Chapter hundred and thirty six

Dallas

My head went quiet, the entire world melted away until I could onky focus on one voice. Two syllables.

“I am.”

I didn't know how much time had passed since then. He hadn't said anything or come here since then. Lucien had left after the Amanda woman came back in. They had exchanged a look and both left.

I had the company of this throbbing headache. I could basically hear the thrumming of my head loudly in my ear. I couldn't feel anything except it.

I didn't even know what to feel at this point. My entire life was like a big reality show. Just one big reveal after another.

Just when I think I could finally be happy with my life, be with the one I love and the family I have formed, I found out that my biological father who I just meant, and who had been under the guise of helping me, was actually the mastermind behind my mother's death. This was all a fucking joke.

I had trusted Ron even when I didn't forgive him for abandoning my mum and I. I had believed he truly felt sorry and wanted to help.

I had fell for his cunning lies because a part of me was excited about finally getting to know my father, even if another part wasn't ready to let go of the fact that he abandoned us. Well, until I learned that be didn't want me in the first place.

That had broken something in me. But not as much as those two words did now.

“I am”

A sound I didn't recognize tore out of me. The laugh wasn't one of humor or happiness. It was hollow and void of any emotions. I laughed at how stupid I was. I laughed at how easily I played into his hands and believed he actually wanted to help me.

If one thing surviving alone for so many years had taught me, it was that no one ever gives something without expecting anything in return. But somehow, I had forgotten that tidbit when I was with Ron.

I used to think I had bad luck. So many events over the years had certainly proved it. My mum dying in an accident before what was supposed to be the biggest tournament of my life, getting banned from doing what I love the most, finding out my coach whom I look up to the most was actually my enemy.

I'd thought the bad much had ended after I fell in love with Oliver and got to meet my biological father. I could finally have something I didn't have growing up. But I was so wrong.

Both my biological father and step father hated me. I continued laughing at how truly unlucky I was.

“If it's any consolation, my father was shit too.” Tabitha mumbled from where she was sitting.

Well, as much as she could with a swollen lip. Now that the drug had finally worn off, I was able to fully take in Tabitha's appearance. She had it worse than I did. Her bottom lip was swollen, her right eye almost shutting.

I had a feeling she would be dead if she wasn't needed as leverage. Whatever she did must have really pissed Ron off.

“He used to come home drunk then he would beat up my mum and I. One day, he came home late as usual, drunk out of his mind. Mum and I hid to avoid his beating. But when we came out in the morning, he had died. Probably choked on his vomit or something.” She shrugged as much as the ropes would allow her.

“I always thought we could have saved him if we didn't hide that night.” She added, her voice low.

Silence settled between us. I waited for her to add something else, but she didn't.

“I accidentally pushed Lucien off the cliff once and thought he'd died.” I said.

“Do you regret it?” She asked, her voice low.

“No.” I said in a firm voice. I might have felt a little bit shaken after he fell off the cliff, but I didn't feet an ounce of regret. I knew he deserved it.

“Neither do I.” She said.

A silence settled between us. Some understanding about shared trauma. I don't know if Tabitha shared her story because she saw I was spiraling out of control. It was her own way of reminding me I wasn't alone.

It was strange coming from her because we've never exchanged more than three words to each other. And those words were usually filled with animosity

It was then I realized, I didn't really give her a chance. Despite the state we were in, I felt grateful for her small act of kindness.

Our gazes collided and we both burst into laughter. The sound was filled with understanding and a silent reminder that neither of us was alone. It was a sound I never thought I would share with Oliver's uptight assistant.

I heard footsteps approaching but neither of us stopped laughing. We threw our heads back and laughed as if we had gone crazy. Or maybe we truly have.

“I don't even want to know the cause of that, but at least you won't die a sad woman.” A chuckle followed his words.

I knew who it was before I saw him. Knew the rich sound and the owner. Anger reared its head inside me and I snapped my head towards him.

Ron walked towards us, looking like the perfect billionaire he was. The portrait of the sweet man I had come to like these past weeks. Except now I knew the type of evil that lurks behind that perfect mask.

“I couldn't send my daughter to the other side alone. Not like your mother. I still feel bad that she had to die alone in that car.” He said it so casually as if he was discussing daily news.

My lips curled into a snarl but he only smirked at me. The sight of it would have instilled fear in most people, but it only made me angrier.

“Why?” I bit out.

“Why did I kill her? She was disrupting my plans.” He shrugged like it wasn't a big deal at all. I knew it wasn't to him.

My mouth fell open.
“You killed her because of your plans?”

He nodded. He strode fully into the room and walked over to the table at the far end. It was almost dark so I couldn't see what he was doing on the table.

“Our interactions wasn't supposed to be serious but she went and developed feelings for me. I meant it when I said I loved her too. I should have killed her because her attachment was dangerous, but I didn't. Instead, I left her money and went back to Korea.” He said.

“Wow, thank you so much for not killing my mum when she was pregnant with me, just to murder her later.” I said sarcastically.

“It was necessary.” Was all he said before resuming whatever he was doing.

“Necessary? You could have left her alone.” I yelled at him.

He sighed as if this conversation was a big hassle to him.
“I wanted to, but she wouldn't give up on finding me. She finally found out I was in Korea and tried to get through to me. Why do you think she sent you there?”

I blinked, trying to process what he just said. I had always thought mum sent me to Korea because she wanted me very far away from her new family. I never thought there could be another reason to it.

“We saw each other every time she comes to visit you. She tried to make me see you. I tried to convince her to have another affair so we could buy the past, but she wouldn't allow it. Not when we were married to other people. Such holiness.” He chuckled.

I ground my teeth together to stop from screaming at him.

“When I saw she wouldn't give up, I agreed to officially meet you at your tournament. I was going to kill the both of you then, but an opportunity showed when she caught your step father with his lover. So we planned the whole thing. No need to go into details over who did what.” He said.

I stared into his eyes. Those eyes that were so similar to mine but also so dead.

“You're a monster.” I spat.

His grin widened.
“I've been called worse.”

He turned towards the table again. I could only make out a laptop, something that looks like a remote, and some headphones.

I wondered if they were some kind of torture devices. Not that he's tortured us ever since our abduction.

“What's your big plan anyway?” I asked.

I wanted to know what was so important that he had to kill people just to accomplish. Why he had to kill my mother.

“You'll see. Let's hope your boyfriend takes the bait.”

I didn't need to know the entirety of his scheming before I understood his words. A quick glance at Tabitha revealed she was thinking the same thing with the horrified expression on her face.

My guts churned with dread as my anger slowly morphed into fear.

Ron had set a trap for Oliver.