Love could indeed inflict a lot of damage in an assortment of ways, and trusting the wrong people wreaks a havoc that scars deeply and sometimes leads to an unimaginable doom — this unimaginable doom.
Andrianna laid stomped to the ground under the blistering assault of the pelting rain, her jaws jarring at the crushing weight of the heel pressed against her chest and fiery pain tearing through her limbs and nerves from the several blows she had been cruelly dealt by the burly minions looming over her with their mistress.
Blazing tears mixed with the heavy droplets of rain pouring down her cheeks as the heel twisted into her chest and drew out a groan from her.
The pain was excruciating. She must have broken a rib or two, among other things, because her breath was shallow, and each breath she took sent her shivering with pain.
A plea lingered on the edge of her lips, but she pressed them into a line, plunging her teeth deep into them to stop the treacherous attempt of begging the monster that had taken everything away from her, her family included. Kara William, her supposed cousin, who has been living in her home with her family and enjoying the benefits of being related to the Wilmorts, was this monster.
"Does it hurt, Andrianna?" Kara asked, her heel twisting deeply into her sternum. "Or do you want a quicker death?"
Andrianna groaned between her teeth as they gritted and gnashed. Her eyes squeezed shut at the anguish inflicted on her.
Watching her helplessly pinned to the ground, Kara's lips upturned sinisterly, but running alongside it was a satisfactory smirk. "You poor thing." She hissed, slowly removing her foot and relieving Andrianna from the torture she had been suffering.
Squeezing out a cough, Andrianna trembled with more pain, but the pain was nothing compared to the anger and helplessness churning in her.
"Oh, silly you," Kara purred, crouching to Andrianna's side. She reached her hand to her face and pushed the wet strands stuck over Andrianna's face.
Slowly trailing her fingers across the heart-shaped face she despised the most, Kara sighed. "You look just like your brother when he was poisoned. His sad little face as he wreathed in pain, his little cry for help for he clenched tightly to his stomach," she cackled, a wicked gleam of excitement dancing in her eyes under the blasted rain.
Andrianna shot her eyes open to see her. Her lashes flitted to meet her gaze on the monster crouching beside her.
Kara continued. "He was such a nice little boy. Smart too," She added, "but unfortunately, he'll be stuck in the hospital bed for the rest of his life, and you will be reported dead just like your parents when your body finally floats to shore. What a tragic end." She sighed with a pitiable note, her hand still holding Andrianna's chin.
Despite the burning ache to snatch her face away, Andrianna couldn't. Her eyes darkened with murderous intent, narrowing into slits and daggering glares. "Kara, you better ensure I die here." She warned, her voice carrying the promise of vengeance, and the mere call of her name dripped with venom and animosity.
But aside from Kara's name, there was another she hated so much more. One she'd never utter with her lips again. One she despised as much as the owner himself.
Amused by her threat, Kara rupts out a shrill peal of laughter. "Oh, honey, you will. This is where your pathetic, stupid life comes to an end." She assured her. Her arm flailed towards the men standing behind her. "These gentlemen are here to do the job, so have no worries." She said, smiling.
Andrianna's scorching gaze followed after her, deathly glaring at her even as she ordered her minions to toss her into the lake below the cliff.
Kara paid her one last look, and despite the blanket of the starless night, Andrianna caught the smirk on her face.
Fueled by anger and hatred, Andrianna sharply glowered at her disappearing silhouette.
She winced in pain as the men picked her up and dragged her broken and languid body toward the edge of the cliff.
"Tie her up," one of the men ordered, and the other swiftly and deftly did as instructed.
Andrianna looked down at the dark waters feet below.
Never had she envisioned the night of her death to be one with a dramatic flair; electrified by a storm—raging winds, pelting rain, and flashing lightning. Nor had she envisioned such a wicked and pitiable end for herself.
But all this was her fault. Painful as it was to agree with the enemy, Kara was right.
Her entire life had truly been pathetic and stupid — stupid to have blindly loved and trusted the wrong people.
It seemed those who loved too blindly and too foolishly were doomed for the worst possible fates. This fate.
She might be kneeling at the edge of a cliff at Kara's order — only a push away from death — but the person who had truly placed her there was Cale. The vile, monstrous creature to whom she had been engaged and had stupidly loved with her life for six awful years.
Engaged at nineteen, all she had ever dreamt about was the day she'd walk down the aisle with the man she thought most perfect, gentle, and mature.
And it was that accursed desire that had prompted her into making sacrifices, foolish sacrifices, that streamed along serving jail time for a crime she didn't commit, but she had done it for him.
But who knew it had all been a ploy from the start? Who knew he had faked his love for her? Cale had used and ruined her.
Or maybe he didn't. She had allowed herself to be used. She had seen his cold treatment towards her and endured it all because she was too scared of losing him. She had loved him too much and too hard.
For all her privileged upbringing, she had deemed her life perfect because hell! it was.
Not many were opportune to experience the life of a Wilmort — a rich and extravagant life, accessorized with a loving family and beauty many praised her for.
Many wished for her life, many envied it, and many more hated her for her privileges, including Kara Williams and Cale.
Their faces were burnt from the vaults of her memories, and all she could see of them were monsters.
They took all they had. They murdered her family with their schemes.
Her father had died from a cardiac arrest, her brother was poisoned and now ridden to a bed for the rest of his life, and her mother…too heartbroken from the tragedy that had befallen them, took her life.
This was the pathetic tale of her life. This was the result of reckless loving and foolishness. No one was to blame. Only her.
Tears trickled down her eyes, but the tears she shared weren't from the physical pain inflicted on her because they could tear her limb from limb, but she wouldn't feel as wretched as she was on her inside.
Her heart thumped, and a weight sat in her stomach as the men yanked her to her weak feet, and with no hesitation, they pushed her over the cliff.
Andrianna felt her body fall down the hundreds of feet till she plunged into the cold water that welcomed her, violently gushing into her lungs in a rush.
Cold seeped into her pores, numbing every inch of her and what remained of her consciousness.
She felt chilled to death, and she knew she would surely die, but she didn't want to.
She didn't want this to be her end.
She couldn't let them win over her like this; let Kara win over her and get away with all she had done.
She had orchestrated the ploy to ruin her family and succeeded. But she mustn't get away with it.
Her sudden desire for retribution further shows how deplorable she truly is. Or maybe this was just her being human.
So many mistakes marred her life choices and decisions, and they were ones she'd never have made if she had known better.
How despicable it was of humans to have their moments of epiphany at such fading moments of their lives. But laughable as it was, Andrianna wanted another chance. She needed another chance at life and one solely dedicated to making only the right choices, even if the right choices would be vengeful.
But if wishes were horses, even beggars would ride. Struggle as she may, there was no possible way out of this.
Her death was inevitable, and the water pushing down her lungs was proof of it.
With each second, Andrianna felt her body losing to the shadows, the cold darkness hovering over her mind threatening to clutch out what was left of her life.
Her lids felt heavy, and her muscles weighed with fatigue; there was not much of a fight in them.
But if there was an opportunity for a second chance, she'd make them all pay with their lives and…
Her eyes closed, and she succumbed to the darkness.
…..
Gasping for breath, Andrianna snapped her eyes open, her body jolting to a sitting position with fright, her heart racing violently.
'Was she—' Her thoughts trailed off as her eyes darted across her body with incredulity.
Was she alive? She couldn't have been dreaming, could she? She mused.
But despite the absence of answers, Andrianna was certain it wasn't a dream. She had truly been on that cliff, and she had died. But how was she…
Her gaze darted around, and she was stunned to see herself in a muddy wasteland, her body soiled with mud and her phone lying by a small puddle of water beside her.
Where was this? How did she get her? She mused but trailed off her thoughts as she realized those were the least concerns she could have.
She was alive!
Surreal as it seemed, an opportunity has been bestowed upon her to save herself and be the hand of retribution.
Hastily reaching for her phone, she hurriedly opened the calendar app. She had to know what day it was.
Her eyes widened with shock-surprise when she saw what day and year it was.
It was the 20th day of July, 20xx. And this meant she had just been engaged and was nineteen again. And it also meant her family…. were they alive?
With her heart skipping with anxiety, she dialed her mother's number, but just before she could call, another call came in, and it was Cale.
Anger flashed in her eyes at the sight of his name displaying across her phone. Almost tempted to ignore the call, she answered, and his curt voice floated through the moment she did.
"Where the hell did you keep your phone? I've been calling you. And where the hell are you, Wilmort?!" He ranted into the phone.
'Wilmort' was what he had mostly called her, and this disrespectful tone was how he had always spoken to her.
Andrianna felt awkwardly calm as she heard him cuss and yell into the phone. Hearing him now made her realize how terribly she had sold herself short. She had settled for less, and it had taken death for her to realize it.
"I do not know where I'm supposed to be now, and I'm lucky I don't, especially if it's anywhere around you. Cancel whatever plans you think you had because I'm not making an appearance."
"Andrianna!" She heard him snap, but she disconnected the call, something she hadn't quite done before, and it was the first of many things she’d be doing henceforth.
