Chapter 177 - "So, Are You Brother!"

"Percy, I can't lose another sibling. Half or not! You are my sister, get this in our mind," Salvatore said to her. He was extremely vulnerable at this moment. "I will be damned before letting you, Soph or mom hurt at the hands of that monster once again. Come with me." He paused for a moment and saw that Persephone was still very stubborn to agree with him. He continued," This man you call your husband is a monster just like the one who sired us. You may not know but he is in plans to screw Alessandro Marino when the time comes. He only cares about his profits, not about you or anyone else."

"I know," Persephone weakly smiled at him. 

She didn't know how Salvatore knew about Santiago. But it didn't matter if he knew or not because it couldn't change anything at all. 

"I knew everything about him even before I married him. I also knew everything that happened at the wedding was his handiwork, from those pictures to Nico marrying Sophia, everything was done by him."

She paused for a moment and saw fury written all over her brother's face. She knew that he wasn't happy with Sophia marrying Nico in such a way. He never liked Nico and never approved of his sisters marrying someone like Nicolas Scuderi but who can stop fate? 

She continued in a weak voice, "He asked me to marry him when he was still engaged to Sophia but I didn't give him an answer. He is stubborn, Salvatore. He won't stop until he gets what he stops. Let me tell you, he wants our father's head and he will get it."

"This makes him an enemy, Percy," Salvatore murmured. 

Persephone sighed like she couldn't do this. "Alessandro Marino is our enemy, Brother. And Santiago is just Alessandro's enemy, not ours." 

"This is the same thing, Percy. Try to understand, "Salvatore tried to make her see her point of view. 

Persephone shook her head. "He is just my husband. Not an enemy. I know that I will be safe as long as I am with him. At this juncture, I chose to trust him, Sal." 

Villain hurting her or her wanting divorcing him had nothing to do with Salvatore. Persephone knew that she was a confusing and confused woman. She does things that she sometimes doesn't understand. 

Sometimes she hates Villain but other times, she longs for him. She couldn't take one route and this was making everything difficult for her. Sometimes, she wondered if her breaking down that day was too much. She said many things to Santiago to hurt him, to make him feel guilty, to tell him how much he had hurt her but she still couldn't help but only notice him. 

She wants and hates him at the same time. How was it even possible? She must have lost all her brain cells or what could one call this behaviour anything but insanity? 

One thing was clear to her. She could hate Santiago all she wanted but she wouldn't ever allow anyone to hurt him. He could inflict all pains on her but she wouldn't allow anyone to even look at him with a threat in their eyes. Not even Salvatore, her own brother. 

"He will hurt you, Percy," Salvatore told him in a pained voice. It was as if he could see all the thoughts running in her head. He didn't wish for her sister to end up in a lifetime of misery. 

"I know but he can keep me and my baby safe." What kind of insanity was this? Even Persephone had no idea about it. All she knew was that she needed to trust Villain this time. 

Salvatore had nothing to say anymore. It seemed as if she had made her own choice. She wasn't going to waver at all. 

Nobody spoke for a long time. It was because they were thinking of what the future had to offer them. Salvatore was now aware that the choices and paths he took in his past were now coming before him. He knew one day his past and present would meet each other but he never knew it would be this soon. 

Today, seeing Emy in Killian's arms made him understand one thing -- it was better to disclose everything himself and if he wasn't the one to disclose everything, he would lose the control of his life or worse he will lose everything dear to him. 

"Sal?" Persephone said after a while.

"Hmm?" Salvatore jerked out of his daze. 

"My kidnapping.." Persephone began saying. She thought she needed to make one thing clear to him. 

He immediately looked at her. He was still sensitive to the word 'kidnapping'.

She glanced at him and said, "My kidnapping wasn't what the kidnappers made you believe."

Salvatore wrinkled his brows as if her words didn't make any sense to him. 

"Would you believe me if I said I was kidnapped only in name?"

"You are not making any sense," He clarified. 

"Just remember that the man who kidnapped me was not a bad person," She told him in a clear voice. She just felt that she needed to tell everyone the truth to a certain extent. She didn't want all of them to look at her in pity as if she was defiled and whatnot when none of it was true. She didn't remember everything but she knew enough to say that she wasn't maltreated by Santiago in any sort. 

Further, she didn't want anyone to go avenging her honour by hurting Santiago. It wasn't worth it. 

"The kidnapper is just like you and me, hurt by Alessandro Marino. He sure hurt me but it wasn't like what you all think."

Santiago Marino hurt her in the worst way possible but the pain was emotional not physically. So, she didn't want anyone to try to kill Santiago.

"I hate him now because he took my memories from me. He took away my choices from me. He perhaps knew that I never wanted to go back to New York yet he sent me to this hell when I was accustomed to heaven in that single month."

"Your words are contradicting, Percy."

" I know," She sighed. " Just remember to not hurt him, thinking he hurt me." She stopped and then said,'' Yes, he did hurt me. But no one else but I have the right and power to avenge myself. Either you. Neither father has any right to hurt him in the name of avenging my honour or whatever excuse you guys need for flowing blood. If I forgive him, it's my right once again. You guys have no right whatsoever. So don't touch him."

"How can you say something like this?" Salvatore asked her in shock. Did this girl even know what she was saying? 

"Look at you, Percy. He is still manipulating you. You can't forgive him."

Persephone had a headache hearing him talking about revenge once again. Did these men not know that an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind? There was nothing in revenge except for mutual harm and pain. 

She wasn't a goddess of selflessness and forgiveness but she did know when to back off. Not everything needed to be dealt with arms and blood. Dialogue could be used once in a while. 

"That bastard played you once and is still playing you," Salvatore scoffed. "He is still controlling you, Percy." 

"Sal, no one else but I have the right to call him names," She told him in clear cut words. "I won't bear anyone saying a word to him. Not even you."

"He is an asshole, Percy."

"So are you, brother," She retorted. "Remember how many people you played and how many people you are still playing with."

She took a deep breath and added, "How is your battle a battle for revenge and honour and another person is a bastard for hurting your family member? Isn't it hypocrisy? It's not necessary that one of you is right and the other person is wrong. You both can be right or wrong at the same time." 

"Why are you protecting your kidnapper, Percy? He gave you the biggest flaw and burden of your life." 

"You said it now," Persephone replied with a smile. "Never call my child a burden or a flaw of my life. This life inside of me is my greatest strength and most beautiful gift. I always lost something of mine in the battles I have no part in. But this time, I won more than I lost. So, I'm not unhappy." 

"It means you won't change your mind," Salvatore asked her one last time. 

"I won't," She said with a smile. 

Salvatore nodded and stood up to leave the room. However, he stopped when he heard Persephone's words. 

"Run, brother. You don't want Emma to come across Ellison, do you?"

Salvatore turned his head to find her smirking at him knowingly.. Understanding what she meant, his eyes widened and ran for his life.