CHAPTER 46
~Their lives their POV. Your life your business. No crossed boundaries, no problem.~
~Mina.
SERAPHINA'S POV
Stony silence plastered the walls of the spacious room. Not even a breathless hush was heard. Even Abigail looked uneasy as she relentlessly squirmed in her booster seat. Mom inhaled sharply, looking from Tiffany who was paling by the second to the test.
"Where exactly did you find it?"
"On the toilet counter when I was cleaning," Stella muttered, scared to meet my mom's heated gaze.
"Thanks. You may leave." She curtsied and scurried off.
"What does the test say, mom?" Sapphire cautioned. At this point, everyone knew she was a ticking time bomb, bound to go off any minute. Dad remained surprisingly quiet, eating his food and not looking the least bit bothered.
"Positive," Mom mumbled. Tiffany hyperventilated, her erratic breathing getting louder.
"I won't ask you for an explanation Tiffany."
Tiffany stared at each of our faces, mortified. Travis gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and nodded.
"I..I...I'm so sorry, mom." She sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. My heart broke for her. I can't bring myself to imagine what she must've gone through. Bizarre, but I somehow felt guilty. If only we'd been present half of the time, things wouldn't have taken a wrong turn downhill. We were so invested in ourselves to the point of neglecting our own family.
Mom sighed and wiped under her eyes, excusing herself from the table. Unless you're very dense, one shouldn't be in oblivion of Tiffany's condition. If not for her apology, the test said it all anyway.
"Since when?" Dad calmly asked. This was the first time he showed some kind of interest in the conversation.
"I don't remember." Tiffany sniffed, wiping her puffy eyes.
"Do you mean to tell us you don't remember having sex?" He maintained the same calm tone.
"Yes, Dad. I only remembered attending a house party but everything from then on is vague." Really, Tiffany?
"Abigail is the only toddler here, okay. I want you to quit the games and tell us who the father to that cheap trash you're carrying is."
"Sapphire!" Travis exclaimed in horror.
"Can you at least wait for her to land? Severina lashed out. Sapphire's words were harsh and crude.
"Tiffany, for the last time, who impregnated you?"
"Trust me, Dad, if I knew I would have told you. What's there to hide anyway? it's a done deal. " Tiffany's eyes, although bloodshot, still held a generous amount of sincerity.
"Do you mean to say you were raped?" Asher asked the million-dollar question of the day.
"I don't know Ash, everything's just a blur." She whimpered, her shoulders slumping in defeat.
"Tiffany, this is a serious allegation. " Travis reminded.
"I'm not stupid okay. I know what I'm telling you."
Dad wiped his mouth and left as well. I felt so sorry for Tiffany. At only 15, she's battling hardship adults couldn't survive.
Tiffany's story doesn't add up, but then why did her face holds much sincerity?
Could she have possibly been...
Raped?
TIFFANY'S POV
"Please stop. Why are you doing this to me?" I cried into the speaker. Deep evil laughter rippled at the other end, sending chills down my spine.
"You don't even know me!" I seethed through clenched teeth.
"That's your assumption. "
"Then tell me what you want from me?" I whisper-yelled, unable to tolerate the fucking robotic voice.
"Nothing, I'm just having fun." Another deep laughter erupted.
"There are thousands of other girls out there, why me?" I wept, collapsing on the cold tiles in my room.
"Because you met the requirements."
What requirements?
"I...I don't understand?"
"I don't care."
"Why the pregnancy though? wasn't taking my innocence enough?!"
"You could always abort it." Fuck no! kill an innocent child that never asked for any of this.
"No, I won't take an innocent life."
"You will do it."
"I s...
"Or else I leak the sex tape." It drawled in a sing-song voice. I stood up, only to stagger back and fall on the sofa.
"You..what...how...I...why, I'm...
"That's right, you didn't know of the tape because you were sedated. What an ignorant girl. "
My head felt as though it's been weighed down by fire bricks. I was officially screwed.
"Why did you rape me? I mean what's the catch anyway?"
"Don't get ahead of yourself. I didn't rape you. I don't do minors."
"Then who did?"
"Your friend."
"Please stop with the games. Don't you have an ounce of pity?"
"If I didn't, we wouldn't have come this far. I've said enough, the rest is on you to find out."
"Please, help me." I sobbed, my emotions overpowering me.
"Abort the pregnancy or get exposed to the entire world, choose wisely. Be free of your burdens or live the rest of your life in depression and misery. "
"Abortion is deadly, I'm only 15."
The annoying laughter pierced my ears again.
"No pain, no gain."
It's no problem, I could always fake medical results.
"Which hospital?" I asked, maintaining a neutral voice. If I want him to buy in, then I would've to go with tactic strategies.
"That won't be necessary. A package of misoprostol is waiting for you at your window shield."
Talk about being cursed.
"B...
"You've 24hours and remember the silence code, omérta. You're on one hundred per cent watch."
"Wai...
The line went dead and my phone blacked out before switching on again. Why does this happen after my every conversation with the robot?
I opened the window and true to its words, a small package with the word Misoprostol laid plastered on the roof. I carefully detached it and closed the window before tearing open the glittering wraps. Designing fucking death.
I opened the sachet and stared at the single pill in utter horror. Small but fatal.
"you have 24 hours."
SERAPHINA'S POV
"Do you really have to go?"
"Don't be such a cry baby Phina, we've spent some time together." Sapphire chuckled. I tightened my hold on her arm and whimpered. I know I was being childish but hey, who wouldn't miss their sibling who only visits after every two years.
"We'll be back Dora, promise," Travis reassured. Abigail suddenly wailed, startling me. I pulled away from Sapphire and looked down, seeing the toddler pouting with arms raised high. Guess someone is possessive of their mother, alright.
"Forgot to mention, Abigail doesn't like sharing." Travis laughed, handing Abigail over to Sapphire who balanced the toddler on her hip.
"Sharing is caring, Aby." Severina chuckled.
"Too bad Aby doesn't follow trends," Sapphire faked a deep voice, nuzzling Aby's neck with her nose.
"Sir, we're set." A bodyguard announced to Travis.
"We'll miss you."
"Aww don't make me cry." Sapphire pulled us into a group hug which lasted longer than expected. Travis grumbled under his breath before yanking Sapphire from our hold.
"That much eager to ravage her huh?" Severina wiggled her brows.
Sapphire flipped her the bird after which they left in a luxurious limousine.
We watched until the car disappeared through the gates.
"I thought I wouldn't recognise her." Severina sighed.
"Mutualism Sis." I lightly laughed.
We exchanged knowing looks and glanced upstairs to our next destination.
"I only hope she talks to us."
"It's trial and error." Severina shrugged as we ascended the stairs. We halted at the door and I raised my knuckles to knock but decided against it.
"Why did you stop?"
"I'm having a panic attack. " I chewed on my bottom lip.
"You can't be serious." Severina frowned.
"I am though. What's wrong with you? Can't you do it?"
"Are we seriously doing this right now?" She yelled in a hushed tone.
"I'm always the twin initiating the first move." I defended.
"And I'm always the twin with the best strategies, get over it."
"Oh really, m...
The door flew open, interrupting our banter. Tiffany leaned against the door frame with an amused expression.
"You're gonna come in or you still have more episodes to shoot,?" She mused.
Severina sat on the study desk while I joined Tiffany on the bed. Since no one knew what to say, it became an awkward staring contest. Why are we getting uncomfortable around our fifteen-year-old younger sister for Pete's sake? Tiffany raised a questioning brow at us and I laid back on the bed, sulking in embarrassment.
Severina cleared her throat and leaned forward, clasping both hands together.
"We wanted to talk to you about your pregnancy. " I can't with Severina and her blunt ass.
"Real smooth, Rina." I scoffed.
"What? someone had to say something and since snakes will possess boobs until one of you did, I'd to jump to action."
"You could've been less blunt. But yeah, that's all about it for our purpose of visiting. "
Tiffany lowered her gaze and fiddled with her fingers.
"What do you want to know?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Eve...
"What you can tell us." I cut in, glaring at Severina who pretended to fasten an imaginary zip on her lips.
"I don't even know where to start." She nervously chuckled.
"How about from the beginning? "I asserted.
"There isn't much to it except attending the house party, having a punch then everything from there is vague." She lamented.
"Whose house was the party held at?" Severina questioned.
"Courtney Hayes, a senior."
"And what's a freshman doing at a seniors house party?" I exclaimed in wonder.
"Chill, the entire school was invited. " Tiffany jumped into defence.
"Okay, so what happened after that?"
"Well, I danced with my friends for some time until I got thirsty and went to the kitchen to grab some punch."
"And you said everything from there was a blur right?" She nodded in confirmation of my question.
"This is one cock and bull story." Severina snickered. I glared at her and launched a pillow at her head, hitting her square on the forehead.
"How did you know you were pregnant?"
"Really Severina, is she three?"
"Hey, this is me being detective okay." She laughed.
"I think your drink was slipped," Severina stated matter of factly, all traces of amusement gone, and I couldn't agree more. It's s the only reasonable conclusion to Tiffany's story.
Tiffany shrugged and leaned her head against the headboard.
"So, what are you going to do with it?"
"I'm keeping it." Thank God. Primarily, my fear was Tiffany opting for abortion, considering she's young and all.
"We've got your back okay. Tell us if you need anything." Severina soothed. Tiffany stared at us with glossy eyes before widely opening her skinny arms. We group hugged and kissed her goodnight then left.
"I'm so glad Tiffany's keeping the baby, meaning another bundle of joy in our lives". Severina cheered.
I'm glad too but...
Why was this sickening feeling of skepticism bugging me?