Chapter 6: Foolishness
The room fell into a deep silence. The only thing shattering that suffocating moment was the faint sound of his sobs. Dancing in a cursed waltz with the terror in the kids' souls.
He was weaker than she expected, and she lost control, letting emotions win over logic. She didn't turn around. Why would she? She could both hear and feel the terrified silence behind her.
//They are scared of me, and it's entirely his fault.// Her pain turned into anger, the rejection hurting like a knife to the chest, but it didn't last long as the weight of realization hit and the anger fizzled out, replaced by guilt. Maybe she was the one to blame, maybe he was the one to blame, maybe it was neither of their faults and fate had that cruel type of humor. She never realized how much she kept inside until that day, the day she snapped.
Terrible mistake. Now he was useless both to her and Blackstone Industries. She messed up royally, and when Jack finds out about all this, she will definitely be done for. It wasn't a matter of if but a matter of when, because in the end Jack always finds out, and the punishment is never light. Worst of all, it didn't even change anything. She just threw her life away, and not only hers but his too. It was all in vain. Her time was running out, and she just realized it. Her minutes are counted. As the weight of the consequences of her actions started to sink in, she felt her knees about to give out. The feet that carried her so confidently moments ago now felt like jelly.
With small, slow, and cautious steps, which now held none of the courage from before, she backed away. What had she done… She was a child, but that didn't excuse what she had done. She had doomed both of them. She signed her death and is bound to have the same fate as the troublesome kids, and because now he was of no use to Blackstone, he'll share her fate. She came to this battle hoping to make an ally from an enemy but ended up killing both of them, and for what? For nothing.
Liam put a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her, but she barely even acknowledged it. Ashley was lost in her own thoughts. Her mind was running like a broken record, replaying her own words over and over again, each time twisting them for the worst and at the same time picturing her demise.
Liam tried to stop her all along, but she was unable to hear him, blinded by her own rage. He was terrified for her. The moment those doors opened again, her fate was sealed. Liam failed to stop her. //I'm older. I should have known better. I should have stopped her. How do we fix this? I have to do something. // The guilt was gnawing at him.
Silence, a crushing weight that no one dared to shatter. Long shadows loomed over the room, a mirror of the dark reality they live in. Both frightening and never ending. However, no matter how dark the shadows are, they are very fragile. This time was no exception, the shadows were shattered the moment the door opened. The light of the hallway spilling in and slaying the shadow and, at the same time, the two's hope to live.
The door swung open in one swift, violent move filled with annoyance. There was a hint of a whispered curse as it opened. Faint and overpowered by the violent move, it was inaudible. The action being so powerful and unexpected, carrying the weight of the expectations, made everyone flinch. Ashley recoiled, being abruptly brought back to the real world. Her skin was as white as a sheet of paper, her breath caught in her throat as she froze on the spot.
Her time has come. That day might be her last. That was it, it was officially over. No miracle could save her from Jack's wrath.