The Warmth In Her Heart

Her parents are the most ecstatic seeing her in the party as they immediately took her away to meet with other people. Alicia reluctantly had to let go of Tristan when they drag her the moment she put her cutlery down. Tristan wanted to follow suit but was held back by bunch of Prince of Hell. She wanted to curse each one of them for holding Tristan back. Sighing inwardly, she needed to face this reality sooner or later. She's been introduced to many of her parent's friend and they were surprisingly polite and nice. She was thankful they didn't look down on her and was accepted as part of the society. After quite some time she finally feeling comfortable associating with them because as a doctor, she learn to observe the situation and gave an accurate diagnose. Her parent's friends after they learn she was a doctor at such a young age, they immediately bombarded her with various type of health question. Since it was one of her expertise, she didn't hold back. Spending almost an hour answering her new patients, she excused herself to go to washroom. But remembering what happen in the restaurant and any other scene, it wasn't a perfect place to go since enemy would always come uninvited. So in the end she head towards the balcony to take fresh air from the endless questions that were given. She almost had blister on her mouth for talking so much. Plus, she was little bit tired. From the long surgery, running away and now this. It would have been great if she could sleep on her bed now. Will anyone notice if she took her leave now? The thought does seem intriguing. She made her plan. To leave before the party ends. Turning towards the ballroom again she was stopped by the people she doesn't want to see the most.

Anderson and his family has been keeping an eye on Alicia ever since she enter the ballroom. They have looking for every opportunity they can to grab her and lock her away inside their mansion. They couldn't care less about offending The Xander at the moment since Alicia is still partly a Anderson. He is still Alicia's father no matter what and he have the right to do whatever he wants to his own daughter. Right now, they needed to bring her back and lock her up so that they can get the rest of the money that his father put under her name.

"After years of gone missing and today you showed up with a new identity? Have you forgotten that you're an Anderson? And i am still your father!!!" Mr Anderson sneered at her.

"Missing? Didn't you decided to throw me the day i got into accident? So what if you're my father? You have no control of my life anymore." Alicia said icily. She couldn't care less what they want. She's not a little girl anymore who doesn't know how to fight back.

"Sister...how could you say that? Don't you know that we're worried for you for all these years? We wanted to take care of you when you're in the hospital but we weren't allowed to enter the room. We were kicked out of the hospital. And when you were discharge, we couldn't find you anywhere. I have been looking for you, finding your whereabouts but to no avail. And now, you showed up but..." Stephanie starts to cry in grief. Mr Anderson who saw that felt terrible for having Alicia as his daughter and not Stephanie. Stephanie would always thought of him while Alicia will always make problems. Just like her s*** mother.

Alicia snorted seeing the so called tears. She was very impressed she could cry despite being livid at her.

"Really now? Tell me my dear step sister. How long have i've been missing? If you could answer than i might believe that you are truly worried for me." She said lazily as she lean back onto the railing watching Stephanie stiffen and her face changed. It was only a second before she turns back crying. If she wasn't the observant type, she might be fooled just like her own father right now.

"How could i not know. You were missing for 6 years. We thought you were dead since there's no news about you." Stephanie said meekly.

"Wow...six years huh? Just because you can't kill me back then, you even had amnesia now? 3949..." Alicia left her words hanging when she saw Stephanie going pale with her panic eyes. It wasn't long before she pretended to faint causing Anderson burst in anger. He gave a signal and suddenly two guards appear by Alicia's side and hold both of her arm as Anderson got closer to her.

"It seems you have forgotten to learn some manners. Or have you forgotten the lesson i taught you?" Anderson pinched her cheek as he look at her eye who still doesn't show any emotion. In the past it was always clouded with fear. But today, she looked at him as if he was just some stranger who doesn't have any relation nor past with her. Instead of cry in fear, she was smiling.

"Lesson? You mean all those beating and whippings? I wonder what will happen if i actually report it to the police? Tell me Mr Anderson, are you willing to take that chance?" She challenged him as her eyes squint at him.

Bang!!!

"No one threatened me. Not even a s*** like your mother." He punched her in the face not caring where they are at the moment. Alicia who knew she was making him angry on purpose already expected that from him. But she didn't even make a sound. Instead she spit out the blood inside her mouth onto his face. As she smile in satisfaction.

"You are courting death!!! Beat her. Break her arm and leg. Make sure she can't get away. Lock her in the dungeon." Anderson snarled as he gave another punch on her stomach. She was gasping in pain.

The two guards who are as cruel as Anderson didn't bother to hesitate and start punching her even more. Despite that, she broke free from their grasp and start to fight back. She have learn self defense from her brother but when she's wearing a long dress, her movement turn awkward. She needed to find a way to head back to the ballroom but it was useless when Anderson caught her arm and broke it without batting an eye. The pain almost cause her to passed out. The two guards took the opportunity to break her other arm and also her leg. She was in so much pain and exhausted at the same time. Thinking she will never see the people she love again cause her heart in pain. She wanted to call out their name but she didn't know why her voice won't come out. Was it fear? Or the panic? She's not sure. She kept chanting their name in her heart as she close her eyes. Unable to bear another pain when they broke their arm and leg. Her right hand is already useless.

"Break it and lock her up." Anderson said without any hint of sympathy.

Her dress are torn and her hair are in a mess. She still stubbornly looking rebellious. Her heart is not willing to give up but her body is already in bad shape. Thus, she let them do whatever they want. Lady Elaine who are watching from the side are smiling happily. And the 'fainted' Stephanie woke up only to feint in horror.

Guard A smirk at her as he lift her hand high up to show how he's going to break her bone while Guard B hold close her mouth and hold her in place. She close her eyes and waited for the dreadful pain to come. Hoping this time the pain would just lead her to sleep.

'Bukkk. Ugh...'

The pain never came. Instead she can hear people groaning and guard B who was covering her mouth is no longer there. Immediately she opened her eyes only to see Tristan's bloodcurdling eye staring at the two guards. Ralph was kneeling down next to her looking anxiously as he doesn't know where to touch and how to hold her.

"A...Alicia..." Ralph stammered, calling out her name. She blinked as she smile looking at her brother's red eye. Her brother is a crybaby when it comes to her. She tried to lift her hand and wipe his tears but it was just too painful. She groaned.

"Don't move. You'll be fine." Tristan said as he help her left hand. She wanted to nodded but due to the punches that she received a moment ago, it just felt impossible. Not long, she was coughing up blood.

"Oh no..Alicia..no. Not again. You'll be alright. Stay with me, okay. Stay with me. I'll deal with the people who did this to you, so you have to stay awake." Ralph was blabbering now. All the things that happen in the past start to popped up inside his head.

"R..Rall...Ralph... I'm sc...scccc...scareddd." She was crying now. Crying so hard like there's no tomorrow. The pain from being punch. Her fear of not seeing Ralph, her adopted parent, her sister in law, her niece and nephew and also her friends. Most importantly, the one who's holding her hand. To think that she will get caught and never see the light again. The moment they come to rescue her before anything could happen, she was relieved. Relieved she was safe for now.