Stephnie was dumbfounded.
Madone words took some time to sink in. She closed her ears with both hands, and a few minutes later, she got her confidence back and then ventured more rudely this time, “I see you are really mad. I thought you were mature in words. I now see you are a very senseless man. You want me to marry you, you must be joking!” Now she was furious.
Madone walked closer to her again and smiled, “I see you don’t really like me, joking may not be the right word woman, let's just say, I’m in love—yes in love with you.” He smiled cruelly at her. He makes sure she felt pain every passing second. He loved the scare that crawls within her eyeballs and the way her lips trembles when she talks.
Stephnie used her left hand to wipe her eyes. She wasn’t so sure she has woken up from her sleep yet. She backed out from Madone and walked up to Landus, who was at the far right corner of the sitting room watching and listening to what was going on.
“Landus,” Stephnie spoke slowly as she drew closer to him placing her left hand on her chest, “am I okay? I can’t understand what I’m doing, talk to me Landus!” the power behind her voice dwindling.
Landus knew she was confused, “you are fine Madam; if you want us to force them out, then we will do just that.” He looked at the intruders and then turned his face to Stephnie once more.
Stephnie lifted her left hand slowly, “oh no, please don’t. I do not want any casualty, they are my relations even though they are heartless, but—”
As she was still talking, she heard Madone shout in a loud voice behind her. “Search the house, and bring me that bastard of a boy!”
The ten men rushed and started searching everywhere like wounded lions.
A few minutes later, they came downstairs with Terry, who was crying out loudly in fear.
Stephnie ran toward Terry forcing him out of their firm grip as she screamed out loud, “Are you insane Madone, or what?” Now, tears were in her eyes.
Madone ordered. “Throw that vagabond child out of the window—he has this woman’s blood in him. He doesn’t belong here—quickly now!” As he gave that order, his men pounced on Stephnie, who was now running upstairs with Terry.
Landus and Paul swung into action, the battle was fierce.
A few moments later, Landus knew he had been seriously injured. He felt the piercing knife from behind as he tried to prevent the hostile men from getting at Terry. Paul swiftly made away with Terry, rushing him out through the back door.
Landus who was already soaked in his blood crawled through the exit door gasping for breath. He was rushed to the hospital by Cardiff, who came on time to resume his work for the day.
He couldn’t understand what exactly transpired, but if there was anything that needs more attention now was, Landus. He was bleeding, and with his eyes sinking, he wondered if he could make it. He drove faster as thoughts ran in speed within his mind.
Suss was scared when she saw blood everywhere. She knew it would have been worst if Mike’s men had fought back. They were only being defensive, and that had helped the situation.
She had never stopped screaming.
She had shouted at Madone several times to calm down and had a few minutes ago prevailed on Madone to allow Cardiff to take Landus to the hospital.
She shouted incessantly, “we are not killers Madone, better be careful. If you kill anyone, the police will come after you, and you will rot in jail, count me out of this madness of yours. Don’t you have eyes, didn’t you see blood everywhere?” she was walking around in the large living room confused now.
Madone looked at Stephnie arrogantly, “woman, go upstairs, and pack your things. I mean only what belongs to you! Our brother Mike is dead and buried. You are no longer needed in this family so hurry up, and leave before I begin part two of my insanity!” He was looking crazy now and Stephnie knew he could kill for never belongs to him.
Did they come like criminals?
They came to possess what was never theirs!
And now they are asking me out!
To where?
Stephnie stood rooted to the floor with eyes bulging out in shock. She pretended as if she never heard him say anything.
She heard him repeating his words, and this time it clicked, Stephnie shouted, “I’m not going anywhere. This is my house, and what you see here are my properties. Mike and I worked so hard for it, and we acquired it together, so you should be out of your mind by saying such stupid words!” her hair looked all scattered now.
Madone was wrath, he was burning inside. He had never anticipated any kind of resistance from Stephnie. He walked up and down the sitting room fuming in anger.
A few seconds later, he stood at one spot and hollered, “I see you are a stiff-neck boxer challenging my authority in the boxing ring of wealth possession, that’s fine, but you must understand woman that I’m beginning to lose my temper here. Listen here, before the count of five; I want to see you busy packing your things. I’m being considerate for Mike's sake you know, but I really don’t know how much I can take of your shit—so hurry up.”
Stephnie was still reluctant.
Suddenly, she was pushed roughly from behind. She spun around on the floor to see who did that. She saw the hate in the eyes of one of Madone’s men, who did it. She held her breath and relaxed helplessly on the floor. She knew she had to yield to instructions otherwise, Madone could behave strangely.
She was all alone.
She stood up lazily and started for the staircase. She knew she got to be careful. They could get me killed leaving no trace behind, her thought started.
She straightened up with this thought acting like a catalyst.
She walked faster.
The moment she turned, she saw Suss following after her. Madone must have told her to keep an eye on her she thought sadly as she kept on walking, not bothered if she was sniffing around.
She entered her bedroom, and locked the door behind her, Suss stayed outside waiting patiently, but not without engaging her eyes on the beautiful flowers in vases around that looked more like an in-house garden.
Stephnie started packing her things.
A few minutes later, she sat down on her bed head helpless, and suddenly a thought crept through her mind as cold water poured on a tasty tongue.
The files, she kept Mike’s important documents in it.
Did she remember keeping it aside, where exactly?
Her thought questioned, she opened the door and made for Mike’s bedroom.
Suss was still watching.
She entered Mike’s room but forgot to close the door behind her. Anxiety crept in, but she was determined to get this done.
To get what done, she thought as if confused. Her heart beat fast, faster than she felt it a couple of seconds ago.
Suss was still waiting outside, a few seconds later Madone joined her.
“Where is she?” he demanded angrily.
Suss pointed to the door without uttering a word. Madone was getting uncomfortable, he stared at Suss. “You should have followed her into the room and watched the idiot pack her things only!” Madone forced his way into the room.
Stephnie was shocked to see him. She thought she had locked the door behind her. She quickly hid the file behind her, “give me what you are holding,” Madone demanded angrily, “and besides this must be Mike’s room as I can see, so what a hell are you doing in here? You were supposed to be packing your things in your bedroom and not Mike’s bedroom!” He walked closer to her but never kept his eyes off her.
Stephnie looked at him and then, she swallowed her spit quietly. She does not know how to start her defense but knew she must say something quickly, “Madone, I don’t understand what you are saying, Mike’s bedroom is mine and my bedroom is mike’s. You have no right; I mean no right to walk in here to question me where I should pack my things.” She looked boldly at him, this time her eyes full of fury.
Madone marched towards her angrily and hit her hard across her face. She fell with the file as she watched all its contents scattering to the floor.
Madone walked closer, and picked them up one after the other, and started checking them out.
A moment later, he sneezed angrily, “I see you want to play smart,” he walked up to where she was still lying down on the floor and kicked her hard, “so you wanted to take these documents with you, huh? That is ridiculous and you know it. I read up to standard three, and that is enough to make me literate. I’m not a foolish old farmer locked up in the Alliya as you think, but I’m read—idiot!” He held her firmly by her neck and dragged her out of the room and pushed her down the staircase.
She rolled down helplessly and landed at the bottom of the staircase. He ordered his men to throw her out with her bags, which she had already arranged before this incident.
Suss was very scared when she saw Madone holding onto the neck of Stephnie. He is going too far, she had thought. Her heart raced, as she made a fruitless attempt to stop Madone. She had often muttered as she watched sadly, “I now see why Jeffon never agrees with you. Your overzealous character is the factor. It has eaten you deep like a cankerworm.” Suss was never happy, but pretended to be at least before Madone. She had never stopped cautioning, “it is true, we came for Mike’s properties, but I never remembered we discussed any rough handling or shedding of blood, please let's be careful not to stretch this beyond control.” Her eyes picked up scary looks.
Madone men were busy packing things into units as they enjoy tasty wines from the wine shelf. They opened one bottle after another in great delight.
Madone knew he had won the battle, Stephnie is out of the picture now and Terry had been taken into hiding. He was very pleased with the display of his men. Impressive, he thought.
He glanced at Suss, and laughed, “I knew, I scared the shit out of you, honestly that’s the only way to push that resilient woman out because; she knew she was going to miss a lot by leaving. That’s why, she had put up a brilliant fight, but certainly not before me. I’m—very brutal.”
He smiled again, “I was not born in Alliya for nothing! She is such a stubborn bird, who had suddenly developed fat wings of pride.”
He looked at the wine he was sipping and smiled broadly, “Mike would have been very sorry he died too soon, he was enjoying himself out here. What a glorious life he was living, please join the party.” He lifted his glass for a toast.
He raised the cup of wine again and stared at its red content. He sipped a little out of it as though not want it to finish. He smiled again and stared at Suss, “you know what Suss? I told that bitch, I want her for a wife, and she refused, I think she has an evil mind. She might even get me poisoned or kill me if, she accepted my proposal. Besides, I have this feeling, she is a witch. Seeing that little boy with her keep me perpetually in thought, don’t you understand that Suss?”
Suss watched him carefully for a while, and then shifted her eyes to a file spread on his lap, “what do we have there?” She asked interrupting him.