Chapter 97: Drunk And Curious

The words came out bitter, dragged down by alcohol and cold resentment.

I didn’t bother to see her expression. I didn’t care.

“You’ve definitely lost it.” She spat.

Oh, she was right. I was so far gone inside this game of self-loathing that I didn’t care about who get hurts anymore.

“Kayden doesn’t want me anymore,” I declared, laughing like I’ve gone nuts. “Isn’t that funny?”

Her voice sliced through whatever hope that’s left in me. “Of course he doesn’t. Not when this is what you’ve turned into. Get yourself together, Louisa. You and Kayden will happen. That is not up for discussion.”

I stared at her, something inside me snapping quietly.

“You know what?” I said, my voice softer and serious now. “I don’t want any of this anymore. It’s costing me everything. He can go.”

She moved toward me abruptly, snatching the cigarette from my hand and crushing it into the floor before yanking the bottle away.

I groaned in protest, reaching for it, but she was faster.

“Go and clean yourself up,” she ordered coldly. “I’m going out. I won’t be back tonight.”

A sad smile pulled at my lips.

“When have you ever stayed?” I muttered.

She didn’t answer.

Instead, she turned to the man who had been silent beside her and gestured toward the door.

“Let’s go, Kris.”

She didn’t bother to lock my door as they walked out. The idiot behind her didn’t either.

I was a bit sober now after that haunting conversation with her.

A sudden thought formed in my mind. Tonight might be my only chance to know what my mother was actually upto.

I pushed myself up, the dizziness hitting me immediately but not strong enough to stop me.

If she thought she could walk out like that and leave me with nothing again, she was wrong.

I grabbed my keys and stumbled out after them.

—

Driving shouldn’t have been possible in the state I was in.

But somehow, I managed.

Barely.

The road blurred slightly as I followed her car at a distance, my grip tight on the steering wheel as horns blared around me more than once when I drifted too close to other lanes.

I ignored them.

My focus stayed locked on her taillights.

Eventually, her car slowed and pulled up beside a quiet bar tucked into the side of the road, its dim lighting reflecting long shadows across the pavement.

I parked farther away, stepping out of my car with unsteady legs before forcing myself to move closer.

Carefully and quietly.

I circled behind her car, crouching when I reached it. The window was open- just enough for voices to slip through.

“I’m not paying you,” my mother said to Kris dismissively.

“You have to,” he replied. “I did the job you asked me to.”

My mum scoffed. “You didn’t even manage to kidnap her. So why are you saying you did exactly?

My heart stuttered. Kidnap?

“I’ve been stalking her for days and you know it,” Kris shot back. “I couldn’t get her alone so I broke into her apartment instead, and she wasn’t there.”

My stomach dropped.

My fingers curled against the side of the car as I wondered who they were talking about, pushing the shock that came with the knowledge of my mother wanting to kidnap someone away.

At some point, my thoughts slipped and blurred together with reality. I was slipping into unconsciousness. I mentally clapped back before I could lose into my highness completely.

Shit. I’ve missed whatever they said next. And now I could hear faint sounds in the car that sounded like…kisses?

I wanted to be surprise that my mother was seeing Kris, but I couldn’t find it in my stoned mood. I only felt disappointed.

The kissing stopped, and I heard Kris’ voice again. “Let it go,” he murmured. “Or just go to the girl and let her know you’re her mother. We don’t have to go through the kidnapping stress. She will resent you.”

There was a short pause before my mother responded, her voice colder than I had ever heard it.

“If I do that, her adopted mother will interfere. She won’t let me take her.”

“I don’t want to hurt her,” she continued. “I just need to talk to her somewhere she can’t run away from me.”

My mind raced, trying to catch up.

This was about her daughter. The one she wanted back.

“So what now?” Kris asked.

“Well, I’ll have to deal with her mother,” she said. “She won’t want to give her up.”

A bitter chuckle followed from him. “Of course she won’t. She raised her.”

Silence stretched for a second.

Then my mother spoke again, quieter this time,

“Then maybe I’ll have to kill her.”

My eyes widened. Did I just hear that or it’s the alcohol doing things to me?

“If she doesn’t have anyone else,” she continued, almost thoughtfully, “she won’t have a choice but to come to me when I reach out.”

My pulse pounded loudly in my ears. “You know where she’s staying now after she left the Jackman’s house right?” my mother asked.

“Yeah,” Kris replied.

My breath stuttered.

The Jackman house. Wait…

Alyssa?

The possibility of that fact slammed into me so hard it made my vision blur. And yet,I knew it wasn’t possible. The context must be different or I was just drunk.

“I can end her tonight.” Kris finalized.