Twenty One
It was still dark when her bedroom door creaked open. Heavy footsteps creaked on her floor as a figure approached her bed after closing the door and locking it behind them. Verena had already been awake when she saw the figure above her.
"Carter?" she asked, startled.
He started to get into her bed, and she felt like something was very wrong. He had a weird look in his eye as if he was a predator stalking his prey to their imminent demise.
"Shhh." He whispered.
Verena felt her heartbeat accelerate.
"Carter, what?" she began as he climbed on top of her and covered her mouth with his hand.
She didn't know what he was doing, and she felt wrong about it.
After that, she could remember only pain and Carter threatening her to be quiet about his visit in her room, which happened more than once after this night.
She didn't know what was going on and didn't feel safe to tell her brothers. She was sure they wouldn't care.
One day she just couldn't take it anymore.
Azryn clenched his jaw at Praxis's words. He knew he was right, and that's what he hated. She had no reason to want to stay with them. If anything, she would want to escape them. They neglected her and abandoned her in a fucked up psychiatric hospital. They were so, so stupid.
"I don't want to," Azryn mumbled while looking in the direction of Verena's room.
"It doesn't matter what we want. Not anymore." Praxis sighed.
"We really messed up, didn't we?" Azryn looked back at Praxis.
Praxis nodded. "Yes, we did."
Meanwhile, Cyprian followed Davian into his office and plopped himself down in Davian's chair.
Davian shot him an annoyed look. "Get out of my chair."
Cyprian just smiled. "I'm just keeping it warm for you. You have yet to buy yourself seat warmers."
Davian ran a hand down his face. "Cyprian, I am not in the mood for this shit right now."
Cyprian just chuckled. "Was the food bad?"
Davian glared at Cyprian, who just smiled and stood from the chair, letting Davian sit while dramatically gesturing his hands towards the seat.
Davian sat down, resting his head on his hand. "They basically want to share custody of Verena. They have agreed for Praxis to accompany her on visits."
Cyprian nodded. "You're actually okay with that?"
"No," Davian admitted. "But this is what will have to work for now. Any way to avoid more conflict than we already have."
Cyprian smiled. "Actually, thinking about your little sister instead of yourself for once? I'm so proud of you."
Davian ignored him as he spoke, "We have to tell the others the truth. The truth we should have known a long time ago, no thanks to you."
"I truly thought you knew." Cyprian shrugged.
"How would I know that, Cyprian?" Davian shouted in anger.
Cyprian chuckled. "I thought you knew about everything that happens in your house."
"You thought I knew Verena was being fucking raped by Riven's disgusting friend and not doing anything? You really think that little of me?" Davian spat out as he put his face in front of his smirking brother.
"Yes," Cyprian answered, unbothered by his furious older brother yelling in his face.
Davian couldn't explain how he felt at the moment. He was overwhelmed with despair, anger, and even betrayal. But most of all, he felt guilt and helplessness, something he had never felt before. He felt like his head was slowly being crushed and he couldn't relieve the pressure.
"Why didn't you do anything if you knew?" Davian's voice cracked.
"As I said, I was about to do something before she decided to take care of the problem herself. I only found out the day before. I didn't see the need to tell since I assumed you already knew."
"Well, I didn't." Davian snapped. "No wonder she's so fucked up since we let this shit happen right under our noses! We failed her in the worst ways possible. I failed her."
Cyprian just nodded with that aggravating smile on his face as he watched Davian fall apart. Davian picked up the first thing he could, which was a stapler, and hurled it at the wall, leaving a dent where it landed. Cyprian didn't even flinch.
It was when a tear slipped down Davian's cheek that Caspian's demeanor cracked. He couldn't remember if he had ever seen Davian cry since they were young children. It made him uncomfortable seeing his eldest, most brooding brother break.
"Stop that," Cyprian told Davian as he began to fidget. "Stop crying. Why are you crying?"
Davian didn't answer him as he fisted his hair. Cyprian didn't know what to do. He just stood awkwardly as he heard footsteps near the door. Lucian then busted into the room, hearing the commotion from Davian's office.
Lucien looked towards a distressed Davian and then to his twin, who stood awkwardly and very clearly uncomfortable.
"What the hell is going on?" Lucian asked loudly.
"He's having a breakdown," Cyprian answered his twin.
"Why, what happened?" Lucien asked as his eyes found the broken glass all over the floor.
Davia turned towards Cyprian. "Tell him." He said sternly.
Cyprian just gave Davian a blank look while Lucien looked back and forth at his brothers in confusion.
"Tell him what Carter did," Davian repeated.
Lucian looked at Cyprian, waiting for an answer. Cyprian nodded before he spoke. "He was raping her."