Pleasurable Pain

Chapter 21 - Estrella

Sophia's POV

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I have no idea where Maxon is. I haven't see him since yesterday when him, and that woman were walking out of his office.

I honestly don't know how I feel. The way that Maxon makes me feel is something I've never experienced before.

But I didn't open up to him, and I was smart not to. Because just like Olivia said, I'm just another fuck to him. Everything he said to me was a lie. To keep me rilled in, so that I would continue to play his games.

I refuse to play games with him. After we find my father we will go from there, but we will have absolutely nothing to do with one another.

Maybe I could even try to fix my friendship with Andrea. Although I highly doubt that would go the way I want it to.

I've been in my head lately, and I need some fresh air.

"Where are you going?" Vincent asks when he sees me walking down the hall with keys in my hand.

"Up your asshole." Is all I tell him. I'm sick of this man acting like I couldn't kill him with my pinky.

"Like how Maxon's up yours?" He asks sarcastically.

I turn around to give him a cold stare, and he wears a smirk on his face obviously pleased with himself, and his joke.

I just roll my eyes walking away. I don't have time for this right now.

A few days ago I had Maxon get a motorcycle brought here. I take the keys, and I head outside getting on the bike.

I start the engine, and I ride making sure no one's following me.

Once I get to Estrellas house I see Layla, and Levi playing in the front yard. They immediately stop when they see me, and they start running my direction.

I see Mathew, their dad walking out of the house. I can't stand that fucker. Him, and Estrella split, because he was an alcoholic, and cheated.

The only reason I haven't killed him is because the kids would miss him too much.

He narrows his eyes at me as soon as he sees me. He doesn't know who I really am, and he knows me as Chloe. We have made sure to tell the kids to only call me Chloe around him. They think it's a fun game where we make up names for each other.

"Chloe." He says after kissing both the kids on the forehead. It's obvious he's about to leave, and thank god for it.

"Mathew." Is is all I say.

I throw him a dirty look, and he just continues to get in his car leaving.

I pick Layla up, but Levi refuses to be carried.

"I'm a big boy now. I'm five." He says, and I just chuckle. He still lets me hold his hand as he pulls,  leading me to the house.

Once we're inside I see Estrella in the kitchen cooking something. When she notices me a smile spreads on her face making one come to mine as well.

I walk over to her hugging her, and I had no idea how much I needed it. Over the years people have come, and go in my life. She's the only one that has remained constant.

"How are you doing Soph?" She asks me, and I can't even muster up an answer. I would never lie to Estrella, but I also don't like admitting my feelings.

She gives me a sympathetic look.

"I'm fine though Estrella. How have you, and the kids been?" I ask her.

The kids have sat in front of the tv watching some sort of cartoon, and I pick up a knife helping Estrella chop potatoes.

"We've been fine. The kids have been making new friends since they started elementary school this year." She tells me.

"That's good. How have you been? I saw that dickhead ex of yours outside before he left." I say. She sighs before speaking.

"I'm fighting him for full custody, and he's not happy about it. He's been drinking a lot lately, and I don't want that around the kids."

"I could always just kill him you know." I'm being dead serious when I say that because all she needs to do is say the word, and it's done. She laughs.

"That's alright. I know I'm going to win he's just upset." I nod my head at her words.

All of a sudden a loud bang is heard. I look over at Estrella immediately, and tears are steaming down her face as her hands fly to her chest.

I look down to see blood coming from her chest.

"Get the kids." She whispers before falling to the ground.

"Mommy!" I hear them yell, but I run over to them picking them up before they can see her body.

"Andi!" I yell. Andi the kids nurse come running down the stairs, and she freezes when she sees Estrellas body on the ground.

"Get the kids out of the house. Go out the back door." I tell her, and she nods.

I reach in Estrellas cabinet pulling out a gun she had hidden. As soon as I step out of the front door someone starts to shoot at me.

As they shoot at me I see Andi, and the kids getting into the car to get away. As soon as their away I begin to shoot in the direction the bullets were coming from.

I hear someone scream, and the bullets stop. I walk over to see a man laying on the ground bleeding out where I shot him.

"Who sent you?!" I ask pressing my foot down on the wound making him scream louder. It's a good thing Estrella didn't have any neighbors.

"Your father always gets what he wants." Is all he says before his eyes close. I spit on his dead body before walking away.

Stefano has taken everything from me. He killed my mother, turned my brother into a monster, and turned me into a monster.

After all that I only had one person left. Estrella. She was my best friend no matter what. Her life was a reminder that you can escape this life.

Estrella was my sister, and my father took her away from me. Not just from me, but from her kids.

Those kids are going to end up with a father that barely knows how to take care of them.

All because of me. I know that bullet wasn't meant to hit me, because Stefano doesn't want me dead. It was a warning.

A warning that he has me right where he wants me.

I need Maxon.