№32| The Past That Haunts Us (Part 2)
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“Remember, you don't have to do this if you don't want to, Cruella.” Hex reminded her, the team sitting in the living room, waiting for the DeVille Kids to start.

“You should know how we got this way.” Marmalade said, looking down at the scar on her stomach.

“But we don't want you to relive that just for us.” Rosemary rubbed his shoulder lovingly.

“I know you don't but this is something you should know before going into the finals.” Gillian raked back his blond hair.

“Do you want to start Cruella?” Marmalade said, Cruella nodded.

“Juniper’s abuse started when we were children, but it got to its peak when Gillian was born.” Cruella stared down at her tea, thinking back to those hard times.

“Okay Miss Puree, it’s just one last push,” the doctor said, Glinda clutched the railing.

“You’ve been pushing for almost half a day! It didn’t even take me that long to get Tangerine.” Juniper groaned, scrolling through her instagram as she sipped her smoothie.

“That’s because you had...a C-section, Miss Juniper...I am pushing him out.” Glinda groaned, pushing harder.

“Yeah duh, I wasn’t about to go through all that,” Juniper rolled her eyes, “that’s why you’re here.”

“Of course, Miss Juniper - AGH! Gods dammit this baby’s head is huge.” Glinda shot up.

“This is the last one, Miss Puree.” The doctor nodded, Glinda breathed heavily, ultimately nodding.

After one push, the sounds of a baby crying brought relief to Glinda’s body. The doctors dried the baby off before giving him to Glinda.

“Finally! That took forever,” Juniper groaned, grabbing the paper work, “what to name this one…?”

“How about Gillian? Like his father’s middle name.” Glinda smiled softly, kissing Gillian’s forehead.

“That sperm donor? Please,” Juniper scoffed, “I have a better name; Anjou.”

“Your name is Gillian, don't you forget that,” Glinda whispered, Gillian cooed happly, “you’re so adorable.”

“Wait so your father’s middle name is Gillian?” Hex questioned.

“My father is still alive, so is my mother, but we haven’t been able to talk since we left due to safety reasons.” Cruella stirred her tea, staring into her reflection, “I would kill to see them again.”

Hex rubbed her back, “I know…” he muttered.

Juniper looked at Gillian, “he’s all slimy and fleshy,” she gagged in disgust, “how could you love something so weak.”

“He isn't weak,” Glinda held Gillian close, “he’s gonna be a strong animalistic.”

A knock came from the door, slowly opening it to reveal Cruella, Marmalade, and their father Santos.

“Santos, come and meet your son,” Glinda smiled, Juniper rolled her eyes, pushing Santos out of the way to leave the delivery room.

~Y~

“Wait, wait, wait,” Sergio stopped Cruella, “your father is Santos, what’s his last name?”

“I think before him and my mother married it was Lumos.” Marmalade guessed.

“I was friends with him in college! He told me out of this chick he met on summer break I just never thought it was Glinda! Holy shit, never though Santos of all people would settle down.”

“I never knew you knew my father, but may I continue without any interruptions?” Cruella sighed.

“Sorry, continue.”

~Y~

Juniper glared at Marmalade and Cruella, “move, vermin,” she hissed.

“Don't talk to us like that!” Cruella stood in front of Marmalade, defending her.

Juniper kicked her in the stomach, “don't you dare talk back to me!” she flipped her hair before walking away.

“Are you okay, big sis?” the 8 year old Marmalade asked,  heping up the 11 year old Cruella.

“Yeah,” she flashed her a fake smile, luckily Marmalade bought it, “I’m good, let’s go see Gillian.”

The two walked in to see Santos standing beside the bed, kissing Glinda’s forehead, “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you, my love,” Glinda handed him the baby boy, “I named him after you.”

“His name is Santos?!” Santos' eyes lit up, “awe! Little Santos Jr!”

“No,” Glinda chuckled, “his name Gillian.”

“Awe, like my middle name.” Santos kissed his forehead.

“Yeah, I hope you love him,” Glinda yawned. 

Santos cocked his head, letting the girls no it’s safe to enter, “come meet your new brother.

“He’s so small,” Marmalade looked up at her dad, “why is that?”

“It’s disgusting,” Juniper groaned, “all slimy and icky,” Juniper shook Glinda awake, “come on, I got a job for you.”

“Juniper, she just gave birth, she needs to rest!” Santos scolded.

Juniper glared at him, “Listen, sperm donor, I let you stay with Glinda to produce soldiers for me, I didn’t bring you here for back talk.”

“She pushed a human out of her! She needs to sleep! She can't be your handmaid right now, use someone else!” Santos held Glinda close, Juniper growled.

She muttered something in latin, pulling Glinda towards her, “she works for me! You come second!”

Glinda sighed, shaking her head, “santos, I’ll be fine,” Glinda smiled.

“Fine?! You need rest, then you’ll be fine,” Santos tried to pull her back towards her but Juniper blasted him back with her magic.

“Stay in your lande, Sperm Donor.” Juniper hissed, pulling Glinda by the hair as they two left.

Santos punched the wall, “that bitch!”

Gillian began crying, “shh...shhh..I’m sorry, daddy didn’t mean to scare you.” Santos soothed, soon the baby calmed down.

“Daddy,” Cruella held his hand, “are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Santos walked back to the cabin where himself, Cruella, Marmalade, and Glinda stayed, “I will be here once we get out of here.”

“Daddy, I think we both know we won't get out of here…” Cruella frowned. Santos stopped, crouching down beside Cruella.

“Hey,” he lifted up her head, “I promised you one day we get out of here, didn’t I?”

“But Juniper will never let us go…” Cruella cried.

“Cruella, don't worry about that, I told you I’ll get us out and I will. You’re a preteen, worry about preteen stuff like glitter press on nails and One Direction.” Santos tapped her nose, Cruella laughed.

“What’s One Direction?” Cruella tilted her head.

“Never mind, love,” he unlocked the door to the cabin, “can you and Marmalade place Gillian in his crib while I get dinner ready?”

Marmalade grabbed Gillian as the kids rushed upstairs, Marmalade and Cruella stood over the crib, “do you think Mommy was right about bringing Gillian into this world?”

“I think so, he’ll be a nice little edition to our family.” Cruella smiled, tickling Gillian’s stomach. The baby laughed, reaching his hands up towards his big sisters.

“Welcome to the family, Gillian.”

°•. ✿ .•°

As the years droned on, so did Juniper’s abuse.

Cruella was thrown against the wall, her arms and wrist locked in with chains, “since you spilled tea on my investor, you should get the same treatment!” Juniper brought over a pot of scalding hot tea, pouring it over Cruella’s body.

“AGH!” Cruella yelled, the tea making sveal scorch marks on her body.

~Y~

Cruella pushed away the tea, “ever since then I can't look at tea…”

~Y~

As the hot tea continued to rain down on her, Cruella rolled up into a tiny ball, trying to escape the pain.

“Get up!” Juniper whipped her leg, Cruella sobbed, shaking her head, “I SAID GET UP!”

Cruella used the selves of weapons to prop herself up to her feet, she breathed heavily, coughing up the tea that got into her mouth.

“Millions of dollars down the drain all because you spilled tea on him!” Juniper pulled down the spiked whip, “haven't used this one since your sister was in here last week.”

She whipped it across Cruella’s face, cutting her cheek deeply.

~Y~

“Is that how you got that scar, mi amour?” Hex asked, Cruella stared into the mirror across the room.

“Yes,” she looked down, “I’ve hated that woman for the scars she put on me.”

“Not only me, but Marmalade and Gillian.” Cruella looked at her sister.

“Because of her, I couldn't trust a man for years…”

~Y~

Marmalade cried in the corner, holding her knees to her chest, the door opened, letting the light of the hallway into the dull room.

“There she is sir,” Juniper roughly lifted her off the floor by her hair, “she just got all cleaned up just for you.”

“You sprayed me with a hose.” Marmalade muttered, Juniper shakened her in the side, “shut up!” she watched as the wound closed but the pain was still there.

“See! She heals so fast you can do whatever you want to her and not worry about bruises! She’ll feel all the pain you won't.” Juniper pushed her towards the man.

Marmalade shivered when she looked into his cold green eyes, “n-no…no more...I can't take anymore men…”

“Shh…” he placed his finger on her lips, Marmalade felt like she was going to throw up as she inhaled his disgusting scent, “girls like you prettier when they’re not talking.”

Marmalade growled, stepping on his foot and biting his finger, “womanzising, pig!”

Juniper was about to slap her but the man held up his hand, “don't, I like it when they fight back, makes the sex so much better.”

“Ugh, men,” Juniper and Marmalade said simultaneously.

Juniper pushed her forwards, walking towards the door before stopping at it, “you got half an hour, anymore than that and you’ll have to pay up.”

“I think thirty minutes will be enough,” he smirked slyly, advancing on Marmalade.

Juniper laughed, watching the suffering form in Marmalade’s eyes as she closed the door that kept Marmalade from freedom, leaving the poor animalistic to experience yet another rape.

~Y~

“It took years of therapy to recover from that madhouse…” Marmalade traced her fingers along the scars on her arm, “but therapy only helps with the emotions wounds, not the scars your forced to see every day…”

Emmanuel kissed the top of her head, “I’m sorry, love,” he whispered lovingly.

“She tortured Cruella, forced me into countless rapes, and turned Gillian into a war machine!”

~Y~

Gillian wasn’t one to prone to fight and Gillian’s parents were okay with this. Juniper, however, was not.

Gillian ran around the training center, trying to dodge the weapons Tangerine threw at him.

“Stop running and fight me!” Tangerine scolded, throwing a battle axe that almost hit his head.

“I told you! I don't like fighting!” Gillian shot back, quickly rolling out of the way of a barrage of arrows.

“And I told you I don't care!” Juniper clenched the railing as she watched from the viewing area above, she looked down at her tablete that displayed Gillian’s vitals.

“Let’s see if that Huntervirus those lab rats made works.” Juniper pressed a few buttons before looking at Tangerine and nodded. She nodded back before placing on a mask as the center became engulfed in a red mist.

Once the mist cleared, Gillian was transformed into a jaguar with gleaming red eyes, ready to attack anything that moves.

“It works!” Juniper and Tangerine high fived, “let’s test it out.” the pressed another button, sending down a mannequin in front of Gillian, “attack!”

Just as told, Gillian began to rip apart the mannequin limb from limb. Ripping off its head as he shaked it in it’s mouth. Juniper laughed mockingly, “he’s perfect!”

She turned off the virus, letting Gillian turn back to normal, his eyes widened at the scene in front of him. He quickly backed up against the wall in fear, panting hard “wh-what...n-no…”

“Aw, what’s wrong Gillian? You should be proud that you ripped that mannequin apart, wait till we get real people in here! It’ll be great!”

~Y~

“After that day, Juniper used me as an executioner for her prisoners,” Gillian clenched his mug of coffee, “I killed millions of innocent people because of that woman!”

He slammed his hand down on the table, “I don't care what I have to do tomorrow, I want that devil woman’s blood splattered all over that arena!”

“My blood?” Juniper’s cocky voice brought all the dragon’s attention towards her and Tangerine, “I gave you a house, food, a family, and you want my blood splattered along the walls?!” Juniper fake gasped, holding her hand on top of her chest.

“How the hell are you here?!” Cruella’s eyes flashed pink in anger.

“Now is that any way to greet your mother?” Juniper sipped her tea, “kids these days are so ungrateful.”

“Mother?!” Marmalade rose from her seat, “that’s the last thing I would call you.”

“Pipe down, Clementine-”

“Her name is Marmalade.” Matias glared at her, “now leave before I rip off another one of your limbs.”

“Oh yeah, thanks to you I had to get a robotic arm,” Tangerine flexed her fingers, “those 8 hours of surgery were not fun.”

“Awe, only 8 hours? Why couldn't the surgery be longer so you experienced the pain Cruella, Marmalade, and Gillian faced.” Eponine smirked.

Tangerine growled, “don't think you’re slick because you’re wolf is here to protect you, I can still kick your ass, princess.”

“Oh you wanna go?!” Eponine pulled her hair into a messy bun, advancing on Tangerine as her eyes glowed lavender, about to transform but Matias held her back.

“She’s not worth it, Eppy.” Matias whispered.

“Yeah, hold her back, it’s not like she could beat me anyways!” Tangerine cackled, Eponine tried fighting out of Matias’ arms but his hold on her was too strong.

“Give one good reason why I shouldn’t rip your heart out for even being near the DeVille kids.” Emmanuel’s hands began to coat in poison.

“I’m here to tell you the rules of tomorrow’s match,” Juniper fixed her hair in the mirror, watching the family of misfits in the reflection of the mirror, “you will be allowed 2 substitutes,” she spoke, facing back towards the family.

“I guess the same goes for you?” Mama scoffed, knowing far too well not to trust the mafia leader.

“Of course not,” Juniper shook her head, “I will be getting no substitutes.”

“Somebody's cocky,” Mama muttered.

“Second,” she held up two fingers, “I will be picking who’s fighting me.”

“Bastard,” Mama snarled, glaring daggers at Juniper.

“Just for that, you’ll be fighting me first.” Juniper smirked at the ice magic user.

“Why wait till tomorrow?” Mama’s eyes glinted with excitement, “we can fight right here right now,” she took off her chanclas, “Sergio, hold my shoes! I’m fucking this bitch up.”

Before she could lay a hand on Juniper, Sergio and Hex held her back, “Mama, she wants you to get angry so we’d get disqualified!” Hex said, but his mother didn’t seem to listen.

“I want that bitch dead for taking your father away from us for all those years!” Mama yelled, trying to get free but her oldest son and her husband weren’t going to let her get disqualified.

“Lets see, for her substitutes…” she scanned the room pointing at Marmalade, “Clementine, or who you call Marmalade,” her finger shifted towards Cruella, “and Quince, or who you call Cruella.”

“Perfect,” Cruella pounded her fist into her palm, her pink animalistic energy exceeding from her fist, “do you know how long I've been waiting to kill you?”

“Don't take all the fun, sister,” Marmalade’s eyes flashed yellow, “you’re not the only one she hurt.”

A little part of Juniper deep down was scared of the animalistic and the ice magic user and what they could do to her. But forever egotistical, she couldn't show weakness right now.

“Third,” Juniper slightly gulped, holding up a third finger, “if you somehow win, which isn't very likely, I will turn over the mafia to you three, everything will be in your name.”

“Everything?” Gillian questioned, not trusting the witch.

“Everything,” she annoucentated, “it’ll all be yours. That’s only if you win, of course, if you don't then you all will stay here forever!”

Cruella froze, “wh-what?”

“Ooo, where’d all that confidence go?” Tangerine snickered, “somebody scared?”

“Of course not!” Cruella scolded, “we’ll beat you tomorrow and make you pay for all our years of suffering!”

“I can't wait,” Juniper winked, “sleep well, Golden Dragon, it might be your last night of peace.” And just like that, Juniper and Tangerine disappeared in a puff of black smoke.

The room fell silent, all eyes on the DeVille Kids, Cruella cleared her throat, “get some rest, we need to get ready for tomorrow.”

°•. ✿ .•°

Marmalade sat on the bed, hugging her knees to her chest, Emmanuel kneeled down in front of her, “are you nervous?”

“A little,” Marmalade replied, “everything is riding on me, Cruella, and Mama.”

Emmanuel kissed her forehead, “don't be worried my love,” his kisses trailed down her face, soon reaching her neck, “even if we lose, I have Dizzy and the Ruby Rebels on stand by to bust us out.”

“Call them off,” Marmalade whispered ever so slightly.

“What?” Emmanuel released his lips off her neck, “honey, normally I agree with you on everything, but not this, I’m not calling them off.”

“I don't want people to get hurt…” Marmalade looked down, “I’m already risking all your lives already...I don't need more lives on me…”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Emmanuel held the side of her face, “nobody is going to blame you if we lose,” Emmanuel kissed her lips, “and even if you can't beat her, me, Hex, Ector, and Gabriella will go in.”

“That’s against the rules,” Marmalade muttered.

Emmanuel laughed, “when have I ever played by the rules?”

“I guess that’s true.” Marmalade laughed alongside him.

“Exactly,” Emmanuel kissed her nose, making Marmalade giggle, “nobody is taking my Sunflower away from me.”

°•. ✿ .•°

Cruella stood outside on the balcony, taking in the moon's radiance, she felt Hex’s arms wrap around her waist.

“I haven’t seen you this sad since you were with Christopher.” Hex rested his head on top of her shoulder, “you’ve been silent ever since you woke up from the synchronized dream.”

Cruella didn’t reply, her eyes fixated on the moon.

“Mi amor (my love),” Hex intertwined his fingers with her’s, “talk to me, please, I hate seeing you sad.”

Once again, Cruella didn’t reply, sighing softly.

“Cruella, you’re worrying me, please, I don't want what could possibly be our last night together be spent in sadness.” Hex whimpered slightly.

“That’s the problem,” Cruella frowned, “this just may be our last night together…”

“Is that what's troubling you?” Hex questioned, Cruella nodded.

“I love you so much, Hex,” Cruella turned around, cupping his face with her hands, “I love the way you say my name, the way you can calm me down, the way you know how to arrange the chocolate chips in my pancakes to spell my name, the way you kiss me, the way you hold me during the night. I love it all Hex.”

She felt tears flowing down her cheeks, “but if we lose tomorrow, I want you to forget about me, take your family and go. I’m sure there’s another woman out there for you…”

“Are you insane?!” Hex clenched her shoulders, “I can't believe you would tell me to just ‘take my family and go’, as if I would ever leave your side!”

“I don't want to argue with you, Hex,” she sighed, shaking her head.

“Neither do I, but I don't think you understand that I’m with you for the long run.” Hex promised her, wiping her tears, “I don't care if the world begins to fall, I’ll be by your side till the end.”

“So tomorrow, win or lose, we’re all coming out alive,” Hex softly rested his forehead on her’s, “and that’s a promise, Cruella.”

~A/N~

My Lord was that a sad chapter!!! I cried writing it, like I wanted it to be sad but I didn't think it be this sad. Like sorry if I made y'all cry!

Anyways, how was the chapter, beside the emotion was anyone confused? Gods and goddess I hope u guys weren't confused

Stay Sweet,
Love Sugar ❣️