Vengeance

CHAPTER 9

Mikhail felt a hollow ache in his chest. He’d grown accustomed to Tabitha’s presence beside him, her warmth and scent filling his space and soothing his soul. But now, after spending an entire day tangled in each other’s arms and exploring every facet of their connection, she had to leave. She had an early morning at school, and none of her belongings were at his place.

It was yet another thing he wished to change. He wanted to see her clothes hanging in his closet, her books scattered across his desk, and her scent lingering in every inch of his home, not Anatoly’s.

The thought of her returning to his brother’s domain unsettled him deeply. He felt compelled to tell her the truth, but the fear of losing her weighed heavily on his shoulders, increasing with every passing moment. Still, he refused to allow his anxiety to keep him from being honest. He decided to take it slow, to reveal his truths piece by piece in the hope that she would eventually accept him.

At present, Mikhail was missing her, but a sense of contentment lingered in his heart. But his seldom thoughts of not having Tabitha beside him were abruptly interrupted by the buzz of his phone.

"Hey, Robert." Mikhail greeted, his voice brimming with happiness.

"I see that you are in a good mood. Let me guess. It has something to do with Anatoly's girlfriend?" Robert said from the other end.

Mikhail rolled his eyes, his jaw tightening slightly. He could hear the thinly veiled judgment in Robert's tone, though he tried not to let it bother him.

"Tabitha is not Anatoly’s girlfriend," he replied firmly, his voice laced with quiet defiance. "She’s mine.”

“Mikhail, I really hope you are not using her to get back at your brother. It is not her fault that you have a crappy mother and brother." Robert's voice was laced with worry. Mikhail wasn't a bad person, but he wasn't sure if his friend's feelings were genuine for that girl. “And let’s not forget,” Robert added, his voice growing firmer, “she is Anatoly’s girlfriend, whether you like it or not. You cannot ignore the fact that you’re pretending to be him.”

Mikhail winced at the bluntness of his friend's words. “I’m well aware of it,” he muttered, his tone clipped.

“Then tell her the truth,” Robert pressed. “Your mother already knows who you really are. It doesn’t make sense to keep up this deception any longer.”

“Tabitha would leave immediately, Robert. She thinks I am Anatoly. I need her to get comfortable with the idea of being with me and not the man she thinks I am now.”

Robert’s voice softened but remained firm. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. No matter what kind of person your brother is, the foundation of any relationship shouldn’t start with a lie. It’s not fair to her, and it’s not fair to you either.”

The weight of his friend’s words settled in his chest like a stone. Deep down, he knew Robert was right. But the thought of losing Tabitha was a risk he wasn’t sure he was ready to take.

“So, even you think there’s something off about Anatoly?” Mikhail asked, a hint of curiosity laced with relief in his voice. It reassured him that his judgement of his brother wasn’t rooted purely in bitterness.

“To be honest? Yes,” Robert admitted without hesitation. “Something doesn’t sit right about him. He tries way too hard to come across as perfect and defenseless, as if he’s hiding something.” Mikhail nodded thoughtfully, but before he could respond, Robert continued, his tone shifting slightly. “But about Tabitha…”

Mikhail interrupted him. "To set the record straight, I am not using her. I promise you, Robert. Tabitha…." He breathed softly, almost reverently. "I don’t even know where to start. She is perfect in every way possible. Sweet, kind, gentle, and compassionate, with this latent fierceness that only makes her even more beautiful. She makes me want to be better, want to be deserving of her.”

Robert paused, taken aback by his friend’s raw honesty. “Never thought I’d hear you say something like this, Mikhail,” he admitted in a mix of both surprise and admiration. “But honestly? I prayed.”

"Your prayers have been heard and answered. I know in my heart that she is the one. I love her, and one day, hopefully, sooner rather than later, she’ll agree to be my wife.”

Robert’s eyes widened at his friend’s bold confession. “Are you sure, Mikhail? I think you should give yourself some time and not rush into this. Maybe your feelings for her are influenced by your anger toward your brother and mother.”

Mikhail’s jaw tightened, a retort forming on his lips, but he held back. His thoughts were consumed by Tabitha, not anger. "Yes, I am sure. Because whenever I’m with her, or even just thinking about her, everything else fades away. Honestly, neither my mother nor my brother has occupied much space in my mind for a long time now.”

“I’m happy for you, then,” Robert said sincerely, though his tone shifted. “But we need to do something about your brother. He’s furious with you.”

Mikhail’s expression hardened. “I don’t care.”

Robert sighed, sensing his friend’s stubbornness. “Look, just talk to him, okay? I know you’re not exactly in the mood for a heart-to-heart, but at least give him the opportunity to say his piece.”

Mikhail exhaled slowly, his reluctance evident. “Fine,” he muttered. “But don’t expect much from that conversation.”

Mikhail had made every effort to avoid calling his brother, but he knew he wouldn't be able to hide for long. Anatoly’s relentless calls, coming every few minutes, made it clear. Aside from sharing their mother’s looks, they also shared an infuriatingly stubborn streak. With a resigned sigh, he finally dialed back.

“Why the f**k weren’t you answering my calls?” Anatoly’s voice erupted over the phone, his tone uncharacteristically furious.

“I had better things to do, Anatoly. Being you isn’t exactly a walk in the park,” Mikhail replied, his tone laced with sarcasm.

Anatoly was in no mood to go around the bush. His voice dropped into a cold, commanding tone. “What the hell are you playing at, Mikhail? Your problem is with me and our mother, not Tabitha. Leave her out of this. You can’t use her as a pawn in whatever twisted game you’re playing.”

"That’s rich coming from you.” Mikhail shot back. “I know for a fact that you and our beloved mother are abusing her for your own healthy pleasure." His jaw tightened as the words left his mouth.

He didn’t know the whole truth, but years of dealing with deceitful people had honed his instincts. Reading people was second nature, a skill refined by necessity.

"That’s none of your bloody business!" Anatoly snapped, his voice filled with venom. "Tabitha is not yours. She’s my girlfriend. She will never be yours. She loves me."

Mikhail scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping him. "Your girlfriend, whom you have never touched? You do have an endearing relationship with her, brother."

"You f*****g stay out of it." Anatoly snarled, his voice sharp with warning.

"No, you f*****g stay out of our lives. Listen to me carefully, Anatoly, as I don’t have the habit of repeating myself, and I don’t intend to start now.” He paused, letting his words sink in before delivering the blow. “Tabitha is no longer yours. She’s my girlfriend now, and soon enough, she’ll be my wife, your sister-in-law. So, get it straight in your head. You have no claim on her. None. Stop dreaming about her, though I highly doubt you ever truly did.”

"Wife? Don’t get ahead of yourself, Mikhail. You are nothing but a piece of s**t, someone our mother left behind. That too, for a good cause, I believe. And honestly? I think she did the right thing. You don’t deserve us. You’re just garbage she rightly discarded. People like you don’t deserve a family, a home, or even a right to live. You’re just a pathetic, lonely kid, desperate for attention."

Anatoly’s words hit Mikhail like a punch to the gut. He hadn’t realized just how much bitterness his brother harbored. It stung, but it also confirmed what both Robert and he had suspected all along.

Anatoly wasn’t the man he was portraying himself to be.

He and their mother were two halves of the same coin, bound by their shared cruelty. What wounded the most was that Anatoly knew exactly what had happened to Mikhail, how their mother had abandoned him, leaving him in an orphanage to fend for himself. His brother knew the pain, the loneliness, and the betrayal, and yet he still wielded it like a weapon.

But Mikhail wouldn’t let his brother’s words shake him. If anything, it reminded him of how fortunate he had been to find a second chance at life with his adoptive father, a man who had seen value in him when no one else did. That was the family that truly mattered, and Mikhail wasn’t about to let his mother or Anatoly take that away from him.

"Screw you, Anatoly. I used to feel horrible about deceiving you, but that is no longer the case."

His brother chuckled darkly, his grin widening. "I wish I could say the same, but I'm looking forward to Tabitha rejecting you. She knows me too well, Mikhail. The moment she discovers the truth, she’ll despise you. And believe me, she will."

Mikhail’s jaw tightened at his brother's arrogance. "Did I hear a challenge?" he asked, his voice low, simmering with defiance.

“Think what you want, but Tabitha will never love you,” Anatoly declared with unwavering confidence.

Tabitha was naive, a dreamer who believed in fairy tales and happily-ever-afters. She fantasized about princes on white horses, and Anatoly had always made sure to embody that image—flawlessly polished, even while hiding his fears. Mikhail, on the other hand, was the antithesis of everything Tabitha adored. He wasn’t gentle, wasn’t charming, and certainly didn’t possess a single bone of sweetness in his body. He couldn’t imagine her falling for someone so ruthless, so unrefined.

"Not only will I make her fall in love with me in a month, but she will also agree to marry me. And when she does, you are going to attend our wedding. And if she rejects me, I will leave her forever.” Mikhail said, challenging his brother to argue.

The thought alone felt like a dagger to his chest, but he was a man who prided himself on offering a fair deal, no matter the stakes.

He wasn't sure how he'd achieve this seemingly impossible goal, but giving up was not an option. The plan to expose his dishonesty would have to wait. He couldn't risk her rejecting him right now. His confession about imitating Anatoly would have to wait until he could permanently win her heart.

He was well aware that he would be deceiving her, yet his burning desire to outshine his twin overshadowed any guilt about betraying Tabitha’s trust. He’d try his best not to lie to her outright, but for the time being, his true identity would have to remain hidden. He had to prove himself to his mother and brother first, show them that he was the better man. And he would be a better man for Tabitha. He’d grovel for her forgiveness if it came to that, but he would never let her go. He couldn’t. Not to his twin, and not when the ball was finally in his court.

Anatoly had already won their mother, but he would never win Tabitha. Mikhail wouldn’t let him. Not this time. Not when he had finally found someone who could love him for who he truly was, someone who could see past his flaws and make him want to be better.

"One month? Aren't you too confident for your own good?" Anatoly ground out through clenched teeth.

"No, I am only speaking the truth."

"Mikhail, you don't deserve her," Anatoly’s jaw tightened.

"I know that," Mikhail admitted without hesitation, his tone sharper now. "But you don’t deserve her either. The difference is that my feelings for her are real, genuine."

They both knew Mikhail was right. But Anatoly was no fool. He was smarter than people gave him credit for, and he intended to use that perception to his advantage.

"You are a despicable man," Anatoly stated, his voice steady. “Tabitha doesn’t belong with the likes of you. We don’t even need to wait for one month to know her answer. Release me now, and you will see for yourself that she will choose me. She has a gentle heart. She would never agree to be with someone like you. Her heart belongs to me."

Tabitha was his, and he couldn’t let her go. She made his life easier and is the most giving person he’d ever known. All he needed was to meet her just once, and she would be putty in his hands. She would do as he pleased, supporting him and his mother without question. She was his ticket to a life free of loneliness and the crutch his mother needed in her old age.

"Why? Are you afraid that she'll turn her entire universe over to someone else within a month? Unlike you, I don't need to exploit her. I'm confident I can treat her better and give her everything she desires. She deserves the world. Using her for your benefit? That’s low, even for you."

"f*****g let me go!" Anatoly snapped, his tone seething with frustration. "Let me go, and we can both see for ourselves who she will choose."

He tried to provoke his brother, hoping to get under Mikhail’s skin.

"Let you go? Not in a million years," Mikhail answered, his voice icy yet firm. "I won't let you ruin my chances of being with Tabitha. I may not understand why our mother discarded me like trash, but I know one thing for certain. There’s only one person who occupies my thoughts day and night. That's Tabitha. Brother, you’re stuck there, and it’s best if you get used to it."

"That’s not a fair game. Let me out, you son of a bitch."

"That ‘b***h’ is also your mother, but the name fits her perfectly. By the way, everything is fair in love and battle. And there's love between Tabitha and me and, a battle with you. Happy losing, brother. I’ll see you at my wedding."

Before Anatoly could respond, Mikhail ended the call abruptly, his heart pounding with both adrenaline and determination. Immediately, he dialed his friend. "Cut off all contact Anatoly has with the outside world," he instructed firmly. "I can’t take any chances."

His voice was steady, but his mind raced. Losing Tabitha wasn’t an option. Not now, not ever. Yet, as he replayed the conversation, one thought stood out. Not once had Anatoly denied the accusation.

Mikhail just knew that something was seriously wrong. Anatoly had never touched Tabitha, not even in the smallest, most casual way, and his severe case of mysophobia made it impossible for him to have a normal relationship with her.

Tabitha deserved everything—affection, intimacy, and trust, none of which Anatoly could ever offer. The fact that she wasn’t even aware of his condition was troubling. If she had known, she would have immediately suspected that something was off when he stepped into his brother’s shoes.

But she hadn’t.

She was being kept in the dark, which made everything worse. It wasn’t just deceit, it was manipulation.

It became glaringly clear to Mikhail that his so-called family was using Tabitha for their own selfish gains. Within mere moments of observing her, he had realized that she was a generous soul, someone who valued relationships deeply and gave her all to nurture them. But that same goodness was being exploited. Anatoly and their mother had clearly set a trap, weaving a web of manipulation around Tabitha’s kindness, ensnaring her in a role that served their interests alone.

He might not have been perfect, far from it, and he knew he had his own streak of selfishness. But his love for Tabitha was pure, born out of all the right reasons. She was his light, his salvation, and he would protect her with every ounce of strength he possessed. And if anyone dared to harm her, even after his last breath, he would haunt their very existence, ensuring they paid for every ill intention directed her way.

This was the one promise he made to himself. And he never breaks a promise.