Chapter 48

~Alistair~

It had been two days since I got to learn of Eliana’s betrayal. She always texted me in the morning and in the evening, and I replied as usual. I didn’t want her to know that I was aware of what she had done to me; at least, not yet.

I was always able to read people and know when they weren’t who they claimed to be, why hadn’t I sensed that Eliana was not who I thought she was? Had I been so blinded by love that I could not even read the writings on the wall? Maybe I should write an autobiography about these past three months, and advise no one to fall in love.

Love, as some people said, was a beautiful thing. I disagreed with them though. Love wasn’t beautiful, it was a weapon that could be used against you. It made you feel stupid, made you take the wrong choices, and even when you wanted to back out of it, it was addictive and toxic that you couldn’t just leave. Every second, I kept on trying to think that the pictures I had seen was all a lie, but my head knew better.

I felt like ignoring the fact that she had cheated on me with that bastard, ask her why it happened, forgive her, and take her back into my arms. However, if I did that, she would take advantage of the fact that I was hopelessly in love with her and continue to commit more evil, knowing that I’ll always welcome her back into my arms because my stupid heart could not just stop loving her.

I didn’t want to confront her about the whole situation. If I did that, she was going to lie to me about it, and like a fool, I would believe her, and that would be the end of me. I had already fallen because I loved her, and if I fell again, I would be completely destroyed and there won’t be any hope of me getting back on my feet again. I just couldn’t afford to even see her face, because I was afraid of my heart skipping when she came in front of me.

Truly, the mighty had fallen. I had been reduced to a scaredy-cat, who couldn’t even look into the eye of his enemy, and could not stop himself from possessing feelings for someone he was supposed to hate.

I heard footsteps I knew belonged to Jenny, and left the window where I was standing and thinking to myself, then went to open the door for her.

“Hi, how are you doing today? Are you doing well?” She asked, wearing a smile on her face.

I nodded my head. “I’m doing pretty well,” I replied, inviting her in.

She stepped into my house, wearing loose jeans and a blue crop top, with her hair tied up in a bun. She went straight to the fridge in the kitchen, taking a bottle of water, which she gulped down, thirstily.

“Don’t you have water in your own home?” I asked, sitting down on the sofa.

“Our fridge is broken, so, we have water, but it’s not cold. The repairer will come in later today, that’s if Garrett remembered to give him a call,” She said, crashing down heavily beside me.

“Sorry about that,” I said, glad that she was around and I could take my mind off Eliana for the meantime.

“Yeah, no problem. You asked to see me. Is everything okay with you?” Jenny asked.

“Everything’s good. I wanted you to see this,” I said, bringing out a little box from my pocket, and placing it on the table.

“Do you want to ask me to marry you?” She asked, with wide eyes.

Jenny was always so ahead of herself, which was one of the reasons I just couldn’t reciprocate the feelings she claimed to have for me.

“You have big dreams,” I said, with a chuckle, so as not to get on her nerves.

Right now, she was the only one I could talk to, and I didn’t want to get on the nerves of the one person I could trust in this life.

“Whatever. What’s in the box? Isn’t it a ring?” She asked.

“Open it, and see for yourself,” I said.

Without further ado, she opened the box, and gasped in surprise upon seeing the engagement ring staring right at her.

“You really do want to marry me!” She exclaimed.

I scoffed. “The ring was meant for Eliana, and it arrived here today,” I said.

“Oh. I don’t mind if you didn’t have me in mind at first...”

“Jenny, don’t get your hopes up for no reason. I don’t think I’m ever going to get married in this life after what Eliana did to me. In fact, I’m not looking for love, sex, or a relationship,” I explained to her.

“You know, it’s no one’s fault that Eliana did what she did. Not everyone is like her, and you can not just write people off simply because you’ve been hurt once. You can always find love again,” Jenny said.

“Contrary to your opinion, werewolves love once in case you haven’t heard,” I told her.

“All that is a myth. I mean, she is human, and she’s not even your mate, so, you can always find love again,” Jenny said.

“I have loved and lost, Jenny. It would kill me if I should suffer another heartbreak again. In essence, I’m not interested in all that consolation bullshit, no offence. Also, I’m thirty-two, do you think my supposed mate isn’t already dead or has married someone else? We do mating things when we’re teenagers, grow up,” I said.

“Whatever, Alistair. I just want to know exactly why you called me here. To show me a ring? For what purpose?” Jenny asked.

“I had ordered for this ring because I felt that if Eliana and I should get engaged, and get married, the rumours about her relationship with Sam would immediately die. I would have walked a thousand miles for her, and I would have even jumped off a cliff for her, but she would not have done the same for me. I still love her, Jenny, but I’m trying my best not to. I spent a million dollars on this ring, and it cannot just go to waste,” I said.

“I think I’m getting lost here. What are you trying to say?” Jenny asked.

“I am going to propose to Eliana Venator,” I replied.

“What? After all she did to you?” Jenny asked, expressing how shocked she was.

“Relax, Jenny. I’m trying to pay her back for all she did to me. I’m not going to end things with her yet. I’ll make her pay for hurting me and breaking my heart,” I said.

“How are you going to achieve that by asking her to marry you?” Jenny asked, confused.

“I’m going to take everything her family owns, one by one, under the guise of being Eliana’s fiancé,” I said, wearing a smirk on my face.

“You mean you’re going to deceive her just the way she deceived you?” Jenny asked.

“I’m going to deceive her more. In the game she played, I was the only one who got hurt, but in my game, she and all her family members will be hurt, broken and destroyed. They won’t ever get to raise their heads in public again,” I said, in a firm tone.

Jenny didn’t look all too pleased with the plan I had in mind, and didn’t hesitate to share her displeasure. “She is the one who hurt you, and not her family members. What will you gain from making them suffer for what Eliana did?” She asked.

“You seem to forget that they’re not innocent. I was going to carry out my revenge on them, but in my moment of stupidity, I backed out just because I didn’t want to see Eliana getting hurt in the process. However, now, my heart is broken, and the only way I can mend it is if I get back at the one who broke it, and she won’t be all that hurt if she’s the only one who gets hurt,” I explained.

“In essence, you wish to go back to the time you wanted revenge?” She asked.

I nodded my head, in the affirmative. “Exactly, Jenny. That’s what I wish for, but I need you on my side. I hope I can count on you,” I said.

She heaved a deep and thoughtful sigh. “I don’t know, Alistair. Isn’t it better to just end things with her and move on with your life? You said it yourself that you still love Eliana. Revenge isn’t always easy, especially when you can’t keep your feelings in check,” Jenny said.

“That is why I need you, Jenny. If I should forget about my plans for one moment and get lost in Eliana’s eyes, you are the only person who can call me back to my senses. I need you to remind me of my intentions, and to not let me become a victim of Eliana’s seduction for the second time. I can’t trust anyone else with this, so, Jenny, please, help me,” I pleaded with her.

She looked at me, seeming really deep in thoughts. Jenny had always been against me getting revenge because she did not see the need to, but still, she had stood by my side. I was hoping that she could overlook all the bad times we had had recently, and again, be on my side. If she wasn’t in on my plan, then, it would be impossible for me to go ahead with it.

Someone needed to make Eliana pay in order for her not to hurt other men in the future, and that someone ought to be me, but if I had no one to support or encourage me, then, I’d make mistakes along the way and fall once again for the very person I should detest.

“Fine then, I’ll support you,” Jenny said, squeezing my hands.

“That’s all I needed to hear. Thank you,” I said.

“You’re welcome. You know you can always count on me,” Jenny said.

“I know, and I won’t disappoint you. I’ll make sure to end each and every one of them, one by one,” I told her.

“I won’t disappoint you either. I’ll make sure to be by your side till the very end. However, must you give such an expensive ring to Eliana?” She asked.

“I can’t throw it out. Besides, I bought it for her. It’s better I give it to her, instead of throwing it out,” I said.

“If you think that’s the best thing for you to do, no problem. I’m just glad that you’re back to your senses. I hate to say that I told you so, but I did tell you so. It’s good that you found out about her lies before you got married to someone like her. You’d have never recovered from it,” Jenny said.

“You’re right. There was a time you once asked me why I didn’t just kill the Venators, and you remember what I said?” I inquired.

She nodded her head. “You said that death is an easy way out, and you’d take all the money they have and render them worthless, poor and miserable,” Jenny replied.

“I’m glad you have a good memory. I’ve sat with this family, and guess what I have discovered.”

“What have you discovered?”

“Do you know what they value more than money?” I asked her.

She shrugged. “More money?” She inquired, and we both chuckled.

“They value their children more. They may not be good at showing it, but they love all their children, and while they may seem like all they care about is money and what people would say, they actually care about their kids. The children don’t know it, but their company has been running at a loss for years now and they’re going bankrupt soon. That is why they are getting them linked with rich partners, in order to secure their future. Soon, the bank will come for their home, and I’m guessing they’d sell their company and move to their lake house, while their children continue to live well with their partners,” I told Jenny.

“What? How did you find out about this?” Jenny asked, looking really surprised.

“I have my ways, Jenny. I have insiders in their home and company, which I sent there while I was plotting my revenge before meeting Eliana and changing my mind about the whole revenge thing,” I responded.

“I can’t believe this. You mean that one of the supposed most wealthy family have crumbled?” Jenny asked, in disbelief.

“I was also shocked when I got to learn of it. I confirmed the news the day I stepped into their compound and took a piece of diamond on the walls. My jeweller said it was fake. That was when I knew they truly weren’t the wealthy people I thought they were,” I said.

“So, what are you planning to do about this? If they’re already getting poor, what revenge are you planning on taking?” She asked.

“They’re going to lose their money soon, but that wouldn’t matter as long as their kids are doing well. It will break their hearts if their kids aren’t doing well, not so?” I asked, wearing a smirk.

“You’re a genius, and I can guess what is already running through your mind,” Jenny said, with a knowing smile.

“They will regret ever messing with me. All of them will regret it,” I said, with a determined tone.

“I’m pleased to see that the Alistair I once knew is back again,” Jenny said, drawing close to me.

The look on her face showed that she was about to do something that I was not going to be too happy about. I knew that look, and although it brought out the lust in me back then, it made me feel quite irritated right now, and I thought of many different ways I could reject what she was about to offer, without making her feel offended.

“I have missed you, Alistair,” Jenny said, cupping my face in her hands.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I hadn’t still thought of what I could say that wasn’t going to offend her. I watched as she brought her lips close to mine, and the moment my eyes caught a glimpse of the red lipstick she was putting on today, I turned the other way, causing her hands which had been on my cheeks to slip away.

“What was that for?” She asked, looking really annoyed.

“I’m sorry, I can’t cheat on Eliana,” I said.

Jenny scoffed. “You can’t pay her back in her own coin? You can’t be with me even though she betrayed you and was with another man? How then do you expect to carry out your revenge on her and her family?” She asked.

“I haven’t broken up with Eliana yet, and it won’t sit well with me if I did exactly what I am condemning. Once all this is over, I promise to make it up to you,” I explained.

“Faithful to the end, I see. You’re truly an Alpha,” Jenny said, in an understanding tone.

I smiled, squeezing her hands, glad that she understood the lie I had just made up. In actuality, I had been disgusted by the mere thought of kissing Jenny’s lips, and I had hurriedly turned away from her because in that brief moment, Eliana’s lips had flashed through my mind, and the feeling of guilt was pricking at my conscience.

I wanted to question why I had to feel guilty about doing what she had done to me, but then again, it wasn’t just about betraying her trust also. It was just that I couldn’t see myself kissing another woman apart from her in spite of her actions towards me.

There and then, I knew that since it was always Eliana, it would forever be Eliana, and I didn’t want anyone else even though I could never be with her.