𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐩'𝐬 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 | +𝟏𝟖

𝘛𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘱

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|  |   𝟏𝟎   |  |

I think I've officially turned my house upside down. I spent the rest of the day searching every nook and crevice for this unidentified thumb drive and came up short. Plopping on the sofa, I brush my hair out of my face and over my head as I bite down on my fingernails.

What the fuck am I even searching for? There is no thumb drive here, other than the ones I own of course. I slide off the sofa, stripping off the cushions and bedding of the furniture, and push my hand all over the creases. 

Nothing. 

Soon I hear heavy footsteps echoing towards me but I pay no heed to it, too focused on finding the damn thing. If I don't my fucking daughter dies.

"I have to say, I like this look on you," Ziel begins, his voice as mellow as ever, "So messy." I peer up at him before I stand to my feet, and walk past him towards the kitchen. 

I have to find it.

I pull out all of the counter drawers and empty them on the island, searching through spoons, forks, knives, and other clutter. 

Still fucking nothing.

"Pet," he calls out again but I just search relentlessly and frantically. Opening all the cabinet and counter doors, I toss aside bottles with cleaning chemicals and other solvents but there is nothing. I walk around the island, making my way upstairs, feeling my eyes sting from the tears threatening to spill over my lids. 

I have to fucking find it. Whatever it is I just have to...

"Petra," Ziel's hand grabs onto mine, pulling me into him as he looks down at me. I'm a fucking mess, and for once I wasn't even concerned about him because all I can think about is my daughter. 

Tears spill over my lids and flow down my cheek as I rest my head on his chest, "I h-have to f-find it," I out shakily. My breathing is erratic as I try to control my thoughts. Soon, my head begins to throb, the pain almost as painful as the last one.

"Hey look at me," he says, lifting my chin, "What's wrong?" as I peer into worried grey eyes all I can think about is how unlucky I am. 

My life was never picture-perfect. My parents weren't rich, hell, they struggled just to get me through school. And after I left, I became an escort, entertaining men, whispering sweet nothings into their ears so I can be able to have a proper meal the next night and pay my rent. 

All of that struggling just to survive. Until I met Dmitri Morozov. The man who I thought I'd have my happily ever after with but that was only a fool's wishful thinking. The moment he got me pregnant his entire attitude and demeanor changed towards me. 

That was the moment I decided that enough was enough. I made a vow to myself that no matter what, I'll never make Ericka live or remotely come close to living the life I had to endure. I fought for my place at the top. People thought I would fuck up at some point; that I'd fall back to the ground and grovel where I belonged.

But I proved them wrong. All of them. I made them watch me climb higher than they ever could. I had that power in the palm of my hands, where I was at the top and no one could touch me. No one could touch my precious innocent daughter. 

But was I ever at the top?
Did I ever make a change in our lives?
Did I even have power?

No. Because in the end there is always someone else above me. Still threatening the well-crafted future I had planned out. What has changed other than my wealth and reputation?