~Valentina POV
"Okay mom I just got home. I'll call you later." I said as I pulled into the driveway of my home. "Okay babygirl. I love you." She said. "I love you too mama." I hung up the phone grabbing my keys to unlock the door. I walked inside feeling my heart drop to the pit of my stomach.
"Hello Valentina."
There was a man sitting on my couch. He had a ski - mask on with shades so there was no telling who it was. "W-Who are you? What are you doing in my house?" I asked as my voice trembled from the fear that I felt. "The better question is, what the fuck were you doing on the stand yesterday?" He asked. I slowly started to reach inside my bag only to have a gun pulled on me.
"Oh my gosh!" I yelled in fear. "Shut the fuck up." He said approaching me. "On your knees, now." He said. I don't want to die. Not like this. I got down on the floor doing just as he said. "What made you get on that stand? I'm just a little curious." He said. "I-I was threatened. Duff threatened me to get on the stand, okay. He told me if I didn't testify he would send me to jail okay, I don't want to go to jail. And I don't really don't want to die." I said with tears in my eyes.
He got closer to me crouching down in front of me.
"Please, please don't do this." I begged.
"Let's take a trip to the bedroom." He said. I got up from the floor walking upstairs to my bedroom. "Sit down." He said pushing me on the bed. "I'm so sorry, okay. I regret it, I really do. I wish I never got on that stand." I said trying to control my breath and tears. Without speaking, he grabbed my hand putting my finger on the trigger as the gun was still pointing at me.
"No, no, please don't do this." I cried out. "Woman gets on stand and testifies against an innocent black man. Found dead in her home the next day from a self-inflicted gunshot wound." He said shaking his head.
"Goodbye Valentina."
~Armani POV
"I don't think it's going to get any better from here Yanna." I sighed refilling my wine glass. "You have to keep hope alive Mani. Things could turn around for Draco and he could be set free. You never know." She said sipping from her cup.
"Let's hope so." I said. Our conversation was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell. "Who the hell could that be at this time of night." I said looking at the clock. I got up from the couch opening the door.
"This is fucking beautiful." She said looking around behind me. "Um ... who are you?" I asked closing the door a little. "I'm so sorry, where are my manners. My name is Myra. You must be Armani." She said holding her hand out for me to shake. "I am, I'm sorry, do I know you?"
"No, we haven't met. I'm Bryson's ex - girlfriend." She said bringing a mug across my face. "And what the hell are you doing here?" I asked. "I'm here about his trial. I'm the one he stayed with in Palatka after his sister's death. He w-" Kiyanna cut her off as she approached the doorway.
"You're the whore Will was telling me about. You got some damn nerve." She said shaking her head. "Glad to know I can still give William something to talk about." She said with a small smile. "I'm gone get out of here before I have to knock somebody out." Kiyanna said pushing pass Myra. I watched as she got in her car and drove off.
"You said you were here about Bryson's trial?" I asked. "Yeah, can I come in?" She asked. With hesitation, I opened the door letting her inside. "It's really lovely to meet you. I heard so much about you down in Florida. I mean, he wouldn't stop talking about you." She said.
"You mean the time when Bryson missed the birth of our son and the death of our daughter? Yeah, I haven't heard much about you." I said sarcastically. "Oh my, I knew nothing about your daughter. I am so sorry, are you okay?" She asked.
