Chapter 373: Claim what’s yours!
VANESSA.
"Arrrrghhhhh!"
The scream ripped violently from my throat the very moment I stepped into my room.
It echoed loudly against the walls, bouncing from one corner of the room to another until it slowly faded into silence.
My entire body trembled uncontrollably, every muscle drawn taut from the overwhelming rage burning inside me.
My breathing came out uneven, while my chest rose and fell with each heavy breath I forced through my lungs.
"I will never look like that seductress," I muttered inwardly.
The words repeated themselves over and over inside my head like a stubborn chant I couldn’t silence.
My hands slowly curled into tight fists. I clenched them with so much force that my nails dug deeply into the soft flesh of my palms.
A sharp sting shot through my hands, yet I barely felt it, because compared to the anger consuming me, the physical pain meant absolutely nothing.
There was only one thought occupying every corner of my mind.
What exactly did they all see in her?
Why?
Why did everyone seem so captivated by Maria?
What made her so special?
Why did every conversation somehow revolve around her?
The questions refused to leave my mind.
They repeated endlessly, circling over and over without giving me a single moment of peace.
Each repetition only poured more fuel onto the fire raging inside my chest, making my anger burn even hotter than before.
I wanted nothing more than to erase her from my life completely, to make sure she never stood in my way again and to get rid of her once and for all.
I shut my eyes tightly and drew in a slow, deep breath, and then another, before another.
I tried desperately to steady myself and to force the storm raging inside me to quiet down but it wasn’t working.
Every attempt only reminded me of how furious I truly was.
What could I possibly do?
How was I supposed to deal with this?
My thoughts chased one another without giving me a single moment of peace.
I was still trying to think when a sharp knock suddenly sounded from the door.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
My brows immediately knitted together.
Who could possibly be disturbing me now?
With an irritated frown, I turned toward the door, and reluctantly, I walked across the room.
Without much thought, I reached for the handle and pulled it open.
The instant the door swung inward...
I froze.
"Surprised to see me?" The familiar voice reached my ears before I could fully process the face standing before me.
My heart skipped.
It was her.
Before I could recover from my shock...before I could slam the door shut...she shoved the door open with surprising force.
The impact pushed it wide open.
"You backstabbing bitch!" Anabel screamed.
Without giving me even a second to react, she lunged forward, her fingers buried themselves deep into my hair.
She grabbed a large handful and yanked it violently.
Pain shot across my scalp immediately, and a sharp gasp escaped my lips.
I instinctively reached up, grabbing at her wrist with both hands as I desperately tried to loosen her grip.
"Get your hands off me, you lunatic!" I yelled.
The pain became almost unbearable, as every tug felt as though she intended to rip my hair out by the roots.
"Do you think you have a say in this?" Anabel spat and instead of loosening her hold, she tightened it, and another painful sting shot through my head. "The moment I heard you were here, Vanessa..." She added, as a cruel smile slowly spread across her face. "I swore I’d teach you a lesson." She let out a slow, mocking laugh. "And make your life miserable."
Still gripping my hair, she forcefully spun me around until I was directly facing her, while her fingers never loosened, not even for a second.
"Now tell me..." She asked, as her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Where’s that lover you ran away with?" She added, as her voice dripped with accusation.
"You’re sick, Anabel!" I snapped the moment I managed to face her properly, while I glared straight into her eyes despite the pain. "What lover are you talking about?"
"Oh, spare me that nonsense!" Anabel fired back immediately, her expression twisted with contempt. "You’re nothing but a slut who doesn’t deserve my brothers."
Every word came out sharper than the last.
"Maria..." Anabel scoffed, a look of open contempt crossing her face. "Maria is far more suitable for them than you’ll ever be."
The moment those words reached my ears, my expression darkened instantly.
Whatever little patience I had been holding onto vanished without a trace.
Until then, both of my hands had been desperately trying to pry her fingers away from my hair.
The pain shooting through my scalp had been unbearable, yet I had focused only on freeing myself from her grip.
And then, I stopped completely, as a different thought suddenly crossed my mind.
In that single moment, every instinct inside me changed.
Without another second of hesitation, I released my grip on her wrist altogether, and before she could even understand what I was about to do, I lunged forward.
My fingers shot straight toward her neck.
They wrapped tightly around her throat in one swift movement.
The sudden attack caught her completely off guard, as her confident expression disappeared in an instant.
Her eyes widened dramatically as shock spread across her face.
A strangled gasp escaped her lips.
The air caught in her throat, making it difficult for her to breath and almost immediately, her fingers loosened from my hair.
The grip she had stubbornly maintained disappeared entirely. She abandoned my hair without another thought and grabbed desperately at my wrist instead.
Both of her hands clawed frantically at my fingers, trying with all her strength to force them away from her throat.
Her nails dug painfully into my skin, sharp stings shot through my hand, but I barely noticed them.
My attention remained fixed on her frightened face.
She continued struggling, twisting and pulling, as her entire body fought desperately for freedom.
But I refused to loosen my grip, not even slightly.
"L-let... go..." she stammered between ragged breaths.
Every word came out broken.
Weak.
Barely audible.
Her voice trembled uncontrollably as she fought for every breath she could manage and her face had already begun losing its color, while panic filled her widening eyes.
Still...I didn’t let go.
She continued clawing at my hand, desperately searching for air.
I leaned closer until our faces were only inches apart. "I dare you to say that again," I declared coldly, as every word left my mouth with absolute certainty. "Whether you like it or not, Anabel..." I siad, as my grip tightened just slightly. "I am the rightful wife for your brothers." I held her frightened gaze without blinking. "And I will become your Luna."
The confidence in my voice seemed to affect her immediately, as the color slowly drained from her face.
For a brief moment, she simply stared at me.
Then, deciding I had made my point, I suddenly released her.
Without warning, I shoved her backward, and she stumbled before crashing onto the floor with a heavy thud.
The moment she landed, she immediately clutched her throat. Violent coughs escaped her lips as she desperately gasped for air.
She inhaled greedily, trying to steady her breathing.
I simply stood over her, watching without the slightest hint of sympathy.
"You’re dreaming, Vanessa," Anabel finally managed to say between breaths, as her voice remained hoarse. "They’ll never be yours." She added, as her glare hardened. "And I’ll make sure of that."
The moment she finished speaking, she burst into laughter.
The sound echoed through the room, and I couldn’t help but chuckle in return.
Slowly, I folded my arms across my chest.
"You seem so occupied with everyone else’s affairs," I said calmly, as a faint smile curved across my lips. "That you’ve completely forgotten your own."
I slowly bent down until we were almost at the same level.
A soft laugh escaped me. "It seems you aren’t aware..." I deliberately paused. "That Maria almost married Noah." I said slowly, as the smile on my face deepened. "Now tell me..." I tilted my head ever so slightly. "Who’s going to make sure you get what’s yours?"
The effect of my words was immediate.
The laughter vanished from Anabel’s face, and her expression darkened noticeably. I watched as her jaw tightened, and her hands slowly curled into tight fists.
The reaction told me everything I needed to know.
She hadn’t given up on Noah.
Interesting....very interesting.
She would make an excellent vessel to use.
I straightened back to my full height before looking down at her. "Now get up from there," I said calmly, as my tone had returned to one of complete composure. "And figure out a way to claim what’s yours..." I paused briefly. "Before worrying about what’s mine."
A slow, satisfied smile spread across my face as I continued looking down at her in silence.
Comments