Maya's point of view

We laid in silence for a while until I questioned her, "You do know I'm not going to end up with him, right?"

The environment shifted, I could sense the tension brewing in the air but what could she do? I'm sure Isabella always had a feeling that a relationship between me and her father was impossible.

"So you're going for Eden?"

The question was abrupt and I was so shocked my eyes widened to the size of saucers. I don't remember telling her about my plans, how could she have guessed correctly?

"How did you know that, " I inquired.

"Someone who's had a taste of power doesn't exactly give up; the feeling is additive" came her simple reply which left me speechless.

I wasn't sure of what to think anymore but one thing crossed my mind, this girl was an alien. Was it humanly possible to be this smart because I doubted genes had something to do with this issue anymore?

Isabella's intelligence quotient frightened me, it's as if she had already seen through my plan before I even planned it.

Over the years I've dealt with ten years olds but none of them were as smart as her, it was marveling yet fear-inspiring.

"I'm not greedy for power, I just need him for something personal" I clarified to her.

I have seen what the taste of power did to a lot of people; like Angela who denied her mother just to get in the good grace of her influential friends.

"You're going for revenge then and I'm supposing grandfather is your target since you're too soft to hurt Niklaus," remarked Isabella.

"And I'm guessing you'd try to stop me"

"Who's going to stop you?"She gave me a dirty look and pointed to her chest, "Me? Am I crazy? Why would I stop such an interesting show from happening"

Now I was dumbfounded, the girl was on nobody's side. I thought I was her best person and since I was going against her grandfather, she'd tried to talk me out of it or something, but this answer was seriously too demoralizing.

She continued, "It's already obvious my grandfather is going to win so I'd sit back with popcorn and enjoy watching you get your ass kicked"

I said determinedly, "I'll die trying"

Isabella turned her head towards my direction, "While fighting against a monster, it's better one evaluates themselves and check if they hadn't become the monster they're hunting down"

"I know my past, I wouldn't get carried away with power"

"Let's hope so cause I'd hate to be disappointed in you" The little kid pointed out.

"Aren't you angry that I'm going after your grandfather?" I asked out of curiosity, so far she hasn't shown her sheer dislike of my pending plan.

"I don't need to be angry over a plan that's bound to fail. Moreover, the Eden I know wouldn't let him use him like that unless he's getting something out of it so you're going to need all the luck you can get"

Perhaps, it was a bad idea to discuss my plans with this little imp. Why were all her responses pessimistic?

"Fine, just watch me" I declared, readjusting in my bed.

"You're playing with fire Maya, there's still time to give up"

Oh, she cares now.

"This isn't about getting hurt anymore, my dignity is on the line here and I'm going to make Adam regret ever tossing me aside"

"I can't believe this but was this what I sounded like during my vendetta against Niklaus?" She brought up the question out of nowhere.

"No, yours was worse and always backed up by your actions," I said to her before it dawned on me," Wait, you don't hold a grudge against Niklaus anymore?"

Isabella snorted, "Yep, turns out I was played by both parents - They need the parents of the year award," she said sarcastically and continued, "Now it's just me living my life. If that woman wants revenge, she could get her ass off the grave and come get it herself"

I was surprised, was this the same Isabella I knew? She sounded so mature and confident with a hint of rudeness in-between. So she wasn't avenging her mother's death anymore?

"Niklaus loves you," I told her but she just rolled her eyes," I mean it, that man views you as the best thing in his life even if he realized it late"

"Sure"

But her uninterested response bothered me, Isabella didn't believe a word I said; it probably sounded like noise to her ears.

"Hey," I called to her, "Look at me," I demanded the girl fixed her gaze on me which she obeyed without me repeating myself twice

"You're the only family Niklaus has left and though he finds it hard to communicate his feelings, your well-being is always the first thing in his heart. You're the best thing that has ever happened to Niklaus, little one"

We laid that way, gazing at each other as my words sank into her head.

"I wonder sometimes, why do you even care?" She chuckled bitterly, "I've thought over it but I still don't get it? Are you a natural busybody or goody-two-shoes cause leave the nanny duties aside, you've always been like this since day one we met, always trying to put us back together? Why do you try at all?"

"Because I see myself in you"

"What?"

"I grew up without feeling the love of my parents though I had one - literally. I was just like you but not as stubborn to this extent, you're impossible Isabella but the point is... I know that feeling: the abandonment, loneliness, and the urge to just hurt anyone with a smile on their face" I felt nostalgic going through my childhood.

"The fact that others have a smile makes you want to slap it off their faces; you want to hurt them but then the world itself doesn't stop smiling. You try to do everything to grab their attention and sometimes go the extra mile in doing so yet, they don't understand. Only those who bear the cross know how heavy it is.

"I understand how you feel Isabella and I can assure you, you're not alone. Unlike me, you have a father who indulges your ridiculous whims and pranks. So congratulations miss, you're loved"

I got to admit, I was scared when Isabella didn't reply for ten minutes. She just kept staring at me without saying a word that I would have termed her catatonic if not the fact she blinked her eyes reflectively.

Did I damage her by chance?

"You do know this is why I hate you?" Isabella said something at last much to my relief.

"Of course, you hate me, " I admitted ironically.

I sent a warm smile her way but she groaned, tucking her face in the crook of her arms.

Isabella was just too prideful to admit I was one of the people close to her heart.

And so I spent the next minutes teasing and bonding with Isabella when another knock came on my door making me cry inwardly.

I didn't know I was this famous, everyone wanted to see me but I was not surprised when Grandmother came in. I had been expecting her presence since morning but her escort was not on my guest list - Kimberly.

I pressed my temple, I wasn't in the mood for a fight, and the pain coming from my chest confirmed that.

"Grandmother"

"You child!" she broke down as expected and hugged me after gauging my injuries.

"I'm sorry" I patted my grandmother's back.

Sigh, I was now the one comforting the person who came to visit a patient, how funny could this get?

"I thought you died"

"I didn't die," I told her.

Some people wished I died though and as a matter of fact, my eyes settled on Kim who looked like she was forced into coming here.

Our eyes collided, her eyes roving over my body as she took in my sickly appearance and was clearly satisfied by what she saw thanks to the smug smirk pulling her mouth.

But as soon as Grandmother pulled away, Kim's self-pleased expression shifted into a sympathetic one.

God, I felt like throwing up and it disgusted me to think that I'm sister with this "specimen" - I borrowed that word from Isabella by the way.

"Thank God you're okay, sister" Kim took her turn in hugging me.

Seriously, I felt like bugs were crawling all over my skin which made me try to limit my contact with Kim but that witch refused to let me go.

"I wonder what I would have done if you died?" She continued with her act, her heart touching words prompting Grandmother into crying harder.

"How about dancing over my grave? That was just one of the many things you would have done if I was dead" I whispered to Kim while grandmother was trying to compose herself.

"Funny but why didn't you die? I would have cried the hardest at your funeral" she whispered back still in the guise of hugging me.

We stared at each other eyeball to eyeball until I felt a sharp pain in my stomach.

"Sister, are you okay? You look pale" Kim continued with her act while sweat beaded my forehead.

It was Kim. She purposely jabbed me on the stomach with her elbow before letting go of me.

"Maya!" Grandma shrieked at the sight of the blood seeping into my hospital gown.

But before anyone could call for help, Isabella who had been ignored all this while did the most unimaginable.

She grabbed the full water bottle resting on my vanity table and hurled it at Kim, the can of water connecting with her face.