"Do you have a car with you?" I asked Mary. I was going to get my baby out of that house, today.
"Yes, I parked a street down." She says not getting what I was saying. Getting up in a rush, I dropped my drink on the table.
"I need you to drive me to Xavier's apartment,"
"I'm taking Amelia away from there," I tell her. Her eyes widened in glee, she got up quickly picking up her sunglasses and purse.
We walked out of Starbucks in a rush, I followed Mary down the busy street to where her car was packed. I can't believe he dared to take her after what he did. I can't believe I let him get away with this, I was so weak and naive. Not only that, but I should have seen it, they were right in front of me. That was his plan for the beginning—get me pregnant then be with Cara.
"Stop beating yourself up, you couldn't have known." Mary glances over to me just as she starts the Tesla.
"I can't believe Xavier was stupid enough to do that, I just feel sorry for Cara. She deserves better." My face turned sour when I heard what she said.
"Why should I feel sorry for her?" I wanted to scream, she had everything I've ever wanted. My baby, the boy I loved.
"Drive faster," I pleaded thinking about Amelia.
"It just, having a baby in the house must cause her so much trauma, after what they did to her." She says as she speeds through the city.
"What did they do to her?"
"Working girls get their ovaries taken out, so they can't bear children," I gape at her unable to get a word out, not believing what I heard. They do that to 'working girls'.
"Why?" I asked tears forming in my eyes as I thought of the pain the girls must be going through now.
"It was a punishment for their families lines, their ancestors have stained their blood with Sin's that can't be atoned for. The girls are punished into serving other founding families, they remove their ovaries if they are marked."
"What do you mark?" I held my sit gagging at the thought.
"The head priest reads their alignment when they turn of age, for girls that are when they start puberty. If he sees a stain in their blood, they will carry out a hysterectomy—take out her womb. So they won't bring a stained child into the world." I can't believe people were living like that in the 21st century, what they put these girls through.
"Stained? What's a stained child?" I asked hoping it wouldn't get any sickened than this. Mary looked at me with hesitation in her eyes, already letting me know it's going to get more fucked up. How worse can it get?
"Children that are born with birth defects," Mary had tears falling as she said this. All I could do was blink and stare ahead. How can that decide who to bring into this world? Who gave them the power to take other humans right. All this information was just making my anger point directly at Xavier, this was his father fault. For all, I know he can believe in this bullshit.
Just in time, she pulled up in front of Xavier's apartment. My adrenaline was pumping through me right now, I look down at my watch. It was 11, Xavier should be at work now. Not that I was going to let him stop me, Amelia is leaving with me. I glanced at Mary, I could use her help up there.
"Go I'm going to find a parking spot and come up. Penthouse right," she looks up.
"Yes, the second lift," I say as I got out of the car. I ran into the building ignoring the look on the poor man's face, as I made my way to the hearing someone walking up to me. I quickly pressed the lift button knowing they were trying to stop me. Just as the concierge got up with me the lift door closes.
I was out the second the doors opened to the penthouse. Normally Scott would be waiting for me by the lift, but it was empty. Walking down to the living room, it was empty as well. I tried to listen for any sound, but I couldn't hear anything. Not bothering to wait for them to realize I was in the apartment I started making my way down the corridor that leads to Amelia's room.
The door to Amelia's room was slightly opened. As suspected she was in her crib, her eyes were wide opened. She wasn't being fussy or crying, she was simply gazing up at the mobile toy attached to her crib. She's starting moving when she saw me looking down at her, I smiled regardless of how scared I was.
Using my shaking hands I reached for her, she was wrapped in her saddle blanket. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding when I held her against my body. Searching around the room for something I might beep to take, I already had most of her things back at my new apartment.
"I'm taking you home," I whisper in her ear. I quickly took her diaper bag, stuffing her creams and her blanket. I can get the rest of the things I need at the stores.
Just as we got out of the room I heard heavy footsteps coming from the stairs. Holding her closer to my body I made way for the lift, hoping it was Cara heading upstairs not coming down. The footsteps got louder the closer I get to the living room. I stayed in the corner waiting to see who it was.
"Thanks for letting me know, no need to send security." My heart drops when I heard his voice. He was meant to be at work, he shouldn't be here. I peeked from the corner of the wall that was hiding me, he was dressed in his suit bottoms and a white shirt but no blazer. He was texting something on his phone.
I bet that was the concierge telling him I was here, I'll wait for him to check on Amelia before I head for the lift. Just as he was turning around, Amelia started speaking gibberish making him look our way.
"What are you doing here, we didn't plan on you seeing her today," Xavier says putting the phone in his back pocket.
"I... I ERM...." I stutter like an idiot the closer he gets to us.
"Get away from us," I push my hands when I remember everything Mary just told me.
"How could you," I wanted to yell at him because I didn't want to frighten Amelia.
"How could I what?" He bends his head to the side.
"Give me fake pills?" I watch his face for a reaction, but it didn't change, he didn't look surprised that I found out.
"Who told you? Was it Alan?" I tried not to let my emotions get the best of me but, the fact that Alan knew and didn't tell me was not a shock. That does mean I forgive him, he will pay for it as well.
"If it wasn't Alan," Xavier wonders loudly
"You got me pregnant on purpose, you lied to me!" I lost my temper screaming at him.
"I fucking trusted you Xavier and all the while you wanted to get me pregnant, so you can be with Cara!" he eyes widened when I said that in shock.
Good. I want him to know I knew everything.
"Are you stupid? Do you think I would let you keep my baby with her, let you guys pretend a family"?
"Are you that sick? Did they mess you up that bad in the head?" I continued.
"If you loved Cara and wanted to be with her, you could have. I didn't force you to stay with me, I would have let you go."
"Who's filling your head with all this bullshit," he asked sounding confused
"Mary, she told me everything."
"And you believe that fucking bitch, you do know she hates you." He laughs.
"Don't be so naive Vanessa, I never lied about my feelings for you. Yes, I did some fucked up with the pills, but I did it because it was the only way I knew to make you stay,"
"You didn't find me, so you can be with Cara?" I believed every word Mary told me but was she lying? What could she gain out of lying? Where was she anyway, maybe she couldn't find parking.
"Cara was there for me when you left with everything I cared about!" He yells making both me and Amelia jump. Amelia looks at me with tears in her eyes because opening her mouth screaming.
"Tell me this, can Cara have kids. Yes or No."
"Why does that matter?" Xavier says frustrated.
"Just tell me," it would let me know if Mary was lying or not.
"No, she can't." I cover my mouth stopping the sound that came out.
"You going to let us leave and don't come looking for us. You are going to stay away until I have forgiven you and look at your face again." I warn him walking forward.
"Why would I do that," he scoffs almost challenging me.
"If you try to take her away from me again, I will make sure you spend the rest of your life in prison. Like your father." I will turn him in to the police for every fucked shit he's done, the murder of my mother and brother. I know he has a deal with the FBI for the cult but not for murder.
I walk past him heading for the lift, I expected him to follow me, but he didn't move from his spot.
"I will get my lawyers to contact about custody of Amelia, you are going to give me whatever I want. Whatever I ask for and full custody."
"Why?" He spins around.
"Why!" I cradle a crying Amelia.
"Why do you think Xavier? Other than the fact that you decided to decide for me, other than the fact that you killed my family. Everything I've been through was because of you and your crazy family somehow. So you own me this one thing I'm asking for" I turn around getting inside the lift not waiting for his response.
"Vanessa!" he yells as if he just realises what was happening. He started stomping towards the lift. I move back thinking he would make it, but the doors shut on him.
"It's just you and me for now," I whisper into Amelia's head.