Dark Romance: A Cruel Obsession

Vivian listened silently to the faint weeping on the other end of the phone. The more she understood Luzia’s plight, the more her aversion to Joseph and Los Angeles grew, and the more grateful she felt for Alajos’s tolerance.

Perhaps she should truly detach herself from the land that had once nurtured her, she needed a more thorough battle to resolve the crisis in Houston and rescue Luzia from hell.

However, they were far from being able to control everything in Los Angeles from Houston, and Luzia was being closely monitored. She needed to avoid Joseph’s violence, and there wasn’t much she could do.

Was there anyone who could help them, become their ears and eyes in Los Angeles?

“Luzia, maybe I need your help…” Vivian hesitated about whether to involve Luzia in her alliance with Shelley, but the person on the other end of the line suddenly changed to Joseph, and his contemptuous tone sent shivers down Vivian’s spine as if he were toying with a hapless ant.

“Hey, Vivian, are you trying to tempt my wife into doing something foolish?”

Vivian’s hand trembled as she held the phone, her breath involuntarily becoming heavier. She was completely unaware, almost unable to control a scream, “Joseph!”

Joseph on the other end of the phone watched Luzia’s fearful expression with a mocking gaze. Her trembling, helpless appearance resembled that of a small animal facing its archenemy, and it stirred something in him, making him want to crush her in the palm of his hand and make her cry out in despair.

“Vivian, tell me, what foolishness are you trying to tempt my wife into?” A chill ran down Vivian’s spine as she heard Joseph’s voice, like that of a demon, lingering in her ears.

“I didn’t!” Vivian denied vehemently.

“I heard it,” Joseph said, his voice like that of an evil spirit.

“You have no evidence.” Vivian shouted, “You are slandering me!”

“It doesn’t matter.” Joseph completely disregarded Vivian’s accusations. He was convinced that she was trying to lead his wife into criminal acts, and he wanted to sever her connection with Luzia by any means necessary.

Joseph knew Vivian too well, and Vivian was too afraid of Joseph. A simple threat from him was enough to throw her into disarray.

“You can’t do this, Joseph.” Vivian clutched her chest, desperately telling herself that Joseph was far away in Los Angeles and couldn’t hurt her. She didn’t need to be afraid. She didn’t need to be afraid. “I was just thinking about showing concern for Luzia. You misunderstood me.”

“Is that so? I don’t think I misunderstood,” Joseph sneered. “Vivian, you must understand, you have no credibility with me. Your weakness and foolishness could influence my wife. I must ensure that her mind remains clear.”

“At the very least, she must know who truly controls her life.”Belongs © to NôvelDrama.Org.

“Joseph, I think we need to have a deeper discussion.” Just as Vivian gritted her teeth, Alajos lightly tapped her shoulder and took over the conversation on the phone, amidst her tears.

Realizing that the person on the other end had changed, Joseph expressed his surprise appropriately, “Ah, it’s Alajos. We haven’t seen each other in a long time.”

“I’m busy, and I may not have time to meet with you recently.” Alajos declined Joseph’s veiled invitation to meet, while also proactively bringing up the topic that Joseph was trying to avoid. “I believe my cousin Luzia is an independent person. She should have the right to maintain contact with the outside world at all times.”

“Most importantly, she has the right to live, and her life should be under her control.”

Alajos’s excessively firm and instructive words successfully darkened Joseph’s face. His anger and roaring could not be restrained by the phone line, “I don’t need you to teach me how to do things, Alajos!”

“I’m just reminding you not to forget the cooperation between Houston and Los Angeles.” Alajos said firmly, “The cooperation between the two cities is equal. I hope you don’t forget your responsibilities and make decisions that harm the alliance relationship without authorization.”

“You’re quite something, Alajos.” Joseph gritted his teeth in hatred, but Alajos’s words did remind him that the plan to nibble away at Los Angeles was in progress. Although progress was slow, the harvest was rich. His father had warned him repeatedly not to act recklessly. They had to carefully wait for the right time to reap the rewards.

Alajos was definitely not a fool. His cooperation with Washington proved that. They now had to be even more cautious than before to completely control Houston and avoid Washington’s assistance.

Honestly, Joseph didn’t think much of Alajos. In his view, Alajos was still not perfect enough. He had a fatal weakness he was too emotional.

His care for Luzia and his tolerance for Vivian revealed his soft heart. Joseph’s father, Bryson, had seen this long ago, so after Kamden’s death, Bryson had immediately sent Vivian to Alajos before his heart had become colder and harder due to Capo’s responsibilities and relentless killings. This was a brilliant first step, albeit at the cost of Bryson losing a useless daughter.

There probably wasn’t a more profitable deal in the world. Joseph thought to himself, his father Bryson was truly a born conspirator.

Joseph angrily hung up the phone. Vivian felt uneasy. She could almost predict how cruelly Joseph in his rage would treat Luzia. “What can we do? Is there no way for us to save her?”

“For now, Houston cannot sever ties with Los Angeles. It would be an unimaginable disaster,” Alajos also felt the pain. All the suffering Luzia was enduring was for the Hargrave family, for Houston.

Alajos covered his face in pain. He suspected that Bryson’s cunning plan had succeeded. He was becoming softer, not only towards Vivian but also in considering whether Luzia was doing well in Los Angeles. He regretted marrying Luzia to Joseph.

But another cruel voice in his mind chastised Alajos. Regret what? There’s no room for regret! Because he had no other choice. Sacrificing Luzia could protect the entirety of Houston, giving the weary soldiers of war a chance to breathe. This was a low-cost deal, and Luzia’s sacrifice was more than worth it.

At the same time, Alajos wanted to contradict himself loudly. No! It’s not like this!

But he couldn’t contradict himself because he knew very well that when he had willingly accepted Bryson’s proposal to marry Luzia to Joseph, this was exactly what he had thought.

Sacrificing one person, Luzia, could save thousands and thousands of people in Houston. This deal was too worthwhile.

Why was he regretting it now? Because his heart had become weak.

Now his regret made him feel weak.

Alajos helplessly and painfully accepted this cruel reality. He had hardly considered a way to change this reality.

After that phone call, Vivian felt that Alajos had suddenly become so distressed. She couldn’t understand why, but she could feel that his pain was somehow related to her. She didn’t know how to console Alajos. Was he worried about Luzia just like herself? Or did he despise Joseph’s arrogance? Either way, she was grateful that, in this critical moment, Alajos had spoken up for Luzia.

Now, she understood Alajos’s predicament better than before.

She was willing to sit silently by his side, silently accompanying him as he emerged from his pain.

They were like two buoys floating in the vast sea, swaying with the wind and waves, at the mercy of the flying birds. Even after drifting far, far away, they still couldn’t find a stable point of support, and so they relied on each other, seeking that tiny bit of balance.