Chapter 96: This is Trisha Eve
>Eleina
I stepped back as soon as I saw his face, my heel dragging slightly against the floor as I instinctively put distance between us. My fingers curled slightly at my side as if I was questioning my own sanity.
This can’t be the same man I saw, right?
There was a man who came inside the Happy Villa a few times when I was quietly following Mallory, hiding behind pillars and walls so I wouldn’t be noticed. And I can’t mistake that blonde hair and blue eyes anywhere.
I also saw him at my wedding. I remember standing there, forcing a smile, and catching a glimpse of him among the guests.
Vale Chesten, Venzrich’s only blood brother.
"Are you kidding me? Am I supposed to believe you right now?" I scoffed, letting out a sharp breath through my nose as I rolled my eyes. I shifted my weight to one foot and turned my body halfway toward the door, already lifting my hand as if ready to walk away. If my sister decided to betray me, who’s to say a stranger, who is the brother of the person I’m getting revenge on, is to be trusted?
"This is exactly what you want, right?" his voice was cold.
Cold enough to send a chill down my spine. My shoulders stiffened. My fingers stopped inches away from the door handle, hovering in the air before slowly lowering. I felt frozen in my tracks, like my feet had been nailed to the floor.
I inhaled slowly through my nose and straightened my back before turning to face him again. I lifted my chin slightly, smoothing my expression so he wouldn’t see any hesitation.
"Let’s say you give me what I want..." I paused deliberately, taking a step toward him. Then another. My heels clicked against the floor as I stopped directly in front of him. "What do you get from all of this?" I added, folding my arms across my chest.
He met my eyes without blinking before lifting his hand. His fingers slowly traced from the base of my throat upward to my chin, tilting my face just a little. His touch was calm, controlled.
"Let’s just say I never liked that woman and was trying to protect my brother."
Time stood still for a few seconds. I stared at him. Then my lips twitched. And suddenly I started bursting out laughing. I bent forward slightly, one hand holding my stomach while the other covered my mouth. My shoulders shook, and I had to take a step back to steady myself. He just stood there watching me while I laughed like it was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard.
It took me a moment to calm down. I wiped the corner of my eye with my index finger.
"Well... pfft... that’s a very roundabout way to say you’re a total brocon," I replied, straightening myself and brushing an imaginary dust off my sleeve.
"Don’t tell me you would’ve also done it to me if I married your brother." I added as I walked toward the nearest chair. I pulled it back slowly, the legs scraping lightly against the floor before I lowered myself onto it. I crossed my legs carefully and leaned back, resting one arm on the armrest.
"It’s actually the opposite of that. Your marriage with my brother is one of the few I approve of," he replied as he leaned back and sat halfway on his table, placing both hands behind him for support.
"Why? Because I’m famous and naturally pretty, and that Mallory was just a knocked-up runaway?" I replied, tilting my head slightly while resting my elbow against the armrest and tapping my fingers lightly.
Well, any sane person would choose me over Mallory. Unfortunately, that man is not exactly that.
"No. It’s because I’m pretty sure my brother won’t love anyone anyway," he explained.
I let out a short breath through my nose.
"Ouch. You know exactly where it stings." I let out a bitter chuckle and looked away. To distract myself, I leaned forward and reached for the documents on the table next to me. There was a stack of random papers, uneven and messy. I ran my fingers along the edges, pushing one sheet out slightly before sliding it back.
"So, what’s your plan now?" I asked as I mindlessly flipped the corner of a file and tapped the stack into alignment.
"My sister-in-law is unconscious right now," he started.
My hand froze mid-motion. The paper slipped from between my fingers and slid back onto the pile. I slowly turned my head toward him, my brows pulling together.
"What do you mean unconscious?" I asked, straightening in my seat.
"It’s exactly what I said," he continued calmly. "She was brought to the hospital this afternoon and she still refuses to wake up until now. We have to make our move as soon as possible."
For a brief second, I blinked. Then I slowly leaned back in my chair. It felt like something good suddenly shone upon me. I didn’t know what that woman did, but it looked like she got herself into some sort of trouble.
"Let’s say I hear you out... but why such a hurry?" I asked, crossing my arms tightly and lifting one brow.
I can understand that he is protective of his brother, but his urgency is telling me something is going on. Especially since he was able to get along with her all this time.
"I came from the hospital," he started, then paused. His jaw tightened slightly, and his fingers pressed against the edge of the table. "I saw how my brother looks at her. If we fail to move now, I’m afraid it will be too late."
My brows furrowed deeper. I tilted my head slightly, studying him. I thought I asked for an explanation so I could understand everything, but now I’m even more confused. I opened my mouth to ask more, but the look in his eyes stopped me. His gaze was sharp, serious, and final.
I have to tread lightly. This is my only way for revenge.
"Alright." I clicked my tongue softly and uncrossed my arms. "I’ll hear you out."
After that, he started explaining his plan to me. He moved around the table as he talked, occasionally stopping to place both hands on the surface. Sometimes he leaned forward slightly. He spoke clearly, slowly, making sure every detail was understood so I wouldn’t make any mistake. I listened thoroughly, sitting upright, my hands resting on my lap, nodding once in a while.
And there’s only one thing running in my mind as he explained his plan.
Whatever pain I inflicted on Mallory in the past was child’s play compared to his plan. I better tread lightly, because I’m sure someone behind that door would be willing to silence me if I did something wrong.
"Do you understand now?" he asked after finishing, his gaze steady and sharp.
"Yes." I nodded and pushed myself up from the chair. I extended my hand toward him to shake his, but my elbow accidentally bumped into the stack of files beside me. The pile tilted to one side before completely collapsing. Papers scattered across the floor in different directions.
"Oh. I apologize," I muttered quickly as I crouched down. I began picking up the files one by one, stacking them carefully.
As I picked up one of the sheets, something caught my eye.
"Why is this woman here?" I asked as I lifted the photo from the floor and slowly stood up, holding it firmly between my fingers before raising it toward him.
His brows furrowed. "How do you know that woman?" he asked before stepping closer and snatching the photo from my hand.
"How would I not know? That woman ruined our family. My mother still keeps her photo in her playing room to throw darts at it," I explained, my grip tightening slightly. "I can’t be mistaken. I often asked my mother about that woman’s identity when I was a child, and she always replied with disgust. That was my father’s mistress."
"Are you sure you’re not mistaken?" he asked again, narrowing his eyes slightly.
That annoyed me.
You can’t mistake that black hair and green eyes anywhere, and that infuriatingly bright smile.
I stepped forward and grabbed the photo back from him, my fingers pressing into the edges of the paper.
"Can’t you see how familiar she looks?" I argued, lifting the photo higher between us.
"What do you mean?" his eyebrows creased.
Is this guy serious? Can’t they see what I’m seeing or he just failed to process what I’m pointing out?
I inhaled sharply before raising my hand and tapping the woman’s face in the photo repeatedly before opening my mouth.
"Can’t you see she looks exactly like Mallory, just with different eye color?" I started, my voice firm pausing to look at him to make sure he follows me. "That’s because it’s her mother."
"This is Trisha Eve."
