Ruby
"Ruby, do you h��" Newana started as she entered the living room, but froze when she saw what was in front of her. "What the hell? Leave Ruby alone!"
I stood still, being careful not to move. The knife was firmly pressed against my throat by a sweaty hand and I could smell alcohol on the person's breath.
One move and my carotid artery would be pierced and I would bleed out. I thought of kneeling him down, but if I did that, the knife would still slit my throat.
"Vexon!" Newana shouted.
I could hear Vexon rushing back down the stairs."Ne��Holy fucking shit! Kace, leave her."
Kace? Was he holding the knife to me?
Kace chuckled. "Why would I? This whore ruined everything. She ruined my whole plan," Kace said, slurring his words.
I gulped in fear.
What plan?
Whatever it was, I just wanted to fix it so I could live to see another day. Please, God.
"Kace, we can talk about this rationally. Just leave her alone," Vexon said in what was an attempt at a soothing voice to defuse Kace's rage towards me.
Vexon and Newana stood in front of me, just a few inches away. When our eyes met, I could see the fear in them but Vexon gave me a look of reassurance.
"What kind of madness is this? You can't kill her," Newana said.
"Kace��Oh God! What is going on? Ruby!" Nafeesa screeched as she approached.
Tears pricked my eyes.
"Don't cry, Ruby," Vexon mumbled. "Kace, what do you want?"
"What do I want? Vexon Bevine, you should have asked me that before the coronation."
"Kace," Newana alerted him.
"No, let me finish! I want to say everything I need to say. I need to let everyone know what grudges I hold in my heart against them." Kace pressed the knife even harder against my skin than before and I winced.
"No!" Vexon roared, taking a step towards us.
"Take another step and she dies, my dear brother," Kace warned.
Vexon questioned, "Why are you doing this?"
"Kace you're drunk. Can we please just go to bed," Nafeesa cried, "Leave Ruby."
"I wanted to be the king��the Gladiolus Mafia king, but to my bad luck, I was the third son. When Kendrik backed off, I thought I had a chance, but mother wanted you to be the king," he spat out, the knife still n my throat.
"What you are saying is absurd. Just put the knife down," Newana pleaded, trying to calm him.
"No. Let him speak, Newana," Vexon said.
"Ruby, I am glad you killed our mother. Know why?" Kace asked, hiccuping. "Mom helped me drug Vexon on the day of the wedding, but only for her own selfish motive."
When he said that, all of us went dead silent.
Vexon, Newana, and Nafeesa��all were looking at Kace in disbelief. Vexon's eyes widened in terror as he inquired, "What...what do you mean?"
"You're not that stupid, brother. That day, Momm and I, we drugged you."
So they were the ones who dragged me into this life.
"Why?" I mumbled.
"We both knew Vexon felt something for you. Mom drugged him because she wanted him to control his emotions. She didn't want him to marry you," Kace explained, his words sloppy.
"I drugged him because I thought he would let all his emotions out," he continued, "Like he will marry you, which happened. I was the one who threatened Mrs. Gerund by pushing Ruby off the terrace that day. I wanted her to marry you off with Ruby. Just in case, the drug didn't work out, that was the backup plan."
"Then?" I asked again, the knife was slowly coming away from my skin.
"But you were nothing like Pearl. I thought, after knowing the truth, you would force him to leave the Mafia, just like Pearl forced Kendrik. Instead, you became the queen. You ruined my plan!"
"I don't believe you," Vexon murmured. "Mon would never do that. And you? You could've told me before I went to training."
"Would you have granted me control then?" questioned Kace.
"Of course! I made you an executive because I knew you were worth it. If you wanted to be the king, you could have told me, Kace." I saw the flash of sadness in Vexon's eyes, but he hid it quickly.
Kace had deceived him. Now he had to live with the fact that his brother and mother drugged him the day of his wedding. I felt bad for Vexon.
I glanced at Newana. She used her fingers to signal me to get down. Without a second thought, I instantly followed her instructions.
I slipped into Vexon's arms, while Newana grabbed the knife from Kace's hand. They fought for the grip of the knife's handle.
Everything happened so suddenly. Newana pushed the knife into Kace's stomach. She looked very dangerous at that moment.
"You ruined my life, Eve's life, Nafeesa's, and her baby's life! You were also going to ruin Ruby and Vexon's life today! All I know, Kace Bevine, is that you deserve the most painful death."
Newana twisted the knife and Kace cried in pain. I closed my eyes and put my head on Vexon's chest, wrapping my arms around his shoulder.
I couldn't stand to see someone getting stabbed in front of me. Vexon held my waist, tightly, pulling me closer to him.
"You are a disgrace to the Gladiolus. You failed as a husband, father, friend, brother, and son. I did everything to please you, but you never appreciated it, all because you thought Everley was a curse."
When I heard Newana's words, I opened an eye to find that she pulled the knife out and stabbed him again. I regretted looking at that moment.
"Kace!" Nafeesa screamed.
"Everley was not the curse; she was a blessing. I used to think I was the curse you had to marry because my father is another powerful gang leader," Newana said defeatedly. "Now I realize you were the curse. As a human being," she continued, "But the sad thing is, I still love you."
I heard the knife dropping on the floor as it clanged against the floor. I turned and saw Kace's body, lying in a pool of blood. I put a hand over my mouth, stopping myself from making a sound.
Nafeesa stood there in shock, meanwhile, Newana went upstairs. Vexon showed no emotion. He just had a blank look on his face. There wasn't even a glint of pain in his eyes.
"Maya, call Mane to clean up this mess," Vexon ordered, "And take Ruby. Make sure she has her dinner and takes her medication. Don't let her follow me."
Vexon released me from his grip and walked away. I was about to follow him, but Maya stopped me. She mumbled, "Boss ordered me, please."
I watched Vexon walking away.
