I ran my fingers through her silky long brown hair as her breathing became more relaxed, but her mind had to be spinning just as much as mine; my mind was like a tornado, my thoughts racing wild.

Muffled apologies were coming out of her mouth as her beautiful eyes, which were now totally puffy and red, traces of tears were visible on her cheek, which was making my heart feel just numb.

I slowly rested her head on the bed from my chest and stood up from the bed. I turned around to see Max was watching me with a soft look on his face, which was almost motherly-

Without saying anything, I just ran towards him and he immediately opened his arms, engulfing me in a bear hug.

The warmth of his touch comforted me; it made me feel safe; feel cared for; feel loved-

He started patting my hair and, without even realizing I was breaking down-

I felt Max moving, trying to free himself from me, which made me confused as he never, I loosened my arms, and then Max lifted me up as if he was lifting a child, just as he used to do when I was a child.

I was confused, but I just closed my eyes and rested my head on his shoulder. His grey dreadlocks hit my face a few times, making me irritated, but I was way too exhausted to do anything about them.

Then, Max opened the door of my room and we entered the hall. He continued to walk for like minutes. My breathing was becoming harder and harder as the events of that day played in my head in the form of a reel. Max seemed to notice my struggle as he started rubbing my back in a soothing motion as he continued to carry me like a baby.

I felt him kicking a door in front of us and we entered. Max closed the door behind us with a kick. I opened my eyes to look around the surroundings and found we were in his room.

Max carefully placed me on his bed as if I was a fragile doll.

"There-there pumpkin" His motherly voice reached my ears, and the sound I was holding back then broke from my throat.

I screamed, but it sounded like a mere cry, which probably was filled with pure agony.

The screams and the cries stayed inside the four walls of the room as I the leader of the strongest mafia group broke in the arms of my caretaker.

Max stayed silent, rubbing my back as I clung to his chest. Tears and mucus from me stained his shirt. My body was trembling, so does my breaths. My brain was spinning, my chest aching.

"Pumpkin, I am here- He can't take you-" I heard Max whisper in my ear, and bile rose in my esophagus.

I tried to free myself from Max, but I couldn't. I turned my head and threw up, staining the baby pink bedsheet.

One foul smell filled the air as I threw up, once, twice, thrice-till I lost my count.

My stomach was now completely empty as I gagged on the air when nothing was there to come out of my mouth. Max kept petting my back.

"-umpkin count with me one, two, thr--" I heard him and started to count.

Four- five- eight-

My brain was hurting, which was making me feel more nauseated.

I felt Max pick me up to sit on his lap and start cradling me.

"Pumpkin, open your eyes-" he said, and I did. His face was filled with worry.

"I want you to name five things you see, alright?" He whipped my mouth with his shirt cuff and I looked around.

"F-faan" I started.

"Yes, good-"

"T-t-tablee"

"Yes, my girl-"

"L-light" my breaths were started to calm.

"Beddd-"

"One more honey, one more-"

"TeddyYy bear-" I whispered as my breathing rate calmed down.

"You did great, kiddo-" Max praised and patted my head, and I smiled exhaustedly at him.

After a few minutes of silence and comfortable petting on the head, he stopped and said, "Pumpkin, I am taking you to the bathroom. You stink-" I smiled and nodded.

He picked me up and walked me to his bathroom.

I closed the door behind me and splashed water on my face. I was looking terrible, so I just diverted my gaze from my own reflection and splashed the cold water on my face, stunning my touch receptors and sniffing the mucus out. My head was still aching, but not as much as it was before. I gargled the foul taste away and sighed.

I grabbed the towel placed below the basin in a cabinet and dried my face. I again looked in the mirror and smiled.

I smiled and then grinned and then started maniacally laughing, laughing at my own state. How can I be so vulnerable? Am I even an ideal leader?

I slowly lifted my T-shirt, exposing my belly button and then my chest. I stared at the scar perfectly visible below in my bra on my left boob.

"They will pay-" I whispered and lowered my shirt. I stayed a few more minutes in the bathroom fixing myself, and then I opened the door and entered Max's room.

The baby pink mattress was changed into a pastel blue one and the foul odour from before was changed into a floral scent that I couldn't recognize. Max must have called our cleaners in the meantime.

Max was sitting on the couch, lying beside the bed in a new shirt, scrolling through his phone. He looked up at me and smiled gently. Sometimes I wonder what I would have done without him. I walked towards him, "Thank you." I mumbled, and he huffed.

"Pumpkin, you don't need to thank me-" He said, placing his phone on his lap, and I grinned at him.

"We need to find him-" I said, and he nodded.

"I have already activated our rats. We need to wait-"

"Wait, wait, - wait-" I repeated in a low voice, and Max's face filled with concern.

"Honey, you have done everything in these last nine years. You gained power and wealth. Now all elements are in favor of us. No one can refuse our demands now-" he said, and I bitterly smiled and nodded at his statement.

I never wanted the power, the fame. All I did was to gain support or the authority over everyone. The sleepless nights, the restless mornings, the killings, the drugs, the trafficking. I never wanted to be in it in the first place, but that's where I belong. That's where I have to stay, no matter what my decision is, no matter whether I want to live in the darkness or not. It has engulfed me like a black hole. I was trapped in a whirlpool in which I had to endure and suffer.

"Pumpkin-" Max was becoming worried, so I shook my head.

"I'm going to get some fresh air," I said and walked out of the room without waiting for his response.

I walked through the corridor, only stopping where Linda was standing with some files in her hand. She looked up from her files and bowed a little when her eyes met mine. I walked towards her with an expressionless face and she gulped.

"G-good afternoon, Mistress," she greeted, and I nodded.

"Where is the Cobra's man." I asked as I recalled Max telling me something about Sandra's assistant being in our captivity.

"He is in the red wing. We just gave him some sleeping meds to calm him down, and he will wake up in two hours or three-" she answered professionally, and I hummed.

"What about the others?"

"Miss- The zodiac boy Max brought is also under the dose and sleeping in guest room number two, and the Zodiac girl is in this room-" She gestured towards the room behind us, and I walked towards the open door to peek inside the room.

The pouch of blood was hanging on the metallic structure, whose name I didn't know. Bandages were wrapped around her whole left leg and her right upper thighs, nibs, and glucose dips, along with many injections, were also placed on the stool beside the bed. Her hair was bushy and everywhere, her face was almost pale, which made my heart somehow ache.

"What did the doctors say?"

"Miss- he said the blood loss was not that much and could be covered easily, but she had injured her left leg before and in order to recover fully, he advised her to take a full bed rest for a month because the muscles were also damaged and she must be kept away from straining her limbs." She said, and I nodded, staring at the kitten lying unconscious on the bed.

"When will she wake up?" I asked, and Linda shrugged.

"The doctor said it depends and the maximum range is two days-" she answered, and I hummed, knowing that the pain relievers cause sleep.

I reluctantly diverted my stare and faced Linda.

I said, "Take care of her," and she nodded.

"I will miss-."

"Okay-" I turned, and when I was about to walk away, Linda called me from behind.

"Mistress!"

"Yes?" I said as I turned my face. She was looking at the ground, and I raised my brows at her.

"Yes, Linda?" I repeated.

"T-Take care of yourself Miss-" she blushed, and I raised my hand and reached out for her head. She flinched, but then I patted her head, calming her down.

"Thank you, I will," I answered and slowly smiled at the woman, making her even redder, and then I turned around and made my way towards the staircase.

I climbed and climbed the stairs, making my way up to the terrace.

I looked around at the trees and the road. The sun was neither scorching nor setting, just right. The birds were flying in the group and some bees were buzzing and collecting nectar from the flowers in my garden. I sat beside the railing and watched the beautiful nature in front of me.

The world is beautiful. Everything about it is nice except for the human race. We are the worst creatures. Even praying mantises are better than us-

{"So this is what you wanted, huh? Power." She spat on my face and I was frozen by the sudden happenings around me. The girl who never raised her voice at me, who never gave me anything more than love, was watching me with hate and disgust in her eyes.

"P-Princess-" I tried to explain that it's not what it looks like. All I did was just pick the knife which was lying beside Aunt's body.

*Slap*

"Don't you fucking dare call me that! Don't you fucking dare!" She growled, but then her breathing became harder due to my clogged nose with tears. I tried to calm her down, but my throat was also aching because of the tight grip of her hand on my collar.

She then freed my collar, and I fell on the floor from the impact and groaned in pain by surprise

I looked up to see she was streaming out of the room, and I raised my hand.

"W-Wait - D-Don't leave me," I pleaded, my voice broken and weak.

"You are pathetic, you power-seeking bitch-" her words were hurting me more than any knife or gun can ever can. I was confused about what to say. My mind was almost blank, unable to explain myself.

"No- I-I- A-Am S-Sorry for w-whatever I did, but please don't leave me-"I just begged, but the moment these words left my mouth, she looked at me with pure rage and disgust.

"I hate you-" she yelled, breaking my heart, and then, without looking behind, she stormed out of the room.

"I -I love you-" muffled sound came out of my mouth, as I stared at the door, tears were uncontrollably leaking out of my eyes as I looked at the lifeless body of Saumya Aunty lying on the floor, I stood up from my place and sat behind her body and started crying.

I knew I shouldn't. I was trained enough to never show my emotions to anyone, but that was so hard, so uncontrollable for me that I couldn't stop myself.

For minutes, what felt like seconds, I just wailed and wailed, then the door creaked, making me stop to look at the door if San had returned, but she was not there. Instead of her, Jake stood there with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Y-You-" I tried to swear, but the next moment I felt a dart hit my neck-

"Aww baby-girl, didn't your caretaker teach you enough-" He teased, and I tried to stand up but my vision was blurring. Soon, my head began to rotate, and then all I could see was pitch darkness.}

...to be continued

~Love K.D♡