ILL-FATED JOURNEY™

Chapter 39

This wasn't anything new. I knew my father didn't want me but to pay to have me killed was

just...ironic. So, ironic that I started laughing.

"Azura? Are you alright?"

"It just that, my father paid to have me killed and men paid to buy me alive and now they are 

paying to have me dead." I laughed. "Isn't that funny? I'm expensive!"

Vlad was watching me strangely as though he was worried about my sanity. "Maybe you should

rest, love. A lot has happened..."

"That's a lovely way of saying I'm fucked up." I giggled.

Vlad's eyebrows raised at the curse and he stood. "I'm taking Irena back inside...stay here, I'll be 

right back." I shrugged my shoulders and continued chuckling at my own joke.

My life truly was funny. My father didn't want me alive because I ruined his perfect little life, 

Vladimir didn't want to be near me because I could ruin his and the men that kidnapped me, 

regret doing so as well. No man who came in contact with me wanted to keep me. They all

regretted their decision. Soon Vladimir will too, and he'll start beating me again. Maybe he

should just kill me and be done with it.

"Azura," Vladimir whispered and hugged me to his chest. I wasn't even aware he had returned,

and I wasn't aware of my tears until he said. "Don't cry, love. He was stupid. Don't cry."

It was dark by the time we left the garden. I spent the majority of it in a weeping mess. I had zero

things to live for and I was ruining the future of a man whose bloodline alone made him

priceless. Me, the unwanted offspring of a mistake. Even my own child hated me. Why the hell

was Vladimir fighting for me? He's choosing me over his own family. He was right to beat me. I 

was nothing. All I can bring him now is heartache and death.

As we strolled in the hall, I told him as much. "I'm not worth this."

"Worth what?"

"This effort," I explained. "I'm not worth it, even Irena knows..."

"Hush!" Vlad commanded. "I want to hear no more of this! You are worth everything to me!"

 Then he smirked. "And we both know in my estimation, that's all that matters."

And just like that, I smiled again.

From that moment, I would forever question his ability to make me both happy and miserable.

"Thank you." I murmured and leaned on his shoulder. He was taken aback by my actions at first