32 | mend betrayal

ONE THING AVELINA once loved before that love was grasped by its head and choked to death, was the way she cared for everyone—possibly more then she would ever dare to care about herself. There was such a pure empathetic part of herself that would let neither hate nor anger anywhere near it. No matter how much wrong she's witnessed, or how much betrayal she's faced, absolutely nothing could stop the kindness of her heart from reaching out into the darkness and lending a hand to even the devil.

"No!" Avelina shouted as the bomb went off before her mother could have a full chance to take cover. She watched over Adrik's shoulder as everything around them went burning down. Fire from the explosion began to swarm the car and engulf the dead body of her mother's guard.

"Adrik, please!" she yelled.

The backseat of his car was pushed open and Adrik carefully placed Avelina inside. The leather seat touched her skin just before her head fell into someone's lap. She immediately sat up to take a glance at the person beside her, Vincent.

She immediately got up and sat back in the seat despite the growing ache in her side and between her legs.

"You look so pale," Vincent pointed out, placing his palm on her forehead. Avelina turned her head away and toward the window, taking in the sight of Adrik going into the fire.

"I don't want our mother to die," Avelina muttered, never bothering to spare a single glance toward him. Vincent let out a loud sigh before opening the back door and getting out. She could hear him taking the safety off the gun as he began making his way over to Adrik.

Her eyes widened. Vincent wouldn't hurt Adrik, she knew that. Vincent was too aware of how much Adrik meant to her, and he had to have known that she would grow to resent him forever. She trusted him to put the stupid feud that clearly held no significant value anymore behind them.

She continued to watch as Vincent carried their mother, who seemed to have passed out. She had scars and bruising all over her body. Dirt had painted itself all over her limp being. Adrik was strolling right behind them up until he had to open the back door for Vincent to place her mother inside.

Avelina scooted over to give her mother some space before they shut the door. They split up, Adrik got into the driver's side and Vincent climbed into the passenger's side. Police sirens could be heard along with the blaring red and blue lights from down the street, so Adrik didn't take his time turning on the car and quickly drove away.

The entire drive, Avelina could only look down at her mother. Her dark hair sprawled around her as a peaceful aura emitted from her shut eyes and parted lips. She had a deep cut on the side of her head that would possibly end up needing stitches, but her stressful wrinkles that were begging to form on her forehead were easing away. Her frown lines were softening.

Avelina wanted to believe that her mother couldn't have been happy. That everything had to be some misunderstanding and the woman laying down looking as calm and peaceful as ever was the real her. She had to be. Not the woman that kidnapped her own daughter moments after she gave birth. Not the woman who pointed a gun at her only baby girl.

She was masterful at detecting bullshit, but she was just as good at pretending that it wasn't bullshit. It was quite ironic the way her mind worked to protect her heart.

A tear fell from her eyes as she looked at the woman. She began to wonder how different her life would've been if she had a normal life. If her mother was there to hold her hand every time she crossed the street. If her father ignored her as she showed him what she learned in science class while he watched his favorite team's soccer game. If her older brother would steal all her toys and decapitated all her dolls. If she'd gotten in trouble for not doing her chores. If she'd wake up to breakfast on Sunday's. Her childhood was robbed from an early age. After grandma, she never even had a place to call home.

Sure, not having a normal upbringing was unfair. However, she was always alone, until she met Adrik. Her gaze shifted over to Adrik through the rear-view mirror only to realize that he was already looking at her. He was the love of her life. If everything was normal, she would've never met him. She would have never gotten the chance to have her beautiful baby girl.

The baby!

"My baby? Where's my baby?" Avelina asked in a panic. She looked between Adrik and Vincent as Vincent looked at Adrik.

"Marina is currently being held in Natasha's arms while drinking formula," Adrik answered. Avelina suddenly noticed the phone he had in the cup holder of his car where there was live footage of Natasha in his office with Marina.

She didn't hesitate to reach over and grab his phone, watching her baby girl. She was so small compared to the big world around her.

"So, what are we doing with her?" Vincent asked Adrik, nodding his head toward the backseat.

His eyes met her own in the rear view mirror again just before he turned back to the road.

"I do not care, it's your mother," he declared.

"She stays alive," Avelina said, giving a pointed look at Vincent.

"Come on, little sister... if you knew only half of what I knew, you would be rethinking that," Vincent stated. Avelina's brows rose.

"What are you talking about?" she questioned.

Instead of answering, Vincent sat back in his seat and looked out at the scenery we passed by.

Not too soon after, he pulled in to the driveway of a new mansion. It was bigger than the one before, and there was a lot more earthiness to it. The old home had been so modern. Avelina could recall the day she was first driven to his home for work. She never expected that by walking through that door, her life would turn out the way it did.

"Vincent!" Avelina tried again only to be met with loud silence.

Since she knew she was getting absolutely nowhere with him, she turned her attention to Adrik. "Adrik?"

Again, nothing.

"I don't understand why I'm getting the silent treatment! What— ahh!" Avelina groaned in pain as a very sharp cramp struck her lower abdomen. Accidentally, she dropped Adrik's phone on the floor. She hunched over in her seat as she did her best to hold onto the site as if it would provide some sort of comfort.

"The doctor is in my bedroom waiting for Avelina's arrival. I would advise you to bring him as quickly as you can seeing as Avelina is in extreme discomfort," Adrik told Vincent.

Avelina knew that Vincent was worried about her and it was the only reason why he raced out the car and into the house where he was doing exactly as Adrik asked. Vincent was hardheaded. He hated being demanded or 'advised' as Adrik put it. So, she really must've meant a lot to him for him to put his pride aside.

Adrik opened the back door just as Adrik's own guards made their way to the  other side of the car. Avelina had to watch them open the door and pull her mother out. She was still limp and knocked out. It must've been a serious blow to her head. Not only that, but large black SUVs had pulled up behind them in the driveway. It didn't take long for Avelina to realize they were Adrik's guards. They were probably there at the scene for the worst-case scenario.

"Place her in a spare bedroom with a lock on the outside. Make sure she has no way out of the bedroom," Adrik ordered his men before turning to Avelina. "The doctor should be in there shortly after he cares for Avelina," he said more to Avelina than his men.

They began to carry her mother into the home, leaving both Avelina and Adrik alone. Adrik picked Avelina up bridal style. She was thankful because she wasn't sure she could move anymore. Everything hurt her.

"Thank you... for saving me," Avelina whispered. In Adrik's arms, a tiredness began to engulf her like a flame. It had been such a long day and the only thing she dreamed of was a big glass of water, a shower, their soft, warm bed, and her baby girl.

"Okay," Adrik responded. A smile spread across her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck, preparing for him as he took her into the home. Her eyelids were growing heavier and heavier.

It was okay, she told herself, she could sleep. She was home.

What brought her eyes to an abrupt opening was the wailing of her baby. She immediately looked over at the source of the sound to find her small baby in Natasha's hands. Vincent and a man she didn't know, but who she assumed was the doctor, stood in the living room. Adrik walked over to the couch and laid her down so she could hold the baby in her arms. Her smile grew even more as a tear fell from her eyes.

"We definitely have to change her name," Avelina joked, gaining a cackle from everyone in the house, including the doctor.

"Let's check you out," the doctor said.

-

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