Obsessed to Hate Him-Chapter 54: Home
LIAM
White-hot agony dances across my vision as Kian presses my head harder against the floor. My lungs are burning with the lack of oxygen in them and my heart is beating wildly as if it is trying to rip out of my chest already.
Suddenly, Vivana’s distinct, cool, authoritative voice drifts to my ears, somewhat clearing my mind.
"Let him go." Her crisp voice rings out through the hall.
Sense comes crashing on me. How can Vivana come here? This is impossible. This is Oblivara. I try to suck in breath but my chest hurts. Seemingly, I have broken a few ribs.
"Who are you?" Kian’s voice is wary and it is almost like he is just ready to shove one or two daggers through anyone who would dare approach him now.
"Let Liam go, Kian." Jennifer’s commanding voice comes in soon after.
I try to keep my shits together as I try to push away the pain and agony consuming my body and playing with my conscience. I let out a muffled agonized groan. I sound like a wild animal.
"And why should I do that?" I can particularly see the frown on Kian’s face, his grip on me unyielding. I am on the verge of losing my consciousness.
"Because I told you to." Jennifer snaps.
I reach out to claw at his hand and pry it away from me to no avail. He presses me harder against the floorboard. Black beads fill the edge of my vision as I choke out a mouthful of blood.
"I am not letting him go." Kian grits out.
My whole body tenses up even more. I am so sure that I am on the verge of dying because everything feels surreal. How the hell is Vivana supposed to come here? And why the hell I am thinking about all the time I have spent with Kian? His every smile, every laughter, every joke he made, every annoying remark he made, and everything...
Tears flood my vision, overpowering my hostility. There is a numb ache in my chest, and this ache is not from the harsh beating Kian delivered me just a few minutes ago. It is getting very hard to breathe, almost harder to keep my eyes open, and even harder to let my brain win the battle of my heart and brain.
I think I hear Vivana say something, but I can’t decipher it as the lack of oxygen in my brain cuts off my every nerve and puts me in deep slumber. My limbs fall limply as I stop struggling against Kian and a tear slips free from my eyes. I embrace the darkness.
***
There is a relentless buzzing inside my head that just won’t go away. I, at last, get fed up with the buzzing and blink open my eyes just to intensify it. Everything is a blur around me and I blink several times to focus on my surroundings. Everything in my body hurts. My ribs, my head, my arms, my legs, and everything.
I look around the room, not quite recognizing the scent of rich wood and leather and the luxurious furnishing. I wonder if I have died and if this is the afterlife.
"You are awake." A familiar female voice sounds beside me, relief washing over her tone.
I turn my head to look at the person sitting beside me. It is a blur for a few seconds before it clears, and a lean, brunette figure comes into my view. Vivana.
"Vivana?" I blurt out as I slowly start to sit up, winching at the faint ache in my rib. I blink, surprised, "Why are you here? Where am I?"
Vivana looks a little skeptical at my last question. A frown takes place between her eyebrows as she assesses me silently for a moment before replying, "This is your room, Liam."
Something inside my head clicks and I look around, taking in my surroundings intently. Yes. It is indeed my room. The room I have occupied ever since I remember. The room I have always called mine. But now it doesn’t quite feel mine. It doesn’t smell like coffee beans and rich leather. It doesn’t warm...
"What am I doing here?" I snap my head back to Vivana, who is inspecting me with keen interest, a frown grooving her features. "I am supposed to be in Oblivara."
Vivana pauses for a moment before speaking slowly, "You don’t remember?"
"Remember what?" I blink as I return the question, my heart playing a haphazard rhythm inside my chest, anticipation building. I don’t know what I am anticipating, but I am indeed anticipating something.
"Kian and you go into a brawl." Vivana says slowly, taking in my every reaction and emotion, "He was about to kill you. Your familiar saw it and instantly went to Jennifer. Jennifer used a teleportation crystal to summon me and go to the cathedral to save you." She gives me a brief encounter on what happened on her end.
My expression remains neutral throughout her explanation as my scattered memories start to fall into their rightful place.
"How many injuries do I have?" I fight not to ask about the man who I was a breath away from killing. I am extremely proud of how natural I sound.
"You have three broken ribs, a split lip, and bruises everywhere. You have been unconscious for three days." She concludes.
"I see," I reply drily.
"This is two in the morning." She gets on her feet and walks to the door, "Mother has been weeping since you got here. She will pounce on you first thing in the morning once she knows that you have woken up."
"Alright." I nod, regretting instantly as the movement makes my head hurt harder.
With one last smile, Vivana leaves the room, closing the door behind her. My body immediately slumps forward. I don’t need to see myself in the mirror to say that I look horrible. But still, I can’t stop thinking about the man who did this to me.
Kill me now.
