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"Aghhhhh"

"Ahhh"

Screams could be heard in the cave. For hours Alister and his men tortured Janine and Reymond in various ways.

Poor Sophie who observed all this couldn't help crying as she covered her mouth not to let the bad man find her.

She wanted to help her Aunt and Uncle but didn't know what to do.

On the other hand, Alister who noticed that they were going nowhere with torture signaled his men to stop.

"I wanted to do this the easy way, but you leave me with no other choice."

After he finished speaking he took out a small wooden box from his pocket and opened it. While Reymond couldn't see what was inside Janine saw it clearly. 

It was a small pill that gave off a strong medicinal smell and for some reason, Janine felt an overwhelming dread as she looked at it.

Alister didn't say much and directly fed it to Janine. Even though she tried to fight back with all her might there was nothing she could do to stop him.

A few seconds after eating the pill Janine felt intense pain in her stomach. 

"Ahhhhh." She couldn't help but let out a scream.

"Damn it. What did you give her?" Roared Reymond.

"Oh don't worry dear brother. It's just a little wedding gift." Said Alister with a meaningful and evil smile.

Soon Janine's stomach started bulging at a fast speed and in a couple of minutes she looked like a pregnant woman that was about to give birth.

Reymond looked at Janine without blinking. He was so surprised by the situation he wasn't able to react until Alister's next words sounded.

"Well, I guess congratulations are in order." Said, Alister.

For the next 2 days, Sophia observed as her aunt gave birth to a baby boy that she wasn't able to even hold as Alister started torturing the newborn. Finally, Janine couldn't take it anymore and gave up. 

Everything was so blurry as Sophia had a hard time understanding what was happening. She was unable to help or even move until she saw how the man cut her aunt's throat and how her blood covered the stone table.

"Drip, drip." 

The dropping sound of the blood was all that Sophia could concentrate on. Later came her uncle's scream and roars like a wounded beast on the verge of collapse, cries of the baby, the crazy laugh of Alister, the world was spinning.

Sophia was no longer able to take it and passed out.  She was no longer able to see what happened after that. 

For the next few hours, Alister continued the ritual after the sacrifice and absorbed the blood from Janine. As the ritual was over Alister got up and without looking at Reymond turned to his men.

"The first ritual is done, we need to quickly finish the other five. Make sure the baby's ready for tomorrow."

"Yes, master."

Hearing the conversation, Reymond finally woke up from his grief.

"You bastard. Don't you dare touch my child." But no matter how he screamed, cursed, or roared it all fell to deaf ears.

Later Sophia was woken up by the screams from her uncle and seeing that none of the bad guys were in the cave she quickly ran towards him.

"Uncle."

"Sophia."

Sophia tried to break the chains holding her uncle but no matter what she did it didn't work.

"Sophia, Sophia." Reymond stopped her frantic movements. "Look at me."

Sophia finally stopped and looked at Reymond.

"You must find your baby cousin and run away from here." 

"But uncle…"

"Sophia. You must."

Later the group observed as Sophia followed Reymond's instructions and ran away from the villa with the newborn. Meanwhile, both Ezra and Leonard were barely holding on as they watched all this happen. 

Even though Sophi was young she was used to sneaking out from home and sometimes disappeared for even days. So, no one in the Montague family noticed anything wrong with the situation, added with the fact that they were trying to find Janine and Reymond.

They didn't know what happened to Reymond in the end, but Alister played the grief-stricken brother perfectly. At the same time, Sophia who escaped with the child was attacked by the traffickers and was unable to protect herself much less the child. In the end, they were separated and injured Sophia was picked up by her father's subordinates near the river.

When they found Sophia she was quickly sent back to the mansion.

After waking up no one believed her words as they were too immature and vague. At the same time, Alister's good nature was known to everyone and even Montague's had a good relationship with him. 

The grief-stricken Sophia could no longer handle the reality and felt sick. She had high fevers and no matter what pill or medicine they fed her it was useless. 

After two weeks she was able to recover.

"It's time." Said Morana as she noticed that Sophia was about to wake up.

"What are you going to do?" Asked Ezra but only received a meaningful gaze in return.

After opening her eyes Sophia noticed a young boy sitting near the window while sipping on her tea.

"You're awake."

"Who are you?" Asked Sophia.

"A friend from the future." Said Morana and instantly the group almost coughed up blood.

'Is it okay to be so forward?'

"Future?" Sophia inquired, obviously not convinced by her words.

"Hmm."

"What are you doing here?"

"Saving you."

"Me?"

"Hm. You're stuck in the illusion formation while living your worst nightmare."

"Nightmare? Aunt." Finally, realization dawned on her and she quickly got out of bed.

"I need to hurry. I need to tell my father what happened.

"I won't change anything." Said Morana.

"Huh?"

"Didn't you already try to tell them? Did they believe you?"

"No...I."

"They didn't. Alister has a perfect image. No one will believe what you say."

"No my father will…"

"Really? Then tell me after so many years why does that man still have the same perfect image?"

"So many years?"

"The matters of that time are still unknown to everyone. No one believed you. Your cousin is gone, who knows what happened with your uncle, while your aunt.."

"STOP. Please stop." Sophia was no longer able to take Morana's words as they cut through her heart and mind as if trying to free some kind of memory, But Morana wasn't planning to stop.

"Your aunt is still dead while her murderer is still just fine. After so many years you are still unable to defeat him and take revenge, but stay hung up on this matter. 

Why didn't I tell anyone anything back then? Why was I so useless? Why does no one believe me? Why is that man living happily while she's dead?" As Morana went on and on exposing all her scars, Sophia's mind was in a mess.

Old memories, new memories, they were all coming back and mixed up.

"While I would love to sit and chat with you, we don't have that much time. After so many years you made no progress in overcoming the trauma or your fear for Alister.

Just how many times are you going to repeat this nightmare before you realize that the solution isn't here." 

And finally, with Morana's last words all the memories came back. All the memories from all the past tries. 

As they helped Sophia achieve revenge, as they prevented it all from happening, as they helped expose Alister's real face, as they saved Janine and Reymond and the baby and so many more but no matter what Sophia wouldn't wake up from the nightmare. She couldn't overcome her nightmare as it was fear. 

After the trauma, her nightmare was Alister himself and the fear and dread she felt when she even thought about him.

So, no matter how perfect the outcome was she couldn't overcome her fear by defeating the fake.

"Your enemy is out there not here. How long are you going to hide like a turtle and ignore the actual problem?"

As it all came back Sophia's body returned to her normal state as she was no longer a child. Tears covered her face but it couldn't hide her determination as to the familiar while light covered everything and finally, all 14 were saved.

"Welcome back." Greeted Acheron with his signature smile as they opened their eyes.