Seconds later, I heard his faint steps as he ran into the building but I felt him way before then.
“Markian is here, so everything will be ok now…” Sophia declared still sniffling. “… Thank you for loving me and not hating my shitty ass all these years sister.” She commented, as she carefully placed mom’s head on the floor and stood up.
She picked up the empty gun and then looked at me with a ‘you know what’s next’ smile.
“Sophia, what are you doing? Please…(groans) … We can work this out. You are not a bad person, all you need is medical help and you’ll feel all better again, I promise.” I pleaded with tears in my eyes, but she ignored me.
I know what she’s thinking, so I tried to lift up my head, but it felt heavy.
“Sophia please… I can’t lose you.” I confessed frustrated at how helpless I was.
“I always hated it each time you loved anything or anyone other than me, that’s why I killed Daisy, that’s why i hated the idea that you got married to Markian and that’s why I hate that you’re pregnant for him. If I stay I’ll only bring you more pain… At least, I finally found a way to win against you for once.” She mentioned with a smile as she pointed the empty gun at me.
No, no Sophia, please don’t, I pleaded, but no words came out.
Markian please don’t do it, I requested, but my body was already shutting down.
I heard him walk inside ferociously. Please Markian, it’s an empty gun… I tried to scream out but his gun went off before I could finish the sentence in my head.
I felt a constriction in my chest as his gun went off again and again.
“Nooooo!” I screamed with all my might.
I can’t tell if it was in my head or if I really yelled it out, but it drain the last bit of strength I had. Tears rolled down my eyes as I watched my sister’s body helplessly drop to the ground.
I wished more than anything at this point that my hands were free, so I could hold hers. She slowly pushed herself closer to me and rested her forehead on mine as she touched my cheek.
“Let’s… never meet again… ok?” She requested with a smile, before she shut her eyes.
Her smiling face was the last thing i saw before my the tears clustering in my eyes caused my vision to cease, and then i saw a very bright light that felt warm and peaceful.
Before I let that light embrace me completely, I remember wishing that things had been different and that my sister had never suffered because of me.
Markian
Whenever I feel like I’m about to lose someone important to me, all my senses go on hyperdrive.
Sometimes I’m impulsive with my actions, but when my intuition tells me anything at that point I never neglect it.
We tracked that online gossip site that had leaked the rumor of my controversial marriage to Olivia 3months ago back to MCB media, Barbra’s people.
She could only have done that because she’s still in cohorts with Sophia, which by the way is not the first time.
Mrs Luthel had told me what she found out when she investigated how Sophia was able to successfully plot her own death. Barbra had been behind that as well and helped Sophia and Carlos to escape.
So when Sophia said I wasn’t able to find her when she was close to me, I knew exactly what she meant by that.
“You’ll tell me where Sophia has my wife and mother-in-law, otherwise a funeral would be performed on your behalf.” I threatened furiously and the dread in her eyes told me she knew I was dead serious.
Suddenly, I heard the door to the room swing open and Daniel ran to my side to pull me off of her.
“Markian, stop. There’s better ways to solve this.” He whispered in my ear.
I was mad with anger, but I listened to him and released my grip on her neck. Everyone was inside the room by the time I backed away from her. I looked at them one at a time starting from Heather, to Jeffery who was standing behind her, to my uncle and then to my father.
“Son, what happened?” My dad asked calmly as he came closer to me.
“Sophia has kidnapped Livy and Judy Luthel.” I stated and everyone gasped in surprise.
“Oh God” Heather exclaimed sadly.
“And the reason why I’ve been unable to find Sophia for the past 3months is because Barbra have been hiding her, at the Winfrey Mansion.” I added to everybody’s dismay.
“Is this true Barbra? Have you been Sophia’s accomplice all this time?” Dad asked his wife who was still trying to regulate her breathing after I almost choked her to death.
“Matt… it’s not what you think. I don’t know where she’s holding your wife…” She tried to lie and that made me even angrier.
“If you so much as lie or try to deny it, I swear I’ll truly end your life right in this room.” I warned sternly.
“Markian, I’ll inform the chief of police immediately.” Daniel said before he walked out of the room to make the call.
“I really don’t know where she has them, you have to believe me. I didn’t even want to help hide Sophia in the first place but she threatened me.” She blurted out scared.
“Hmm… and what exactly could Sophia ever have against you that would terrify you so much? You’re usually the one doing the threatening, scheming and conniving. So what on earth does she have against you that made you wimper before her?” Dad pressed on.
It’s no surprise he knows her true nature after all these years.
“I mean it, she threatened to spread lies about me…”
“Speak the truth! Or I’ll let Markian do with you however he please.” He interrupted and ordered her authoritatively.
“She knows too much about me ok? It’s hard to explain.” She stated, but dad scoffed.
“I’m sure you can start from the very beginning. How far did you tread this time?” He asked curiously.
“Sophia was my backup plan if things didn’t work out with Markian years ago.” She stated reluctantly and embarrassed.
“Backup plan? If things didn’t work out? Things like what?” Heather asked her curiously.
“She got me kidnapped when I was 13 because she wanted Castlehill in her name. It was in that incident I met Livy.” I explained hastily.
These Q&A section isn’t what I need now. I need to find Sophia, but she could be anywhere by now and my mind is blank.
I can’t think of anyway to know where they could be now, or a clue to start the search. I hope the cops get here soon, they may have an idea of where to begin.
“Oh my God Markian, that’s terrible… But if you met Livy when you were kidnapped, does that mean Livy was also kidnapped by aunt Barbra?” Heather asked to all our surprise.
Goddammit. How did I miss that?
“Did… did you kidnap Judy Luthel’s daughter along with Markian 16years ago?” My father asked with more concerned now.
“Yes ok? I first tried to get the girls to my side when I discovered Judy still had her eyes on Castlehill. So, if she eventually succeeds in acquiring Castlehill, then I’ll have her successor by my side. But Olivia was too witty and smarter than her sister, so I changed my approach to Sophia. I thought if I groomed her myself and get rid of her older sister making her the sole successor, then she’ll do whatever I tell her to do when she eventually takes over from her mother. But when you found out about the kidnap and threatened me, I stopped all plans. Until you thought it was a good idea to go ask Judy for help when we were at the verge of losing Castlehill.” She confessed for fear that I’ll snap her neck if she didn’t.