I WOKE UP WITH a sudden jolt. My breathing was erratic and cold sweat covered my forehead. I took a deep breath and tried to bring my madly beating heart to it's normal pace.

I dreamed again.

Not a dream. It was a nightmare. The worst memory of my life that came alive.

She died again and I just stared at her, unable to save her, yet again. It had a stark resemblance to the incident that happened fifteen years back. Blood, fire, dead bodies, tears, and my dead mother. Everything was the same. Exactly the same.

I closed my eyes, covering my face with my hands. My mind was a mess filled with the memories that I had buried away for a long time. They had resurfaced again and started haunting me in my sleep. 

"You need to get out of here for a while," I whispered to myself, running a hand through my raven-black hair.

Getting up from the bed, I put on my shoes and headed out of the room. I walked alone through the dark corridor. The old wood creaked beneath my feet filling the silent air with an irritating noise. It was jarring to the ears and I felt my ears would start bleeding if I didn't get rid of it soon. The mansion had lost its soul. With years of abandonment, it was left uncared. It reminded me more of a building that was about to collapse rather than a place that held my childhood in every nook and corner.

I got down the stairs and left through the main door. I walked on the stone path that led to the garden. The night air was cold and the leaves of trees rustled singing an unknown song. I was swimming in a black hole, trapped forever, trying to find the light. I was fucking tired of running. 

My power was gone, my family was dead, and I was running away like a coward. I never felt more useless in my life. Rafe joined hands with Dante D’Angelo, our mother's killer. And not just that he even planned to kill father and succeeded. He was right. I was just a laughing stock and nothing more.

I reached a tall tree and took cover under it, resting my back against its trunk. The starless night perfectly described the way I felt. Hollow and devoid of life. 

The devil inside me clawed at my heart and mind. It wanted revenge, blood, my brother's blood.

I was done running. It was time to take charge now. You pay for what you sowed and it was time for Rafe to suffer.

He was nothing but a traitor deserving death. I should have killed him that day with the shard of glass instead of hitting him just on the knee. My mind was too cloudy at that time. I never realised that a snake was residing in my brother’s body ready to bite the hand that raised it. 

This was it. It was time to show him exactly what he did. He was way beyond saving and even if I died taking him down then so be it.

***

The sun was high in the sky and I spent the remainder of the night organising my thoughts and coming up with a plan. The first task was to get Vivian out of my mess. She saved my life by putting her own on the line without care. I selfishly dragged her along and instead of saving more lives and working in the hospital, she was stuck in this rundown place with me. 

The sound of footsteps caught my attention and I turned my neck in it's direction. It was Vivian, strolling towards me leisurely. She let loose her blonde hair for the first time. I noticed that it reached her waist. 

"Why are you wandering outside instead of having breakfast?" She asked.

"Just felt like getting fresh air," I told her, folding my arms across my chest. 

"I see."

"You won't have to eat messily put together food anymore," I said.

"Are you gonna make five-star restaurant food for me, Mr. Marino?" She laughed.

"Not really." 

"Then, what are you gonna do?" Her heterochromatic eyes shone with curiosity. She tied her loose blonde hair  into a tight bun on her head and looked at me.

"We're leaving this place today. I finally found a direction,” I said. “I got a plan. If it works then, everything will be back to normal.”

“Share the plan.”

"It shouldn't concern you. The main thing is if it fails, I die. Got nothing to lose anyway.” 

"Aaden! What nonsense are you spouting? I didn't save your life so you could go ahead and die." She looked at me with furrowed brows.

I let out a laugh and said, "We are from different worlds that are poles apart. Death isn't something that scares me. I would rather die trying then, hide for the entirety of life, regretting that I didn't try." 

It was a simple fact. Nothing more, nothing less. It’s better to die fighting, at least, I can say, ‘I tried.’

"Is that it?" 

"Pretty much. Once I safely take you back to your brother, Raul—then we'll go our own separate ways," I said. My voice was clear and thoughts set in a definite direction after a long time.

She looked at me as if trying to see through but said nothing.

"It's not like anybody cares whether I live or die," I told her.

"I do." A concerned expression washed across her face and her eyes were gloomy as if a layer of sadness spread across them.

"What?" 

"I care whether you live or die." 

I was dumbstruck and couldn't believe the words that she said. An indescribable feeling crept in the creaks of my heart like a crack in a wall. 

"I can't stop you. Your life is yours at the end, but I do care." She walked away, leaving me alone to wonder with infinite thoughts and unanswered questions.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed reading. Don't forget to vote, comment, and share. This is an unedited chapter so, forgive me for the grammatical errors.

Next update: MONDAY (7th Feb)