3: Desperation and Deceit

Tania||

Confusion flooded my insides as the police officer's words echoed in the room.

There were three police officers: one man and two women. I called them a few minutes ago to come pick up Nicholas, yet the man, whom I believed was their chief had just spoken nonsense. Because how else could I explain this type of blunder?

“Please, take her away,” the man suddenly added, snapping me out of my thoughts.

The female officers started coming towards me and my eyes expanded in panic. “This is a mistake. I called you here.” I said through my panic and confusion, but it all fell on deaf ears.

“Please keep silent for whatever you say may be used against you in the court of Law.” The man added.

While I struggled to understand what was happening, Nicholas started chuckling and my eyes narrowed at him.

“Poor Tania, you thought you could get rid of me?” He breathed, moving closer. “I am the angel in White-Angel Inc. The lord protects me… You see you have been doing so many fraudulent things in this company, but no one could point fingers at you because you were CEO…” His right hand waved and went to Eloise; “but now that Eloise is the boss, arresting you is the right thing to do.”

The way he mentioned her name, I understood the gold-digger of a man I had married: “Officer, they are lying to you! I didn’t commit any crime. He is the one trying to steal this company from my sister.”

“Tania please, grow up a little in prison!” Eloise scoffed as the officers pulled me out of the office.

My mind went numb but somewhere inside me, I tried to piece together his plan. He must have been waiting for something terrible to happen to me and he got it when I was diagnosed with cancer.

He had managed to manipulate my ignorant sister into his corner and now, he was going to use her against me, to the point that Eloise would lose everything in the end. But I wouldn’t allow that. Not when I still breathed.

People were gathered, some taking pictures, some looking on sadly and amongst them, I saw Marcus running to his car, but I wasn’t concerned at all with my image. I had just three months to live, it didn’t matter if my reputation got ruined, I had to save my sister.

“I’ll need to call my lawyer,” I said as the officers placed me in their vehicle.

“That will be decided once you get to the station,” the one on my right replied and I nodded.

As we got to the station, I called one of our lawyers and he promised to get there in a few minutes. But those minutes turned into hours. He didn’t show up.

I called another but even he didn’t show up. At this point, I knew that Nicholas’s network was a long and thick one. All of them were working for him, even the police but I was determined to deal with him, no matter how.

In my cell, I could hear Marcus arguing with the officers for bail, yet no one paid him any attention.

I lost track of time somewhere as my mind kept zoning in and out of my pain. I still couldn’t believe that this was my new reality, but I pushed it at the back of my mind. I wasn’t going to cry. The game had just begun.

The sound of keys against my cell gate pulled me out of my thoughts and I saw Marcus and an officer, coming to me. I got on my feet, hoping that the bail was finally accepted.

“I am sorry, Tania. But they won’t let you out of here except—”

“Except what?” My eyes narrowed down to his hands, and I saw the papers he was holding. “What’s that?”

Marcus stepped forward. “The divorce papers. Your sister insists that until you sign the papers, she won’t withdraw her complaint.”

The tears welled up in my eyes, but I wiped them off and shook my head. “He is using her. I won’t do it.”

“Tania, there is no other way. I have spoken to everyone. Every lawyer that has ever worked for us, even the new ones. But no one wants to interfere. If you refuse to sign this, you will rot in here.”

“I can’t remain here Marcus. They are lying. I didn’t do anything. I didn’t take anything.”

“I know. But Eloise and Nicholas want to get married. That’s why she wants you to sign it so that—”

“They can get their freedom…” I finished for him, bitterness filling my heart. “Then I will rot here forever. I won’t let that animal marry my sister. Never!”

“Tania, please think about it this way…” he whispered, coming closer to me. “If you remain here, Nicholas will find a way to get what he wants no matter what, and your sister, she will keep feeding from his cup of lies while hating you…”

My heart grew heavy with sorrow, and I couldn’t even stand it anymore. I lowered myself on the concrete bed provided in the cell and held my head, finally letting my tears flow. “But what can I do Marcus? How can I let this happen… she is my only family. I can’t let Nicholas do this… how could I even have been so blind?”

Marcus held my hands and squeezed them: “I cannot begin to imagine what you are going through Tania… but I will advise that you sign it. Get out of here and get your revenge on Nicholas.”

Seconds passed after his words, but they gave me the strength I needed. Marcus was right. I couldn’t beat them in prison. I took the pen from him and signed the papers.

Marcus passed it on to the officer who had been in the room with us, and he took it out. When he returned a few minutes later, he stood by the door: “You may leave, and I hope you don’t anger Miss Eloise anymore…” he chuckled.

My heart tightened with pain, but I kept my lips sealed as I followed Marcus out of the corrupt station.

“Should I take you home?” Marcus whispered as we sat in his car.

I raised my face and I saw my reflection in the mirror. My eyes were red, but they twinkled with determination. I wasn’t going to give up.

“No, take me to Eloise.”

Marcus hesitated for a second, but he shook his head and moved the car out of the parking lot. Throughout I thought of what I was going to say to her. She was my sister, my blood, surely, she had to listen to me.

“Please, do not wait for me. I’ll walk home from here,” I said as we got there. My house was just a few blocks from hers.

“Stay safe, girl, and call me if you need anything.”

I waited till he was gone before I slowly made my way to her front door. As soon as I got there, her door opened, almost like she had been expecting me.

Her eyes were cold and unforgiving.

“I have placed a restraining order against you as soon as the good officers emailed me the signed copies of your divorce papers. Now, you are here. What do you want, before I call them to come return you to the cell you came from?”

Thunder went off above and it started to rain heavily. A small smile crawled on my lips as I stared at her. “Eloise, I am your sister… don’t allow Nicholas to come between us… I admit I made a mistake bringing him into our lives, but I don’t want you to fall for the same things… please Eloise, do not marry him…”

The coldness in her eyes shifted and I was this close to reaching her when the door widened, and Nicholas appeared behind her.

“Oh, so I am the bad guy now?” he sneered, glaring at me with fire in his eyes.

Eloise wiped a single tear from her eyes and folded her arms across her chest: “Eloise please—”

“Eloise will no longer listen to you!” Nicholas yelled, pulling Eloise away from the door —away from me.

“Nicholas—” Eloise sobbed behind him, and he turned away from me, facing her.

“No, Eloise. Tania's just trying to manipulate you.” He sneered. “She's always been jealous of you. Have you forgotten how she killed your parents? Have you forgotten how she took everything away from you?”

My heart started beating so fast as I listened to his accusations. I tried to pull Eloise away from him, but he was much stronger than I was.

“Eloise, he is lying to you!” I yelled through my tears.

“At least, I am not the monster in her life. You are!” Nicholas spat but I used the opportunity I had and slipped inside the house. She was standing right there, crying. I went to her and took her hands in mine.

“Eloise, listen to me, everything he is saying is a big lie. He is only trying to mess with your mind. Do not let him—”

Her tears stopped and she grabbed my hand with a strength that sent my words back to my throat. She took me to the door and threw me out: “Nicholas showed me evidence. Nicholas isn’t lying. The only one lying here is you!”

“Eloise, I have cancer. I am dying, what will I gain from lying to you?”

“I wish the cancer would kill you sooner!” she whispered before slamming the door in my face.

Time stopped. My pain and heartache overwhelmed me. I couldn’t breathe.

My legs started moving again under the downpour, yet I couldn’t feel the biting cold even as my clothes became soaked. How could I when my sister wished I could die sooner?

Unable to handle the pain, my legs gave in. I collapsed onto the road and my body refused to move. Not even when I saw the flashing lights of an approaching vehicle… not even when the pain hit me.

My body was thrown into the air, dropping back onto the road. Hard.

And my last wish as my vision darkened was nothing but… death.