Chapter 24

ADRIA'S POV:

"Connor", I whispered looking up at him through the mirror.

Suddenly he turned me around and hugged me tightly.

"Adria, baby I missed you so much", he said hugging me.

"Co..Connor. I.. I I can't", I stammered and pushed him away. "I am engaged. I can't do this" I said.

"Adria, we loved each other", he said shaking me. As if trying to wake me up. But I wasn't sleeping. I know you people will think I am out of my mind but something keeps pulling me towards Austin. I can't betray him.

"I.. I am sorry", I told him keeping my head down. I couldn't look at him. I betrayed him.

"You can't", he said almost mocking me.

"He is good to me", I whispered still looking down.

"I can't fucking believe you, Adria. Out of all people, YOU say he is good. Like FUCK!", Connor yelled and was now holding my arms and shaking me. "He has done something with you. You need to open your fucking eyes"

"I can't Connor. He is been so nice to me. I could not stop myself from liking him", I was now crying. I know how pathetic I sound right now.

Connor gave me a disgusting look.

"He fucking killed your father. How can you like such man", his words were like a truck that hit me so hard. I was still for few seconds, numb, not believing what he said.

"No, he is alive. He is just ill. Austin told me. He is undergoing a treatment. You can't lie to me. I will ask Austin and meet him today. He is fine. Just a bit ill. I know..", I kept rambling like a mad woman.

"Adria, baby", Connor started shaking me. "He is dead love. He is dead"

"Noooo, this can't happen", my voice was so low.

"See this", Connor handed me his phone. He first showed me few photos of news which shows my dad's picture with 'dead' written in bold letters below it.

He then played a video. It was Austin telling a cop that the dead body is Edward Owensby's.

"Edward is dead. He killed him Adria and showed it as an accident. I got this video with my dad's help. Do you believe me now", Connor said.

I was frozen at the spot. My brain was numb. My dad was dead. The only family I had is dead. And the man I started loving is the one who killed him. I had no one except my dad. Now he is gone. I am alone.

"Adria", Connor shook me. "We need to get you away from him. We don't have time Adria. Take this", He handed me something cold. It was a knife. "We don't have time Adria. Gather yourself and remember he is a monster. I will be following you. I somehow know he is going to take you at the hilltop after dinner. You will be alone with him. Save yourself Adria and run from there. You will need this knife to escape. I will be there to receive you", he said and wearing a cap he walked out of the washroom.

I did not cry. I was numb. I felt nothing. Keeping the knife in my purse I walked out.

I saw him sitting so calmly, laughing and talking with his mother.

"You ok, Angel?", he asked looking at me with concern in his eyes.

Is he really acting? All the love he showed me was it a lie? Is he really that cruel to kill my father?

I didn't say anything. I sat there drowning in my own thoughts.

The conversation Connor showed me of Austin and a cop clearly showed that Austin knows my dad is dead. He was so calm in it. He himself said he wanted to kill my dad. Can he kill him?

And at the moment it felt like I travelled time and stopped at the time when I first met Austin.

The events hit me so hard, hard enough to make me realize that he can do it. He was cruel. From the moment he entered my life he had been cruel.

He tortured us both and then. He was ready to kill.

I wanted to think more. Convince myself that my father is alive and Austin is a good man. That Austin really changed for me. That he just had kept my father away from me cause my dad was ill. That Austin truly loved me.... and would never harm me.

But my mind was like stuck at the point when he was beating my father and when he whipped me mercilessly

The dinner was over and I was like a lifeless object, walking where ever Austin dragged me. We drove and the car stopped after some time. I kept staring straight nothing in particular.

Austin even helped me to step out of the car. I don't know how Connor knew he was going to take me on the hilltop but he was right. The lights from houses and buildings were shining so beautifully. Just like stars.

"Isn't this beautiful?", Came his sweet voice.

"Hmm", was all I could say. I was angry at myself how can I still think this man has sweetness in him.

"What's wrong my angel", he asked making me face him.

That was my undoing. His face. I couldn't control myself. N number of emotions swirling in my heart, N number of thoughts running in my mind but I could not even point at one. I had lost control of myself.

"Where is my father Austin", The words were out of my mouth, loud and clear. I did not shutter at all.

"I told you, Adria, wherever he is, he is fine", his eyes held guilt.

Mine? I am sure they held anger by now. Why can't he just tell me that my father is alive? Why can't he take me to meet him already?

"Why can't I meet him Austin. Why can't I see him", I screamed. I completely lost it. I wanted to hear just one answer from him. That he will take me to my dad.

"He is not in the .....", It was like my hands had their own mind. I took the knife out of my purse and in no time stabbed Austin in his gut.

For a millisecond I searched regret in me but found none.

Austin clutched the knife and looked at me. His eyes filled with pain and... hurt. But the hurt I felt was much more.

"I started loving you Austin. I was falling for you. I thought you really changed but I should have known a monster like you could never change. I took all the pain you gave me but I cannot take what you did to my father. He did not deserve to die Austin. You killed him. You monster. You killed him, You killed him", I kept on rambling until a car stopped beside me. Conner stepped out and dragged me in.

That was my breaking point. I hugged my knees and let out a loud scream.

I kept screaming until I couldn't anymore. And then I cried, cried and cried.