Chapter 97: Chapter 97

CHAPTER 97

CHRISTIAN

‘The take-off would begin in roughly ten minutes. Passengers aboard are advised to fasten their seatbelts, and get prepared. Phones should be switched off too, for the time being.’

The announcement from the train speakers blared loudly, and quickly doing as they were told, Christian proceeded to fasten his belts and that of his siblings before relaxing a bit.

This was the first time Christian was boarding a train that required him to use a seatbelt, and it felt strange to say the least.

However nothing was more strange to him, than not having Sara by his side today.

Finally, he was leaving for Seattle and the shadowy feeling of sorrow and regret clouded over him as usual.

Gripping the seats tightly, and staring ahead as the train let out a whistle, and heavy grilling sound before starting, Christian closed his eyes murmuring a brief prayer as the machine began to move.

He opened his eyes briefly, shooting his mother who was by his side a brief glance and a warm smile, his heart clenched when he felt her take his hands and squeeze gently.

It felt like she could clearly read through the turmoil going on his head, and she was giving him her support in the only way she knew how too.

“Here’s your wallet brother.”

Christian heard Bianca say, and looking over to where she was seated opposite him, he stretched out his hands and accepted the purse gently.

His hands shook slightly, something his mother didn’t fail to notice again, and she rubbed his shoulders softly, while he proceeded to open the wallet.

The first thing his eyes caught sight off, was the ticket he’d gotten for Sara, and flushing red with anger he brought the paper out. Without thinking twice, he gritted his teeth and began to tear the sheets over and over again.

All of a sudden, he was struck with a rather absurd idea and as he threw the torn sheets out the window, he brought out his phone and began to scroll through his contacts and photos.

After deleting Sara, Ariel and Daniel’s number, he then went to his gallery collection and he began to delete the photos and memories they’d had together.

It was sad how, he had not even said goodbyes to them, and anytime he remembered how Daniel had broken their friendship bond so easily, and walked out on everything they’d built together it made him more angry, furious and even sad.

At intervals, he would stop at a particular photo, with memories assailing him, and a wave of nostalgia would fill him at the same time. His hands would hover over the delete button for a while, before pressing it and then closing his eyes he would hold back the tears threatening to spill down his face.

It hurt so much! So damn much!

His mother was still squeezing his shoulders gently, obviously knowing what he was going through, and providing her own moral support the way she could.

When he was done, he steadied himself trying to think of what to do next, and clacking his tongue angrily, he opened his phone, bringing out the sim module in it, and without wasting any more time, he crushed the little plastic in his hand.

He was leaving his past behind, and anything that would remind him of that he had to discard it too.

“Brother…” Kevin called out, and immediately Christian looked up at him, his facial expression changing to one of warmth as he stared at his younger brother.

“Yes Kevin, anything?”

“Ummm, I’ve been meaning to ask you why Sara is not with us today and…”

“Kevin, will you keep quiet.” Mrs Smith interrupted sharply, cutting the guilt looking boy off, but it was too late.

At the mention of Sara’s name, regrets and so many emotions coursed through Christian again, and not even caring that they were in a public transport, he let out a sob, as he began to cry profusely.

“Oh son…” He heard his mother say softly, her as coming to wrap around his shoulders, and at the same time she warned his siblings.

“You are not to mention that name ever again Kevin, and you to Bianca. She’s not here, as you can see and it’s none of your concern okay. Just…”

“What happened between them mother? Why isn’t she here with us? I remember brother saying she would be coming with us and I was so happy, but these past few days, I noticed some strange behaviors between them both. First Christian warned us never to let her into the house some days back, and now this? What’s going on mother? We deserve to know.”

This time it was Bianca talking, and despite hating how they seemed to be dragging this topic, Christian knew that they had the right to know.

His siblings loved Sara so much. Not just them but his mother too, and he had also loved her with every fiber of his being but she had betrayed him. She had shattered the love and trust he had for her, and now they were no more.

His eyes heavy lidded, Christian slowly looked up at them and then he announced matter of factly, deadpanning at the same time, “We are no longer together Bianca, Kevin. We broke up, and we’ve gone our separate ways…” He paused and sniffed before continuing, “I know it’s shocking, and I can see the bewildered expression on your faces but it’s the truth. Now we have to look ahead and see what the future holds for us. Is that clear?”

Kevin nodded in response, but Bianca wasn’t done just yet as she asked again, her brows marred in confusion, “What happened between you two brother. You loved her so much. You got her tickets for crying out loud and… I’m sorry I’m pushing this further but I still can’t believe it. I mean, I always looked up to the love you both had and…”

“It’s okay Bianca. It’s over now, and we are no know together believe it or not. I’m not saying anymore than this.”

He could see the disappointment in Bianca’s face, and the underlying curiosity that still bothered beneath her brows but she didn’t ask any further.

A smile on her lips, she said instead, “Okay brother I won’t ask anymore. Whatever happened has happened, and I would let bygones be bygones. I do know that all would be fine though brother. I can assure you that.”

A whimper escaped his lips, and nodding his head frantically, he grabbed her hands which were opposite his and squeezed gently, basking in her affirmative positive words.

His mother continued to rub at his shoulders, and as the train moved stealthily to Seattle, Christian closed his eyes slowly, as different feelings overwhelmed him.

…….

DINAH’S POV

“I can’t believe you’re just going to leave like this.” Tessa said shockingly, but Dinah wasn’t paying any heed as she continued to pack her things.

There was so much excitement bubbling up from underneath her, and she couldn’t contain it at all.

She was the long lost daughter of a billionaire, and this she had known through Mrs Patrick, the matron.

Apparently, her father whom she still hadn’t met, had traced her whereabouts to the shelter, and now after living all her years as an orphan, she finally had a family.

At first she didn’t believe it, but she had seen proofs, and her birth certificate and baby pictures. Apparently her mother had been a harlot, and she had ran away from her father after he had threatened to take her child away from her.

Unfortunately, during labor her mother had passed away, and she had been left to the mercies of the midwife nurse who had no idea what to do with her, so they’d brought her to the orphanage.

The tale was a pitiful one, and even when Mrs Patrick had all but narrated it, Dinah could swear that tears had pooled in her eyes.

Nevertheless she was elated, since her tale had just turned for good.

She was the daughter of a freaking multimillionaire, oh jeez. A billionaire actually, and she couldn’t keep calm.

DNA tests had already been done proving her birth, and now she just had to pack and wait for her father’s men to come and pick her up. She had dropped the house address with Mrs Patrick, who then hugged and wished her well in her endeavors.

“What about Mikey? What about me? What about…” Tessa chimed in cutting Dinah out of her happy trance, and she felt like mentally screaming inside.

“Oh Tessa, will you freaking keep quiet and let me pack my clothes in peace.”

“I can’t keep calm Dinah. You come home with some talk about being the long lost daughter of a billionaire, and without even allowing me to assimilate and comprehend what you’ve just said, you’re already packing up. You are leaving me Dinah, you’re leaving us and…”

“And what?” She asked, heaving slightly as she turned to face Tessa.

“This is not fair at all. I’m happy for you, but are you sure that…”

“If you’re happy for me, then you would be assisting me not shouting at me. Oh goodness! What do you even expect me to do or say? You want me to believe that my newfound fortune is not true, and now I know the kind of person you are. You of all people know how bad I’ve been having it these past few days, and now that there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel you just want to…”

“Hello babe.”

Disbelief clouding her features, and freezing at the same time Dinah turned to look at the door of her room.

Mikey was standing there, a cigar stick in his lips, and he had a knowing smirk on his face, as he looked at her lustfully. She had not expected him to be back so soon, and she had planned on leaving before he came home, but now he was here and her idea had been effectively ruined.

Oh well…

The look on his face however soon turned to one of pure shock and a sneer, when he noticed her packing her things, and he took another step into the room.

“What’s going on here?” He began to ask, stalking towards her but Dinah just took a step back.

She didn’t want to be close to him, or inhale the rowdy cigarette smell that oozed of him.

Her nose upturned, and staring at Tessa then back at him, she announced bluntly, “I’m leaving your house Mikey, as you can see. I’m leaving you too.”

“What do you mean?” Mikey asked slowly, horror dawning on his face, and scoffing Dinah said again, “I think this is the best time to tell you that I’m breaking up with you.”

“You wouldn’t dare!” He growled, the cigarette stick falling down the floor and burning the mattress but he didn’t seem to care.

“You can’t leave me Dinah. You have nowhere to go, that’s one and not after everything I’ve done for you, then you think you can break up with me? Who’s feeding you such nonsense? Tessa here?” He asked mockingly, laughing at the same time but Dinah matched his mocking look with one on her face.

“You think, I would leave if I had nowhere to go? I mean do you think I loved you Mikey? I was basically milking you love… You gave me food, shelter, money and protection and you should know that you were just a means to an end and now I’ve seen an offer much better. I’m going to a place much better than this slum hole filled with you and your egoistic drug bamboo-zed men. I just…”

“Don’t think you can just go and…”

“Oh but I’m already leaving Mikey boy…” She drawled, at the same time walking to the window and looking outside.

Her ride was here already. Four black tinted cars, stationed outside the large building and Dinah watched in awe as men in suits came out of the car, probably waiting for her.

Before she could even turn back to face Mikey, the door to the room opened again, and one of his boys rushed in informing him of the entourage that had just arrived.

He shot her one last glance, his jaw ticking as he cursed out loud and followed his boy outside, leaving her with Tessa once again.

“Those men out there, are they for you or?”

“You have your answer Tessa.” She spat out bluntly, and reaching to the side of her bag, she dipped her hands in and brought out a brown envelope filled with cash and then she threw it at Tessa.

“It was nice meeting you, and I’m going to miss you though. We’ve been through so much together, but I guess this is goodbye. One day, everyone would definitely go their separate ways, and it’s unfortunate that I would have to leave now. I can’t take you with me because my father won’t allow it, and honestly I don’t even want to. I’m leaving my past behind, and with the money in the envelope I hope you’ll be able to leave this town too. Don’t expect any call from me Tess, and don’t even bother to try reaching out to me because I won’t be available anymore.”

“But Dinah, you can’t just…”

“I’m sorry Tess, and Goodbye. Till we meet again or not.” That said, Dinah dragged her bag and hurling the load at the back of her shoulder, she looked round her small room once more, saying her internal goodbyes, before leaving a stricken Tessa.

As she headed downstairs, with Mikey’s men shooting her curious looks, she could hear the brief commotion that seemed to be ensuing between Mikey and her father’s men and she could all but laugh.

Probably he’d thought she was joking, and now he was finally getting the truth.

Before she stepped outside, Dinah turned around one last time, a wave of haughty nostalgia filling her up as memories after memories hit her up.

She still couldn’t believe how luck seemed to have shone on her, and now she was leaving this town and the precious memories it held for her.

To think she didn’t really get what she wanted, as Christian was no more by her side and she might never see him again, but then this reality she was in, seemed far better than any she would have wished for.

Blowing invisible kisses, and turning back around towards the door that led outside, Dinah muttered some words of encouragement and then opened the door.

She was stepping into a new life, a new world. As the daughter of a billionaire!