When Trouble Comes ✔️ (Republished; Completed)

51 : The Root (Part C)

Fiona didn't miss her ex-husband as much as she thought she would. But Ken was a totally different matter. He was absolutely devastated at Flora's betrayal. It was the first time Fiona had seen him cry - when she had shown him the picture right in front of the guilty pair. For all Fiona could tell, he had already started dying.

Ander hadn't even denied or tried to excuse himself. A strange icy atmosphere had formed between Ander and Fiona and neither was willing to break through it anymore. Ander was over her. He had been over her for the last few months. And it was not because of Flora. Flora had served as a mere distraction, a momentary pleasure. A pleasure that had lasted for months.

But the one thing Ander wasn't over was his daughter. Ander knew it was unfair to Fiona, but he didn't give a damn. He couldn't lose his daughter. He used his law influence to turn things in his favour and gained full custody of Alyssa - his one year old daughter, with not even visiting rights granted to Fiona.

Desperate to leave New York and its stifling presence in his life - all the bad memories, mistakes and acquaintances - forced Ander to transfer to Winchestor. Without a word to any old friends or family,  he was gone. 

As for Ken, he tried to stay away from Flora. But he was broken. The innocent, goofy Ken Evans was long gone. To distract himself from the searing pain, he was forced to take to drugs. They were his only respite. 

Fiona, initially an empty shell of heartbreak, met Dave Besson by chance again. They grew a connection, went on a few dates and were soon very much into each other.  Fiona soon found out that she was a few months into pregnancy. There was no doubt regarding the identity of the father - it had to be Dave.

Contrary to get expectations, Dave was delighted. He confessed that when they had first met, he had been intrigued by the aloof yet charming stranger who had left him quite dazed. After their first few dates, he was quite sure he was in love.

They had a small but lovely wedding. By then, Fiona had started to gain popularity in her work, too.

At the end of the first year after the scandal, she gave birth to Karson. Sshe still missed her daughter, but the presence of two new people in her life helped reduce the pain. Both Fiona and Dave made the choice together, that Karson should have the Magellan surname. It was Dave's idea to begin with. After all, he had no legacy, no background. Moreover, Fiona deserved at least that much, after the pain she had been through.

Meanwhile, Ken became more and more broken and grief-stricken as the days, then months, and then years passed by. He was nowhere near the man he used to be. And frankly, he didn't care anymore. He couldn't remember who he used to be. He was just breathing, not living.

One day, years later, he met Flora again. At a pub, past midnight. He couldn't control himself anymore. He didn't care what she had done to him, he didn't care that she had cheated on him and not cared a bit for his feelings. He only wanted her back. She was like the more substantial version of his drugs. He couldn't live without her.

Flora had lived a happy life so far, with no deficiency of boys and money, though she continued to hold a vicious grudge against Ander Taylor for leaving her. She had found him better than any other man, and the fact that Ander had used her as a mere distraction was an insult to her. No man had been immune to her charm.

When she met Ken again, saw his changed nature and his desperation, she knew this was her path to revenge.

After spending the night with him, Flora turned on her serious mode. Now was her chance. She pretended to be a pining, pitiful little girl, who loved Ken.

"Ken, you know I love you, right? Would you believe me if I said it was all Ander's fault? He was lying, babe. I swear to you. You see, I never wanted to do it with him. I loved you too much!" Flora willed the tears to cloud her eyes as she siddled up to him. "Ander forced me. And then Fiona came in and took that picture. Ander never liked Fiona. He had always wanted me, but I never paid him any attention because I loved you. He forced me to have sex with him. He was brutal, Ken. I was so hurt but he didn't care. He scarred me for life and made me lose you. Believe me, my love."

Ken, blinded by his love, could only see the pain that Flora wanted him to see. He realized that it was all a plot - Ander Taylor was the villain.

"Flora, babe, I'm sorry I didn't believe you before. Don't cry, please. I won't let him get away with this. He's a monster, he will get what he deserves. Just give me one chance, babe. I'll protect you." Ken pleaded with Flora, his eyes showing nothing but genuineness.

"I believe you," ken murmured, crying without and laughing within. "Ken, I'll not be able to live until Ander gets what he deserves. Will you do it for me, love? Will you punish him? He raped me, for God's sake! He dirtied me for life. He deserves to die. I can't live while he does."

"Yes, Flora. Just be by my side and I swear - I will hunt Ander Taylor down and give him exactly what he deserves."

***

Ken walked up to Fiona's house the next day, only to see her happily married to Dave Besson with a baby boy in their life. Fiona was shocked to find him there, sober and almost... Happy!

Ken wanted to know if she knew Ander's whereabouts, but she didn't. It was almost as if Ander had disappeared off the face of the Earth.

After catching up with him for some time, Ken made to leave but before he did so, he turned around and spoke. "Fiona, I want to make you a promise today. Ander betrayed all of us, and I'll see to it that he never hurts the people close to me again."

He hadn't told Fiona about Flora's version of the story, and thus, Fiona was left confused as Ken, too, disappeared for years.

... Until the news came - Ken Evans who probably should never even have known how to hold a gun, had killed Ander Taylor and his wife, himself dying in the process, while his god-daughter escaped.

A/N : O.O Some psychology went into this, for sure.
What do you guys think?