CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINE

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINE
Hearing that voice was traumatic, but physically looking at Jennifer right now, still teary-eyed even though she'd traveled a long way from New York to Romania.

Time did nothing for her tears and seeing me doing so well only made it worse.

“You're living so well and I'm there, suffering! All because of father's greed,” she hissed.

“He's dead, Jenni; let's not blame him anymore,” I said as I helped her into a guest room.

“Yeah, Mom told me about the whole thing, and just for the record, I don't believe her, but even if you did freeze him to death? You did a great thing for us all. He's the worst,” she hissed.

“Let me know if you need anything alright?”

“Thank you, Ari, I can't believe this is happening to me. I hated you because I knew I wasn't half as beautiful as you were, yet they liked me; I was scared they would return to their senses at some point, and I'd never get their attention again. But all those stupid antics and trying to get them to love me didn't end in anything good. The first rich man who offers him help out of the hell he dug for himself, he throws me in like a cheap whore and now look at me,” she exclaimed sorrowfully, “depending on you to rescue me from that monster of a husband.”

“You didn't deserve any of the things he did, okay? My husband is going to take care of him, don't you worry,” I patted her on the back and headed towards the door again until her words stopped me.

“Thank you so much, Aria, you're an angel,” she said, and I could see the honesty in them. I nearly laughed at the irony of that word.

Maybe in another world, we'll be regular sisters, but for now, I'll just set her up and attach a demon or two to protect her, and that'll be it.

“It's alright,” I told her, opening the door.

“He's not like… a drug dealer or anything right?”

I chuckled loudly.

“No, Jenni, my husband is a respectable businessman, and we're going to have a baby soon,” I replied with a genuine smile.

I left the room before she could get her excitement out.

I still heard it from the passageway as I headed toward our own wing.

I ran into my mother-in-law on the way.

“You have been stressing yourself, haven't you?” She accused.

She was right; the second Jennifer called, I ran out of the bathroom with Alaric at my heels.

We flew over to her and all through the flight to and fro, I was vomiting.

Alaric wanted us to go back so many times but before she could say what was wrong with her, someone had taken the phone from her.

Unfortunately, my worst fears were true. She'd been getting fucked up physically and mentally by the man our late father basically sold her off to so he could secure another term as Mayor.

I felt less guilty for killing him as I watched Alaric burst into the house and beat the bastard to near unconsciousness.

He was currently in our basement, well, I doubt he's still there.

That demon would have eaten him by now; he's been quite hungry, after all.

“I'm going in to rest now Momma, don't worry,” I replied to the concerned woman.

“You do that, okay? I'll come by in the evening to massage your feet okay?” She replied, patting me on the back before trudging weakly to the kitchen.

I felt really bad that we couldn't help her out with her pain and what's worse? I didn't even know why.

I was tired of Alaric keeping me in the dark about it; I can understand her unwillingness to go back to those horrible times, as she'd been actively doing everything that would ground her here. But what was Alaric's excuse?

He was with the boys working in a room next to mine.

After we'd gotten back this afternoon, spending three days in New York, he'd tossed the man to the demon and went off to this task of his now, refusing to tell me what it was about.

I could feel myself about to go into another emotional rampage again so I tried as much as possible to have light thoughts as I approached.

When I knocked, he came out and quickly shut the door immediately.

I narrowed my eyes in suspicion.

“You'll understand soon, baby, don't worry, your pretty head. It's a surprise,” he told me smiling broadly.

Whatever it was must have him in high spirits, I guess.

“That's not why I'm here. We need to do something about your mom, pronto.”

“Oh shit, I forgot to tell you!”

“Exactly and I'm tired of all of these unnecessary, useless excuses that make you _”

He cut me off with a blinding kiss.

“I genuinely forgot my light, I'm so sorry darling,” he whispered to me, taking me inside while peppering kisses over my hands.

When we got inside, he took a deep breath before telling me what he wanted to tell me.

“I really hope I never turn into an asshole because this is crazy,” he began. “She's punishing my father with it.”

“What do you mean?”

“She's lived the past four centuries in perfect shape, nothing natural but she had the best medical attention on earth and in hell. He's been using her as a sort of power bank so now that she's free, she's taking her revenge on him. It's like having a dark magic rod.

“So she's intent on hurting herself so he can feel pain, too?”

“Exactly.”

“Mind-blowing,” I exclaimed, taking everything in. “But you know we need to find the best therapist for her right? Because even in his absence, she's still missing him. She's not supposed to be punishing herself this way,” I opined.

“I told her she has two weeks to get it all out. After that, no more of this hurting herself thing.”

“That's a wonderful plan, baby, but what are you guys building down there?” I asked coyly.

“Nice try! You'll find out when I'm done for now. Come on, let's put food in the baby's system,” he said, taking me to the kitchen as I giggled.

Maybe life will be permanently better now, and even if it isn't, I have Alaric with me, and he's such a good man.

Hopefully, that doesn't change anything soon.