By Ruthlessness I Rule

Has it ever occurred to you that a few words could seal your fate?

I know it seems ridiculous, but for me... they did.

Seven fucking words sealed my fate in my new high school. I didn't know how to break the curse that came upon me, or if it was possible to be free of it at all. I wished I'd just listened to Talia that day and looked away. But I didn't.

My decision turned three years of my life upside down, and as much as I wished I could reverse it, I couldn't. I regretted my action.

But the thing about regret is... it's a fucking waste of time.

*********************

"It's going to be fine, Ida," Dad said softly.

As CEO of Arne Enterprises, Isaac Arne had a reputation to uphold. But this tone of voice was one he saved just for me, in the comfort of home. He was a wealthy man who gave me and my twin brother, Jack, anything we ever asked for. So did our mother... when she was still alive.

"I didn't say anything." Which was true. I technically didn't say anything, but I knew my face said a lot I couldn't control.

I'm Cressida Arne, Ida for short. Today was going to be my first day at my new school. Dad had recently decided to move us back from London to the place where Jack and I were born.

Atherton Town.

A shiver ran down my spine every time the name was mentioned.

As beautiful as it was, I didn't like this place because... because I don't know why.

If we're talking facts, I couldn't remember anything about my younger self. I had no memory of anything that happened before my ninth birthday. Everyone said I suffered some sort of memory loss when I was younger, but no one knew why.

I shouldn't feel anything towards this place that I didn't remember, but my mind kept making me have some sort of fear, or maybe discomfort. I wasn't sure what the feeling was, but it was definitely there.

A building that was on its own and far away from the neighbourhood caught my attention...

No! Let me go. Dad! Dad, help me!

"Cressida?" My head snapped in Dad's direction. He was holding my water bottle in his hand, his eyes drifting to my left side. I realised I was clutching it tightly, and he thought my kidney was hurting... again.

"I'm okay," I declared. I took the bottle from his hand but didn't drink.

As if the memory loss wasn't enough, I had kidney cancer when I was seven or eight, which resulted in me having one kidney. It now controlled almost everything in my life.

No drinking. No smoking. No to some kinds of foods because they might cause damage to my kidney. Small amounts of exercise, but not too much.

All of that was told to me, of course, because I remembered none of it.

We reached the school where I was supposed to be studying for the next three years.

MoonFlow School.

It was the one school where you'd find the children of the wealthiest families around here. As well as that, every student had to sit an entrance exam to be accepted. Luckily for me, I had a wealthy family and intelligence on my side. Jack did too, but he had decided to stay in London with Aunt Valerie, while Dad and I moved back to Atherton, near Aunt Natalie.

We reached the entrance of the school and boy, was it one hell of a school. The building was more like a castle–a very huge castle. Four towers were around each end, and if I was going to take a lucky guess, I think they were a signal to where each year level was supposed to go.

Freshman. Sophomore. Junior. Senior.

And I had to go to each one of them for the next four years without Jack. How was I supposed to stay four years without my twin, who has been with me forever?

"Ready?" Dad asked. I only nodded my head and exited the car. As we waited for the gate to open, I observed the pretty and colourful flowers and gardens that surround the place.

"Alright, Ida. I have to go talk to the principal and you have to go in there. I'm sure you'll find your way because you don't need my help, I suppose." I only gave him a sarcastic smile while he let out a chuckle.

It was moments like these where I wished that Dad was free every day so we could be happy like that. Especially as he'd just repeated the words I said to him every time I wanted to go explore a new place.

"But remember you have to–" I cut him off immediately to continue his sentence that he said to me every single day.

"Stay hydrated, don't eat protein, don't forget your blood pressure pills and don't forget to eat your snacks. How did I do?" He smiled at me and kissed my forehead. As the gates opened, he walked to the left side as I walked to the right.

"You got this, Cressida!" Dad half yelled at me. I shook my head at him, but not before smiling at him one last time.

Dad is right, I got this. I think.

I walked slowly towards the freshman building, not caring if I missed the first class. I'm not supposed to run outside of exercising because of the solitary kidney of mine.

"Cressida? Ida?" I heard someone call my name, and I turned around. Coming towards me was a red-haired girl. Her skin was so white, as if she had never walked under the sun. Her eyes were a calm shade of hazel, which was very beautiful.

She was wearing what I suppose was a part of the uniform. It was a dark green jacket with a white shirt under it, and a black skirt. I hoped I wouldn't have to wear a skirt. Not that I don't like them, but I feel that they are more suited to parties, not school.

I took a few steps in her direction. "Do we know each other?" I asked. It surprised me that she knew who I was and even called me by my nickname.

"Yes we–the memory loss thing, I forgot. I'm Talia Bernard. I was your best friend when you used to live here." She said the last part in excitement that I wished I could share.

Dad had always changed the subject whenever I asked him to tell me about my time at Atherton. Then boom, out of nowhere, let's go back to Atherton, Ida.

No, not suspicious at all, Dad.

"We... were?" I asked, stepping closer to her as if I felt an instant connection with her. And maybe I did. Who knows how fucked up my brain was.

"Yeah. Inseparable, you could say. With Jack, of course. God, I miss those dimples, he was so cute when we were kids." She even knew Jack? Just how much did I forget?

Maybe I should ask for a photo from Talia. I mean, if we were childhood friends, maybe we had some photos together. For now, I guess I'll stick with her because, for the first time in my life, I felt lost.

Or maybe it was the creeps that I had from this place that made me feel lost. But either way, I needed someone with me.

"Do you have any photos of us?" But I quickly blurted after so I wouldn't appear suspicious. "Because I couldn't find anything in our house in London."

Talia only smiled in excitement before she pulled her phone out and came to stand beside me. On the screen was a photo of three children, and I saw Dad and... Mom. She was smiling in the background, with whom I assumed were Talia's parents, while Talia, Jack, and I were smiling at one another.

"That was taken by your Aunt Natalie when we went skiing for the first time. As usual, you volunteered to be the first person to ski because Jack is... you know, and I was mostly cowardice because I didn't like snow that much."

Talia sounded so happy talking about it. We looked like we were happy at that time. In the photo, Dad and Mom looked relaxed. And believe me when I say that they were–and maybe my dad still was–paranoid.

So Talia and her parents must have been trustworthy for Dad to let Jack and me befriend her, and for my parents to befriend hers.

"Wow, it looks like I forgot a lot," I said, mostly to myself. Talia only smiled sadly at me before intertwining our elbows, then started walking towards the building as if she knew the way.

"You seem to know your way around here, Talia."

"I do. My cousin used to study here, so I already know this place." That made sense.

We walked through the hallways of the freshman side of the school, where we kept on talking about how excited Talia was to be a freshman. I was too, but having to love this experience without Jack just felt so wrong.

We'd done everything together our whole lives. To become a freshman without him wasn't something I was looking forward to, but something I had to endure for the next four years. I'd just have to deal with it.

I stopped to drink some water, when I noticed how silent it had gotten. I gulped the water when I realised I forgot to swallow, then looked at Talia to find her staring at someone ahead of us. I followed her gaze to find her looking at four boys, who I figured were the reason behind the sudden silence.

Her gaze was directed at one of them, who had brown hair and chilly grey eyes. He was definitely in the gym twenty-four seven because of his muscled body.

I nudged her and asked, "The hell is happening?"

She broke eye contact, then looked back at me and I saw how haunted her eyes were. All of that was because of Mister Muscle Tank over there. Why?

"They are the stars of the show around here. Sons of the wealthiest and strongest families in Atherton."

She started counting them one by one as they appeared.

"Oliver Earhart." The one she was looking at before.

"Jesper Varon." Jesper wasn't as muscled as Oliver, but he was definitely something as well. His hair was black, while his eyes were brown with a little green in them.

"Ace Brando." Ace had clean, blonde hair and blue eyes. They were all wearing the uniform in a messy way, except for one who didn't bother to wear anything but the jacket.

"And the king of not only them, but everyone else around here. Savaş Ewald." The moment Talia said his name, my brain seemed to zone out.

Savaş, are you okay?

Don't touch him.

"Ida, you okay?" Talia's voice snapped me out of... what was I thinking about again?

I turned to her and said, "Yeah, I'm fine. But isn't his first name Turkish?"

She nodded her head. "Yep, his mother was Turkish, and she was the one to name him."

"Was?"

"She passed away around the same time your mother did." Should I consider that coincidence or weird?

I didn't have much time to think, because when I turned to look back at him, I found his green eyes already on me, watching me like an eagle.

He seemed.... familiar. Too familiar, as if I knew him before.

His green eyes seemed familiar. His dirty blonde hair looked familiar. He had a light beard and a jawline that appeared to be perfection.

"Look away, Ida. Believe me when I say you don't want to have Savaş Ewald's attention," Talia said with a little tremble in her voice.

"Why is that?" I asked. I wanted to look away, but it was as if my brain wouldn't let me. I couldn't look away from those green eyes.

"Because the last girl who had his attention ended up dead." My eyes widened, and this time, it was easy for me to turn my attention away from him so I could look at Talia.

"What?" She didn't have time to answer, because Savaş shouted so that everyone around us could hear.

"Welcome!" He opened his arms wide as he looked at me, but he wasn't smiling normally. No. He was sporting a dark smirk that made a chill of fear run down my spine.

"Welcome to your living hell, Cressida Arne!"

Cressida

Three Years Later

Jack answered the phone with a chuckle. "Miss me already?" Hearing his chuckle was more than enough to make my day.

"Bitching already?" I faked a gasp as I stopped at the traffic light and adjusted the Bluetooth ear piece.

"Stop being a little shit. Why are you calling?"

"I missed you. I know you left London a week ago, but I would miss you even if you left two seconds ago." He paused, and I knew there was more, so I clutched the steering wheel tightly so I could hide my sadness and frustration about not being beside him when he needed me the most.

"If it wasn't for Aunt Valerie here, I wouldn't have survived my seizures without having you beside me. But it's fine... one year to go."

One more year in that hell I'd been living in for the past three years. The same hell Talia endured with me. And thank God she was with me, because I doubt I would've survived without her. Who would survive what we had to go through on their own? No one.

"One year to go." My voice sounded haunted even to me, but I could only hope that Jack didn't notice. I was on the verge of crying when I heard Talia playfully fighting with her mother... again.

"Is that Talia?" Jack asked on the other line. I could practically hear the goofy smile in his voice as I smiled to myself. Even from far away, Talia knew how to make us smile.

"Who else would it be?" I giggled as I saw Talia trying to pull her hand from her mother's grasp as she tried to give her some sort of smoothie. With all due respect to her mother, the smoothie was... not that tasty.

"Fine! I'll drink it, but let me go. Ida is waiting for me!" Talia screamed, clearly frustrated with her mother. Only then did her mother notice me waiting in the car. She let go of Talia, who almost fell on the ground.

Aunt Rose waved at me with a smile–she had the same smile as Talia's–as they both came towards the car.

"Jack, I'll call you back. They're coming my way, and I swear I'm saving you a headache over here." I chuckled softly, and Jack had a full laugh.

"Okay, but call me back ASAP. Now bye!" he said through small laughs.

The bastard didn't even wait before ending the call. We'll have a talk about this later. I mean, I'm still ten minutes older, so I deserve some respect... or maybe I shouldn't care because it's Jack. My Jack.

"Cressida!" Talia yelled as soon as she entered the car. She attacked me with a bear hug while kissing my cheek. "Missed you so much!"

I hugged her back, but then declared. "Okay, I missed you too, but stop yelling in my ear!" She only laughed, backing away from me as she straightened in her seat, while I took off to that hellish school.

Moonflow.

"I don't want to go to school anymore," Talia whined playfully. But I knew better, because over the years we'd spent together, I came to understand that Talia doesn't only hate school because she doesn't like waking up early, she also hates it because of Oliver.

Even though I knew what kind of vendetta they have I still had a hard time understanding it but I knew it was bad enough for him to keep on being a bastard and a bully just like... him.

"If you wanna chase fashion designing, then I don't think you have that much of a choice." I was annoying her, and she knew it, but she still groaned with a smile on her face. I allowed myself to have a little fun before going back to my... hell.

Talia and I arrived at the gate for the senior year, and we both shared a look. One year to go.

For her to be free of Oliver and whatever chaos he brought with him, and for me to reunite with my twin.

"Well, would you look at that?" I knew that something was off when I didn't hear the sirens go off. I swear her voice is as irritating as a siren.

We simply kept on walking until we reached the class, because we needed to pass this year, one way or another... even if it meant not teaching Queen B, AKA Queen Bitch for me, her place.

"Little witch, I'm talking to you!"

Blake Gerard.

That's her name. That's the bitch's name, and I'd had just about enough of her bullshit. I tolerated it way too much.

"You should really start becoming more creative, Blake." I went to sit on my chair, but not before I said one more thing that I could only hope would at least embarrass her.

"Plus, I've been called worse by better, so you either become more creative or become better. But I doubt better is even a word your mother told you, given who she is." That was the final straw for Blake as she raised her hand and was ready to slap the hell out of me–not that I would've let her–but a deep voice stopped her.

A voice that was familiar.

"Don't you dare raise that hand another centimetre, Gerard." The voice was deep and scary. It was meant to send chills down your spine and cause goosebumps to cover your body. It was a voice you should stay away from, because if you didn't, then kiss any respect you had in your entire life goodbye.

"Since when do you care about the Little Witch, Savaş?" Blake turned around and crossed her arms in front of her chest as we all watched. 'The Hurricane', that's what everyone called him. Why? Who the fuck knows.

Savaş was standing right in front of Blake and I could bet my life that everyone in the room was holding their breaths as they waited for his next move or word.

"Since it's none of your fucking business, Blake. Now walk away before I get angry." The first sentence was said while he was looking at Queen Bitch, but he said the last one with his green eyes fixed on me. Me?

Why would the guy who was my tormentor–my nemesis for all these years–stop that bitch from hurting me? Why, after years of bullying and declaring me an enemy for the entire school, did he decide to stop her from doing what everyone had done for three years?

Savaş Ewald had turned my life into a custom-made hell for three years. Now he was trying to play the role of the hero? He was, and always would be, the villain in my story.

What kind of sick, twisted game was this?

"This is not over!" Blake threatened before leaving the class with her best friend hanging on her side. Savaş moved my way and only now did I notice that it wasn't just his voice that had changed, but his looks as well.

His dirty blonde hair was now longer, and he had it tied at the back of his head in a low bun. It made him even more... attractive, I guess.

I was so distracted by him that I didn't even notice him standing right beside me until his hot breath hit my ear and he whispered, only for me to hear.

"You're welcome, Güzel." The heck does that word mean? As if my confusion wasn't enough, he had the audacity to lean down and place a kiss below my ear before he went to sit down in one of the desk chairs. The other three horsemen followed him silently, but surprise was on their faces, just like it was on mine and that of the entire class.

I sat down on my chair quickly when Mr Harding entered the room and leaned back, because I knew Talia was going to ask the question I was asking myself.

"What the hell just happened?" she whispered-yelled at me. I honestly didn't know what to tell her, because I didn't know what the hell that was either.

But I could still feel his lips on my skin, and my hand automatically went to the spot he kissed. Then I felt it. He was watching me.

For a second, I dared to turn and have a glance, just to see if my sixth sense was right. But it still surprised me when I met his scary, but still attractive, eyes. I looked away from him quickly. If he thought one good act would wipe all the other years away, then he was wrong.

I'm not a person of forgiveness–not that he deserves it. No one like him deserves forgiveness, because people like him only love to mess around with other people. The moment they actually have to be responsible for something–anything–they run away like cowards. It's in their nature, but it was never in mine.

I was never a coward, and I wouldn't be one now. That was my thought as I redirected my gaze to him and looked him dead in the eye.

You wanna play, Savaş? Let's play. But you better be ready for losing, dickhead!

Cressida

The tension in the classroom didn't seem to lessen with time. Everyone was whispering about how Savaş chose me over Blake. It felt wrong, but somehow right at the same time.

I ignored him for the rest of the class and even after it ended. I could feel his eyes on me constantly, but I simply kept on ignoring.

No one called me or Talia any names as we walked through the hallways of the school to our lockers. Not one bad word got directed at us. I had to double check to see if Savaş or any of the horsemen were behind us because it would've been the only explanation after what happened today.

Savaş insulted Blake in front of everyone, for my sake. Not that I believe he actually helped me for... well, me. There has to be a reason behind that action of his, because there is no way that he just turned into a good person towards us. Not after all this time.

But I wasn't sure what to feel about this whole thing. I had hated Savaş for a very long time... and I still do, but why exactly did he pull that stunt today? I couldn't think of any reason to make him do that. Like why?

While I was busy thinking about everything, I clumsily bumped into someone. A girl, judging by the shriek she let out as she fell. Talia and I quickly grabbed her before she hit the floor and helped her stand up straight.

She had black hair, though not as black as mine. Her eyes were brown with a hint of... green in them. She looked like...

"I'm sorry for being clumsy. My name is Ember Monroe." She extended her hand for me to shake and I couldn't get rid of the feeling that she looked like someone.

"I'm Cressida Arne, but I'm the one who should be sorry. I also couldn't help but notice that you look like Jesper Varon?" She was like a copy paste of him, almost like...

"Oh, that's because we're twins." She laughed nervously, but why was she nervous? She was Jesper's sister, meaning no one could say one word to her, so why did she even apologise to me?

"Ember, what are you doing here? I thought you were studying in France?" Talia sure as hell sounded tense as she asked this question, but I didn't understand why? Damn it! I couldn't understand anything because I forgot everything.

I hate this feeling!

"Mom has a few fashion shows here, so she didn't want to leave me alone in France. I'll be studying here for a while. I hope that doesn't bother you?" Ember's voice turned into a mere whisper in the last sentence. It was official... something had to have happened between these two, and now I need to find out what it was.

"No. No problem at all, but excuse us, we have to go now because Ida needs to refill her water bottle. For medical reasons," Talia declared coldly. She took my elbow in her hand and started pulling me towards the girls' bathroom. I was fast enough to catch the hint of disappointment and sadness in Ember's eyes when she looked at Talia.

What happened between them?

I yelled loud enough for Ember to hear, "See you at lunch, Ember!" In the blink of an eye, she turned around to look at me and gave a grateful smile. I couldn't return her smile, because Talia pushed me into the bathroom, closed the door, and stood behind it.

"So..." I trailed off when Talia pushed from the door and embraced me tightly. She let out a sob, and I wrapped my arms around her in an instant.

"Talk to me, Talia." She only shook her head as she let everything bottled inside of her out silently. I couldn't do anything to help her through whatever it was that happened to her.

After what came to seven minutes of crying, she finally pulled away from me, steading herself on the sink behind her.

"Remember the whole Oliver situation I told you about?" I nodded my head. Talia told me everything about the history she had with Oliver, but that's a story for another day.

"Ember was the one who... who told him about the thing." Talia was about to have another breakdown when her phone started ringing.

I watched as she took it out and answered while my brain was still analysing what she just said. Why would Jesper's twin sister tell on Talia and destroy her relationship with Oliver? It didn't make sense.

I only sighed. Nothing made sense in this cursed town.

"Ida!" Talia snapped her fingers in front of my face, earning my attention.

"I have to skip what's left of the day. Dad needs me to sign a few papers that involve our companies." Right. Sometimes I forget that Talia is her parents' only heir and that her father is already involving her in the family business.

I nodded my head, giving her a smile as we shared another hug.

"You'll be fine, my little redhead," I whispered, which earned me a giggle from Talia before she kissed my cheek and left the bathroom.

I refilled my water bottle and took my blood pressure pills, because I knew I would've forgotten them later, then left the bathroom. I went to the cafeteria while searching my bag for my food... which apparently I forgot on the kitchen counter this morning.

I really felt like slapping myself as I headed to the parking lot. I would have to go and buy something that I'm allowed to eat, because the cafeteria sure as hell didn't have my special food.

I was about to open my car door when someone placed their hand over my mouth, blocking me from screaming. They pushed my head against the top of the car by the nape of my neck.

I quickly tried to back-kick my attacker, but they were faster than me. As... he... it's a he.

He pushed me further into the car by pressing his chest on my back, blocking all my movements. I was standing there helplessly as I tried screaming, even though his hand was still on my mouth, muffling every sound.

Suddenly, that person leaned down so that his heavy breathing was beside my ear and every alarm in my brain went up. I'd felt that helplessness before. I had.

But nothing could've prepared me for the voice I heard beside my ear as my eyes widened.

"Ignoring me wasn't your smartest move, Güzel..." he trailed off for a split second when he noticed that I'd stopped my attempts to scream, but then continued.

"And now it's time to pay for your wrong move."