Upon the Pedestal

Hao

face bloodied and bruised from the blows I had given him. His nose an

want to live," I spat, m

ue. He knew h

, she had never given him trouble. Unlike the spoiled brats he had guarded

a bodyguard trailing behind her. So, we had an agreement-she wo

sterday, Marco didn't think twice about waiting f

n her and he said she was a

. But by 9 PM, something felt wrong. Her location hadn't

known location, but she

OB!!! TO KEEP A

ury barely contained. Without thinking, I grabbed

sed hi

here," Lantis interrupte

g to kill you first," I warn

und of gunfire?" he challenged, refer

ched m

sight," I ordered. "And don't you dare show your face unti

arby table and walked away, he

with a headache. I needed to make her hango

oth, my mind kept re

you're chea

I would do

e whispered

e changed. She no longer loves us... AND IT'S

ered under my breath. "She was

'S GOING TO LEAVE US!!! I TOL

HE FÙCK

rom my throat in

ong time since the voice in my head had been this angry-s

ted to keep her where no one could

ouldn't

r I would never bec

er break

. Not after two years of fighting, killing, and bleeding j

e within me. Then, I picked up the bo

ways loved

I barely had time to react before

vi

he bowl to slip from my hands. The soup splashed onto m

she wa

e softened as I t

d, swollen, fill

, what'

!" she screamed, her sobs breaking

E HATES US!!! SHE

at me-it was like she no longer saw th

despite the storm raging inside me. "Ma v

AR!

books, a lamp, even the small framed photo

dged what I could, letting the smaller things hit me.

come ne

ze in

ng to keep my voice steady. "Whatever I

but if she was hurting, the

dy shook with the force of her sobs, her b

ie, p

t focus, her voice quiet but filled with something

e harder than anyt

e wasn't fighting. Instead, she

made sure to act properly, to never caus

d this time, her pain slic

long, didn't you? About them. About hi

fists. So this

to protect you. I didn'

he start. Do you know how many times I cried to you? How many times I wondered why

e guilt clawin

whispered. "I should

I'm sorry. I never

-putting distance between us. She moved around

u. I stayed, even when everyone in my life told me you weren't the rig

ned around my ch

sor

o... I even let you control my life

never d

I SAW IT WITH

her hands against her ears as

et hurt over and over again... I'm tired of

ie... You are-

art s

dagger I had left on

before I could stop h

NO!!!

t, catching her before she col

ed as I tore my shirt, tying it aro

ed, my voice shaki

or bur

o,

him finish. I lifted Jazz

growin

o me," I begged, my voice breaking as Lantis

me, weak, her li

ou," she

nives, but I clu

... I'll take it. But you can't leave me," I murmured against her fore

oy who didn't understand why his father was pointing a gun at his head. As vulnerab

ain, I was that

e slipping away from m