Greed

Ch-108

"Then why is he playing the father-daughter game with me?" Lenora asked with confusion. He can get his work done one way or another. Then why was he claiming her as his daughter?

She didn't understand. She doesn't want a father like him.

"Because he is my husband," Andrea said, revealing the biggest secret. Andrea's gaze remained steady, her eyes revealing a truth veiled in shadows.

Lenora's eyes widened in disbelief, the words hanging in the air like an ominous revelation. The confusion etched across her face deepened, mirroring the bewilderment that echoed through the room. The revelation came not from the lips of Azazel, the dark puppeteer orchestrating their fates, but from anthe unexpected source—Andrea.

The revelation hung in the air, laden with implications that sent shivers down the spines of those present. The enigma of Azazel's motives deepened, casting a pall over the room. Lenora's shock transformed into a tumultuous whirlwind of emotions—betrayal, confusion, and an unsettling realization that her connection to Azazel went beyond the sinister games he played.

The air in the room seemed to thicken as the implications of Andrea's revelation settled. Lenora found herself at the heart of a sinister plot, her identity entwined with the dark forces.

Lenora tried her best to maintain her stature. What's happening? For the past few days, she has been bombarded with one after another revelation.

"Husband?" Lenora asked. Disbelief was evident in her tone as she stared at Andrea, her biological mother.

Andrea looked at her in the eye, agreeing with her doubt. She took a deep and loud breath that made her feel exasperated. Lenora doesn't know what to feel anymore. The man, whom she hated all these days, and was plotting to bring him down, was her father?

Gosh! It's like the whole world was playing a joke on her.

Maximus came and hugged her when he felt she was getting unstable. He didn't know how to console her either. Lenora let out a chuckle.

"What is going on these days? One by one every single bitter truth was coming out, making me feel anxious. And today… this thing. The one with whom I was fighting all along was the one who gave birth to me. And… not to mention, I don't even have time to think it thoroughly to make a decision or feel something about it," Lenora said angrily.

"What else don't I know?" Lenora asked, slumping onto the couch.

"I wish I didn't know this anytime now," she added as she looked at Andrea.

"I don't get why does you elders not solve your own matters and drag them till their children are dragged in. I wonder what made him turn out like this. What did you do that he turned so hateful? What made him come back from being dead and ruin all of our lives?!" Lenora asked without having a filter.

Her tone, words, and eyes were filled with anger towards Andrea. She was too angry to process anything.

Andrea was stunned to hear her. Even though she doesn't have a relationship with her daughter, she was not expecting this.

"At least trust me a bit. I am better than that dead one," Andrea said in a slow yet weak voice.

Lenora just turned her head aside.

"Your anger shouldn't turn off your rationality, Lenora. Let's listen to her first. We don't have time to waste anymore. Every second can result in taking a step forward for Adira's death. We can't afford another considering what happened to Victoria," Eudora said, calming down the emotional fiasco in the room. Lenora looked at her mother and took a deep breath before she turned silent.

"I never thought that there would be a day for me that I would have to compare myself with Azazel," Andrea said in a disappointed tone. Lenora cast her eyes down. Andrea didn't say anything further. She sighed softly.

"When Azazel was alive, he and I married out of love. We were in so much love. Birds sang the melody for our love," Andrea started with a smile.

"He was a great witch. He was known for his healing abilities. The World came to his feet for his spells. I got pregnant at that time, but due to a greedy witch actions, we witches got hunted. It took me, Azazel and other witches a lot to prove we are not like that." Andrea said. She paused for a while before she continued.

"Azazel felt angered and resentful towards humans at that time. Slowly, he let it go. He started doing so many healing spells on humans to prolong their lives. What once started as a charity turned into greed. He was filled with greed for money and power. The power he held over humans, made him feel like god. Maximus's father asked him to do spell of immortality so that he could rule both the races.

"He received huge amount of money from him. And also few humans gave him money to live longer. Maybe he felt instead of providing these people with the spells and pills of immortality, he should be the one to rule." Andrea's disappointment could be heard from her voice.

"He started learning black magic. Yet he was not satisfied. When he was found practicing black magic, my mother, the priestess of the coven, killed him and buried him. But since he learned about black magic, he has become a half-dead person. We didn't know that he already made arrangements to become a lich. He just wants the power to rule both races. With time, he plans to rule the whole world," Andrea expressed.

"After becoming a lich, he came to me and asked me to hand you. I told him you were dead already. Before he could find the truth about you. I asked Elphaba and Caroline to hide you among the humans. But he tracked you. They kept running away with you, until you were taken in by Eudora. I didn't know you were taken by Eudora and turned into a Vampire. Maybe that's for the best. You are alive and healthy," Andrea ended what she supposed to say.

There was thick silence covering the room. She didn't know what to say or comment. Why was it that everything seemed so complicated with every passing second?

"Why did he want me?" Lenora asked the most bugging question.

"The same reason. He wants to wake an Ancient. The very Ancient who is the reason of these two races. You were born with unique star, he wanted you. Maybe he gave up that's why he replaced his target with Victoria and Andrea. Their stars are rare as well," Andrea said.

"That was also the reason, why he planted and planned the mate game with Maximus. His first wife was never his mate," Ophelia revealed suddenly, rendering everyone speechless.

Maximus looked calm, as if he knew it earlier. Or maybe he was trying to act calm.

Truth to be told, Maximus didn't find it surprising anymore given the things that were going around like this.

"No wonder my wolf hated her," Maximus commented with a sneer. Lenora looked at her husband with a concerned gaze. He just squeezed her hand with his as if he were reassuring her.

"Then why am I half-dead?" Lenora asked. A vampire was nothing but a half-dead person. They were neither alive nor dead. They were called undead creatures.

"No, you are not. You have never become an original vampire. As a witch, you were a vampire for a short while but your true nature as a witch is awakening now. You will turn into a normal human in a month or some months, based on your will. You will not lose any powers that you acquired as a vampire," Andrea said.

There was a silence in the room. "Alright, now it's time to plan for Adira's rescue," Lenora continued.

Everyone got to their feet after hearing her words. "The ritual usually takes three to four hours. But the main part starts after two hours of the ritual." Ophelia said.

"But… the location?" Eudora wondered out loud.

"Where is the location?" Zaros asked looking at Ophelia.

Zaros was silent all the while. No one know what he was thinking.