Pleasures in life

"It took me a lot of time to get the full truth. But I got it eventually. Mathews was speaking the truth. I swore then to destroy my father one day and decided to lay in wait till I was strong enough to go against him. That's why I officially changed my name once I turned twenty-one. I had proven myself a very valuable asset before that and he pretended to be so proud of his heir. But I could see his hatred in his eyes. He hated me for being better than he ever was. He hated that people under him looked forward to working under me. I changed my name, thus, forsaking the Moretti family and completing destroying his proud father image. It also put his precious family in a delicate situation without an heir."

I was under no impression that Miraj was good. Infact, I firmly believed my husband was a monster. But this monster was created by Alonzo Moretti and he deserved death for such a crime. There were just some things people shouldn't do as human beings. Destroying your own child was one of those.

"He would've eventually killed me if his mistress-turned-wife had given birth to a son, maybe one he could control. Because that one would be old enough to inherit only when he is on his death bed, anyway. He couldn't imagine having to give up his reign to me. He loved his power too much to give it up to anyone, but he had a special hatred for me. My life was hell for an entire year after my mother's death till I met her. Tatiana Michele Mathews."

a.k.a Bitch from hell, I said in my head.

"She was my age but we lived completely different lives, even when we were living in the same bloody house. She knew what my family was, what I was. She knew her father worked for us. But that was all. She wasn't... tainted by our world yet. Always watching us from an arm's length. She was still innocent and pure at heart."

Unlike me, I thought. I was tainted by birth, never at a distance from blood and crime. I lost all my innocence and purity way before I became an adult. I pinched his hand as hard as I could. I wasn't sitting here to listen to her praises.

"Ouch", he yelped. I felt happy that he hurt. He deserved it. I gave him a blank smile and said, "I get it. She was great. Get on with the story."

He just gave me a quiet smile which irritated me further.

"She was too scared of my father and worried about what would happen when our parents found out about us. She didn't have the backbone to stand by my side. She would sooner deny ever knowing me than even greeting me in front of my father. But when I flirted with other women to distract my father, she would become irrationally jealous. It was getting difficult to handle the relationship as the days went by. She was... too timid to do anything other than hide behind me."

He stopped for a moment, shrugged his shoulder and continued, "There's nothing wrong with relying on the one you love and I loved her despite all the things she said were wrong with her. I didn't care that she needed my protection but I hated her fear. I liked protecting her because it made me feel strong. You know, the knight in shining armor and all-"

"I can let you open the tight jars in the kitchen next time to make you feel like the man of the house, if you want."

He laughed outright. It was nice to watch him laugh. It didn't happen often enough.

"You know, Bee, you and I were given a shitty hand in life. We had every pleasure known to man on our fingertips but we never had anyone to share those pleasures with. We obviously didn't luck out in the parents department. And I don't exactly know about you but my friends have always been too frightened of me, to care. Luke has been the only exception. And I think Sira and Siara have been your exceptions."

Miraj pulled me by my hand and I sort of fell over him. I was shocked by his actions and before I could react his right hand came up and held me by my chin forcefully, his thumb on one cheek and his fingers on the other cheek. He turned my face up with a hard grip and leaned in. Unexpectedly, he kissed me lightly on the lips. Just a peck.

"I want to share them all with you, Bee. I want to share a life with you. Not only because you are a badass ally but also because you're an amazing mother. You're a woman of my caliber, Bee. I know you won't run from me. Mostly... because we are already married."

God! That was sweet, sweeter than Nutella. What the heck am I supposed to say in reply?

Before I could think of a proper reply, he said, "You have nothing to fear from Tatiana."

Oh yeah. She was the reason we were having this conversation. Totally forgot about that.