BACK TO RUIN HIM

Chapter 4: Ready to Strike

I glared at him, not knowing what to say. He was right. I couldn't stand by Jacob after all he's done. He's the murderer of my child, so I'm going to make sure he pays for every single thing he's done.

I'll make sure he loses all his status.

I'll make sure he and his so-called new lover rot in hell.

"Deal," I said, and for a moment, I saw that he was shocked, maybe surprised by how easily I had accepted.

Well, I had a plan, and I wasn't a fool. I knew Victor only cared about his business and his interests. He didn't care about me. He only wanted to use me as a pawn against Jacob. But I wasn't as foolish as he thought I was. I'll make sure to double-cross him if necessary.

After a while, a smile crept to the corner of his lips.

"Now you're talking, Nora. Together, you and I, nothing could possibly stop us from achieving what we want. With your brain and strategy and my wealth, together we will take Jacob down, and you can gain all you lost, your fame, your name, your legacy. You can gain everything back.

"I'm really glad you thought things the way I did. For a moment, I thought you were still going to stick to being a lovey-dovey ex-wife who would, by all means, want to..."

"Hey, Victor, just because I accepted to help does not mean I like you or even want to have conversations this long with you. We're partners now, and all I want is my revenge. I want to make sure Jacob pays for all that he has done to me."

"And you will. Trust me, okay?" he reassured me.

"So, when do we start?" I asked.

"Whenever you're ready," he replied.

************

Later in the day, I was discharged, and now I was headed for the convertible parked just right outside the hospital.

Victor had long returned home, and now he had sent a driver to get me.

Once I arrived at the car, the driver walked out and opened the door for me like I was some goddess. I got in, and he closed up.

Entering the car, he zoomed off from the hospital. The drive was a long one. Each minute that passed, I wondered whether I was really making the right choice by choosing to support Victor or maybe I was about to enter something I really didn't understand.

But I had to. Every inch of my soul urged me to get revenge, and I will.

I will make Jacob see my worth. And when he finally does, it will be too late.

I'll make him suffer.

I'll bring him back to the man he was when I first met him, and that is a promise I would never break to myself.

After a while of being consumed by my own thoughts, the car pulled to a stop, jolting me forward due to the impact of the brakes.

We were at Victor's house already.

I looked at the opulent building of Victor Dane. It was a well-polished mansion. I could already imagine how the interior looked. There were many cars in the parking lot, and the surroundings were designed with flowers. There was even a statue of Victor with a waterfall beneath it.

"What a proud man," I said to myself as I pulled the door open and walked out.

Standing at the stairs leading to the big grand door was no other person than Victor Dane.

I walked towards where he stood.

"Welcome to my humble home, Nora. I know it isn't as opulent as your ex’s or maybe your father's, but trust me, you'll love it here."

I didn’t respond. I only gave him a slight nod.

He turned and, with just a stare, commanded the guards who stood at the doorpost. They both opened the door.

He turned to me and gestured with his hand for me to follow him.

I followed him into the house, and to my surprise, it was way bigger and fancier than Jacob's. Victor did have taste after all. Who would think that a cold and business-focused man like him would ever care about house décor and setting?

But even with all his wealth, he still wasn't married, but had a son my age out of wedlock.

His son was one of the most envied children back in college that year. But he was a spoilt brat. He had bad company around him. He was a womanizer and thought he could gain whatever he wanted with money.

Well, what would you expect from the son of Mr. Victor Dane?

Now I was being led through the hallway as Mr. Dane showed me the rooms and their owners. Finally, we got to a room he pointed out as mine.

He opened the door and led me in.

"This is your room, Nora. I hope you find it comfortable," he said.

I glared at him. "I didn't come to your house to get comfortable. I came here with one thing in mind, what we discussed earlier at the hospital."

"Yeah, you're right. And as for that, work starts tomorrow. We'll talk at the office."

I stared at him, and he stared back.

"So what's your plan in taking down Jacob?" I asked.

He stared at me. "Well, I thought you'd have a plan. You're the brains here, aren't you? Plus, you're the one who was closer to Jacob, so you should know how we can possibly take him down from the inside."

I stared at him and smirked.

"Well, I do have a plan. And like you said, we're going to talk about it tomorrow at work, right?"

He smirked at me. "Right."

"Then you can take your leave, Mr. Dane," I said.

He smiled at me, and then, without another word, he left the room, shutting the door behind him.

I knew there was something cruel behind that smile of his. But what he didn’t know was that he was playing with a grieving mother. He was playing with fire, and he would likely get burnt in the process.

My mind then went back to Jacob.

"And as for you, Jacob," I said, "I'll make sure you lose everything. And I’ll start from the support you and your company have. I’ll start with your allies.

"And when you're left with nobody to turn to, that’s when I’ll take my opportunity. That’s when I’ll strike. And when I will…

"You’ll be sorry you played with my feelings."