Chapter 36: The Color of the End

"When the color of a woman's life begins to fade, her life becomes empty and leads her to the edge, the edge from which no one can save her..."


Taranee Cook had seen many things in her life. She had had many different experiences, both happy and shocking, positive and negative. What she hadn't seen yet though, was someone making a sourer face than her mother when in the presence of a person that triggered her judgmental side. And heaven knew that Theresa Cook could be very judgmental and full of reproof.

"I don't want her around Nathaniel, this is a family day. She's not family."- her peremptory voice declared.

"For the last time, mom; Monica doesn't have anywhere else to go today. Nigel has to be with her because her caretakers excused themselves for the day; we have no other options."

"Then maybe Nigel should stay with her at her place, I don't know. After all, it's Peter's baby! How can you bring her when you know she's unstable around children? You could've been more considerate, Taranee. This is not your own living space to take such decisions."

Taranee felt the fire in her eyes flame at that line:

"Neither is it yours. I've already talked to Peter and Cassidy and they're fine with it. Please, mom, let's just both stay in our lanes and not flop the entire day for everyone."

The sourness on her face intensified, but she remained silent. Theresa Cook knew when the facts were against her and when to maintain silence, but that didn't mean she would retreat. Slamming the door behind herself, she headed for the car in the driveway.

Taranee sighed a tired sigh and felt a hand on her shoulder:

"Don't mind her, honey. She's just overprotective and you know it."- Lionel Cook smiled down at his daughter. He had just come down the stairs. "It's not that she doesn't empathize with Monica, she's just allowing her job and what she has witnessed while working, to project fears and concerns in her personal life. You know how your mother is."

"Yeah, unfortunately, I do."- Taranee retorted bitterly. "I know how she is. Full of prejudice."

Lionel seemed to be in search of a proper reply to that, but the words didn't come to him. Sometimes, the bitter truth can't be reformulated. Especially by earnest, placable and affectionate people like her father. Taranee sighed as he made a pleading face that obliged her to resign.

"I'll be good, don't worry, dad. Let's go. We shouldn't be late."


Simueltech, 12:30 PM

Susan Vandom applied her dark pink lipstick once more before entering the imposing building of "Simueltech", the company she had been working for for the last two decades. "Simueltech" was another name for good money and good work, and it had always been that.

Even if many things had changed during the last eleven years after she got transferred to Heatherfield. After the former manager, McGruder had retired, his son had taken hold of the branch and Susan had climbed even higher in the hierarchy. If she had been important earlier, then now she was near paramount. As near as the vice-CEO of the entire Heatherfield branch could get.

Susan headed for her office which was on the 8th floor. She had had four days to rest post being discharged from the hospital, but she couldn't wait anymore. She was impatient to return to her normal routine.

The doors of one of the six parallel elevators opened and the woman went it, almost completely oblivious to the cleaning lady and her detergent trolley that were already inside.

Susan pressed the button and then turned to the mirrored wall. She started fixing her hair and examining her reflection up close. Perhaps a little more blush? She was just going through her bag when the elevator stopped abruptly.

"What the- "- the woman turned around and saw that the elevator was manually stopped. The button for the rooftop on the 24th floor was also pressed; Susan wanted to immediately confront the cleaning lady, but as she was turning around, she felt the sharp edge of something cold and lethal pressed against the back of her neck.

"Hey there, survivor. Don't make me slice your throat open."

Susan's eyes widened in horror as she heard that and came face to face with the realization that the woman she was stuck in the elevator with was none other than Serena.

"What do you want."- she managed to ask silently, suppressing the fear in her voice. Serena threatened her from the back, so she couldn't turn around. She could only face the control board and listen in tension.

"What do I want, what do you want?!"- Serena's voice wheezed. "You ruined my life! Your daughter and her friends killed my brother. Tony killed that man and our baby! And you? You're always just standing there, acting like you're something better, when in actuality, you're a bitter killer supporter!"

Susan tried to get over her anger at hearing all that for the umpteenth time, but she couldn't. For a moment, she lost her cool and turned around sharply, not caring about what could happen next. Her reaction caught the other woman off guard and she dropped her big knife on the floor.

Their eyes met and Susan's anger felt struck by the amount of delirium that her enemy's gaze emitted...If she had been crazed when she kidnapped them, then now she was completely off her head... But she was also directly to blame for what had happened with Will's unborn child and that Susan would never forget.

She grabbed Serena by the collar of her big, stolen uniform, and slammed her into the back wall.

"Serena, last time I told you that I didn't care what you did to us, but you better never come in my way again because what you and your brother did to Will makes me want to kill you every time I lay eyes on you!"- her harsh tone echoed in the aluminum walls of the elevator. "That's why you tried to kill me and Tony exceptionally brutally, by throwing us in the ocean! In the dark, deep ocean, Serena, but we were still rescued, that must mean something, don't you think? Your attempt to get rid of us was beyond psychotic and cruel, but you failed! You failed at getting rid of us and you failed at thinking about yourself. I told you to NEVER come in my way again!"

And as she said that, Susan slapped the other woman as hard as she could. Serena swayed on her feet before finding herself kneeling in the corner. The elevator had reached its final destination, but Susan slammed the pause button before the doors could open.

"What did you think before coming here today?"- she asked glaringly, as she watched the other woman glare back at her while standing up. "That you could just come and threaten me, force me into dancing to your tune again? That ship has long sailed, Serena. After everything, you're no longer capable of influencing me!"

But to the older woman's dismay, her ex-husband's crazed second wife laughed at that. She laughed like an absolute nutjob and said:

"But you will dance to my tune, Susan. As long as you would like to keep your house with your hubby and son in it, in its place. That's right, Susan, I've placed a little bomb somewhere on your property before coming here. Now, open the doors before I feel like punishing you for that bold slap."


Fadden Hills, 1 PM, Kadma's manor

Kadma Starlighter made one last cycle with the round tray before bringing it closer to her forehead and solemnly bowing towards the flaming candle.

"Krishna*, I rarely turn to you, but on holidays like today, I feel the need to appreciate you for the sake of my religious late mother, who I loved dearly."- she spoke. "Happy Holi, Krishna. I wanted to bring you the colors of the day so that you could as well color life for me and those dear to me. Make all our problems as insignificant as possible, and bless us with the needed strength to fight for our peace. Bhagavaan Krishna kee stuti karo*"

The divine idol in the bottom of the domestic temple seemed to exude an untiring grace as the former guardian wrapped up the morning prayer and set her tray aside.

Halinor, who had stood beside her the entire time, turned around and dipped her hands in one of the many powdered dyes lying on the table nearby, gently smearing some magenta dye over Kadma's cheeks:

"It's Holi, don't be mad."- she said the words and chuckled softly.

"You never forget."- Kadma replied happily and, in her turn, proceeded to leave a soft trail of blue color on her friend's face. She was referring to the old play of words that her friend had just recited.

Holi, a fun holiday, originating from India, where Kadma's mother came from, is all about the colors of life and the fun they were to bring. Everyone got to play and prank each other, painting themselves in all the colors of the rainbow. This year, Holi was also an event organized by the Rising Star to gather more funds and donations for a bunch of different charities.

"How could I ever forget? It's Holi."- Halinor tilted her head and her blonde herringbone braid. "We haven't celebrated this day in a while, but I still remember how much fun we had on Holi back in school. Come, the first guests will start arriving."

Halinor smiled and gestured towards the doors. Kadma smiled back and nodded her head, following her friend along the corridors. They were both dressed in fair traditional clothes according to the Indian custom for this holiday.

Kadma wore an elegant green, short-sleeved blouse under the white-beige wrap saree that left her waist and a large area of her back bare. The front part of her garment was decorated with green, yellow, and white stripes at the bottom part of the skirt. Her long hair was gathered in a tight braid-bun on the back of her head. To finish the hairstyle off, she had a large rhinestone hairpin securing the hair in the big bun right in the middle.

Halinor, in addition to her long braid and carmine red lips, had adorned herself in a pair of elastic leggings and a custom-made red and white tunic on top, with traditional Indian elements embroidered on it; these elements were also on the exquisite, silken shall that she had draped like a poncho around her shoulders.

When the two women reached the large grounds, rented especially for the event, some people had already started to gather. The Indian community in Fadden Hills wasn't all that big, but many others were invited too. Kids from all over the town, kids with no families, entire orphanages were going to soon arrive. Kadma accounted that this festival would be the most fun many of them would have for the first time in months and that made her happy and sad at the same time. There was still so much more that could be done for those in need, especially kids...If only she could duplicate herself to help more people simultaneously.

The limo stopped and one of the drivers opened the doors for them. Halinor held her under the arm as they headed towards the festive grounds to meet their special guests who had already gathered there...

"You made it!"- Halinor exclaimed cheerfully, hugging her shorter friend. "We're so glad to see you here!"

"I promised that we'd be here."- Nerissa said as she hugged Kadma while Halinor held Yan Lin in her hug; then they switched.

The ex-keeper moved back as the hostesses greeted the rest of their guests of honor- her son, Cornelia, Julian, and the rest of the guardians, excluding Taranee. Oh, yeah, their other halves were here too. The festival promised to be quite diverse.

"So, how do I look?"- Nerissa began playfully, flowing the skirt of her luxurious white, gold, and black saree made out of almost transparent silk. Her hair was up in a big updo adorned with flowers and jewels that made her thick black tresses even shinier.

"Yeah, we followed all the dress code instructions."- Cornelia joined in, stepping next to her mother-in-law to show her clothes too. A set of a long white skirt and a crop top ornated with the richest details and designs. "We're all wearing white for Holi."

"Like a million rupees."- Kadma smiled and made them an approving gesture with her index finger and thumb.

Nerissa seemed to think about it for a second:

"Isn't that extremely little converted in dollars?"

Everyone laughed at her and Kadma shook her head, amusedly, placing her hand on her shoulder.

"It's an expression, Rissy."- Halinor giggled and leaned against her. "But this is expensive, isn't it?"- she tucked on her clothing. " You know that you'll get covered in colors and ruin it, don't you?"

"That's what I told them."- Irma interfered from the back. "But go persuade divas. Hey, where's the food? I'm starving!"

"You're not exactly underdressed yourselves. What's that on your ears, diamonds?"- Nerissa taunted the ex-Fire guardian while Kadma reached to take a red metal box out of her purse.

"Here, Irma. This is Prasad*. It's a blessing from the Gods and it's for all of you to have before we start celebrating, eating, and drinking."

"Will, how are you? How's everything with your parents?"- Halinor approached the redhead once everyone had started to scatter around the entire lot. The celebration could begin, but she had to inquire.

Will blenched ever so slightly, but managed to smile it away:

"I can say that everything's finally starting to come to its place. They're doing better. The final trial is going to be next week."

Halinor nodded with concern:

"But that woman, Serena? Is she captured? She's terrifyingly dangerous. Her rage and hatred are horrifying- "

"She's about to be captured."- Will claimed. "She can't run forever. Everything's against her. She did what no one else could to herself. When the rest of her money and connections get peter out, she'll end up behind the bars where she belongs."

"That is true, Will, but we must still be vigilant."- the older woman replied. Her blue eyes shone in anxiety. "Now even more than before. When people like her are pushed into a corner, they become much more ferocious than one has seen them, even in their worst light."


"Keep walking! If you turn around, your family will be blown up into pieces!"

The wind was blowing right in her face as she took yet another step. Susan tightened her fists. She was on the roof of "Simueltech", slowly making her way to a sure death. Again.

It was cold and cloudy, and she had to wait, but her wait would be worth it...Hopefully, so would enduring her unborn grandchild's murderess, who she wished to throw off the roof herself.

When she was a few steps away from the ledge of the flat roof, Susan stopped walking.

"Who told you to stop, Susan? I sure didn't! Keep wa-"

"Do you expect me to jump off the 24th floor?!"- Susan turned around and yelled at her.

Serena remained a few meters back, holding her knife. The cleaning lady hat was off her unkempt hair. Her beauty was fading with the increase of her utter insanity that had long washed the glow out of her eyes...

"What do you want, anyway, Serena? Money again? Like you tried to kill us the last time when we firmly refused to give you money to escape the country and change your identity, right? Didn't we tell you that you'll see nothing from us after what you did to Will!?"

"The least you could've done for me is provide me with money."- Serena gritted her teeth. "But no! You're a sordid couple!"

"Sordid? What a perfect word to describe you with! So, you do admit that you were a gold-digger from the beginning?"- Susan remarked acidly, but then bit her lips. She had to do her best to get her anger under control again. "Sorry...You do admit that you tried to kill us by throwing us into the depths of the ocean upon kidnapping us because we refused to pay our own ransom-"

"You despair to hear me confess everything, don't you? You want yet another proof to help yourself sleep better at night, beguiling yourself that you're some Saint Mary incarnation!"- Serena shouted at the top of her lungs. "Fine, I'll do you that big favor! I did, yes, I confess everything! I tried to fool you into legally transferring everything which that dead-beat ass Tony left you and Will! I tried everything that I could think of, I even kept pretending to be pregnant, even after I LOST my child because of him! Your beloved ex-hubby! I wanted the money and the real estate, that's true! A gold-digger? I wouldn't call myself that, I actually loved that piece of shit before he threw me to the piranhas and showed me his real face!"

Susan didn't know what or how to reply to that. Serena was breathing heavily against her, glaring at her:

"I wanted the money, because you had everything else, anyway, Susan! You had your own money, your family, this fancy job, everything! When Tony "died", I was left with my sincere grief and nothing else! I felt this burning feeling...envy? Yes, that's the word. I envied you and your perfect life, I thought that if I continued to be pregnant in front of society and if I kept Tony's belongings, I could still live a decent life."- Serena sobbed angrily. "That I could still recollect myself... Despite the double tragedy that I went through...but you had to ruin everything! You and your daughter! Why did he have to let you have everything? Why you! You've treated him poorly in these last ten years, I was the one who loved him and was next to him, and that's how he thanked me!"

Susan tried to say something in response, but the right words escaped her again. In this light, while saying all these things, the other woman was sincere. She was sincere and not crazy. She was just broken and hurt:

"Serena..."- Susan began. "I've never wished you any ill, I've never wanted for any of this to happen, but- "

"But what! Why do you have to lie? I know you hated me from the first day you met me!"- Serena interrupted her. "Neither you nor Will ever accepted me! The looks you gave me, the snide comments during some occasional dinner, the overall handling! You've always treated me and Tony with a high hand, that's exactly why I can't understand why he had to do all this for you!"

The older woman threw her hands up in defeat:

"Serena, that doesn't mean that I wanted your life to turn this way! Say whatever you want about me!"- she cried. "But who has a great amount of affection for his ex-husband's new wife? Who just accepts all that? I'm sorry for snubbing you during these last ten years, but what you did to me and my family afterward- "

"I did!"- Serena shook her head bitterly. "I was ready to accept both Will and you because you were a part of his life, but you never gave me the chance. Especially you! My intentions were good, I was sincere in the beginning. But after ten years, I gave up on us being friends, Susan. You never accepted me nor treated me as an equal. And of course, now you have the perfect thing to excuse all that with. All my actions...Just remember that all my actions against you began after Tony lied to me, neglected and abandoned me on the street after I suffered a miscarriage. You've been giving me the brush-off long before any of that."

"Serena, I admit that I've been cold towards you, but that's because I've never seen things from your point of view."- Susan sighed. "I'm older than you...My values are clearly different; I haven't- "

"Of course, your values are the epitome of right. I'm the lousy hooker and gold-digger-"

"That's not what I meant! Hear me out!"- Susan cried. She put her hands in her hair and exhaled; she could hear Rosetta's voice in her ear, but she ignored it. This was off hand. It had long gotten off-hand and she had to discuss the things that bothered her first: "I've never been taught that I can be friends with the new woman in my ex-husband's life...I'm territorial and I can be quite resentful. It's just how I am, it has never been anything personal towards you, I would have probably treated any other woman the same way! That's my mistake, but I've never seen the need for the two of us to be close, arising. Ever..."- Susan sighed. She felt like a bitch admitting that, like a fool, but it was what it was... "My marriage with Tony ended on a bad note, you know that. I apologize for being like that, I can't turn time back, and it has never been all up to me. I'm sorry for making you feel disdained, but you have to admit that Tony did what he did to you after you tried to blackmail him with Phelps' death. He mistreated you, I agree, but- "

"Alright, fine, I blackmailed him! But was it really that bad? I only said that I'd reveal he did business with the man who had allegedly tried to rape and hurt you in the past. But I only did it, because I had just lost my baby! Tony didn't want us to keep trying, he didn't want another child, he didn't even try to comfort me... In fact, I think that he was already planning on leaving me!"

Susan gaped at the other woman's exclamation. That was a part of the story she was hearing for the first time. This was the first time she and Serena were actually talking like rational women ever since she kidnapped them...Well...rational women screaming at each other on top of a giant building...

"Wait what? Tony and Phelps were discussing working together?"

"Enough, Serena, you're not fooling anyone with your soupy stories."

His voice made Serena turn around in shock before she could answer. Tony Vandom was approaching the scene in his dark red suit. His formal shoes tapped against the surface he walked on.

"Y-you?! Why aren't you in custody?"- she stammered as she watched her husband line up with his ex-wife.

"None of your business, you witch."- he replied coldly, placing his hand on Susan's shoulder. "Had it been up to you, I would be on the bottom of the ocean right now, huh? Don't look at me like that, you tried to kill us and now you came to hurt Susan again, are you denying it?"

As Serena stammered on her words, Susan turned her attention to the man:

"Did I hear right? Is Serena telling the truth? You were actually talking business with that man? The man who tried to hurt me numerous times, who almost hurt our daughter?"

"Susan, that's not the point, please, we'll discuss this later!"- Tony replied hastily rubbing her hands. "This woman is trying to take advantage of your softer side, of your good heart! That's why she's sobbing right now! I had a very good reason to leave you the way I did, Serena, don't you even try to deny that."- he then turned his killing gaze back to the other woman. "You're far from being bold or brave without your goons around you, as I can see. You're not even beautiful anymore."- he added spitefully, as Serena blenched. "Why are you trying to excuse yourself yet again? Why did I leave you for good, huh? Because you tried to blackmail me, you tried to make me choose between Susan and Will, and you! Did you ever believe that I'd choose you over them? My family. My daughter and the mother of my daughter have always been, and will always be most important to me, more important than any whore such as yourself, I don't get why that's so hard for you to comprehend. Did you think of yourself as more important than them? Were you really that stupid?!"

"Obviously."- Serena hissed, a tear rolling down her cheek. "After you wrote me off post the miscarriage, I became desperate to keep you, that's why I blackmailed you. Now I regret doing it because that's when my life went downhill and why? Because of you! You weren't worth all that trouble and pain."

"Really? Then why didn't you stop in front of anything?"- Tony laughed. "You're an ordinary whore and a glib one too. You are the only one at fault for losing that baby, you went clubbing! How is that my fault? Why are you here today? How much more will you keep tormenting Susan, you jealous bitch? You even tried to shoot her last summer. But you're not woman enough to admit to all that."

"There's no need to be that brusque, Tony."- Susan muttered, making him look at her in outrage:

"Susie-Q, please! Please! You're feeling bad for the woman who tried to kill us underwater! Who murdered our grandchild while he or she was still in Will! She killed our grandchild before we got to meet them!"- he cried, shaking her by the shoulders. "That piece of trash over there. That dishonest whore!"

"I'm not dishonest, nor am I scared of you! I admitted to everything!"- Serena yelled in response. He had brought her on the verge of a breakdown. His words hurt so bad...His full of hatred gaze; even Susan didn't look at her like that. The man who she had loved and supported for over ten years had nothing good to say or remember her by. Had she been the worst person to live there would've been more to be said in her defense than what she read on Tony's face: "I blackmailed you, then I tried to fool Susan, I wanted to have at least something. Something after you left me with nothing! You were so angry that day, the day you faked your car crash, you have no idea how I felt when they told me that you've passed!"- she screamed. "I was dying on the inside because the last words which we exchanged were during a fight! You made me feel terrible about myself, when in fact you had actually decided what to do with your life already! You had planned it; you decided to run away from everyone and everything and leave me to deal with that man's death while leaving me nothing at the same time! Nothing but the terrible feeling of suffocating guilt, for your imaginary death! Who is that big of a sucker, Tony Vandom?"

Susan felt sick while witnessing this scene, but she said nothing. Neither did Tony, he just looked at Serena with a cold, expressionless face:

"I tried to get a hold of some money, but your precious Will and Susan failed me, they pushed me off my edge with their demeanor! That's how I ended up pointing a gun at them! I was in a dead-lock, because of you, you prick! Then, Susan and that Anna discovered that I'm not pregnant. That was the end of my life in Heahterfield in general. Not only had your daughter managed to get a hold of the documents which I tried to make Susan sign as documents for burial places, but I also lived through the humiliation of sharing my story with her. My story about how I can never have children again, BECAUSE OF YOU!"- Serena pointed at the man with a trembling finger. "Because of you, I had to endure that ugly pity in your first wife's eyes!"

Susan looked down and closed her eyes in defeat. So many things about her life had gone wrong ever since marrying the man she had loved first. That was just another one of them; she had turned into a judgmental and entitled woman. She had lost a great deal of that good heart he talked about, as well as a great deal of respect and patience for the others. Her divorce had stripped her of all that...

"My life was never going to be good again, never!"- the other woman kept narrating furiously. "That's why I grew even more bitter! That's why I decided to kill Susan, what else could I do? I had nothing left. Nothing. Ten years for nothing. Maybe I'm a monster! Maybe I'm terrible for I fled Heatherfield and then, months later, came back with my brother. We took the corpse of Phelps out, it was time for you to pay, Tony. I had kept his corpse in that freezer ever since your "car crash", but now that I had discovered that you're actually alive, it was revenge time. How I knew, you may ask? You didn't exclude me from all of our joint accounts, you asshole. You happened to use one of these joint accounts from Fiji. Sure, later on, you have probably reconsidered your mistake; my brother tried to track you, but the bill was quickly closed and deleted as if it had never existed. You are such a good con artist, even Jessie was impressed. My brother, Jessie, was a strong, merciless man. He was not the best person, himself, but you are beyond compare. He did horrific things to avenge me, but in the end, he found his death and you still managed to escape unscratched! YOU WERE THE ONE who was supposed to suffer the most, YOU, TONY! YOU BETRAYED ME AND ABANDONED ME!"

At this point, the young woman had grabbed her husband's collar, trying to shake him, but he didn't budge. Susan wiped her teary eyes and attempted to push her away, but stopped. She just stopped and shook her head. She didn't know what to think anymore...

"When Jessie exposed himself so stupidly, I was left with no options. How could he grow so stupid all of a sudden, he even found his death? To this day, I still think that your daughter and her friends had something to do with that-"

"What nonsense."- Tony grunted and pushed her off. "Don't ever accuse my daughter of your retarded brother's death, rag, he got what he deserved. He and you poisoned Will while she was in custody. And I have the email to prove it."

"Yes, of course, you have. Jessie considered that since he had transferred Tom Lair, he could as well cover that up. If you had come out of course, but even after you read his email sent to your old accounts, you just destroyed your device in order not to be revealed."- Serena smirked bitterly. "That didn't make you reveal yourself or the fact that you've faked your death. Then you say how much your daughter means to you..."

"My daughter means the world to me."- the man gritted his teeth and approached her in a minatory fashion. "You had my signature and you quickly managed to prove what you wanted, yet you still couldn't execute your sick plan! That made you even more bitter, did it not, whore? That's why you kidnapped Susan and me, and tried to kill us again."

"Exactly."- Serena confirmed without a trace of remorse. "What else could I do? You were getting away with everything, while I was being hunted like an animal post Jessie's death. The people of Heahterfield are quick to turn against those who disrupt their peace. At first, I didn't plan to kill you, I wanted you to give me money. Shallow me, right? But I was willing to get off your hair. After I lost everything because of you, Vandoms, you could have paid me to get lost, but no."- she clicked her tongue in a disapproving manner. "You had to insult me again, Susan even knocked me down and said the worst things to me. That's why I threw you in the ocean, and believe me, I was sure that would be the last time I see you. But no, Tony, you managed to escape even that. Even that! You're not a man, you're the devil!"


Heatherfield: New Chance, the Chacon House

"So, Cassidy. When are you and Peter going to have the wedding?"

Theresa's next question caused mass awkwardness at the table yet again, provoking thoughts on a matter that obviously hadn't been discussed in the young family. Taranee shook her head and hid her face in her palms.

Family lunch with the Cooks and their new daughter-in-law could be torture. Mainly for the daughter-in-law. But she just smiled and chuckled, being her usual bubbly self:

"Oh, we haven't really thought about it yet. I know that it would've been best had we married before the baby was born."- Cassidy beamed. "That's how I was brought up, these values have always been preached in our family, but what to do. It happened. But we will certainly be legalizing our relationship and son in the future, don't worry, mom Theresa."

Taranee rolled her eyes at the extremely ironic phrase that had turned into.

"You were raised excellently, Cassidy."- the judge saluted her, sincerely impressed in a positive way. That was a rare thing to happen by itself. "Emily, your granddaughter is a real gem."

The two women could just smile warmly, looking at each other from across the table:

"Maybe because she was raised 60 years ago, you like her."- Taranee murmured under her nose, then pretended to cough and focused on her mashed potatoes, ignoring Nigel's silent chuckling.

Cassidy was a wonderful girl, she didn't deny that. She was also young, beautiful, and smart, and ever since the whole entire Orpheus and Eurydice story was out of question, Taranee didn't mind the fact that she had lived in Heatherfield before any of her parents were even born. What irked her just a little bit was how well she got along with her dictatorial mother, judge Cook.

Speaking of judge Cook, that little side comment hadn't gone unnoticed by her and her sharp hearing. Even though she hadn't heard what her daughter had said, in particular, she had heard that murmuring and she didn't miss to flash Taranee a strict, rebuking look.

"Terry, can you please give me the sauce?"- Lionel asked, his mouth full of roasted turkey.

His wife nodded and handed him the gravy boat that was closer to her glass of wine, but in the process of taking it from her, the handgrip slipped between the man's fingers. The gravy boat fell on the wooden floor, bursting into pieces and a flood of sauce.

"Lionel!"- Theresa scolded her husband angrily. "Why do you have to be so clumsy all the time?!"

"Sorry, Terry, I guess my fingers were oily from the dip-"

Theresa shook her head, but then seemed to reconsider the situation.

"Oh, no worries, dear, there's more sauce on the stove. I'll get this cleaned in a jiffy."- Emily suggested, but the judge was quick to halt her:

"No, Emily, please! Allow me."- she stood up, dusted her white trousers, and took the cloth napkin out of the neckline of her formal gilded shirt. "You sit too, Cassy. I'll be right back. Taranee, would you come to help me, please?"

The young woman nodded and reluctantly followed her mother out of the dining room, just when Peter cracked some joke about her and erupted in laughter together with her father and Nigel.

"I guess that you want me to do the cleaning."- Taranee began reprovingly, but her mother stopped her right in front of the kitchen door.

They were in the Chacon house, the kitchen was the first room next to the vestibule that led one into the living room, which was now empty.

Taranee looked around herself in confusion and then followed her mother's finger towards the empty couch:

"See? I saw that she has moved. She's not where we told her to stay! Now what do you have to say about her?"- she began accusingly.

"You saw that the couch is empty all the way across the dining room and then through the arc?! Huh, I don't know, mom, maybe she has gone to the bathroom, like people tend to do or something- "

"Please, you know that I have a hawk's eye. No, Taranee, Monica is not like most people. I want you to look for her immediately."- Theresa insisted sternly. "Before she embarrasses us, you will find her! Start from the nursery. I don't want her to be alone with Nathaniel!"

"She can't be there, she- "- Taranee began, but her mother made her a sign to be quiet and then pointed towards the stairs.

"Just go! I'll take care of the mess your father made, you'll take care of the one you and Nigel started by bringing that woman along in the first place."

Taranee sighed and once again reluctantly followed the order. Her mother was too much. Her disdain for Monica was what could embarrass them, especially her, rather than what she had in mind. Who did Theresa feel like could judge them, Cassidy and her mom!?

Judgmental people tend to fear being judged the most, the fire guardian thought irritated, before opening the door of her nephew's nursery.

To her surprise, she indeed found Monica there. Staring at inside the crib from above:

"Monica, what are you- "

"Thinking. Thinking about how fast you'd react if it was this single baby in danger. In comparison to how slow you are when entire worlds are, headed by Coronia! You're wasting time! Soon it will be too late!"

The harsh voice that came from the fragile body wasn't Monica's, and even though Taranee wasn't as shocked as the first time this had occurred, she still felt her stomach turn around once the possessed body turned around, abruptly, and approached her with an unnatural speed. Without even moving her legs, she hurtled face to face with her.

"I-icona, what are you doing here? And what do you mean?"- Taranee stammered as she gazed into Monica's alienated eyes.

"How many times must I tell you what I mean? I was wrong when I considered you to be a clever set of guardians. You're slow and indifferent to problems that will soon be your undoing!"

Icona was greatly infuriated and that was visible. The other woman had expected everything but to feel her fingers wrapping around her neck in the next moment:

"Icona!- she wheezed in shock. "Let go of me!"

"Why? So that you can continue doing nothing?"- her voice sounded like three people talking at the same time. Taranee was utterly terrified. "A month has passed in your indolence! The future of many worlds is on the strings! You allowed the Dark Descendant to grow more powerful. They're both in the claws of the Descendant now. You're failing us all!"

Taranee finally managed to push Nigel's possessed mother off herself and coughed while rubbing her neck. She was sure that the iron grip of the fingers had left her with marks; she aimed her flaming glare at the ghost of the countess:

"We're doing everything that we can, given the circumstances and the information which we have! I know that you're hindered from providing us with more than what you already did, but if you can't help, then at least don't do crazy things like that! Why do you show up at all if the only thing you can do is spur us?! Who are "they"? Who's the Descendant?! Is it Leonida, is it Phobos or their child, I don't know anymore, Icona, that's why the only thing which we can do is wait-"

"Obtuse fool!"- Icona raged and the windows in the nursery broke into pieces. Nathaniel woke up and started crying; Taranee was shaken beyond compare when everything around her started moving. "If you keep waiting, the only thing that you'll await shall be mass doom! You've used but a tenth of what I let you have! All is hidden in there, all that you need to get to the core of the Descendant. How many times must I say, the Descendant is not just a person! Stop the darkness before it has extinguished all light! The darkness has never been so near!"

Taranee felt her eyelids heavy and then everything spun around; when she snapped out of it, her mother was in the room next to her:

"Taranee?!"- Theresa shook her by the shoulders. "What's going on?! I've been waiting for you for over ten minutes; Monica arrived downstairs and said she was very hungry. I thought that you'd found and sent her, but when you didn't return, I came looking for you. What's happening, honey? Why is Nathan awake?"

Taranee blinked a few times, trying to assimilate what had just happened indeed. The windows were fine again, nothing in the room was moved. Her nephew wasn't crying anymore, he was simply lying in his crib peacefully.

Icona had been angry. She had warned her in an eloquent way, saying that their time was running short. The question was what could she, as a guardian, do to use the rest of that time, no matter how little it was, for something effective. Truth be told, all this time, the fire guardian had felt like they weren't doing enough for the whole prophecy story, but she had brushed it off, encouraged by her friends and all the other problems they had had. Now she was certain; they had to get to action faster than ever.


"I may be a devil, but you're trash, Serena. Nothing makes up for what you did. Nothing justifies it. The moment you decided to blackmail me, you ruined not only one but four lives at the very least! And that's not counting yourself and your brother."- Tony hissed darkly, not impressed by the woman's breakdown at all.

She was shivering like a leaf upon finishing her long, emotional outflow, but he wasn't done with her yet. Not yet...

Susan heard the last warning in her ear. They were coming. They were already traveling towards them, up the elevators. It would all soon be over...Tony caught a glimpse of her eyes and immediately knew. That was why he shot:

"Do you deny throwing that vase at me, that night? Do you deny blackmailing me into the unthinkable? You did this, you caused all of this, be honest with yourself!"

"I deny nothing, it's all true, but that doesn't make me worse than you!"- Serena yelled back, not even bothering to follow the string of her own retrospective anymore. "You're the most selfish, greedy bastard who's ready to do anything to- "

"No, Serena, let's not make this about me. It's all about you and your crimes. You hid the body, didn't you? You hid Phelps' body after you threw the vase, you hid in that old freezer, which you later took out to use against me and my family. You tried to frame us after you thought that you could take advantage of the situation yet again!"

"HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD I SAY, 'YES I DID'?! FUCK yourself already! You ruined my life just like you tried to ruin Susan's. No woman should ever fall for your charm, because you lack a heart in your chest, Thomas Vandom. You're a heartless monster that ruins lives!"

Serena's words echoed in Susan's ears, but the man was deaf to them. He had already got what he had wanted and his lips stretched into a big smile:

"Bravo, Serena, bravo. What a wonderful final point to your full confessions. Thank you for finally doing the right thing to get the fuck away from us."

But before Serena could ask, he pulled the little spy microphone from his ex-wife's jacket and gleefully showed it to her.

"You've been live broadcasted ever since you stepped in that elevator, honeycomb."- Tony told her. "We knew that you'd never resist confronting Susan after that TV segment we did from the hospital. After we offered a reward for whoever captures you, you were the one to fall into the trap, capturing yourself. Like the mouse goes for the cheese, you went for the money you were denied, and you ended yourself. You have to admit, I know you so well..."- he chuckled. "That's why we set everything up with the police. Your bomb was deactivated after Collins and the kid were taken out; Susie-Q only had to keep you occupied long enough."- Susan escaped her eyes on purpose at that, as Tony went on, happier than ever: "Then I came to help her extract the last of your confessions. You didn't expect that, did you? Too bad, but it's over, Serena. Game over for you."

Serena turned around, having heard the elevators. That's when the policemen flowed out of them. Approaching her. Armed. Ready to seize her. They were saying something, but she didn't hear them. The last thing she heard was her own scream as she turned back towards the pair and dove towards them with her knife. If she could, she would have pierced both of them at the same time. That's how she hated them; but instead of that, she tripped.

She tripped after Tony happened to be faster. He pulled the dismayed Susan too abruptly, right before the other woman could slaughter them like she planned. The long ends of the cleaning lady uniform betrayed her; Serena lost balance and flew off the roof. She flew off the 24th floor as her entire life flashed in front of her eyes one last time:

"SERENA!"

Serena opened her eyes to see the person she had expected the least to hold her. Susan was holding on to her hand, desperately trying to pull her up from the afflictive termination she was hanging above. Literally.

"Serena, give me your other hand!"- Susan cried. "Serena, I beg of you!"

"Susan, are you out of your mind?!"- Tony yelled behind her, holding her around the waist. Susan was on her knees, on the flat roof, in order to be able to hold the other woman, who she had caught in the last second: "She'll try to pull you down with her, Susie-Q, please!"

Serena blinked in disbelief. The police had stopped in their tracks, careful as they approached the tense scene that could change at any next moment. The wind was blowing, but the world had suddenly gone silent. Bland. Colorless...She didn't even hear the cars and the traffic anymore, she could only see the tear-wetted face of the woman who was trying to save her life.

"Serena, please give me your hand!"

"I made you go through hell. I did terrible things to you and your daughter."- Serena muttered. "Why are you holding me?!"

"She's right, she doesn't deserve it!"- Tony fumed from the back.

"Tony, please, just help me pull her up!"- Susan cried and the man reluctantly proceeded to fulfill her request, but Serena crossly slapped his hand away

"Don't touch me! Don't you ever touch me again!"- she growled.

"Serena, please, you have to allow us to pull you back up!"- Susan pleaded. "I can't let you fall from here, I can't-"

"Why not?"- Serena snapped. "You could tape me and set me up! After all, I threw you into the ocean to die and killed your grandchild! I KILLED HIM OR HER! Do you still want to save my life? Do you still want me to live!? Remember all that, Susan, remember how much you've always despised me!"

Susan closed her eyes through tears and opened them again, sobbing weakly:

"N-no matter what you've done and what has been between us, nobody deserves to go out in this ridiculous way! Please, be rational, Serena. Please let me save you."

"No one can save me, Susan. Only I can save myself now. Let go of me!"

Susan shook her head, mortified. Her hand was getting tired. Serena was hanging on it for dear life, but she didn't want to hear her. What could she do?! Their eyes met in a long, painful gaze.

"I can't let you go!"- Susan whimpered." I can't just let you go; I can't do this! I won't be able to live if I throw you to your death, you, thinking that I wanted this! I n-never wanted this. I never wanted any of this to happen!"

"I know you didn't."- Serena replied quietly, but her eyes were more than eloquent as she said that. She meant it. She obviously also understood that the other woman would never let go, so she had to let herself go. Serena twisted Susan's right hand:

"Serena!"

"I'm sorry."- Serena croaked. "I'm sorry for everything."- then she did something even more shocking. She bit Susan's left hand, forcing her to open it. Susan screamed and winced, but that second of sharp pain was long enough for Serena's body to start falling down at a tremendous speed. She fell down like a doll whose strings had been cut off.

Susan's scream got stuck somewhere in the middle of her throat. All she could do from then on was stare down at the falling body as her eyes slowly went out. Her ex-husband finally pulled her from the edge of the roof and enveloped her in his arms, pulling her as far away from the end of the platform as possible, as if he feared that Susan could jump after Serena any minute now.

He sat on the ground and just held her, chuntering reassuring affirmations in her ears, but Susan didn't hear him. She didn't feel his strong arms around herself, nor did she feel the heat of his body against hers. Susan's soul had passed out in her, the moment she had witnessed Serena willingly fall to her death.


Krishna*- Krishna is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of the god Vishnu and also as the supreme God in his own right.[ He is the god of compassion, tenderness, love and is one of the most popular and widely revered among Indian divinities

Bhagavaan Krishna kee stuti karo**- Glory to Lord Krishna!

Prasad* - offering from the Gods, usually a small ball-shaped candy made of vegetarian products and sweetened