His eyes widen as soon as he sees the knife, knowing already what’s coming next. “End me already, cunt. Just shoot me.”
“End you?” I place my hand on my chest and sigh dramatically. “Who do you think I am?”
He groans, squeezing the chains harder, trying to get to me. “Just kill me already. Haven’t you had enough fun?” He snarls as if that has any effect on me. As if I’m that scared little girl who couldn’t understand why her daddy was so mean.
Now I welcome his rage. It brings me nothing but pleasure.
“Hmm…” I rub the tip of the knife over my chin, furrowing my brows. “You want me to put you out of your misery? Should I end your pathetic life instead of watching you suffer for a little while longer?” He whimpers when I punch him in the face then I shove my knife deep into his thigh. He’s choking on the blood coming from his broken nose. “Let me think about it.” I make a point to appear in thought, enjoying how hope blossoms on his face, his mouth almost curving in a smile when I do, but it’s quickly replaced with dread when I speak up. “Well, that is no fun.” I smile widely. “Do you know the difference between me and you, Gabriele?” I inch forward so I have his full attention on me. “I’m driven by the desire to make you suffer. To make you bleed. And you were always driven by greed.”
“Kadr—”
Oh, it’s Kadra now. Before he referred to me as a mistake, a useless brat, and when he is feeling especially cruel, like now, he calls me cunt.
How the tables have turned.
“Shhhh.” I shove the knife deeper into his skin while he does his best to hold in his scream of pain this time. “How about I show you something, huh? Something that will help you pass the time down here.” Releasing the knife, I rise to my full height and walk toward the other end of the room where a flat-screen TV is. Turning it on, I change the channels until I find the one. The news. When her beautiful and happy face fills the screen, that’s when I turn to Gabriele. “She won,” I tell him, my voice filled with boredom but on the inside I feel proud. Proud that she found all she didn’t know she wanted and all I knew she deserved. “Look at your eldest. The one you punished for not being your firstborn son.” When he doesn’t raise his gaze, I lose control and snap. Grabbing his chin, I force him to look at the TV “Look at her before my knife ends up in your eye, Gabriele.” He raises his gaze and looks at the TV where the President of the United States, a man my father hurt deeply, is now standing before the masses giving one of his speeches but what matters most is the stunning blonde that looks so much like Gabriele, standing with her head held high and a genuine smile on her face while holding a little girl with curly black her in her arms.
My sister, Arianna.
The pain and guilt I will carry till my last breath is worth it. Nothing was in vain because look at her. She found her one day and all it took was me breaking what was left of my rotten heart and sending her away from this godforsaken city.
“She’s not your heir, no. She’s more than you could ever be and more than you are. She’s a successful businesswoman and the First Lady of this country. She has more power oozing off her pinky finger than you have in your entire body. More than you will ever know. And your youngest.” I go over to the table to fetch my phone and find the picture that will surely be another nail to Gabriele’s coffin. Throwing the phone on his lap, I say. “You tried to dehumanize her. Tried to break her spirit and her heart with cruel insults and heartless abuse but you never could break that one. She’s stronger than all of us. Better than all of us. She’s now loved by a man who will burn the world for her if she asks it of him. She’s happy and she’s loved. All you were supposed to do but never did. They’re both happy and thriving and you’re… well your time is coming to an end.” I shrug.
“When?” he snarls.
“When what?” I ask, acting dumb.
That makes him mad so much so that he shakes his leg forcefully trying to get the phone off his lap as if the gadget offends him. “When will you finish me?”
Looking into those soulless eyes, I take a second to respond. Thinking about a boy with black hair and gray eyes, I smile. “When I successfully shatter all you worked so hard for. When your legacy becomes ashes at my feet and my own rises. That’s when this ends, Gabriele.”
Only then will I send him back to hell.
This war started the day he killed me in life and it won’t end until he sees, truly sees the error of his ways and bleeds what matters most to him.
His empire.
His legacy.
His name.
It will all burn with him and only one will be left standing.
Mine.
Grabbing my phone and picking up the teacup from the chair, I leave Gabriele behind screaming like a madman who knows there’s no way out, and walk out the door, closing it gently behind me. Unlocking my phone, I open the messaging app and smile when an image pops up on the screen.
I smile but this time is genuine. Found you.
Some say you should always wait for God’s timing. Well, I call bullshit. I wait for no one and my time is here.
The last remaining piece on my board.
My legacy.
Chapter 2
KADRA