Godfather's Ward

"Stars. Look, there are many stars tonight."

"I still don't understand why we have to sneak in." Sage muttered, ignoring Lillian's statement.

"Lower your voice. We have to, I can't let dad find out about this. You will be in trouble." Lillian panicked.

The backdoor leads to the kitchen, and going through the kitchen, Lillian could easily sneak into Sage's room, as opposed to her room which was upstairs.

"He probably already know, Lillian. Let's get this over with, I need to go back to Pete's after making sure you get to your room." Sage told her, as they tread silently towards the back door of the house.

"Why can't you just stay? It's past midnight already. It's not safe driving back by this time." She said worriedly.

"Nope. I have to help the guys clean up. The party was for me after all, abandoning them would be rude."

"But you could go back tomorrow and clean up with them." Lillian suggested.

"I'm not staying, Lillian. Walk faster." He urged and Lillian's shoulder drooped at her failed attempt as she walked faster.

They got to the backdoor and the guard there stepped aside. He didn't bow like the guards usually do and his face wasn't familiar at all to Sage. Not that he knew all the guards but he's familiar with their faces at least and his father doesn't change guards that often.

"Lillian wait." He said as she placed her hand on the door handle.

"There's no time to waste, Sage." Lillian said, wasting no time in yanking the door open and dragging Sage in by his arm.

"Lillian-"

"You really like getting into trouble, don't you?" Lillian whispered still dragging Sage along as she tiptoed out of the kitchen.

The scene in front of them however made Sage immediately get in front of her, protecting her from view as he held her hand behind his back.

"Would you look at that? This gets even better." An unknown voice came from an unfamiliar man.

Lillian was already shaking as she peeped behind Sage's back to see multiple armed men surrounding their parents, who were kneeling on the floor, with guns to their heads.

Her mom let out a sob as she saw her children arrive in the right place, but definitely at the wrong time. Her dad's stern face also turned into a panicked one as he stares back at her.

Sage turned in a flash, dragging Lillian along in an attempt to make it out the same way they came but he came to an abrupt stop when he saw that the guard that was by the back door earlier was now blocking their way, with a dangerous smirk on his face.

There was no time to think, he tackled the man down within seconds and pushed Lillian towards the kitchen urging her to escape. Lillian was shocked.

"Go Lillian!!" He shouted with his back to her, waiting to tackle down anyone trying to go after her.

Very hesitantly, Lillian obeyed running out through the back door with the little strength she had left in her. She became mentally weak and her whole body was shutting down.

When she was a few meters away from the house, she halted, looking back.

Where would she even go? What was she doing leaving all of them in there and running away by herself? What if that was the last she ever saw of them?

A life without her parents would be gloom. A life without Sage wouldn't be life at all.

Lillian was confused so she starts going towards the house. A few steps forward, a few steps backwards, while Sage was busy fighting off the men and effectively blocking the entrance just to make sure his sister has enough time to escape.

Lillian was still pacing.

But wouldn't her parents want her to escape no matter what even if they end up dying this night? Wouldn't Sage be disappointed if she got caught after all the efforts he just made to make sure she escaped?

Lillian halted, she was paralyzed on the spot not knowing what to do.

"Let me make a choice for you."

Lillian gasped at the voice and turned around, almost falling. She sighed when she saw that it was their head bodyguard, Oliver. But was she really safe?

Back at the house, Sage grunted as he was finally subdued and some of the men spilled out, to search for his sister. He grinned with his bloody teeth, satisfied that he was able to delay them enough for Lillian to escape. Whatever happens now, he doesn't really care.

It's a tough world out there but he knew she would survive. He hoped she would survive. She is kind, too kind but she is not weak, definitely not weak. He whispered a quick prayer on her behalf to anyone listening, that might be the last words he would ever utter anyway.

He was held up and dragged further into the room, a few feet away from his parents. His face was battered but he doesn't even seem bothered, the only expression on his face is that of triumph.

He looked around the room and was quick to figure out the real ones who held the power right now. They were two, dressed in the exact same way. They were the same height but the first man has his hair slicked back while the other one has on, a buzz-cut.

He heard his father call the one with slicked back hair as Clayton. The name wasn't familiar.

He was not familiar at all with the men. Not that he knows all his father's acquaintance but he does know a good amount of them as much as he made sure not get involved with his father's dark world.

He wasn't at all in support of his parent's activities but he was involved by default; being their child isn't exactly a benefit. He loathed everything about his father and his activities and that is why the man never really acknowledges him anymore since his son refused to be in support of their lifestyle.

"You've got a brave son, but it's such a shame." Clayton spoke for the first time, looking at Sage's father.

"What exactly do you want from me, Leo?" Sage's father asked.

The panicked expression on his face has disappeared all because in his mind, he believed that his daughter has escaped. As much as he would have wished that she got away with her brother, he was still glad that she at least made it out.

"I know you know exactly what we want." Leo, the other man with Buzz-cut spoke.

"Then leave my son out of this, he's not at all involved in everything I did." Sage's father said.

"He shares your traitorous blood, that's enough reason." Leo answered with a bored tone.

"Leave him out of this." Sage's father continued. "A life for a life."

Clayton, the other guy with slicked back hair, chuckled wickedly and took a few steps closer to the couple, before speaking.

"Unfortunately for you, My brother doesn't go by that rule. It's double lives for a life."

"And it's very stupid of you to assume that the life of either one of my parents equals one of yours. Wiping off your entire generation off the earth's surface is not enough as retribution." Leo seethed in anger and was walking menacingly towards the couples but halted due to the entrance of Oliver, who was holding Lillian by her right arm.

Sage's face paled as he stared at the scene in front of him, he almost burst into tears. He attempted to stand up but was held down firmly by two men. Oliver released Lillian's arm and she ran to her brother.

"Oh sage." She sobbed, examining his bloody face.

"I'm okay, I promise." He said.

"What's happening?" She asked the question she has been dying to ask the moment they walked into the men earlier.

"Everything will be fine." Sage assured.

And he wasn't just saying it in vain. In his mind, he already had a resolve that whatever has to be done, he will do it before allowing anyone to hurt his sister. Over his dead body, would he allow anyone to hurt her.

Lillian looked towards her parents and sobbed silently.

"Oliver, you bastard!" Sage's father called out in anger.

"Sorry boss. You went past your boundaries this time." Oliver said to him without remorse, bowed in the direction of Leo and Clayton, before making his exit.

Sage was processing. His brain already started making out who it was that his father really offended but he really prayed that it shouldn't be the one he's thinking. Because if it is, then the issue becomes more serious than he anticipated.

Just because Sage refuses to partake in his father's activities, doesn't mean he was completely oblivious. He sneaks around his father's office sometimes and find things he wasn't supposed to find.

"Double lives for a life, bastard. You took my parents away from me. And my sister is in a fucking coma." Leo said calmly before he reached out towards his back and in his hand was a gun. He walked towards Sage, who was still in a crouched position hugging his sister.

Sage quickly pushed Lilian behind him, hiding her from view with his body. Leo didn't hesitate to aim the gun directly at his head. Lillian was sobbing like a child holding Sage's left hand that he had extended behind himself.

Sage looked at his father, who stared back at him with regret and pain evident in his eyes.

"I told you this is how it was going to end." Sage said.

He faced Leo, looking bravely into his eyes while he held Lillian's hand in a tight grip. That was the only thing he was going to regret, not being strong enough to protect his sister.

Leo pulled the trigger and three different voices let out a scream of agony.

A MONTH AGO

Lillian watched as her father continuously scold the maids, raising his voice and raising her heartbeats with it. The maids couldn't even do or say anything except bow their heads and take every single insult.

They knew trying to defend themselves or even looking him directly in the eye means loosing their job. Getting a job is not that easy, especially a job that pays well so they knew better.

All this because of a little fall? Lillian thought. She didn't even do anything but she feels bad. And their family doctor already tended to her ankle, telling them it's not that bad. All she wanted was to get a bottle of water from the kitchen. She did get it but on her way back, she slipped on the stairs and although she managed to catch herself, her ankle twisted.

Now, according to her father, it's the fault of the maids. She was supposed to just ring a bell from her room and have a maid get her what she wants but they were not effective enough and that was why she felt the need to do everything herself; all this was according to her father and that was why he was angry at the maids, especially since she got hurt.

But that wasn't the truth. The maids were in fact more than effective and does their jobs well but Lillian doesn't fancy the idea of just sitting her room while having everything done for her by them. It just doesn't make sense nor does it feel right to her.

"Dad. Please stop." She pleaded.

"Lillian baby, don't take their side this time. What if the fall was bad and you had gotten a fatal injury?" Her father asked.

"But it wasn't really their fault." Lillian sighed.

Her father just ignored her and continued scolding the maids.

She let out a small yelp of pain as she attempted to stand up, all she wanted was to go to her room. She looked around, hoping Sage would miraculously appear so he could take her to her room and comfort her like always, but he wasn't around.

But at least her mother wasn't around and she was glad. She would only join her father in scolding the workers anyway.

"What are you doing?" Her father was by her side in a flash.

"I want to go to my room, dad." She said.

"Hey." Lillian watched him call the head of the bodyguards.

His name was Oliver but her father obviously didn't care enough to learn the names of his workers. Lillian knew what he was about to do and she doesn't want it. Her absence from the living room would only made her father scold the maids the more.

"No. Take me please." She asked and her father didn't waste any time to agree as he dismissed the bodyguard.

Lillian wrapped her arms around her father's neck as he carried her in his arms and up to her room.

"Dad. Can you please stop blaming the maids?"

"Alright." He answered after a few seconds.

"Your graduation is in a few days, I hope your ankle heals before then." He placed her on her bed and examined her ankle with a frown.

"You worry too much. That's why your gray hairs keep increasing rapidly." Lillian pouted, which made her father smile.

Seeing him smile warmed her heart and made her smile too.

"I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Lillian" He said, pecking her forehead.

*** *** ***

A DAY EARLIER

Lillian frowned as she looked around the whole area, wherever her sight could reach, searching for the only person that made her four years in college bearable; her twin brother, Sage.

Lillian and Sage just finished college and the ceremony was over. Their parents urged Lillian to go take at least one picture with her colleagues and succeeded in persuading her after several attempts.

Lillian wasn't at all sociable and she has been home-schooled since she was little, which stopped when she finished high school, due to her going to a private college.

To her, everything about the college was strange. Of course, she never experienced what going to school with other students felt like but the first day she stepped foot into her college, it just doesn't feel right, the whole college settings were weird.

From the first day till today where she just graduated, Lillian never had anyone she could call a friend and she was okay with it because she always has Sage by her side.

It wasn't an ordinary school and you could tell that every single student in the school came from wealthy families. Everyone minds their business, with only a few people having cliques. It was like a school for robots, to Lillian.

Whenever she questioned her parents about the whole school mystery, she's always given vague answers that never satisfied her. Lillian loved her parents but sometimes, she just wanted to fly away from them, see the real world and experience life.

But alas! We don't always get what we wish for, her father would haunt her down. He's very overprotective of her and as much as Lillian try seeing it as a manifestation that he just loved her too much, she found it overbearing most times.

"There you are." The voice spoke into her ear and she jumped at the suddenness, due to the fact that she was already lost in her thoughts.

"Sage! I've been looking all over for you. Where's mom and dad?" Lillian asked, not failing to notice that Sage already took off his graduation gown.