Why Me ?

Chapter Two: Alice's Heart

After Ryder told his men what happened the night he found John, the whole room was silent. The men looked at eachother feeling uncomfortable to see their boss have the look of defeat on his face.

" What about Mary? " Luke asks, trying to break the tension in the room.

" I made her swallow a bomb, before I left the island. " Ryder said with a straight face.

" Bro's got jokes! " Luke laughed out loud.

" Who said I'm joking? " Ryder looks at Luke smiling.

Luke looks Ryder deep into his eyes for a couple of seconds and yells out, " Bro's dead ass!!! ".

" Update me with any information on The Luchesse's no matter how small the details are. I'll be in my room. " Ryder orders as he leaves the room.

As he climbed the stairs, each step seemed to echo the weight of his grief. The air grew heavier, flooded with memories of Alice. Ryders footsteps paused, and he leaned against the cold stone wall, closing his eyes.

In his screaming mind, he began to remember everything he admired about her. The soft rustle of pages as she devoured novel after novel in the old mansion's small library. The way her eyes sparkled when she peeked through the telescope, tracing constellations across the massive canvas of the night sky. And the notebook she carried around at night, which he never understood why.

Alice had been his happiness, the fragile light that pierced the darkness of his existence. Her laughter had danced through the corridors of the Santos mansion, chasing away shadows that clung to his soul.

Now, as the Luchesse's rebirth threatened to flood the underworld into chaos once again, Ryder battled with the past. He wondered if Alices spirit lingered, watching over him, urging him to fight.

With a heavy heart, Ryder pushed open the door to his room. The moon spilled through the window, casting shadows on the floor. He traced the outline of Alice's telescope, its brass frame cool beneath his fingertips. He peeks into it to watch the starry sky whispering from under his breath, " Ever since you left me, I haven't seen a single shooting star. ". As he takes a step back, to wipe a tear sneaking out of his eye, his sight lays on the notebook he kept safe on his night stand.

He sank onto the bed, cradling the notebook against his chest. The weight of guilt pressed down upon him. Johns blood stained his hands, but Alices absence stained his soul. Ryders trembling fingers traced the edges of the worn notebook - the storage of Alices life, a fragile ship of memories. He hesitated, knowing that once he opened it, he wouldn't be able to stop invading the secrets of her past.

As the cover gave in to his touch, Ryders breath shook. The entry was dated years ago, ink faded but emotions were engraved. He read, each word a dagger to his heart:

13-7-2008

The Tormentor:

" Training " he calls it. Training for WHAT??? I don't understand why he's putting me through all this torture when I should be outside playing with the kids in the summer breeze. Right now, I'm locked in a dark room in the basement. He said that I will only walk out of here if I pick and break the locks.

I'm glad I have this diary with me wherever I go, with this pen Amanda gifted me that lights up when I write. She said something like " This pen is to light up your nights the same way you light up my days with your silly stories. ". Just if she knew how much this pen is lighting up my life right now. But ofcourse I can't tell her what John does to me. What kind of father is he?

I'm scared, cold, and hungry. I don't understand how can a room be so cold in the hot summer, but it's freezing. My bare feet are numb, and I can barely move my fingers right now. The rattles of the chains hanging from the ceiling freaked me out every time I bump into one.