Chapter 123 Kissing him... Succeeded

Chapter 123 Kissing him... Succeeded
Zia's POV

I left the dining room not too long after Jayden. I couldn't stand being at the same table with Elara and those two brats of hers.

But before leaving, I noticed something different about Victoria. Her tone was cold anytime she spoke to me, but whenever she looked at Irene, there was this warmth in her eyes.

She was slowly giving up on me. Inching towards Elara.

No way.

It had taken a long time for her to notice me after Jayden's death, and an even longer time before she chose me to marry her son.

I wasn't losing that now.

After today, there was no way she would be able to dump me.

Returning to my room, I waited on the bed for a few hours. Jayden was probably drinking by now. For my plan to work, I needed him completely drunk.

It would take hours of continuous drinking before that could happen.

During the free time, I began brainstorming how to get Elara out of the house. Any chance I got, any at all, I would take it.

That girl and Jayden needed to be far away from each other. Because once I'm in his heart, it was game over.

For hours, I kept thinking of the perfect plan. I didn't bother coming out to eat lunch or dinner. Jayden wouldn't either, and neither Elara nor Victoria would check up on him, not after what he had said at the dining table.

Finally, I thought of something. Just then, the alarm I had set rang.

It was nine. Time to put my plan into action.

Taking out the set of lingerie I had set aside for this day, I went to the bathroom to get ready.

This time... everything had to go according to plan.

...

"Jayden..." I knocked on his door softly. "Are you alright in there?"

His room sounded quiet. Too quiet.

But Jayden wouldn't do anything to himself because of guilt... right?

I placed my ear against the door to try to listen, in case I could hear any sound, but I heard nothing.

Again, I knocked. "You didn't come down to eat lunch or dinner."

No answer. I wasn't expecting any.

Taking a deep breath, I placed my hand on the knob, slowly turning it open. "I'm coming in now." Without waiting for a response, which I probably wasn't going to get, I pushed the door open.

The strong smell of whiskey hit my nose as soon as I walked in. I scrunched my face in disgust, but what truly put me off was Jayden's appearance.

His usually smooth and neatly arranged clothes were disheveled, and so was his hair. Beside him were three bottles of whiskey, two of which were empty, while the third was almost half empty.

A gasp left my lips.

"Oh my goodness, Jayden." I rushed towards him.

I expected him to be drunk, but three bottles of such strong whiskey? Was he trying to kill himself?

He was about to bring the bottle to his lips, but I held his hand, stopping him.

"What are you doing to yourself?"

"Let me go." Jayden finally noticed me, and he struggled. But the alcohol made him weak. His strength wasn't what it used to be. He could only wobble his hand back and forth. "Let me... let me go."

Fuck.

I released his hand but grabbed the bottle and took a few steps away from him.

Jayden immediately looked at me. He stretched out his hand and almost fell.

"Give that back to me now," he said in an incoherent tone.

"No!" I barked at him, shaking my head as though I were speaking to a kid, because at that moment, that was what it felt like. "There is a limit to everything, and that includes allowing yourself to wallow in guilt."

This was what I wanted.

Yet... I could still feel a slight pain in my chest as I watched the drunk Jayden.

Even after seven years, he still drank himself into a stupor just to forget a bloody woman.

"Does it, though?" Jayden asked, tilting his head to the side. Then he shook it. "I can never get rid of the guilt. The pain in my chest hurts forever." Jayden sniffled, his eyes becoming misty.

My chest began hurting again.

"Maybe if I had stopped and done something. Maybe if I hadn't driven past her, maybe..."

"All your regrets can't do anything. She's dead, Jayden. Jane's dead."

Only Jane could make Jayden cry.

Only her.

Even in death, that bitch was still doing things that I couldn't.

I gritted my teeth as anger surged through my veins.

Closing my eyes, I tried to compose myself.

Everything was going so well already.

I couldn't allow myself to ruin it now because of my anger.

After a few seconds of breathing exercises, I opened my eyes again.

"Okay, that's enough," I said to Jayden, taking the bottle, which had somehow returned to his hand, before he could bring it to his lips. Placing the bottle on the chair, I grabbed him by the hand.

"Come here."

Fuck...

I stumbled immediately as soon as Jayden got to his feet.

He was damn heavy!

He placed most of his weight on me, if not all of it, swaying to the side.

"You need to sober up," I mumbled, even if it was just so he could be able to walk back to his room. "Come on, let's go to your room."

"No." Jayden slurred, his head falling onto my shoulder. The smell of whiskey became stronger in my nose, and I wanted to puke.

"I need to follow her. I want to follow her," he refused.

I tried to hold him, but Jayden slipped from my hands, falling back into the chair.

"Oh, fuck..." A loud breath left my lips.

I hadn't calculated his weight in my plans.

Breathing heavily, I stared at Jayden, who looked lost.

"Jane wouldn't want you to follow her to the afterlife," I said finally, and he raised his head to look at me. "She would want you to be happy. With someone she likes, someone she knows would take care of you. Someone like..."

Me.

"Elara."

What the fuck?

A faint smile appeared on Jayden's lips as he spoke of Elara as though she were some sort of saint.

"If Jane had met Elara, she would have liked her. They are both so different, yet so alike at the same time."

How were they alike?

Elara couldn't hold a candle to Jane!

A scoff left my lips.

"You've really had too much to drink if you think you can compare trash like Elara to Jane."

Taking in one more deep breath, I exhaled slowly before leaning down to help Jayden up again.

"Come on. Let's go."

"Jayden... careful."

He stumbled after taking the first two steps. Thankfully, I was there to help him, but I was losing my balance as well.

"Help me out here."

It was another struggle helping Jayden to his room.

Thankfully for me, it was on the same floor as his study.

I pushed the door open and placed Jayden on the bed as soon as I could, a breath leaving my lips.

"Ah!" I groaned, breathing heavily.

My muscles were aching as fuck.

Standing back up, I was about to go and close the door when the man on the bed spoke.

"I shouldn't be happy, right? Jane would be upset if I moved on, wouldn't she?"

I snapped my head towards him.

"Stop talking."

I was tired of hearing that name.

Kneeling down, I began removing his shoes.

"Jayden, why can't you see me? I've been by your side all along. Me! Why can't you just notice me?"

I helped Jayden put both his feet on the bed and looked up, only to see him staring at me.

"Zia..."

He whispered, and I lost it.

Fuck the door.

I leaned in and placed my lips on his. My handsworked their way to his chest, unbuttoning his shirt.

To my surprise, Jayden kissed me back.

Then I pushed him down onto the bed.

"I love you..."

He may not know it yet, but he loved me too.