The Chapter We Closed

10. Bittersweet Passion

Ashtyn

I was moving to a hotel, away from Nash, nearer to Liam. My things were all ready and I was just waiting for a cab. Now that Nash knew who I was, the hood was off my face as the cool air touched my skin. Suddenly, awareness groped me as I sensed vanilla and sea breaze all around me. He was there standingin front of me, beautiful in blue, his eyes shining amongst the darker shade of his sweater. His face was hard and blank, just like Liam. He looked angry, broken and cheated. Because of me.

I gulped. I felt a tingling sensation overtake my stomach as my temples throbbed with instant pain. The cold wind blew harshly on my face. He came closer till all I could inhale was his scent. His eyes, those charming eyes looked at me with a hate that made me loose my composure. My heart skipped a beat as his full of emotion eyes looked at me with an emptiness I had never associated with them. "Why." He said not looking away from me.

I knew better than not to tell him the truth. "Liam killed my Father." I said abruptly. His eyes widened for a second and his cheeks heated. He pulled his chestnut hair away from his forehead and looked away from me at the ground. "Liar." He said in a hurtful whisper. "I'm not insane. There's a reason behind everything I did and that is your dear Dad." He turned around, hatred burning in blue eyes as he said with determination. "My Dad can be everything but what you are portraying him as." I backed away, hurt, for a reason I did not know. "I don't give a damn if you believe me or not."

Saying this I turned to leave but he held my arm tightly and pulled me towards him. Angry, I hit his shin only to cause his grip to tighten. We stood just an inch apart and adrenaline rushed through my body as I was not used to this level of closeness to people. Seeing my blood boil, he let go of my arm and said, "We need to talk." I sneered and replied, "I'm least interested." He rolled his eyes and said said with determination, "Your father was a great man. I remember him now. He wanted me to become what I am today and I owe him for always being there for me, for-us during our childhood. Least I can do is find out who really killed him- if that is what you're saying."

"I am going to end Liam so get out of my freaking way." I said in one breath, my raspy voice raising with each word. "I need to know the truth!" He shouted. We stood there for who knows how long glaring at eachother. He deserved to know everything, I owed him. I sighed and looked at the sky. It was empty, with the sun being hidden by thick grey clouds and occasional birds flew across the horizon. Telling him wouldn't hurt so that is what I decided to do. I waited so long to get to Liam, a little bit more wouldn't hurt.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I agreed to meet Nash and tell him everything the next morning. I had important things to do first. Like visiting Mother and Taryn. They lived in our house in another city two hours drive away. I took a bus to go back home. Taryn was in her room, on the bed, motionless. She hadn't moved an inch since she landed into this position. I touched her soft cheek and planted a little kiss on her forehead. I smiled at my little sister and moved to the next room where Mother was sitting with the maid on the sofa, her eyes lifeless and her brain senseless. Mother looked at me and started clapping, her dark expressions not changing. I gave a weak, broken smile.

The maid was with us since the day I had born and there was no one more loyal than her to me. We moved into this smaller house when I was 19. We needed money as the one Father had left behind was slowly finishing and I had refused to take Liam's aid. So by selling our huge house, we moved into a smaller one so our expenses could be met. I did a small job next to my studies always. The day I had my degree in my hand, I started working. I did double shifts as it was better to return to a home where you felt alone. Our maid, Lucy, was a huge support and I was forever greatful and indebted to her.

After Father's death, Mother's mental health started deteriorating. But the final blow was Taryn going into coma. She could not bare everything that was happening and lost it. Since then, I lost the whole of my family. Mother breathed and moved, but her mind no longer supported her. She didn't even recognize me. After Father's death, my maternal grandmother came to live with us. As she was old, she did nothing much but provide me with the feeling that I wasn't alone. She died when I was 16 and since then it's just been the four of us, Lucy now being an official member of our tiny, broken family.

Taryn was two years younger than me. She went into coma an year after Father's death after fighting a huge battle to survive. I was 8 when he was killed and Taryn was just 7 went she went into coma. She was out with our dear uncle Liam, as she was crying at home a lot. When they were back, I had lost my sister even though her heart was still working. I loved her a lot and almost lost myself too. Mother couldn't bear loosing her husband and then Taryn. She became distant, and if professional help had been given to her in the start, I would still have had a parent left with me.

I was young, I didn't know what was happening to her and nor did anyone else pay attention. When Taryn was in the hospital, she would scream and cry and even tried to strangle herself. When doctors said they had no hope of Taryn recovering, Mothet just laughed. She kept herself away from me and pushed me away when I tried to snuggle in her during lonely nights. My heart ached so bad as my happy family had suddenly vanished. Tears stopped leaving me and day by day I became reckless. Mother completely lost control in about 2 years and by that time most of mt emotions were drained from me. I still missed father, so much that I wanted to die to have a chance to be in his warm, homely embrace again.

Seeing Mother and Taryn incited so much pain and heartache that I preferred to stay away to keep myself sane. I no longer cried, as crying was useless, it wouldn't bring back anyone I had lost. I kept myself busy so the memories of my brutal past wouldn't shake my hold on myself. I sometimes wondered how life would be if I had a family with me. The mere thought burned my dead heart. Nash was right, my smiles and laughs were fake. It was to keep myself human, to make my jaws move, to make me live in the delusion that all was well.

I was a dead soul in a living body. My feelings had died and my eyes were blank. My heart was useless as the only purpose left in my life was to make the man pay who destroyed my beautiful life. The man behind all the destruction that happened all those years back. Even though he was Liam's son, I couldn't bring myself to hate him. He was innocent, I kept reminding myself. I wanted to keep him away from my wrath at least for the sake of all the good times we spent together.

My dark and empty eyes stared out the window as warm air enveloped my cool insides. I'd tell him everything. He deserved to know why I tried to make his life the greatest hell possible on earth. My first plan had failed, I wasn't going to let the second one turn to dust. I would bring Liam to his knees in front of me, and make him beg for mercy he wouldn't be granted. You dug your own grave, Uncle.