Eyes filled with resentment and anger stared straight at the TV, the screen a stark contrast to the storm brewing within. The sound of teeth grinding echoed in the background, a rhythmic clicking that punctuated the heavy silence of the living room. The TV was muted, the only sounds were the woman's ragged breaths and the insistent grinding of her teeth.
The blue-eyed woman, her face contorted in a mask of fury, bit into her fingernails, drawing blood. Her other hand, clenched into a fist, dug into her thigh, her fingers leaving white marks on the soft leather of the sofa. Her foot tapped impatiently on the floor, a metronome marking the passage of time, each beat a reminder of her failure. She couldn't believe it. Her carefully laid out plan, her perfect plan, destroyed by a single, insignificant boy.
It hadn't taken much to concoct the new plan, but gathering the information, the pieces she needed to put it into motion, had been a challenge. She had hoped it would yield a considerate result, a way to make up for the loss of the first failed plan, but it had been a flop. A plan that failed just from the words of an ignorant little brat.
As she seethed and stewed in her rage, another woman walked into the living room, her fingers combing through her long, black hair. She halted, her gaze falling upon the blue-eyed woman on the leather sofa. She sighed, lowering her hand and twirling a lock of hair around her index finger. It had been a few days since the second plan failed, and the blue-eyed woman was still in this state, her anger a palpable presence in the room.
The woman with black hair rolled her eyes, telling herself that crying over spilled milk was a waste of time. But she knew, deep down, that this anger, this simmering rage, would not dissipate easily. It would fester, a poisonous seed, waiting for the right moment to bloom.
She sighed out loud once more, this sigh heavier than the previous one. She approached her partner on the sofa, leaning her weight on the backrest and tilting her head to the side so she could see her partner's face. Her hair, which was swept to the side, fell in a curtain of dark, silky strands, framing her face. She beamed sweetly, a smile that felt forced, strained, as if trying to mask a deeper emotion.
"Peyton, don't you think you're worrying too much?" she asked, placing her palm on her cheek, her fingers gently tracing the outline of her jaw.
The agitated and angry woman tore her gaze from the TV and looked at the woman with black hair, her resentment still clouding her vision. "The plan failed, so what? We can just change the plan and do better next time," she said, her voice laced with a frustrated edge.
"The plan was perfect," Peyton flared, her voice rising in anger. "But how could it be swept away just by the words of some brat?!" She glared at the woman with black hair, who rolled her eyes but kept a smile on her face. "Why are you smiling? Is this funny?! I did her a favor! That bitchy ingrate! I thought we were the same! He betrayed us both! He stabbed her in the back for me and stabbed me in the back for her, so I thought I was doing her a favor by showing everyone what sort of despicable man Rominic Verlice is! His lineage are animals that should be locked up behind bars for eternity or thrown into the wild to stay with their kind—"
"What you did was expose her past though," the black-haired woman pointed out whimsically but sealed her lips at the withering glare she received from Peyton. She looked away apologetically, fighting back a smile that threatened to break through. Peyton's anger was a force of nature, a storm that could easily sweep away any semblance of reason.
"I did her a favor, I tried to rescue her from a beast but she chose to embrace it. Why would she reject my goodwill?" Peyton asked angrily, her voice laced with a bitter undercurrent. She slumped further into the sofa, her frustration a tangible presence in the room.
The black-haired woman, Everly, crossed over the couch, her movements smooth and deliberate, her hands trailing a path as she walked, causing the leather to rustle softly. She paused, her gaze fixed on Peyton, a flicker of amusement in her eyes.
"I did warn you that she's hopelessly in love with him, as he is insanely in love with her. Those two psychos are destined to be. Their chemistry and bond was always fascinating to see, and it was more amusing that he didn't realize that until it was too late," she said, her voice cool and detached, as if discussing a particularly interesting weather pattern. She hummed softly, a low, melodic sound, as she took a seat, crossing her legs and leaning back comfortably.
"No, our chemistry was spotless and he loved me. She was just a mistake, a virus that corrupted my happy life! Yet I forgave her. I decided in my infinite grace to pardon her for ruining my happiness, for shattering my dreams, and yet this is how she repays me?! Are you kidding me right now, Everly?!" Peyton exclaimed, her voice rising in a crescendo of indignation. She glared at Everly, her eyes blazing with anger.
Everly thinned her lips, deciding that it was safest to just listen and let Peyton vent her frustrations. "Right, she's so ungrateful for rejecting your hand of friendship," she commented, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Peyton, oblivious to the subtle mockery in Everly's tone, continued to rant about the unfairness of her kindness being discarded. Everly sighed inwardly. This was going to be a long night.
Everly watched Peyton silently, a detached observer of the storm raging within Peyton. She didn't need to listen to this tirade, this outpouring of frustration and anger. It was a familiar routine, something she had heard countless times before. What she cared about was the end game, the final act of this elaborate play. She wanted to see Rominic crumble, to witness his descent into despair. She wanted to savor his pain, to revel in his downfall.
She drummed her fingernails thoughtfully against the armrest of the sofa, her gaze fixed on the screen displaying the picture of the child who had thwarted their plans. As expected, the child bore the unmistakable mark of his father, a reflection of Rominic's cunning and intelligence. It could be a mere coincidence, a lucky break, but Everly wasn't one to rely on chance. She didn't feel the need to harm innocent children. It had never been her style, her taste. But that didn't mean she wouldn't consider it if it meant achieving her goal.
'I'll just have to keep a closer eye on them,' she thought, a cold glint in her eyes.
Peyton, in a fit of rage, threw her phone against the TV, the impact shattering the screen. Everly's frown deepened, her fingers pausing mid-drum. She shot Peyton a discreet glare, a flicker of annoyance crossing her features. If only she didn't need her, she wouldn't be sitting in the same room with this volatile, unpredictable woman. Peyton was a force of nature, a hurricane of emotions, and Everly needed her destructive energy, her brilliance, to create plans that would work, plans that would bring Rominic to his knees.
'I just hope one of the plans will work so I can be free from this crazy person,' she thought, sighing out loud. The thought was a bitter pill, but she knew it was the truth. Peyton was a dangerous weapon, a double-edged sword. She could be their salvation, but she could also be their downfall.
Peyton stared at the cracked screen, her eyes burning with a cold fire. The shattered glass seemed to reflect the pieces of her shattered plan, the broken promises of her carefully crafted scheme. But in the midst of the wreckage, a new idea began to take shape, a seed of vengeance planted in the fertile soil of her anger. It was a plan that promised not just retribution, but a sweet, delicious destruction. She could feel the thrill of it, a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins, her heart pounding with a dangerous excitement. Yes, this one would work. It would be another masterpiece.
Everly watched Peyton, a knowing smile playing on her lips. She recognized that glint in her partner's eyes, the spark of a brilliant, twisted mind at work. She knew that Peyton was crafting a plan, a symphony of chaos and destruction. Everly's own heart quickened, a thrill of anticipation coursing through her. This was the moment she had been waiting for, the moment when their carefully laid plans would finally bear fruit. Her sacrifices, her years of patience, were about to pay off.
"This is why I can't let you go," she whispered, her voice a low murmur, her eyes fixed on Peyton. "You're going to remain with me as long as you keep being Peyton." The words were a promise, a declaration of their twisted bond. They were two sides of the same coin, two halves of a dangerous whole. And together, they would bring their enemies to their knees.
VOCÊ ESTÁ LENDO
It Should Have Been Like This (The Revised Version)
RomanceLavender faced the ultimate betrayal after discovering that her fiancé, the man she loved most, had been using her all along. He had only dated her to seek revenge against her father and to claim everything her late mother had left her as a gift to...
