"No, you were not allowed, so now you deserve punishment," he said. Bending his back while coming closer to me, he placed his lips on mine again.

.....

I walked inside, taking slow steps. Dad, Mom, Evan, Victor, and Aunt were all sitting there on the sofa watching something.

Victor looked at me instantly as I took one step inside the hall.

"Oh, you are here too. Go quickly, change, and come here quickly," Dad said.

I knew what the excitement was about. I nodded my head and walked towards my room. Placing the backpack in its place, I took my comfy clothes and went inside the bathroom.

As the cold water kept pouring slowly on my head, the image of Rhys together with me kept coming back and forth, and then whatever Victor had said, how his eyes looked at me.

Letting out a small sigh, I closed my eyes, emptying my thoughts. I started focusing on clearing my skin. Taking the vanilla body wash in my hand, I started rubbing my skin. Although there was a loofah, I always preferred the softness of my hand.

Taking the shampoo, I made foam between my palms and then started applying it on my scalp.

Once everything was done, I tapped on the water again and let the foam drip along with the water from my body.

Taking the small razor and the body wash once again from the cabinet, I removed the unwanted hair from my body. I liked to shave every day as it made me feel clean.

Walking out finally from the shower, I dried my whole body with a towel and then started applying a mixture of glycerine and moisturizer on my skin. Then I wore a red shiny set of pajamas. (Just wanted to give a small tip today about body care, I think.)



Walking down the stairs, I saw my mom running towards the sofa with some snacks in her hand in a hurry.

"Did it start?" she asked, panicking, and I shook my head.

Well, today the president was going to make some announcement, and Dad was so excited about it as he always had an interest in politics. This interest captured Mom's attention too, but it was forced upon Evan and me. They wanted us to watch too, although we were not interested, but we were forced to watch. Alas.

"What did he say?" I asked, sitting on the empty seat beside Victor as there was no seat left. Trying to ignore his presence, I decided to act normal, but it was hard when my body was awkwardly trying to push myself away from him.

"Not yet," Victor said, and I hummed, rubbing my fingers on the silk fabric of my night suit.

It was awkward. I turned my gaze slightly at him when I saw him taking a deep breath.

"Vanilla," he whispered, and I blinked my eyes. My cheeks started burning, and I quickly turned my head towards the TV.

Finally, the president arrived, giving a speech about the education and employment program he was about to release. Then he said something, and my mind went blank.

"Also, the new minister will also be taking his post there," and then he came.

Wearing a navy blue coat, his hair neatly styled, his white and black beard giving him a sense of maturity, his sharp eyes looked at the cameras like they were connecting to us directly. He looked powerful, just like his son.

Alessandro Bernard (Father of Rhys).

"I KNEW IT!" Dad shouted excitedly. Even though he knew the dark side of him, he always admired his work in politics and the business world.

My mom chuckled, seeing his enthusiasm, and then everyone did when Dad got up, walked towards the TV, and pointed at Mom, who was against him.

"See, I told you," he said mockingly, and Mom rolled her eyes.

"Of course, you did," she said like it didn’t affect her, and Dad frowned, not expecting this reaction. Then suddenly, he started laughing as he realized Mom was faking it.

Mom whined but then also started laughing. Meanwhile, Victor and I remained silent.

"I want to fight, Maya," Victor suddenly said in a very low voice, and I stilled before letting out a small question.

"Why?"

"Because I always wanted to have you, Maya, and now that he is there in my place, I want to fight. Even when I know I will lose, I want to fight."

"Don’t," I replied in one small word, and he made a tch sound before asking the same question as I did.

"Why?"

I didn’t have the answer. What should I tell him? That it would get him killed? Yeah, I should, but then, would he listen? Seeing the determination in his eyes kept clenching something in my heart.

"Because I love him," I said and stood up, walking towards the kitchen without looking into his eyes.

Taking out the bottle of cold water, I closed the door when suddenly, he, with a jerk, turned me towards him. I didn’t know when he appeared there. Pressing me more onto the fridge door, he stared at me with the same painful gaze I had seen in college.

"Y...ou are lying," he said, and I gulped, trying to steady myself. My legs were getting weak. I wanted this moment to end quickly. I never wanted to hurt someone, but I kept doing it, maybe intentionally or maybe unintentionally.

The guilt of making him sad kept making me feel weak. My one warm hand was pressed against his chest while the other cold one, which was holding the water bottle tightly, was getting squeezed between his chest and the bottle.

"Let me fight," he said.

"You will get killed," I replied this time with the truth.

"Then let me get killed," he said softly.

"He is powerful," I said in a small voice.

"I know," he said.

"I don’t want you to get killed," I whispered, and he chuckled.

"Yet you are here, killing me with your harsh words."

"I didn’t," I said instantly.

"Yes, you did. When you said he was your boyfriend, you hurt me, and when you said you loved him, you stabbed the knife of that word for someone else inside me."

"It’s the truth, Victor," I mumbled, and he chuckled before turning his back to me. He said while walking out, "And another stab got pierced inside, Maya."

I stood numb. The bottle fell on the ground along with me. I sat on the ground while the bottle rolled a little away from me.

A chuckle left my mouth when Rhys's face came in front of my eyes.

"You, why don’t you leave me?"

"How can I when you are mine, butterfly?"

His voice echoed in my ears, even when I knew he wasn’t there. He was claiming me as his, even without his presence.

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