Chapter 99
Chapter 99
BLAIRE
I winced in pain when I finally regained consciousness. I felt a tight rope wrapped around my wrist. I found myself tied to a chair. I noticed a voice coming from a few feet away from where I was sitting.
"You promised she's not coming back! That's why I agreed with you when you insisted that I shouldn't kill her!" It was Catherine's voice. I'm sure of that.
I pretend to still be unconscious, so I'll get a chance to listen to what they are planning to do.
"Don't blame this on me. You're the one who didn't manage to control your man!"
"How can I do that when I am in jail?" Catherine exclaimed.
"Well, I don't see you having a problem getting out of jail when you heard about Sebastian finding Blaire, do you?" Grant said it sarcastically.
"You have no idea what I've been through just to get out of that hellhole! I needed to sell my soul to the devil just so I could stop them from getting their happily ever after."
"How ironic, isn't it? You, the devil herself, selling yourself to the devil?" he sneered.
"Bastard! I don't need your smart mouth. I'm going to finish what should have been done a long time ago!" She said this before grabbing the gun from Grant's waist.
I shut my eyes when I saw her walking towards me. I was holding my breath, waiting for my end, when I heard Grant's voice again.
"You are not going to touch even a single hair in her body. I'm going to kill you before you can kill her!" he warned.
"Unbelievable," she sneered, until it blew into an evil laugh. "You loved her?" she said in between her laughs. "You're delusional if you think she will love you back."
"She will. She already did," Grant answered in gritted teeth.
"Do you honestly believe that?" Catherine sneered, her voice dripping with contempt. "She only acted that way because you made her believe she was your wife! Once her memory comes back, she will never even glance at you twice."
Grant's face twisted with rage, his fists clenching at his sides. "I will never let that happen," he growled. "Why do you think I gave her that medicine every day? Without a trigger, her memories will never return. But that bastard ruined everything!" His voice escalated to a roar, echoing off the walls.
I flinched, my heart pounding in my chest. I'd never seen Grant like this before. The man I had lived with for months had always been calm, composed, and gentle. This was side of him I didn't recognize-a side that terrified me.
Grant's eyes were wild, his chest heaving with the force of his anger. "I did everything to keep her safe, to keep her with me," he continued, his voice breaking with desperation. "You have no idea what it's been like watching her slip away every day, knowing that at any moment, she could remember everything and leave me."
Catherine laughed with a cold, mocking sound. "You're pathetic, Grant. You think drugging her into submission makes you a hero? You're just as much a monster as I am."
"Shut up!" Grant shouted, his voice cracking. "I did what I had to do. You don't know anything about love or about sacrifice."
"And you do?" Catherine shot back. "You're just as selfish as I am. You can't bear the fact that she will never be happy with you. And once her memory came back? She will discard you like the useless trash that you are!"
I watched the exchange, my mind reeling. The truth was unraveling before me, and it was more horrifying than I could have ever imagined. Grant had been drugging me and manipulating my memories, all in the name of love.
As the argument between Grant and Catherine raged on, I began to work at the ropes binding my wrists. The rough fibers cut into my skin, but I ignored the pain. I had to stay focused; I had to find a way to free myself.
"Stop with your nonsense! Can't you see? She is only able to stay with you because she knows nothing. Tell her everything and see for yourself," Catherine continued, her voice like nails on a chalkboard.
"I won't let that happen," Grant repeated, his voice shaking with determination. "I'll find a way to fix this. I'll make her see that I did everything for her."
No, Grant, I thought my resolve was hardening. You've done enough. It's time for me to take back my life.
I carefully wiggled my wrists, feeling the ropes start to give way. I needed to be patient; rushing would only make noise and alert them. Catherine and Grant continued their heated exchange, oblivious to my struggle.
"I was supposed to be happy!" Catherine screamed, her voice breaking with emotion. "Sebastian was mine, and you ruined everything by keeping Blaire alive. She should've died that night!"
"Shut up, Catherine. You and Sebastian will never be happy because you were rotting in jail. And do you honestly believe that after all you've done, he's going to take you back as if nothing happened once you get out of jail?" Grant shot back, his voice cold and calculating.
As their argument grew more intense, I finally freed my hands. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what I had to do next. I glanced around, spotting the door slightly ajar. Maybe if I could just slip out quietly, they wouldn't notice until it was too late.
Slowly, I inched my chair backward, trying to make as little noise as possible. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing like a drum in my ears. I moved inch by inch, the door growing closer, the hope of freedom within reach.
Just as I reached the door, Catherine's voice cut through the tension like a knife. "Where do you think you're going?" she snarled.
My heart sank as I realized I'd been caught. Catherine lunged toward me, but I was quicker. I bolted for the door, sprinting down the hallway with everything I had. The sound of heavy footsteps followed close behind, and I knew I had only moments before they caught up.
I didn't mind the searing pain coming from my gunshot wound. I've already lost too much blood, but I've been gathering all the strength left in my body to get away from them.
Grant grabbed me from behind, his grip like iron. "You're not going anywhere," he hissed, dragging me back toward the room. I kicked and struggled, trying to break free, but his hold was too strong.
"Let go of me!" I screamed, my voice echoing through the empty corridors. I managed to twist around and land a solid kick to his shin. He yelped in pain, loosening his grip just enough for me to slip away again.
But Catherine was right there, blocking my path. She slapped me hard across the face, the impact sending me stumbling backward. "You think you can escape that easily?" she taunted, her eyes burning with fury.
Desperation fueled my movements as I looked for another way out. I spotted a narrow staircase leading to the upper floors and dashed for it, taking the steps two at a time. Catherine and Grant were right on my heels, their shouts growing louder with each step.
I reached the top of the stairs and found myself in a small, dimly lit attic. The air was thick with dust, and the only light came from a small window high above. I darted toward it, hoping to find some way to climb down.
But before I could reach it, Grant tackled me from behind, sending us both crashing to the floor. We grappled in the confined space; my only thought was to escape his grasp. Catherine stood over us, her gun trained on me, a cold smile on her lips.
"Game over, Blaire," she said, her finger tightening on the trigger.
At that moment, the door burst open, and Sebastian charged in, his eyes blazing with fury. "Get away from her!" he shouted, tackling Catherine to the ground.
The gun went off, the sound deafening in the small attic. I felt a sharp pain in my leg and cried out, clutching the wound as blood seeped through my fingers. Sebastian wrestled the gun from Catherine's hand and threw it across the room, out of reach. Grant lunged at Sebastian, but Sebastian was faster, delivering a powerful punch that sent Grant sprawling. They fought fiercely, each blow landing with a sickening thud. Catherine scrambled to her feet, grabbing a piece of broken wood and swinging it at Sebastian.
I struggled to stay conscious; the pain in my side was overwhelming. I had to do something, anything, to help Sebastian. With the last of my strength, I crawled toward the discarded gun, my vision blurring with each movement.
Just as I reached it, Catherine noticed and lunged toward me. "No, you don't!" she screamed, her hands closing around my throat. I gasped for air, my fingers brushing the gun as I fought to break free.
Sebastian saw what was happening and, with a roar of rage, tackled Catherine off. They crashed to the floor, a tangle of limbs and fury. Grant took advantage of the chaos to grab a heavy metal pipe, swinging it at Sebastian's head. "Sebastian, look out!" I screamed, my voice barely more than a whisper.
Sebastian dodged just in time, the pipe smashing into the floor where his head had been. He rolled to his feet, grabbing the pipe and yanking it from Grant's hands. With a swift, brutal swing, he struck Grant across the chest, sending him crashing into the wall. Catherine grabbed the gun from my hands and aimed it at Sebastian, her eyes wild with desperation. "Stay back, or I'll shoot!" she warned.
Sebastian froze, his eyes locked on the gun. "Catherine, don't do this. It's over," he said, his voice calm and steady despite the tension.
"It's never over!" she screamed, her finger tightening on the trigger.
In that split second, I knew I had to act. Ignoring the pain in my side, I lunged at Catherine, knocking the gun from her hand. It skidded across the floor, coming to a stop at Sebastian's feet.
He grabbed it and aimed it at Catherine, his hand steady. "It's over," he repeated, his voice filled with a cold finality.
Catherine laughed with a bitter, hollow sound. "You think this changes anything? You'll never be free of me," she spat.
Sebastian didn't flinch. "Yes, we will," he said, and he pulled the trigger.
The sound of the gunshot echoed through the attic, and Catherine crumpled to the floor, her lifeless eyes staring up at the ceiling. Grant, bleeding and broken, let out a strangled cry of rage and pain.
"It's over," Sebastian said again, his voice softening as he turned to me. "Blaire, hang on. Help is coming."
I nodded weakly, my vision darkening as the adrenaline faded and the pain took over. Sebastian rushed to my side, his hands gentle as he pressed against my wound to stop the bleeding.
"Stay with me, Blaire. Don't you dare give up now," he whispered, his voice choked with emotion.
I tried to smile, but it came out as a grimace. "I... I'm trying," I managed to say, my voice barely audible.
The sound of sirens grew louder, and I knew that help was finally here. As my consciousness faded, I clung to the hope that this nightmare was truly over and that Sebastian and I could finally find peace.
The last thing I heard was his voice, filled with love and determination. "I won't let anything happen to you, Blaire. I promise."
And with that, I slipped into darkness.
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