Chapter 6 From Bad To Worse

• Sienna.
• I went to bed angrier than I could have ever imagined, locking myself in.
• I looked at my small packed bag at the far end of the room and sighed.
• I still don't know where Claire is. If I can't get hold of her, then this makes leaving this house impossible.
• I run a hand through my hair frustratingly, my eyes shifting to my bedside clock.
• It was ten in the morning.
• My eyes grew wide in shock as I force myself out of the bed in an instant, how did I manage to sleep for this long?
• Must be this comfy bed then, the only good thing about this ridiculously large room.
• I quickly rushed to the bathroom, brushed my teeth and poured water on my face, to at least look human.
• After that, I head towards my door, with only the need to ask about my little sister in mind.
• Last night, Lucas had said it wasn't the right time to ask about Claire, I wonder what that means.
• Well, I really do not care. This is morning, and definitely the right time to ask certain questions.
• I pull the doorknob and walked out of my room.
• Halfway through the stairs, I heard it— voices, grunts and hisses. They seemed to be in a heated, and dreadful argument.
• I took one step at a time, trying to figure out what it was about but before I knew it, I was standing right in their faces, glaring at them.
• They all turned to face me with looks I still couldn't decipher and went dead silent.
• And for the first time since I got out of prison, I saw him, Alfred, my birth father.
• He looks ashen and I could've sworn I saw something flicker through his face — guilt? I doubt that.
• But it's gone as quickly as it came.
• Why does it feel like this morning gathering was about me?
• When my gaze fell on Leona, I saw that same panic on her face, the exact one she had three years ago when Elaine pushed Brittany.
• That same one she had while trying to talk me into taking the fall for her.
• I swallowed, my gaze sweeping all over my supposed brothers.
• They were all quiet, Jimmy looked like he would rather be anywhere but here.
• It was Mason who lost his cool after a few heartbeat.
• “Damnit, just tell her already and let's get this over with!” He groaned impatiently, slumping into the couch behind him.
• Fear gripped me, mainly because Claire's safety crossed my mind when he said that.
• “Tell me what?” I spit out in an otherwise dreadful tone. “Where the hell is my sister?” My eyes flickers from one person to another.
• It was Alfred who cleared his throat. “This has nothing to do with Claire but I can assure her safety if only you comply and behave,” He said in this low tone but it conveyed more message than any shout could.
• His face was completely wiped off emotions.
• That wasn't a warning, it was a threat and I knew it.
• I look at them, each and every one of them and my rage doubled, I want to so much scream at them, tell them to go to hell but I knew that I couldn't.
• Claire's safety was at stake and I couldn't risk that for anything, not even my dignity.
• This place wasn't crowded but yet I felt like I was being surrounded by a bunch of people who thought it was their right to detect my fate.
• When Alfred saw that I was calmer, he ordered. “Sit,” he gestures to the chair directly adjacent to me.
• I bite down my anger and moved my legs, their eyes followed me, all of them.
• I see Elaine seated beside Alfred, her eyes on me all the while. She had barely said a word to me, just carrying on as this empathetic sister who could see through my pains.
• But it was all a mask, behind it is the real Elaine, conniving, evil and manipulative.
• I sit my ass down and only then did Alfred clear his throat again. “As you know, you're not due to be out of prison yet,” he said, keeping his eyes on me. “But we couldn't bare to leave you there any longer, and that has triggered the Ravenford heir,”
• I originally wanted to scoff at the first part of his sentence, that he was such a terrible liar and didn't need to pretend to care about me, but then I realized that the last part was much more important.
• “That has triggered the Ravenford heir?” I repeat, dread coiling beneath my stomach, it was Damon who had been triggered and I knew what that means.
• Alfred nods, his expression getting heavier.
• I swallowed. “What does that entail?” I ask again, my eyes darting on him.
• The room grows eeriely quiet as he breathed out those words that almost knocks the breath out of me.
• “In order to protect our family name and not incure the wrath of the Ravenfords. We—,” he trails off, pushing his gaze away from me, dread nearly ate me up alive.
• “After thorough deliberation, we have agreed to send you to the Ravenford family as Damon had requested, this will only be for a while,”
• Those words echoed in my head repeatedly, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.
• A reminder that no matter how time had passed, I still meant nothing to these horrible people.