⚠️ TW: MENTION OF SUICIDE IN THE END.

. . .

When I came back home, I wasn’t the only campus girl there.

I was standing at the double doors of the living room, watching Massie sit in the centre with Mrs Kingston. Unluckily, my mother was to serve them some drinks. The older women gave me apologetic looks as if feeling sorry for me witnessing my colleague in such conditions.

If only they knew.

“Melanie, how lovely seeing you here!” Massie chirped. Her fake tone made me sick in the guts. “Came to visit your boyfriend?”

I trembled, bracing myself for their reactions. My legs could barely hold me. I contemplated whether I should turn around and run back to wherever I came from, maybe back to where Mum and I once were before that whole mess started. That would have been lovely.

“Sorry?” Mrs Kingston first interjected. Her wrinkles were more evident than before.

Massie faced her again. “Oh, you didn’t know?” She feigned innocence. “I thought… I thought Kai tells his mum everything, especially… after what happened last year.” She looked up to my mother, who stood there unsure of what to do or say. “I know you’re her mother, by the way. Did she not tell you too?”

My mother’s face was drained of colour, but she didn’t say a word. Our mouths as the bottom class could be the end of us. She looked up to me, sorrow evident in her heavy gaze. I could see her lips quiver, but she tried to keep them in a straight line.

And right then, I knew I failed my mother. I avoided any possible eye contact with her.

Mrs Kingston put down her teacup, willing to dwell on Massie’s words. “Massie, dear, are you okay? Are you serious?” she demanded.

Massie’s face was no longer kind and friendly. Her brows met, and her lips puckered, creating an ugly scowl on her face. “Are you serious? Suggesting to me your son as a nice guy although he is with someone?” She stood up, clutching her purse to her side. “You’ve humiliated me. Thank God I made no serious public advancement. I will not let this pass.”

Massie stormed out of the place and bumped shoulders with me. I didn’t dare to look up the whole time while every cell in my body shook in fear.

“Come here, Melanie!” Mrs Kingston ordered after a minute of silence. Her fists clenched.

I obeyed.

“Is what she said true? Are you dating my son?”

I didn’t reply. My lips opened and closed, but no words came out. Her slap to my face came alarmingly, my second slap of the day. I felt like unwanted trash. My mother yelped, rushing to my side as I fell to the floor. She whispered to me everything was going to be okay, but I still didn’t reply.

“We offered both of you shelter, we fed you, we paid you well, and this is how you pay us back?! By distracting my son?” she yelled. “My husband offered you that scholarship, so you could see what kind of world you don’t fit in, yet you didn’t learn.” Her face was a thousand times sourer with a scowl.

“Ma’am, stop! My daughter does not deserve to go through this. Have you asked your son why he has been following her around too? A relationship takes two people!” my mum finally spoke with her boss.

“That’s enough,” a fourth voice emerged. It didn’t sound that familiar to me, but I knew it. When I looked behind my back, I saw Kevin. “That’s enough, Eleanor.”

Mrs Kingston’s face hardened. “Don’t butt in, and it is Mrs Chairwoman for you if you don’t wanna use mother.”

“Eleanor,” he repeated with a hint of a smirk on his lips. Kevin walked closer to me and gripped my arm. With a softer expression, he mumbled, “Come with me.”

Only I could hear him. He yanked me out of the room without looking back even. He walked with such confidence as if he owned the area, which he kind of did.

“Kevin, come back!” she screamed in frustration. “Your father will not let you go away with this. She needs to face him!”

He looked at her over his shoulder. “I hope he doesn’t let me go, and it’s CEO for you, Eleanor.”

When Kevin saw I was in shock and as unresponsive as a rock, he almost threw me in the passenger seat, then he fastened my seatbelt himself and rode in his driver’s seat.

“I’m sorry,” I opened my mouth for the first time. “Did you watch all that happened?”

He ignited the engine and drove off. “Only after Massie Williams stormed out and glared my way as well.”

“Where are you taking me?”

“Somewhere safer before father comes back.”

So, Mr Kingston deserved to be called father, and Mrs Kingston didn’t? Unless… she wasn’t his mother.

“Why are you doing this?” I wondered.

“Because it’s the right thing to do. Frank rang me because Kai wasn’t picking up. You’re in danger of these people’s wrath. Get your mother to leave if you can as well.” He grimaced.

Kevin didn’t seem like much of a talker. He only answered questions very precisely and shortly. I decided not to bug him further, trusting him, who knew his family better, to take me somewhere ‘safe’. It sounded as if he knew what he was talking about.

“But where is Kai?” I couldn’t help the last question.

“Probably with our father. We were just in a meeting. Pray the news doesn’t reach them yet. At least not when they’re in the same space… Kai is already not the best in his father’s eyes.”

So, that was why I hadn’t seen him all day, and Massie took the chance.

“When I first saw you, you denied dating him. Who hit you on your head after?” Kevin intruded.

I didn’t answer.

“You’ve taken an unwise decision, Melanie González. You’ve introduced yourself to trouble.”

In an eerie, silent ride, we arrived at Kevin’s. It was already very dark and moonless, so only the streetlamps helped me see. He had a small separate house for himself with a garden on the porch. There were no plants, just green, trimmed grass, a shielded table, and two chairs.

He opened the gates for us, then locked it right after as if someone was following us to enter. Kevin was a composed individual, but his moves told something different sometimes. Both the Kingston brothers seemed as though they took any possible activity from their parents into account. That would be scary. I wouldn’t imagine living in fear with my mother like that.

“Do you know how to cook?” Kevin asked once he switched on the lights.

The decorations looked modern, consisting of greyscale colours with white walls. A giant TV screen occupied one wall of the living area. Everything looked in place, clean, and tidy.

I pointed to myself and stammered, “Me?”

He nodded.

“Well, Mum taught me some.”

“Great.” He tucked his hands in his pockets, shrugging. “Cook something, please? I’m tired of takeaway meals. The fridge and cabinets have ingredients.” He walked to his room, leaving me in faze at his behaviour with someone he was talking to only for the second time in his life.

Nonetheless, I thought it was only right of me to return the favour for saving me. I still wondered how my mother was, how they treated her after what I did. I felt ashamed. My greatest fears of the time were coming true.

I only had my bag with me when Kevin took me out. Only my phone was in it and a few necessities. I needed a shower as well. I sent mum a text, telling her I was okay and sorry for what I did. She had seen it but not replied. If she was angry, I understood. I let her be. I wanted to send Kai a text but figured it wasn’t right during the heated events. I let him know on his own. His brother would probably tell him.

I started checking out the cabinets. I found some dry pasta, ground beef, and tomatoes. I guessed they screamed to be cooked together. Kevin came out an hour after. He ate the plate I served him silently. The tension was so thick that I was sure I could cut through it with a knife.

He snorted. “Kai is in detention if you’re waiting for him.”

I scowled. “Detention? Is this high school?”

He smiled lopsidedly. “His mum is like a high school teacher. She is one of the board managers of Kingston University.”

I gave him a look.

“Yeah, she isn’t my mother. We’re half-brothers. Mine is long gone.” He tongued his inner cheek, relaxing back in his seat.

I nodded, mumbling a ‘sorry’. After a while, I added, “Why… Why did you leave the mansion?”

“Didn’t you hear my reason? You were there munching on that burger. I’m sure you did.”

I blushed. “Eh, I mean, what’s wrong between you and Kai?”

“You’re very nosy.” Kevin sighed. “He was just never meant to be.”

How could he say that about his brother?

“He’s irresponsible, yet he is after a managerial place in the holding. He isn’t a fit candidate. His recklessness from last year proves it. All I can see him do is ruin decades of hard work for the family, for me. He needs to learn a lesson, but his mother’s pampering is ruining him.”

Was Kai that type of person who wanted power too? I couldn’t help but think his brother was exaggerating a little, at least. Or, judging by the last sentence, he could be jealous of not having his mother alive like Kai’s. He couldn’t see his brother’s genuine kindness; Kevin sounded like a power sucker himself. Kai was right—his brother wasn’t a family person.

“Then why did you help save his girlfriend?”

For a second, he seemed deep in thoughts, in memories. Nostalgic. “It has nothing to do with him. You don’t identify as Kai’s. You identify as yourself. A person who needed rescue.”

That wasn’t the first time I was reminded of my identity. Did I sound as though I had an identity crisis? Saying I was the maid’s daughter, or Kai’s girlfriend, didn’t mean I didn’t know who I was. I was only stating facts.

When Kevin finished his plate, he took it to the sink and washed it immediately. Actually, his whole place was impressively shiny and clean for someone who lived alone. I made a self-note not to leave anything unwashed or dirty.

“Did he ever tell you about Kimberlee Morris?”

Kimberlee. Kim. I remembered the name faintly from my fight with Massie. I shook my head in negation.

Kevin returned to the counter and sat opposite of me. “I was surprised you’re with him, but not anymore since you don’t know about his recklessness. I bet you would have second thoughts if you knew. If he didn’t tell you, it’s not my place to tell you, then.”

I gulped. What was so bad that could make me stay away from Kai? He had never hurt me. All he ever did was help and be a gentleman, yet he would face harsh consequences.

The sounds of loud wrenching and ringing at the gate scattered my train of thoughts. Behind Kevin’s composed demeanour, I saw the panic in his eyes. He clearly wasn’t expecting visitors. On the intercom screen, Ryan and Kai appeared vaguely. He switched on the outdoor lights and left the house to open the gate.

“I thought you were locked up,” Kevin alleged.

“Where’s Melanie?” Kai asked.

I walked up to the gate and revealed myself. Kai was dressed formally, but his necktie was loose, and his face was sweaty. Ryan looked as if he was in a wordless shock.

Kai pushed everyone in his path away and hugged me. “I’m sorry, Mellie. I’m sorry.” The hug tightened.

“I helped him escape,” Ryan explained, still in the doorway.

Kai pulled away and cupped my cheeks. While I was happy to see him finally, his eyes and his facial expression held sorrow. Little wrinkles I didn’t know he had before filled his darkening face.

I caressed his cheek. “Is everything okay? I mean, besides this whole drama?” I asked.

When his scowl deepened, my stomach churned. I was starting to get paranoid. He looked away, gulping. “I… I don’t know the right way to say this.” Was that a tear about to fall from his eye?

I held his chin to make him face me again. “Kai, what’s wrong?”

“Melanie… your mum… she…”

My eyes widened. “What’s with my mum? Tell!” My heart palpitated faster. I could hear it in my ears.

“She overdosed herself.”

. . .

Sooo, ehem. What do you think happened to her mum?

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