I stop in the bathroom door when I hear someone vomiting. I have no doubt that it is Alexander, who, despite his suffering, is still trying to function normally. He doesn't show from himself that he is seriously ill, but there are times when he is out of control and the brain tumor makes its presence known.
I suspect what kind of severe headaches he has because then he tightens his lips and doesn't speak for a long while, completely disengaging from conversation.
I've managed to notice this in the few hours since I've been here.
I take advantage of Alexander's moment of distress and run down the stairs, heading straight for the basement. I know that Luke is being held there. I need to see him, I want to see that he is still alive and has the strength to fight for his health.
One of the men grabs my arm, stopping me in front of the door.
- Let me go. You have no right to forbid me to go inside. I would like to see my friend, see if he's okay - I address him in a frigid voice.
- There are only a few people who can enter. You are not on the list - he replies.
I boldly look into his eyes, piercing him with a murderous gaze.
- Since when are we on "you"?
The man ignores my remark, still not intending to let me in.
- What are you hiding in there?
- It's a decree of the boss. You're not going in.
- Let her in, Aaron says. - I look over my shoulder, looking at a pale Alexander, who is standing at the top of the stairs. His face is wet and his eyes show suffering. - She can go up there. Soon this house will belong to her.
With haughty eyes, I look at Alexander's man, feeling like smiling victoriously.
- Get your hands off me and open the door! - I order him.
The young man obeys the command, and I hastily step inside and open my eyes wider in shock when I see a giant room in front of me, which is illuminated by a yellow light. In the very center hang two, unconscious people. Bound by the hands, with their heads lowered, they look like puppets, not people.
I run up to Luke and watch him closely with terrified eyes.
- Oh my god... what have they done to you?
There is dried blood on his face. He's all bruised up, and I have no doubt that he's unconscious from the pain.
- Alexander, you sick bastard! - I yell out toward the door. I look at the man with frantic eyes as he steps inside. - Release him, right now!
- After all, I made it clear to you that you will suffer the punishment for betraying me," he replies, coming closer.
- Luke betrayed you because of me. I forced him to do it, I took advantage of the fact that he desired me. He didn't even have an idea that his father was alive. He was as shocked as I was when we met him by chance. He really was a puppet in his hands. This man left him to you, not caring about his fate!
- I know he was his father's puppet. This man never put him first. - Alexander snorts under his breath. - My point is that he helped you escape. He cheated me, and I don't tolerate that.
- So punish me, too, because he did it because of me. I persuaded him to do it.
The man crosses his arms over his chest and massages his forehead.
- Solar, these are my people and I will do what I want with them.
- So put yourself in my shoes! - I look at him with broken eyes. - I worry about him, I want him to be safe. It hurts my heart to think of the pain he is feeling right now. Didn't you feel the same as I did when my mother appeared before you, beaten? You said you went into a rage and wanted to kill my father. She stopped you because she was worried about you. Put yourself in my shoes now. Understand how I feel, looking at Luke in this state. He did not know what your real intentions towards me were, that's why he agreed to help me. A person in love is ready for anything, or not? - I can see in his gaze that he is thinking back to the past. - Alexander, I beg you. If for all eighteen years you actually protected me, wanted to help me and hid me from my father, do something for me at least one last time and don't hurt my heart. - I shed tears when I say these words. - Make me trust you. I want to believe that you are the one telling the truth. If it is indeed as you said, I am sure that if you were in Luke's place, you would do the same for my mother. You would be able to sacrifice yourself to protect the person you love.
Alexander looks into my eyes for a long time. I hope everything he told me in the room is true, and he understands my heart.
- Untie him and take him down from here - he turns unexpectedly to his men, and my eyes take on a glow.
- Thank you - I say in a whisper, wiping tears from my cheeks. - Thank you, Alexander.
The men release Luke, and my attention is caught by the boy's father, who starts laughing under his breath.
- You are as naive as your mother. For love, you can sell yourself and trust the enemy.
- You are talking about your son! - I turn to him in a raised voice. - You should be happy that I want the best for him! I want him to be safe!
- For him, the most important thing is honor. He has given his whole life to the Winchester family, so his son doesn't matter much to him - Alexander interjects, looking at the man with a hateful gaze. - He would be able to sacrifice him, just to hand you over to a sadist friend.
As the men hold the unconscious Luke, I embrace his beaten face in my hands, looking at him with a caring gaze.
- It is solely your fault that your son is leading such an unhappy life - I say to his father, at this point, not feeling sorry for him at all. I didn't like his approach the very moment he announced that Luke would have to sacrifice himself to protect me.
Is this what a parent's love looks like?
- Your father would not be proud of you. You talk like your mother - the man announces.
Only now this man shows his true face. If the accident hadn't happened, he would have handed me over to my father — a sadist because I am a person in whom the blood of the Winchesters flows. In their thinking, my only destiny is to take over the family business, which rules the dark underworld.
- And it is fortunate that I am like-minded to my mother. As a result, I know what it means to love.
I'm sure that for a split second, I see a smile on Alexander's face when I mention Mom.
He really must have loved her very much!
- Take Luke to his room and call my doctor. Let him take care of him.
I follow the men who are carrying the unconscious boy out, and when I turn my back before the door, I see that Alexander is about to have a chat with Luke's father. I guess that this will not be a pleasant conversation.
Just how to explain to Luke that his father didn't deserve a second chance? I've managed to convince myself that he would jump into the fire for him if he could.
Well... I'll think about that later. The most important thing is that Alexander let him live and even provided medical care.
At heart, he is actually not such a bad person.
*
Since the doctor left, I have been lying next to the boy on the bed, not leaving his side. Luke is still unconscious, but I am reassured by the fact that he is under medical care. I stroke his cheek with my fingers, looking at the IV to which he is connected.
So much has happened recently that I don't know what I really feel anymore myself. One thing I am sure of some time ago I entirely changed my opinion of Luke, I look at him completely differently, and I am overly caring towards him.
I know that he is an unhappy boy, forced to work for Alexander, drugged, not loved by his father as he should be and completely lost. Although I don't have a stable life myself, and every now, and then I discover the truth behind the lies, I feel like caring for him and providing him with a reasonably happy life.
Will I have a chance? If it all ends with a happy ending, will we be able to taste some happiness for two?
- Everything will be fine, Luke. It has to be - I whisper.
My heart rises to my throat when a disturbing noise comes from outside. I get off the bed and run to the window, through the curtain watching the high wall through which people dressed in black are jumping. Alexander's security guards are fighting them, and my attention is caught by a man who is standing in front of the stairs, improving his tie.
- Has it started? Is this my father?
I reach the door and take one last glance at the unconscious Luke, who is somehow now safe. I stick my head outside and look around the hallway. I can hear that there is a commotion in the house. The servants are panicking, Alexander's men are fighting, and I close the door behind me and run up to the banister.
Fear makes me sick as I watch a stocky man walk inside. He looks boldly at Alexander, who is moving toward him with a quick step. There is a battle going on around them, and they look like lions waiting for the moment to unleash a real war.
- You had the audacity to enter my private property.... - The first to speak is Alexander, who is unhappy with the enemy's play.
- The truth is that I was excited to meet you after so many years. I wanted to see how you were and if you were living well....
There is so much false kindness in their conversation that it scares me the most. I'm afraid of what might come next.
- You sat quietly in hiding for eighteen years, so what happened that you finally decided to attack, Robert?
I'm worried that Alexander will feel bad, and this will weaken him before the enemy. I would rather not be taken away by my biological father. I am afraid of him when I observe his terrible attitude. The expression on his face is terrible.... Only now do I see how Alexander is very different from him. My father has the face of a real mafioso.
- It has come to my attention that you are detaining my best man and have once again hidden my daughter. - I feel shivers all over my body as the man lifts his face and aims his gaze at me. - She has grown into a beautiful woman.
Alexander turns to face me and I can see that he is struggling to keep his cool.
- Solar won't come back with you, unless over my dead body - the blond man declares boldly, and I close my eyelids, having a bad feeling.
- Sounds interesting, Alexander.
The real war begins here and now. Who will be the winner, and who will suffer defeat? One thing is certain: before the morning comes, someone will undoubtedly lose his life....