Chapter 0214
1 came here because I started to explain, then hesitated. As estranged as we were, it still felt bizarre and somewhat wrong to divulge the full truth about my reasons for being here to Bella of all people. I exhaled slowly and made up my mind, she would need to know it all if she was to be of any real help. "I came here for revenge
"Revenge?" Jessica asked, her previous scowl of anger and irritation finally easing into one of naked curiosity and interest? "Revenge against who exactly?"
She looked at me askance as I took an unbidden step closer towards her. She immediately retreated a step back in response, clearly ill at ease with me encroaching on her personal space. I couldn't help but let out a faint chuckle at her wariness.
"Relax, I don't actually bite, you know."
Then I leaned in closer until my mouth was a mere inch from her ear, lowering my voice to an conspiratorial murmur, "This Lucas that you probably know about already...you do know who Lucas is, right?" She nodded wordlessly.
"Well, he's not who you think he is. His real name is actually Dylan, and he killed the real Lucas in order to steal his identity and worm his way back into the Esposito family. I came here intending to use Tavon as an unwitting weapon against Dylan, before finally killing that murdering impostor myself."
I didn't bother adding the critical details that my plan to 'use' Tavon had only come about as a reluctant maneuver after Dylan had effectively sold me to the lecherous old man against my will, or that even now I was starting to have serious doubts that killing Dylan was even remotely possible. It was difficult enough getting this unbelievable truth out there.
Jessica's sculpted brows shot up in what seemed to be grudging interest and amusement as she pulled back, snorting a laugh through her nose.
"Well isn't that an interesting little tale? So what is this then, your fake boyfriend Dylan is playing some twisted game of pretend while living in the real Lucas's skin? Shit, it sounds more like the plot of one of those trashy telenovela dramas than anything actually real!"Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
I fixed her with a long-suffering look that screamed 'I'm being utterly serious here. "We were never close enough as sisters to really engage in that sort of joking around or gossip like teenage girls hiding out in school bathrooms. This is my reality, as crazy as it might sound to you.
"Well..." she trailed off with a dismissive shrug of her shoulders, still seemingly unconvinced.
An awkward silence fell between us as Jessica appeared to privately mull over the unexpected revelations I had just uncorked in her direction, occasionally letting slip another rude scoff or mocking chuckle under her breath.
"All I ask is that you don't breathe a single word about my plans or anything I've told you here to another living soul," I blurted out insistently. I needed her sworn silence if we were to have any hope of m accomplishing my goal.
+25 BONU
Then I turned on my heel and started for the bathroom door. I had to excuse myself from this suddenly tense situation as quickly as possible. But before I could make good on my exit, Jessica quickly sidestepped to block my path, planting herself squarely in front of me.
"Wait just a damned minute," she said slowly, a borderline predatory smirk tugging at the corners of her lips that immediately had me chastising myself. I never should have revealed so much, I realized with a sinking feeling of dismay. Now what new price or terms was this viper going to try and extract from me? More money, perhaps?
"If you get down on your knees and beg me nicely," she began in that same unctuous tone, "then maybe I'll consider helping to make your little revenge fantasy into a reality. She arched one perfectly shaped eyebrow at me in clear challenge. "You obviously could use all the help you can get, am I right?"