    ¡°Hey! be careful with my bag!¡±


    ¡°You threw it! So I gave it to Izzy


    Now, put your seatbelt on and let¡¯s go to the mall, we¡¯re both hungry.¡±


    ¡°You two haven¡¯t even answered my question as to why the both of you are here in my car!¡±


    ¡°Sis¡­¡± It was Izzy¡¯s turn to speak. ¡°Mom told Alister to follow you after what happened to the party, and since I wasn¡¯t doing anything, I tagged along.¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Why are you in my car?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Alister told the guards to let him drive it here when the guards told us that you wanted to ride it back to your ce after your trip. We thought that it would be a great chance for the heirs of the De Leon n to bond, and-¡±


    Alister covered Izzy¡¯s mouth, and I raised an eyebrow as I noticed the man was already annoyed.


    ¡°You talk too much, Izzy.¡± Alister said as he looked back at me.


    ¡°Sis, I me you why Izzy¡¯s been too loudtely.¡± Izzy and eye rolled our eyes.


    ¡°You girls even roll your eyes at the same time. Seriously. Women are the same.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Izzy and I said at the same time. Alister shrugged, and I knew we weren¡¯t going to win against him.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll drive, but I choose where we eat, and you guys tell me why the sudden visit, because I doubt it¡¯s just mom.¡±


    I looked at Alister as I drove the car to the mall.


    ¡°Especially you, Alister. You ended that talk with me on a sour note, so I doubt you¡¯d be this thrilled to babysit your big sister.¡± He looked grim as I looked at him from the corner of my eyes.


    ¡°Well, sis, I¡¯m sorry for that, but I know that you agree. I¡¯m sorry for my choice of words, but even you know that everything I said is true.¡±


    I felt my anger boil, but I took deep breaths as I gripped the steering wheel tightly.


    ¡°As the youngest¡­¡± Izzy spoke, ¡°I propose a few hours of no fighting. You guys always told me before that we should y nice, especially in a public ce.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re inside our sister¡¯s car, Izzy. This isn¡¯t a public ce.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but she¡¯s driving, so if you don¡¯t want to die early and leave the n without a single heir, you better shut up, bro.¡±


    I smirked at Izzy¡¯s reply to Alister. The girl respected her big brother more than me, and we both know that. However, I felt d that she somehow stood up for me.


    ¡°Tell me why you two are here. Traffic¡¯s annoying, so I guess we have about ten minutes before we arrive at the restaurant near the mall. It¡¯s just enough time to exin whatever it is.¡±


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± Alister took a deep breath before Speaking.


    ¡°Mom said that she was investigating everything that you and that Rian guy did. The twins, Trixie and Nixie, aren¡¯t that much of a threat. However, since we know that they¡¯re idiots in a way, their mouths are too unstable for the family.¡±


    I thought of all the possible ways that those two could tell everyone about my secrets. I looked ahead as the cars moved slowly and waited for my brother to continue.


    ¡°The twins can¡¯t be trusted, because they don¡¯t have filters. Kf they ruined you, they could ruin the entire n too. This is a huge scandal that can also affect the trust of all the investors that are usually trusting the heads of the n. You, my dearest sister, are the heir. Not unless I get married do I get the title properly. Which means, for a few more years, you¡¯ll be the face of the n.¡±


    ¡°Alister is right, sis.¡± Izzy said in a worried tone.


    ¡°Even if it was in the past, the moment the people saw that controversy, theirpetitors would use that to destroy the trust of others in our family. This could mean the downfall of the majority of the family¡¯s connections.¡±


    ¡°Izzy is right, Shyne. Which is why I was sent here. I needed to be the one who would scrutinize all the people surrounding you until you graduate and somehow take over. I¡¯m also here to keep an eye on you and get more information that I could get.¡±


    He looked at me as he said thest statement, and I released a deep breath at the stressful situation.


    ¡°So mom sent the two of you to get more information from me, and for me to be more behaved, right? She sent you two because she also lost every trust that she had of me.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Izzy pped Alister¡¯s arm due to his bluntness.


    Iughed bitterly at the two of them. I felt like I was going mad. The car was silent as the three of us minded our own businesses.


    I recalled everything that happened to me for the past twenty-four hours. The trip, the cliff, and now my siblingsing to me to be my babysitters.


    ¡°Alister¡­¡± I called him. ¡°You should have been the eldest. If only you were born a bit earlier than me, maybe¡­ just maybe, I would have lived a bit differently.¡±


    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t change anything sis.¡± He said as he took in a deep breath and released it before rubbing his temple.


    ¡°I¡¯m the only male among the three heirs, so I have nearly the same burden as you. But I need you to hold onto your dignity, sis. You and I both know that we can¡¯t change our identities, but we can maintain our reputation if we stay careful. You can enjoy your life withoutpromising the family¡¯s name. So I suggest you help us fix the problem that your past created.¡±


    I nodded as I drove faster to get to the restaurant where we had lunch.


    The day ended with me telling my brother and sister everything that I could tell them. I told them about the multiple trips to the abortionist because of the false pregnancies.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me that the guy you slept with multiple times was obsessed with you, but you never left?!¡± Alister said while he tried his best to do it in a whisper.


    However, the nerve that was visible on his temple told me that his temper was at its peak.


    ¡°Yes. I couldn¡¯t leave because I was afraid of what would happen if I left him without a proper n. When I left, it was only because mom found out about us, and I couldn¡¯t hide it anymore. Mom said she¡¯ll take care of everything, so I just left without a word.¡±


    My brother¡¯s face showed both anger and disappointment, but it warmed my heart a bit when I sawpassion. I knew the three of us never got along, but when it counted the most, we were still siblings.


    I told them about how tired I was, and we could meet again three days from now. I felt too drained, and I wanted to just sleep and rest.


    I drove Izzy and I to my t, and Perry and her talked while I went straight to my room. I felt like I was too exhausted to even stand, so I decided to change my clothes and skip unpacking or taking a shower. I wasn¡¯t dirty anyway, and my eyes felt too heavy.


    I closed my eyes as my body dropped to the mattress. My eyes opened when a hand covered my mouth to cover my screams, and two hands pulled me under the bed, and into the cold darkness.

 EYES OF THE PAST

    I tried to scream and kick the hand as I fell in the darkness. The hands that were holding my feet and covering my mouth were ice cold.


    I tried to open my eyes, but all I could see was darkness, and the silence was eerie. My hair was all around my face as I felt like the hands that were dragging me would never stop. The skin on my hands and feet felt like they were burning as I was dragged on what felt like asphalt.


    I suddenly stopped, and the hands on my face and legs disappeared. I was trembling with fear and confusion as I tried my best to shift to a crawling position. My entire body ached as I got up to a sitting position, and I tried to catch my breath while tears threatened to fall from my eyes.


    I looked around, and it was still pitch ck. I tried to speak, but my voice trembled, and my throat felt like it was burning. I realized it was because of the sulfuric smell that was getting stronger. I coughed as the smell got stronger and stronger.


    ¡°My love¡­¡± Rian¡¯s voice echoed in the darkness, but his voice was different. It was as though his voice came from every direction, and the sound was gruff, like he had a sore throat.


    ¡°My love¡­¡± Rian repeated the two words over and over again. I covered my ears, but the sound felt like it vibrated inside of me.


    ¡°Rian¡­stop this. Please, Rian.¡± I begged as I kneeled and covered my ears.


    The sound of Rian¡¯s voice was louder, and this time, I screamed as hard as I could to block out the sound that was around me. It felt like all I could do was scream louder than the echoing voice of Rian¡¯sughter.


    I was going insane as I felt myself slipping. I didn¡¯t know why, but it feels as though my soul was being stretched by something. My entire body froze into my fetal position, and tears were streaming down my face.


    ¡°My love¡­¡± The voice was smooth, and unlike the torturing tone of the previous one, this tone was much quieter, as if it was trying to soothe me. ¡°¡­ stand up, my love.¡±


    I didn¡¯t do what it said, and instead, I curled up in a ball and sobbed some more. I wasn¡¯t a cryer, but I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that I was being dissected in my spiritual body. I felt loneliness, regret, pain, and anger swell inside of me.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± My voice was a whisper, and it echoed in the eerie silence that suddenly fell upon me. The dark was no longer pit ck, instead, it¡¯s bing lighter and lighter.


    ¡°Open your eyes, Shyne.¡± I kept them closed as I felt smoke surround me.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    I shivered at the coldness that was surrounding me, and I realized that I magically lost my clothes, and I wasying naked as the day I was born. I hugged myself to cover my breast, and my knees were up to cover my body as much as I could whileying still on the floor.


    The sound of a creaking and old door sounded in the distance, and I realized that the ca was now a gray color. The door that opened was in front of me, about ten meters away. I couldn¡¯t see anything aside from a warm light inside of the opened door.


    ¡°Shyne, my love,e to me¡­¡± The voice wasing from inside of the opened door, but I still didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°N-no, Rian¡­¡± I said with my trembling voice. The silence that followed made me shiver. It felt like something wasing.


    I floated in the air, and my arms were spread as my legs were closed. My entire body felt like there were invisible giant hands holding me, and I floated to the direction of the door.


    ¡°No!¡± I screamed as I struggled and tried to break free from the invisible hand that surrounded me.


    I closed my eyes as I entered the room, because the light was too bright. As I entered the room, multiple voicesughed at the same time, and it sent shivers up my spine.


    I suddenly fell, and my butt hit something soft. When I opened my eyes, I was currently sitting on top of a bed with ck sheets.


    ¡°So you want to be stubborn, huh?¡± I looked up, and Rian was standing in front of me while he was naked. I looked straight to his face, and didn¡¯t even bother looking somewhere else.


    The feeling of weakness was back as my heart felt like it was racing a hundred miles a second. I was hyperventting, and the room felt heavy.


    ¡°My love¡­¡± I focused on Rian¡¯s face, but for a split second, it looked like he was someone else, someone with horns and sharp teeth.


    ¡°You like that boy, huh?¡± He was walking towards me as I forced myself to stand up, but I only had enough strength to back up against the headboard. It felt like anchors were weighing down my entire body.


    ¡°R-rian, please¡­Brixton is a friend, and-¡±


    ¡°Lies!¡± He shouted. He spoke multiple curse words, and a few Latin words that felt like worse insults. ¡°You like that guy, and you want him!¡±


    ¡°Rian! You¡¯re already dead! You died, and you can nevere back!¡±I shouted as I pulled the covers and tried to cover my naked body. It was hard, but I managed to move my arms.


    ¡°I can¡¯t kill that guy, but I can trap you here, my love. You managed to guess that your emotions are my ticket inside your mind, so let¡¯s widen that entrance, shall we?¡±


    He came closer to me and grabbed the covers to expose me. I tried to cover myself, but he was on top of me in seconds.


    ¡°You will never escape me! I don¡¯t care if I have to take away your sanity for me to be with you!¡± Rian grabbed my hands and put them over my head as he sat on myp, and my legs were between him to disable my movements.


    ¡°You chose that guy because he¡¯s alive, huh?¡± He gave me a devilish smirk that made him look like something else aside from humans. ¡°Well then, my love, let me do the honors and make you feel alive.¡±


    He pressed his knee on my left thigh, and I screamed in pain as my legs opened. In one swift motion, he entered me and I screamed as my body burned in pain. He moved hard and fast as MY screams echoed in the room. My entire body felt like it was on fire, as heughed louder and louder.


    ¡°That guy will never love you like I do! He will never make you feel on edge like I do! You. Are. Mine! MINE ALONE!¡±


    I screamed as he came at me, but never stopped. Tears were flowing from my eyes, and even if I knew it was a dream, the pain was too much for me. I couldn¡¯t focus, and all I could do was scream and try my best to fight back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you suffer and force you to love me, even if I¡¯ll tear your soul apart and take every piece for my own!¡± Rian said as he bent me and touched me with his rough hands.


    I could move, but the pain was too much as I struggled to even breathe. I felt him turn me around, and he was behind me. He grabbed my waist as he took my hands and secured them behind me. His hands grew ws, and my eyes widened with terror.


    ¡°Now¡­let¡¯s see how long youst.¡± The voice wasn¡¯t Rians, and I felt immense pain as his ws dug into my skin.


    ¡°Nooo!¡± I screamed as the monster behind meughed. He has multiple voices, and I knew this time, it wasn¡¯t Rian who was forcing me. It was something that was behind the curse.


    ¡°You are the best offering that Rian has given me, Shyne De Leon¡­¡± The monsterughed menacingly as terror spread through my veins, ¡°¡­ the best offering for the love he desperately craved.¡±

 LICKING YOUR WOUNDS

    I couldn¡¯t speak as he covered my mouth. The monster¡¯s movements were harsh, and his wed hands were roaming my body with so much force that I was scratched, bleeding, and in pain. I couldn¡¯t think straight because of the pain, but I knew that he was right. I had to control my emotions, for me to be free to move.


    I tried to stop myself from screaming, and he noticed it, so he thrusted harder, faster, and deeper, and I screamed again in pain while heughed. I screamed, but I used my scream to calm myself while I was being vited. I needed to be strong and control my emotions fast, before I lost myself in the darkness of pain and fearpletely.


    ¡°Trying to control your emotions, huh?¡± The monsterughed and grabbed my throat as he lifted me up by my throat. I felt like I was about to faint, but seeing his face for the first time made my skin crawl.


    The monster had ck scales for skin, his pupils were red, and the white that was supposed to surround his eyeballs were ck. His face was also covered in scales, but he had human features aside from his horns that were twirled like a ram¡¯s horn, and it was probably a foot long, each.


    The monster looked like a demonic version of Rian, and he had slime covering his chest and neck. He smelled like sulfur, and my skin crawled as I looked down and saw that his legs were also scales, as well as the rest of his body, and he was covered with more slime.


    ¡°Do you like what you see, my love?¡± The monster asked sarcastically as I struggled to breathe. HIs grip was tightening, as he lifted me with his left hand, and he used his right hand to touch and poke my body that was now raised in the air like a rag doll.


    ¡°Beg for your life, my lovely Shyne. I want to hear you beg¡­¡± He threw me on the bed again, and this time, he transformed back to Rian, except his eyes were the same red and ck.


    ¡°Beg me for your life, my love. On your knees, please¡­¡± Rian said in a teasing tone.


    I was shaking, bleeding, and my bones felt like it was broken from all his limitations, but I managed to kneel on the bed. Rian, the monster version of him, stood in front of me and waited for me to move.


    ¡°I-I want to get out of here. I-I w-want to live¡­¡± My voice trembled, and I closed my eyes as I tried to calm myself down. ¡°¡­ I beg of you, I want to live, Lord Jesus, help me, Please!¡±Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org.


    I screamed the words, and the monster pped me hard on my face. I screamed my prayer over and over again as he forced himself on me again. He pped me, hit me, and tried to choke me, but as I screamed my prayer, he screamed as well.


    ¡°Wake up!¡± the monster screamed as his thrust became sloppy, ¡°Shyne! Wake up!¡±


    I opened my eyes to see that Izzy was shaking me with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°Thank God!¡± Izzy pulled me into a hug as I felt my throat dry up like the desert, but I felt the wetness that was on my face. I couldn¡¯t speak, but my tears fell again, and I felt Izzy shake as well.


    ¡°I thought I would never wake you up again!¡± Izzy said as she let go of me and wiped my tears away.


    ¡°Shyne, I had a dream, and there was this guy that told me to wake up because you needed help. I-I tried to enter, but I suddenly felt fear, and I couldn¡¯t go inside of your room. It was like something was inside here, and it didn¡¯t want me to go in.¡±


    ¡°Y-you dreamed that I was in danger?¡± She nodded.


    We stayed in my room for more than an hour, and I told her about my dream. I told her every detail as I cried and rocked myself back and forth. I saw shadows attempting toe near us while I was speaking, but I decided that what I experienced in my dreams was worse than those shadows.


    ¡°Shyne, sis, we really need to go home and get you to the church, asap. This is no longer a simple curse from your crazy ex. You really need to go to the pastor and have her pray for you or something.¡±


    ¡°But, you said mom goes there with you and Alister. They could tell mom and dad. I mean, mom and I¡¯s rtionship is getting better, but not that much better. We¡¯re still in the awkward stage, and something like this could bring us back to square one and stop talking again.¡±


    Izzy sighed and rubbed her temple. She does this whenever she wants to hit something or someone, but she¡¯s trying to control herself. That, or she¡¯s thinking hard for another solution, so I¡¯d shut up.


    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s get you back home, we go straight to the church and tell them to avoid mentioning it to mom. The people there are nice, so I know that, since you¡¯re the social butterfly between the three of us, you¡¯ll like them.¡±


    I thought about it for a few more seconds and nodded when I realized I really had no choice. I was saved when I tried to sincerely pray and call to God, so it must mean something. I may not have as much faith as my friends, but at least I know this monster believes in God more than me, so he is affected by it.


    After I finished whatever I needed to do in school, Izzy and I rode with Alister back home, and the two of us met with the people inside of the church. I told them about my situation, and I could see the genuine sympathy in their eyes.


    ¡°You know, Shyne¡­¡± said one of the leaders of the young people¡¯s ministry in the church. ¡°I experienced the same thing, but under different circumstances. You can get out of that monster¡¯s grip, but you need to repent first.¡±


    I opened up to five of them a bit, including the pastor, Malina. After my story, I received a prayer from the elders of the church, and for the first time in my life, I genuinely cried my heart out, and yet I feltfortable as I cried.


    ¡°Shyne, this is a difficult road that you¡¯re on,¡± said pastor Malina, ¡°however, there have been a lot of people like you who took it and came out alive and well, because the Lord was with them. It may seem vague or weird to you, but there is no way of proving it aside from you trying to experience it. Just give faith a try. This time, do it for real.¡±


    I prayed that night, asked for forgiveness, asked for the blood of Jesus to cover the entire room, and asked for protection as I slept. I didn¡¯t have nightmares, but she could still feel the shadows around me a bit.


    I made it a routine to pray and read at least one verse a day to practice the faith they said. I was amazed that it was working, and most of the time, the shadows were just in the corners of my eye, and sometimes they¡¯re not even visible, I could just feel them, except during church when I¡¯m lost in praying and worshiping.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re trying to go to God and forget that you¡¯re the reason my cousin hanged himself, bitch?¡± A woman¡¯s voice spoke beside me while I was looking at a pair of earrings in the mall.

 CARDS OF LIFE

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like you don¡¯t know me, you whore. You¡¯re the reason why my cousin Rian isn¡¯t with us anymore. You have the gutts to go back to this town, but you don¡¯t have the gutts to kill yourself after what happened to him because of your selfish doing?¡±


    I looked at thedy who wore a in navy blue shirt, sexy shorts that looked like panties, and sneakers. Her taste is awful, but the way she spoke to me showed that her attitude was awful as well. Despite having nice fair skin, her pink and ck hair, and her excessive essories made me want to look the other way.


    ¡°Excuse me, but I have no interest in picking a fight with someone like you, Anita,¡± I looked at her as she red at me, ¡± you know nothing about us, and that includes the reason he¡¯s gone. So it¡¯s better for you to stop embarrassing yourself and leave me alone while you still haven¡¯t embarrassed yourself.¡±


    The woman was Rian¡¯s younger cousin, and she was eighteen years old, if I¡¯m not mistaken. She was really close to Rian, and was even rumored to be close enough to like him too much.


    She stared at me like she wanted to kill me, and from the corner of my eyes, I could see my two bodyguards looking at us. They must have seen Anita¡¯s expression, and saw I was angry. They inched closer as Anita¡¯s expression turned angrier.


    ¡°You are such an entitled bitch, Shyne!¡± Anita tried to grab my hair, but I caught her hand and pushed her away.


    ¡°Damn you, Shyne!¡± One of my guards grabbed her arms and held her so she wouldn¡¯t be able to hurt me.


    ¡°Let go of me! I¡¯ll call the police! Let me go now!¡± She screamed and thrashed her hands as she tried to hurt my guard.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you alright?¡± said the other one who blocked me from Anita¡¯s view, while his partner tried to hold onto the raging woman.


    A few of the mall¡¯s security guards came, and they tried to drag Anita away as she shouted curses to them and me. I decided to fix my clothes and buy the earrings I was looking at, and left the mall.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, do you want us to file aint against that woman?¡± One of the guards said as we were driving home.


    ¡°No, that wouldn¡¯t be necessary, Jude. Just leave her be, but you can tell this to my mother if you want, just so they can be prepared. But tell her I don¡¯t want the woman to be in jail if we could help it.¡±


    Jude, the guard, noded as we all sat in silence. I was getting uneasy again, but I needed to control my emotions, so I just closed my eyes and prayed.


    ¡°I forgive, Anita¡­¡± I whispered in my prayer, and felt myself feel lighter. I knew I shouldn¡¯t be affected by her.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, Shyne? We¡¯re here. Wake up, ma¡¯am.¡± Jude was calling me, and my eyes opened as I realized that we were in the mansion.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I fell asleep. Thanks for waking me up.¡± Jude helped me bring my things inside the house while his partner parked the car inside of the garage.


    ¡°Shyne!¡± My father¡¯s voice boomed inside of the silent house. I looked up and he was on top of the staircase as I was at the bottom. My father¡¯s eyes were angry, and I swallowed hard at the possible reasons.


    ¡°Youngdy, follow me inside of my office, right now!¡± He screamed in full authority, and pointed at Jude, ¡°you! Call your partner, and meet me in my office. Quickly!¡±


    I saw the guard run fast to find his partner as I sighed and followed my father to his office inside of our house. I hated that ce, because it was always the ce where I was either a good child for being the family¡¯s trophy, or I was a bad child for not making the family proud.


    ¡°Shyne¡­Shyne!¡± I flinched at my father¡¯s voice. I looked at him and apologized, ¡°what is the matter with you, Shyne?¡± irritation was in his voice.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Dad, whatever it is that you were going to say, please just tell me. I don¡¯t mean any disrespect, but-¡±


    ¡°Shut up before I p this book on your face!¡± He held the dictionary with his right hand, and I swallowed hard as I nodded and stood straight.


    ¡°My friend called me and told me that she saw you and a woman fighting in the mall. Exin to me why you did such a disgraceful thing in public, and why I shouldn¡¯t punish you for this.¡±


    I felt my hands tremble at the thought of my father finding out about my secret.


    ¡°Dad, that woman was someone I knew back in highschool. She was a girl from another school who had a crush on a guy who was courting me.¡± My father¡¯s face scrunched up in anger, ¡°the boy didn¡¯t matter, but ever since, she hated me for it. She likes making up stories about me, but no one believes her. I guess she still hates me that much to make up stories about me and scream when she sees me at the mall. But, dad, I didn¡¯t fight with her. I just avoided her, and my guards took care of it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll put that woman in jail.¡± My father said simply and grabbed his phone. I stood up and grabbed it by instinct. My father had a look of shock on his face. It was the first time that I did something like that.


    ¡°I-I-I¡¯m sorry, dad, b-but, I-¡± I was stuttering as I gave him back his phone, and he grabbed it forcefully as he stood up and pped me hard.


    I fell back on my seat and held my cheeks. It stung, and I was sure that it was bright red from the force of his p.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever touch my things without my permission!¡± He bellowed and I nodded as my eyes met his angry gaze.


    ¡°I will put that woman in jail, and I don¡¯t care whatever problem you have with her. She insults you, she insults the n. Now, I don¡¯t want to hear anything from you. Do you understand me?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± I said as Iposed myself and looked at his face while I held my expressionless face.


    ¡°Now, call your guards. From now on, you will have four guards with you, and I don¡¯t want to hear any news that you are escaping them. Do I make myself clear, youngdy?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± I bit my tongue to force myself to just agree. There was no use talking to my father when he was this angry at me. My brother was the only one who could at least talk back to my dad, but it has to be when he proves that dad is wrong.


    I left my father¡¯s office and went straight to my room. I grabbed my phone and saw that Izzy texted me. I smiled when I read the message:


    ¡°Grab your paint and brushes, and meet me at the church. There¡¯s going to be a show where you¡¯ll do live painting for the holy week, and I already agreed on your behalf.¡±


    I decided to devote myself to the church to escape the shadows, my family¡¯s expectations and my crowded mind. I did the live painting, and it was a sess. The senior pastor, Malina, prayed for me and prophesied that all my artworks would glorify God. She prayed for me to be free, and for the first time in my life, I was proud of the artwork I did. I knew it wasn¡¯t me, but it was God who helped me.


    I was sitting on one of the chairs in our garden, and I was painting peonies, my favorite flower.


    ¡°What is this?!¡± I looked up and saw my mom speed walking in my direction.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked as she reached me and stood in front of me. She raised her newspaper, and I saw a photo of me pushing Anita in the mall.


    ¡°Sadistic Heiress at the Mall¡± I read the title of the photo. I looked at a smaller photo, and I saw a blurred photo of a woman lying in bed. I froze as I read the news. It was Anita.


    ¡°Exin this to me youngdy, because when I checked the profile of the woman, she is now in the hospital and in a medically induceda. She tried to kill herself by hanging, but someone found her, and when they cut the rope, the knife behind her back stabbed her spine. She even left a suicide note that contained your name!¡± My mother was furious, and I was in shock.

 MAMA

    ¡°Speak, Shyne! Your father is going to be furious when he hears about this!¡±


    I opened my mouth to try and speak, but the sound of a car rushing inside the house made me freeze again. It was hot outside, but the sound and sight of my father¡¯s car made me believe I was in the middle of a snow storm because of the cold that I was feeling at the moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s your father¡­¡± my mom said in a worried tone. She tried to position herself in a way that she somehow shielded me from my father¡¯s view as the both of us took small steps backwards.


    I looked at the car that stopped in front of us a few meters away, and without missing a beat, my father got out of the car and his eyes were furious as he held my terrified gaze. He matched towards me, and all I could do was close my eyes as I panicked.


    ¡°NO! Wait!¡± My mom pushed me aside as she was the one who was hit on her shoulder by my father¡¯s p. I fell to the ground and looked up as I saw my parents look eye-to-eye.


    ¡°Get out of the way Lyna!¡± The head of the De Leon family¡¯s voice boomed as I quickly stood up on my two feet, and instantly, my dad¡¯s eyes shifted to me.


    ¡°You!¡± my dad said in an infuriated voice, ¡°what kind of hell did you bring upon this family?! Why am I seeing this stupid news?! I thought you said that all of this will not affect the family in any way?! Now I see that his pathetic woman even wrote a suicide note with you name on it?!¡± He screamed, and I swallowed the lump in my throat.


    ¡°D-dad, I can exin this,¡± I said in a somewhat steady tone, ¡°that woman has been trying to harass me since I was in the mall. Whoever posted that news is someone who made up the story in order to get the fifteen minutes of fame from making that up. I swear, dad, none of that is true. I didn¡¯t fight with her because we were fighting about a stupid boy. She tried to harrass me and I fought back, but I would never even thought that she would try tomit suicide and even write a note about me and her cousin. I swear, dad¡­please believe me. Please, dad¡­.¡± He looked at me, and I knew he still wasn¡¯t convinced. He pulled my mother aside, and she was looking at me in a worried way as my dad slowly walked in front of me.


    ¡°You are being a disgrace, Shyne,¡± he said calmly and pped me hard across my face. My mom gasped, and I did my best to stop myself from falling to the ground again like a damsel in distress, ¡°you bring shame to the family because of this!¡± He threw the paper to my face as I was trying to straighten my bent knee and stand up straight. I felt the blood drip from my mouth as my lower lip was cut open by the impact.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± My mother pushed my dad hard, and pped him across the face. I saw my father¡¯s shocked face, and for the first time in my life, I felt d at what my mother did.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle our daughter, and you handle the press,¡± she said firmly as she held my father¡¯s gaze. He was too shocked to react, so my mother grabbed me by my arm and dragged me inside. I looked back, and my dad still had that dumb facial expression that showed he would never expect my mother to do that to him outside of their bedroom.


    I just followed my mother inside, and she brought me straight to my room as each staff member that we passed by looked at me with worried expressions. None of the people we passed by tried to ask what happened. They all knew better than to go against the matriarch of the family. She had an infuriated expression on her face that even I knew I shouldn¡¯t cross. So, I just followed.


    ¡°You should have never even bothered to fight back and just called the security that day at the mall,¡± I hissed as the ointment my mom was applying to my lip stung, ¡°this is what you get for being too reckless with your emotions, Shyne. I knew your father had a tendency to do this to you sooner orter, especially since I noticed for the past few years that you¡¯ve been too rebellious, but I never expected that he¡¯d do it like this.¡± she looked at my lip and checked my entire face if I was alright.


    ¡°Shyne, listen to me,¡± my mom held my hands, and I saw her eyes be glossy, and I gave her a confused expression, ¡°as a mother, I would never want you to be harmed, no matter how furious I am. I may say things to you that are below the belt, but just understand that I also make mistakes. So forgive me if I have been too harsh on you.¡± She took a deep breath, but I just sat on the bed with her with a confused expression.


    ¡°When I saw how mad your father was, I realized that pretending for the family is enough. I may be tormented by the responsibilities of this family, but I have no one else to me. I chose this life, and I will embrace my situation. However,¡± she looked at me with sad eyes that are still a bit glossy from her emotions, ¡°neither you, nor your brother and sister, chose this life. Your father and I chose this for ourselves, and you were just unfortunate enough to be a part of the family.¡±


    I looked at our hands that were holding each other. I took a deep breath and gave a smile to my mom. I felt the heavy presence inside of my room, but somehow, I also felt warmth that I couldn¡¯t exin.


    ¡°Mom¡­¡± I began, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything that I¡¯ve done. For every mistake that I made, and for ming you and our family for the choices that I made,¡± I looked at her with sad eyes, ¡°I¡¯m also one to me, because I chose the paths that I took in the past. No one forced me, and I realize that I¡¯ve been making those mistakes and have been ming you guys for years. I¡¯m so sorry mom.¡±


    My mother hugged me, and the both of us released forgiveness to one another. I felt the warm feeling grow as our mother and daughter bond was healing. I knew that this situation would tint my name as the heir to the family, but I really don¡¯t care. All I cared about now was fixing my rtionship with my mom and siblings. I can try and fix my rtionship with my dadter, because he¡¯s more difficult than my mother. I also n on just focusing my time and energy in the church, and praying to God that someday, the shadows that torment me would go away.


    After today, there may be a good chance that I¡¯d lose my right to be the heir of the family, but I don¡¯t really mind. Anita made a mistake of letting the fight between us spar this kind of issue, but I didn¡¯t hold a grudge against her, especially since she¡¯s in aa. I understand her emotional outburst, but that doesn¡¯t mean I forgive her already. She is still ruining whatever rtionship I was able to build with my dad, and now I¡¯m back to square one.


    My mother just rubbed my back and I felt tears threaten to fall. I thought about my family, and as much as I want to maintain my position as heir because of my right, I knew I would still choose peace over position if I was given a chance to choose. Afterall, this would also be divided to my brother and sister and I knew that the three of us could make it work. The only problem was my dad.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    I looked at the nightstand, and I had goosebumps as I saw another shadow behind me. I closed my eyes and hugged my mother tighter as fear slowly crept inside of me. I was afraid that the moment I opened my eyes again, my mother would be gone, and all of this would be a dream.


    ¡°Shyne,¡± a deep voice called me and I froze as I looked at the man in front of me while I hugged my mom.

 BOOK OF HOPE

    ¡°Are you sure that you want to throw all of this away?¡± Izzy asked as she helped me clear my mini library in my room where I had more than three hundred books.


    I looked at the book, and I felt a tingle of hurt in my heart with every book that we took down and put in the huge box. I looked at the sets of books that cost me thousands of dors, and hundreds of hours just to read all of them.


    ¡°Yeah, Izzy,¡± I said as I grabbed the set of Percy Jackson Books by Rick Riordan, and I could almost feel tears form in my eyes, ¡°these books seem like they¡¯re harmless, but I know in myself what they do to me, and I know how much these books affect me spiritually. I need to let go of these books and set myself free from myself and my addiction.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Fine, but I still think that it¡¯s a waste since you spent more than fifteen years collecting all of these books,¡± she said as she arranged a few more books inside of the box, ¡°You¡¯ve always been someone who loves books and reading, and you also love art. After you talked to mom and made up with her, you suddenly decided to do this.¡± she said with a hint of something in the end of her tone.


    ¡°Izzy, I know that tone, what do you want to know?¡± I asked as I stopped stacking my books and looked at her as the two of us sat on the floor.


    ¡°What happened between you and mom that made you do this so suddenly?¡± She said with sincere worry in her tone, ¡°did you and mother really make up and are now on good terms? Or did she force you to do this as a consequence, and you¡¯re hiding it from me so I won¡¯t worry?¡± There was frustration in her voice, and I just gave her a genuine smile.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t tell or inform me to do anything, Izzy,¡± I said as I grabbed one of the books on the floor, ¡°I decided this after I saw a huge image while hugging mom.¡±


    Izzy¡¯s eyes widened in shock as I felt the hairs on my body stand up from the chilling experience.


    ¡°Shyne, what do you mean you saw a guy? Inside this room? When, and how?¡± She was stuttering a bit, and I knew she was creeped out.


    ¡°Well, it was a shadow,¡± I said honestly, as I recalled a faceless dark shadow standing in front of mama and me as I hugged my mother, ¡°however, it disappeared as soon as I closed my eyes and prayed. Then, while I continued to close my eyes, something in me made me look at the mini library that I have here.¡±


    I said as the two of us looked at all the books.


    ¡°I know every story of every book in here, and I¡¯m familiar with all the contents that each book has. I¡¯ve poured all of my emotions in these books and in this room,¡± I aid as I helped Izzy put the scattered book on the floor into the box in between us, ¡°I asked myself why I kept seeing shadows here, why I kept having creepy experiences here, and as I prayed after mom left my room, I realized something.¡±


    I stood up and grabbed more books as Izzy just looked at me and followed me with her eyes. She had a look of both confusion and interest as I looked sadly at the book in my hand.


    ¡°Books became my refuge and my pretend family, and everything in these books, I took it to heart.  I remember reading a verse in Proverbs 23:7, that whatever I think or feed my mind, that¡¯s who I be,¡± I looked at the fanfiction books, the romance novels, and the other books filed with depressed characters, ¡°I think the negative energy that I¡¯ve been gathering in my room is what makes my room susceptible with the negative energy that Rian already gave me.¡±


    Izzy looked at the books she was holding, and rechecked the books. I also looked at every book cover that I could, and saw that my analysis was right. I surrounded myself with books that didn¡¯t help me face the reality I had, and taught me to run away from reality.


    ¡°Izzy, these books are nice, but I realized that these books are one of the things that Rian has on me. My mind isn¡¯t as stable or as positive as it should be, and I need to change that,¡± Izzy was just quiet as she listened to me as I spoke while giving her the books to pile in the boxes.


    ¡°We¡¯re rich, Izzy, but no money could help me escape Rian or my mind. We tried therapy a few times before Rian, but they never worked. They only made me worse, because I feel like I can¡¯t breathe on my own,¡± I looked at the book in my hand and it was one of my favorite books, The samurai game by Christine Feehan.


    ¡°These books,¡± I whispered as a tear fell from my eyes, ¡°they need to go. I need to face my reality, and these books are preventing me from doing it,¡± Izzy stood up and hugged me.


    ¡°Sis, Shyne,¡± she said after a few seconds, ¡°what do you n on doing with these books, now?¡±


    I unloaded thest box of books, and pastor Malina gave me an encouraging smile as she patted my shoulder. Izzy and the other young people took the boxes and brought them inside the church.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to leave those books here? Your sister told me how important those books are to you,¡± she said as we both looked at the boxes in the altar. I felt a conflict within me like something wanted me to grab the box and bring it back home.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure, pastor. I want you to burn all of them for me. I can¡¯t do it on my own,¡± I said as I forced myself to stay calm and not cry or run after the boxes.


    I saw the shock in her face, and I pulled my gaze away from the box to look her straight in the eyes.


    ¡°Pastor? Can I have a request?¡± I asked, and she looked at me intently, ¡°please pray for me. I¡¯m not much of a prayer, nor am I much of a church person, but at this point, I¡¯ll do anything and everything I can to be free from him.¡±


    The pastor just looked at me, andter, she prayed for me. I felt that warm feeling, and the feeling of panic as they took the box away was gone. Later that night, I sat inside of my room, and I knew that something changed. I felt light.


    I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, but I couldn¡¯t. It felt like I had to do something, so I opened my phone and turned on the lights. I clicked the bible app, and read a few chapters. A few minutester, I received a message from an unknown number.


    ¡°The dead are angered, so beware,¡± I read the message and a chill instantly went up my spine as an earthquake began. Unfortunately, I saw that it was just my bed that¡¯s moving.

 ROPE ABOVE HELL

    I took a deep breath and I braced myself as the bed rocked back and forth a bit more aggressively. I didn¡¯t scream or call anyone, because at this point, all I felt was anger towards whatever force was making this bed move.


    ¡°Stop it¡­¡±, I whispered as I gripped my sheets to try and bnce myself, ¡°I said stop it. I mean it.¡±


    My lips were trembling and every hair on my body was standing. I felt my sweat drip from my forehead, and I took calm breaths. I needed to be strong, so I closed my eyes and jumped out of bed.


    I opened my eyes when I didn¡¯t feel the floor. Instead, I saw myself falling, and everything around me was pitch ck. I tried to strain my eyes and see past the dark surroundings, but I couldn¡¯t do anything.


    All I was doing was falling, and the wind was loud as if I was falling faster and faster like an asteroid about to hit the surface of the earth. Whatever I wasnding on, it would definitely break me. I tried to brace myself for the impact of my fall while trying my best to use my anger as a way of convincing myself that this is all a dream or a hallucination.


    ¡°My love¡­¡± the voice echoed as I still continued to fall, ¡°My dearest Shyne¡­¡±


    This time, the voice was mocking me. The small chuckles and sound of multipleughters from different voices was something I knew would happen, but I still felt fear inside me. I just swallowed the lump in my throat to hide the growing tremble in my voice.


    My body suddenly stilled. It stopped falling, and it was as if I was frozen in the air, or I was in an anti-gravity room, and I didn¡¯t feel the rushing wind anymore. I tried to open my eyes, and as I did, I could see that the darkness was fading, and I was slowly moving downwards again. However, instead of my feet being the first one to break my fall, I was suddenly twisted in mid-air by an invisible force, and my head was now at the bottom. If I hit the ground, my head would be the first thing that would break my fall.


    I hit a surface, and it was toote for me to realize that it was water. I couldn¡¯t breathe, and I struggled as the surroundings became lighter, and I could see that I was indeed underwater. I didn¡¯t see the water firsthand, so I wasn¡¯t able to prepare my breathing, and I was now struggling to swim up as my oxygen was running out.


    I was wing at my throat as I felt lightheaded from theck of oxygen. I knew it was a dream, but the pain and dizziness felt too real, and I nearly passed out. However, I looked up, and I saw a shadow of a person standing on top of the water, and he tried to reach me. I was pulled down with so much force that I screamed myst breath.


    I gasped as the water disappeared, and I was now surrounded by intense heat, and as I looked around me with blurry eyes, I saw that I was in a red cave. I looked up and I saw that the water was above me, but it was dripping or pouring, like there was some force that the water was above me, and I was now sitting on the ground.


    ¡°My love¡­¡± my attention snapped back to my surroundings as the voice echoed.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Why did you do it my love? I didn¡¯t think or believe that you were that stupid¡­¡± the voice chuckled like a demon, and I realized it was Rian¡¯s voice again, but it was mixed with multiple voices. They were talking all at once, and the hair on my body felt raised in nervousness and fear.


    ¡°R-rian¡­ stop this. I¡¯m burning everything that you and I ever had, and I¡¯m changing my life around. I¡¯m letting you go and I¡¯m forgiving myself and-¡± heughed. Heughed hard, and the voices joining himughed in chorus like a thousand monstersughing at me, and I felt like my head would burst.


    I held my head as a headache began, and I covered my ears as ear piercing screams began to arise while the deeper voices justughed andughed like I was the funniest thing in the world. Blood started dripping from my nose, and as I wiped it, I realized my ears were bleeding as well, and now my eyes were bleeding too.


    I felt my hands tremble as I looked at the blood around me, and I looked up as heat increased around me. I realized the rocky floor was nowva, and the little portion I was sitting on was now slowly consumed by theva.


    ¡°My love¡­ I¡¯m in hell because of you, and I¡¯d love nothing more than to share with you the world I now know¡­¡± I screamed as theva burned my leg, and I couldn¡¯t stand up, so my lower body was slowly consumed by the heat.


    I just screamed in agony as the pain was too much. I tried to focus on the truth that this was a dream, but the pain was too much. I screamed until I couldn¡¯t feel my feet anymore as theva is now up to my thighs. I screamed some more while theughter began again and the blood in my body started to flow out again. This time, theughter of little kids joined the monstrousughters, and I cried as I screamed.


    ¡°Make up!¡± My eyes snapped open, and my mom and Izzy stood in front of me with worried expressions.


    I was sweating so much, and I realized that I was on my bed and in my room, and I was hyperventting as well as crying. I met Izzy¡¯s eyes, and she squeezed my hand as my mom tried to help me sit up and rubbed my back. None of us spoke. I just tried my best to catch my breath for about ten minutes as Izzy kept helping me drink water from a ss.


    ¡°Shyne¡­¡± my mom said softly, ¡°I won¡¯t ask what you dreamt of, but just remember that it was all a dream.¡±


    She tried to soothe me with her words, and all I could do was nod. I felt a chill run up my spine as if a cold dead finger was tracing it. I tried my best to ignore it.


    Late in the afternoon, I decided to burn every book and letter that I had found that involved Rian or any of my past. I had Izzy and my mom with me, and we tried to read the bible. I felt like it was my only hope to try and breakfree, no matter how long it takes.


    As I burned every letter and thing Rian gave me, I felt worry and fear from time to time, but I also felt hope. I knew this is what I needed to do. However, a shadow tried to make me get hit by the door on the head as I was bringing the boxes down from my room to the garden for burning.


    ¡°Clumsy?¡± Perry asked, and I just shrugged. I shouldn¡¯t tell her. We need to focus on burning everything here.


    I still had nightmares every night, but it was just the same nightmare I had about being burned withva. I always screamed, so my mom made me sleep in the guest room so it would be farther from my parent¡¯s room, and my dad wouldn¡¯t notice. I had Perry with me, so I had someone who could help me. Her and Izzy took turns, since they couldn¡¯t sleep from my screaming.


    After a week, I started to talk to Emmie, my church mate, about my past as the shadows around me were angered. I started to tell more of the church members about the past I had, and they gave advice to me. However, I didn¡¯t tell the other elders yet out of embarrassment.


    I was being tormented by Rian and the shadows, only this time, Rian was also controlled by the multiple monsters that were now using him. Thest nightmare I had was a bit longer as theva was now up to my breast, and it was worse.


    ¡°Shyne¡­¡± A soft voice spoke in my ears while I screamed and theughter grew louder. I ignored the voice.


    ¡°Shyne¡­¡± it said again, and my eyes snapped open, and there was a bright light in my room. I blinked and it was gone.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Perry called and I looked at her beside me on the bed.


    ¡°Perry, what was that light?¡± I asked.


    ¡°What light?¡± She asked back. I looked around, and for the first time, there was no heavy feeling in the room. It was weird and pleasing at the same time.

 PANDORA’S HOPE

    It has been a few days since the dream I had, and that white and warm light appeared in my dream. I¡¯m just living life one day at a time, and I try my best to stop thinking of negative things. I feel like for the first time in my life, I can try and convince myself that I¡¯m doing great.


    ¡°Hey, Shyne,¡± Perry called me, and I looked up to see her with a broad smile, ¡°I kept sending messages to you but you¡¯re not replying.¡± She said and I quickly took my phone from inside of my bag and checked.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, Perry, I was just so caught up in painting and sketching that I lost track of time, and I didn¡¯t notice that my phone was on silent. I just used myptop, so I guess I forgot to check if someone texted me.¡±


    She just rolled her eyes and smiled at me as she sat on the chair that was opposite of mine. We were now in the garden of our house as I tried to paint the flowers around me. It was one of the few times that I was extremely calm, and I feel like I didn¡¯t have to think of anything else.


    ¡°Randy said that he and the school publication were trying to reach you for a few days now, but you deactivated your ount, so they had no way of contacting you. Especially after you changed your phone number. You got off the radar, and they decided calling me would be easier since all hope seems lost at trying to call you.¡±


    I giggled at my cousin¡¯s exasperated mood. She was stressed because of me most of the time and I can¡¯t say that it amused me whenever they all worried about me. Despite the danger of what Rian was doing to me, I can¡¯t help but look at the fact that it¡¯s helping me build a connection with my family. Especially my mom and my sister., and I¡¯m so happy for it.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    I met with Randy and the school publication, and I realized that there was no one inside of the publication office, so I called him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t recall you being this impatient¡­¡± I turned around and saw Brixton holding a bouquet of what looks like roses and paint brushes and expensive pens and markers.


    My heart skipped a beat, and my cheeks became hot as I felt myself burning up in embarrassment. The guy knows how much I love typical office and art materials more than flowers and jewelries. I never blushed as much as I had like this before, but somehow, seeing that he knew me too much about me to the point that even little habits and little facts about me are instilled in his mind just makes me fall for him all the more. I felt like I was back in high school at the moment and as cheesy as it sounds, I love how it feels.


    ¡°Wh-what¡­ what are you doing here, Brixton?¡± I asked in a small voice, and he gave me an amused smile as he walked towards me without breaking eye contact. One of the things I realized is that he would always look me directly in the eye whether we were just doing little talks, whether I was mad at him, or when we we¡¯re talking about serious things. The guy knows how petty I was when people didn¡¯t look at me when I talk.


    ¡°Shyne,¡± he said and took a deep breath, ¡°I know you said you want to be friends for now, but I just want to exin to you how much I love you. I¡¯ll wait, but I know you¡¯ll never believe me if I say that I¡¯ll wait forever.¡±


    I held his gaze, and we were now only a foot apart as I held the bouquet he gave me. I wanted to just break down and hug him really tight. I can feel my heart and mind scream that should be honest, but I know the risks. I know how important it is to say no and yet it¡¯s too painful to just look at the man¡¯s eyes and know that I couldn¡¯t be as honest as him.


    ¡°Babe, Shyne, I can¡¯t wait forever. I¡¯m not one of those guys who¡¯ll tell you that I can do everything for you, because I know I can¡¯t. I know I have a limitation, but¡­¡± He held my right hand and looked at our intertwined fingers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try, Shyne. I¡¯ll try my best to hold on to you and love you until the day I can¡¯t do it anymore. My love can end, but it can start again. As stupid as those sounds, I know humans can¡¯t keep their love, so I give my love for you to God, so he can help keep it intact for me. My patience to wait for you can end, so I came here to tell you that my prayer for the both of us is to get the love we both want. I love you, whether you¡¯re for me or not. Whether either of us find a different person or not, I¡¯ll always love you, Shyne. You¡¯re my breakthrough in love, because I never thought I could be serious in loving someone like I love you now.¡±


    There were tears in both of our eyes, and for the first time, I closed my eyes, and the two of us shared our first kiss. It was brief, but the tears fell from both our eyes. I rejected Brixton again, and I went home feeling both loved and hopeless. When I arrived home, I saw my dad.


    ¡°Who the hell is RIAN?!¡± my heart nearly stopped at the anger that his voice echoed. My father found out about Rian, but I know that it¡¯s not the entire truth.


    My father threw a folder that he received in the mail from an anonymous source about my ex-lover. I read it as my dad just stared at me like he was about to kill me. My hands were cold. Inside the folders were photos of me and Rian, and a threat came with the folder to expose me in public.

 SHAME

    ¡°You told me to trust you and to not worry about this pathetic bastard! Or is this Rian boy a new one, huh, Shyne?! Are you that big of a slut youngdy, that no one in this family was able to track down while hell you were in as a teenager?!¡± My father shouted.


    I felt myself turn cold, and I could swear that my hair felt like it turned white as nervousness settled in the pit of my stomach, and my entire body froze on the spot. I looked at the paper on my hand and nced at the ones that were on my father¡¯s desk. I deleted these photos, and some of the photos didn¡¯t evene from me. They were selfies of me and Rian, and there were even ones where we just finished having sex and I had the bed covers surrounding me so only my shoulders and arms were exposed aside from my head. I even had bed hair.


    ¡°Shyne,¡± my father leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes as both his hands were on the top of his table and he drummed his fingers on the surface.


    The way he drummed his fingers were more forceful than normal, and I knew he was beyond furious. It was a habit that we both shared, and I felt my throat tighten at my father¡¯s anger. He was giving me an opportunity to exin myself and give a solution before he gives me an ultimatum that he knows very well I would hate.


    ¡°Shyne, give me a solution now, or else,¡± he said while he still kept his eyes closed. I know he was thinking while he was waiting for me to give a suggestion.


    ¡°D-dad, I-I.. Umh,¡± I cleared my throat as I saw my father¡¯s face scrunch up in deeper anger as his frown deepened as well.


    ¡°Dad, he¡¯s the Rian I told you about before. I have no idea how all of these photos were retrieved and printed. I never had them, and the ones I had were already deleted years ago. I have no idea who made this, but all I know is that they knew about me and Rian,¡± I was talking more properly, but my heart was racing like crazy, ¡°I-I think that it was the twins that did this, since they¡¯re the ones who knows ma and Rians, and they both hate me more than anything. They¡¯re also the ones who had a fight with me a few months ago. If we could check them, and also Rian¡¯s cousin, they could be the main suspects, and we could get more security, and-¡±? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°ENOUGH!¡± My father stood up, shouted and banged the table. His things fell on the floor, and I dropped the folder out of surprise.


    I felt like I was going to have a panic attack, but I kept my cool. I needed to keep my cool, because showing weakness would only add to my father¡¯s anger towards me. He looked at me with dread and I knew he didn¡¯t care about what I was saying. He wasn¡¯t satisfied with my exnation or attempt at giving him a solution.


    ¡°You will go to the United States of America in a week. Prepare everything, and I will settle everything in your school, so you can finish while you¡¯re in the U. S.,¡± He grabbed his phone and started to dial something, ¡°I want you to fix everything and let me handle this. I don¡¯t care about your exnation, youngdy. I will solve this. You are not allowed to go back to this country or to anywhere in Asia. Do you hear me?! You are a disgrace!¡±


    My heart sank, and I wanted to cry, but there were no tears, just shock at everything that¡¯s happening. My body felt numb and cold, but I was no longer trembling. I just felt like a failure. I felt lost.


    ¡°Go back to your room. Call your mother and siblings. Tell them of this pathetic situation you¡¯re in, and GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME! You are the most USELESS CHILD I HAVE!¡±


    My heart broke and I saw a shadow behind my father. The shadowughed as he continued to speak to someone on the phone. I couldn¡¯t hear anything, and my body just moved on its own. I walked and walked until I found myself in an open space. I wasn¡¯t in my room.


    ¡°Shyne?¡± Someone called me, but I don¡¯t know who it was, ¡°Shyne!¡± the voice screamed.


    Suddenly, my tears fell and I felt lighter than air. It was as if gravity no longer existed, and the words my father spoke of were gone. I felt cool and wet. I suddenly began to choke on water. I was drowning. I dived deeper in the pool as I started cking out from theck of air.


    ¡°This is your fault. You did this to yourself, and as much as I hate to admit it, you deserve to die,¡± A woman¡¯s voice echoed, but my eyes wouldn¡¯t open.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a failure! One disappointing attempt after another!¡± My head throbbed, ¡°You didn¡¯t even die after trying to drown yourself! You are such a disgrace!¡± A man¡¯s voice bellowed with hatred.


    I could hear the two voices scream again and again with multiple insults, but all I could do was keep my eyes closed and hope that they couldn¡¯t tell that I was awake. Their words stung, and I could feel the tears on the side of my eyes begin to build up and drop from my closed eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re the reason she became this rebellious! You tolerate her uselessness, and now look at what she became!¡± The man shouted.


    ¡°Me?! You¡¯re the one who put all those ideas and pressure on her shoulders! YOU made her want to kill herself, and you have no one else to me but yourself! Let¡¯s just hope that she dies after this, because with your attitude, you¡¯ll just make everything worse!¡± I heard a p and a loud gasp.

 DE LEON’S SKELETONS

    My eyes snapped open, and I saw that I was in a dimly lit room, and my father was now grabbing my mother¡¯s hair and squeezing her cheeks to stop her from speaking. Her mouth and her cheeks were being squeezed by my dad, and the tears I had just fell. I couldn¡¯t move, and I just watched as my dad pped my mother hard and she fell to the ground.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re my wife! You are never allowed to raise your voice and me me! Do you hear me?!¡± He got down and grabbed my mom by the hair and pulled her up as she struggled to stand up, ¡°I own you! You have no right to me me!¡± He threw her with so much force, but my mom was able to cover her head as she collided with the wall and she knocked a vase from the table beside her.


    I couldn¡¯t move. The voice in my throat was gone, and all I could do was cry in silence. I watched in horror as my mother grabbed the broken vase and stabbed my father on his hand. He groaned in pain and gnashed his teeth as he tried to pull out the lodged vase on his hand. My mom took the other shard of the broken vase and stabbed it at my father¡¯s chest as he began coughing blood. I grew cold, and I tried to move, but my body wouldn¡¯t move.


    ¡°N-no¡­¡± I whispered, and my mom looked at me with fear and regret in her eyes as she looked at my father who fell on the ground with opened eyes staring at me. I looked at my mother and she was now beside my bed. Her eyes were crazy.


    ¡°M-mom¡­¡± I tried to speak and move, but my voice was barely a whisper, and mom began to cry as she hugged herself with her blood hands.


    ¡°Shyne, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s your fault,¡± she said with her trembling voice, ¡°y-you¡¯re the reason we fought. Y-y-you¡¯re the reason he hurts me, and you¡¯re the reason I -I-I killed him. It¡¯s you!¡± She said and pointed at me with trembling hands.


    I sobbed as my mom grabbed me by my shoulder and stared at me with her crazy eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you too¡­¡± he whispered, ¡°y-you¡¯ve already destroyed this f-family because of wh-what you did, right?¡± she lost it, she was crazy, ¡°th-there¡¯s no point in living, Shyne. You¡¯ve already lost the right to fix anything. W-we can n-never fix this. I-I¡¯ll kill you first, and I kill myself. Y-your brother and sister can handle the family. I-I¡¯m sure they can do it, but I-I need to kill you to put everything to ce again. Your mistake must not destroy your b-brother and sister¡¯s lives like wh-what you did to m-my life,¡± sheughed and cried at the same time.


    ¡°M-mom¡­ please,¡± I begged with my rough voice, ¡°p-please, mom, don¡¯t do this.¡± I tried to move as I was beginning to feel movement on my feet.


    She tried to choke me, and I wanted to thrash, but my body was still frozen.


    ¡°I¡¯ll-I-I¡¯ll solve this, Shyne. This family b-broke us b-both,¡± I was cking out again.


    A shot rang, and mom¡¯s forehead had a hole on it with her eyes open as she fell on my neck with her eyes looking directly at mine. Her grip loosened, and coughed as I screeched in horror. I looked to my right and saw my dad sitting on the floor with his back on the wall, and a gun in his right hand. He was looking at us as he sat there on the floor. Dead.


    I screamed as I tried to thrash with my numbing body, and my small movements made my mom¡¯s body slide down and fall to the ground.


    ¡°Shyne,¡± a voice echoed, and as I looked at the door, I saw Rian standing on the opened door. He was smirking, ¡°Missed me, my love?¡±


    Mom and dad stood up like zombies, and they both levitated and burned in midair. I was in shock, andughter echoed around me.


    ¡°Wake up!¡± My eyes opened, as my cheek stung. I looked beside me, and I saw Perry wet and crying, while my brother was looking down on me with a terrified look on his face.


    ¡°Oh thank God!¡± Perry eximed, and she gave me a hug after I vomited water all over myself.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    It was all a dream.


    ¡°Stupid!¡± My father¡¯s voice echoed as I sat up, and we all looked at the old man with heavy footsteps and an angry look on his face. He was marching towards me. He saw me try to drown myself.


    My tears fell as I rocked myself back and forth while my mother and father were fighting again outside of my room. I locked myself inside my room, and knocked down one of the shelves to make sure they would not be able to open the door.


    I closed my eyes as I recalled how much anger was in my dad¡¯s eyes. Before he reached me, my mom was able to tackle him to the ground, and in a split second after my mom¡¯s eyes and my eyes met, I dashed back to the house and ran quickly in my room.


    I opened my eyes when a familiar sticky scent engulfed my nostrils. I remembered that scent, and I didn¡¯t like what happened everytime that scent was around. It was Rian¡¯s scene mixed with his own scent after we had sex in the past. It was sticky and sweet, and it was as if our bodies were mixed with his body spray. I suppressed my sudden urge to vomit at the thought of his presence appearing again.


    I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. I took deep breaths as the room became colder and colder, and I could see my breath. I looked up and the air conditioner was turned off. The weather outside of my window was sunny, so that means only my room was freezing cold.


    ¡°Shyne¡­¡± a voice whispered. I closed my eyes and ignored the voice. I just continued my breathing exercise while I tried to calm myself down.


    ¡°Shyne¡­¡± There was a creepy set ofughter, and I kept my eyes closed. The cold atmosphere increased, and I was now hugging myself while I trembled from the cold and from the suppressed fear inside of me.


    I couldn¡¯t let Rian win. I tried to recall what the pastors inside of the church said, and what I should do. I kept my eyes closed when I felt like there was a presence in front of my face. I knew that the moment I opened it, I would see something or someone in front of me, and I didn¡¯t want to get scared by it. The moment I got scared, I knew that I would get too freaked out by it, and I would lose concentration.


    The nightmares were increasing, and I was beginning to get used to it, but the fear, the pain and the emotional trauma was not something that I was used to. I knew that the more I experienced it, the trauma would break me, and I might just take my life and join Rian.


    ¡°Open your eyes, my love¡­¡± the voice whispered, and I felt the cold breath of the voice in front of me.


    I shivered when I realized the cold breath smelled like death. It smelled like something died, and was not in front of my nose, and there was something cold near my lips. I curled my lips inside, so it wouldn¡¯t be able to touch it. The vomit I was holding felt like it was going toe out from my mouth.

 RIDDLE ME THIS

    ¡°My love¡­¡± my hair moved to the side, and I knew that the entity in my room was caressing my hair while it was in front of me. Cold and dead fingers touched and yed with my hair, and I was losing focus because of the cold and the presence, but I remembered something.


    The white light that always visited me and helped me. I remembered the warmth that I felt whenever I prayed, and so I took a deep breath again and prayed.


    ¡°Praying?¡± The voiceughed, and it was demonic. It was like a multitude of voices, and I trembled a bit, but I continued to pray from under my breath while theughter increased.


    ¡°Praying with fear in your heart only makes me happier, my love,¡± the voice teased. I stopped praying and heughed louder.


    ¡°Lord,¡± I said, ¡°James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.¡± I repeated the verse again and again like a chant while the entity inside of the roomughed louder and louder.


    ¡°Stupid!¡± The voice screamed, and I knew it was now in front of me as I felt like something was holding on my neck, but there was nothing touching me. It was like I was choking, but nothing was there.


    ¡°Lord,¡± I said in a gruff tone. I was barely whispering, ¡°L-Lord, you said in, J-John 10:10, The thiefes only to steal and kill and destroy, b-but Lord, youe that we may h-have life, and have it to the f-full.¡± I chanted again and again.


    I was going back and forth with the two verses, and I was pped hard. I fell to the ground, and my eyes snapped open. I looked up to two anger filled eyes. My dad.


    I blinked, and my dad was no longer there. However, I looked at the door as it broke down and fell to the ground while the furniture I used to block it was harshly pushed to the side. I realized that there were at least five people outside of my room, and the first one inside was my mother.


    ¡°Shyne!¡± She ran to me and gave me a bone crushing hug and inspected me. She was saying something, but I couldn¡¯t hear or understand her. I felt like I was numb, and I was just sitting up and looking at her while she touched my face, looked at my arms, and I realized that she had tears falling from her eyes and rolling down her cheek.


    I looked to the side and I saw Perry and Izzy sitting beside me on either side a foot away. It was as if they were stopping themselves from crowding me since my mom was still talking. She was saying things that I didn¡¯t understand. I was so sleepy, and I felt like my body was getting weaker and weaker. ck. everything turned ck, and I could hear worried screams of voices, but they faded as I slowly lost consciousness.


    I felt my body being lifted up and moved, but I couldn¡¯t think of anything to say or do aside from weing the sleepiness that was now in front of me.


    In the darkness of the sleepy void I was in, I knew that my depression didn¡¯t help with controlling my emotions. I somehow knew that this was another dream, and the open space that was surrounding my floating body felt so good that I didn¡¯t want to wake up anymore.


    My eyes snapped open, and this time, I was standing on a barren ind. I had another dream. This time, Rian wasn¡¯t there, but there were women. Sluts who wereughing and cheering around me. I didn¡¯t like them, and I saw that around the horizon, there were two inds. The other was bright, and it felt like I knew what it was, and I had to go there. The other ind was gloomy and dark, and there was thunder and lightning surrounding it.


    I looked at the water, and the ocean was crystal clear. I could even see the corals in the ocean. I looked back at the sluts, and I decided to take a deep breath and ran towards the ocean. I was shocked when I realized I was running above the water, and I wasn¡¯t getting wet. I was walking on water. I kept running, and I could see all the fishes and aquatic life below me. It felt amazing!


    I looked up and I saw that the big snake was now in front of me. The snake was almost twenty feet tall, and it was a king cobra with three red eyes. I could hear its voice, and it was the same voice as the voice that wasughing at my prayer in my room. I was frozen in fear again. I couldn¡¯t even close my eyes because I was petrified with fear.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Shyne,¡± a warm voice spoke behind me. I felt warm from the voice, and I saw that it was the bright man. I still couldn¡¯t look at his face, because it was too bright, but I looked at his hands that had held on them. It was weird. I felt like I should know him, but my mind was just focusing on the warmth the man brought.


    He grabbed the snake¡¯s tail that I never noticed was around my leg, and he threw the snake back at the ck ind, and I realized the sluts were now behind me, and they hissed as they melted in front of the bright man.


    ¡°Shyne,¡± the man in front of me spoke, and I just looked down out of fear that he would also melt me with his gaze.


    ¡°Come, Shyne. Be baptized,¡± he said, and I looked up at him, and for the first time, I saw his smile, but not his entire face. I only caught a glimpse of his smile. He baptized me, and I woke up.


    I saw that I was in the hospital, and by the looks of it, my sister was the one guarding me, since she was the one asleep on the sofa beside my bed.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Izzy said when she felt me looking at her, ¡°Are you alright? Do you need anything?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, sis, I¡¯m fine. Can you give me my phone?¡±


    I sent the dream to my pastor to interpret it, and she said the Lord is telling me that I have the choice whether to be free or not. But, I need to remove everything that ties me to Rian and my past. I needed to start again.


    I only stayed for a day at the hospital, and I found out that after my mom was pped by my dad, she fought with him, and he was now on a business trip in Rome. He knew what happened to me, but didn¡¯t mention it. My father finished the needed arrangement for my transfer to the states, however, I was able to convince him to let me studyw nearby while guards surrounded me.


    I hated the setup, but it was better than going abroad. A month passed, and I just learned how to pray more, read more words, and get lesser nightmares. However, due tow school being too hectic, I couldn¡¯t sleep enough. The nightmares were lesser, but the depression and insanity I had was increasing because of the shadows around me that¡¯s bothering me from time to time.


    After a few weeks inw school, Brixton and I met at my new school and we talked about my state as the shameful heir, and my slipping sanity. The news quickly spread to ourmon friends, and my name was getting more popr by the moment.


    ¡°Babe,¡± he said, ¡°you need to rx from time to time. You look like death. You¡¯re still beautiful, but your aura is hell.¡±


    He tried tofort me and give advice, and I weed them. However, when he talked about his feelings again, I still rejected him for my fear of the curse and my father¡¯s anger. He went home with tears in his eyes, and so did I.


    I went home after a month of studyingw, and went to the church to talk to the pastor of my desired deliverance. I decided to be baptized by water to finally escape the torment. Maybe, just maybe, I can breathe.


    I looked down at my phone, and it was my friend Randy.


    ¡°Shyne, I think Brixton just found a new babe.¡± My heart sank.

 AMIDST HIS FLAME

    ¡°So, you¡¯re going back tow school, and you won¡¯t even be going to tell mom or dad?¡± Alister asked as the three of us ate dinner.


    It was the first time in a while that me and my two siblings ate together without any one of us rushing to a meeting or school, or even bickering. We were just calmly eating and making small talk.


    I looked up at him, and I realized that he was indeed a grown up now. I nodded, and he just raised his eyebrows at me before shrugging and eating some more.


    ¡°You guys are boring,¡± Izzy said as she took another bite of her fried chicken, ¡°I was usually the boring one, but by the look on both your faces, I¡¯d say I¡¯m the most interesting one among the three of us.¡± She said in a bored way.


    I smiled at her silliness. She was right. Me and Alister used to be the fun and active ones even when our parents were present. Izzy was always the one on the sidelines. However, I guess the family pressure and family business took over and we all just became sort of gray.


    ¡°Sis,¡± Izzy called, and I looked up to see both of them looking at me curiously.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked me, ¡°you just stopped eating and stared at your te for a good ten seconds. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Her voice sounded nervous, and as I met Alister¡¯s eyes, I realized he also dropped his spoon and fork and focused on me. The tension was thick, and I just chuckled lightly.


    ¡°You two look too nervous,¡± I said and continued to giggle a bit before continuing to devour my food quickly.


    ¡°Well,¡± Alister spoke while Izzy took small bites from her food, ¡°you¡¯re acting weird these past few months, and Izzy and I are worried. I mean, you just told us you¡¯re leaving without telling mom and dad, and you¡¯re always zoning out on us. You make us worry.¡± He said and just looked straight at me.


    I took a deep breath, and I looked at both of them.


    ¡°Okay, here¡¯s the thing, guys,¡± I began, ¡°I¡¯m going to be frank and say that I¡¯m not one hundred percent okay, but I¡¯ll be fine.¡± They both looked unconvinced.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± we all stopped eating, ¡°I just need to work more on myself and make sure that I can bncew school and my personal life. The pressure inside of hat hell school is too much sometimes, but I¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Alister said, and Izzy nodded, ¡°but I¡¯ll try to trust you.¡±


    There was a silent and unspoken agreement in the air that told me my brother was being honest with me. I wanted to break down in front of them and tell them how much I wanted to give up on life, but I decided not to. I was still the oldest, and I didn¡¯t have the liberty to be weak. I was being too weak this year, and it¡¯s not supposed to be like that.


    Dinner ended with the three of us silently going back to our rooms. I knew the two of them were worried about me, but I didn¡¯t have time to feel pity for myself or fr anyone else. I needed to go back tow school, because being on vacation, facing stress, and being heart broken by Brixton was a bit too much for me right now. I needed to break down, and I knew going back to school was the best option. When I¡¯m in my boarding house, I could break down as much as I want, and no one has to worry about me.


    ¡°Weakness is not what our family allows. Get rid of it, and be strong, because life won¡¯t make it easier for the weak.¡± I remembered what my grandfather used to say as I drifted off to sleep.


    ¡°I¡¯ll love you until I can¡¯t love you anymore,¡± bricton said, and I sat up with tears in my eyes. It was a dream.


    I looked up and saw that it was already morning, past nine in the morning. This means, my parents are now gone, and I could leave.


    My phone rang as the car was going out of the house, and I looked down and saw that it was Brixton. He texted me.


    ¡°Talk to me, please,¡± he said in his text. A tear fell from my eye, and I quickly wiped it away. I decided to ignore the text. I was shaking as the car sped through the road. It was going to take us a few hours of travel before we arrived at my school, so I decided to ignore the beeping on my phone and Brixton¡¯s messages. I didn¡¯t want to break my heart more than it was at the moment.


    ¡°Shyne! My Goodness!¡± I looked up and saw that it was Kimmy, one of my new friends inw school. I gave her a confused look as she joined me at the cafeteria. She didn¡¯t say a word, but she showed me her phone.


    I looked at the photo, and it was the results of our grades. I paled when I saw that I lost my position at the top. I had a low grade, and  if I didn¡¯t do well this semester, I would fail. I took her phone and scrolled down. I saw that I also had low grades in three more subjects.


    ¡°Shyne, what happened?¡± Kimmy sounded so worried. I looked behind her and saw three more people approaching us. They were our other friends.


    I grabbed my bag, and took out my phone. I wanted to check my grades and everything else for myself. As I opened my phone, I saw that there were a bunch of messages from Brixton. I ignored them and looked at my grades online.


    I saw the results and grabbed my bags. I ran up to the elevator to the seventh floor, and I ran to the edge of the balcony. I cried hard. I screamed in frustration, and I knew no one could hear me, since it was still technically a holiday, and I was in the highschool building. No one was there, so I just cried my heart out as I looked down. My tears fell down as the wind started to pick up. Without thinking, I grabbed the railing and hoisted myself up to jump from the seventh floor. I closed my eyes as I felt weightlessness. My heart was now beating faster.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.

 HONESTLY

    ¡°Shyne!¡± I fell to the ground, and a heavy body was on top of me. I groaned in pain when my head hit the floor a bit hard.


    ¡°Oh my God!¡± There were different voices around me, but my eyes were still closed. I knew the voices, but the hit on my head was a bit hard, and I still had tears in my eyes, so I just felt like closing them.


    The voices were still talking, and I felt someone pull me into a sitting position, and the heavy person on top of me pulled me into a tight hug. I felt the big arms wrap around my shoulder, and my face was pressed on his chest. I hugged him back and I let my tears fall. I cried silently as my tears soaked his shirt.


    ¡°Shyne, shh¡­¡± the guy said, and he gave me one more squeeze before letting me go and holding my face as he wiped my tears.


    I looked at the guy, and it was James, one of my four best friends in Law School. I looked to my side and I realized that Kimmy, Joyce and Loki were looking at me with worried faces.


    ¡°Hey,¡± James said, and he slowly helped me stand up, ¡°you okay?¡±


    I nodded, but I winced and held the back of my head when an annoying pain suddenly cursed through my head, down to my neck. I almost forgot that I hit my head a bit hard as we fell down. Everyone was silent as I took deep breaths and rubbed the back of my head a few more times.


    I looked at the four of them, and I could feel tears fall from my eyes as I recalled how frustrated I am at the moment. My grades were all down, I have a stupid curse that I still haven¡¯t figured out how to break yet, and I¡¯m also heartbroken about what Brixton did to me. I feel like I was going mad, and I shouldn¡¯t be, because the only thing keeping the curse at bay was my ability to focus my mind on the positive things in life, and not the negative aura around me.


    ¡°Hey, Shyne,e here,¡± Joyce, the smallest one said as she took my hand and guided me to the base of the stairs a few meters away from us.


    ¡°Shyne,¡± I looked at Joyce and the others as I sat down. I took a deep breath and tried to wipe my tears with my handkerchief as I took a few more breaths topose myself.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry guys,¡± I said in a gruff voice, my throat felt like it was burning as I fought hard to prevent myself from crying, ¡°I got you all worried, and I am so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, Shyne,¡± Kimmy said as she sat beside me with a deep and heavy sigh, ¡°stop saying sorry, and stop keeping things for yourself. We¡¯re your friends.¡± she said as she looked up at Joyce, James, and Loki. The three of them also gave me a nod of confirmation. I smiled sadly at them.


    ¡°Thanks guys,¡± I said and wiped my face, ¡°I¡¯ll tell the four of you the truth, but, promise me something,¡± I looked at each of their eyes.


    ¡°Promise me that you guys will listen to everything first, and if you don¡¯t believe me, just pretend like I made up everything and you¡¯ll still be my friends. But, if you believe me, you won¡¯t get yourselves involved. Deal?¡±


    I began to tell them the truth about my depression, as well as the reasons why I decided to go tow school. The story of Rina, how we met, what I did, and about the curse that he gave. However, I didn¡¯t mention the unexinable dreams too much, because I knew they wouldn¡¯t understand me. Instead, I told them that my nightmares were taking a toll on me, and it was probably theck of sleep and paranoia that made me see things.


    I knew that by the look on their faces, they thought I was either going mad, or they tried to think of a logical exnation as to what I was talking about.


    ¡°Hold up,¡± Joyce said as she rubbed her temple. We were all sitting on the floor by this time except for Kimmy who was on the bottom of the stairs, ¡°you mean to tell me, you¡¯re technically being haunted by your ex who was part of a cult?!¡± she said exaggeratedly. I knew she was also losing it by the way she stressed the word ¡°cult¡±.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Well, yes,¡± I replied. None of them spoke, so I released a deep breath before standing up and facing the four of them.


    ¡°Alright guys, here¡¯s my request,¡± I rubbed my palms together as I felt my hand grew cold, ¡°Whatever I told you guys, it¡¯s up to you all, whether you believe me or not. I just want you guys to forgive me for scaring you, and for being a bit distant. I just didn¡¯t want any of you to be caught up in this mess that I¡¯m in.¡±


    I felt my tears fall again, and I wiped it hard with the back of my hand. The four of them just silently watched me as I tried to calm myself down.


    ¡°I ran away from the mistakes I made, and I hate that it¡¯s still chasing me after all these years,¡± I whispered with a rough tone, ¡°I¡¯m sorry if you guys had to know about this.¡±


    ¡°Hey, we¡¯re friends, Shyne,¡± Loki said as he stood up and rubbed my back. He gave me a warm smile, and so did the others.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Kimmy stood up and picked up my bag and gave it to me, ¡°you guys know I¡¯m not good with drama, so why don¡¯t we just go for a road trip or something, and let¡¯s try to cheer you up, huh, Shyne? You said it yourself, you need to be positive to at least have a chance at keeping this curse at bay. Though I don¡¯t believe it, but, if it helps you, then I¡¯m all for a trip.¡±


    I smiled, and for the first time in months, I actually felt happy. Maybe there is hope.

 LOVE AND LIFE

    My phone has been ringing nonstop the entire morning, and with a very annoyed sigh, I decided to wake up from my sleep. I looked at my phone as another missed call was registered on my phone, and I saw that it was Brixton who was calling me. An unexinable emotion began to w at the back of my head, and I could feel tears swell up from my eyes. I checked my phone some more, and I saw that it was the fifth time that he called. I guess I was so tired from what happened yesterday that I failed to wake up from the first four rings.


    As the phone rang again for the sixth time, I took a deep and shaky breath to calm my nerves, and decided to take on the challenge and answered his call.


    ¡°Hello?¡± I asked in a more stable voice. I silently smiled a bit at the shaky breath that Brixton took. He probably didn¡¯t think that I would actually decide to entertain his calls.


    ¡°S-Shyne, uhh, hey, how are you?¡± He asked in an unsure tone, ¡°I have a meeting a few blocks from your school. M-maybe you have time, and, well, I was just thinking that, maybe, uhh-¡±


    ¡°Spit it out, Brixton, I¡¯m still tired, and the morning today isn¡¯t really my cup of tea,¡± I said in a bored tone. He makes me annoyed for some reason, so it¡¯s probably that time of the month again for me.


    I ended up agreeing to have lunch with the man, and we eventually agreed to meet each other at the mall. I looked up at the sky as I leaned on the window of the taxi that I was riding in. I didn¡¯t feel like driving, nor did I feel like being driven back and forth to the mall by the bodyguards that dad gave.


    ¡°How are you, Shyne?¡± I was now face to face with the man that made my heart flutter, and my heart beat fast.


    I looked at him as we both made small talk. After the order was made, there was a heavy silence between us. I stared at his eyes, and he was staring at mine. I felt so heavy, and I felt sad as I realized that his eyes looked as sad as mine. We stared at each other for a good ten seconds before I decided to clear my throat first and break eye contact.


    ¡°Umh, Brixton, uhh,¡± I stuttered and I didn¡¯t know where to begin.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Shyne,¡± he said as he leaned on the table and held my hand while maintaining eye contact with me, ¡°I heard from someone that you know about Eliza, the girl I was courting.¡±


    I nodded as I tried to stop my emotions from going all over the ce.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I suddenly decided to court her, I was-¡±Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t exin, Brixton,¡± I interrupted him as I intertwined our hands together and I gave her a sweet smile that showed all the pain and love I had.


    ¡°Brixton, we¡¯re friends. We¡¯ll always be friends, whether we end up together or not. I have feelings for you, and I understand why you went to her. The situation I¡¯m in is not easy, and though it was painful when I found out about her, I was still d nheless. If she can make you happy, then I don¡¯t n on being anything but happy for you.¡±


    ¡°B-but-¡± he was stuttering as he tightened his hold on my hand.


    ¡°Brixton. I¡¯m still your friend right?¡± He nodded, ¡°Good. Then we can have this lunch now as friends. I missed you, and I¡¯d rather live life happy than sad. If this curse I have would never be erased, then I might as well live positively, so I can at least bear it more. It would be better for me if you have a happy lunch with me and tell me how are you and your work.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to escape reality again, Shyne.¡± he said.


    ¡°No,¡± I shook my head and pulled my hand away as I folded them over myp, ¡°I¡¯m epting what is, and I am deciding to move forward.¡±


    Brixton ended up epting that I won¡¯t change my mind, and I refused to talk about the rtionship between us. I felt somewhat happy about spending time with him. In the end, we agreed that we would just have to meet from time to time to catch up. We both had feelings for each other, but I insisted he does what he wants, while I do what I need to do for myself. Nothing was really solved between us, but being friends is the safest solution that we could have, especially since I was in such a predicament.


    I went straight outside and didn¡¯t let hime with me as I left the restaurant and rode the taxi. I asked the driver to take the long way to my ce as I noticed my dad¡¯s guards following close behind. I didn¡¯t want them to see the small tears that fell from my eyes from time to time as the car traveled from the mall, and back to my ce.


    A week Later¡­


    ¡°Dad? What do you mean? I still have sses, and-¡±


    ¡°Now!¡± My father screamed in fury. Iplied, and he ended the call. I just sighed as I looked at the paperwork that I needed to do on my desk.


    I called my sister and informed her that I was told to go home today by our dad.


    ¡°This is going to be a very long and tiring day,¡± I said to my sister who just snickered on the other line before she ended the call.


    As I arrived home, it turns out that my father found out that the twins and Amy were behind the folder that was sent to him before, and they used one of the intelligence units of the family to achieve them. Amy was living a quiet life for months now, but now that my dad confirmed what she and the twins did, the head of the n, my father, destroyed Amy¡¯s father¡¯s business.


    Meanwhile, my cousins, the diva twins, were taken to their rightful ces in the n, and were branded as traitors. My dad just made sure everyone who knew about it were paid to shut their mouths. Dad made sure to inform everyone that the information about me was all lies, and that none was true. I hated it, but I just shut my mouth. This is what power and money can do.


    ¡°Sis, where are you going?¡± Izzy asked as I started fixing my things and grabbing my bag from my closet at our house.


    ¡°Well,¡± I looked at her, ¡°I¡¯m going to the church. I think it¡¯s time I face everyone again. I decided to live life better, and now, I intend to actually do it. But, I need as much help as I can. So,e with me.¡± She just smiled and went there with me.


    I went back to the church and decided to ask for instructions and prayers from the senior pastor of the church. There were multiple hindrances like the shadows and the cold presence around me and my sister, but I decided to force myself to stay positive and I was able to go.


    ¡°What are we doing again?¡± I asked the pastors. I was surrounded by them, and we just prayed, ¡°is this a ritual or something?¡± I asked, and theyughed.


    ¡°No, silly,¡± Izzy said as she stood beside me, ¡°We¡¯ll just meditate here and pray. Just like what we do during yoga. Just so you could pray sincerely to God and speak to your inner self.¡±


    ¡°Izzy is right,¡± Pastor Malina said, ¡°just join us, pray, and just rx. You need to forgive yourself and let go of your past, Shyne.¡±


    During the prayer, I just rxed and did what I did during yoga. I breathed evenly, and I just prayed with all my heart to God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Time passed by, and I felt myself drifting off to sleep. I had a vision of Rian and the shadows once again. I fought with them as they surrounded me. I couldn¡¯t scream, so I just continued to pray as I tugged my arms and legs back from the shadows.


    I was about to be taken by the shadows, but a bright light was beside me. It then began to cover me in afortable warmth and light. The shadows screamed, and Rian¡¯s face transformed before I closed my eyes again, and ran towards the light and hugged it.


    ¡°Shyne¡­¡± a voice spoke softly.

 THE KISS OF REGRET

    I opened my eyes and saw that I was at a crossroad again. However, the two dirt roads were very different. Both were roads that served as dirt bridges that led to two simr looking castles. Below was a drop to a dark abyss.


    ¡°Calm down, Shyne,¡± I told myself as I took deep breaths multiple times. I tried to swallow the fear that I felt, and I tried to remind myself that this was all a dream or a vision, or something. Whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t real.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    The chill I felt was more intense than the ones I¡¯ve felt before. The scenery I was seeing even felt more real than the previous ones I¡¯ve seen in my nightmares. The left side of the road was wide and inviting, and the right was narrow and looked like it was impossible to cross.


    ¡°Ms. Shyne,¡± I looked up, looked around, and no one was there. I looked behind me, and no one was there either. I looked back at the two roads, and I screamed.


    Two men stood on either entrance. They weren¡¯t there before, but I guess I shouldn¡¯t be too shocked. I tried to take about three steps back when I realized that the two men didn¡¯t have a consistent form. They changed the longer I look, and it looks as though they were neither humans nor animals. Their bodies sometimes were humanoid, and at times they were deformed. They were like holograms that changed every time I looked at them.


    I realized that the two guards were far from what I¡¯ve dreamt of in the past. Unlike the shadows, these two guards had a golden sheen covering them like a small forcefield. They both had huge white wings, and the robes they wore covered their lower regions. I just hoped they had feet and not tails or hooves like in movies.


    ¡°Choose a path,¡± said the one on the right road, and the left road nodded in my direction.


    I debated with myself about what I remembered in the bible, and suddenly, a memory shed in mind.


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± I whispered as I looked at both guards, ¡°The bible said in Matthew 7:13-14 that, I should enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.¡±


    I was silent, and the two guards nodded as they both began to open their wings as I took slow steps towards the right road. It was narrow, and unlike the road that looked like a twoned highway, the right road was only about a meter wide. One wrong step and I would fall into the pit of darkness. I swallowed hard as I slowly approached the right path.


    As I went in front of the narrow road, and a hand grabbed my ankle. I screamed when he began to pull me to the leftne. I fell to the ground, and I tried to w at the ground to stop him from pulling me. He must have swooped down quickly to grab me when he realized I had decided to choose the rightne.


    The guardian from the right was able to hold my hand and help me up. The guardian of the rightne I chose began to fight off the left guard as I scrambled to my feet and did my best to dash towards the right path.


    I looked up as I realized the road became smaller and smaller, so I had to be careful and not make a wrong move. If I fall, I have no guarantee that I¡¯d still wake up. I looked up as I realized that the road seemed as though it would never end. However, I realized a shinny silhouette of a castle was a good distance away from me. I smiled.


    I ran to reach the castle using the narrow way. I nearly slipped multiple times, but as I drew closer to the castle, the way got even narrower.


    ¡°Do not stop,¡± I nearly stopped when the voice of the guardian echoed behind me, ¡°I will help you, Shyne De Leon. But you must not stop moving, for this road is but a path. The challenges are those that you will face when you stop. For once you stop moving, I cannot help.¡±


    I have no idea what he meant, but I nodded and took careful steps.


    ¡°Shyne, when the enemy tries to distract you, do not lose yourself, do not lose your footing, and stay focused. Remember, they cannot harm you if you do not let them. They can never chase you, only frighten you to stop and go back.¡±


    I nodded again. This time, I understood him. I looked up when I heard a roar in front of me. It was a huge shadow monster. My body trembled in fear, but I still took easy steps forward. He was blocking the way, but I prayed with all my heart that my guardian could take him down.


    A light came from behind me, and as much as I wanted to look, I couldn¡¯t afford to look back. I just walked straight ahead as I saw the demon and its growing little army behind him, melt to nothingness. The guardian was right, it tried to block me, but it never got me. I felt more confident.


    Multiple demons and shadows appeared, but the same thing happened. They all disappeared. As I looked ahead of me, I realized that the road ended, and it was a good three meters across the pit before I could read the gate of the castle.


    ¡°I cannot help you,¡± The guardian said, ¡°this leap of faith depends on you.¡±


    I took a deep breath, backed up a few inches, and I jumped at thest minute. I entered the castle rolling as I grunted in pain at the impact. The moment I reached the door, the man that was pure light helped me up.


    I wanted to look at the man, however, I could barely open my eyes, so my eyes were kept closed, because the man was too bright. He held my hand and led me in an unknown direction. When I felt like the light was a bit dimmer and bearable for me, I opened my eyes and looked at the man.


    My eyes went wide and a chill ran up my spine as I saw that Rian was the man who was escorting me to a white room. I wanted to pull away, but my body was on autopilot, and all I could do was look at the side features of the pokerface man beside me.


    ¡°Come, Shyne, we need to talk,¡± Rian said as we entered the white room.


    As we reached the room, there was a small table and chairs, and the room looked like a garden inside of a mansion. It was breathtaking. I couldn¡¯t help but look at every corner of the room until my eyesnded on a seated Rian in front of the table. I took the seat opposite to him.


    ¡°Rian, I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I felt tears form in my eyes, and I saw that he too was teary eyed, ¡°I was a brat, I was confused, and I gave up on you. I caused you so much pain, and it even caused you your life. I am so sorry.¡±


    I knew I could never turn back time, but I wanted him to know how I felt.


    ¡°Shyne, I¡¯m sorry as well for everything. When I took my life, I never thought that the curse wouldn¡¯t just eat you with regret, but it also imprisoned me in my own regrets in life. My hatred and lust took my soul captive and I tried to take your soul as well.¡±


    ¡°Rian, please, break this curse,¡± I pleaded, and he gave me a regretful smile.


    ¡°I am as much of a victim of this curse as you are, Shyne. Even though I have no idea what to do,¡± my heart sank.


    ¡°B-But, th-this is, I mean,¡± I was panicking, and the room started to go dark. I realized this and tried to stay positive.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said, I decided to be positive, because I knew in my heart that there is still hope, ¡°This curse can end, I believe it can end. We just need a way to destroy it or undo it,¡± I said in a slightly hopeful voice. He just gave me a sad smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Shyne,¡± he said as he held my hand on top of the table, ¡°if only we had the same hope when I was still alive,¡± his words stung.


    Rian and I talked about our past and how I regretted whatever happened to the both of us. We both regretted our decisions and actions. In the end, Rian asked for a kiss and I nodded. It was the first time that I willingly let Riane near me for the first time without force.


    I stood in front of Rian, and we held my cheek before softly pulling me in, and Rian kissed my forehead instead of my lips. I smiled up at him as I kissed his cheek. The two of us hugged, and a few secondster, I felt Rian move away and break the embrace.


    ¡°Forgive me, my love, for everything,¡± he was crying and so was I. He cried for a love that could never be, and I cried for the wasted love that he gave me. I knew I loved him as a human, but never as a lover. I cried at my mistakes that wasted both our time and feelings.


    Rian drew near again and hugged me tight. He pulled back and kissed my nose, my cheeks, and I closed my eyes as Rian¡¯s face went closer to mine. His lips lingering a few centimeters away from mine, and I could feel his heat.


    I opened my tear filled eyes and saw myselfid on the floor covered by the altar cloth. The pastors and my sister gave me their warm smiles. The vision or dream ended, and I gave them all my warmest smile.


    For weeks, I was no longer bothered by the shadows, and there were no longer any dreams or hallucinations from Rian. I was able to meet with Brixton about three weekster, and I found out that after we talked, it only took him a week to stop courting the girl. The two of us agreed to talk to my father, and for Brixton to formally ask my dad¡¯s permission for us to date and be a couple.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe your dad said I¡¯m your boyfriend now,¡± Brixton said as we waited in line to watch a movie, ¡°I thought he¡¯d write me a check with a death threat just for me to leave you or something,¡± he said and Iughed.


    Things were going well for me. However, there are times that I would still think of Rian and feel guilty for some reason. The past still lingered at the back of my mind.


    ¡°Shyne? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Emily asked, one of the young people in our church. I was in the church, and she saw me as she went inside.


    ¡°Hey, Em,¡± I greeted her and gave her a hug, ¡°I wanted to see the pastors and ask for something.¡±


    ¡°Ask for what?¡± I turned and saw that three of the pastors were there.


    ¡°Hello, everyone,¡± I greeted formally, ¡°I want to pray again. To meditate again.¡±


    They looked at me with curious looks. I couldn¡¯t me them. I wanted to have a vision again. I needed to get this regret off of my chest. It has to end. Now.

 FIANCé’S VISITATION

    ¡°Shyne, this is not some sort of voodoo thing that you see in the movies. You don¡¯t just go and pray the same thing and then you get transported into another dimension or something,¡± The pastors told me, ¡°When we go deeper in prayer, you go deeper in your rtionship with God. This won¡¯t work unless your sincerity and focus is on point. You need to surrender, and make sure that you are doing this for your desire to grow in faith and be free from your past mistakes.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± I answered, and I gave all of them a smile.¡± After I had that weird visionst time, I was able to make peace with my past. But I know that it was also some sort of warning for me. I needed to get through this life, and my past was one of the distractions that could hinder me. I realized that though I made peace with Rian in my mind, I needed to make sure that I made peace with him in my spirit and make peace with myself as well.¡°


    After the vision that I hadst time, it was exined to me by the pastors that it was a way of God to tell me that I would face many more trials in the past. The road to a new life in Christ, and the life towards freedom is difficult. However, I have the choice to focus on the freedom that God offers. The narrow road was difficult, but it was the best, because it was the road that enabled me to grow more focused in life, and get the best reward. The wide road was the road to destruction. The road to temporary happiness with eternal damnation.


    I was d that I decided to take the narrow road in my vision, because it was like a prophecy to me that after I get through the hardships in life, I was bound to get the best reward I can get. I was able to make peace with Rian at the end of everything, and it felt like my life was free. Though there was something bugging me, I knew that it wasn¡¯t Rian anymore. I have no idea what bothers me, but I know that whatever it is, this meditation and prayer would help me solve it.


    I looked at my hands, and my tears fell on the palms of my hand as I recalled how much regret I felt. There was all sorts of sadness inside that vision after, and I knew I needed to have real peace, not just regrets and forgiveness. I knew in my heart that this is what I wanted. I wanted to be truly free from my past and from whatever is holding me from moving on to the future. I was ready.


    ¡°Very well then. I see that you¡¯re all set,¡± our senior pastor said. There were three of them, and Emily and I were the fourth and fifth people inside of the church.


    We read the bible and had a quick fellowship before we prayed. The pastors each exined about being free. The true freedom that I needed was freedom from myself. The only reason why the curse worked was because I lost myself to fear, to regret, and to guilt. Now, I needed to find myself again and give myself fully to the Lord Jesus Christ. I need to ept my mistakes, and not do any of them ever again. We did the same thing as we did before, and after a few minutes of meditating the word of God, I entered the dream-like state that I was once in. The only thing different this time was the events that followed.


    In the vision that I was currently having, I was sanding outside. I checked my surroundings, and I realized that I was inside of my old elementary school building. Looking down, I realized that I was standing at the open space where kids used to wait for their parents to pick them up. I smiled at the memory, since I remembered how much I loved staying here while I told the body guards that I wanted to stay for a few more minutes before we went home. They would always let me paint or draw one picture each day.


    I walked a few meters to reach the grassy part of this open area, and I saw myself as a little girl, about the age of six. I was on one of the benches near the stairs, and I was busy painting using my watercolors that I remembered was a gift from my mother.


    ¡°I guess nothing really did change after all these years,¡± I said fondly as I watched my little self painting a picture on a sheet of paper. My little hands were covered with paint, and I changed from my school uniform, to casual clothes.


    As I looked at my younger version and at the painting, I had a wide smile. But, it changed into a frown when I realized what the little me was painting.


    ¡°Shyne¡­¡± a voice behind me whispered, and when I looked behind me, no one was there.


    I decided to ignore it and look back at my past little self and the painting that she was doing. I remember that painting, and it still gives me chills whenever I see it.


    ¡°Of all the memories,¡± I exasperatedly said and kicked the dirt a bit before focusing on the painting once more, ¡°I hate this memory¡­¡± I said and walked towards the little me, but I stopped when something caught my eyes a few meters away from my little self.


    I took a deep breath and decided to ignore it. I just looked at the small painting again and wished it wasn¡¯t the memory that I was now dreaming of. This was the day I was mad at my parents for missing the family day event at my school.Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    Everyone had their parents and family, and I sat on the field all alone. My nanny gave me food, and then she left afterwards. I was miserable, so I decided to paint, because it calmed me down. My little self was smiling, but I knew, deep in her heart, he was breaking.


    I looked at the painting again, and I remembered that I used paint, but it was more like a drawing using watercolor paint. It was an image of my family. My mom and dad were with my brother and sister, and the four of them were all holding hands. They were very happy while they were outside of our house which was on the right side of the road.


    Meanwhile, the left side of the road led to a different building. It led to the school, and I drew myself. In the drawing I was pulling my little trolley bag with all my things, and I was sad. I was walking towards a different direction, and it was the road towards the school. It was a sad drawing of how I have always felt like I was alone.


    ¡°Nothing changed,¡± I whispered to myself as a lone tear fell from my eyes.


    I was looking at the baby Shyne painting, and I felt pain in my heart as I saw my little self happily painting it. I was enjoying myself, and I knew it was a facade. I wasn¡¯t enjoying it that time, because I was just pretending so the guards and my nannies won¡¯t tell my parents.


    My eyes grew wide as I realized that something dark began approaching the little Shyne from a distance. I tried to stop the shadow, but something white passed through me and stopped the shadow. I was beyond shocked as the light and dark disappeared as if nothing happened. The baby Shyne was smiling and still painting. I turned around and saw that the shadow was gone, and a white being with wings was now standing behind the baby like a protector. It was the same being I saw during the crossroads dream I had a while back. He was the angel on the right road.


    My dream changed suddenly, and I saw myself standing in the middle of a meadow. A loud horn sounded that sent chills throughout  my entire body, and the scene changed. I was now face to face with the man in light once more. No words came out of my mouth. I only stared at the man¡¯s hand with a hole in it, and closed my eyes. Somehow, I felt safe whenever the man was around.


    I felt like I should know him, but I just didn¡¯t. No matter how hard I tried to think of who he was, I just couldn¡¯t find the answer as to who that glowing person was. All I knew was that I was d he was there with me.


    ¡°Shyne¡­¡± the man spoke, and I looked up at him for a brief moment before I closed my eyes again because of his brightness.


    ¡°Umh,¡± I cleared my throat, ¡°w-who are you?¡± I asked while my voice trembled. I felt fear, but this was not the regr fear. I revered him. I knew that I must fear his power, but not him.


    The man chuckled, and it sounded like waves crashing, as the wind picked up suddenly. It was weird, because I couldn¡¯t open my eyes so I had no idea what my surroundings were.


    ¡°You already know me, Shyne,¡± he said warmly, like a kind old grandfather trying to soothe his curious little grandkid, ¡°You know who I am now, but you need to grow more and get to know me better. Okay? Never forget that.¡± He said and chuckled again as I smiled at the unexinable warmth I felt from the man.


    As I closed her eyes at the man¡¯s words, I saw myself enter into another vision, and I was now in front of the church¡¯s altar. There was no one there, but the lights were on, and I didn¡¯t feel any fear or heaviness.


    ¡°How many dreams do I have to go through?¡± I whispered to myself as I slowly walked towards the altar.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± I suddenly turned around to see who was talking, and I saw the little Shyne I watched before, and she was looking at me with an innocent smile.


    The little girl was holding a bag with art materials, and she gestured for me to follow her towards the altar by giving me her little hand. I dly took it and sat cross-legged at the altar with her.


    ¡°Hey, little one, how are you?¡± I asked little Shyne, and she just giggled.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, miss,¡± she said as she handed me a paint brush, ¡°I would be better if I was in outer space. I want to paint on the moon!¡± We bothughed, and I was reminded that this was what I longed for in life. To have someone to talk to.


    Little Shyne and I talked about both our dreams. I realized that I lost my inner child. I lost the hope and wonder I had in my life. I was too filled with doubts and fear, and I lost myself along the way. I told the little girl about my regrets, and I told her to never follow my mistakes. It was a dream but it felt nice to talk to my old self and correct myself somehow.


    The two of us drew on the sketch pads that little Shyne gave me. When we were done, we switched sketch pads. Little Shyne was busy looking at the paper that I gave her of her face, I was stunned as I looked down at the drawing of a family of five, with little Shyne crying and heading towards an unknown location while her family were outside the house. I looked up and the little girl was now gone.


    ¡°L-little Shyne?¡± I asked as I clutched the sketch pad tightly against my chest.


    ¡°Shyne¡­¡± a girl¡¯s voice sounded, and I looked behind me as I screamed. I fell to the ground with a loud thud, and I saw my fifteen year old self standing on the altar. I was gloomy, and I had the look of hate on my eyes.


    ¡°Take my hand,¡± said my fifteen year old self.


    I took a deep breath before I stretched my trembling hands to her and stood up. I realized that I was still clutching the painting, and as I looked behind me, the little girl was now at the door a few meters away and she was waving goodbye with a bright smile.


    I looked back at my other self, and she was now looking at our hand with a sad expression. She gave me a small tug, and as we walked to the direction of the door, the little Shyne was gone.


    I followed the girl, and outside, the scene was now on top of the mountain where the ocean was below. I was about five meters away from the cliff as I felt the strong wind blow while the sky turned ck. The little fifteen-year-old Shyne was no longer holding my hand, but she was on the edge of the cliff as she looked at me with eyes filled with tears.

 A CHILD

    ¡°Shyne!¡± I screamed when I saw that my younger teenage self was about to jump on the cliff.


    ¡°No!¡± I reached her, and I was able to pull her backwards, and we both fell to the ground, ¡°Stop it, Shyne! You don¡¯t want to do this!¡± I said with tears forming in my eyes as I sat on her stomach and grabbed her hands so I could pin it to her sides as I used both my legs to lock her legs in ce.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired!¡± She screamed, ¡°I¡¯m tired! I¡¯m tired! I¡¯m tired! I¡¯m tired!¡± She screamed over and over again as loud as she could while her tears dropped like rain on the sides of her face.


    My heart began to hurt, and my tears fell on her cheeks as I looked down on her and gave more effort in holding her down with all my force and weight. I felt like there was an iron rod being plunged down my throat and through my heart. It was mortifying to think that this situation is happening, and it¡¯s even more unnerving since I know that this is a dream and yet it feels too real.


    ¡°Let go of me! Now!¡± She screamed, and she gave everything she had to push me aside.


    I was out of bnce the moment she was able to push me off, and I crawled to stand up and dashed to my teenage self when I realized that her goal was to jump.


    I screamed when I saw my teenage self jumping off the cliff. I caught her in time, but I screamed as my elbow dislocated, and I could feel the bones and muscles strain as I tried to pull her entire body up by her hand.


    ¡°Let go!¡± She screamed and wiggled a bit, but I clenched my teeth and tried to pull her back up.


    ¡°No!¡± I screamed back, ¡°This is a stupid idea and you know it!¡± I winced when I felt the pain in the entire half of my body that was holding my teenage self up.


    ¡°You know nothing!¡± She screamed back as she cried hard but didn¡¯t move, ¡°I¡¯m tired of this life! I already broke it, so why should I even try to live it?! Just let go of me and let me be free!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t! You will never be free even if you die!¡± I screamed back at her as my tears fell as well, ¡°You¡¯ll never be free from the guilt, Shyne¡± I said in a loud but rough voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m you, Shyne,¡± I said to my stubborn teenage self who was now looking at me with tears in her eyes, ¡°I tried to run and let go of the world without fixing things and I lived a life of regret. I lived that life and I didn¡¯t notice that a lot of lives were also ruined because I was too big of a coward to face the mistakes that I made and their consequences!¡±


    I tried to hold her tighter when I felt her begin to slip. I was desperate, and I tried to hold on.


    ¡°Shyne,¡± I pleaded with clenched teeth as my jaw was now lock in ce with all the force I was exerting to pull her up, ¡°Please, Shyne, help me pull you up. Do something, please, Shyne, please.¡± I begged her.


    The wind picked up, and a gush of wind pushed me, and we both screamed as the two of us began to fall down the cliff. My head throbbed when I hit the water and I cked out.


    ¡°So why didn¡¯t you kill yourself, huh?¡± A girl¡¯s voice said, and I bolted right up. I looked around me, and my eyes fell on the fifteen-year-old me who was now little across me on a green field.


    ¡°I am so confused,¡± I whispered, my head didn¡¯t hurt, and I felt great, but I feel distorted because of all that¡¯s happening.


    ¡°Hey,¡± younger me waved her hand in front of my face, and I shook my head and focused on her.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I apologized and decided to focus on her. There was no need to try and understand things since this was just a weird dream or vision or something.


    ¡°So why didn¡¯t you kill yourself, huh?¡± she asked again. I looked at her and I sat straighter and gave her a warm smile.


    ¡°Well,¡± I thought about it, ¡°When I realized how wrong I was, I realized that running away was stupid. If I was really regretting what I did in the past, I needed to face the consequences and make them as right as possible.¡±


    I moved my body and I didn¡¯t feel any pain. I just felt like nothing happened.


    ¡°Why do you think you¡¯re dreaming these weird scenarios?¡± She asked. I was caught off guard and I just scratched my head.


    ¡°Well, I have no idea,¡± I said and chuckled, ¡°I guess you¡¯re here to help me figure that one out. I just want to know what I should fix in myself so I can feel the freedom that you want to feel,¡± I looked at the beautiful cloudy sky, ¡°I guess I needed to forgive myself so I could be free.¡±


    My and the younger version of me talked about our regrets, our big and small mistakes, and our hopes for the future. The two of us enjoyed talking, and I realized that I¡¯ve been too caught up with ming people, that I forgot to take the me and face what I have made.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to my younger self, and we both judged.


    We end our talk with a promise of a better future with a pinky promise. As I hugged my younger self again, the teenager faded to smoke and disappeared.  I took a deep breath a few times and just enjoyed the warmth of the surroundings and the fresh air that was now blowing in a gentle breeze.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    When I turned around, I saw that there were two people walking towards me. I gasped and covered my mouth as my tears fell. I looked closer as I saw that it was Rian with a child about four years old in tow.


    My legs and my entire body was shaking as I looked at the approaching people. The boy held Rian¡¯s hand, and the two wore white as they smiled at me while they approached my frozen self.


    ¡°R-Rian¡­¡± I whispered as he walked a bit faster, and he stopped about a meter away from me. The boy hid behind him without letting go of his hand.


    ¡°Hello, my love,¡± he said in a gentle voice as he smiled at me. My tears kept falling, but I smiled back at him.


    ¡°Shyne,¡± he said and gestured for me to sit on the grass. Iplied as he pulled the boy gently and carried him as he sat cross-legged in front of me and ced the boy on his crossed legs.


    ¡°My love, this is Kenny,¡± he said, and the boy had my features. The only thing he had simr to Rian were his pointy nose and cleft chin. I smiled at him as he smiled back at me.


    ¡°Hey, buddy,¡± I said gently as I reached my hand to him, ¡°I¡¯m your mommy,¡± I said as he smiled wide and jumped to me.


    Rian and Iughed at the boy, and I hugged him tight. I felt love from him, and my heart swelled at the regret at love that I felt.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby,¡± I whispered to the little boy¡¯s ear as I hugged him tight.


    ¡°I love you mommy, I forgive you,¡± the child said and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I cried some more and felt warmth surrounding me. The kind of warmth that made me feel like everything in this would always be alright. It was like a weing warmth of hope, and a warmth that one would feel when one is surrounded by people they love.


    I knew that it would only be for a few moments, but time felt so slow in the ce where we were. Rian and I spent time with our son. In this ce where time seemed to freeze and give us another chance to be a family, I felt at peace. I knew that if it happened in another time and in another, I would be happy with the two of them. We both called him Kenny, since it was the name that Rian was always telling me. I knew that it was all just a dream, but I still thanked God that I was able to have the closure I wanted. In the end, Rian and the child, Kenny, gave me a big hug.


    I weed their hug as tight and as long as I could. I knew that I would never see them again, but I could use this feeling of joy and have a family of my own in the future. They will never be forgotten, and the special little time that God has given me will forever be instilled and saved in my heart until the day I pass away.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to Rian as the boy hugged his dad while he slept in his arms.


    Rian and I looked at the boy, and he wiped the tears that fell from my eyes. The way that he wiped my tears made me feel the warmth of his touch. He felt so alive. It felt as though this was truly goodbye.


    ¡°Thank you too, my love, for forgiving me, for forgiving yourself, and for setting the both of us free,¡± he said and kissed my temple.


    I kissed his cheek and our son¡¯s temple, and for the first andst time ever since thest time we¡¯ve seen each other in person, I looked at Rian, and we shared one small peck on the lips. I opened my eyes to reality.

 I DO LOVE YOU

    I opened my eyes, and Brixton was beside me. I stared at Brixton while he looked up at the moon. The moon was so big, and the sky was like a nket of stars. I loved this kind of view, and I smiled when I saw Brixton shifting his weight to reach for a grape near my hip.


    ¡°Sly¡­¡± I whispered when he softly caressed my hip before pulling his hand back and eating his grape. He just chuckled.


    ¡°Well, I try to not get caught, babe,¡± he said and fed me the other grape that I dly ate.


    Weughed and teased each other while we were sitting on the nket at the bench in the middle of the night. It was our third anniversary as a couple, and it has been three years since I was finally released from the curse.


    A lot has happened, and one of the things that I was grateful of was the fact that the guy that I was with at the moment is the true love of my life. I might have made plenty of mistakes in the past, but he still epted me. He¡¯s not perfect, and neither am I, but being with him and choosing to live a life with him after all of the trauma that we have faced is what makes our rtionship perfect in every way.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that after all these years, you¡¯re still not allowed to go out with me without a chaperone,¡± he whined with a tone that sounded both amused and annoyed when we heardughter from the cottage in the distance.


    ¡°You know my sister and my cousins are old maids who have no n on getting hitched or getting into a rtionship. They are just too dedicated to being forever single and focus on God, their career, and the future adopted kids,¡± I exined again to him.


    He never understood I put up with my sister and my cousins¡¯ crazy antics, but I know deep down that he was happy of the bond that I have with them. After what I went through in my rtionships, I think that having them all chaperone me and Brixton was not odd or annoying. Brixton would alwaysin, but he always had a smile on his face that tells me how happy he was that I had a lot of people who were there for me, especially after what we had all went through.


    ¡°Well,¡± he sat straight as I began toy down on the nket, ¡°they should just be old maids on their own beach. They should let me have you to myself,¡± he exined, and I just giggled as he bent down and gave me a deep and passionate kiss on the lips. I willingly epted his kiss, and the two of us shared our love through that kiss that seemed to hold all of our gratitude to one another.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°I better cool myself down,¡± he said and stood up to stretch his muscles. Iughed louder, ¡°Hey, don¡¯t make fun of me. This isn¡¯t funny,¡± he said as he tried to dip his feet in the ice cold water to calm his heated muscles, he called it his muscle.


    ¡°Brixton, Babe, it¡¯s funny,¡± I said as I sat up and watched him waddle on the shore.


    The two of us, along with my annoying little sister, Perry, Kathy, and Sweet, were having a pic at one of the vis that Brixton owned. We were now both sessful and finished our studies. I leftw school and decided to focus on our business while I proceeded to be a motivational speaker and painter. My dad hated it, but I was able to convince him that I can make the name of the De Leon Family brighter if he just supported me. I guess my mom and brother had something to do with it.


    As for Brixton, although a bit intimidated by my wealth and fame as well as my family¡¯s, he was still striving to do his best as my boyfriend. He owns his ownpany and used his degree as an architect to hire other architects and built from there. He was now studying to get a degree as an engineer as well. He loved what he did, and though we were always busy, it was never an excuse for either of us to get a few days off every month or so just to get dates like this. I was insecure of my past, but the both of us made the rtionship work.


    ¡°Hey, babe,¡± he called and gestured for me to walk with him.


    I smiled and eagerly stood up and took his hand. He sshed me a little with the cold water, and I shrieked as I tried to do the same to him. He picked me up and kissed me passionately on the lips as I wrapped my hand around his neck.


    ¡°I am so blessed to have you,¡± he said as he broke the kiss and rubbed the tips of our noses together, ¡°I¡¯m d I actually made the right decision and made you my wife.¡±


    I just rolled my eyes. He always does this and it makes me feel giddy inside. We wanted to get married as soon as the curse broke, but we both agreed to just rx and enjoy life more as we tried to fix ourselves before getting into marriage.


    I kissed him and he responded with the same eagerness that showed and felt. He chuckled when I bit his bottom lip, but he dly returned the favor. We teased each other with kisses, but he respected me enough to always make sure nothing was too vulgar in our actions. We just kissed, and we never even did anything else aside from teasing during kisses, holding hands, hugging, and the asional banter that we would end quickly. I loved how he¡¯s willing to wait for marriage.


    I felt his hand hold my waist as the other held the nape of my neck to make the kiss deeper. I felt so happy, and we broke the kiss, he kneeled. My eyes widened when he kissed my hand and pulled a ring from his pocket.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made the stupidest mistake of not making you my wife because I was insecure. I was too afraid that I wasn¡¯t worth your time nor your love. I was too afraid that you were too good for me,¡± he said as he took a deep breath and looked deep in my eyes as he kneeled, ¡°I was a coward, Shyne. But now, I¡¯m not afraid. I decided to love an alpha female, a boss woman, and a woman who is owned by God and molded by God. That¡¯s intimidating at first, but I am d that I¡¯ve decided to be worth your love by proving my love for you every single day.¡±


    Tears were forming in my eyes, and I tried to wipe it with my other hand.


    ¡°Shyne, I have a lot to say, but all I want to hear from you is whether or not you want to be my wife,¡± he said and smiled, ¡°will you marry me?¡±


    I kneeled and kissed him. He chuckled and let me go as he held my right cheek while he held the ring up with his left hand.


    ¡°I¡¯d take that as a yes,¡± he said with a chuckle and I nodded quickly with a wide smile on my face.


    ¡°Finally!¡± I looked to the side and saw my entire family looking at us. There were about fifty people including Brixton¡¯s family and our close friends and church family. I looked at Brixton with a yful smile on my lips as we started to stand up.


    ¡°Well, babe,¡± he grinned, ¡°I had to ask permission from everyone before I asked you. Even though I knew everyone would say yes. Especially you.¡±


    Iughed and kissed him again as we walked towards the swarm of people.


    I refused to put on a veil as she walked down the aisle. Brixton stood there as he waited for me. Our loved ones were around us, and I couldn¡¯t stop the tears from falling as we gave our vows.


    ¡°You may now kiss your bride,¡± my mentor and pastor said, and we kissed.


    The honeymoon was set in Maldives, since the two of us loved adventures and nature. Everything was great, and two yearster, our twin sons were born.


    ¡°I knew you wanted twins, babe, but I would¡¯ve never guessed we¡¯d actually have them,¡± Brixton said as he yed with the other one while I changed the clothes of the one I was holding.


    ¡°Well, babe, I did obey God, and he said he¡¯d give me what I want if I asked for it,¡± I said and winked, ¡°when they¡¯re big enough, I hope we make another one, but I want girls this time.¡±


    Brixton justughed and stood up as he carried our son and kissed my lips. He picked them both up, and I giggled as I saw him carrying our three month old children on each arm. My heart swelled with love.


    A week after our twin sons¡¯ first birthday, I visited Rian¡¯s grave for the first time. Meanwhile, Brixton was beside me while he held the stroller where our kids were. I put down the flower and we stood there in silence.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± I turned, and I saw Rian¡¯s mother.


    The old woman¡¯s eyes grew wide as she looked at me. I spoke to her, we both had tears in our eyes. I told her my dream of Rian and our baby, but I decided to leave out the curse and the unpleasant things.


    ¡°I know he loved you, Shyne. He really did. But,¡± she said as she wiped her eyes, ¡°But what he did was his own decision. I don¡¯t me you at all. I just know that you were destined to be where you are now. My son chose his own destiny and you chose yours. So, I hope you live a good life.¡± We forgive each other, and I left with a kind of peace that I never knew I could achieve after talking to Rian¡¯s mom.


    Another yearter, our daughters were born, and Brixton and I bought a new house in Maldives. We took the kids there whenever we could, because as stressful as the business is, I couldn¡¯t let it go. I still had to work, and it was nice to work while I was surrounded by beautiful nature and I could see my kids grow up. Brixton already had his ownpany built here in Maldives as well.


    I ruled as the head of the De Leon n. Upon my rule, I found the copy of the folder that nearly destroyed my reputation. I took the papers and burned them in the firece in my office as Brixton hugged me from behind.


    ¡°This has been a wild ride, huh, babe?¡± Brixton asked, ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re both free, and now we have four little versions of us running around down stars.¡± His voice was filled with wonder as to how our lives turned out after everything that happened.


    ¡°Well, my dearest husband,¡± I said as I turned to hug him and face him, ¡°we did say that we love adventure. I guess even in life, we¡¯re always at the exciting parts,¡± he smirked.


    The two of us kissed without regret and epted each other¡¯s past. I was grateful for the trauma of my past that enabled me to be the empress I am now. I made mistakes in the past, but like a queen, I chose to take those mistakes and make them my stepping stones to this sessful life.


    ¡°Veni, vidi, vici.¡± I remembered an Italian saying, it means ¡°I came, I saw, I conquered.¡±


    -end-

 BONUS CHAPTER: STRING

    ¡°I said, let go! That¡¯s mine!¡± I sighed as I looked at my two sons who were now ten years old. They were fighting over a baseball bat that their dad bought a week ago. Brendan and Brandon looked so much like me, and I smiled as I saw how simr they are to me more than their dad. Their features are also more simr to mine than to my husband¡¯s.


    I rubbed my temple as the two of them chased each other around the garden. It was a nice day, and I looked up at the clouds that had weird formations. It was a beautiful day, except for the sound of bickering from my twin sons, as well as the loud whispers of my two twin daughters nearby who were both eight years old. Sheniah and Shareena looked more like their dad than me, and my husband always adored that the two were daddy¡¯s little princesses. The two of them were ying with their Legos, and I smiled when I saw that the two of them were just rolling their eyes at their two older brothers.


    My four babies were all in front of me, and I had a family that is very different from the one that I grew up in. I looked at the sky and thanked God of the life that I now lived. I closed my eyes and allowed the cold winds to blow my hair and chill my skin. A little girl screamed, and my gaze went straight to where the sound came from. I saw that one of my twin girls was crying. My smile dropped and I quickly checked her face with my gaze and looked at her sister who was beside her.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± said Sheniah as she shook her little twin sister who was face down on the ground and not moving. I screamed her name and got up to run towards them. I felt my boys run beside me, and the three of us kneeled in front of my girls as I tried to check on Shareena.


    ¡°Shareena! Baby!¡± I was trembling, but I did my best to calm myself down and focus my mind on what was happening to my other daughter. I inhaled sharply and calmed my racing heart as I tried to check her mouth that was beginning to turn a bit dull and dark. I was panicking, and I felt like all I could hear was my heart and Sheniah¡¯s cries.


    I tried my best to check her pulse and heart breathing until I realized that my other daughter was pointing at her sister¡¯s mouth. Without any hesitation, I tried to quickly pry her mouth open as gently as possible, and I froze when I saw something inside of her mouth.


    ¡°Shyne!¡± My husband¡¯s voice broke the silence, and as I thoroughly checked my daughter¡¯s mouth again. I saw that the tip of a Lego block was in her throat. It was a bitrge, and by the looks of it, there was more than one piece inside of her mouth at the moment.


    ¡°The toy!¡± I shouted as I tried to pull it with my fingers. I was trembling as I tried to steady my hand and carefully pull out the toy from her mouth.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Brixton, the Lego!¡± I said in a panic as I held on to the tip of the toy. The stupid little block was slowly being pulled inside of her mouth and my heart felt like it was going to explode from fear. My daughter was turning a shade darker by the second.


    ¡°Gently, hon,¡± he said beside me as he tried to help me cradle our baby girl, ¡°Boys! Call 911, hurry! Remember what I taught you to say!¡± He instructed the boys sternly and I saw one of them bolt to reach my bag and took out my phone while the other grabbed his other sister and tried his best to calm her down and shield her eyes from her passed out twin.


    ¡°It¡¯s out!¡± I shrieked as I was able to take out the Lego. Shareena coughed and there was a little blood that came out of her mouth. My own blood froze as I saw blooding out of my daughter¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°It must have punctured something in her throat,¡± my husband whispered, and prayed to God that it wasn¡¯t too serious.


    We tried our best to wipe her mouth with my shirt as my husband picked her up and tried to carry gently andy her face on the crook of his neck. Her mouth was still bleeding.


    In a few minutes, help arrived, and we were able to rush her to the hospital. I was trembling as my husband drove the both of us after I gave instructions to the boys and their nannies. I prayed and prayed that my daughter would be alright.


    After she was stable and we got to talk to the doctor, he exined to us that the jagged edge of the Lego that was probably broken was able to slice some of the tissues in her throat and taking it out made the cuts a bit deeper. My tears were falling, and my hands trembled at the thought that I may have possibly caused her to get worse.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, sir, I think it would be best for your daughter to stay here for a few more days just to make sure that she is monitored, and her throat could heal better,¡± the doctor said as they waited outside of their daughter¡¯s room where was sleeping inside.


    ¡°Doctor,¡± I began, ¡°Howe she passed out? Why didn¡¯t we hear her choke or had any signs of struggle, I mean, her twin just screamed, and when I saw her, she was already on the ground, and¡­and¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t finish the sentence, but the doctor just nodded as my husband wrapped his arm around my shoulder tofort me.


    ¡°Well, ma¡¯am, it was possible that she was choking, but her twin didn¡¯t notice it yet, and only noticed when her sister copsed fromck of oxygen.


    We finished talking to the doctor, and as I entered my daughter¡¯s room, my husband told me he¡¯d go back to the house and help prepare all of our daughter¡¯s things as well as my own things that I would need.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, okay? Call me if you need anything. I¡¯ll just get the kids settled and talk to them,¡± he said and gave me a kiss on the forehead before leaving.


    I sat beside my daughter¡¯s bed and wiped the stray hair on her face.


    ¡°A life for a life¡­¡± a voice whispered, and my hair stood. It was that voice. The voice I thought was gone.


    ¡°My love¡­¡± I screamed as I looked down and beside my daughter, the shadowy figure stood with its eyes glowing red.


    -END-


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