Chapter 8 -Marianna

  (Sage's Point of View)

  I stood there frozen, unable to move my body. I was in total disbelief. The woman who claimed not to be my mother was standing before me. I didn't know whether to hug or hit her out of anger.

  She came closer to me and wrapped her arms around me, and I could feel her tears wetting my shirt as she leaned her head on my shoulder.

  I finally mustered the courage to rub my hand through her honey-blond hair. She was taller than me, so she had to bend to rest her head on mine.

  “Where have you been?” I questioned her as I tried to push her off me.

  She grabbed my hand tightly and raised her head.

  “I know I have a lot to explain, but now isn't the time,” she said, turning around to face the direction Rosemary was.

  “I have to get you out of here before Brent takes you back to..” She paused for a second as we heard footsteps.

  I saw Rosie stumbling to walk, holding onto the wall. She looked up and started staring like a deer in headlights.

  “Ms. Peyton?” Rosie asked in disbelief.

  “How are you here?” I mean, “Aren't we on a ship?” She continued saying.

  My mom smiled at Rosie and gestured for her to come over. Rosie started straightening her walk as she held onto the wall for support.

  We walked towards the couch. Rosie and I sat down, and my mom remained standing.

  “To answer your question,” she stated, “I was contacted by Tia, letting me know she was compromised, and we need to hurry and move you two."

  I got irritated for a second and slammed my hand on the table.

  “That doesn't answer anything!” I yelled at her,

  “What the hell is going on?” I questioned her again.

  “Hey, I'm still the one who raised you. Don't raise your voice at me", My mother shouted back.

  I grit my teeth. How dare she, I thought to myself.

  “Why did you leave me behind?” I shouted again. “Why did you only leave letters?” I asked while tearing up, holding my head down.

  She lifted my head and kissed my forehead. She leaned her head against mine again.

  “I tried to erase traces of you,” she said.

  I looked at her.

  “What?” I asked.

  She sighed.

  “I contacted Tia and Boston and told them to protect you two while I destroyed information about you.”, she stated.

  “And the letters I left them just in case I was killed in the process, for two to learn that you're sisters.” She continued.

  I hesitate for a second while taking in all this new information.

  “If we're sisters and you're not her real mother and my dads, not my real father,” Rosie spoke up while I was hesitating.

  “Whose our real parents? She asked, “Why were we found at an orphanage?” “Brent mentioned something about someone In our biological family who is after us.” she continued, asking questions in a frustrated tone.

  My mom, or should I say Peyton, looked up and looked away for a second.

  “I didn't find you at an orphanage,” she said. “ I had to stage it and make it seem like you two were abandoned newborns; it was the only way I could adopt one of you while Nathan adopted the other after we fled to the free nation.” She stated.

  Rosie and I looked at her, shocked.

  “But the letter..” I said.

  She cut me off, putting her hand up like she wanted me not to talk and listen.

  She sighed.

  “I'll tell you a little bit at a time, but we must find a way to get out here.

  “But we're on a ship; how will we get out of here?” Rosie asked.

  “Don't worry, I have people on the inside,” she stated.

  Rosie and I looked at each other, still in pure confusion.

  Before we could get another word out, we heard the keys fumbling outside the door.

  “Shit,” Peyton said.

  She looked at us and covered her mouth with one finger. We nodded our heads, and she went towards the bathroom to hide.

  The door opened, and the big buff guy walked in, with Brent walking in behind him.

  We sat there looking up at him, and he sat on the couch across from us. The big buff man walked around the couch and stood behind us.

  “Well, well,” Brent said. “How are my two favorite hostages?” He asked.

  Rosie spat at him, but it didn't reach and landed on the table in between us.

  Brent looked at the table, and I swear I saw his vein poke out on the side of his head.

  I nudged Rosie, and she nudged me back.

  Brent regained his composure and crossed his legs.

  “Your dick must be tiny if you're that comfortable crossing your legs,” I said

  Brent's face went from smirking to full-on rage. He jumped up, lifting the table and knocking it on top of us.

  “You stupid bitches” he yelled while kicking on the table, smashing it down on us.

  Rosie and I clung to each other; the stomping and table smashing down on us were causing unbearable pain.

  “I swear you're the one who's going to get us killed this time,'' Rosie whispered.

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  Brent stopped stomping on the table and regained his composure, fixing his suit.

  “I swear you stupid bitches are just like that bitch, Marianna,” he said in a very pissed-off tone.

  The big buff guy pulled the table off us, and Brent stood before us, smirking.

  “Who's Marianna?” I asked.

  Brent looked at me expressionless.

  “ Oh yeah, I forgot she goes by Peyton now,” he said.

  “ I guess you don't know anything about your so-called mother,” he said arrogantly.

  He looked at the big buff man and signaled him to come over.

  “Hey Jack, go to my office and get that package and return,” he ordered.

  The buff guy, whose name we learned is Jack, nodded his head and walked out of the room

  “Where are you taking us?” I said.

  “My client,” he said while lighting a cigarette.

  “Who's your client, and what does he want with us?” I asked.

  He flicked his cigarette ashes toward me, but they didn't reach me and fell on the floor.

  “My client seems to be your grandfather,” he said.

  Rosie and I were appalled.

  “What?!” We asked at the same time

  “And it seems like he's been searching for you two for a very long time, something about your existence being a threat,” he added.

  “A threat?” Rosie asked.

  “How can we be a threat to someone we don't even know?” I yelled out.

  Brent shrugged his shoulders and seemed uninterested in the reason.

  Rosie and I couldn't believe what we were hearing.

  “I guess Marianna didn't tell you anything about your heritage,” he stated, “Or maybe she was never going to tell you.” He said while fixing his suit again.

  I closed my eyes out of frustration; it seemed like Peyton had much explaining to do. I was disgusted by the fact my whole life was a lie.

  I was curious about the fact that our supposed grandfather was the one trying to harm us.

  “Do you know who my grandfather is?” I asked Brent.

  He looked at me and then ignored me. He looked at his watch like he was waiting for something. Then I remembered the big man named Jack was supposed to bring something back to him.

  “Where is he? It's been over 10 minutes,” he mumbled to himself, but I heard every word.

  Brent walked towards the door, getting ready to open it. The more petite man from before, who put the collar on me, was standing there getting ready to knock.

  “Why are you here?” Brent questioned him.

  The man looks at Rosie and I and then back to Brent.

  “Sir, you have a call,” he said

  Brent looked at the man and then at his watch again. As soon as Brent lifted his head again, the more petite man pulled out a gun and placed it against Brent's forehead.

  The man began to take steps forward, making Brent take steps back. He closed the door behind him, making Brent take more steps back. Peyton Or Marianna, shit, I don't know what to call her, I thought to myself.

  My fake mother walked out of the bathroom with a long black rope.

  Brent saw her and scoffed.

  “ I knew you had to be very close,” he said, smirking. “After all, you were one hell of a knight.

  I caught on to what he said.

  “A knight,” I said out loud.

  She looked at me and sighed. The more petite man kept the gun up to Brent's head. But Brent didn't seem scared at all.

  “What does he mean by a knight?” I asked with a very impatient tone. “I've had enough of this. I want answers,” I shouted.

  “As I mentioned earlier, I didn't find you in front of the orphanage,” she stated.

  She had my and Rosie's full attention at that moment.

  “I was your nanny and your guardian knight,” she continued.

  “Guardian knight?” I asked, but she interrupted.

  “I fled to the free nation with you and Rosie when you were newborns, after the assassination attempt of your parents.", she answered.

  Rose and I were speechless. What did all of this mean? I felt like I was losing my mind trying to process all this.

  “Is your name Peyton or Marianna?” I asked her, demanding an answer.

  She looked at me with a regretful look.

  “My name is Marianna Lapland,” she stated.

  “I changed it to Peyton Young after fleeing and settling in the new country; Nathan helped me. He was a bounty hunter I knew before I became your nanny,” she continued saying.

  Rosie stood up and stumbled, trying to walk towards Brent.

  “Is this what you meant by our grandfather as your client and us being a threat?” she asked.

  Brent looked at her and nodded.

  “Who is he? She demanded an answer.

  Brent looked at Peyton, and she shook her head like she didn't want him to answer.

  He put his middle finger up, smirked, and looked back at Rosie.

  “The King of Vanuatu,” he said.

  “Bang!” The more petite man let out a shot to Brent's head, causing his blood to splatter all over.

  I stood there frozen once again.