The end of Devanta Machiavelli

I fell hard on the ground. My left side of my face was throbbing from the hard slap I received. Tears started swelling up in my eyes but I didn't dare letting them fall freely because of him.

My father stood before me and kicked me once more in the stomach. The impact pushed all feelings out of me and numbness fell upon me. My vision began to blur. All I could hear was my thumping heart that thumbed wildly against my chest.

I looked up to see my father looking down at me with spite.

"Devanta Jagu-Dabh. You don´t deserve your right to be my daughter anymore and you also don´t deserve to use the family name Machiavelli anymore. I don´t want a disobedient daughter like you. You are nothing but a waste of my money and my time. Go and join your mother in hell. When you decide to change for good and be a good daughter I might reconsider you. Until then GET OUT OF MY SIGHT."

My father spat those words out like it was poison. Poison that would slowly but painfully sink into my body and my heart.

I somehow managed to stand up and look at my own father who just abandoned me. I tried to give him my fiercest look I had and left the room.

Right after I left that room I started to run. I ran until I reached my room. Tired physically and emotionally I just fell on my bed face first. I forgot that I had a huge bruise on my stomach where my father kicked me. Even my soft bed cover alone hurt on it. I rolled on my back and stared at the ceiling. All the exhaustion of the previous weeks started to kick in and added with that huge fight with my father earlier I just drifted into a dreamless sleep.

While Devanta was sleeping, the door to her bedroom opened and in came a young man. He swiftly came in and locked the door quietly. Then he went closer to her bed. Seeing Devanta sleeping soundly, he heaved a light sigh. He pulled a medicine box out of a bag he bought with him. Slowly he put her legs that were dangling from edge on the bed. Then he pulled her shirt up and put on some ointment on her stomach and also some on her face where she was slapped. He looked at her arms and saw some small cuts on it so he also put some ointment on them. Satisfied with his work he put the medicine box away.

Hearing noises outside of the room he quickly stood up and walked to the door. When he didn´t hear anything he opened the door and went out.

Outside stood the twins Marco and Luca already waiting for him to come out of Devanta´s room.

"Well well well. What do we have here? Jackson what were you doing in our princess´s room, mhm?", both teased him.

"Guys you saw her. This time he went too far. She could get seriously injured. I was just worried.", Jackson tried to defend his action but all of them knew that in reality...

"Oh come on. We all know that you worry about her all the time. You tend to her like she is made out of glass. Bro just relax. That kick was strong we agree. And her mission wasn´t easy but she survived it and came out of it stronger. And scars and wounds heal over time so ease up man. You are worse then a mom." With that both twins turned around and left Jackson standing there alone.

He wasn´t happy about what the twins just said but they were true. Devanta was strong to begin with but after these years training under the wrath of her father and all his torture, she was even stronger. He was glad to know such a strong girl but at the same time he wished she never came back to her father. Secretly he wished that they wouldn´t meet in this kind of situation but what already happened can´t be turned back and now his only option is to stay by her side and protect her.

As her half brother.

I opened my eyes feeling a little better after sleeping for a while. I tried to get up but the bruise on my stomach hurt too much. I didn´t have another chance but to roll on my side and slowly stand up. Only then did I smell the scent of ointment on me.

Someone must have tended my wounds and I can pretty much guess who it was. I stood up and started to pack my suitcase. Father didn´t want to see me anymore so it´ll be best if I move out of here. This place no longer belongs to me. It never was.

5 years ago, after my mother died of cancer, I was bought to this villa. Father was the only relative I had after mom´s death. I tried to do everything he asked me to do. I took martial arts, I learned how to shoot a gun, I studied economy... I did everything but just because I failed this one time... he just throws me away. I know he secretly wishes for me to be a boy instead of a girl. I could inherit is heritage but I´m not. After I was born and he found out that my mom wasn´t able to give birth a second time he tossed her on the street not caring what would happen to her and her newborn baby. He divorced my mother and made her promise that she would never contact her own family again because he feared they would get back at him.

My mother... my mother who truly loved him agreed to his conditions even though she knew that it would mean that she would become homeless without any support from her family. Still she agreed. While we both suffered to stay alive and somehow have a good live, father took in one mistress after another trying to get a son. It´s like karma got him back because after years he still couldn´t manage to get what he most wished for. That´s why he took in a son of a fallen noble family to raise him to become his heir. And that boy turned out to be Jackson.

When I turned 14 mom became sick and doctors found out she had brain tumor. Slowly the tumor ate mom away and all treatment couldn´t help her. My strong mom who worked day and night to provide a good live for both of us who still smiled after a hard workday... this strong woman lay before me in her hospital bed, face pale as her bed sheet and thin like a little doll. Day after day she struggled and soon there was nothing left of her. I stopped going to school and worked every part time job I could find to pay the medical fees but all efforts were in vain. My mom died one day after my birthday.

I had no other place to go to, so I came to my father and begged him to help me to at least finish school. I promised I would do anything he would ask of me. Well at the end I couldn´t do this one thing he asked of me... but I don´t care anymore. I´m 18 now and I´m sure I will survive on my own.

I finished packing and got out of my room. It was deep at night so only a few guards at the front gate were up. I swiftly walked past them. They didn´t stop me. I looked back at the big villa. No one would miss me and I´m glad for that. It would make it so much more painful if there were someone who I could miss. I walked past the other big residences and came to the big city. Over the 3 years I had saved the allowance father had given me. It was enough to live a few weeks for now before I could look for a job. I knew it was dangerous to walk around alone at this time of the night but I´m not defenseless.

I walked along the main street until I reached a small alley. I walked through it and reached the slums. Since mom died I didn´t come here again but I was sure that our old landlord would still be there. So I walked down the street past some scary looking guys hanging around obviously drunk and soon reached the little house of our landlord. I knocked on the door and waited patiently. Landlord was already old so he might need a while to reach the door and I was right. After a while the door finally opened and revealed an old man.

"Who is there?..." He looked at me and tried to remember where he had seen me.

"Grandpa it´s me. I´m Devy. Long time no see." After hearing my voice his eyes lit up.

"Ah Devy my dear child. How are you? Come on in. Come in." He grabbed me and pulled me inside. I happily followed him. In the past old landlord was very good to me and mom. When we had no money left, he had took us in and helped us as much as he could. Till this day I´m very grateful to him. He hadn´t any children and his wive died a long time ago so he is all alone now. That´s why I decided to call him grandpa and to treat him as my family and he also did the same.

"Grandpa how are you? It´s been three years since we last saw each other. I´m sorry I couldn´t contact you." I apologized. All these years I was sorry for him who still lived in this small house on his own while I had a big room for myself and warm meals every day.

"What are you sorry for. I know how strict your father is. I understand so don´t worry. But little Devy. Why are you here? It´s late already. Shouldn´t you go home. Your father might worry."

"Grandpa... I´m sorry to ask this from you but can I stay here for a while? I left home. I can´t go back to father anymore and I don´t have another place to stay. I won´t bother you for long. When I find a job I will look for a place for me to stay, don´t worry."

"No no no. Don´t worry. This old grandpa is glad to have you here. You can stay as long as you want. You poor child. Just stay here and focus on yourself. Don´t worry about this trivial matter. Finish school first." Grandpa spoke resolutely. I teared up hearing his kind words. It was rare to meet someone as kind as him. Even though he himself didn´t had much he was willing to share it and that is something I´m very grateful for. In that night I promised myself that I will do everything I can to pay this debt to him back double.