Chapter:2

The silence in her house was bothering her, this state where she was so helpless bothered her, if they got what they wanted, why wasn't Jeremy back yet? She couldn't go to that side of town because she had hardly been over the trees to that horrible castle every one keeps talking about, the area around it had a dark aura and she was told to not ask questions, she was told to stay as far away as possible because they were every kid's nightmare, except they were true, they were heartless people and Elena had heard about it from the days when she was a toddler till now, it was like a forbidden area. Truth about it that even though breaking rules gave her a good sense of accomplishment , she would never attempt something that was so strictly forbidden by her father, the last time the Salvatore's had impacted their family was at the times of Jonathan Gilbert, her grandfather. Both her Uncle and her father were very much happy with the way they lived and didn't want to latch on to old useless family feuds.

She raised her brows seeing her mother had started cleaning, her father too slowly got up acting as if it was a normal day, preparing breakfast. She raised her hands in air , completely surprised, "What? What are you guys doing?"

"What do you think?" her mother snapped, "Get ready for school."

"For school? Jeremy is gone! They didn't give him back!" she shouted almost, "Why are you guys acting so normal."

"Jeremy will be back when the land is transferred fully Elena." Her father sighed getting a pan. She shook her head as if she could not believe it, "And till then, he'll remain kidnapped? Dad how could you allow this? You always protect us from danger."

"I warn Elena, I cant do anything about it." Her father said in a defeated tone. She felt like a glass shattered at the back of her head, a protective shield of trust was broken, she felt unsafe. What if it had been her? They wouldn't care? She couldn't let her brother stay with those bloody brutes. "I am going to the police." She stated. Both her parents turned to her, her mother visibly angry, "Don't get on my nerves Elena, I am already avoiding the fact that you were outside all night doing God knows what! You had us worried! It's your fault Jeremy's gone in the first place!"

Her father hissed, "Miranda!"

"Why? What did I do?" she fought back the tears stinging her eyes, "He was out looking for you." Her mother said with a clenched jaw, "Now go get ready and please let the adults handle this!"

"Mom they are people not Titans and this is not legal."

"Elena go to your room." Her father said in a loud voice , he would never raise his voice on Elena, that's how it was, she was her Dad's favorite since the start, he would call her 'smart missy' sometimes 'chocolate gilbert' due to her brown eyes and long brown hair. She was taken aback but nodded after recovering the shock. The whole image of her 'super hero' dad was shattering right in front of her and she didn't know this weak man who was clueless right now.

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"What?" Matt blinked, "Elena no, I cant drive you there."

"Matt I would go on my own but Dad has my car-" the baby blue eyed boy interrupted, "It's not about the car Elena, it's about the people, you know how violent those people really are right? Everyone is scared shitless, I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I don't care if I get hurt Matt, I care about one thing and that is 'Jeremy' my little brother, my father who wont look into my eyes." She bit her lip, "Please Matt, I want to help him."

"Elena they will not let this go un-noticed." He touched her shoulder, "I can't see you hurt." She slightly moved away from him- "Matt if you wont take me I'll go alone, but nothing is stopping me."

"O-okay Elena, promise me you wont, you wont fight, you'll talk."

She nodded, "I will reason like a person because unlike them I am not a complete illiterate bitch." She said turning back to go to class, flipping her hair over her head.

When she entered her French class , she gasped seeing the same boy from the club on the second row chair, she remembered his name, 'Stefan Salvatore'

'Salvatore'

That's what she focused on , she slowly walked to him as the class hadn't started yet and set her books down on a chair near to his , he was busy writing something and hadn't noticed her , when she cleared her throat , he looked up at her, "Oh-oh hi, Elena." he smiled sweetly, "I had a feeling I'd see you around."

"Do you know Giuseppe Salvatore? Damon Salvatore?" she tilted her head asking the question straight away, he pouted as if confused, "umm yeah, don't tell me you searched up some family tree." He chuckled, she rolled her eyes, "as if you're that important- bloody goons." He was shocked at the insult but before he'd do something about it the professor showed up and she turned away from him. Well after class , she hurriedly packed up her stuff and rushed away from the class, he did get up and hurriedly picked up his belongings calling after her, "Hey Elena! listen!" he clutched her hand turning her around to him, she pulled at her hand freeing it from his hold as he asked, "What happened? Why did you ask about Dad and Damon? Is something wrong?"

"Dad?" that made it worst, "I thought you were a decent human being Stefan but it's surprising how much of an animal tribe you belong to , your family has literally destroyed mine. " she shook her head, "They kidnapped my brother in exchange for our ancestral property , if that wasn't enough, your crook of a brother turned our house upside down, scared the shit out of my parents. Made us feel so little and helpless. You should be ashamed of being linked to such intolerable criminals."

"Elena don't go there." He suddenly said very offended, "My family owns this town because it has worked for it."

"So why did they snatch my grandfather's land? Is that your family business? Stealing?" she snapped, "Because I see all these people scared of your family confirms how much of immoral thieves they are-"

"You know what I think? That your grandfather took over our land and dad just took it back , why would we need land from peasants like you." He spat, next thing he knew Elena had hit him across the face, maybe the only slap he had received in his entire life because he was so shocked, his teeth gritted and fists balled, silence fell in the hall and some whispers from the surrounding people, his eyes were boring into hers almost killing her with the fire in them, a hand pulled at her, "Let's go Lena." She recognized the voice as Matt's and allowed him to drag her out of there while she still glared at the green eyes that were looking at her in complete anger.

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She was sitting back in her seat, breathing deep to control her anger, Matt was running his hand from her shoulder to her arm trying to calm her down, "It's okay Lena."

"They all are the same, delusional assholes, they don't own me or dad or mystic falls- it's my home, I grew up here." She whispered to herself between pants.

"I know Lena, he was just trying to save his reputation at school maybe." Matt reasoned, she shook her head, "No Matt , he had it in his eyes- he looked like he thought the world was under his feet or something, acting like there is no one better than him."

"Elena of course he was going to act like that , don't you see, he's raised the rich kid, rich kid from a family of assholes- not to forget that."

She shook her head, "I wont take this behavior Matt, I am not like my dad to shut my mouth and watch as they ruin my brother mentally and put me in an inferiority complex, no- just drive there Matt, when I say I will, I will talk to Giuseppe Salvatore."

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Damon was tired of this pathetic clockwork, adding bricks to this mansion and money to the balance, everything was useless at this point, why did he even got into this the first place? This debate and self pity would normally start and the fourth second of him waking up all the way till he closed his eyes, inflicting and taking pain were two things he knew well, he loved being in power of a situation but at the same time there would be a voice at the back of his head that this living was purposeless, no one cared about him, he had material wealth and not real. Honestly he'd be okay with the fact most of the time but sometimes this sudden wave of morality would hit him and make him the melancholic man , who loathed living this way and in that moment he'd think , he's doing this for one person and that's Stefan. While other times, he found moments where he'd think, this is the perfect life for him , getting whatever he wanted, cars and clothes and expensive alcohol- property and then more of it, to the point where he'd think how would it feel to take over this small town or even a bigger town? Suppressing humanity with money and then more money because money heals everything. He turned a page from the book he was reading while sipping on bourbon from his glass when the door to his room shot open, he looked up shaking his head, "You realize you're not twelve anymore right? Why throw tantrums like a little girl."

"Don't start with me Damon!" Stefan hissed rubbing his red cheek , Damon tilted his head, "What is that I see? Four little fingers on your cheek?" he chucked sipping from his glass, "Don't tell me you let a bitch beat you up."

"She didn't beat me up." Stefan seethed , then moved away standing in front of the large body mirror in the room, checking his face, "You sound way too detached for an older brother right now." Damon shook his head, "Umm fine I'll pull her little pigtails if you can't, don't sound like a whiny girl, you're seventeen and maybe you should act like it now." he got up from his seat walking up behind his brother and turned him , holding his chin to see his face, "You should be able to put people in place , especially women."

"Damon you're ideas from the fifties don't work now, the future is female remember, I lay a finger on her and people will come bashing our family name."

Damon smirked, "R-right- our family doesn't have a reputation to begin with , you've been living away for so long, " he sighed tapping his face, "Now you're here and I will teach you our little set of rules, future maybe female but the future is not here yet, there is no one , man or woman who will let raise their voice against us." He spoke with breaks and then turned back, "Old man has been asking for me since this morning."

"Listen Damon , I wasn't done talking," he said rubbing his cheek. "I will listen to you ramble after I see what father wants to talk about."

Stefan gave up with a heavy sigh letting Damon go. The raven haired man made his way to his father's study and knocked. There was something about his father that scared the shit out of him, something- oh he knew what. He remembered being young than he was now and thinking about escaping this hell hole but then he didn't want Stefan to go through with the things he did, eventhough he felt that his father actually loved his second son and wouldn't force things on him, besides Stefan was old enough to make his decisions, yet the knocking voice at the back of his head stopped him from saying fuck you to mystic falls. Guiseppe wasn't nearly bad as he had been years ago, Damon looked up to him in a way, everything he knew was taught by his father to him, he didn't abandon him, he made him strong enough to bear tough times, tackle tough people, his father had made him this person that everyone would bow down to like he was some God damn king and for that he would always have respect for him. Giuseppe was hurt, that was Damon told himself every day in his childhood, his mother had left his father for some common man and that had hurt him to this extend that he would be tough and strong like steel.

"Come in." his father called him in, he entered and took his seat in front of his Father's enormous desk. "What's the issue?"

"No issue, I bought you an apartment complex in Denver, I wanted to get your signatures personally." His father passed him some papers, Damon read the title and read highlighted parts, grabbing the pen, "Thanks but umm I have to ask?"

"It's your birthday next week, I checked it yesterday when I was transferring the gilbert property under your name, so I thought that I'd make up for your lack of trust in your own father." he intended to make him guilty. Damon frowned, "You transferred that property under my name? didn't your friend want that?"

"It'll take a few days to settle the whole thing, I'll need signatures on that too , trust my process." His father closed the files in front of Damon and pulled them back, "I'll have Enzo send them to you or do you want it in your bank safe?"

"Just give them to-" before he'd finish the door opened and Enzo, his best friend entered, "Mister Salvatore, there is a visitor from town who wants to see you."

"Business?" He asked putting away his glasses, "No, uh – some complaint."

"What?" Damon raised a brow, "This isn't some community centre on police station, tell him to go away."

"I did Damon, but 'she' has been arguing outside for 30 minutes."

Damon huffed, "The men of this house are a disappointment to be honest." He got up, "Stefan and now you, lets go see what the hell she wants."

"She says she'd only speak to Sir." Enzo held Damon's arm. Giuseppe lied back , "You know send her in , let's see if community service is my thing."

Enzo disappeared behind the door and two minutes later a feminine voice could be heard behind the door, "This is his office right? If you kidnap me or something, I'll feed you your balls."

Enzo said in an annoyed tone, "Get inside already."

The door pushed open and Damon and his father both saw a girl enter, slim and athletic body, wearing denim shorts and a blue shirt , her hair over her shoulders, she looked at both of them and huffed, "You are the Salvatores I assume." She gripped the strip of her bag and stood near the table , watching the man sitting across from the older one , eye her up to down, she put her bag in front of her thighs taking a deep breath, "Where's my brother?"

"Who?" The older man spoke tilting his head slightly. "Jeremy gilbert, my brother- the one that you people picked up yesterday so my father would write you his property." She said firmly, "When will you give him back?"

Giuseppe turned to look at Damon , who was now sitting back holding the pen he was using earlier as if it was very interesting. Damon spoke without looking up, "He's alive, locked up but alive."

The words made her ball her fists, her baby brother in this hell? In pain and agony while no one did nothing- he was sixteen and unaware of the idea of hurt and being alone. They had pampered him throughout their lives, "How dare you?" she spoke in a low voice but it held a challenge, she looked at Giuseppe, "Let my brother go! You people got what you wanted now it's time you give Jeremy back! I swear anyone of you lowlifes hurt my brother and I'll make sure-"

"You'll make sure?" the raven haired man stood up watching her ironically, "You? Who are you? What are you? How in the world are you going to damage us? Showing up half naked to our mansion with your useless speeches, you think you did something there, your father signed on those papers and I didn't even have to ask for it. We don't argue with women, go send a man if there is one at your little hole home."

She bit her lip, "The same hole home from which you took property from yesterday? If you're doing so well why do you need my father's property? I am here to talk to Mister Salvatore, not his ass licking servants." She pushed him aside and went forward stomping both her hands on Giuseppe's desk, "I'll say this one last time, I want my brother back by tonight and eventually I'll get the land back too because it is ours and not yours! And if I see you or your goons anywhere near my house, you and I will be face to face in court!" she slapped the desk service and turned seeing the man she had pushed earlier behind her, "Low life." She spat and went outside slamming the door close behind her, Damon huffed, Giuseppe shook his head, "She misses her brother Damon, you heard her right?"

"I did." Damon turned from the door to his father, "I think we should drive the kid back home."

"Good you go do that." His father nodded at him and Damon nodded back.

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She honestly had no idea what she was going to do to get Jeremy back but all she knew was that she was going to bring him back, and if those rich criminals wouldn't give her brother back, she'll think of something, like her mother said the police and all law in this town was on their side, maybe outside too. She wiped the tear from her cheek looking at a framed picture if Jeremy and her from his fourteenth birthday. A ring on the phone distracted her and she reached for it, "Hey, yeah I am okay now," she told Caroline when the Blonde asked alarmed. "I heard that guy from the club and you had an argument in the hall."

"Stefan, huh yeah I hit him." She sat back on her bed, "He was being an asshole over his family, they are the Salvatores, I went to their Mansion."

"What?" Caroline asked surprised, "Why Elena, you know how dangerous that was? What if they had caught you like they did with Jeremy!" she scolded her. Elena shook her head, "They can't even touch me Care, I won't let those-"

A sudden bang startled her and she got up in surprise, everything was scary nowadays and it alarmed her, even more, when her mother shouted, "OH GOD!"

She looked outside the window as something was rolling. Her eyes widened seeing that blood-stained person lying in the middle of the road, she screamed, "JEREMY!"

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So guys, that's it, I wasn't posting on this one because I was sequencing some stuff here and there, I hate a cloudy story so that's why.

Tell me if you love it or hate it? Reviews make me excited to write more and write better. Please also check out Million dollar man if you haven't! I"d love to here your feedback. Thank you for the review Amazingaisha, damonlover92, jennagilbert7 , AMM and guest reviewers, I love hearing your feedback.

What should I do next? I can alter my ideas if I get better ones! My idea for this one is a slow burn love hate stuff going on with thrill and mystery in between so love story is not just all you read about.