~ Los Angeles ~
Monday, February 10
8:42 AM
In a safe house owned by the White family…
Sarah entered a room and her nose crinkled when she was assaulted by the unpleasant smell caused by bodily fluids. It's not the first time in here, but Sarah can't get used to it, no matter how many times she entered this room.
There is a toilet and a sink, but the person staying in this room decided not to use them… or maybe she is unable to do so.
Sarah straddled a chair and placed her hands on the backrest. She rested her chin at the back of her palms while her eyes didn't leave the sorry figure curled up in a corner.
If she didn't watch this person's once glamorous appearance decay rapidly in front of her eyes, she would never guess that she is looking at Evalina Robinski.
Sarah still remembers long wavy blonde hair which bounced when Evalina walked down the hallway in her stiletto heels. And her voluptuous curves which were not hidden by her office suit… And Sarah clearly remembers Evalina seductively bending above Aiden's desk, exposing the eye-catching cleavage and her bra with it.
Sarah's first day in White corp. HQ… That was the first time Sarah felt hatred toward Evalina, and she wished to rip her into pieces, for Evalina to disappear. Sarah wonders if at that time it was just her jealousy, or was that her sixth sense warning her how dangerous Evalina is. If Sarah acted on her impulse then, she would not lose Aiden for three long months. And not just him…
"Eh? You are back again?", a haggard voice came out of the corner mockingly. "Did you come to torture me again, or just to enjoy my suffering?"
Sarah tilted her head slightly while wondering if she is enjoying this. She remembers that at the beginning she was angry, furious, desperate… so much negativity gushed out of her and was directed at Evalina who Sarah's saw as the source of her pain. What about now? Evalina is in such a sorry state, suffering from numerous fractures which didn't heal properly, her teeth are gone and so are her nails. They don't let her sleep for days… Isn't this what Sarah wanted? To make Evalina suffer? Shouldn't she feel joy? Relief? Anything? There is only disappointment because there is nothing else.
"You are not saying anything?", Evalina taunted Sarah. "Do you think that staying quiet will hurt my feelings? You took my love away the moment you joined my team and there is nothing else you can do to hurt me no matter how many bones you break." Evalina's cackle ended with a cough. "You are not the last one to laugh… Do you think that you are the righteous one? You are the impostor who took him away from me, and I returned the favor by making sure he is not yours. I took Aiden away from you and he will never come back. I know that he is dead. Why else would you come here over and over again without him? No matter how many times you say that he is alive, I don't believe you…"
Evalina was saying her lines, as usually… hitting Sarah where it hurt. And even though Sarah's expression never cracked, Evalina knows that talking about Aiden is the only thing that is riling up Sarah. She knows that because when Sarah tortures her, every time Evalina mentions Aiden, Sarah's grip tightens.
Part of Sarah admires how even after all this time Evalina has the energy to hate. Not once Evalina said how she is sorry that she killed him. There is only the sick satisfaction that she took Aiden away from Sarah.
On the other side of the one-way mirror, Aiden balled his hands into fists. He listened to Evalina's words and wondered how many times Sarah heard them while he was in a coma?
How many times she heard the same lines: that she lost him forever?
How many times JoAnna told her that there is no guarantee that he will wake up?
And how many times Sarah pushed the dark thoughts away because she believed that he will come back to her?
The pain she went through is immeasurable, he knows that. What he does not know is, how to make it up to her? He can't go back and fix the past, but he needs to find a way to soothe the emotional scars she earned in his absence… because she got them due to his absence.
Sometimes he is bothered by a thought that he is missing something. But he can't put his finger on it. He feels that it's something very important and that he should know about it, but no matter how much he looked into records what happened while Sarah was by herself, he can't find anything of significance.
Aiden is not in the room because he was not sure if he wants to show himself in front of Evalina. What is the point? He saw the reports and images, and he knows that she is not capable of escaping even if they leave the doors open for her and look away. But now, after hearing her throwing poisonous words at Sarah, he changed his mind. He knows that Evalina's arrogance comes from the notion that she succeeded. The biggest blow he can give to Evalina is to go inside and show her that she failed because he is still Sarah's.
The door behind Sarah opened and Evalina didn't pay attention to it, thinking that it's a bodyguard. Or maybe one of those kids who come with Sarah occasionally to torture her. Evalina's eyes were focused on Sarah and she talked about all the times she spent with Aiden before Sarah joined the team and spoiled everything (according to Evalina).
Sarah felt a hand on her shoulder, and she smiled. She knows that it's Aiden. He is the only one who can touch her like that. Ever since they started dating, she was able to recognize his touch among all others. She tilted her head and rubbed her cheek at the back of his palm.
Evalina paused her words and her eyes moved to the person standing by Sarah's side. Her toothless mouth was open wide, and her chin shivered when she realized that it's Aiden. The man from her dreams. The man she loves desperately for four years now… the man she killed because he rejected her, and she was unwilling to let him be happy with anyone else.
Evalina was confident that she is imagining. Yes. She is on the verge of dying, so she is seeing ghosts.
Aiden didn't pay attention to Evalina. He lifted Sarah, sat in the chair and placed her to sit in his lap.
"Do you need to listen to this and torture yourself?", Aiden asked Sarah.
Sarah paused and asked herself if she is suffering. There was a time when Evalina's words hurt her. They burned like acid dripping on her heart. But right now, the answer is the same as when she wondered if she is enjoying this… There is nothing.
"What do you want me to do?", Sarah asked Aiden.
"Anything other than this. She is not worth it.", Aiden said.
Sarah looked into Aiden's eyes and she can see his concern mixed with endless love. "I am fine, really. Why did you come? I thought that you will stay on the other side."
"I can't be on the side which is opposite from yours."
Sarah smiled.
Evalina inched toward them with difficulty. She was unable to use her legs, so she crawled.
"Aiden, my love… did you come for me? I knew that you would come for me…", Evalina said in a shaky voice. "This bitch hurt me, but it does not matter. I survived because I knew that you will come for me…"
Sarah and Aiden looked toward Evalina and frowned.
Sarah stood up and faced Evalina.
"Move you slut!", Evalina hissed. "You locked me in here, but Aiden found me. He found ME!" She craned her neck and looked at Aiden with crazed eyes while lifting herself up against the bed. "My love… you are finally here… I always knew that you love me…"
BAM!
Aiden kicked Evalina in the chest and her body violently flew backward and slammed into the wall. She slid on the floor in a slow motion and didn't move.
Sarah confirmed with Eve-vision that there is no pulse… Evalina is dead. She thought how this is anticlimactic. Considering how much grief Evalina caused, Sarah thought that she will resurrect or maybe her ghost will attack them but there was nothing. Complete silence. It's over.
Sarah looked at Aiden who was by her side glaring at the body in front of them.
Aiden turned toward Sarah and his expression softened in an instant. He touched her cheek gently. "I thought that by me coming here, Evalina will see that she failed in keeping us apart. But I realized that she is completely deranged and unable to see the truth. There is no point in letting her live."
He kissed Sarah on the lips lightly. "I will punish everyone who hurt you and I will not allow it to happen again."
Sarah is touched by his words and knows that he means it, but she also knows that he made a promise which he can't keep. The only way for them to have their happily ever after is to destroy everyone who is in their way. And they can't accomplish that by themselves. That is why she is raising an army, an army of Chaos... and more than that.
"Let's go. There is nothing left here.", Sarah told Aiden. "I will tell guards to clean up this place."
He placed his arm around her shoulders, and they walked out.
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