Reuben Kensington's Pov.

I was frozen. Time seems to stand still. I struggle to process the overwhelming reality that's just been revealed. My sister wanted to kill herself.

I feel a surge of intense reactions — a clash of anger, sorrow, and fear. I don't know how to feel.

"Were we so consumed by the loss that we forgot about our sister who we could have saved?" Ezekiel said coming out of the similar shock as mine.

"No. She was lying. That was just a boarding school. Every boarding school has some strict rules. The rules of that school must be overwhelming for her. That's not a big deal." I tried to deny the negative thoughts and the things she our sister just said.

"Reuben, you heard yourself what she said. She has been strong since childhood. Do you believe that the rules over there made her overwhelmed?" My twin asked the thing that I have been denying.

There was silence until someone punched a wall. Zephyrus's knuckles were bleeding. He has anger issues, and this seems to be the thing to provoke his anger further.

"What does she mean by that was not a boarding school? As far as I remember, dad sent her to a boarding school. What was the name of it?" Kaelen asked.

I don't know what is happening. Dad clearly said that he dropped her to a boarding school himself. He didn't tell us the name of the boarding school. Besides, we were too disheveled to know about it.

"Aldric, you must know something?" Ezekiel asked.

"No. Dad denied giving the name of that boarding school."

We were processing all of this when we heard something breaking.

"Was that from Athaliah's room?" Royce asked.

We were about to go to her room when we heard a scream or more specifically, our sister's scream.

"STOP....."

The sound was so intense and raw that it cut through the air like a blade. The scream isn't just loud—it's a mixture of anguish, despair, and an unbearable level of pain, desperate and unrestrained.

We ran towards her room and banged on the door.

"Athaliah, open the door. Are you ok?"

"Cupcake, please open the door."

"Sweetheart, are you ok in there?"

"Everyone, move aside." Zephyrus said.

We moved aside and he broke the door in two bangs.

When we entered her room, we saw Athaliah curled up in the corner of her room, her head tucked into her knees, hiding her face as her body shakes with uncontrollable sobs. In her left hand, she tightly grips a sharp, broken piece of a vase. The jagged edges of the ceramic are cruel, cutting deeply into her skin. Blood slowly trickles from her palm, staining her fingers and dripping onto the floor below. Despite the pain, her grip remains firm, as though she cannot release the shard.

"Athaliah!" Aldric shouted and went towards her. His voice was so concerned. This is the most emotion that I have heard from him.

Aldric tried to calm her, but she wasn't coming out of her panicked state.

"Call a doctor." Adric yelled at us.

"I have already called. He is coming in 5." Ezekiel responded.

Although panicked, Ezekiel knows how to handle any situation.

I cannot see my sister in this state.

"Please..........stop." Athaliah whispered. Her voice now slow and faint.

Aldric and Ezekiel are trying everything for her to get out of that horrendous nightmare, but nothing seems to be working out.

"I just want to kill myself."

She spoke for the last time before fainting in Aldric's arms.

Every person's heart in this room shattered after listening to our sister. Royce and Kaelen are frozen on their spots. Zephyrus is sitting near Athaliah's fainted figure. His hands lay helplessly on the floor.

Unable to see my sister in pain, I came out of the room. I went downstairs to receive the doctor and help him get to Athaliah faster.







Athaliah Kensington's Pov.

He is here. In my room.

No. I am back in that basement. My stomach is pressed against the metal door. My arms are bound at the wrists, with thick ropes wrapping tightly around them, pulling my hands upward and toward the door frame. Both my legs are tied toward the lower end of the door.

No. This can't be happening. I can't be back here.

I tried to pull my hands back, but the knots tied on them were very tight.

"You are awake, lavender." I heard his voice.

"You know you shouldn't have tried to escape. Look where it got you."

He came closer and fisted my hair tightly and painfully.

"You know the consequences of betraying me well."

"I........."

"Now, bear the consequence."

He released my hair and went away.

"No, please no."

I begged him to release me. I can't bear it again.

Next thing I felt was the knife thrown at my back which cut my back deeply. As the blade made contact with my skin, there is an immediate cold sensation where the metal touches, quickly followed by the sharp, biting pain of the knife piercing the flesh.

I know where this is going. This is not happening for the first time. Throwing daggers, knives, spears and other weapons at me, after tying me up was one of my worst nightmares.

After they were tired from the knives, they started firing bullets in my direction. One bullet directly hit my shoulder blade.

Some more daggers and sharp pointed things were thrown at my back. The pain is intense. The pain in my back after multiple knives are stabbed into it is excruciating and overwhelming. Each knife contributes to a deep, relentless pain that intensifies with every new injury. The impact of each subsequent knife only amplifies the initial pain, with each wound layering on top of the last.

"STOP....."

I screamed again, hoping this to end.

"You know lavender, you can never escape from us."

After hours of torture, I left my hope to be saved.

"Please............stop."

My pleadings were deaf to their ears.

Once the throwing was stop, He came near my ear and said,

"You cannot escape from me."

This is it. I am not going to be free from him ever.

I just want to kill myself.







Aldric Kensington's Pov.

After the doctor checked my baby sister, we tucked her into bed. I can't believe what just happened. Right now, I am feeling a complex mix of confusion. Although I am feeling a deep sense of relief that she is safe and calm, her breathing steady as she rests, this relief is coupled with lingering worry—concern about whether she will experience another panic attack, or whether she's truly okay despite the outward calm.

I see the white bandage in her hand. She was holding it too tightly, as if she knew she was having a panic attack and she needed to be in the present moment.

I am sure this is not the first time my sister has had a panic attack.

I just don't know how to help her.

All my brothers are scattered in Athaliah's room. I know they want to make sure she is safe now.

No matter how asshole some of my brothers are to Athaliah, I know, deep down they care for her. But they are just messed up emotionally and are confused.

The very first thing I need to search for is the place where she was sent to. She told us that it was not a boarding school.

Knowing how my dad was, I can't help but think he took out his personal grudge on my baby sister.

My brothers don't know what kind of man our father was. It is better that way. They don't need to know what I know.

Besides me, there are only two people who know how my father was as a person.

My mother.

And.

My sister.

I don't want my sister to endure anything like today ever again.

I wish I could be a better brother.

———🌸———

Here is the next chapter guys.

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