AMELIA'S P.O.V

"I killed her. I killed Tiana." She had cupped her face with her shivering hands.

"What? Tiana?" I brought her hands down but she didn't look up.

"Aunt Tiana. I killed her." She said with tear stained face.

My world almost stopped as the realization hit me hard. Aunt Tiana. Tiana. Tiana. Holy...

"Are you talking about Alarick's mother?" My voice was hesitant, hoping that the name was a mere coincidence.

"Alarick?" She scrunched her brows up.

"Thank go-"

"How do you know him?" She asked and I paled. She was talking about the same Tiana.

"He is my boyfriend."

"What?" Her eyes lighten up, "A-Alarick is alive? He is alive?"

"Wait. Scarlett, I have no fūcking idea what you're talking about! Don't talk like this. I want the whole thing!" I was now fuming. She knows something about Alarick which I don't. She is related to Alarick and Tiana has been killed. This is all too much and I can't decipher how this is all so related!

"Can you come with me? To my apartment?" She asked, "We have a lot to catch up."

I nodded, "I have to tell Regina about this."

I dialed her number but it went busy so I texted her.

"Lets go."

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"My roommates must be sleeping. You have to be really quite okay?"

I nodded and she opened the her apartment door.

"Were you joking about Tiana?" I asked again to confirm. Maybe she just smashed some pot on her head and like me, thought that she killed her. Of course she was my best friend.

We entered her room and closed the door. She kept standing there with her head pressed to the door.

"I am not joking, Amelia. I killed her." She took in a ragged breath.

"How?"

"I...I...She killed herself but it was all because of me."

"I don't understand."

SCARLETT'S P.O.V

I thought maybe forgetting about everything and drowning into the imitations of this world would help me but I didn't thought reality would snap back right into my face.

Three hours ago

"So you came back?" She whispered looking out of the window. Her petite frame was no less than a frail willow. The age had shown its marks on her.

"I had to." I replied back. I couldn't contain the hatred inside me and my voice was cruelly laced with venom but now, I don't care. She knows what she had done to me and she deserves worse than just hatred.

"I was waiting for you." She began slowly, "its been so many years."

"So many good years."

With that she turned back to me. Her eyes emotionless as always and lips in a thin line. That was her normal expression around me. The expression of hatred. The day my parents left me at her doorstep, I thought my life was going to be better. I was fed up with seeing my parents fight every day. I just wanted to escape my home and my aunt Tiana's house was not less than a heaven at that time. Although, she was not my mother's sister but she was a close friend and was supposed to foster. My parents were getting divorce and since my odds were never in my favour, they both abandoned me and my sister, Della. I didn't complain because I didn't want to be with them but I didn't know what was waiting for me in this so called heaven.

Turned out that all aunts were not so pretty. I was like an ugly cinderella trapped in a house but was allowed to go school. My school time was the best part of the day for me. Tiana used to make me and Della do the household. At first, I argued with her about Della being younger but then she began hitting us. She became our worst nightmare. Long story short, when I turned sixteen, one of his son, Alarick helped me out of the house. He was always by my side and he was helping me get out of the hell hole. Unfortunately, Tiana saw us but I managed to run away. Alarick got caught and that was the worst moment of my life.

I was stuck between what to do and what not to do. I wanted to stay and help Alarick. I knew if I ran away, Tiana would never spare Alarick but just when I tried to run back to him, Alarick shouted 'No' at me. I didn't think I could listen to him but I did. I ran away and never looked back.

"I thought you killed him." I said as Tiana took slow steps towards the couch in front of me.

"I couldn't kill my own child, could I?" She smiled at me. A genuine smile. A surge of anxiousness ran through me when the metal of pistol pressed against my skin.

I was here to end this. She deserves this. What she did to me wasn't fair and her being alive was too not fair at all.

"Letty, I am ashamed." She whispered and my heart sank at her words. No, she isn't ashamed. She is lying.

I am going to kill her and that is it.

My hand reached around my back and I stood up pulling the gun out of my waist band.

"Really?"

Her eyes widened and she stood up.

"What you did was not fair. Della was everything to me." A tear slipped down my cheek and my lips quivered, "Everything. Your wrath against us wasn't fair. She was just a little girl. How could you hit her like a maniac just because....just because you lost your husband! What was her fault? That she tried to console?"

Della's innocent face flashed in front of my eyes. "Live for me." Her innocent words rang in my ears and the gun slipped down from my hands on to the floor.

I dropped down on my knees. Della's words were all I could hear. My sight blurred and I cupped my face.

"I am ashamed for what I did." I heard Tiana's words but were drowned by Della's, "I can't bring her back but I am sorry. Maybe you're right. I deserve this. I am sorry, Scarlett. I am ashamed. I am ashamed."

Just then, a loud bang roared around the room bringing me back to reality. I brought my hands out of my face and a loud gasp left my mouth.

There she was. Lying in front of me with eyes still pleading.

I closed my eyes.

"I'm sorry, Della."

*

AMELIA'S P.O.V

"I provoked her. I was the one who brought the gun." No more tears were spilling down her face, "She was repenting and...and I provoked her. That's all my fault."

"No. Its not. Its not your fault." I shifted towards her and took her into my arms. She gave in and hugged me back.

"I thought it was just a dream and everything was going to be fine. I thought forgetting about her would make me feel less guilty but now when I think about it, I was so wrong. She is not going to get up. I saw right into her lifeless eyes. The bar, alcohol didn't help. Nothing helped me Amelia, nothing."

I didn't say anything. There was nothing to say or think. She was right. Nothing was going to get her back. Tiana had chosen suicide thinking that would help relive her and Letty but she was wrong. She not only ended her own life but snatched Letty's right from the palm of her hand.

"I want to sleep." She grumbled and I nodded.

I stared at her sleepy form.

Sometimes, its so easy to listen. Listen to what others are going through. It's a shame that we are unable to feel.

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"I have to go back, Letty." I checked on her as she kept staring at the ceiling, "Your breakfast is on the table. Don't do anything stupid, okay?"

She didn't respond.

"Scarlett?"

"Okay okay!" She sat up, "text me when you get home."

"Do you want to come with me?"

"I am okay." She smiled faintly.

"You can meet Alarick." I reminded her.

"Uh..no. Not now. Maybe some days later?"

"Okay. Take care."

She nodded and I went out of the apartment.

I just hope Alarick is fine. He must have come to know about his mother.

These are the moments when I hate how life works. It is said that you have to suffer difficulties in life but their intensity depends upon your strengh. Life doesn't give you more than you can't handle.

Then sometimes, I think maybe I am blessed to have so much strength because whatever happened to me is more than enough. I feel like I can't handle anymore and just when I start thinking this, something good happens to me and there are no more problems.

Then how can I say that I am suffering from more than I can handle?

"Alarick?" I called out as I entered his house.

It was quite in here. Too quite for my liking.

"Alarick?" I began on the stairs when no one answered. I reached his door and knocked on it. Still no answer. But I know he's here. I can hear shuffling inside.

I opened the door.

"Ala-" I stopped when I saw Phoebe instead.

Her eyes widened and she slid along the wall covering her belly with her hands as if I was here to attack her.

"What are you doing here?" I asked but she was numb.

"Where's Alarick?" I asked again but this time she began crying. Like hyena crying. I kept standing in the doorway waiting for her to stop but she kept wailing.

After a few minutes of watching her like this, I realized she wasn't acting or something. I closed the door behind me.

"Are you okay?"

She began shaking her head violently.

"No. No..please help me. I can't do this anymore. Please help me."

What? I think I am going to faint. Can my life go any crazier?

Phoebe Richard is asking for help? From me? The same girl she wanted to get killed?

"What do you mean?" I asked helping her on to her feet.

"I can't lie anymore. I want a normal life. Please get me out of this hell hole."

Okay now I am confused.

"Normal life?"

She nodded, "This baby-"

"I know."

She looked at me confused.

"This is not Alarick's."

"How do you know? Do you know about real father?"

I shook my head, "No, but I know it's not his brother's too."

"Can you help me get out of this town?" She asked.

"Who's the real father?" I insisted and she visibly gulped.

"Please, I want to live my life. I don't want to get in trouble anymore. I just want a normal life with my baby."

"Look. I can help if I know the truth. You can trust me. I won't tell anyone." I tried to assure her, "I won't even judge. Just tell me."

"I know if I'll tell you then there will be no chance I am getting out of here." She said shaking her head again, her tears won't stop flowing.

"I swear I'll help you if you're right."

"Believe me, it's all Tiana's fault. She was too selfish." She said and I was sure she was spilling the truth, "She wanted to destroy everyone in Alarick's way. I was never a part of her game. Everyone think that she is innocent but no she isn't. She bribed me."

"Okay. Don't panic. I understand. Its not your fault. Now, tell me who's the father so I can do something."

She gazed at me uncertainly and I nodded at her assuringly. She took at sharp intake, "The father...its Daniel. Daniel Harper."

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