Paradisium: Broken by Teresa Herbin (the giving tree read aloud TXT) 📕

that I knew. His guest walked away unaware of the atmospheric change progressing aggressively. Paradise kissed his cheek and walked towards Em, cluelessly. He walked towards me with worry but stopped abruptly when I motioned for him to walk to the side hallway with a nod, and so he did. I followed silently and casually for if I said any words someone would have to die. "Whats u-", I grabbed Emrick by the throat and lifted him into the air. He attempted to break free. I leaned in close enough for my words to be herd by him no one else. "I know about the baby, bitch." I squeezed his throat one last time as his eyes enlarged to the words finally settling into his brain. Like a fragrance of death sprayed upon the living patiently settling unto them as they fell; One by one, he was scared. Forcefully, I plunged my fist into his stomach.

   I watched as he fell to the ground and placed my hands in my pocket. "Meet me in the field opening, away from everyone." I whistled and slowly walked away with halfway slouched over Emrick right behind me. Trying his best to act casual, as if everything was fine but in reality, shit just started to run. Here we stood face to face with an exasperated piece of shit of a brother. "How do you know?" Emrick said with laced venom as if he didn't regret the action itself but the fact that he was caught. "You are to tell no one. Not mom, not dad..no one. Do you understand?" He attempted to use his authoritative voice which only caused me to hulk up a bunch of spit. "Fuck you, Emrick, fuck you." I spat as we circled each other slowly.. "Do you honestly think I give a shit about you or whatever the fuck you don't want them to know." I spat again. "I feel sorry for Paradise. She said yes to a fucking lie. The fact that you didn't even tell her you had a child. You kept her in the dark.. You kept everyone in the dark believing that you were this fucking Prince Charming.. what bullshit of a charade. You don't deserve the life that's been placed upon you, Emrick." I shook my head and smirked. 

  Emrick slit his eyes and jumped in the air with the same motion as me. "You are younger than me Leviticus, you'll never win." His smirk grew as we lunged for each other once again in the same motion. I slammed my right fist into the side of his face causing him to come back even harder with a crushing left hook. I flew into a tree bouncing back quickly adding two more punches in the mix; more force behind every inch. We were so caught in the rage that we didn't realize Angeline was watching the whole time. "Now that he knows, what happened to my child?" I stopped mid-air and stared at her with disgust. "How dare you even show your fucking face in front of me?" I pushed passed Emrick and walked up to Angeline, " The both of you are nothing but pathetic fucking liars and manipulators. The Heavens should have kept the two of you together, maybe Paradise and I would have suffered less. You pulled me into this bullshit scheme of yours to get back at my fucking brother just like the fucking demon dude who just kilt your fucking dad. You are really something fucking else." Angeline stared at me while a few tears slowly dropped from her eyes. 

  Eventually, she stopped crying and charged for me and I gladly charged back. Emrick soon enough joined in the fight. All three of us wanted each other's blood and it showed. I swung at Angeline, who swung at me then swung at Emrick. Emrick swung at me and then at Angeline. All three forces and energies growing as blood continued to spill. "ENOUGH!" My father yelled as he crossed the field with his hands still in his pocket. My mother walked gracefully on his side with both hands placed properly in front of her, the true representation of a Queen naturally. However, her face reflected that of a sad, disappointed and furious mother towards us all. 'What is the meaning of all of this?" My father questioned while taking the scene in before him, along with my silent but loud mother. Silence filled the air as we all backed away from each other and turned towards my father and mother. She held her hand up to silence us, yet she had our full attention. "How dare you? How dare you all?! Fighting out here like a bunch of damn untrained soulless leches. Thank the Heavens everyone was able to leave before all this mess started to happen. I am so disappointed in all of you but we will deal with this back at the house with the others." 

 Before my mother and father could walk away Angeline stepped up breathing heavily and emotionally. "Moma, I am so sorry for all of this. I just wanted to know the truth, I just wanted him to tell me where my baby was." She stood there before us all with tears pouring down her face. My mothers face scrunched up in confusion, "What does your baby outside of your mate have to do with my boys?" Angeline chuckled, "Emrick there..that precious boy of yours is the baby daddy." She winked at my mother as my mother turned towards Emrick, "Where is this child of yours that we knew nothing about?" Emrick stepped forward as we all watched him intensely. His hair was rough, dry and matted from the blood as his wounds were slowly healing. "Dead." He said with the grimmest, unemotional look laced with a venomous tone with the face to follow. Emrick stormed off to the castle leaving us all behind to understand the words of death placed on a child that was just born to us through fresh knowledge. Angeline screamed as she hit the ground, "That fucking bastard."

 

Chapter 3: Paradise

 

 My heart paced rapidly and aggressively against my rib cage, causing it to ache a little. Yet, I continued running with hot steamy tears falling from my eyes effortlessly. All I could replay in my head were the words of truth that flowed from Leviticus mouth. Emrick and Angeline not only slept together but had a child together as well. How could I have been so stupid to actually believe that he was true in everything that he said and did? How could I allow myself to be pulled into a world that I had never belonged in? My mind was racing at a speed inhumanly impossible to keep up with. Everything happened so fast.. So, suddenly. 

  Something in me knew this was too good to be true, all of this shit..too good to be true. I continued to run towards the castle, mud tracing the gold of these now worthless but priceless heels. Yet, that meant nothing to me if lies on a hidden foundation portrayed anything but the truth. The castle seemed so far away but yet so close. To believe that a man could love me with purity and honesty. How foolish could I be? - To know that my mate slept with my ex-best friend, probably created in the love that I once believed as something the two of us would share together. How could I be mad at a woman seeking redemption through the works of a broken heart? I couldn't be mad at her for going about things the way she did. She was a woman scorned from not only what had to be a tragic heartbreak but traumatic separation as well. Being that she was here to most likely find out information regarding her child. 

  As a soon to be mother, myself to a precious boy or baby girl I couldn't imagine not being with them. "Paradise! Please stop and think about what you're going to do." Em cried out bringing me back to the forefront of my painful reality. I stopped on the back steps of the castle abruptly, causing me to trip and fall forward. I prepared for the impact of brick to collide with my face, however, Em had other plans in mind; being that her stern look shot daggers at me as I laid in her arms. Immediately after realizing that I was in fact caught by Em and not the stairs I backed away and quickly pushed the hair out of my face. "I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to leave here someway and somehow. I can't do the lies... I gave him the opportunity, to tell the truth, and what did he do? - He lied to me.. in my face, Em. My child and I are leaving." I turned back towards the back door heading towards my room. 

  The castle was very quiet and empty, very abnormal. However, without a second thought, I continued running through the halls. My heels clicking loudly as I finally made my way up the stairs and to my room. I slung the door open with much force as I started searching for my bags and belongings. "Well at least let me help Paradise, please?" Em reached her hand out to make sure I was still in this reality. "Slow down and breathe. The stress is not good for the baby." I nodded and started rubbing my stomach as I decided to calm down for the sake of my baby. "How are you going to help me?" I said in between breaths. Em started packing bags for me as she wiped away a few tears that fell from her face. "I'm going to call Matthew and see if it's okay for you to stay with them for a while. I'm sure my mates' mother wouldn't mind. Besides, they're Royals and witches so you'll be fine." 

  Em smiled slightly to herself while pulling out her phone to call Matthew. I nodded and continued to pack other personal items while Em conversated on the phone to her mate. Eventually, I finished packing and was now changing my clothes to catch the car waiting for me at the back of the castle. Nervousness filled me as we carried my bags to the gate. Silent tears fell down Ems' face as we placed the rest of my belongings in the car. "This is only temporary Paradise. Please don't forget that." She pulled me into a hug and placed a sisterly kiss on my forehead. "Call me when you get settled in." She closed the car door with me in it and placed a hand kiss on the door. I leaned back and took a deep breath as Matthew and Em kissed each other goodbye. 

  Matthew got into the passenger side of the car and signaled for the driver to drive off. My heartbeat started to ease as we pulled away. The tears holding on to the lashes of my eyes eventually released themselves as the castle and Em disappeared. Matthew turned around to face me, "Em told me everything and I just wanted you to