Aiko felt a strange feeling that she was being watched. She couldn’t shake it. Jack had departed for the city early this morning.
Is he back?
Her heart raced, and tears welled up at the thought. She wiped her eyes, then headed to her room.
“Aiko,” Annabell said, looking around to ensure they were alone. “I need to ask you something.”
She probably wants to scold me. Will this torment never end?
Aiko’s brow furrowed, her heart quickening as she regarded Annabelle with trepidation and curiosity.
“What did Jack do to you?” Annabelle pressed, eyes searching Aiko’s face for any hint of deception.
Aiko’s breath caught in her throat, the weight of Annabelle’s question bearing upon her like a physical force. She opened her mouth to deny Jack’s transgressions, but the words died on her lips as Annabelle’s gaze bore into her, pleading for the truth.
“He... he did nothing,” Aiko stammered, her voice wavering with the lie.
I’m doing it again! I promised Emma I wouldn’t lie, and here I am hiding these damned secrets.
Annabelle’s eyes narrowed as she regarded Aiko with skepticism and something akin to understanding.
“Aiko, please,” she implored, her voice revealing a vulnerability that Aiko had never seen in her before. “I need to know the truth.”
With a trembling breath, Annabelle confided in Aiko, her newly trusted confidant, the words tumbling forth in a torrent of fear and anguish.
“Jack... he’s been making advances towards me,” she confessed, her cheeks flushing with shame and disgust. “He’s come to my room in the middle of the night, saying and doing things that make me feel... violated.”
A wave of white-hot fury crashed over Aiko, her hands clenching into fists as the total weight of Jack’s depravity sank in. The thought of him preying upon Annabelle, his own flesh and blood, was a perversion that defied all bounds of decency.
“He didn’t...” Aiko choked out, her voice thick with rage and disbelief.
Annabelle shook her head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Not yet,” she whispered, her gentle voice trembling with fear. “But I’m terrified of what he might do if given the chance.”
At that moment, the last vestiges of Aiko’s resolve crumbled. She poured out the truth—the immense pressure of Jack’s threats and the anguish of her deception. As the words tumbled, a weight seemed to lift from Aiko’s shoulders, the burden of secrecy no longer hers to bear alone. He felt guilty for not telling Emma, but she felt a deepening bond with her former nemesis. And—it felt good to unburden herself.
Annabelle tuned in with absorbed attention, her expression shifting from shock to fury as she processed the full extent of Jack’s depravity.
“That monster,” she hissed, her gaze filled with righteous indignation. “Jack will answer for what he’s done, I swear.”
Aiko nodded, and her anxiety rose as Annabelle’s gaze squinted and her jaw hardened.
“We’re telling Mother,” she declared, her voice ringing with conviction. “And let’s end this madness once and for all.”
A pang of fear gripped Aiko. “Wait, you can’t tell anyone!”
Aiko felt a surge of trepidation at the prospect of confronting Mrs. Henderson, the weight of her deception still a heavy burden. But Annabelle’s steadfast determination was infectious, and Aiko nodded in agreement, her resolve fortified by the knowledge that she was no longer alone in her fight against Jack’s cruelty.
“I’m with you,” she affirmed, her voice strong and steady.
The two women made their way to the house, their steps purposeful, and their hearts steeled for the confrontation ahead. As they entered the kitchen, Mrs. Henderson looked up from her morning preparations, her brow furrowing at the sight of their grave expressions.
“Girls? What’s wrong?” Mrs. Henderson asked.
Annabelle took a deep breath, her gaze locking with her mother’s as she steeled herself for the revelations.
“Mother, we need to talk about—”
As the harrowing tale unfolded, Mrs. Henderson’s expression shifted from confusion to horror, her hands flying to her mouth as the total weight of Jack’s transgressions sank in. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her body shaking with a potent cocktail of rage and heartbreak.
“That... that monster,” she choked out, her voice thick with emotion. “How could Jack... to his own blood?”
Aiko felt sympathy for the matriarch, her heart aching at the sight of Mrs. Henderson’s anguish. Yet, beneath the sorrow, a steely resolve burned bright, a determination to protect her foster family from the darkness that had infiltrated their lives.
“He’s as good as gone,” Mrs. Henderson declared, her voice trembling with fury. “I won’t have that creature under my roof for another second.”
As if summoned by the weight of their words, the front door swung open, and Jack’s hulking form filled the doorway. A self-satisfied smirk played across his lips as he regarded the gathered women, his eyes glinting with a predatory gleam that sent a shiver of revulsion down Aiko’s spine.
“Well, well,” he drawled, his voice dripping with condescension. “What’s with the long faces, ladies?”
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Mrs. Henderson’s gaze burned with a fury that Aiko had never witnessed before.
“Get out,” she spat, her voice laced with venom. “You sick, perverted bastard. You are not allowed here.”
Jack’s brow furrowed, his smirk faltering as he registered the weight of his sister’s words.
“Now, let’s not be hasty,” he chided, his tone softening. “I’m sure we can work this out.”
“You’re dead to me,” Mrs. Henderson snarled, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. “Especially after what you’ve done.”
His eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a sneer as he regarded the women with undisguised contempt.
“Is that so?” he growled, his voice low and menacing. “Well, it seems we have a bit of a disagreement.”
In a flash, Jack’s hand disappeared into the folds of his jacket, emerging with a gleaming revolver he leveled at the trio. Aiko’s heart lurched, her breath catching in her throat as the menacing weapon seemed to bore into her very soul.
“Now, why don’t we all sit in the living room and have a nice, civilized chat?” Jack asked, his tone light as he gestured with the weapon. “I’d hate for anyone to get hurt.”
Mrs. Henderson’s shoulders slumped in defeat, her eyes shining with unshed tears as she nodded her acquiescence. Annabelle and Aiko followed suit, their steps heavy with dread as they made their way to the living room, the weight of Jack’s threats hanging over them like a pall.
Jack paced as they settled onto the plush sofa, the gun an ever-present force. His eyes glinted with a malevolent satisfaction, and a smile played across his lips.
“Now, let’s have a little chat, shall we?” he purred, his voice dripping with menace. “I think it’s time we... renegotiated the terms of our arrangement.”
Aiko’s heart thundered in her chest, her palms slick with a cold sweat as she regarded Jack with fear and loathing.
“What do you want, Jack?” Mrs. Henderson spat, her voice trembling.
Jack’s lips curved into a cruel smile, his eyes glinting with a predatory gleam that sent a shiver of revulsion rippling down Aiko’s spine.
“It’s quite simple,” he drawled, his tone light as he leveled the gun at Aiko’s heart. “Our dear Aiko here will come with me on a little... excursion. And the rest of you are going to stay put and keep your mouths shut, lest you want to see her brains splattered across these lovely walls.”
A collective gasp rippled through the room, the weight of Jack’s threat hanging heavy in the air. Aiko’s heart lurched, her mind whirling with a potent cocktail of fear and defiance.
“You’re insane,” she hissed, her voice trembling with a mixture of rage and trepidation. “I’m not going anywhere with you, you sick bastard.”
Jack’s lips curled into a snarl as he regarded Aiko with contempt.
“I don’t recall giving you a choice in the matter,” he growled, his finger tightening on the trigger in a silent warning.
Mrs. Henderson surged to her feet, her gaze blazing with maternal fury as she placed herself between Jack and Aiko.
“Over my dead body,” she snarled, her voice laced with venom. “You’ll have to kill me first before you touch that girl again.”
Jack’s laughter rang out, a harsh, mirthless sound that sent a chill down Aiko’s spine.
“Always the martyr, aren’t you, dear sister?” he taunted, his gaze glinting with malice. “But I wonder, would you be so quick to sacrifice yourself if it meant putting your precious Emma in harm’s way?”
Mrs. Henderson’s gaze widened in horror as the weight of Jack’s threat sank in.
“You couldn’t...” she breathed, her voice trembling with fear and disbelief.
Jack’s smile widened, his expression one of twisted glee as he reveled in his power over his family.
“How could I not?” his tone was laced with menace. “You know better than anyone the depths of my problems, dear sister. Why don’t we all take a moment and reconsider our options?”
Aiko’s heart hammered in her chest, her mind whirling with fear and determination. At that moment, she knew she could not allow Jack to continue his reign of terror, no matter the cost to herself.
She rose to her feet with a trembling exhale, her gaze locking with Jack’s as she steeled her resolve.
“I’ll go with you,” she declared, her voice steady despite the rage of emotions within her. “Just... just leave them out of this.”
Jack licked his lips like a starving man. He beamed with a predatory gleam that sent shivers of revulsion across Aiko’s body.
“Wise choice. I look forward to getting to know you in every which way,” he purred.
Mrs. Henderson gave Aiko a sad look as tears streamed across her face.
“It’s okay,” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. “I’ll be alright.”
Aiko followed Jack out of the living room, her steps leaden with dread. As they made their way towards the front door, she cast one final glance over her shoulder, her gaze lingering on the faces of the women she loved as family.
Annabelle’s eyes burned with fury and anguish, and her hands clenched into white-knuckled fists at her sides. Emma’s expression was confused and fearful, and her lower lip trembled as she struggled to comprehend the events unfolding before her.
And Mrs. Henderson... the matriarch’s face was a mask of heartbreak and resignation, her eyes brimming with unshed tears as she regarded Aiko with a silent plea for forgiveness. As they stepped out into the warm embrace of the afternoon sun, Aiko longed for the day when she could forget all this. Aiko sighed, then followed Jack toward an uncertain future.
“Get back!” Liam said, holding a shotgun.
“Well, I didn’t think you had the balls, kid.”
“Put the gun down,” Mrs. Henderson said.
Jack laughed as he punched Liam in the throat. The boy’s breathing was erratic. The shotgun lowered as he grasped his throat with his other hand. Jack set the gun down on the floor.
“No need to use that kid,” Jack said as he stepped backward.
“Get away from my son,” Mrs. Henderson said.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Jack seized the shotgun while Liam pulled back. The weapon fired, and part of the ceiling came apart. Bits of plaster flying everywhere.
“You can’t even hit the side of a barn, you whelp,” Jack said as he snatched the shotgun.
Liam and his uncle wrestled the weapon like a sick game of tug of war. Jack punched Liam in the throat with such force a wet gurgling croaked from the boy.
Liam fell to the floor, grasping his throat. He wheezed and choked.
“I’m going to blow your fucking head clean off, kid!”
Jack came at Liam and grabbed the shotgun. The kid’s sickening croaks and wheezing filled the enclosed space. Jack punched the boy again and again until the weapon loosened in his hands. Jack snatched the gun by the barrel, and it exploded, sending the man’s face spattering against the wall in a grotesque, macabre. Jack let out a piercing howl, so severe Aiko couldn’t hear anything else for a long moment.
Jack turned to Aiko. Pieces of skin dangled like ripped rawhide doused in blood. It looked like someone pealed his face with a potato peeler. Screaming, Jack raised the shotgun toward Liam and cocked the weapon.
Can’t he feel pain?
Aiko kicked Jack in the ribs. He flew against the bloodied wall with a satisfying crunch. He moaned as he raised the weapon. Aiko kicked Jack’s head. It bounced against the wall, and a splattering sound from his mutilated head reverberated through the room. She was about to repeat the action, then a blood-curdling scream stopped her.
“Liam can’t breathe. Someone help him,” Mrs. Henderson screamed.
“What can I do?” Aiko asked as she rushed to Liam’s side.
“He needs his inhaler,” Annabelle said as she hurried out of the room.
“It’s okay, Liam. Annabelle will be back soon.”
Liam’s breathing slowed, and his neck turned a nasty shade of black and purple. A high-pitched whistling sound emanated from his broken body.
“Liam, you’ll be okay. I’m sorry for not telling you sooner, but it was Jack. He made me lie. I want you to be okay. Promise me that you will,” Aiko said, tears rolling across her face in rivulets.
“He’s done for. Let me finish him off,” Uncle Jack said, still trying to reach for the shotgun.
“I called the police,” Annabelle said as she held a cylindric object.
Aiko snatched it from her and put it on his lips. A gasping sound that turned into a raspy croaking sound was the last sound that Liam made.
“No!” Mrs. Henderson screamed.
Jack snarled. The next moments were a blur. Mrs. Henderson reached for the shotgun. Then Jack was all but a distant smear on the kitchen wall.