Chapter Two

Never In a million years did Summer expect to find herself in this situation.

She had always considered it a mere TV spectacle, but there she sat, facing the Mayor himself, who was attempting to buy her silence regarding his son's wrongdoing.

His lips twitched slightly as he slid a briefcase across the table. It landed with a heavy thud. Summer couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

"Isn't your offer a bit too modest?" she quipped with a smirk.

Lucien Hamilton's eyes widened in surprise. "I'll double it, twenty million dollars if you drop the case." he proposed.

Summer wasn't fooled by his act and found him repulsive.

"You know what baffles me, Mr. Hamilton?" She asked. "You came here pretending to apologize for your son's mess, but all I see is an attempt to bribe us,"

Something shifted in the Mayor's demeanor, and he dropped the facade, his lips curving into a smile.

"Miss Dawson, let's not jump to conclusions. This is my sincere apology for my son's minor misjudgment," he claimed.

Summer thought this was better; at least he was showing his true colors.

"Oh, you can keep your money for when your son is locked up." she retorted, a lazy grin on her face.

***

Lucien chuckled, reminiscing about how fiercely Summer had confronted him. He admired her resolve, even though he would have preferred to have her on his side. It was unfortunate that she was against him and he had to clip off her wings.

"Father, have they decided to drop the complaint?" Bruno's palm was moist with sweat and he could hear the sound of his heart beating.

Lucien took short strides towards his son. He raised his hand and Bruno flinched.

Lucien scoffed and rested his hand on Bruno's shoulder. "Every time I think you're ready for more responsibility, you find a way to disappoint me."

Bruno's eyes widened, and he fell to his knees. "Forgive me, Father. I never meant for it to happen, but she was there, vulnerable, and I-"

Lucien smiled at his son. Bruno was just like him, if he'd only follow instructions then he would be the perfect son.

"Father, I'll do anything to make amends," Bruno looked up at his father. "Please give me a chance to prove my worth."

"Very well, if you can complete this mission efficiently, you won't face the consequences." Lucien agreed, much to Bruno's relief.

Before they could continue, Lucien's bodyguard entered the room, showing him a video on his smartphone – a recording of Summer Dawson discussing their meeting.

"Show it to me." Lucien said.

The bodyguard nodded and pressed the play button on the screen.

They watched Summer hold up her smartphone and show it to Damien and Josie, a grin plastered on her face.

"I managed to record my conversation with the mayor, and it will show that he was trying to bribe us from dropping the complaint."

Damien and Josie's eyes went wide in surprise at Summer's revelation.

"How did you manage that, Mom?"

Summer grinned at him. "It was simple, when the doorbell rang, I checked through the peephole and saw the Mayor and his goons, I immediately put my phone on record."

The video stopped and the man waited for his master's instructions.

Bruno looked at his father with wary eyes, he was like a time bomb that could go off any moment, but he was left in confusion as his father burst into laughter.

Bruno was appalled by the situation, but Lucien was laughing his ass off. The younger Hamilton wondered if his father had finally lost his mind.

***

Summer smiled as she watched her son and Josie sleep peacefully, temporarily free from the legal battles that awaited them.

She sighed and closed Damien's bedroom door before heading to her room.

Beep!

Summer brought out her phone from her pocket, her brows furrowed at the mention.

Tristan: Sorry sis, my flight has been delayed so I'll reach Elysium later.

She was relieved he was okay and could stop worrying, she sent a quick "okay" and stuffed her phone in her pocket.

Summer went to the bathroom and splashed a bit of water on her face. She looked up and her reflection stared back at her.

Time had passed, and she could see changes in her appearance. Summer's eyes had dulled, her curly brunette hair showed signs of gray, and her body had gained some weight. But she loved herself, regardless of others' opinions.

"You know, Miss Dawson, you're a very gorgeous woman."

Summer froze. Bruno stood behind her, a hideous grin plastered on his face.

How is this possible? There was no one behind her? Where did he come from?

Before she could react, Bruno slammed her head in the mirror and it shattered to pieces, her blood dripping on the scattered glass shards.

Her body wavered and she hit the ground with a thud. Through the foggy veil descending over her senses, a shadow figure advanced toward her.

"You had this coming Summer."

***

"Wake up gorgeous." A chilling voice sliced through Summer's drowsiness.

Her eyes shot open, her heart pounding as recognition flooded her senses. With great effort, she struggled to sit up, her gaze fixing on the source of that haunting voice.

Her breath caught in her throat, and her eyes widened in sheer horror.

Damien, her beloved son, stood battered and bruised just a few steps away. She tried to rise to her feet, her body trembling with the effort, but a cruel force pushed her back to the ground with a painful thud.

Laughter erupted from the men flanking Damien, each cruel chuckle feeling like a dagger to her heart.

"Do you think you're some kind of superhero, you fat bitch?" one of them taunted, eliciting more sadistic laughter.

"Okay, guys, enough chit-chat. Help Miss Dawson to her feet." commanded Lucien Hamilton, his presence casting a long shadow over the nightmare unfolding before her.

Lucien's henchmen roughly yanked her up, their iron grips on her hands causing her to wince in pain. She groaned, tears stinging her eyes.

"Miss Dawson, we meet again." Lucien jeered, his mocking tone sending shivers down her spine.

"D-Damien, my son... l-let my son go, please... please." she begged desperation seeping into her trembling voice.

"Tsk...Tsk, now where's the fun in that? If you beg right from the start, how can this be entertaining for me?" Lucien sneered, his eyes locked on her with malicious intent.

Summer's gaze darted to her son, his breathing growing slower and shallower by the second. Tears streamed down her face, her heartache unbearable.

"Please, let my Damien go, let him go," she pleaded, her voice breaking.

"I came to you with an offer to drop the complaint for a sum of ten million, and I even offered to double it," Lucien asked, a sinister smile playing on his lips. "But do you remember what you told me?"

Summer shook her head, sobbing uncontrollably.

"You told me to save my compensation money for when my son is put behind bars," Lucien chuckled, relishing in her despair.

"Can you believe that, Mr. Spark?"

Dylan chuckled, grinning down at Summer. Her eyes widened. "She's a fool."

Summer couldn't believe that the chief of police was in on this too and all along he was Lucien's lackey.

"You promised to help us, why?" Summer's voice trembled with confusion and disbelief.

"The thing is, I work for the mayor, and all this is just a disguise to fool innocent souls like you into thinking that the law is on your side." Dylan explained, his grin widening.

"Do you see now, Miss Dawson?" Lucien taunted, his voice dripping with malevolence. "Everyone in this town is at my beck and call, and someone like you is an ant compared to me."

Desperation clawed at Summer's throat as she yearned to defy him, to call him out as the monster he truly was. But she couldn't find the words, not when her son's life hung in the balance.

"Dad, can we kill this cunt? My hands are itching already." Bruno chimed in, his excitement palpable as he cruelly gripped Damien's battered face, forcing him to gaze at his anguished mother.

Summer sobbed uncontrollably. "Please, I'll do anything, just let my son go. Damien…"

Lucien stared at her coldly. "You know, it wouldn't have come to this if you had agreed earlier. Kill him, Bruno."

"No! No! No, please don't…" She tried to fight out of the bodyguards' grip, but their hold on her was too tight.

"Don't do this Lucien. Please, don't…"

Bruno brought out a Swiss Army knife from his pocket and held it directly against Damien's neck.

"Damien, don't you have anything to say to mummy?" he asked in a taunting voice, Damien weakly opened his swollen eyes and looked at his mother.

"Mom-" Bruno slashed his neck in one clean cut.

Damien fought to speak, but his voice came out as a hoarse whisper. , he gurgled, his eyes darting to his mother. Damien's vision blurred and eyes grew vacant, his body slumped over on the ground. In a matter of seconds, he was dead.

[End of Flashback]

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Miss Dawson. Seeing you in pain like this equally saddens me," Lucien smirked. "although it could have all been avoided if you weren't stubborn."

A sob racked through Summer's body.

"I'll kill you… I'll kill you."

He said, leaning towards her. "What was that? Speak up, I can't-"

Summer lunged at him. She was held back by his lackeys. She kicked and struggled, screaming.

"I'll kill you! I'll fucking murder you and make sure you pay for this… you're dead, I'll destroy you."

Bruno snickered. "I think she has finally gone mad, Father."

Lucien swiftly drew his revolver from his jacket, aiming at Summer.

"You should understand one thing about me: I never spare my enemies, no matter how insignificant," he declared.

Bruno wore a smirk on his face. "I'll make sure to look after Josie now. Farewell, Miss Dawson."

Lucien fired. A searing pain tore through Summer's stomach. She struggled to breathe, her body quivering.

The men released her, and she crumpled to the floor. A chilling numbness enveloped her.

Was this the sensation of death? Why did her heartache hurt more than anything else?

How could it all end like this? She yearned for a second chance, a hope that some divine force could grant her the opportunity to avenge those who had shattered her life. But alas, second chances were mere fantasies, impossible dreams.

Her vision faded into darkness, and she was swallowed by its embrace.