Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring
Billionaire Shadow 33

Chapter 33

"We are past the talking stage?" Marina sneered, her voice full of disdain. "You should have left when I warned you, Emma! I gave you every chance to back down, to get out of my way. But you chose to cross me. And you crossed the wrong person. I don't go easy on people who cross ine."

Emma held her hands up, trying to keep her voice calm despite the pounding of her heart. "Marina, it can still go back to the way it was. You do not want to wake up tomorrow with somebody's blood on your hands."

Marina flung back her head and laughed-a hard, hollow sound.ich coming from you, Emma. Not every one is as lucky like you?" She spat out the words. You, even when you were abducted, landed in the lap of luxury. A wealthy household, all that money. all the power, although you eventually ran it back to the ground. And yet, you still get to marry the richest man in the country, live a life that people like me only dream about. You have no idea what it is like for the rest of us"

Emma's eyes darted frantically around the room as she tried to work out how she might make her way over to her twins without making any obvious move that would alert Marina. But Marina's gaze was fixed firmly on her, cold and unyielding. "Tve been clawing my way through life since I was a child" Marina continued, her voice heavy with its bitter weight. "Some of us don't wait for fate or fortune, we seize what we want, we take it by force. I was seven when I took my first life"

Emma's stomach twisted, her jaw dropping in horror as she tried to wrap her mind around the words Marina had just spoken; a chill of realization settled over her.

"Lori Banks" Marina hissed, her eyes narrowing as if she could still see her mother standing before her. "She was a disgrace Weak, pitiful. She was better off gone." Emma's heart was racing in disbelief as Marina went on, her tone eerily calm. "And your sweet, precious, perfect twin sister Diana? I killed her too. She didn't kill herself

The room seemed to close in on Emma as she was numb with shock. Diana. her dearly loved sister. hadn't taken her life. She had been murder. Her whole chest heaved with pain, filled with tears, and anguish and rage flooded her.

"So Mrs. Walker has been blaming her chest all these while for something you did." Emma whispered.

A cruel delight danced in Marina's eyes, and her face showed no emotion whatsoever.

"And all for what? I wanted everything that was my aunt's. The power, the money all of it! And I'll take it, even if it means killing anybody who gets in my way."

Emma's fingers twitched, while her mind was desperately raking over everything for some way to protect herself and her children.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, she hoarsely said with pain from a burning heart, her face wetted with streams of hot tears. "How could you? How could you do that to your own cousin and mother? They trusted you, believed in you. They thought you were human, but you're nothing but an animal" Emma spat, the last word out.

Marina's cold, unflinching gaze, eyes as cold as ice and and with deadly laughter, she replied. "Ashamed? I don't care what you think, Emma. I don't give a damn. Because by tomorrow morning, you and those little bastards will be long gone, and I'll still be here." She pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Emma tried to dodge, but the bullet was too fast. Pain exploded in her arm and she crumpled to the floor as a scream tore from her throat. The agony was blinding. She clutched her arm as she lay helpless on the ground.

Marina approached, a twisted smile etched on her face. She loomed over her, the gun pressed right against Emma's forehead. "I have no other choice," she whispered, her finger tightening on the trigger.

At that very moment, a figure burst into the room. Mrs. Walker, her face pale but determined, lunged forward and plunged a knife into Marina's shoulder. "Stay away from my daughter!" she screamed, her voice breaking with raw emotion. She'd heard it all-every horrific word-and yet, she could not believe it She'd raised Marina as her own after her baby sister Lon's death, had loved and protected her. And yet Marina had repaid her by killing her own daughter, Diana

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Chapter 33

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Marina fell to her to her knees as Mrs. Walker pulled out the knife, clutching her shoulder in pain, her face twisted into a snarl.

Mrs. Walker pointed the bloody knife at her, hands shaking yet firm. "I will not let you hurt my family

Marina's face softened as she steadied herself, trying to calm herunt with a coaxing tone. "Auntie, please, everything's going to be fine; I have it all under control. Just go back to your room, and by tomorrow we'll go back to how we used to be. You don't need them; they don't deserve your love. I'm the one who loves you, the one who has been loyal, the one you should trust."

But Mrs. Walker was furiously shaking her head, her hold on the knife tightening. "No, Marina. If you had truly loved me, you wouldn't have killed my daughter. You wouldn't have killed my sister."

Next to Mrs. Walker, Emma began to pull her body up although her body was screaming in pain. She hoped she could use the distraction to sneak out of the room and look for help. But at once, Marina's gaze flicked toward her, a angry glint flashing in her eyes. She raised the gun and fired again, aiming for Emma.

Emma shut her eyes and waited for the worst, but instead felt two arms wrap around her, shielding her. She opened her eyes in utter shock to see Mrs. Walker, her face contorted in pain, falling over her. Mrs. Walker had been shot instead of Emma. The gun

had been fired twice, and Emma closed her eyes, waiting for the paim that was bound to hit shortly. But none came. She opened her eyes slowly, heart pounding, and found Mrs. Walker lying in a pool of her own blood. She'd taken both bullets, and her once lively eyes were staring blankly into the ceiling.

"No!" Emma's scream tore through the room and her heart broke. She clutched Mrs Walker in her arms.

Marina's face twisted with anger and shock. She stepped back, clutching her bleeding shoulder. She couldn't believe what just happened.

Mrs. Walker's quivering hand found Emma's, squeezing weakly.

"You, you have to protect them, Emma" Mrs. Walker whispered low, her words inaudible. "Don't let her take everything. Promise me." Tears blurred Emma's vision as she nodded, her voice thick with grief. "Promise."

"Mom." Emma's voice broke in a hoarse whisper that sounded so far away.

Marina has only came with three bullets and has planned to use them judiciously but things has gone unexpectedly wrong Her face twisted up in frustration and she let out a furious scream; throwing back her head in the process. This hadn't been what she had planned. Things had gone horribly wrong. She needed to flee; she needed to disappear before anyone stopped her.

Mrs. Walker's gaze, now foggy, turned to Emma with the last ounce of strength she had left, she uttered in weak tones, "I love you Emma, Security... Her hand, slippery from blood, pushed the handle of the knife onto Emma's good hand. "Take. Protect...

Blood oozed from Mrs. Walker's mouth as she took one last heavy, labored breath. Emma grasped the knife. Unimaginable pain of disbelief and sadness flooded through her vein...

"Get on your knees, Marina," she yelled, her voice trembling but gold with anger.

Marina's gaze turned to little Emily, who was now awake due to all the ruckus. A sadistic grin twisted Marina's face. She moved closer to the child, her tone nasty, mocking. "Before you get here, I would have hurt her. So unless you want to see her dead, drop your weapon, Emma."

Emma's heart lurched with terror and her hand shook as a flare of pain shot through her injured arm. Her whole body seemed to scream with pain, yet threatening to take away her children made her heart ached with more pain than she had ever imagined. She dared not risk it. Slowly she allowed the knit to fall to the floor, her eyes pleading as she watched

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Chapter 33

Marina edge closer to Emily,

Just then, security burst into the room - guns drawn and shouting. "Hands up! Get your hands behind your head!

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