Damned: Chapter 39) What a Morbid Life

I felt like I was being sucked into the face of the earth at this very moment. Were they all on drugs? Was I being pranked right now? Am I dreaming? This couldn’t be possible. Natalia stood near me almost as if she was steadying me up but I turned to Archer who held a grave expression towards me.

“This wasn’t the way I wanted to tell you.”

I gave a scoffed unbelievable short laughed as a single tear rolled down my cheek but I wiped the dreadful thing away, “So is my name still even Katherine?”

“When you saved her in the hotel, you gave her your necklace. I recognized it was a family heirloom and it was yours specifically, I just couldn’t make the connection at the time.” Moe stated to Archer, “I had thought Piranha knew and was hiding it until I realized the poor thing had no idea. My question is, who did you save her from? Why were those men after her because clearly, those weren’t Rostov’s men.”

“I need to start from the beginning.” Archer frowned.

“Then please, enlighten us all Archer,” Natalia stated.

“Those men, they’re Gianmarco Vincelli’s. They came after Katherine to prove a point to both me and Vitaly to stop looking for the folders.”

“What is it about that folder that makes everyone want it?” Nik scoffed.

“It’s not that simple. And you don’t remember anything, do you?” Archer asked me.

“I don’t know anything.”

“Our parents Chloe and Gabriel Devereux were murdered by Vincelli when they didn’t comply to help him create and build new and innovative illegal missionary weapons. They used to work for government secret services in specializing in such agendas to bring in anyone who posed major threats to our people. Of course, I only found out about this after their death.”

“And Katherine?” Nikolai asked.

“I was looking for her my whole life. Vincelli stole her when she was born as leverage so my parents would help him achieve his motives. When they refused, he killed them.”

“Where were you all that time?” Natalia questioned.

“Back home in England. Well, I was originally born in Italy where we first lived, then we moved. I was around six when the incident occurred, staying with a nanny my parents hired when they flew off to the US to meet with Vincilli. They never returned, weeks passed, months passed, eventually, the nanny left and I was put into an adoption home as I didn’t have any family around to take me in. I didn’t know what was happening at the time. It was a lot for me.”

Something about Archer’s expression seemed pained, I couldn’t imagine going through that.

“What a morbid life that must have been.” Moe frowned in distaste of the situation.

“Well, years after I did find out the truth. I looked everywhere for Katherine, traveling everywhere, meeting new people, including the Rostov’s. A few years back I found her at her brother’s funeral but something felt wrong so I took a step back.”

“You stalked me?”

“I was protecting you.” Archer corrected, “And looking into this.”

“You warned me about Rebecca, how did you know?”

“Do you remember Vitaly requested me to escort her back to Canada? It was then I realized what she was. What worried me was that you trusted her. I had to tell you somehow.”

“Yeah well, Marc’s dead because of her.” I bit in my sob.

“I’m sorry about your friend, Katherine.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry his son had to pay for this. What did that poor child do to deserve that? Oh! I know, probably got caught up in my mess.”

“Piranha, you can’t blame yourself.” Moe tried to comfort.

I turned to Anthony sitting at the edge of the bed, lost in a world of worry and I snapped him out of this with my question, “How long did you know?”

“Does it matter?” he responded dryly with an ache in his voice, “There are far worse problems right now.”

“Katherine,” Archer began, “He needs some time.”

“And I don’t?” I retorted, “You think I don’t feel a thing right now?”

“I know you do, which is why I’m trying to explain things the best I can for you.”

“Then continue because a lot of the story after that still doesn’t make sense to me.”

“When Vincelli stole you apparently he gave you to Mr. Donovan. His wife who used to suffer from depression had a miscarriage with their daughter. To prevent his wife’s heartache, he accepted the child from Vincelli with his conditions.”

“What were his conditions?” Nikolai asked curiously.

“The Donovans were very affluent people, he wanted to ensure he had all the finance available to cover his crimes. Along with the Banks of course who used to work with him before. When Donovan wanted nothing to do with Vincelli’s business again, his wife was murdered as a warning.”

“What?” my heart dropped, “Vincelli killed her?”

“She was protecting-”

Archer stopped abruptly and seemed to bite his tongue.

“Who was she protecting?” I asked.

He didn’t answer.

“Katherine it’s not-”

“Who was she protecting?” I pushed angrily again for the answer.

“You.”

I couldn’t breathe anymore. I felt so faint.

“Katherine, it’s not your fault.”

“It is! She didn’t know I wasn’t her daughter. If she knew that she wouldn’t have cared about me.”

“You’re wrong. Regardless, she would have still loved you and went after you when Vincelli kidnapped you again. No one could have stopped what happened, not even Vitaly’s father- he was there- he died that same night protecting her.”

“Enough. Please, I don’t want to know anymore.” I stopped him, “Just, please.”

I couldn’t take any more of this. This was way too much of what I bargained for. And to be quite honest, I did not ask for any of this.

“I need to check up in the car downstairs,” Nikolai interrupted and turned to Moville and Anthony, “I may need some help.”

Obviously, he was doing this to break the tension but Anthony ignored him and went to the washroom, slamming the door behind him. Nik seemed to get annoyed by that and left with Moe who held a concerned but saddened expression. Natalia took a deep breath and walked outside to the balcony to sit alone. Clearly it was a lot of anyone to take in and comprehend let alone me.

“I understand how you must feel,” Archer stated softly, “And I don’t expect you to believe me or accept me as your brother right now, but please, trust me, just once.”

“Why?”

“Because we’re running out of options and time, Katherine.”

“What do you mean?”

Archer tried to swallow the worried that plagued his face but he failed, “I fear Vincelli’s men might be here soon. We can’t risk having another person dead and I won’t lose you again.”

Turning away, I took a deep breath and quickly thought this was true. He was right, if Vincelli’s men get here, we’re all screwed. I won’t let what happened to Marc to happen to anyone else. I won’t run anymore. I’ve been a coward towards my feelings for far too long.

I turned back and frowned towards Archer who towered before me as I convinced myself, “You’re right. We can’t put the others in danger. And well… you did save me once. I guess I owe this to you.”

Archer gave a short nod and a look of relief swept briefly across his face, “I have to make a call.”

At that moment, Natalia walked in as Archer walked towards the balcony, stumbling into each other.

“Forgive me.” He apologized as he steadied her up and for the first time she held a tired expression, somewhat sad and somewhat unsettled.

Now that I mention it, Natalia seemed completely unlike her usual perfect self, and I noted bruises on her body I’ve never seen before as if someone had hurt her.

“Are you alright?” Archer asked.

“Yes,” she responded softly and pushed past him.

Archer closed the door behind him while Natalia sat at the edge of the bed with me. She seemed a bit phased out of reality.

“I didn’t know you and Archer knew each other.” I began.

“Not exactly,” she responded, “We don’t know each other, not personally that is. Just heard of him through Vitaly. Friends apparently.”

“Seems unlikely.” I shrugged as I noted her silence, “What’s wrong?”

“I’m just concerned about this situation.”

“No, I mean with you. Where did those bruises come from? Did someone hurt you?”

“Katherine, it’s fine. Anyway, what did Archer say? Does he have a plan?”

“What happened at the house?” I pushed again, ignoring her question.

She couldn’t answer, she just seemed to be absorbed into a memory and I noted tears swell in her eyes.

“Natalia, it’s okay, we’re all going to be okay and after this, you can have your normal life back and go back to how things were back home.”

“I will never go back there.” She snapped and softened her tone, “That house is filled with monsters. I prayer things don’t go back the way they were. He-”

“He? Wait, who did this to you?”

Turning away she clenched her fist, “He’ll rot in hell. I don’t regret finding the letters, I don’t-”

“Vitaly’s grandfather… he-” Before I could have continued I saw this look in her eyes and I just knew. It made me upset and angry, “He’ll pay for what he did. I promise you.”

“Thank god Nik was there, it needs to end soon.” She finished, “I want you to have a better life Katherine, better than mine, what happened to you was unfair but I understand now that we can’t change the past. We make a difference for the future.”

Natalia and I kept each other’s company for the time being when we heard a knock on the door. It must have been Moe coming back.

“I’ll get it,” I said as I went up to the door and opened it- only to take a quick step back from the person that stood before me.

Vitaly.

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