Chapter 4

Just when I thought I would be able to have a couple of peaceful days, Aria came up with something new again. This time, she didn't mess with my food—she went straight for my mind. Early one morning, I was jolted awake by the sound of murmured prayers. I opened my eyes to quite the sight. Aria had shown up with seven or eight nuns in gray robes, and they were all surrounding my bed. They clutched prayer beads, chanting as the smoke from the candles grew thick, making me cough. Their low, droning voices made it feel almost like an exorcism. "What are you doing? Trying to summon spirits at this hour?" I covered my nose and sat up, my annoyance flaring. Aria held a string of prayer beads, her face full of exaggerated pity. "Ms. Jemison, last night I watched the stars and sensed dark energy swirling over Serene Manor." She continued, "Mr. Coleman, the spiritual advisor, said the babies in your womb carry too much negative energy. He fears they might be... something evil." I almost laughed out loud. Something evil? That sounded like something straight out of a 20-year-old soap opera. "And?" I looked at her with a smirk. "What do you want me to do about it?" A flicker of malice crossed Aria's eyes, though her expression remained calm and compassionate. "For the sake of the Sandler family—and to ensure the kids are born safely—Mr. Coleman suggested this. "Starting today, you must spend three hours every day kneeling in prayer. And you need to drink this blessed water to cleanse the babies' dark energy." One of the nuns stepped forward, holding a bowl of dark, foul-smelling liquid. The stench of soot and rotten herbs hit me immediately. "Kneel for three hours? And drink this stuff?" I stared coldly at her. "Are you trying to make me miscarry, or kill me and the triplets all at once?" "Of course not," Aria said, stepping closer. "This is to bring blessings upon you. Maverick agreed to this too. He said the Sandler family's children had to be cleansed of negative energy." "No way!" My heart sank. Maverick might be cold and aloof, but he couldn't possibly be this stupid, could he? "Maverick is right outside," she said confidently. "If you don't believe me, ask him yourself." I glanced toward the door. He really was standing there, backlit, his expression unreadable. He knew, and he hadn't stepped in to stop this? My heart went cold. The system's warning rang sharply in my head. "Maya, be careful. That bowl contains an extremely high dose of saffron. If you drink it, you will miscarry." I clenched my fists. This wasn't an exorcism. This was attempted murder. "Ms. Jemison, please." Aria gave the nuns a subtle look. The burly nuns rushed in at once, surrounding me. They pinned my arms and legs and tried to force the bowl of poison into my mouth. "Let me go! You're trying to kill me!" I struggled desperately, but as a pregnant woman carrying triplets, I was already weak. How could I possibly fight off so many people? The foul-smelling liquid edged closer, making my stomach churn. Aria stood to the side, a smug smile tugging at her lips. "Drink it and get rid of those cursed kids. You have no right to covet what's not yours!" The rim of the bowl pressed against my lips. I gritted my teeth and stared desperately at Maverick, who stood frozen like a statue in the doorway. "Maverick! Is this what you want too?" I shouted. "You'd really kill your own babies over some superstitions and so-called rules?" He flinched, but he still didn't move from the doorway. Aria's smile widened, triumphant and cruel. "Don't waste your breath yelling. Think of all the vows Maverick's broken because of you. Those babies… maybe they're cursed by his sins. I have to help clear their negative energy!" She ordered the nuns, "Force it down!" At her command, the nuns grabbed my jaw, and the poison began trickling into my mouth.