PAPER HEARTS

-HADES-

Tears rolled down her bright pink cheeks, her lips trembled, forming a pout as she looked up at me.

" Hades, can you leave us alone?" A frustrated Angie groaned.

" I'm her husband." I growled.

I'm angry. I'm sad. I'm confused. I'm a motherfucker. But I'm her husband too.

" She's too scared right now and your presence is only making her more uncomfortable. Just leave so I can work." Angie says, with a little groan.

She wasn't wrong though. Sage was crying since the last thirty minutes but she denied to be checked. Maybe my presence was scaring her but I doubted that. Maybe she was self conscious and insecure again. I didn't know what it was and honestly, I'm too tired to figure that out right now.

" I'll be outside then." Rolling my eyes, I slam the door shut, walking out of my room.

My family was standing in the hall, frowns on their faces as they waited patiently for some answers. Sean had tears in his eyes as he looked up at me. A part of me wanted to trust him, a part of me wanted to blame Sage like I did two years ago, a part of me wanted to beat her until she accepted she was wrong. But my heart wanted to trust Sage, my heart ached at each tear she shed, my heart withered in pain whenever she trembled in fear.

" What did the doctor say?" Mother asked, immediately as her eyes fell on me.

" It might take some time. Sage is really scared." I shrug, leaning against the wall beside Leo.

" Scared? She isn't scared. She's acting because she knows there is no evidence to prove her lies." Sofia scoffs.

Leo hands me the can of energy drink he was sipping on as I shoot him a quizzical look.

" Take it, it helps. Especially with this family." He mutters under his breath.

" She's such a cunning bitch. No wonder her family treated her like shit." Giana says, earning a nod from Sofia and Sean. I felt anger seep into me at their words. How could they possibly think this when they saw how Sage was treated in her home!?

" Her family treated her like shit because they were a bunch of motherfuckers. No normal man would murder his wife based on a piece of paper and treat his daughter like trash for years before selling her to a mob boss." I growl as they flinch away from me.

" Jared Martinez didn't know me when he sold Sage. I could've been an old, fat, perverted pedophile. But, he didn't care of that, he sold his young daughter to someone he didn't even know. Can you imagine how evil that man is?" I scream at them.

" Yelling at them about Sage's daddy issues won't change what she is doing right now, Hades. That girl accused your brother for rape. Rape! How can you possibly believe her?" mother screams, glaring at me.

" It hasn't been proven that she lied about the rape. Angie wil-" I growl when mother cuts me off.

" What has she done to you, my son? Will you believe the guards and your family over that crazy bitch? I bet she doesn't even remember her middle name, and you're trusting her on this." she screams, shaking me.

" I don't want to argue with anyone. Let's just wait for Angie." I sigh, shifting away from them when Sean walks up to me.

" Trust me, brother. I treat her like my sister, I'm just like Shawn to her." Sean mumbles as a few tears roll down his cheeks.

I sigh, looking away from him. Sage. Sage. Sage. She roamed in my mind, her bruised face flashed in my eyes each time I looked at Sean.

The door creaked open as Angie slowly slipped out of the room. She glared at me, pulling her bag up to her shoulders.

" Did you find something?" I rush to her.

" I need to talk to you . . . privately." she says, eyeing others.

" Come." I mutter, opening the door of my office which was right beside my bedroom.

Angie walks in as I shut the door, following her inside.

" You're abusing her," she growls, looking up at me.

" Huh?"

" You are abusing her. There are faded bruises all over her body, your name is fucking branded on her and don't think that I didn't notice those injection marks on her arms. You're drugging her, Hades?" Angie glares at me as I roll my eyes.

" I didn't call you here to know what I already knew. Tell me if someone abused her sexually or not." I snarl at her, as she stumbles back.

" I don't know about anyone else but if she's broken beyond repair today, it's just because of you, Hades." Angie exclaims, slumping down on the chair.

I stand there quietly, I didn't know how to defend myself in that matter. Even though Sage already had the trauma of Jared and Enrique, I only broke her more and more and now, she's beyond repair. I can blame Enrique and Jared's harsh treatment towards her that resulted her being so traumatized but she was traumatized by them, not driven off her sanity.

" Some things in life are alterable, we can reverse them once they're done but Sage, she has come beyond that point. Now we won't be able to save her from that." she sighs.

" I couldn't find any evidence against your brother. Sage was sitting in the water for god knows how many hours and the evidences were washed away. I tried to find some evidence in the bathtub but you being such a genius drained the water before I came." she sighs, glaring at me.

" Nothing else?" I growl, feeling the ache in my head worsen.

" There are scratches and blisters on her but those can't prove anything. Anyone can cause blisters and scratches themselves." she shrugs.

" So? We didn't find anything to prove the rape." I groaned, throwing my head back.

" If I tell you honestly, I think Sean has raped her very brutally. She is scared out of her soul! But as a doctor, I couldn't find anything to prove that." She sighs, sympathy filled in her eyes.

" I don't know what to do." I sigh, looking at her.

All proofs are against Sage but, my heart still doesn't want to believe that.

" I don't know but just don't hurt her anymore. I've given her some painkillers but I think your own drug will work the best ." Angie mumbles sarcastically, picking up her bag as she walks out.

I close my eyes, throwing my head back. Everything is so fucked up! What am I supposed to do now? All evidences are against Sage like they were two years ago but today, I don't feel that old Hades inside me. This Hades feels for Sage, this Hades cares for Sage, this Hades denies to believe anything against Sage, this Hades will die without Sage . . .

" What did she say, Hades?"

I stand, looking at everyone's curious gazes before sighing loudly. Here comes the hard part.

" She couldn't find anything."

" See! That bitch was lying." Giana screams.

" Exactly! That bloody slut. I'm gonna kill her." Sofia screams, dashing for the door when I grip her arm, pulling her back.

" Everyone go to your respective rooms and sleep. We'll talk about this tomorrow." I roar, giving them all a death stare.

" But Sage is a liar. We should throw her out of the house." Sofia protests.

" Don't educate me, Sofia! Go to bed before I do something we all will regret." I growl, pushing her towards the door.

Everyone glares at me, slowly walking out of the room. I sigh, feeling suffocated by my thoughts. Angie's words didn't do any help but placed me in a deeper puzzle. I slam the door of my office shut, walking into my room.

Closing the door behind me, I lean on it, gazing at Sage. She had a new dress on and also her hair was combed and braided neatly. So this was what Angie was doing here for so long.

Sage sniffles, looking up at me as I take my blazer and shirt off, slipping into the covers with her. I open my arms for her but instead of jumping into them, Sage flinches back.

" I'm not going to hurt you, baby." I whisper, as she scrunches her nose, contemplating her choices.

Sage slowly crawls into my lap, placing her head on my chest as I wrap my arms around her. Her warm tears ran down my chest as she sobbed in my hold. I didn't know what to say to her. Everything proves she is wrong.

And honestly if I was the Hades from two years ago, I would've whipped her until she spoke the truth but for this new Hades . . . the Hades that loves Sage, her tears are more than enough to know she is innocent.

" It . . . h-hurts, Hades." she whispers, rubbing her nose on my chest.

She is innocent. I felt my heart chant.

But my mind said otherwise.

She was just a task.

But I adore her . . . I love her.

She is trouble.

A beautiful trouble, indeed.

She will ruin everything.

Ruin me.

-SEAN-

" What were you thinking, Sean?" mother roars, glaring at me.

I shrug, leaning on the wall as her glare hardens.

" Thankfully you told me about Sage in the party and I was able to bribe the guards before Hades got to know of all this. Do you even realize what he could've done if he found out that you raped his wife!? He would've tortured you to death." she screams, as I lick my lips, looking away from her.

" I'm sorry, mother. I tried to stay away from her but she's just so beautiful that I lost control." I shrug, as she sighs, sitting on the bed.

" We can't afford any more mistakes, Sean. Did you see how Hades was acting today? He is falling in love with that whore, if she wraps him around her finger, we all will die." mother mumbles, gritting her teeth.

"After Hades' decision tomorrow, I will yank that bitch out of his life. My son will marry someone he deserves and be happy. Everyone will be happy if that Sage just leaves. But how? Should I . . . kill her?" she mumbles, mostly to herself.

" We don't have to kill her, mom." I jerk up from my seat as she glares at me.

" Are you fucking in love with that slut too, Sean?" she screams.

" No. But Hades will kill all of us if Sage dies. What should we do then?" I ask.

" Nothing! Just act like an innocent man and let me handle the rest. Stay away from Sage, especially. That girl is such an omen. I'm just stressed of what Hades is going to do tomorrow. Go to sleep and pray that your brother trusts us and not his whore." she mutters as I stand up, hugging her.

" Goodnight, mumma. Don't stress yourself." Planting a kiss on her cheek, I walk out of the room.

Even I am scared of what Hades is going to do tomorrow. He might kill me if he loves her, or kill her if he loves me or let this matter slide if he loves us both.

I never liked Hades. He always got to be the golden baby and I was his shadow. I don't want to be his shadow. I want to be the leader. I want to be the mob boss here and I will be.

All I need is just a second of weakness, and I'll attack! After killing Hades, I will be the mob boss. I will control the family. And I'll marry Sage too. I know my family will hate me if I kill Hades but who cares about them!? I just want the power and position I deserve. I will snatch everything from Hades, including his wife.

I only kidnapped Sage to get my revenge from that motherfucking Princeton and that arrogant Sabrina slut but now, I kinda like Sage. She looks cute. She'll be my perfect wife.

Get Ready To Die Hades Romano.

^-^