75: THE SOUND OF FEAR
ARIEL’S POV
“Who said the two of you could carry out this nonsense in my kitchen?” Mariam snapped at my mom, and I.
“Your kitchen?” I raised an eyebrow. “You barely even be here. And by the
house.”
“It’s just about a matter of time before I throw you out.”
I chuckled. “Impossible.”
“The both of you can leave now!” She snarled.
way,
this is my
My mother entered the conversation with a calm tone, “I’m sorry miss, but we’re preparing…..
“No one said you can talk!” Mariam barked at her.
“Don’t you dare raise your voice at her!” I gave Mariam a dark look.
She returned the expression. “Just look at this little rat, raising her voice at me like I was her puppet, or something.”
“If you want respect. Then you got to be respectful,” I told her. “Don’t think people are going to be smiling at you when you got that disgusting attitude.”
“Disgusting attitude?” Mariam laughed. “You went ahead to poison yourself, and put the blame on me. Now you’re saying I got a disgusting attitude?”
“You poisoned yourself?” My mom uttered softly, and looked at me. “Ariel, is this true?”
“Come on now mother. Why in the world would I do such a thing? Poisoning myself? Hell no.”
“Oh shut up now. Enough with the lies,” Mariam spat.
“Hey, you need to have some manners,” my mom told Mariam.
Mariam burst into laughter. “You’re telling me to have manners? When your daughter right here has none.”
“I won’t let you insult my daughter like that, do you hear me?!” My mom’s anger was awakened.
“What are you going to do?” Mariam moved closer to my mother. “Your daughter is nothing but a worthless piece of trash,” she said in huhsed tones.
My mom, brimming with rage, surprised Mariam with a tight slap. And as Mariam held her face in shock, she received another slap. Then my mom gave her the third one on a different cheek.
Mariam gaped at my mother who did nothing but glare at her. She couldn’t believe what just happened.
“That is what you get for being disrespectful to my daughter.” My mom picked a knife. “If you try to talk nonsense again, I won’t hesitate to stab you with this.”
15 THE SOUND OF FEAR
“Okay mom, you got to calm down. That’s enough, that’s enough,” I said, lowering the knife she was holding.
After that, we heard a the thunderous sound of a bullet released in the air.
us exchanged fearful glances,
I could feel myself getting carried away by
bullet,” my
vanished when I heard more gunshots, one after another, growing louder and closer. Panic gripped me immediately. I wasn’t going to lie, I was
my feet, my voice quivering with urgency. “Mom, we need to
I think you need to relax. Everything will be fine,” my mom said. And then we heard more
spoke,
time for a beef right now,” I told her.
“You
and I knew something was definitely not going great outside
to hide from this chaos.” I grabbed my mom’s hand, and began to tread at a fast
brought us closer to one of the rooms where different books were kept. I used to come
we could hear the cacophony of gunshots intensifying, their echoes
stomach, fueling
I. I slammed the door shut behind us,
mom questioned me in a blaring
a confused face, acting like I had no idea of what she was talking
need to open that door right now
“But mom..”
my mom’s mode was serious, and her
at Mariam, but eventually shifted backwards, opening the door wide for her to come in. And
the sound of someone slamming the door from downstairs. And at this point, I knew we were
moment.
THE CHANG
her chest. “What’s happening out there? Who would
hidden until it’s safe. We
agree mom.”I nodded. “But we can’t just keep
huh?” Mariam aksed.
her.
searching for anything that could
large wardrobe in the corner of the room. I
chance to stay out of
sure we’re going to fit into that?” Mariam aksed, observing
look. “If you don’t want to hide in it. That’s your own cup of
my mom told me. I exhaled deeply, before treading
of old clothes filled the air, mingling with the fear. I even wondered who these clothes used to belong to. It was definitely
moment I heard some maids screaming. The
Riley was still in the house, and her life could
are you going to?” My mom asked me, she was
worry about me. Just keep yourself safe,” I
ARIEL’S POV
looking for Riley. My heart raced as the deafening sound of gunshots reverberated through the mansion. Panic gripped her as I had a conscience of the danger that lurked just below. But I
plush carpet beneath my feet. The air was thick with tension, and I was filled
air. Accompanied by the desperate screams coming from downstairs, my fear intensified. Each gunshot seemed to echo through my bones, causing my heart to
below, but I knew I had to stay calm
get her to safety before it was too late. The chaos and terror surrounding me was suffocating, and I could only pray
I needed to be strong in this moment, for myself and for Riley, whenever shr was at the moment, Gathering my courage, I took a deep breath and slowly opened my eyes, ready
LUKE’S POV
documents, when suddenly my phone began to ring. At first, I tried to ignore it and focus on the task at hand, but the persistent ringing became
It was an unknown number, and my mind told me it was that guy who kept on requesting for money.I wanted
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!