EDDIE'S POV
Flashback (5 years old)
"Go away," I told Rose sniffling.
"But I heard crying, what's wrong?" She asked holding a bunny.
"Just go away," I told trying to push her, but I was so tired from crying.
She didn't, instead, she hugged me.
"Shh! don't cry," I started to sob. I hugged her back and started crying.
"Please don't cry. Shh! See even Bun-bun doesn't want you crying," She said and I looked up at her.
"Bun-bun?" I asked her and she giggled.
"His name is bun-bun. Do you want to say hi?" She asked holding Bun bun's hand, I took it and shook it.
"Now tell me why were you crying?" She asked. I started sniffing again.
"I miss mama and papa, they are not here," I told her crying.
"I miss my mama and papa too," She told but I frowned.
"But your papa is here," I told her but she shook her head sadly.
"Yeah, but he doesn't talk to me," She told me. But before I could continue, a thunder boomed making me scared.
"Are you scared?" I shook my head but when it boomed again I quickly nod my head.
"I'm not," She said. I widened my eyes.
"Why are you scared?" She asked me again.
"Because thunder monster will take me. Mama and Papa are not here," I told her.
"It takes children?" She asked, and I nodded.
"Then I won't let it take you away," She told hugging me closer.
"But your small too," I argued.
"I heard papa saying, I'm elder than you, it means I'm big. So I won't let it take you," She told me and I held my pinky.
"Promise?" She nodded and took my pinky.
"Promise," She told.
(End of Flashback)
I closed my eyes letting my tears slip my eyes, just like the water from my body as I stood under the shower.
Yes, I'm crying. I'm crying because I fucking failed her.
I just turned 5 when Robert killed my parents. On my birthday, after that Uncle Ibrahim took full custody of me. I never expected Rose to love me but she did.
It was a heavy rainy day, I stood there crying, afraid of thunder when she came to my room and comforted me. Ever since then we became siblings.
Even though she's only 8 months elder than me, she acted like she's so much elder than me. It felt like having a second mom.
And throughout all the years we spent together in Turkey, she sure felt like a mother.
But I even failed on being a brother to her. From the very first beginning. I saw how sad she was, because of uncle Ibrahim, being called a nerd in high school. But never in my life, I took a second to think about her wants and her feelings.
I came out wearing some sweatpants and a tank tee, searching for her. Even if it's midnight, I'm pretty much sure that no one will get a good night's sleep.
"Did you see Rose?" I asked one of the guards.
"Yes sir, I saw Miss Rose, sitting outside inside the gazebo," He told.
"Thank you," I told him continuing to search her.
But what I saw made my blood boil.
FUCKING ASSHOLE!
"I'm going to kill that bastard!" I muttered angrily stomping towards them but a hand on my chest stopped me.
"Just what the fuck do you think you're doing?" I asked as uncle Pavel stood in front of me.
"Not here," He told grabbing my hand and pulling me inside.
"WHAT THE FUCK? ARE YOU BLIND? THAT FUCKER!" I yelled but he looked at me with a calm yet worried expression.
"I can see what's happening out there but don't stop them," He told me.
"And why the hell not?" I asked him trying not to lash my anger out.
"Your sister may be in a vulnerable moment right now, but she is in her senses. She knows what's happening. She won't let him touch her unless she wants him to, so don't stop them," He told me and that calmed me only 0.0001%.
"What if he tries to do something funny? He likes her," I told looking at them.
"He wouldn't. He's not a monster to take advantage of her," Another voice came.
"Ivan," Uncle Pavel nodded.
"He's not like that," That dude told furthermore. I groaned rubbing my forehead.
"If he hurts her, I will..." I muttered.
"Not just you, even we will kill him," Leonid told.
"Go find Ibrahim," Uncle Pavel told and I nodded glaring at the dancing couple once more.
IBRAHIM'S POV (FLASHBACK 4 YEARS AGO, WHEN ROSE WAS 18)
"Umm, baba? Can I talk to you?" I looked up from the files to Rosemarie's face. I frowned.
"What is it?" I asked. She opened her mouth but closed it again. I sighed.
"Ariana, I don't have the whole day," I told and she gulped.
"I'm not here as the hacker. I'm here as your daughter," I frowned and took her appearance. Her eyes were red under her specks and so were her cheeks.
"Sit down," I told and she did too.
"Go on," I told, and she stuttered.
"First of all, before I start, I'm not lying. Everything I'm about to tell you is the truth," She told."Go on," I told her.
"It's about something that happened to me, actually no! Something about someone tried to do to me," She told sniffing. I nodded.
"Baba, uncle Victor, he... he tried...,"
Victor? What about him? But before she could continue she stopped to take some breaths.
"He tried to touch me! In a way, he shouldn't! And he told me that, he has been waiting for a long time, baba he tried to... to rape me!" I got up with wide eyes.
"Rose!..." She got up too and came to my side.
"Please, I'm not lying," She told me. I felt rage building inside me.
"He wouldn't. You're like a daughter to him. He loves you so much! Don't lie about such a thing!" I yelled and she was taken aback.
"I'M NOT LYING!" She yelled! For the very first time, she yelled at me.
"Don't yell at me! Do you know what? He was there when you were born. He helped to raise you! And remember what you told me all the time? That he's your favourite uncle!" I asked her.
"He tried to fucking rape me! Why would I lie about such a thing?" She asked me.
"That's the question even I have. Why on mother fucking earth are you lying about such a thing?" She looked at me with a look of disbelief.
"You don't believe me!" She whispered. And then she looked down before looking up at me with tears in her eyes.
"You don't believe your daughter? I'm your blood!" She told me moving backwards.
I didn't tell anything. Never in my life, I've seen her crying. She would always stay hard but never cry. But I didn't want to believe her. Victor has been my friend since we were 10. He was there all the time for me along with Pavel. But more than anything, he's the closest to Rosemarie. So why would he do such a thing?
"When did this happen?" I asked her calmly.
"Will you believe me?" She asked me, looking into my eyes.
"When. Did. It. Happen?" I asked her.
"For like few weeks, at first I thought it's just normal, I mean we're so close but then it started getting uncomfortable," She told.
"I'll talk to him about this, and..." But I didn't get to finish.
"And what? Of course, he'd tell you that he didn't, I'm only making it up! Then what are you going to do? Whom are you going to believe?" She asked.
"Rosemarie, I promise. I'll find the truth, and this is a big case to me too," I told and she scoffed.
"How can you ever think I'll lie to you about something like this? And why would you think I'll accuse him of something like this, even if I'm lying?" She asked.
"I don't know, Rosemarie. I don't know if you're lying or if this is the truth. That's why I'm telling you that I'll find out," I yelled at her.
"Fine, ask him. Believe whom you want! But baba, I won't just stay there standing until the worst!" She told before stomping out of the room.
"Valentino!" I yelled and he came inside.
"Tell Victor to come now!" I practically yelled at him and he nodded.
"Hey man! What is it?" Victor came inside after almost 10 minutes. I went to him and pulled him by his collar.
"I'm going to ask you this one time, DID YOU TOUCH ROSEMARIE IN A WAY YOU SHOULDN'T?" I asked him and he paled.
"Are you fucking drunk?" He asked me.
"She's like a daughter to me!" He told furthermore.
"Where the fuck were you before you came here? I want you here 10 minutes before!" I asked him still not releasing his collar.
"I was in the basement! Settling down the final touch of the shipments I did in America past few weeks," He told and I instantly let him go.
I sent him to America! He wasn't here at all!
"Leave!" I told him turning around.
"Who told you such bullshit," He asked.
"GET THE FUCK OUT!" I yelled and I heard him leave.
"Valentino search for his whereabouts last few weeks," I told him, he nodded and left.
...
Why would she lie about such a thing? He was indeed in America.
"Tell Rosemarie to come now!" I yelled and within a minute she came inside.
"Listen here Rosemarie, what do you want?" She looked at me with wide eyes.
"Go on, I'm listening," She looked away before looking back at me again.
"He told he didn't do it, didn't he?" She asked and I was seeing red.
"Well, it's not just him, Rosemarie. You told me, that he has been harassing you for a few weeks but explain to me HOW THE HELL COULD HE DO SUCH A THING WHEN HE WAS IN AMERICA FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS?" I yelled and she flinched.
"He lied, of course..."She started but I was beyond livid.
"HE DIDN'T ROSEMARIE! You ARE the one who's lying! I searched about this Rosemarie, and he was indeed in America," I yelled, she looked down and looked up at me again, tears streaming down her face.
"Why can't you even assume for a second, that he might be pulling some strings on you?" She whispered.
"Because he was there from the very first beginning! He has been working with me, being so damn loyal, and most importantly giving everything to make us successful!" I yelled.
"And I'm not?" She yelled back but before I could talk she kept going on.
"I've been working for you since I was a goddamn child! I was only 9! Coming into this life, learning all this technological work, when I should've played with dolls, or plan my goddamn princess life like other kids. But I gave my childhood to you! Just so I can get your goddamn attention! Hoping that it would be the only way you'll see me, and that would be the only way I can make you love me!" I stood there completely taken aback by that.
"Is this all this about? Are you making this up because you're fed up?" I asked her.
"I just can't believe you! How can you even think that I'm making this up so I can have your attention? It's about my bloody life I'm talking about! He tried to fucking rape me! And how could you just not even try to believe me?" She asked her voice breaking.
"Did you ever love me for this whole time?"She asked before I could tell anything. And my eyes widened at that question.
"Did you ever see me as your daughter?"
"No right? I get it! I meant no one to you all this time!" I tried to tell something but I couldn't. And I hated that.
"Of course, you didn't. You never came to meet me after work. Never listened to me when I wanted to talk to you! You never even wished me on special events, you only saw me as a FUCKING ROBOT!"I opened my mouth to tell something but she didn't let me.
"You used me!" She whispered.
"No, I..."But she wasn't listening to me.
"What is my favourite subject? What is the only food that is allergic to me? Where do I want to go to college? What are the only two things I can never get tired of?"She asked and I frowned.
"Tell me," She pursued and I couldn't tell them. For the first time, I felt ashamed in my life.
"You don't know do you?" She told.
"But you know everything about my talent in this hacking. Are you still telling me that you didn't use me?" She asked looking at me. And then she let a deep breath.
"I'm done. You can't even try to believe it when I tell you that your best friend tried to rape your only, only daughter. I gave you everything since I was a child. No wonder, that I have to do something that'll please you to even get a hug!" She told, her voice breaking.
"I'm leaving. If you can't even give me at least protection, I don't know why I should be here," She told before I could tell anything she left.
Flashback ends.
I threw the glass. I could hear it breaking. I took another one, or should I tell the last one, pouring scotch into it too.
She's right! If I ever took care of her and treated her with love, no one would've dared to hurt her.
Your fault.
Your fault.
Your fault.
Your fault.
Those voices wouldn't stop. I don't think anything will give me the pain she went through. But I deserve the pain. I got up deciding to go to the basement and punish myself.
As I opened the door there stood Rosemarie and Eddie both by the door.
"Can I sleep with you two?" She asked, just then I noticed that she was holding her pillow and blanket. I looked at her face. And then I broke.
I fall to my knees, loud sobs leaving me. I couldn't hold myself.
I felt two arms wrapping me and gently stroking my hair. Soon enough I felt another two arms wrapping around us both.
"I'm sorry," I murmured.
"I'm so sorry," I told.
"I know" that's all she said.
"Make them go away," She told.
...
"I don't deserve your forgiveness," I told stroking her hair as she laid her head on my lap.
"I know, and I'm not planning to forgive you so soon either," She told.
"You should get some sleep Rosie, we'll watch you," Eddie told.
"I don't think I'll be able to. I'll get nightmares, and I don't want to," She told.
"We won't let them come get you," I murmured.
"No one can stop them. Not even Adrian could," She told.
"Does he know?" I asked.
"Who's Adrian?" Eddie knows.
"He does. He's the only person except for my counsellor," She told.
"My ex," She whispered furthermore.
"He's a long story," She told before anyone of us could tell anything.
"Whenever you're ready," I told.
"I can't sleep. I can feel it again. The pain, disgust, and every other thing. They're back," She whispered her voice breaking. I felt myself breaking into pieces and pieces.
"We're so sorry," Eddie murmured bending down and kissing her forehead.
"Dimitri made them disappear for a while. But I'm sure that they'll come back once I close my eyes," She told. She sounded like a lost child. And I'm a reason she's lost.
"Dimitri?" I asked her and she nodded.
"While we were dancing," She told but before she could continue a yawn escaped her.
"I'm so tired," She told getting off of my hold, rising to look at us, and then started crying.
"I want to sleep. I just want to sleep. Sometimes, I would go to Adrian's house and they would let me sleep there. I'm so done being scared," She told crying.
I wish I killed myself. She felt safer in the arms of some other man than with her own family.
"Maybe this might help you," Eddie told softly reaching for something behind us.
"Bun-bun," Kiz smiled grabbing it from his hand.
"Go to sleep, we'll take them away," I told and she nodded, laying her head on my lap again.
"I love you two, so much! With everything I have," She whispered and I felt a tear escaping my eye.
"Me too," I told and Eddie kissed her forehead.
...
She was right. She woke up so many damn times. Screaming, crying, sobbing, thrashing around. And we held her as she cried. Even Pavel came inside once and stroked her hair until she calmed down. He told me everyone is awake. His eyes were red too. He must've probably cried too. But our pain was nothing compared to the one she's feeling now.
Hi lovelies!
This is a hard chapter, I know. Please review.