by S. S. Sahoo
Memories of Emmett flooded back into my mind and I began to think about the impossibilities hearing that voice. My hands began to tremble and I didn’t even realize when I took a step further inside the room towards the man.
“You did a great mistake. I am Nicholas Greer and this time you are going to die for sure!” he spoke and I felt as the tears flooded down my cheek.
As I took a step further the wooden floor under me squeaked and as if alerted he took the stool from the bedside and turned around to hit me. A loud scream escaped my mouth and I screamed numerous times not because he was going to hit me or something. But it was his face.
It was Emmett.
My Emmett.
I screamed in horror seeing him there after a long time. He is alive and the worst thing that I discovered was....
“Ju-Juliette” he uttered my name once he recognized my face and he lowered the stool down and kept it on the ground.
He took a step towards me but I showed him a finger warning him to stop.
I cried my eyes out but not because of happiness. If it would have been some other day I would have thanked the god and cried happy tears because the person I loved was alive and healthy before me. But today, I felt devastated. Because not only I got to know that he is alive but found out a shocking yet ugly truth about him.
I felt my legs wobbling and I felt on my knees crying and sobbing hard.
“Y-You are N-Nicholas?” I stammered feeling as if the ground slipped from under my feet.
33
I couldn’t even believe what life has for me. The impossibilities are happening to me. I cursed to myself for having a fate like this. What did I ever do to have a fate like this?
“Jul-Juliette” the person whom I thought was dead, whom I loved the most in this world whom I thought was the only one who loved me is the person who broke my heart shattering it into pieces for he was the biggest lie of my life.
“Juliette” I felt him grabbing me from my arms while I sobbed and cried sitting on the floor.
He pulled me up and I stood on my feet but I could feel my legs wobbling.
What is going on with me?
“Juliette baby” he tried to touch my cheek but I slapped his hands away and glared at him.
Through my watery eyes, I managed to glare at him. My eyes were open now. I could see the truth now. But only the half of the truth. I need to hear his side of the story too. I can’t just keep on crying not knowing what to do. I have been kept in the darkness. And now, I want to be free. I want to know everything. Every single little thing that my eyes have missed. I could hear people laughing at me. Sounds of people laughing at me echoed in my ear and I looked around terrified thinking who are they. Nobody was around but the sounds of laughter didn’t stop. They were mocking me for having a fate like this. For being betrayed by the only one whom I believed and trusted the most.
“Stop!” the words formed in my mouth as I put my palms on my ear not able to bear people taunting me.
“Juliette?” Emmett looked confused as he took a step closer to me.
“Stop right there!” all of a sudden the sounds were gone and I found myself standing in a quiet room with Emmett facing me looking at me little nervous.
“Who are you?” I questioned looking straight into his eyes.
“Wh- What are you talking about? Juliette, I am Emmett. Your Emmett” he took another step closer but I showed him a finger warning him to stop.
“Who are you?” I asked again. I wanted to hear it. I wanted to hear it from his mouth. Deep down, I was still hoping that whatever I thought and heard was false. Let him be the Emmett whom I loved.
“Juliette, what is wrong with you?” he asked but he looked unhappy now.
“Who are you?” I repeated the same question determinedly wanting to know the answer. I wouldn’t budge until he answered my question.
He looked into my eyes and then pursed his lips.
“Fine! I will answer. I don’t understand what is wrong with you. Why are you even questioning me like this all of a sudden but I will answer you” he said as he kept his hands on his hips.
“I am Emmett Renfred,” he said and I balled my fists in anger.
Again lying!
“Who are you?” I asked again. I decided I will continue to ask the same question until he didn’t give me the correct answer to it.
“Juliette! are you kidding me? What is wrong with you? Why are asking me who I am? What do mean by that? I am Emmett! Your Emmett! Stop asking me the same question again and again. I am Emmett!” he said as he ran a hand through his messy hair and sighed looking at me.
I couldn’t believe it. He was again lying on my face. How did I not catch him lying to me when I was with him? How was I so blinded by his love that I couldn’t even see his true face?
“Who are you?” I asked again.
“Are you kidding me? What’s wrong with you?” Stop asking me that question again and again” he looked frustrated now and I could see the anger in his eyes. I knew he had an impatience personality and I knew if I kept nagging me he would burst out any second. If this time, I was nervous because he wasn’t the Emmett that I knew. If he was really Nicholas who I have heard is the one is trying to kill me then he would definitely try to hurt me anytime if I don’t remain alerted.
“You are Emmett?” I questioned as a smile formed on my lips.
“Yes! Yes! I’m Emmett” all of a sudden the tension in his face faded away and he looked at me with hope and something else which I quite couldn’t put my fingers on.
“Then why are you being so restless? Why are your hands trembling?” I asked smiling as I looked at his trembling hands. I noticed his hands trembling when he ran his hand through his hair. His hands always trembled whenever he lied or he was in tension.
“Tell me,” I said sarcastically at him.
He looked down to his still trembling hands and I could see him gulping.
“Oh! There are trembling because I h-have been here for so long and that Zachary. Yes, that Zachary has done so many horrible things to me Juliette” he came forward and held me by my arms.
“Juliette he is not a good guy. He wants to kill me. He wants to hurt you too. Juliette” he took my hand into his “Juliette help me! get me out of here. I know what he has done to you. Trust me!” he put one of his hand on my cheek “I still love you. Help me to get out of here” he said.
“I asked you a question,” I said as I removed his hand from mine.
“Are you serious?” he snapped.
“I am saying that I am in a problem and help me get me out of here and all you are doing is repeating the same fucking question!” he snapped at me which made me take a step back from him.
He noticed this and he sighed closing his eyes.
“Juliette!” He came forward and tried to hug me but I put a hand between us stopping him from moving any closer.
“You want to kill me?” I could feel my eyes stinging.
“Wh-What! No! How could you ever think that way? I woul-” I stopped him in the middle.
“Who are you?” I asked enunciating each word. This time I was losing my patience.
“Agai-” the sound of the slap echoed in the room as his face turned the other side while my palm stung due to the impact of the slap.
“Did you just slap me?” he looked up at me as he touched his face not believing what I just did.
It was the first time ever that I raised my hands to him. I couldn’t help it. He was keeping on ignoring my questions. All he cared was being freed. Getting out of here. But what me? Did he ever ask how was I in all these days? How was I suffering thinking that he died?
“How dare you?” his face contoured the one of an angry beast as he lunged at me and grabbed me by my hair.
“Aaah!” a sob left my mouth. I was too shocked to move away. Is this the same Emmett whom I loved?
“You little piece of shit! Have you the audacity to raise a hand on me? Hu?” he grabbed another
fistful of my hair and pulled it roughly arching my neck in an odd position which brought tears to my eyes.
“Emm-” he didn’t let me finish because he clicked his tongue and grabbed my chin forcefully.
“Emmett! Emmett! Emmett! It’s Nicholas” he sneered while I looked at him hurt by his revelation.
“Hard to believe? Hu?” he laughed “You wanted to hear the truth? Here is the truth! I am Nicholas Greer” and he pushed me to the ground. I fell on my side and winced feeling my sides hurting. But I refused to look back at him or get up from the place. Because I wanted to hide my face. I was so embarrassed at myself. How did I not get it from the beginning?
Is he Nicholas?
Has he killed Zachary’s sister?
Is he a murderer?
Did I love a murderer?
All these questions roamed inside my head and I sobbed and wept as the bitter reality hit me hard on my face. All of a sudden the world seemed to rotate and my vision blurred as I felt little dizzy.
“Yes, Nicholas Greer” I heard him and heard his footsteps next to mine but as soon as he got near I saw another foot walking my way from my peripheral vision and all of a sudden a heard a whoomp sound.
“Don’t touch her!” I heard Zachary.
It was Zachary.
Mustering up courage, I looked back to see Zachary kicking Emmett on his stomach.
“You bastard! How dare you touch her?” was what I heard when I was really close to losing my sense.
I felt a hand on my arms and I looked up to see it, Willi.
“Get up!” he said as he helped me get up on my foot.
As he held me from my arms I saw Zachary’s assaults on Emmett.
“Zac-Zachary” I tried to stop him.
He looked back at me with rage filled in his eyes but soon he left a whimpering Emmett alone rolling on the ground.
All of a sudden Emmett starting laughing. He laughed hard as he wiped the tears away from the corner of his eyes and he got up wincing back on his foot.
“You can’t save her every time you know” he laughed hysterically looking straight into Zachary’s eyes.
“You are soon going to die soon. Let my dad find me out first. Then I will see each and every one of you. You all will pay for this!” he snarled at Zachary. Zachary rolled his shoulder and took a step closer to him.
“We will see,” he said in a low threatening tone and turned around and walked towards me and held me by my waist as he made me walk towards the door.
“You can’t save her every time!” I heard Emmett as we walked out of the room.
I saw some people walking into that room walking past us.
“H-He betrayed me!” was what I muttered and felt Zachary’s arm tightening on mine torso.
34
Zachary
I asked my people to take care of that mutt inside that room. How did he even manage to untie himself? I looked to my side to find Juliette sitting silently, leaning against the car window.
She was way too silent. I looked forward and saw Willi looking at me through the rearview mirror of the car. He looked worried. I signaled him with my eyes to concentrate on the road.
I sighed as I rubbed my face with my hand and looked out of the window. My life is messed up right now. I can’t just understand what is going on in my life. But I know that it is Juliette’s life who’s life is a way too messed up than me right now. Finally, the truth of Emmett being Nicholas is revealed to her. But it was not the really how I hoped her to find out. It was uncertain. It was not really how I have had planned for which I am not really happy.
But contradictorily, only half of the truth is revealed to her. There is even more. She needs to find out more about what is going on. I hope she understands.
Ironically, I know my behavior towards her from last these days, was not really good. I was cruel to her. I locked her up, away from everyone when she was already away from her own familiar people. Firstly, it was for her own safety. Because, as I had Nicholas I knew his father would to no avail to find out about him and if he knew Juliette was the reason then he would surely, attack Juliette. Secondly, I let my emotions get to me.
I glanced towards her to find her looking out of the window lost in thoughts. I knew that it was way too much for her to handle but the questions which have been nagging me is how did she even get out of the house with all that tight security?
Are my boys not enough to stop her from getting out?
If she can get out of the house so easily than anybody can get inside the house way too easily. b
This is not good.
I need to have a serious talking to all my boys.
But currently, her state was affecting me. She looked mentally disturbed right now as her eyes looked distant and she kept on clutching onto the hem of her shirt tightly. Probably, thinking about what just happened. But it’s not the only thing that I have to deal with.
My family. I need to face them now, for my behavior from these last few days towards Juliette has not been unnoticed by my family. Especially, by my grandfather. I hope he doesn’t ask me oo much and let me handle the situation of my own. I can handle mom and even Gale but I can’t really say the same about the grandfather.
I sighed as I balled my fist and put it in my mouth. I was frustrated now because Juliette being in such a condition was disturbing me. She wasn’t uttering any single word and for the first time ever I hoped for her to at least tell me how she was feeling.
Or am I exaggerating things?
Maybe she is just fine as it is. Probably, she has managed to cope up with the truth and she is fine now.
“Then why is it making you anxious?” I thought as I looked out of the window.
We reached the house, and soon as the car came to a halt, Juliette opened the door and walked straight into the house avoiding my men who were looking at her in a confused way. They still didn’t know how she was with me. Now, this is a question which I am going to answer with a question of mine own on how did she even manage to get out of the house without anyone noticing her.
I made my way out and looked at her retreating back as she walked back in inside the house.
Maybe she wants some space. Some time alone to herself.
“Boss” I heard one of my men while I waited Juliette get inside the house.
“You all are fired! Get out” I said and walked towards the house with Max and Willi following me.
“But Boss!” I heard one of them which made me stop in my track.
“There is no place for losers in my place. You all failed to stop a simple woman getting out of the house. How will you even protect her from all those people out there?” I asked and took a step but stopped.
“Make sure to get out before the evening if you don’t want your end so soon” a silence was heard.
“You all should have known. I lack tolerant and I’m benevolent” I said while I walked back inside.
“Assign new people in their place,” I told Max who nodded before leaving for his work.