Chapter 292
Marvin
You killed Anya. You’re a killer.
One day had passed, but those words were on repeat, and I couldn’t get them out of my head. I was supposed to be angry, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t blame Tiago for reacting the way he did because I knew it was my fault.
“Are you still not moving on from yesterday?”
It was never my intention to harm Anya in any way, and I felt just as awful. “This is all because you baby him too much.” Panther stated as we made our way to the living room. “Ever since we were young, you’ve always let him boss you around-and this is what you’ve created.”
“I created?” I stopped in my steps and turned around to face Panther, seconds away from choking him. The downside of having your friend work for you was them thinking they could get away with every little thing.
“You know how unfair Mario has been, and I had no choice but to baby him!” I hissed in his face. “I give him the same treatment I give you, so the next time you want to talk about babying someone-you should start by looking at yourself!”
Panther raised his hands in defense and brushed past me while I thought about Victor’s words.Could I really trust Panther? Wasn’t he supposed to follow me in my decisions?
“Marvin, why aren’t you in your wheelchair?” My mom approached me. She had a worried look on her face and placed her hands on my waist. “Panther, go get his wheelchair-”
“It’s fine, mom.” I pushed her off. If anyone was babying people in this house, it was my mom. “It’s time for me to pick up where I’ve left, and I think I can manage a few hours without that wheelchair.”
My mom frowned. “A few hours?” She raised her brow. “Where are you going?
“Out?”
“Yes, but where?”
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes to keep my calm. My mom’s behavior was the most challenging about my return from prison. The moment she had send me off, I was barely an adult. A lot of years had flown by but unfortunately, not for her.She was still stuck in the past.
“Okay, okay-I’m sorry!” My mom apologized. “It’s just that I want you to be careful, especially with the whole Danny Hernandez thing.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.” I reassured her. I had lost my focus at the wedding because I felt obligated to protect Elena, but it wouldn’t happen a second time.
Despite having plans to visit her at work tonight, I had put my feelings aside, and I did it for a reason. I didn’t want to make a decision between Elena or my family ever again, and it shouldn’t have happened. She could be there as a friend because I treasured her friendship.
“Come on. There’s something I need to talk to you about.” My mom led us to the sofa. We sat down without giving each other a single glance and waited for my mom’s words. There was clearly a bit of tension between us.
“So, I heard you visited Tiago yesterday?” My mom asked. “Yes, I did.” I nodded, trying to ignore the image from my head.
“I know dad wants to send him to a mental facility, and I know I shouldn’t be asking this from my own son, but maybe you can talk him out of it-
“I’m sorry, a what?”
My mom’s news came as a surprise as I was not aware of it. Panther shot me a confused look while my mom seemed startled by my reaction. “He didn’t discuss it with you?” She whispered.
I balled my fist in anger. “No, he didn’t, no one did.”
I thought my dad and I were finally getting somewhere, but the only direction he was heading was Victor’s ass. Even now, I still had to live in his shadow.
“Mom, Tiago can’t go.” I shook my head. “I know.” My mom agreed.
Although I agreed that something was seriously wrong with Tiago and he needed all the help he could get, this was not it. The feeling of abandonment would only hurt him more, and Tiago was unpredictable.
“Mom, if the truth comes out about that night we can’t lose him.” I spoke, stressed. I didn’t give up years of my life, just for my dad and Victor to screw it up. My mom shrugged. “That’s what I told your dad.”
“So, what can we do to stop this?” Panther asked for the first time. During my time in prison, the person who cared for him the most was Panther, so it was understandable,
“Maybe we can get him a therapist—”
“We can’t!” I snapped. One mistake could turn everything around, and I could not lose my brother. “I’m sorry.” I apologized. “It’s just…I know he needs help, but we can’t. We really can’t.”
The thing which upset me the most was that Tiago had never been the same since the death of the DEA agent. He was in desperate need of help for several years but was forced to forget about it. He was forced to deal with his pain all by himself, and the only person he trusted was Anya.
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