I smirked evilly at the news of Rachel's murder on a Saturday morning. Reportedly, I stabbed her approximately forty nine times. She was rotting and turning into bones by the time they discovered her. I was elated about what I did to her, she deserved her fate. But at the same time, Rachel's death did backfire in my face. My whole point of murdering Rachel was to rip Sarah and Ryan apart. I wanted to make sure I had no other opponent for Ryan's love. I'm willing to murder Sarah, but I'm only waiting because she's pregnant. But ironically Rachel's death brought them closer. They rekindled their romantic relationship quickly after her death.

I felt defeated by this. Then the Chloe situation jammed itself into the equation. I did not feel remorse for what I did to Chloe. In my mind, she deserved it, just like Rachel! You fuck with me, I will make you regret it, simple as that! But now Sarah has been looking at me sideways, slowly beginning to have doubts about my innocent facade. Gabby is still an pain in my ass. Unlike everyone else, Gabby is the only one in the house that experienced my true nature. She knows something is wrong with me. The teenager has great animosity towards me and she wanted me to go. I wanted to make the teenager suffer. I wanted to spite her, torture her, torment, anything! I couldn't kill her, even though I desired to slit Gabby's throat, I couldn't spill her blood without gaining suspicion. So I plotted on how I could hurt her in a non lethal way. Thankfully for me, Gabby was not home, she was at Kirsten's house.I couldn't spent time with Blake today because she was sick as a dog. So in my freetime, I snuck into her bedroom and I searched her bedroom for something I could use against her. I did not worry about anyone seeing me, I made extra precautions to close and lock the door behind me. Gabby's room was wide and untidy, she had a bright red bed with a few dressers scattered around. I opened her closet and was shocked to see how much clothes and shoes she had.

I scavenged her room, hoping to find something I could exploit. Possibly her bong I recalled seeing. Or some weed she has hidden somewhere. But I found nothing like that. I began to open the draws of her dressers and then I found something that made me smile in excitement. It wasn't what I was originally looking for, but better. A diary. It was a light brown leather bound book.

I did not worry about anyone seeing me, I made extra precautions to close and lock the door behind me. I opened the diary and on the first page I saw who owned it. It was handwritten with blue ink: Gabriella Sullivan Diary. Immediately I was eagerly read her entries. Her most recent entry was from two weeks ago. At first, Gabby's three entries were typical teenager stuff. Boys…..parties….school...gossip...rumors….her parents….her desire to have her own car. Nothing interesting. But then I reached the most interesting parts of her diary. Engrossed, I read her entries about her sneaking out of the house to go to parties that was full of teens, adults, and drugs, she detailed her sex intercourses with males she had at those parties, she wrote about how much she loved weed, she wrote about her parents and how stupid she thinks they are, underage drinking, and etc. Then my eyes laid on something I could use. It was very recent, almost a one week ago.

She wrote about having sex and dating Jackie's boyfriend named Liam.

Last night was amazing. Me and Liam went to Maya's house to party out. Thankfully my parents are too busy with that brat, Mercy, so they will never find out about this. Liam is such a sweetheart. Me and him actually had sex for the first time. He's not the best at it, but I'm sure with some practice, he'll get there. I think I'm going to make Liam my official boyfriend now. Hopefully Liam will dump Jackie for me. But I'm fine with how things are now.

"This girl is a mess." I commented. Then I read a recent entry about me. It was during the time I first arrived.

My parents are crazy. Mom and Dad got this weird kid named Mercedes or Mercy for short. She looks like a freak with her dresses and ribbons. She looks like she's getting ready for Halloween earlier. Why couldn't Mom and Dad adopt a NORMAL kid? Why did they adopt anyway? Don't they have enough kids? My new sister is coming soon and they adopt a another kid?! She is just a fucking brat. She ratted me out when I snuck out. My Mom went off on me for that, she didn't even try to let me tell my side. I tried to be nice to the brat, but she is just annoying! I can't believe I have to live with a little kid that dresses up like a Southbelle all the time.

I rolled my eyes offended. I closed the diary when it became less interesting. I plotted on how to exploit what I learned. I could use Gabby's affair against her. But how? At the moment, I had no clue. I put the diary back and exited Gabby's bedroom.

I headed to my bedroom so I could think when Sarah called out to me. "Mercy," I turned my head to see Sarah hobbling over to me from her bedroom. "Mercy, I want to talk to you." She told me. Sarah then beckoned me to her bedroom. I wanted to protest, but I silently obeyed. Once I'm in the master bedroom, Sarah closed the door. I saw no sign of Ryan, I was completely alone with Sarah. I gazed at her swollen belly. I felt happiness and excitement at the thought of my future daughter's birth. I wanted to raise her with all of the love and compassion in the world. I wanted to give her the life I will never have.

"Mercy, did you hurt Chloe?" Sarah asked me urgently.

I shook my head. "No, Mommy." I denied.

Sarah doesn't look convinced. "Mercy, Kirsten told me you did. Her sister said you did. They are both saying the same thing, young lady." She pointed out.

"I did not hurt Chloe." I insisted.

Sarah studied me. "Mercedes, do not lie to me. You have two people who are claiming that you did something. What Chloe and Kirsten are claiming is very serious."

I took a step closer to Sarah. I made sure I looked innocent and sympathetic. Sarah's face was hardened and skeptical. "Mommy, I did not hurt anyone. I did not hurt Chloe. I swear." I said vehemently.

Sarah appeared uneasy. "Mercy, you have had a few outbursts lately. Gabby told me you pushed her at the Park. You had that random outburst in front of the Officer and now there's this allegation that you strangled someone!"

I continued to deny everything. "Mommy, I promised you, none of that happened. I didn't pushed Gabby on purpose. I had that outburst with the Officer because I was nervous, and I never strangled Chloe." I declared.

Sarah just looked at me for a long time. I couldn't read her expression.

"Mercy, I am taking you to a therapist." Sarah proclaimed.

My eyes widened with panic. "NO!" I blurted out. I glared at Sarah defiantly. Considering how tortured I was in the institution, I wanted to stay from away from psychologists and therapists.

Sarah flinched at the sudden loudness of my voice. She looked at me like I was crazy. "Young lady, do not say that to me. I am your Mother!" Sarah rebuked.

At this point, I didn't care about appearing innocent anymore. I was on the verge of losing my temper. I wanted to lash out at her violently. I did not detest Sarah until now.

"You are not my Mother." I hissed. I glared at her coldly, Sarah appeared flabbergasted by my change in behavior. Sarah now saw the true nature of "Mercy".

Sarah crossed her arms, vexed. "Mercy, do not say things like that. I am your Mother like it or not. You need to show me respect." She insisted. "Do not argue with me."

I glared at Sarah, she was really pushing my buttons now. I wanted to say the most harshest things I could muster, but I held my tongue.

Sarah continued. "I am going to talk to the school about this. And let them investigate it." She warned. "And if I found out you are lying to me, you will regret it." Then she added. "If I find out ALL of the incidents I talked about are true. I won't be your Mother anymore, why? Because you won't be here in this house."

I gave Sarah a cold stare. At this point, I hated this bitch to the core. I could see the realization in Sarah's eyes. She knows something is wrong with me. But she can't pinpoint to it. She no longer sees me as a adorable, sweet little girl. She could see through the cracks of my facade. There is no way in hell she is going to ruin my chances of getting Ryan!

I became bold, I looked Sarah directly in the eyes. "I just told you are not my Mother. You will never be my Mother. You keep talking about respect, but yet you have a daughter that sneaks out, smokes weed, and disrespects you and your husband. It's very difficult to have respect for someone who can't even get it from their own biological child."

Sarah's mouth dropped open. She was speechless at my boldness. I snickered at her amused. I was loving this moment. "What, Mommy?" I said with thick sarcasm. Sarah was silent

Then I pretended Sarah did not exist and walked away from her. I opened the door and left the room without looking back.

…..

"I think there is something wrong with Mercy!" I pressed my ear onto the Master bedroom door, eavesdropping. It was late at night and Sarah was ranting on to Ryan in the bedroom about me.

"She just blew me off!" Sarah vented. "She disrespected me! She told me I wasn't worth of respect! She told me I was not her Mother!"

Ryan was calm compared to his emotional wife. "Sarah, calm down. Mercy probably didn't mean it."

Sarah's voice became high pitched. "Didn't mean it?!" I heard her stomping around. "Ryan, you were not there. She was a totally different person!"

Ryan exhaled heavily. "Sarah, kids have moments like that."

"No!" Sarah objected. "Not like that. She was so sophisticated when she said it. She wasn't mad or anything. She was so calm!"

"Sarah, remember Annie? She was very difficult when we first got her. Remember the screaming fits in the stores? Remember her bedwetting? Or her night terrors?" Ryan pointed out.

Sarah's tone became patronizing. "Ryan, Annie was five years old when she came to us. Mercy is eight! Think about how she's influencing Blake."

"Sarah, Blake and Mercy have been close since the moment Mercy stepped into our house. They love each other. Mercy is fine."

Sarah was stubborn. "No, you should have seen how she spoke to me, how she looked at me! I'm going to take her to a therapist soon." She insisted.

Shock emerged from Ryan's voice. "A therapist? You are going to take Mercy to a therapist because of a few small incidents?"

"Small? She pushed Gabby off a playhouse! She strangled a student! She acted weird during the questioning with the cop! She is not…...okay! Stop acting like she's completely innocent!" Sarah argued.

"Mercy already told me that she pushed Gabby by accident. There is no proof that Mercy strangled anyone and she was possibly nervous when the cop was there." Ryan reasoned.

I loved how fiercely Ryan was defending me. It honestly warmed my heart to know that I had someone who cared about me.

"So you just believe everything Mercy tells you?" Sarah raved.

"No. But Mercy generally tells me the truth." Ryan sighed, I could hear the exhaustion in his voice.

"Well I'm going to the school to get this looked at. I want to make sure that Mercy is innocent."

"Sarah, don't. Look, this is Mercy. A eight year old girl. She was abused by her sick Mother and her pervert boyfriend! Maybe Mercy has issues with Mothers, maybe she still thinks of her own Mother and don't want to replace her. Of course, she is going to have emotional problems. She came here at a very young age from another country! What she needs is love and affection. When she's with me, she's sweet as sugar!"

Sarah was vehement. "Well then I'm taking her to a therapist." She declared. "I want her to get so mental and emotional help. If she is going to live here, she needs to act right."

"So if she doesn't meet your standards, you're going to send her away." Ryan said baffled.

"Yes." Sarah said curt. "Mercy has had all kinds of incidents lately, what if our other children get hurt? She is already bad mouthing Gabby!"

"Gabby has treated Mercy like crap since she got here."

Sarah sighed in defeat. "You are hopeless. You will never understand, you never see it. Mercy is an angel when she is around you. But she was totally different to me today."

"Sarah, enough. I am done talking about this."

Sarah protested, but Ryan simply ignored her. And that was it. I loved Ryan more and more because of his defense of me. I could tell that Ryan is going to do everything in his power to defend and protect me. One day, when my child is born, Sarah will be on my chopping list. But now I must focus on Gabby.

Next chapter will come eventually. I already had this chapter typed up. I am currently working on my other stories and they will take time. I've been writing many Mercy's chapters since I lost my writer block on it. So you will see alot of Mercy chapters popping up, but that doesn't mean I'm not working on my other stories. Please give me your thoughts and reviews. Tell me how you think of Alanna, (Mercy) and the other characters.