Fated To Three Betrayed By All Until She Rose (Leilani) by Ahvahh novel Chapter 3

Chapter 3: My very own boogeyman.

Leilani.

By now, I was shaking... tremendously. After several years of torture, my first reaction whenever I saw my father was fear.

It was this fear for him that made it difficult to join the family during breakfasts and dinners. My fear made it impossible for me to use the library or the training room.

And now, my fear made it impossible for me to stand up from this cold hospital floor even as he sneered down at me, his eyes thinning into fierce slits as he planted his hands on his waist.

"What did you do to my mother?!" He growled, his voice so loud that it sent shivers running down my spine.

My first instinct was to cower and so I did, but when he kicked me hard in my ribs, so hard that the sound of my bones crunching beneath his boot rang through the quiet halls, I cried out, my body shaking violently as tears poured out of my eyes and blood sputtered out of my mouth.

"I didn’t do anything to grandma! Chalice pushed her!" I cried, but as soon as I said those words, the temperature in the air dropped. Everyone froze, well including Chalice whose face immediately fell.

She cried; "Why would you lie against me that way, Leilani?! You know I would never do anything to hurt grandma!"

"Oh, but you did!"

"You pushed her because you were mad at me and she stepped in to protect me. You said that Caelum, Kael and Zevran were your mates and that I should stay away from them!"

"Chalice, I didn’t—!"

"Admit it Leilani, you were mad that they chose me and you wanted to hurt me, but you ended up hurting grandma in the process and now she’s dead!"

I was stunned. My eyes widened, my jaws slackening because Chalice had successfully spun the narrative into something that fits her. I opened my mouth to speak but for some reason, no words could come out. I didn’t even know what to say.

I had stumbled upon Chalice and grandmother arguing about something but I had no idea what it was. Then a boy whom I hadn’t been able to see his face sneaked out of Chalice’s room. However, as soon as grandmother saw him, she went berserk. She yelled and screamed at the top of her voice to Chalice who had been smug the entire time.

I only stepped in when she pushed grandma, but I’d been a little too late.

And now—

*Crack!*

Another slap. Another hit, as usual. Tears streamed down my face which now felt as though it had been pressed against a burning furnace.

I didn’t even have enough time to recover from the first slap before another came thundering down my other cheek and I cried out, tasting blood in my mouth as I fell to the floor.

"Leilani, you’ll pay for this!" My father growled, "I’ll make sure you go to jail for killing your grandma. But first, I’ll punish you in my own way!"

His threats made a shudder run down my spine, and gods help me, I feared for myself. Crying, I stumbled to my feet whilst using my arms to support myself as my knees wobbled too much.

"Father, I really didn’t. I would never! I didn’t do anything to grandma. Believe me!"

In desperation, I clung to my father’s clothes but as soon as my fingers grazed his expensive suit, he angrily shoved me away with so much force that it sent me flying to the ground. Again.

This time, it was Gavin who slapped me and I couldn’t even react anymore because by this time, my body had already gone numb. I simply smiled. "I knew you’d never believe me."

"And I knew you were always so jealous and hateful you’d say anything just to get Chalice into trouble! But shame on you!"

"Shame on you too for being so blind. It’s a shame you’d be the next beta after father!" I seethed, then turning to Caelum whose hand was still wrapped around my face in a painful grip, I spat; "let go of me!"

"Caelum, mom... dad, I feel dizzy! I don’t understand. My head aches...." Chalice’s voice suddenly lanced through the tension in the air, and just like that, everything shifted. Everyone turned to her, their expressions shifting from enraged to concerned in a second.

No one cared that I was the one bleeding. No one cared that I was the one slipping out of consciousness. They were all focused on Chalice who was probably faking this the same way she’s always faked every one of her illnesses in the past.

I watched them fuss over her, and I watched Kael pull her into his arms. They all hurdled together while they walked down the corridor, leaving me behind to die.

To rot.

However, I didn’t miss the way Chalice smiled at me when no one was looking, and I certainly didn’t miss the middle finger that she discreetly held out to me as they walked off.

And maybe one day, they will all see her for the monster that she really is. But that day isn’t today.

Hell, that day may never even come.

But right there and then, as my blood leaked out of my open cut, I decided that this family wasn’t mine anymore. They’d exiled me, and maybe... just maybe... it was time I returned the favor.