Chapter 27

Kia Caleb took his position at the end of the garden and signaled Harley for the ball.

Harley nodded to him before running to the ball. She kicked it off with her full force, but this time also he caught the ball.

She pouted, placing her hands on her hips. “This time you won’t be able to catch it.” She took her place back and focused on the goal.

“Go, Little queen,” Ava cheered her up sitting beside me.

I smiled while giving her a thumbs up. “You can do it, Harley.”

We were sitting in the backyard enjoying the beautiful day. The weather was warm, and the air was fresh. The sight of lush green grass and dancing tulips blew your mood up and took away all your worries. It was good to sit somewhere other than in the four-walled room.

“Just keep the focus on your goal,” David instructed Harley and gestured something to Caleb like ‘do not catch this time.’

Harley took a step back before kicking the ball off with her full energy. Caleb jumped again, but this time he made a little force so that he couldn’t block the ball. And it successfully crossed the boundaries, which meant she had a goal.

“Yippee!” Harley jumped out joyfully. “I told you, Caleb.”

He rubbed the back of his neck smiling, “How about two more rounds?” he winked to David and passed him a knowing look.

Harley’s excitement went higher. “Then, let’s start” she took back her place.

Ava watches their game with the same excitement, “Caleb is doing all this purposefully, isn’t he?”

I nodded to her, “Of course, he is doing it purposefully to please his boss’s daughter. How could a 6 feet tall man miss the ball of a six-year-old girl?”

She chuckled, “At least she is enjoying it.”

“She is looking happy” I glanced at her briefly. “How was your tour with her?” They had returned last night from California and Ava stayed with Harley when I and Vivian were at the party. She would be returned to her place in the evening when her driver would come to pick her up.

“It was amazing. Spending time with her like you’ve won a huge package of entertainment. She is like my brother: funny, loving, and caring.”

I glanced at her, surprised. “Funny? Really? I don’t think your brother is funny.”

She laughed, “Trust me, he is funny. You will find it when the time comes.”

“He is nothing more than a sadistic lover of his wife.” I still could not digest last night’s incident.

It amused her more, “Yes, he is.”

“Are you laughing? He killed a man just because the man dared to insult his wife. Don’t you think it is too much? We know he is ruling over this city, but it doesn’t mean he can kill whomever he wants.”

I didn’t know why last night’s incident was repeating in my mind again and again but seeing him in that way scared the hell out of me.

“He didn’t even spare his parents for his wife let alone some random man” there was a pain in her voice.

“Did he kill his parents, too?” I quickly asked her.

She shook her head and laughed embarrassingly, “No, you took it in the wrong way.” She sighed, “He broke up every relationship with my parents when they refused Isabella.”

My interest grew wider in his love story. “If you don’t mind, can you tell me his love story?” I searched her eyes.

A moment of hesitation flashed in her eyes, but later she gave me a nod, “Okay.”

“It all started when we went to Chicago for Christmas celebration” she smiled at the memories flowing in her mind, “When thirteen-year blonde stepped into our mansion with her aunt. The girl was shy and sincere. She was lost in her world, she didn’t know her surroundings, and she didn’t know where she belonged. She was shattered because she had lost her parents in a car accident only a few months earlier.”

She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear before continuing the story. “When my sixteen years old brother was playing his guitar at the party, Isabella was watching him from the corner of the hall. And that beautiful moment came when Vivian caught her stare.” She gave a half-smile, “And from that point, their love story began. Isabella often came to our house and hung out with us. She was so adorable even though she didn’t understand my brother’s dirty jokes and comments about her.”

“Was there no one left in her family?” I asked and felt pity for that unknown girl.

She paused for a moment. Sadness flashed in her eyes. “She has a brother, Eric Wilson. He is one of the gang leaders in Chicago. He is a sadistic and abusive man.” I heard that name somewhere. It seemed familiar to me, but where? I shook away this thought and focused on her.

“Eric didn't like my brother from that point on when he met him. But I couldn’t deny the fact that he also loved his sister with all his heart. He had only his sister left in this world.”

“How did they get married?” The very first question popped into my mind. What’s wrong with me?

She smiled at my eagerness, “When Bella turned eighteen. Vivian desperately wanted to make her his. They had been in love for over five years” she shook her head. “There is no word to describe their love. He was madly in love with her. I and Sarah often felt jealous of their relationship,” she giggled while glancing across the garden where Harley, David, and Caleb were playing.

“And I’m still jealous of his wife,” I gave her an apologetic smile, “Ignore it and continue...”

“Vivian got married to her without our parent’s approval and it hit my father hard, so he disinherited him. Father completely refused him and that was the worst day of my life. Vivian left us forever. It was killing me inside that I could not help my brother and Isabella.”

Sadness clouded her features. “They had been living in poverty and that was when my brother was involved in the Mafia. He had slept hungry, but he always kept his wife like a queen. One day he got a bullet in his arms, but he kept fighting so that he could win money to buy a gift for his wife on their first marriage anniversary. My brother had suffered so much for the woman who had cheated on him and left him vulnerable.” She breathed in deeply. “Harley was only two when Isabella killed herself.” Tears filled her eyes.

I placed my hand over hers. “Why did she kill herself?”

She blinked and tears dripped down my hand, “All because of her brother and....”

“Why are you crying?” Harley interrupted us.

Ava quickly wiped away her tears, “Little queen wind is too cool for your aunt’s eyes, so it got hit in my eyes and made me cry.”

Harley jumped on the bench. “Let me clean your face...”

There was so much left in the story. I didn’t know why Isabella killed herself. My mind was screaming for an answer. I wanted to know why did she commit suicide.

*******

It was almost midnight when I was wandering around the house. Rose had given me the address of Isabella’s room. It was the second last on the second floor. It was two-room after Harley’s room. I didn’t know when I became so crazy after Vivian’s suspense love story. But I could not sleep until I knew the entire story. I stepped lightly even though I knew Vivian would not be able to hear me but being aware was not a crime.

Before pushing the door open, I let out a shaky breath. I didn’t believe in ghosts, but at midnight I was not sure. I stepped in and quickly closed the door behind me. Kia, what’s wrong with you? Lucian would laugh at me if he were with me.

I switched on the lights. The first thing I noticed was the biggest room in the mansion. It had a private library. There was a door to my left. Probably it was a closet, a flat-screen TV in the middle, and a four-poster bed in front. The bed where Vivian had made love to his dead wife.

God.

I shook away this thought and moved further. This room was empty for four years, even so, it looked like someone was living there. It was clean and shiny. Everything was perfect and stainless. Probably this room must have been cleaned every day. My eyes caught the tulips-filled slender vase beside the bed. And I didn’t take time to understand who loved tulips, his wife.

I opened a drawer searching for his wife’s photos. When I didn’t get in first, then I moved to the next, which was also empty. I sat down and opened the last drawer, and it was stuffed with a lot of things. A few of them were photos, and some were letters and jewelry. The single drawer contained the entire thing. I quickly grabbed all the photos and took them over to the bed.

The first photo was of a teenage girl with her golden hair tied into a high ponytail. She was in a blue dress that set off against her pale skin. Her chocolate brown eyes were sparkling with joy and excitement. The next photo was of Vivian and his wife together. His hair was short, giving him a teenage boy look and his charming smile was plastered on his face. They were hugging each other tightly while showing their white teeth in another photo. And the last one was their marriage photo. Isabella was in a white dress while Vivian was in a black suit. They look at each other, holding their hands. Vivian’s love for his wife was hard to miss. This photo was a witness to their love, devotion, and happiness.

I swallowed the lump, feeling the heaviness in my heart. Would I ever find love in my life, partner? Guarin never loved me, he had been lusting for me. He had been using me as his sex tool. Seeing these pictures only gave me heartache. I didn’t understand this foreign feeling in my heart, but I knew it was not a good sign for me. Fuck, I hated this feeling. Because it made me weak, it forced me to be human instead of a witch.

I was startled when I heard loud, thunderous footsteps in the room. Fuck. I turned around, looking at Vivian. His expression was furious. “What are you doing here?” He snarled and moved towards me, snatching the photos from my hand.

Before I could move away, he quickly grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing here?”

“I wanted to see the woman for whom you killed the man yesterday,” I said honestly.

His grip became tighter due to anger burning in his eyes. “This is not your fucking business.”

“Why don’t you let her go?” I regretted this question.

His nostril flared, “So that you can replace her. That’s why you have been throwing yourself at me. You have been roaming around me and my daughter to replace my wife?” So much venom in his voice, “All you want is money? Power? Or protection? You are like whores, Kiara!”

If he said these words two months ago, then I would not think twice about smashing his face. His words hurt me deep down. If I could tell him I came here to kill him. I offered him my body for my revenge. And I loved his daughter because I genuinely loved her.

I straightened myself to look right into his eyes. “Because she makes you look pathetic. You lose your patience whenever it is about your wife. You do not know how much your wife affects you, Vivian. Knowingly and unknowingly, you show your weakness to your enemy. And one day it will turn into a major problem. You are the boss of the Mafia and all you need is patience and control,” I paused for a moment as I regained my energy, “And about money. I have so much. I roam around your daughter because I genuinely like her. You could have refused me that night when I offered you sex, but you gave me one week because you are too proud to accept that you too are attracted to me.”

His eyes softened.

I snatched away my hand from his grip and made my way to the door. I should not have felt his words. Then why did I feel so bad? His possessive, protective, and loving look for his wife scorched my heart. I rubbed the red spot on my arm where he had given me his finger print. I heard his footsteps from behind, he crossed me, didn’t look at me once. I looked back at the door where his wife was still living. She was alive in his heart and each wall of this mansion.

********