Chapter 3 Her fear, her weakness

Seven months ago, when Kyle went for a concert in Thailand. Abel called him and said that she had something important to tell him that day. Kyle thought he would be able to make it that day since the flight duration was that long, he'd be able to make it home the next day after the concert.

Unfortunately, they were something urgent that Kyle had to attend to. He called to tell Abel to return home that he wouldn't make it home so she should leave the mansion. She wasn't with the phone when Kyle called. He decided and called Timothy to tell Abel that he wouldn't be able to make it that day and he should tell her to leave the mansion. He would come visit her instead.

When Timothy arrived at the mansion, Abel happened to be the one keeping Harry's company since Scott, Owen and Raymond had left for the concert with Kyle. It was just him and Harry. He forgot to tell her to return home.

In the night, Abel retired to Kyle's room because she thought Kyle was still coming. Suddenly she heard a melodic voice singing. The voice awoke her. She was curious that she walked out even though she was twelve years old but she isn't afraid of the dark. She sneaked out of the mansion using the back door. She walked deep in the woods and followed where the faint voice was coming from.

There was a lady standing all alone in the woods singing marvelously. The lady stopped when she heard some footsteps coming from behind. Abel pushed the leaves that were blocking her from seeing the lady. She successfully pushed it aside and Odette came to her view. Abel saw how her hair glittering so bright.

The glimmer of Odette's hair caused Abel to scream out frighteningly that she ended up hitting her head on a small rock beside a tree. She thought she saw a spirit, she was startled. Blood squirted on her dress. She groaned till she blacked out. Odette hastened to her side. She used her magic power to heal the wound.

Abel stopped bleeding from the head. Odette was about to walk away when she remembered that Abel saw her and she might have revealed what she saw in the woods. What if they look for her? . She casted a spell on her and walked away hurriedly.

The next day. Abel was found in the woods, sleeping peacefully. The bodyguards helped her back to the mansion. The woods weren't far from the main mansion. Timothy drove her to the hospital and informed Mr Winston.

Abel was still unconscious for hours and she was still breathing. When she eventually woke up ,she didn't remember anything that she saw in the woods, not even what happened to her. She had also lost her voice. She couldn't speak but she could hear what others said.

By the time Kyle arrived, Mr Winston ordered everyone never to mention anything to him. They didn't tell him what happened to Abel. When he enquired about her they informed she had gone back to her boarding school.

They didn't tell him the truth for two months. Timothy couldn't hold back the truth anymore so he told him everything that happened. Kyle felt betrayed and disappointed that his sister had been hospitalized for a month and Tim never told him about it.

His parents tried to explain everything but he refused to listen. All he wanted was his sister. He visited her in the hospital. How heartrending he was when she couldn't speak. He left disappointedly.

*******

The car skidded to halt in the car park. He stayed two more minutes in the car before stepping out. He was persuaded by his sister to return home. He wouldn't listen to anyone else but Abel.

Kyle found it hard to believe that his sister would never be able to talk again. She was the only one he had and the only one that he could never get mad at because she understood him more than anyone else.

He had vowed to do anything to bring her voice back and the one behind it must pay.

He stepped out of the car. Timothy walked toward him and engulfed him into a warm embrace.

"Welcome back, Kyle. I thought you ain't coming back." He said, still hugging him.

"Don't be absurd, Tim. It wasn't your fault, it's mine instead that I broke the promise. I believe that my sister will be fine." He was uncertain. They disengaged from the hug.

"Oh my gosh! Our runaway celebrity is back." Owen ambled over and patted his shoulder.

"Owen." Kyle mumbled.

"Hello buddy. Welcome back." They hugged Kyle as if he had been gone for ten years.

"I hope you enjoyed your break without me? Scott said and pecked his cheek.

"Hey, Scott. You ain't his girlfriend, stop seducing him." Timothy blurted out.

"Shut up, Tim!" He snapped jokingly.

"I'm glad you're back Kyle." Tim mumbled. Kyle resisted the urge to roll his eyes. His mind was at ease. He had told himself, he didn't have to worry about anything. His sister would be fine.

"Let's just forget about everything." He said solemnly. "Ray, has Davis told you anything about the contestants?" He inquired as they made their way inside the elegant mansion.

"Davis informed me that some of the voice contestants had uploaded their records so we all have to check them out and decide together." Raymond said.

"Whatever I don't care about the voice winner, I'm pretty sure we're still gonna end up with Q-band." Kyle said with a prick of disappointment.

"Yes, I know that Darlene is the best and no one can ever compete with her." Harry muttered.

"I need to see Abel today. I missed her like crazy. Sorry, I got to go. I promise to be back soon."

He hadn't stayed long before deciding to see his sister. The other members couldn't tell him to wait. They had many things to tell him but Kyle wanted to see his sister, there was no way he'd allowed anything to delay him.

"All right." Tim muttered eventually.

"You must return to the mansion. I have a lot to tell you." Scott said after him. He glanced back and shot them a smile.

"Sure." He headed out.

KENDRA HAD MADE up her mind to ask Odette to sing. She didn't want to lose the deal and the only way to win the deal was to get any of Odette's records. Kendra knew where she kept all the tape records but she wouldn't intrude her privacy behind her. She respected Odette a lot. She made her way towards her door but Kennedy stopped her.

"What's the matter, Kennedy? Kendra frowned her lips.

Kennedy rested her back on the wall and looked at Kendra with a calm, steady gaze. "Nothing. But come to think of it, kendra. I'm your real sister, once Odette gets what she wants she'll send us out of this house. You know what that means? We will be homeless. Come to me and let's work together so that we can end everything at once." Kennedy said as she walked toward Kendra and patted her shoulder.

"Believe me Kendra,this is our only chance. Let's help mom and fight this battle together." Kennedy added. Kendra stared at her and grinned.

'What a Swizz?!'

"That was a great speech. Thumb up sister." she displayed with her thumb. "But I'm sorry not sorry. Odette is my sister and I can't betray her for another sister. If you do something stupid and Odette finds out, I will not plead on your behalf. She is my birth mother and I never liked her decisions. Kennedy, I don't want to have anything to do with you. Stay away from us if you're not ready to change." Kendra sputtered.

"Really? Are you going to turn your mom down and help a stranger?

"If they're talking about a stranger then it's you. You've changed a lot, you're not my sister anymore. This is not who you are, Kennedy. Don't let mom use you. Come to your senses before it's too late." Kendra said and opened Odette's door. She entered and yanked the door at Kennedy's face.

Odette heard both of them squabbling even though she was sleeping but she could hear from far away. That was one of her secrets she never told anyone.

"Odette." Kendra called out. She sat beside her and caressed her face. "Odette, wake up." Kendra whispered in her ear.

"What's the matter, kendra? She mumbled in her sleep. She rubbed a finger against her eyes. She sat up leisurely.

"I want something from you." She uttered quietly. "Please help your silly sister,she has to win." She clasped her hands. She was making puppy eyes, she knew it was the only way to get Odette to do what she wanted.

"Ah. What do you want this time? I hope you ain't going to tell me to silence someone for you." Odette looked at her as she pouted her lips.

"May I have one of your records, the one dad made before he died? Please I badly need one and I promise to return once I'm back from school tomorrow. Please Odette." Kendra pleaded.

Odette couldn't say anything for a while. She wanted to ask Kendra why she needed a tape record.

"Kendra, I can't." She brawled.

"Please don't do this to me, Odette. If you don't help your sister she may lose her title as a cheerleader to a friend." Kendra said.

If she was able to win the deal. Genevieve was gonna break up with her new boyfriend and Mia had to cut her eight inches hair length to five inches. Laura refused to be part of the deal because she believed that Kendra was saying nothing but the truth. Though she hadn't met Odette before, she knew Kendra wouldn't lie to them. "Please Odette." Kendra said.

"All right. Stop whining already." She was annoying Odette by doing that.

Odette stood and walked up to her drawer. She brought out a tape and handed it to kendra. Odette would never refuse her stepsister. She loved her and Kendra had been the only one that stood by her side.

"Here, you have this."

Kendra jumped on her enthusiastically. "Thank you, Odette. Now I have to show them what you've got. not a loser." She muttered to herself and walked out. She returned to her room and kept it inside her backpack. She stalked out to get something from the kitchen. She didn't notice Kennedy had been waiting for her to get the tape record.

She sneaked into her room and stole the tape. She wrapped it with her dress and exited her room. "This is my only chance to win the contest." She mumbled underneath as she smirked mischievously.

She kept tape inside her backpack and locked the door. She had got what she wanted. She didn't need her mother to help her with anything. No one would be able to stop her, not even Odette because she was going to use the tape for the contest. She was sure she'd be chosen if she used Odette's voice.

She had decided to summit the record tomorrow. If she made it she wouldn't care if her mother's plans failed. She didn't care about anyone but herself. She wanted to use Sharon to get what she wanted, she didn't need her anymore. She had accomplished her mission.

THE DRIVE SKIDDED the car to a halt in the custom garage. Kyle alighted from the car and walked inside ignoring all the bodyguards and maids as they bowed a little. He met his dad in the living room but he wanted to ignore him and checked Abel's room. Mr Winston cleared his throat. "Are you still mad at me?"

"Of course not dad. Just that I'm in a hurry right now." He lied. Mr Winston noticed that but he didn't want to talk about it anymore. Obviously he was still mad at them.

"You're here for Abel right? She went out with your Mom." He said and gestured to him to sit. He sat on a sofa and faced him.

"I'm glad you're back, son. We're sorry for everything. We just don't want you to be worried about your sister's well -being." Winston said but Kyle never said a word to his father after that.

Abel and her mom walked in. They were surprised to see Kyle. Abel rushed to him and hugged him. "I missed you Abel." He mumbled and pecked her forehead. He ruffled her hair playfully.

"Son." His mom welcomed him into a warm embrace. "How have you been?"

"Good, mom."

"I'm happy to see you Kyle." Anel wrote it in the scrap paper she was holding.

"Same here sweetie. How are you doing?

"I'm fine. Because you're here now so I'm good. She grinned and grabbed his hand.

Kyle was still disappointed. Nothing had worked for his sister. Her voice was really gone.