Loving You Too Long

Haisley fell silent again. She and Nathan had discussed this before the kidnapping happened, but they hadn’t informed their families yet. “Nathan asked me to live in England and continue my studies,” Haisley said, making Abigail furrow her brow. “Nathan will support me because, clearly, my scholarship can’t be used anymore since I’ve left campus. At first, I said I didn’t want to, what’s the point of studying if, in the end, I stay at home taking care of the kids. But Nathan said that ‘no one regrets having learned’, so yeah, I’m starting over.” Haisley explained, looking at Abigail with curiosity. “You still don’t want to continue your studies? Your brain is clearly smarter than mine, Abby.”

Abigail shrugged. “I also have plans to go there. I’m just not sure which major to take. I haven’t found a passion that drives me to choose a specific field. Maybe later, I’ll consult with Itan.” Haisley chuckled at her friend’s words. “Why are you laughing?” Abigail asked curtly.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“I don’t know, it’s just funny,” Haisley replied, continuing her packing activities. “Sometimes, I think you’re Tante Claire’s secret child. You and Via are perfect as siblings. You even seem closer to Uncle Antony than to your own dad.”

Abigail shrugged. “Who knows. I sometimes think the same way. My mom is Itan, and my dad is Uncle,” she replied with a laugh.

“So, if one day Via ends up with Uncle, will you call Via your stepmom?” Haisley’s words clearly made them burst into laughter instantly.

The day of Haisley and her family’s departure arrived. Abigail and Flavia only escorted Haisley and Nathan to the front gate of the villa. They received warm hugs from the women. While Flavia refused hugs from the fathers, it was different for Abigail. She didn’t mind getting heartfelt hugs from Nathan’s dad, Haisley’s dad, and Juan. But when facing Gilbert, she only extended her hand.

“Promise that you’ll visit Aunt’s house when you come to Manhattan,” Aunt Monica requested from her daughter’s friend, and they both nodded in agreement. After a bit of small talk, everyone got into the car and headed to the airport.

Haisley sat next to Nathan, resting her head on his shoulder. Their fingers intertwined on Nathan’s thigh. Both of them hoped that their lives after this would be okay. No more drama, no more tragedies. No more disruptive figures in their lives like Loretta.

She just wanted a happy life, even though she knew that until they die, their lives will continue to face trials. But she hoped that they would be able to overcome those challenges together.

Meanwhile, in a place far from America, a woman found herself sitting on a chair with her hands and feet tied. It felt like déjà vu, but this time, the woman wasn’t looking at her victim but at herself.

She lifted her head and felt an excruciating pain in her shoulders and neck. Where was she? The question instantly entered her mind. She looked around, and her eyes widened as she realized where she was.

“Do you recognize this place?” asked a voice, making her turn her head. She couldn’t turn it far enough to see where the owner of the voice was. A shiver ran down her spine. She knew she wouldn’t be okay. She knew there was no chance of survival. Yet, she still wondered what would happen to her.

“I truly regret bringing you into the midst of my family,” the man said, still sounding quite distant to the woman. “I should have just accepted my daughter’s departure. I’m sure we could have faced it together, just as I would see my wife fine now and still with me if I hadn’t brought you into our lives.

“I know I’ve been greedy. I didn’t want to lose the woman I love, so I did everything to make her happy. But instead of bringing happiness to my wife, I brought her disaster,” he continued, his tone flat, causing Loretta to snort.

“If only you didn’t treat me like a puppet,” she said without a hint of remorse.

“Well, if only you had a human side to you. Taking you out of the orphanage and treating you like a princess, where others would kill to be in your position, should have made you grateful and thankful to us,” he said, his voice rising, anger slipping into his words.

“I never asked for any of this from you. I just wanted to be myself.”

“Yes, to be a criminal and a low-class prostitute and drug dealer,” he said loudly. “But let’s not discuss that now,” he added, his voice closer this time. Loretta could feel the man’s aura approaching, and then he circled her until he stood in front of her.

“You want to kill me?” The woman challenged with her gaze.

The middle-aged man in front of her, who she should call father again, looked at her with a flat expression. “What do you think?” He asked, with a smirk on his face. There was no tenderness that Loretta used to see when the man was with his wife. When she used to be a good and sweet daughter to him.

“Do it. I’m not afraid.” Loretta looked at the man with a challenging look and tone.

The corner of the man’s mouth lifted. “Of course, but not so easily, dear.” He said sarcastically. “You made the woman I love die slowly, in excruciating pain,” he said, causing Loretta’s eyes to widen. “I regret being late to know about it. But I swore in front of the graves of my wife and child that I would make you pay for all the pain you’ve caused to my wife.” He said with a threatening tone.

Loretta still looked at the man in disbelief as he reached for something on the side of the wall. The man wore leather gloves and then wrapped them again with another rubber glove before grabbing a bottle not far from where the gloves were placed.

“Do you know what this is?” The man asked. He opened the cork made of cork pieces and brought it close to Loretta’s nose, instantly making her frown and cough due to the strong acidic smell.

The man in front of her laughed and showed a happy grin. “Imagine if this liquid touches your throat. It would feel very hot and burning. You might never be able to speak again. And after that, I will pour this liquid little by little all over your body until you regret treating the person who truly loved you so badly. If you ruin my wife from the inside, then I will ruin you from the outside.” The man then poured a bit of the liquid onto Loretta’s bare feet. Screams of pain echoed in the room, which was entirely layered with glass. “Welcome your painful death,” he said before gripping Loretta’s chin, tilting it up, and pouring the liquid little by little into her mouth, turning her screams of pain into heartbreaking howls.