Vows of Deception: Bound to My Ex's Step-Father

Chapter 8

“Hazel always remembers that God always has a plan in any one of us. He loves you, he cares for every being. You feeling alone isn’t to take everything for you but to make you strong. Your time will come. The darkness won’t last forever, my child. You’ll see soon.” Mother Superior Beatrice said. I’m about to reach for her hand when all of a sudden a force pulled me away from her.

They said that darkness doesn’t last forever she said, but for me, when I finally pulled myself out into the darkness, it brought no relief. Just hatred and sadness. I gasped violently, waking up not from the orphanage but instead, I’m inside the master bedroom. It was already evening. The surroundings are very dark and only the light of the moon was my guide to see Rydell sleeping on the couch near the door. Then I remember that before I pass out he’s there. Is he the one who shot the man? Are they targeting me because I know Rydell? Is it their enemy clan? Who is it?

I sat up, the blanket slid off on my shoulder. I wanted to scream at him for not coming sooner. I want to tell him about Mr. Pacejo’s treatment of me, how he embarrassed me and fired me. I want to tell him about everything that hunts me. Because all of my life, he cared for me. But then our marriage show is just maybe part of him saving me. I want to tell him how it hurts to witness the land who embraced me when I’m alone are already gone. But as I opened my eyes, no words came out.

I choked on my own sobs instead. They said that my mother died in a car accident while she’s about to pick me up from daycare. My father vanished before I was born. And Randall, Ariston, and now Rydell. I buried my face in my hands to stop me from making noises because the pain in my chest is too heavy. I can’t stop crying.

I can still hear Mother Superior’s voice in my head, the children’s laughter, the other sisters scolding some of it. All those innocent lives were taken by those demons. They don’t deserve to be called humans. My loud crying filled the quiet room which made Rydell’s eyes open. He didn’t hesitate to join me on the floor, his eyes locked with me, panicking.

“Hazel,” he said, putting his hand on my shoulder. “Look at me and breathe. “

Instead of doing what he said, I pulled his shirt and buried my face into his massive chest. “They killed them Rydell…They burned them alive. The childrens…Mother Superior…They’re all gone because of me. And I don’t even know who did it. I don’t know who wants to see me suffer, Rydell.”

“I know.” He said. I could feel his jaw on my head clenching so hard. His one hand slid on my back to give it a soft pat. “My men are already searching the city. We will find out who is behind this. I swear to you-”

“No.” I pulled back from him. I wiped my own tears, as I gaze into his eyes. The grief in my chest won’t rest in peace if I don’t see them dying. I will kill them. “Don’t just search for them. Help me destroy them, Rydell. Give me their names. Give me the power. Help me get revenge for them. I want to see their faces while I burn them alive too.

Rydell stared at me for seconds before letting me go and stand up. He faced the window before saying. “No.” The way he said it is firm and authoritative. That made me feel worse.

“What?”

“Whoever is targeting you doesn’t wanna hurt you directly but to see you suffer, little honey. If you do that, you’re just giving that person the reaction that he wanted.” he explained. I shook my head.

“So you want me to just let the police investigate? How am I supposed to get my revenge?”

“I said no, Hazel,” he repeated. His voice is low yet dangerous but I don’t pay attention to that now. “You are not going to be involved with this. We don’t know who we are dealing with. If that man alone doesn’t fear my men, then someone out there must be terrifying more than me. You have to stay inside this mansion to keep yourself safe. “

My mind went blank. I thought Rydell would help me. I thought he cared for me. He’s the only powerful man I know who could help me and kill them without any trace. I can’t give up now.

“I promise to protect you that’s why I made you my wife. With or without the ceremony. You are my wife. If something bad happens to you, what will-” he didn’t finish his line when he turned around to look at me.

I’m not this kind of woman but I’m determined to do this. If he doesn’t want to help me as someone I used to think highly of, then I’ll force him as my husband. With tears still coming out from my eyes, I unbuttoned my off shoulder dress, exposing my naked body to the man who would give me the revenge that I want.

I saw his expression change, his breath hitched completely. His entire body froze, and his usual grey eyes turned black as he looked at me.

“Hazel,” he said, his voice cracked and I saw his hand clenching. “What are you doing?”

“You announced before that I’m the new Matriarch of the clan, Rydell.” I whispered. I walk towards him and I let my bare skin brush against his. “If you won’t give me vengeance out of pity, then take your payment. Buy me my revenge and my body is yours.”

“Make me a promise, Rydell.” Rydell didn’t move at all, but I can feel his breathing hard and slow. His gray eyes were now almost black tracing my face to my collarbone and to the tears drying on my cheeks. I leaned closer, I could even smell his strong perfume and the fire coming from his breath. Then, to add a more flirtatious move of mine, I place my hand on his chest down to his heart, his heart is pounding so fast.

“Give me the names when you find them. Give me the power to tear them apart. And I’m yours. You can do whatever you want to me.”

A deep and dark growl escaped on his mouth. Then he caught my waist with his injured hand and the next second I can feel fingers touching my hips, I can feel his heat when he buries his face on my neck, inhaling me.

“Hazel…” He called me, his voice was breathless and rough. Far from his usual tone, with that I know that I can win him. I can get the revenge that I want with him, I just have to give him myself. He’s about to give up.

“You don’t know what you’re doing, little honey,” Rydell whispered as he began kissing my chest, planting small kisses on it until he reached for my jawline. His kisses send an unfamiliar yet sweet sensation to my whole body. That’s not good so I pushed him hard, and waited for his response before my body gave up to him. Because that’s not what I want, I want him to surrender to me. Not me.

Rydell froze. His chest is heaving against my skin. The moment he looked up, I saw his dark eyes looking at me. And I don’t know why his expression changed, but I can feel sadness on it. Maybe he’s sad for me. But I don’t care. I don’t care if he feels sad in my life, or if he feels sad because the person he cared for is now throwing herself to him for a favor.

For a split second, the room is silent, then Rydell takes a few steps backward. “Is that what you think of me?” Rydell roared. He picked up the lamp on the side of him and tossed it on the floor. And with that I know that he successfully resisted my offer. He turned around again. “Cover yourself, Hazel.”

How could he resist my body? Isn't this what every man wanted? No, I refuse to give up. I walked in front of him, and even in the darkness I could see his eyes. It’s not lust anymore but rage. His jaw clenched tightly. He didn’t look at my naked body, he looked at me with fury that made my heart break. So he didn’t really want me? He’s just all about business?

“When you ask me to marry you, don’t you want me? Or you just want to help me and keep me in this mansion?” I asked, gripping his shirt. “Am I just your toy too? Like your son?”

“What about you? Are you seriously willing to throw your body to me, your soul away like a cheap thing just to chase those evil bloods?”

“I want justice for them, Rydell!” I shouted. “My whole life I’ve been just accepting everything in my life because I believe that’s my fate. When your step-son humiliated me in public, cheated on me so many times and tortured me in front of so many people. I just walk away. I tried to build myself, but why is it so hard? Why do they have to bully me everyday? Why do they have to make my life harder when it’s already hard? Why does Ariston choose to marry me when he’s already married? Why does Mother Superior and the children in the orphanage have to die? WHY?!”

I never cried or spoke like this to anyone before. I never felt this sudden urgency to say what’s on my mind but this time, I can’t hold it.

“I have nothing left in my life, Rydell. If my body is the thing that can buy me power, then I’ll take it.” My body gave up and I let myself sit on the floor while crying. I’m done being like this. I want to make them pay. “If this body could teach me how to kill , I’ll do everything, Rydell.”

“Shut up, Hazel. You don’t know anything about this world. This isn’t a game where you want to kill whenever you want. It doesn’t bring back the dead. It will just eat your morality until there’s nothing left to you.”

He lowered his body to me and slowly took my hand. “Do you really not want my body?”

“I would kill everyone who will look at your body, Hazel. Because that’s mine. I asked you to marry me because I want you. “ Rydell confessed, that made me cry even more. “When Randall did that to you, I swear in the name of my parents that I won’t let him get the empire that took me years to build, because he tortured the very woman I care about. This marriage is for the benefit of the two of us, Hazel. And now, you will do this, offering yourself just for that?”

I can’t say anything because of his sudden confession. He really does care for me.

“I don’t want a transaction, Hazel,” he whispered before leaning closer to me. I feel his lips on my forehead. “I would have given you the world if you asked for it. I would have hunted down every person who made your life miserable, just to make you smile. But I will not let you look at yourself in the mirror and hate yourself because you use it to get what you want.”

He stands up and gets the blanket from the bed. I can’t stop crying. I feel so embarrassed to even look at him because Rydell is really genuine about me. How could I even do that? I’m so stupid.

I watch Rydell back away from the room, leaving me on the floor crying. He didn’t say a word or even glance at me. He just slammed the door and left me in this dark master bedroom.