Fated To Three, Betrayed By All… Until She Rose.-Chapter 273: An enemy in the shadows.

Caelum.

I wanted to ask him even though I was sure that I already knew the answers which I sought. I also wanted to ask him why he’d done it, but the more I looked at him, the less I felt the need for that line of conversation, especially since I had something more important bugging me.

Leilani.

However, just as I thought these things, Kael soon spoke, voicing the thoughts that I could never bring myself to say. He asked; "Is it you?"

And at that, Zevran looked up. He dropped his chopstick and picked up a fork, his lips curving into the tiniest smile as he muttered;

"If I wanted to hurt Micah, I wouldn’t have to cut through corners. I would hurt him, and do it right in his face. I would break him from the inside out... so for you to think this lowly of me, it goes to show that you don’t know me at all."

"Zevran, that’s not what I asked of you!"

"And what you ask of me is simple! My answer is no!" He yelled back at Kael, slamming his already twisted phone into the table.

I guess it could never be repaired at this point!

The wood creaked under his weight, protesting slightly under all the pressure. And when he rose, causing his chair to topple and fall backward, I unknowingly flinched.

"I didn’t make Micah ’perform’ at Gavin’s party to ruin his chances of getting all we’ve worked hard for. I am very uninterested in his affairs. And yes, I probably want him out of the picture, but the last thing I’d do to ensure that is frolicking with witches!"

"But—"

"I don’t even like those beings, and I cannot be caught dead engaging with them, especially for someone like Micah who I don’t give two fucks about!"

Silence.

I went silent and so did Kael.

At this point, it would simply be foolish of me not to believe Zevran because he might be anything but not a liar. And as I watched him quietly, noting the way his hands flexed and unflexed, as if looking for an avenue to channel all his pent up anger, I knew then and there that he was simply not interested, hence, the reason he’d decided not to comment earlier.

I also didn’t want my brothers falling out over something as unimportant as Micah, so deciding to play the peacemaker— for today— I leaned forward and snapped; "Do you both think that someone else is at play here?"

Kael immediately turned to me but Zevran didn’t. They both hissed; "Huh?"

"If it’s not you or you... or me, then it might be someone else." I hissed, causing both of them to frown slightly.

But I was not deterred. I continued; "It could be someone else who hates Micah just as much as we do. Someone who is hell bent on destroying him. My best guess is that it was one of the people who was at that party..."

"Or he may have been acting up," Zevran butted in as he began to pace around the room.

"At some point, I also began to suspect his father thinking that it could’ve been something his dad came up with just to accuse us..."

"And spite us..." I finished slowly, "...but we do not have any proof."

As soon as I said that, my brothers turned to cast looks at me. Silence settled between us, one that was only partly interrupted by our harsh breathing.

"Gosh, did I ever tell you guys how much I hate looking for proofs?" I spat and Kael shook his head.

"I do too. I find myself too lazy to do that."

"Let’s ask Jon." Zevran hissed, and then turning to a bodyguard nearby, he added; "In fact, send for Jon!"

—

Chalice.

My husbands— ex husbands— may have all forgotten about my existence, but not my tormentor. Not the man who hid behind the dark grimy cloak, recounting all of my past errors like he’s dedicated all his life into following me about.

My heart raced as I pressed my knees into the damp cell floor with my hands clasped in front of my chest.

Tears streamed down my face effortlessly and my body ached in places that I would never have thought they could ache in as I cried;

"Please..."

For the umpteenth time since I’ve been locked in here with no food or water— well besides the occasional spoiled wine and dried meat I often get— I was back to this position: begging my tormentor.

I was asking him to die with the secrets that he knew about me. Begging him to leave the triplets in the dark for this one thing they didn’t know about. One that I hoped they would never know about.

And goddess, there is nothing I haven’t tried to say to him. I have asked to give him some of my properties be it lands, shares, some stocks. I have even asked to give him my body, a mind blowing sex. You just name it!

—But he has blatantly refused everything!

My throat was hoarse from all the long hours of living without water and my body shook slightly as I tried to force out the words: "Please, whoever you are. Please just let it go. Jennifer is long dead. Her case file has been closed since forever. What will you gain by opening up almost healed wounds? Huh what?"

My tormentor didn’t answer immediately. He didn’t even make a sound.

If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought that he was not there. But he was. He was always there.

"Everything," his voice was deep. Rich. "I would gain everything when I learn that her murderers have been put to book!"

Something about his words made my heart jump in my chest. I swallowed thickly and looked down at my exposed thighs and the now ugly streaks of dirt staining it. "I didn’t directly kill her."

"But you put her in harm’s way all because of your jealousy! You killed her by making those tasteless boys attack her. You even made a video while you tore her clothes, exposing her to the ugly eyes of those predators!"

"But I..." 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"I have the video!" He snapped, interrupting me. "I have proof. And for that reason, I have been following you for so long. I have been exposing your loose ends for your twin to pick up on. Hades, I was the one who invited Clement to NYC... and your sister invited him to the pack!" He snarled, causing me to gasp in surprise.

Tears instantly rushed into my eyes and I trembled— not from the cold this time but from fear. And with my mind all over the place, I managed to voice out the one thought that has been eating me up for a while now. I asked; "And why are you doing this? Why have you been trying to hurt me?"

"Can’t you see?" His tone was condescending and brutal. He hissed; "Because you hurt me."

"But I don’t even know you!"

"You do not have to. All you ought to know is that I cannot be bribed, because the girl you killed was not my friend, she was my sister."

I froze.