6
545words
Inside the room, every man held his breath, fingers tense on triggers.
One wrong move, and the room would drown in blood.
Vincent and I ignored it all, locked in a death stare.
Lily Ann scrambled up, clinging to Vincent’s back, crying dramatically.
“Serena, you’re insane! You belong in hell!”
She tugged his shirt. “Vincent! Kill her! Or I swear, I’m done with you!”
Vincent stared at me, his eyes dark as midnight.
I braced for him to pull the trigger for Lily.
Instead, his voice was raw, wounded. “I planned for everyone… everyone but you.”
“Serena… why?”
I stared back, shocked. He genuinely wanted to know why?
I clutched my stomach, laughter bubbling up, sharp and hysterical.
The knife bit into my neck. A thin red line appeared. Vincent flinched, pulling the blade back slightly.
He stared at me, anguish etched on his face. “Serena… you’ve lost it.”
I wiped tears – of laughter or rage? – from my face, my smile wide and unhinged.
“I lost it a long time ago! You just noticed? You did this, Vincent!”
“My father… hacked to pieces! The baby I wanted… ripped out of me! Kidnapped! Shot at! Over and over! Because of YOU! Vincent Shaw, YOU drove me mad!”
Lily Ann shoved forward. “That’s your own damn karma! Nothing to do with Vincent!”
“Serena, shut your crazy mouth!”
The smile vanished. Ignoring the knife at my throat, I stepped closer to Vincent.
“Vincent. Tell me yourself. My father’s death. The baby’s death. Were you really… clean?”
“I really wanted to know… why the man who never missed a call, who always showed up… why was he late those two nights?”
“Vincent… I really wanted forever with you.”
“But why did you push me? Why did you have to break me?!”
Tears streamed down my face. The men around us shifted uncomfortably, pity in their eyes.
The knife at my throat trembled. Vincent’s arm dropped limply to his side.
“Serena… I’m sorry.”
“It was my fault. If I’d been faster…”
Vincent pulled me into a tight embrace, his voice thick.
“I’m so sorry. I should have seen… how broken you were.”
“Serena, come with me. See a doctor. Get help. Let’s just… forget all this. Please?”
“Okay.”
I took the knife from his hand, pressed the tip lightly against his chest, right over his heart.
“But you still haven’t answered my question.”
“Those two nights. Why were you late?”
Vincent stared at me, utterly shattered. “You… you think I…?”
The conference room speakers crackled to life.
The voice was unmistakable – Bull, Vincent’s most trusted lieutenant.
“Boss, it’s not too late. If we turn back now… the baby might make it.”
“Last month… because we were late… the Old Man died. If we lose the baby too… Miss… she won’t survive it.”
Vincent sighed, exhaustion heavy in his voice. “Just… wait.”
Bull sounded pained.
“Boss, the Old Man’s gone. The organization answers to you now. Making sure Miss can never have kids… isn’t that… too much?”
Vincent’s voice was ice. “Bull. The Old Man’s dead. But the men below? They follow Serena, not me.”
“Her power… it makes me nervous.”
“So any child with blood… cannot be born.”
