"...and saw the trucks and the car,same color as mine then, lemon old sedan...I knew something is wrong with the both of you"
"He..."Isabelle brush her tears angrily away. "The police told me Xander received a call,do you know who it was?"
"Me,I was the one who called,someone told me there was a murder and it's connected to the Mack securities and that he has called Xander but isn't picking and...he should head to the Area B station to confirm because it might be another case of Triplicate"
Isabelle had a sickening feeling as Sasha explains. "I called my brother that morning and explained,then we all went to the hospital,he was gonna drop by the Station to confirm but there was a call from home about William panic attack and I'd to go to check up on things that was why I left early with the car and Xander decided to take you to the Mack securities and still drop by the Station"
"Sasha,who called you that morning?" Sasha lift her head up. "Who?"
"Your friend,it was Bronsilaw, didn't he tell you?" Isabelle knee gave in to pressure and she fell to her knees. "Issy"
"Poca,I thought I killed the last straw but there's a Poca,amazing...why does it have to be me?"Isabelle snicker. "I won't hesitate in ending it all"
***************
"Dad" Sasha called leaning on the doorframe of Xander room, she'd been watching her father... just sitting on the bed lost in thought, she'd seen him this way before...when their mother died,,, or they thought had died, Isabelle told her everything, everything she needed to know and it hurt her that her brother,,, Xander didn't get the chance to know the truth. "Dad"
Rick Mack flinch and look up, Sasha fold her arms and draw out a deep breath. "How have you been?"
"Fine... Dad, do you know that everyday I spent in the juvenile home... I spent it hating you, yes I was sorry, I felt guilty, I killed a human being, my... my family but still I ask myself What kind of father... is my father but now I ask God What kind of parents he granted me"
Rick mack sigh,and rub the back of his neck. "I was like that too"
"Why?"
"I hated my family,dad was so uptight and mom...she was just too nice that I hated it,everytime I'd just wonder what it would feel like to live with no burden,no pain..."
"No secrets"Sasha cut in.
Rick smile and nod. "No secrets,but eventually I understood that I've to accept my family, because their blood runs through my veins"
"Like Aukey... Aukey blood"Sasha stutter in tears and she could see a lone tear fall from her father eyes. "He must wonder like I do... what kind of parents are you? You guys lied to me,,,to us, you treated that guy like a trash"
"I gave him everything Sasha,I wouldn't treat my son like a trash"
"Dad"Sasha scream, angry at the fact that he didn't deny it and surprised that he's still as calm as he always is,he didn't even bother wiping or hiding his tears. "That guy stayed with Triplicate"
"Your brother"Sasha stare at her father in disbelief. "One day it was gonna be out, I told that to your mother,do you think I'm happy at how our lives turned out? We were dragged into something so trivial, something so...Sasha, I lost your mother because of this issue and I didn't have the strength to drag it further"
"What do you mean Dad?"
"She was gonna take him back before she died" Sasha gasp. "If she was successful your brother..."
"Still you could've told me, does grandpa know about this? Xander?"
"Only Dad knew"
"So you hid him from everyone..."
"He has a name same as Alexander does" Sasha grit her teeth. "He's not an illegitimate child Sasha"
"What do you expect? I throw myself over to him because my father as an older son and refuses to tell us about it"
" Sasha"Rick mack snap, Sasha swallow back her anger but the lump in her throat was growing bigger. "Aukey Mack"
"How old is... Is Aukey?"
"Go ask him"
"Dad" Sasha gasp. "Are all of you even considering my condition?"
"I need to rest"Her father said and stood up. "I'm going to see your brother, for your condition I'll allow you"Sasha anger boil as she watch him lock the door and stride to the upper floor of the house.
************
"I'm not doing that, I won't"Aukey glare at Isabelle when she open the door of his car.
"I've a blondhaired son, so much like you
So much alive,so much dead
So much breathing,breathing hard
Oh my child, stopped,stopped talking
My blondhaired son breaths,still breaths in me..In them"Isabelle recites, Aukey burst into laughter, she glare and drag him outside. "That's the poem your mom recites"
"Really?it sounded funny,is this what Xander copes with?"
"Oh please,I wonder how your wife copes with you,listen,this is your first time at the mack mansion and it's gonna be brief but we must plan exactly as we talked about, you're the one who got me into this situation"Isabelle sigh.
"I wasn't the one who broke a guy heart" Isabelle frown and in a fleet of an eye she press her gun on his temple,Aukey smile and exhale. "I might be an hallucination"He spoke swankily,Isabelle crane her head in wonder.
"Will you ever be without a gun or a guy?" James bellow behind her, Isabelle turn and shot,James jump away before it got him in fear. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Where have you been?"Isabelle demand.
"Yes James,where have you been?" Aukey smirk. "My brother is in coma you know"
James snort."The last time I checked we aren't friends"
"Nor enemies"
"Why don't you mind your business?My life is none of your business Chief, I'm not Isabelle who you can threaten"
"I'm not Phira who you can kill" Isabelle watch the two bantering and lift her brows when she noticed James sudden frail expression,Aukey force a smile and stood straight. "We're cool James"
"Cool"James repeated bleakly.
"Do you guys know each other?" Isabelle questioned but the two men amble towards the door,Aukey halted to put his mask on. "What..."
"I'm being careful, I'm here to plan not to be seen"
Isabelle fake a gushing face. "Oh, you're so handsome,now will you tell me how you know James?"
"What can I say about James" Aukey pocketed his hands in his jeans. "He's an old nemesis,okay?"
"Fuck you" Isabelle mumble,he chuckle and went in.
The trio gulp when they entered the Mack mansion,the families are seated,all wearing weird expressions, Isabelle felt Aukey step back and pull him to her side.
"You are going no where,I guess your sister is melodramatic"
"It's weird when you call her that... my sister, I'm used to caring for my brother than..."
"Wonderful,but you can stay right here and explain to them"
"Are you flirting with me?" Isabelle mouth drop. "So you are..."
"Are you married?" Aukey choke on nothing,none of them noticed Sasha creeping up on them,She gape at him eccentrically. "Are you?I am,Xander is too,and I managed everything,are you married?"
"Where's your dad please? I'm here to see him" Sasha step closer clearly hurt by his dismissal. "Ms..."
"It's Sasha,Can you take off your mask?" Isabelle cover her mouth to keep her giggles and she could see James doing the same,Katy and Jamie glance up from their phones,Jamie on the other hand had a repelled expression and kept glancing at Isabelle while Katy only had the calm and collected one which soon changed when Sasha point at the mask again.
"Pardon?"
"Chief,take off the mask" James said earning a black look.
"Please" Sasha plead, Aukey sigh helplessly and frown when he saw a familiar figure at the corner of his eyes. "Please" He heard again.
Aukey took a deep breath and took it off,gasp of surprise filled the air,tears fall from Sasha eyes. "You look like Xander...a lot like him,Dad was right"
"I am sorry"
"It's okay, I'm sorry too" Sasha mutter. "Grandma,your eldest...your eldest grandson is here"She stagger on her feet.
"Sasha"Aukey hold her hand to keep her from falling. "Where's your husband?You shouldn't even be standing in your condition"
"Thank you, I'm fine,Dad is upstairs with Micah, Xander BP got high again,I don't know what is going on"Isabelle heart skipped a beat,she rush towards the stairs with James while Aukey calm Sasha down.