"Amelia, are you going to let this man terrorize our family." Senator Gregory glared at his daughter, anger dripping in his words and expression.
Amelia knew Blaze was a man of his word and even though she wanted all those responsible for her almost assassination dealt with, shooting them as common criminals didn't appeal to her.
"You heard what my husband said. I think you owe me an apology for slapping me." Amelia said in a frigid tone.
"What!" Senator Gregory was left speechless.
"Yes, Dad. You shouldn't have slapped me no matter what. Mom would never do that." Amelia said with determination.
"Shame on you A..." Regina didn't get to finish her words as Blaze moved in one swift stride towards her, grabbing her by the neck and pushing her roughly backwards until her back hit the glass wall.
"Ah!" Wild gasps escaped everyone's lips including Amelia, who hadn't predicted Blaze's move.
Regina's voice came out muffled and scratchy as she struggled like a rabbit caught under the foot of a hungry and angry eagle. The more she struggled to free her neck from the Devil's suffocating grip, the tighter it became, sucking out every air from her lung.
"You think you can talk to my wife in that manner before me," Blaze growled like a bloodthirsty beast.
"Jesus!" Pearl shook in fear.
"Dad, do something. He's going to kill mom." Gwen panicked, taking cover behind Jerry.
"Amelia, please beg your husband," Matt called in a panic tone.
A warning silent shot was fired between Desmond and Pearl, the bullet brushing past Pearl's left leg, bruising her.
"I'm shot!" Pearl squealed, horror flashing before her eyes as she fell down.
Another warning shot was fired in Jerry's direction, also scraping the top of his right arm and missing Gwen's cheeks by the whiskers.
"Just tell her you're sorry," Desmond yelled at his elder brother as he watched the bloodthirsty gruff aiming his silencer at Matt.
"Please, brother-in-law." Pearl cried from the floor, holding onto her bleeding leg while watching her elder sister's hands fall limply by her sides.
Although Amelia was terrified by the warning shots, she was unperturbed by the fact that Regina could die from asphyxiation.
"What is it going to be Dad? Are you ready to watch someone get killed before you do the right thing?" Amelia held her father's stubborn and angry gaze.
The senator jerked afraid to look at Matt who had joined others- who were crying in pain.
"You break my heart, Amelia. Although I regret hitting you, this is not the right way to go about it. I hope you can live with this guilt of threatening your own family. I'm sorry for slapping you."
Immediately those words came out from the senator's mouth, Blaze released his hold around Regina's neck, pushing her almost lifeless body to the ground, before making his way back to his wife.
Regina gasped for air, coughing and gulping air greedily into her lungs, her eyes red and teary as she stared in Matt's direction, panicked at the sight of blood.
"Let this be my final warning to you all." Blaze's cold and deep voice caused every heart to frail at his threat. "This is just the tip of the iceberg of the things I will do to anyone who offends my wife going forward. Next time it won't be a warning shot. Enjoy the rest of the evening, senator."
Blaze grinned wickedly as he extended his right hand towards Amelia like a true gentleman.
Amelia inwardly felt guilty as she met her father's broken gaze. She slowly took Blaze's hand, her eyes darting towards her Uncle Matt, grateful that his injury was also a flesh wound like the others.
"Let's go, sweetheart." Blaze's softened voice took Amelia by surprise. She reverted her gaze back to him, dumbfounded by his sudden change in emotions. She nodded her head, words failing her.
"Amelia, if you leave with him right now, there is no coming back to this family." Senator Gregory said, tears streaming down his face as he held his daughter's gaze pleadingly.
Amelia stared long and hard at her father before making her firm resolution.
"I'm sorry, Dad, but I'll be leaving with my husband. I have nothing here to come back to except heartbreak, bitterness and anger. Why should I remain in a family who betrayed me without looking back? Why should I accommodate a step-sister who connived with her mother to sell more than fifty percent of my late mother's assets while pretending to stand in for me with my cheating ex?"
"You are lying." Gwen whimpered, afraid that raising her voice may earn her a bullet in the head.
But Regina and Jerry were too traumatized to say anything.
"I don't have to lie because I've sent proofs of all your consummated transactions after the liquidation of my asset to everyone's email address, including the money you recently transferred to Jerry's account to save his family's crumbling business."
"What!" Gwen's face paled as all pairs of eyes including those of her mother turned to look at her. "Crumbling business?" She looked up at Jerry who was shaking his head.
"Don't worry, Gwen, I'll be coming back for every cent of my money you and your cohorts stole from me without my permission. This is a promise." Amelia swore before leaving with Blaze and his men.
"Gwen!" Senator Gregory called between clenched teeth, turning around to face his second daughter. "What money is your sister talking about and did you sell her assets without her permission?"
"She is lying, dad." Gwen cried out.
"Then there is only one way to find out." Senator Gregory brought out her phone from his pocket to check his email when something struck him on the back of his neck, causing him to black out instantly. He almost fell face down on the fall if Jerry hadn't been so swift.
"Are you mad?" Regina screamed at Jerry, her narrowed eyes shooting daggers at him
"I panicked," Jerry said, trembling.
"So it's true. You have sold more than fifty percent of the asset when you claimed you only sold a few." Matt shot Gwen a nasty glare.
"We can talk about this later. Let's ensure he doesn't see whatever is in that email." Regina pleaded, lifting herself up from the floor while massaging her hurting neck.