love like HELL

CHAPTER-9 (NATALIA)

I'm going to murder someone really and he would probably be Brien. I heard him when he said 'you can't run from me, baby.'
Baby my ass.

"Um- Nat we have a meeting today." Bell told me but I wasn't listening to her. My whole concentration was focused at my thoughts. Brien. I never had a relationship except one...
Ishaan.
My ex, Ishaan. I got chills remembering those days. It was like hell. He made my life a living hell. Whenever I felt like I was worth of love and care, he made me feel like I was the most ugliest piece of shit exists on this planet. I felt my world crumpled around me. I came abroad because of him..he...his words...
YOU ARE A SLUT AND NOTHING MORE, BITCH.
WHY DON'T YOU LET ME FUCK YOU WHEN YOU ALLOW EVERYONE TO DO THAT.

No, I-i never was a slut and I never had sex with anyone. He just passed me false statements. "I'm not a slut." I whispered, tears streaming down my cheeks and blood pouring out of my heart. "No-no-no I'm not."
Nat, Nat my honey what happens baby?" Belinda ran towards me and held my face wiping my tears off my face. We sat in silence, neither speaking, not moving. I somehow found my voice "N-nothing. I-i..." She made a 'shhh' sound to stop me and hugged me tighter than before.
"I know baby. Relax. Everything is going to be okay." I'm listening to the same sentence from day one but nothing is happening it just getting worse. She knows all about my past and that I always have panic attacks remembering my past.
My past.
My weakness.
"Yeah I-i'm going to-" didn't have to complete my sentence because she understood that I need some minutes alone. She nodded at me and I ran towards my room so no one can see me like this. I got to my room, locked my door and went directly towards the mirror and looked at my face wet with tears. "It's over Nat . You're good, you're the most beautiful." I repeated this sentence over and over again to calm myself. It always happens like this. It doesn't matter if I'm not in India or I'm miles away from him. My condition remains the same or even gets worse.
When I remembers him, I feel like my world is closing around me.
I'm weak.
I'm scared.
I'm always scared of my past.
"If you ain't scared, you ain't human." My mum's voice echoed in my head. I took a deep breath. Wiped my tears and repeated my mum's words loudly.

I got back downstairs, in the kitchen to find Brien and Belinda cooking together. "Honey, are you okay now?" she kissed me on the cheek and I nodded with a small smile on my face. She patted me on the back "You are a strong girl, don't let you fear win. EVER."
DONT LET YOUR FEAR WIN.

Brien as always eyed me but with confusion this time and like always I ignored him."Yes, what are you making?" I asked her curiously while she chopped vegetables and this is the chore I hate the most.
"I'm making sandwiches." Her sandwiches are absolutely mind blowing and are my favourite. I turned my gaze around the kitchen. Fuck man, the kitchen is like a hall. But.....
"Tell me one thing." she nodded at me. " why don't have one butler when you can afford one as you are millionaires."
She slightly chuckled "I love to cook so I don't have a butler. And for the second one, we are billionaires not millionaires." Brien and Belinda they both started laughing and I rolled my eyes at them. "Okay so what should I do?" I asked as I don't like someone to serve me my meals while I just sit there lazily.
"Noth-" before she could complete her sentence I cut her off in mid sentence. "No, I want to help." She narrowed her eyes at me but she's knows I'm stubborn as hell so she released a heavy breath "Chop the vegetables and I'll do the rest." I smiled at her teasingly .

When I completed my task and turned to put sandwiches on the table, I caught Brien looking at me "Why are you looking at me like I'm a serial killer?" He smiled at me and when I blinked, it vanished. Uh-it was the to capture as he doesn't smile often. It was the first time I saw his genuine smile.
"Beautiful and cute serial killer." I blushed as I didn't expected him to say that.
"Aw, you two are really cute." This was Belinda.
Aghh god!

We three sat up the table. Ash, Steffan and Noah entered the kitchen.
Wait. what Noah?
Ash and Noah were helping Steffan and regret washed over my face at that time seeing him in pain. I hate it when people suffer from pain.
"What happened to Steffan now. Was it Brien, Ash or Noah?" She doesn't seem to be concerned. I think so this is usual for everyone but what is unusual is Nat beating the shit out of Steffan. I went to sit beside Belinda but she shook her head "no not here. Sit beside Brien." She pointed at the chair which was right next to Brien. I didn't have a choice instead of sitting there.
We all seated ourselves. "I told you four, you all are grown up men now. stop this bullshit. You three." she pointed at Brien, Ash and Noah. "Who among you three beated the shit out of your brother this time?"
"it's neither of them, mom." He smiled slightly not showing any anger. I expected him to be angry at me but he's-
happy. Like he's proud of me.
but why?
"It was Nat this time." Ash spoke while chuckling and Belinda's jaw dropped to the ground hearing her son. She stared at me with wide eyes.
"Yeah it was this slu-" Noah was going to say something and I know what he was going to say but Brien cut him off mid sentence "Think before you speak. if you said anything to her then I'm going to make you regret your words." Everyone stopped eating and everyone's gaze turned towards Brien.
including me.
But Ash was smirking at Brien and Brien was giving him a look which said ' I'm going to kill you.' Belinda smiled, I know what's she's thinking but then she turned her attention to me "Are they joking or it was really you?" I didn't know how to reply it but I nodded anyway "oh my God you know how to-"
"Yeah I know how to- fight." Silence spread through the room and when no one spoke I turned my gaze to Steffan who was calmly eating his food "I'm really sorry for my actions." Steffan smiled at me "Don't apologise, it wasn't your fault."
"Yeah, it wasn't your fault Nat. The one who should apologise is him. He provoked you and challenged you. You just proved him wrong." I really appreciate this thought of Brien. Steffan held both of his ears with his hands and mouthed sorry to me and everyone started laughing seeing that.

I internally smiled to myself. I had a perfect family breakfast after a long time.
but all this time one thing was suspicious.
Ash was just smirking the whole time.
Why?