Sensual Redamancy

Chapter 29

SOFIA

"Let go of me," I quivered, boldness edged by overwhelming disappointment and denial carving into my voice. "You're hurting me."

My mother's lips must have slightly curled into a cynical side smile or maybe I was just seeing what my mind was forcing me to believe was the new normal.

I could feel her nails dig deeper into my skin, malicious enough to leave marks and draw blood even. "Your nosiness is becoming a nuisance, young lady," she responded rather calmly, looking into my eyes with a softness contradicting her passive aggressiveness.

Young lady.

Nothing could ever prepare a daughter for a moment like this, especially one nurtured by a woman with the strongest maternal instincts known to human nature. 

I didn't want to believe Teodoro's claws had sunk so deep into her flesh and brain she couldn't tell family from predators, but what else did kidnapping the twins to aid Teodoro's plan mean if not that my worst fears had come true?

I swallowed hard, slowly clenching my fist as I carefully organised my thoughts and rehearsed the words I'd allow to slip past my lips.

I ended up letting out a shallow shudder instead, slowly tilting my head towards the brunette twins, cuddled up together with glistening eyes.

I couldn't face them and not feel a tight knot in my chest. What had she done to them? Had they eaten? Were they warm? For how long had Cara been crying and had Mom done anything about it apart from yelling perhaps?

I turned back to my mother, surprised by her grip slowly loosening. "They're five-year-olds and clearly, they need their mother," I spat bitterly, clenching my fist even harder.

Her face contorted into a mask of pure bitterness as her hand slipped from my jaw finally. "Ava is fourteen years old and she's damned to a goddamn wheelchair for probably the rest of her fucking life."

I leaned in close, aligning my lips with her ear. "Remind me again who's responsible and why the hell you're slowly turning yourself into his mistress and puppet."

I knew my words would be triggering, but I didn't anticipate her swift and violent reaction as she clamped her hand around my throat, pinning me against a wall daringly.

Raquel instantly stepped in as I gasped loudly, splaying my hands on top of hers to stop any further constriction. I raised my hand as a gesture to stop Raquel instead, an order she was hesitant and uncomfortable to obey.

"Take the twins upstairs and call Olivia right away," I ordered her, my eyes focused on my mother whose hand was wrapped around my neck firmly and threateningly but without any choking yet.

"Sof—"

"She is my mother," I interjected confidently, forcing my muscles into relaxation with a slight upward tilt of my head. "She won't hurt me."

Right now, I wanted those words to be true more than anything. I desperately craved for her to prove every assumption in my head wrong and crush my spirit for not believing in her intentions when we were fighting the same battle, just from different angles. Just this once, I could take the humiliation of being wrong.

"You heard her," Mom called out. "Leave before I change my mind."

It took a few seconds of silence and uncertainty before I saw movement from my peripheral vision, my eyes still focused on my mother. Raquel's duty was to protect me, yes, but by now, she knew me and I knew her. Trust was a fundamental concept that cemented our relationship.