Chapter-3

Pain.

Fear.

Anger.

Betrayal.

Her senses were dominated by loads of these emotions, all these feelings that she was feeling made her anxious, twisting her memories to not believe her eyes. The faint hum of droplets of rain hitting the glass windows awakens her from her deep slumber as she quickly arises intently scanning her environment only to come face to face with unfamiliar surroundings as they regard her with utter queerness.

She felt light-headed whilst she tried to gaze around. Groaning with agonizing sharpness, she quirked her arms and swing her legs in the air as she dangled them over the edge of the bed.

Bed?

She looked down to find herself on the softness of mattresses, the stuff felt soft and smooth against her skin and her hands itched to touch the fabric again and again.

Her eyes glanced to access around herself only to be greeted with abhorrent unfamiliarity.

The room was huge with glistening darkness in every corner. The painted grey walls enhanced the murkiness that further shadowed the gloominess of the weather outside. The only warm thing that contemplated the dusk was beige coloured semi-circular couch taking half of the area on one side of the room. Soft pale blue and grey-coloured cushions are added to enhance its beauty.

Sarah felt cold as dark curtains blew with the wind caressing the corners of the room. The glacial touch had her hairs standing erect as her teeth chattered together.

However, this detail helped her remember that this was not her room, not even her house. She was not supposed to be here. Falcon.

She whispered breathlessly when she remembered him drugging her. Her hands unconsciously moved towards her neck where Falcon had pricked her with a needle. She felt a sudden rush of anger and disappointment. Moreover, the feeling of dejection ate her like a plague.

She pulled the silky duvet off her and looked down at herself finding herself in the same red dress that she was wearing on another evening whilst she was on a date with Mathew.

She carefully observed around.

Slowly walking towards the door which she assumed to be the exit, she tip-toed towards the prominent exit before finding the door unlocked. She scoffed at their stupidity of Falcon.

Everything was beautiful as her curious eyes scanned around with both uncertainty and rushed anxiousness, everything was screaming luxury, richness, and royalty delicately embraced in twisted yet alluring looking golden hues. She moved forward till she reached the end and unsurely took a left turn. She gulped as her gaze landed on the huge semi-spiral staircase. The ethereal white marbled steps glistened with pale light illuminated by chandeliers hanging above, decorated with gold and shimmering black stones.

She looked around, making sure there was no one before she dashed towards the stairs.

Her steps are hastier and more urgent as she took two stairs at a time. Her legs felt the strain. By the time she reached the ground, her breathing had shortened irregularly and she panted before

stopping to catch her breath for a second. However, that didn't stop her.

She needed to get out of here as soon as possible. She ran towards the right when she saw a huge large door at her side. New determined happiness washed over her and she sprinted towards the door when she heard abhorrent voices.

"I cannot suddenly go to Lord Kendrio for shelter. He's your brother, Falcon. At least convince him to let me stay at Reynes!" She heard tensed and desperate plea when her brows knitted. The man in the sentence quipped her interest and she found herself walking towards the hushed whispers.

"Brother? You serious, old man? No brother tries to kill his own-" "Angeli-"

"What?!" Sarah flinched at the sharpness of tone.

Her brows furrowed further and she couldn't help but take a peek inside the room. Her resilient curious gaze sharpened on the man she recognized instantly.

Falcon had his back towards her but that's not what caught her attention wholly.

Dizziness of disorientation blurred her hazy vision, her hand slowly covered her mouth, her frozen body not being able to move. Eyes that get wider as she stumbled backward. The cold wind went right through her and she felt their voice fading in distance, time seemed to stop.

Brainstorming by lightening trauma a cauterizing impulse, her mind under the assault of her shock. Rushed, broken memories of her childhood friend together in a sharp knife that slaughtered her emotions and laid her dignity on fire. Lies.

Betrayal.

How could he?

Her body shook as she raised her hands to grab something to stabilize herself. Her shivering cold hands met the porcelain pot as it

shattered along with her reminiscences of souvenirs. It felt like she had again witnessed her burrowed memories in the shape of the man she once held dear to her heart.

Lies.

More lies she had fed herself.

Her lips wobbled, eyes watered as she gathered her remains of sanity and whispered.

"F-father."

*****

"You don't love me anymore! Merda has everything she wants, but you never bring me anything!" Sarah whined as she threw her stuffed teddy bear toward her father. Brian heaved a disorientated sigh, his fingers itching as he pressed the bridge of his nose. His eyes roamed around the room before they landed on a shredded dress that he bought for her moments ago.

"I'm sorry, princess. Tell me what you need-"

"Merda has a beautiful pink teddy bear, I want that," Sarah said without hesitation, her eyes brightening as she clasped her hands together and jumped with excitement. Brian nodded, licking his dry lips as he glanced at the excited face of his daughter. He eyed the mess she had managed to make and shrugged his shoulder before thinking he would clean it later after bringing her what she wants. He still couldn't believe she was twenty, yet she was stubborn and adamant, probably he had spoiled her enough.

"I'll bring it to you tomorrow. I promise." Sarah's smile faded into a scowl as she shook her head.

"I WANT IT NOW!" She cried as tears stung her eyes. Brian sighed at her stubbornness and thought for a second before nodding. "Alright, I'll leave you at Falcon's-"

"No, Dad. I'm a big girl now. I can manage to stay alone for an hour." Sarah raised her brow before placing her hands on her waist.

Brian thought for a second and nodded before grabbing his keys.

"Lock the door. I'll be back in a few."

Sarah thought she had somehow managed to convince her father, rather a delusional feeling caught her as she walked towards her room with an excited face. Her steps halted, and she hummed a tune.

Her stubbornness cost her something she never wished to lose.

******

Her breathing shortened, and she shook her head frantically.

"T-tell me it's not true..." She whispered heavily.

"It cannot be..." Her soft voice echoed louder than any. Shock slowly turned into a raw sense of grief and morality, and she heaved a shattered cry as her tears flooded the corner of her eyes, and she violently shook her head.

"TELL ME YOU'RE NOT MY FATHER!"

All three heads turned towards her. A look of pain plastered over Falcon's face as he tried to step towards her when she raised her hand, stopping him mid-way.

"Liar. That's what you are. How many things are you hiding from me? TELL ME!" She screamed; one betrayal was enough to set her soul on fire. She felt abandoned in the dark; the world seemed to be nothing but a web of lies.

"Why?" She whispered hoarsely.

She couldn't believe that she had spent most of her life feeling guilty for things she never did. The countless times she had slept herself to sleep. The ravenous thoughts she had to end her life.

"Why?!" This time she screamed with all her might. She was angry, not at her father but at herself. The man who once called himself her father, she was angry at Falcon for betraying her.

Pathetic!

She felt dumb.

"Why did you do this to me? You left me when I was a child, you were dead to me, I cried myself to sleep countless nights, I spend my

life as an orphan. B-but, you didn't even bother to look back!" She yelled at him. Her anger seemed to triple when she looked at Falcon. "And you," she stood up from her position and walked towards Falcon. He looked shocked at her as his face did a one-eighty turn when her hands connected with his cheek.

"You are no one to me! You are such a disgrace to the word 'friend'! You betrayed me in the worst possible ways! I never thought that the person who was my best friend would stoop that low!" she screamed, hitting him on his broad muscular chest.

Falcon didn't make any move to stop her from hitting him; he deserved that. However, her little hands weren't doing any harm to him.

"I don't even want to breathe in the same air as you disgusting people," she whispered, and without thinking turned on her heels and ran towards the door leading outside. Her feet carried her out of the room as she wiped her flowing tears with the back of her hands.

As she opened the door, she was yanked away by hands on her waist. "Let me go, you bastard!" she yelled. But her cries were unheard. She was screaming, yelling ungrateful words.

Falcon dragged her away from the door. She struggled in his grip as he tried to move, but the hands on her waist were making it difficult for her. He picked her up by her waist as her feet swept away from the floor. Falcon was stronger, and she was too exhausted and weak to fight him. Falcon tightened his hold around her waist.

"Let me go, please." she pleaded when she thought nothing was going to work.

"No, you are not going anywhere. This is your life, accept it or wipe over the fact that your so-called normal life is gone," he said. There was no emotion in his voice yet his heart was betraying him. It was like he didn't remember that she once was her friend.

Sarah again thrashed in his hold. He passed through the same hallway by which she came down. He opened the doors to the large room. He further went into the room and threw her rashly on the bed. She bounced on the bed, and she immediately crawled back. As she looked up, she saw Falcon exiting the room.

She ran towards him, but it was too late; he had already exited the room. And to her dismay, the door was locked from the outside. She banged on the door hard. After banging until she tired herself, she gave up. She slid down the door, brought her knees close to her chest, and cried. Her tears flowed down like streams of her broken, bleeding heart. She cried until darkness consumed her.

On the other side, Falcon placed his head on her door and sighed deeply before mumbling.

"Why don't you understand? I'm trying to keep you safe." His words left strangling in the air as he blinked away tears and inhaled.