Broken Wings

chapter 15

Lucio's POV

We were all standing behind Enzo, looking at the screen in anticipation and..... Nervousness?

I think I am nervous. I don't really know. I've never felt nervous about anything. My hands are all clamped up with sweat and my heart was beating so violently that I could hear it in my ears. Loud and clear.

I never wanted Amara to end up like this even though I didn't like her. And yet I am feeling extremely guilty.

Maybe I did want something bad to happen to her. But at the same time I didn't. She didn't belong here. She isn't supposed to be here with us.

I was furious the first time I got to know about her. I was furious at both her and dad.

But as time went by, I got to know that she minds her own business and never tried to interact with us. It wasn't her fault that she came into this world because of the mistake made by the adults but yet I can't help but feel angry at her sometimes.

And now I feel like this is all our fault.

I grasp luca's hand tightly. He squeezes back reassuringly.

"When was the last time you all saw Amara before this?" Enzo asked.

" yesterday morning." I said, not daring to give him the details of the morning that happened near the pool.

He clicked a series of buttons and the screen displayed the corridor in front of Amara's room.

Sofia had first gone into Amara's room and came back out.

Later Amara got out of the room looking a bit pale.

Enzo then put on the screen showing Amara going downstairs and conversing with sofia in the kitchen. Sofia handed her a glass of lemonade and Amara left the kitchen. She went towards the direction of the pool and Enzo put on the pool's visuals.

She was sitting at the edge of the pool. Relaxing, making faces while drinking the juice, and smiling while looking up at the sky.

I've never seen her smile. She always looked scared and small that I didn't notice that she never smiled around us.

She looked peaceful.

Oh shit!

There goes luca. He's done for.

Luca goes behind her stealthily and suddenly pushes her into the pool. She yelps and falls into the pool with a splash.

I gulp loud enough for luca to hear.

He looks at me anxiously and lips 'I'm done'.

We both glance down at Enzo and see his expression less face.

Dang... We're gonna get it later. His expression less face tells it all.

She was splashing and splashing, screaming for help.

Antonio then came and just watched her struggling, followed by me.

I was confused at what was happening. Luca and Antonio were simple standing there, watching Amara drown. I know they wouldn't kill but still they shouldn't have pulled this on her.

After some time the struggling stopped.

The camera feed showed worried expressions of us three.

Antonio quickly jumped into the pool and pulled her out.

After a while, two heads popped out of the water. Amara gasped for breath and started struggling.

Antonio rushed her to the pool stairs and she jumped out of the water hurriedly.

She was a shivering mess. I remember Antonio and luca scolding her and then we all went back to the house.

She just stood there. Crying. Clutching onto herself for dear life.

And then she ran.

It was so unexpected that even Enzo was shocked for a moment before he changed the camera view showing Amara running out of the gate.

And then there was no sign of her.

She went outside? Alone?

The thought alone sent a shiver down my spine.

What if someone kidnapped her!? And why the hell were the guards so careless!? Didn't they know to stop her!?

I'm gonna give them an earful.

I didn't realize that I was staring out of space when luca pinched my hand. I looked at luca and he motioned for me to look at the screen.

I look up at the screen to see the view of the gate at night.

And there walks a figure, straight through the gate.

It was Amara.

She walked back into the house and headed straight for the stairs. It was quite dark over there but bright enough for us to see her.

But the moment I saw the next scene, my blood ran cold.

Cole came out of somewhere and pulled her up against him when she was standing at the foot of the stairs.

"What in the fucking hell was that!?" I hear Antonio curse but I didn't look up as I was awe struck at what had just happened.

Cole kept on dragging her and she tried her best to get out of his hold. And then he pulled her into the guest room and closed the door.

And God knows what happened behind the door and I can only imagine.

I clenched my jaw hard enough to feel pain radiate to my cheeks.

And this all happened right under our nose. And on top of that, Cole was a person we trusted.

I couldn't watch anymore. I didn't want to. I didn't want to see my failure to protect her.

I headed straight towards the door and exited the room, slamming the door behind me.

I went to my room and closed the door. I make a beeline for the balcony and pull out a cigarette from my pocket and light it up.

I inhale a puff and release it.

I closed my eyes to keep my anger in check. The image of him pulling her into the room keeps on flashing before my eyes.

"Shit!" I yell.

This was not supposed to happen.

Did he think just because we don't like her, he could do anything to her!?

If only we were there to protect her. If only I were there to protect her, she wouldn't have been in this condition.

I don't want to lose her too. Not again. Not ever.

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