Page 7 of Something New

I’m falling. I want to hit him back, to fucking fight him for her, but I’m not strong enough.

Next thing I am waking up on the dining room floor with my brothers and my sister standing over me.

“Dude, what the fuck is wrong with you? Have you lost your gad damned mind challenging him like that? He will kill you,” Celso says, holding out his hand to help me up.

I push it away. Embarrassed, and in pain, my eye is throbbing. I can barely open it.

Celso huffs and walks away. Rufino grabs my hand and drags me to my feet.

“Get your shit together, idiot. You are making a fool of yourself over a girl. If you carry on like this, he will end up killing her, too.” He laughs as though it’s a joke, but in his eyes, there is a streak of seriousness. He also believes my father killed her mother.

My stomach rolls as a wave of nausea washes over me.

I don’t know what else to do.

It’s useless. I can’t win against him. I have no control over my life.

I shove past my siblings and leave the dining room on shaky legs. My head is pounding, and I need an ice-pack and an advil. But most importantly, I need to speak to Nerissa.

I walk straight to the staff’s side of the house, straight to her room.

I shove the door open without knocking. “Nerissa,” I say, walking in.

But it’s empty.

Not just empty - I mean barren.

There is no bed, no cupboard, no clothing, no curtains.

Nothing.

She is gone. Every trace of her erased, like she never existed.

She is already gone.

My father has sent her away, and I didn’t even get the chance to say goodbye.

I fall to my knees, clutching my aching chest and fighting tears of anguish.

“Tuomo?” Her voice comes from behind me, and I jump to my feet and spin around.

“I thought you were gone.” I stammer, rushing to her and dragging her into my arms.

“They had to deep clean this room. I was staying in the room across the hall. They said my mother might have contaminated it.” She bursts into tears so full of pain that they rip through her body, making her shudder in my arms.

I hold her tighter.

“They are sending me away.” She whispers between heavy breaths.

“I heard. I don’t want you to go.”

“I’m scared. I don’t even know where I’m going. I miss my mom—”

I thread my fingers through her hair along the back of her head and hold her face against my chest.

“I will find you, little bird. Wherever they take you, I will find you. I promise you. Remember our pact. Ok. No matter what happens, just remember the pact.”

She nods against my chest, her tears soaking through my shirt and her whimpering cries muffled against me.

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