Mirage | 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙚𝙡 𝙅𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙤𝙣

Chapter 11

I knew that what I did wasn't right.

I kept fighting with myself, as if it were an internal war going inside of me. I don't know if it's either my mind or my heart – or both; all I knew was that I kept hurting someone that I swore one day that had to pay for her father's crimes.

Now I can't stop thinking, would it be alright to make someone pay for something that she hasn't done? Once upon a time, I didn't care. I felt like that person didn't had the right to smile, to live well. I felt so much hatred for the people that were there but didn't do anything to prevent such an injustice.

They took my mother away from me, because of their greedy asses.

I almost didn't hold myself for support as I felt myself weakening when I shut myself in my office, tears running down my face as I remembered vividly the day I vowed to destroy everyone that had edged my mother to take her own life.

I came back from school to the house we managed to rent after they took everything from us, everything my father had done to support his family was taken by his greedy brother. I took my shoes off and I went to look for my mother and I found her... hanging from the ceiling.

I stopped talking for a few months before Dr. Oaks adopted me. But I remained with my original last name, because if somebody had to take my uncle down, I'd do it while honoring both my father and my mother.

Passing my fingers through my hair, I was hugging my legs and hiding behind my desk. I heard Daniel's knocking on my door, but I was having a total meltdown and I shut every other noise out of my head.

The way Louisa had been treated by my father's brother... a sight I'd never forget. A sight that triggered the horrible memories that I tried to bury. The year that the gentle side of me died. What was so different now? I only knew the name of the owner of this stupid heart, but I didn't know who he was. I was sure that I had heard that name before...

I had so many drowned problems that had started to resurface as I had this panic attack, my mind went back to Louisa. If she was so loyal and trustworthy for this company, why was she treated that way? My uncle was a jerk, I know that is a fact... but hitting a woman in front of your associates? That's low, way low.

I don't know what got into me as I saw her lying in the floor, hand in her cheek, disbelief in her eyes as she looked up to the person she admired the most. I felt anger, sadness... a lot of mixed feelings.

I wanted to hold her, protect her... but with what reason? I was just the jerk that sent her to a suicide mission she didn't knew about. But when Hayden Shapiro told me she knew exactly what happened yesterday, it was clear that she didn't went further with my plan. She was loyal to my uncle's ass. Then, what happened? Did someone push her to the frontline...?

I took my phone and dialed Bill's number quickly. "Bill, I need you to check something for me", I told him, my stern voice masking my feelings.

"What do you need me to do?"

"I need the footage of the Starlight Mall from yesterday morning, nearby Gardenia, it has to be directed to were Shapiro and some people are standing. It has to be clear the moment when the woman leaves."

"Right away, sir", he said and cut the call.

I did my best to compose myself as I sat back to my desk and Louisa's face couldn't be wiped off my mind. I growled as I dialed Bill's number again. "Also, I need a thoroughly background check on my secretary, Louisa Ronan"

I set my phone over the desk and think for a few minutes, trying hard to feel better.

Something in the floor caught my attention. I got up and crouched to lift it from the floor, only to find a business card of a woman that works at Tiffany, the jewelry store. In the back of it, it said something that made me frown. Something about retrieving a ring. From the date it was written there, I noticed that a few days had passed by.