Aries' POV
I was in my room pacing.
Again.
Phone pressed to my ear.
"Ella, you don't understand," I said, running a hand through my hair. "He walked in like he owns the house. Called my mom 'Mother.' Laid on Jay's lap. On. Her. Lap."
Ella laughed on the other end. "You're jealous."
"I am not jealous. I am concerned."
"For your sister?"
"Yes."
"For her… or because he's bold?"
I opened my mouth to argue—
Then I heard something.
A sound.
Not loud.
But wrong.
I went quiet.
"Aries?" Ella asked.
"Call you later."
I ended the call without waiting for her reply.
The hallway felt tense the moment I stepped out.
Mom. Angelo. Aunty Gemma.
All standing in front of Jay's door.
Mom was knocking.
"Jay? Open the door."
No response.
Then—
A sound from inside.
Crying.
My stomach dropped.
"What's going on?" I demanded.
"No one knows," Aunty Gemma whispered.
Angelo tried the handle.
Locked.
The crying inside wasn't normal.
It wasn't soft.
It was panicked.
Broken.
Inner thought:
No. No no no. Not again.
"Move," I said.
Angelo and I stepped back.
"One… two… three."
We forced the door.
It took two tries.
Then it gave in.
The first thing I saw—
Red.
On the floor.
A thin trail.
Leading to the bathroom.
My chest tightened so hard it hurt.
Mom gasped.
We followed it.
And there she was.
Jay.
On the floor.
Back against the cabinet.
Her hand bleeding.
Her breathing unstable.
Eyes wide but unfocused.
Like she wasn't here.
"Jay," I said softly.
She flinched violently.
"No— don't— don't come," she was muttering.
It's her trauma.
I stepped closer carefully.
"Jay. It's me."
She looked up suddenly—
And swung.
Her fist hit my cheek.
Hard.
I didn't move.
"It's okay," I said quietly, even though my jaw stung.
She was shaking.
Trying to push us away.
Angelo crouched slowly. "We're not hurting you."
She didn't hear him.
She was somewhere else.
She's reliving it.
"Give me something," I said quickly.
Angelo handed me his handkerchief.
I moved slowly.
Very slowly.
Like approaching a scared animal.
"Jay," I whispered. "I'm here. Just me."
She was crying openly now.
"I can't," she kept saying. "pls stop ."
My heart felt like it was being crushed.
I gently took her injured hand and wrapped the cloth around it.
She resisted at first.
Then suddenly—
She grabbed me.
Both arms around my torso.
Clinging.
Tight.
So tight I could barely breathe.
I froze.
Then wrapped my arms around her carefully.
"It's okay," I murmured.
Mom was wiping the blood from the floor quietly.
Aunty Gemma was holding her breath.
"Go," I said without looking at them. "I'll handle it."
"We should stay—" Mom started.
"I've got her."
After a moment… they left.
The room became quieter.
Jay's grip didn't loosen.
I tried to stand.
She wouldn't let go.
So I stood with her still attached to me.
"Okay," I muttered softly. "We're moving."
I carried her carefully to her bed and sat down with her.
Her fingers were still clutching my shirt.
I reached for water on her table.
Poured some into a glass.
When I held it to her lips, she drank a little.
Still shaking.
That's when I saw it.
A paper.
On the floor.
With a faint stain of blood.
My eyes narrowed.
This didn't just happen.
I handed her the glass.
"Stay," I said softly.
She didn't answer.
I picked up the paper carefully.
Placed it on her table.
Unfolded it slowly.
Something small dropped out.
A blade.
My jaw clenched instantly.
I picked it up and threw it into the bin.
Then I looked at the words written inside.
"This is your blood. Next would be your loved ones. From your late enemy's daughter. S."
Everything inside me went cold.
Late enemy.
S.
Could it be who keifer told me about
Sienna.
You came into my house.
You hurt her.
You threatened my Sister.
My grip on the paper tightened.
I looked at Jay.
Still trembling.
Still trying to breathe normally.
And something inside me snapped into place.
This wasn't a joke anymore.
This wasn't teenage rivalry.
This was war.
And I don't lose wars.
End of Chapter.