** WARNING** This chapter may cover themes you find distressing NOT FOR READERS UNDER 18!
My sister Flora was the joy of our family, she was beautiful and bright and she lit up a room with her energy. She was older than me, when I was born she was six and she adored me, treated me like her doll, we were always together. We have other siblings, a younger brother and sister they're twins and 16 and we love them but Flora and I had a special bond.
Last year she started acting strange, withdrawn. I was worried maybe she had started experimenting with drugs or alcohol I couldn't understand the shift and she wouldn't talk to me or open up about what was happening in her life.
If I had forced her to talk to me, if I hadn't taken no for an answer, if I had done more, been there for her the way she would have been if it had been me, she may still be alive.
The least I owe her is to bring her murderer to justice.
* * * 6 hours before murder * * *
"Blade are you serious right now? Your EAs skirt was so short I could see her thong!"
I looked up as Flora breezed in and threw herself into one of the soft leather chairs opposite my desk. Smirking I leaned back in my chair, stretching out the kinks from sitting too long.
"Sister dear you know I don't bang my staff but I'm not gonna complain about the view"
I grinned wickedly ready for Flora to lay into me for being a 'pig' but the smile died on my face as I realised she was staring into space and didn't even seem to have heard my reply as had been happening so often lately.
I pushed back my chair and made my way around my desk to crouch at her side, my eyes never leaving her face. She didn't seem to have noticed I had moved.
I touched her hand gently trying to snap her out of whatever daze she was in and her eyes shot to mine whilst blinking rapidly as if to clear the fog.
"Flora honey talk to me, what's going on with you? This isn't the first time you've been so out of it lately."
I spoke so so gently not wanting to spook her but feeling fire spread through my body as I thirsted for vengeance on whatever had caused the shift in my sister. I was desperately trying not to think that it could be drugs.
"Blade"
she started wistfully, not meeting my eyes
"I-"
a rapping on my door interrupted whatever she had been going to say. My executive assistant opened the door and sashayed in and Flora visibly shrank back into herself, the happy Flora mask firmly in place.
"I have to go little brother. See you at the dinner party tonight."
She kissed me on the cheek and gave me a hug whispering
"love you brother"
in my ear before sweeping back out of my office. I turned to look at my EA
"Pack your things and report to HR, you're fired."
Turning my back on her tearful expression I dialled my cousin Nate.
"Nate, Flora just left my office. Get someone to tail her I want to know what she's doing, who she's seeing and what's happened to her"
Nate was quiet for a moment before replying.
"She's still blanking?"
I almost growled
"yes, just please sort this."
"On it cousin".
* * * 30 minutes before murder * * *
I looked around the dining table at my fellow party guests, there was Mr and Mrs Tremaine our hosts, Jasper Brokken and his wife Hazel Brokken who my family and I avoided at all costs.
Jasper put a spy in one of our communication companies and stole the designs of our soon to be released ephones since then apart from when we were invited to the same events our family had nothing to do with his.
Movement out of the corner of my eye had me glancing towards the open patio doors and I was shocked to see Flora standing there looking mournfully at Jasper and Hazel. I was even more shocked to see Jasper making his way towards her and I rose to follow when Missy Brokken Jaspers irritating daughter accosted me and I lost track of my sister.
After 15 minutes of trying to disentangle myself from Missy I almost ran out to the patio only to realise Flora and Jasper were nowhere to be seen. I checked the dining room again and couldn't see either of them. I called Nate again.
"Nate where's your man I've lost track of Flora"
I whispered frantically.
"Blade I didn't send my man inside the house because you were in there"
hanging up and almost throwing my phone at the wall I ran to the bathrooms to check it Flora was there, I don't know why I was so worried but I had a terrible feeling the moment I realised she wasn't outside anymore.
Having checked the bathrooms the kitchen and a couple of bedrooms I came to the library and realised over 30 minutes had passed since I last saw my sister.
I entered the library and the first thing I saw was my precious sister lying on the floor in a pool of blood.
My mind rejected the image and I floated away from my body.
I know that I must have called the police and an ambulance and when I came to I was on my knees holding Flora in my arms and the library was full of guests, screams and cries coming from my parents.
When I came too again we were at the hospital and I was told hours had passed - my sister was dead, she had been stabbed multiple times in the stomach. When the police officers told us she had been pregnant the tears finally broke free.