Reuben Kensington's Pov



Athaliah. My sister. My Liah. The most excruciating pain that I bear is the sufferings of my little sister. And to think that I didn't make it any easier for her is killing me.

"She killed our mother. She is mentally sick."

These words will forever haunt me. I will never forgive myself for the pain that has been inflicted on my sister. We prevented her from going to a juvenile center just to put her into another hell.

I was the one who saw knife in Athaliah's hands while our mother lay in the pool of her own blood. Dad came behind me when I started shouting those words. I didn't know any better.

I guess I was wrong all along. Because of me she was sent to a Mental Asylum. I didn't ever want that to happen to her. I was angry at her for ruining our family. In my anger I didn't see that our family only drifted apart with her leaving.

My siblings and I suffered the loss of both of our parents. After mom died, dad was barely at home. Aldric and Ezekiel stepped up for us for a better upbringing. And I feel like I didn't just fail Athaliah, I failed my brothers as well. They gave us a better upbringing.

When I got to know what happened to Athaliah and that call, I was furious. Besides this emotion I feel guilt and remorse for ruining my Liah's life. I can never live with that.

Even my twin, Royce, stopped talking with me for two days. But he is my twin. He knows what is going in my brain and consoled me. He even advised me to apologize to Liah. I was going to do that when it was my turn to sleep in her room. But we are in the hospital right now.

Liah slept an hour back. Every part of me wants to scream, to lash out after seeing her wrapped in bandages like this. I am looking at her, trying to ignore the tightness in my throat, the overwhelming guilt that gnaws at me. She looks so small, fragile under the thin hospital blankets. For all our arguments, for all my anger towards her, I never imagined seeing her like this—helpless and vulnerable, her usual strength gone.

When I got to know that she beat Tyler and his group, I was so proud of her. They needed much more than that which we obviously gave them. Now the bitches who are responsible for my sister lying in a hospital bed will have to pay.

All of my brothers are here, no one wanted to leave her even for a second. But there is also an irritating presence in this room.

"Why aren't you leaving?" I asked.

"I will leave when I am assured enough that she is safe." Zeus replied.

"Her brothers are here to make sure of that. Your presence is not necessary." I snapped.

"Reuben. Don't forget he is the one who saved Athaliah." Aldric warned me.

"But I don't want him near Liah. We don't know about his intentions towards her." I said.

"It's not me you need to be careful of. Someone else got his eyes on your sister." Zeus said, looking at Athaliah.

"What do you mean?" My twin asked.

"You will figure it out." Zeus replied.

"We are grateful for what you did. I sincerely thank you to bring our sister to the hospital." Aldric thanked him.

"She is my best friend. Of course I would help her."

"I hope it will remain that way." Zephyrus said.

Zeus gave us a small smirk.

That motherfucker.

"I will leave now. I just wanted to make sure she is safe which I did not felt when she was attacked in the school." He said eyeing us.

"I don't know why would she hide you three being her brothers. I know that she is capable of taking care of herself but here is a piece of advice. Don't let her get involved in your rivalry at school." He completed.

Giving one last glance at Athaliah, he left.

"You guys can go home and rest. I will stay by her side in the hospital." Aldric said.

"We are not going anywhere. We are staying here." Kaelen said.

You need rest. Especially you three." He said pointing towards me, Royce and Kaelen.

"No. And if you are forgetting, let me remind you. It was my turn to sleep beside her today." I said.

"It is not about turns, Reuben. She needs rest. We all need to rest. And don't forget that we have to pay someone back as well. We need to start collecting evidence." Ezekiel said.

"Yes, only I and Aldric are staying here." Zephyrus said.

"Who invited you?" asked Royce.

Aldric sighed.

"Fine. But let's first go home and take showers turn by turn. We can all stay here tonight." Aldric said.

That seems like a better option.

Ezekiel Kensington's Pov.

I don't know how to feel. I am numb. After what the doctor told us, me and Aldric, we were appalled. We haven't told our younger brothers yet. After they left the room to get freshen at home, I looked at Aldric.

"When are we telling them." I asked.

"Let's wait till this matter solves out." He sighed heavily.

"It's okay to feel, brother." I said, putting my hand on his shoulder.

"I don't know what should I do. After what he told us, I.. I am helpless." This is the first time I ever saw Aldric break down.





Flashback: a few hours earlier.

"What is it doctor?" Aldric asked, getting into the doctor's office.

"Why don't you take your seats first." he replied.

We took our seats, bracing ourselves for what we are about to hear.

"What I told earlier is not the only harm that your sister has endured."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He sighed and said,

"The physical health of your sister is getting treated. However, I am more concerned about her mental health."

He took a pause and continued when neither of us said something,

"While we were treating her, we saw some scars on her body. Some were old and some new but very deep. There were burn marks on her well."

"Cigarette burns?" I asked, remembering the marks I saw on her inner wrists.

"There is much more than that. Severe burns. I have made a file on that."

He picked up a blue file and showed us. In that file there were pictures of her scars, burns and even marks that looked like bullet wounds.

What the hell.

"I wanted to ask something."

We nodded.

"Does she experience any kind of disorder? Like trouble in sleep or something?"

Aldric cleared his throat and replied,

"She....She has nightmares."

"Then if my guess is correct then, she was abused. Very brutally. The kind that we don't even wish for our enemies. I have worked for you for about twenty years now. When you asked for me to treat your sister, I knew you trusted me. That is why I am telling you this. If she has nightmares, I am sure she might as well suffer from panic attacks as well."

I wish we could have brought Athaliah for a checkup sooner.

"From what I have observed is that she does not trust. Even when I was giving her medicines. That's why I showed her the medicines. Her panic attacks can be worse for what we know."

His words hit like a slap to us. There is so much that she had bottled up inside her. We were frozen, trying to process what we'd just heard. How could we ignore the signs?

The words hang in the air between us, heavy and impossible to ignore. we were stunned and overwhelmed. The idea that our sister—someone we have always thought of as indestructible—had been carrying such a weight alone makes us feel small, helpless. Guilt claws at us, the sharp sting of realizing how little we really knew.

"I know some psychologists. If you would like, I can recommend Athaliah's care to her."

We were still trying to process all this. I could not utter a single word. After few minutes, Aldric spoke,

"Let's wait. Knowing Athaliah, she won't sign up for any psychologist. Not after everything that has been done. However, do consult a psychologist. It's better to be prepared in case things gets worse."

"Of course. I will let you know the details of it. I know it is hard to digest but your sister needs you now."

Flashback ends.





"Where are you going?" I asked when I saw Aldric going towards the door.

"I will be back in few hours." He replied.

I know he feels like shit. He feels like he failed his princess. Even I feel the same. How could father send his own daughter to a place where she had to endure such horrors?

"Athaliah needs us." I reminded him.

"I know. And I will be damned if I let Athaliah suffer alone anymore." Saying this, he left.

I know he needs time. He will cool down once he visits the warehouse. Then only will we think how to destroy every single person who looked badly at our sister.





Athaliah Kensington's Pov.

I slowly opened my eyes. There is only dim light coming from outside of the window. I looked around and saw all the Kensington brothers have crashed here in this room. Aldric and Zephyrus are both on left side of me. One holding my hand and the other is sleeping in a sitting position beside my feet. Ezekiel with all the three younger brothers is on the sofa right beside the door.

Okay! How did they even fit into that sofa.

Everyone is sleeping. It's good that they are here, or else I would have panicked, waking up in an unfamiliar room. I don't want to admit but I think they are not like their father who will abandon me to hell.

I hope so.

A motion from the window caught my eye. I got alerted. It could be anyone. I glanced at the utility cart beside me where treatment tools were present like scalpel, curette, scissors, Kelly forceps and so on. I slowly tried to grab the scalpel. But before I could do so, a figure clad in black entered the room through the window. I was about to scream to let these pigs who were sleeping like a baby is drunk, know about the intruder. But before that, a hand, clasped in gloves, covered my mouth.

"Shh.." He whispered.

Only then did I see his eyes.

The orbs that have somehow managed to rent a place in my head.

"You won't shout, okay." he whispered.

I blinked my already widened eyes.

When he removed his hand, I harshly whispered,

"Are you mad? What are you doing here, Demitri?"

"I was worried about you, purple."

"I was not dead. I would have come to school."

"I could not wait any longer." he said softly.

I was out of words. I kept staring at him until I heard Reuben snoring. Realizing where I am, I spoke in a hushed tone,

"You need to go. If they saw you here, trust me, you will see the rumors about Italian mafia coming true."

"I am not scared of them. At least let me see if you are alright."

I did not say anything after that. He ever so slowly brought his hand towards my face and lightly touched the bruises. It was like he was memorizing it.

"I am sorry. I was not there for you."

"You are not meant to be. I can fight my battles myself."

He chuckled in low tone and God help me, that voice. It was the voice that I would love to listen when I—

Okay you need to stop.

"I know my purple is capable of that. I just came here to reassure myself that I will see you soon, in your tigress mode."

"For now, I will just do this and leave."

Saying that, he came closer. My breath uneven. He closed his eyes and gave a feathery kiss to my forehead. I was still felling his warm breath on my face when he whispered in my ear,

"Until next time, purple."

With that, he left from where he came. I was trying to process what happened. I touched my forehead with my fingers, feeling the remnants of the kiss.

That asshole.

———🌸———

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