Chapter 19 Lyra
Julie stayed by my side the whole time, helping me get to know the city better.
I still couldn’t shake off the feeling of being watched, but then some news caught my attention.
Kessler Frodd is engaged to a supermodel named Annie Baynes. They’ve been dating for a while, and there were even pictures of them together, kissing passionately at an event.
The image of Kessler and Annie kissing was displayed for everyone to see. The news continued.
As I processed the news, disbelief, anger, and a sense of betrayal all mingled together, knowing that Kessler was now engaged to Annie.
After his wife passed away, he had avoided dating and relationships, so the news of his engagement came as a shock to us. Their engagement party is slated for the following week. The news anchor continued.
A Sharp pain pierced my chest. I stumbled, almost falling, but Julie caught me.
“Are you okay?” Julie asked, her voice filled with concern as she noticed my distress.
I shook my head silently, unable to find the words to express my emotions.
My mind raced with questions and doubts, wondering why Kessler had chosen Annie over me, and if our connection had meant anything to him at all.This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.
Tears threatened to spill from my eyes as I wrestled with feelings of rejection and heartache.
“Why am I feeling this pain?” I pondered, wrestling with conflicting emotions. “I should be happy; he is my father’s killer, and I couldn’t stand being around him. I should be relieved that I’m finally free from him. He will reject me, and I’ll be free to move on with my life away from him.”
The thought of Kessler rejecting me stirred up a mixture of hurt and confusion within me. “But he is our Mate,” Sasha groaned in pain. “He marked you. Why would he be engaged to that witch that almost killed you?”
After my last encounter with Annie, I tried my best to avoid her because I didn’t know what else she could have planned for me. Her father is a very powerful Alpha, and I’m sure they would want to seal a strong alliance with the Moonpeak pack through a marriage deal.
“I thought he had a soft spot for me,” I thought, recalling Julie’s words. “I brought so much joy to him,” she had said, “that he hasn’t been happy in a long while since he lost his mate.” Was it all a lie to gain my trust?
Did he care about me, or was I just a pawn in his game? The thought made my heart ache with betrayal.
I couldn’t comprehend how he could pledge himself to another, especially after marking me as his mate.
I felt heartbroken, betrayed, and with no essence to live. I could tell Annie would be over the moon. Seeing that she couldn’t stand my existence.
I told Julie, “Let’s leave for the park,” and we walked to the car in silence. As the driver drove us to the park, Julie tried to hold my hand, sensing that I wasn’t in a cheerful mood.
She had seen the news, likewise, I yanked my hand off her in annoyance. Not wanting to be the weak, pathetic lady in distress, I was burning with anger inside of me.
Arriving at the park, I observed people enjoying themselves without a care in the world. Memories flooded my mind of times when my dad would bring me here, and I’d play with joy written all over my face. Shaking my head, I made my way to a bench and sat down.
The events of the day replayed in my mind like a broken record. How could he move on so quickly, especially with someone like Annie?
I buried my face in my hands, trying to block out the thoughts racing through my mind. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling of pain pressing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe.
Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly noticed a familiar figure. A surge of happiness washed over me at the sight of her, yet I felt an overwhelming urge to keep my distance and simply watch from afar.
I thought she was being held captive by my uncle, but seeing her sitting there so peacefully made me question that assumption. Something didn’t feel right.
My mother is one hell of a beauty. I doubt she ages at all. She looks as young as ever. She should be around forty-three years old, but she looks under twenty. She has a banging body, and I could swear guys were turning their heads to take in her beauty. I, for one, am in awe.
She was seated, reading a book and sipping a cola drink. She might have sensed someone staring at her because she looked around. I removed my gaze immediately. I needed to be cautious and hide away.
As I watched her from a distance, I longed to be close to her, to feel her warmth and comfort. But on the other hand, I couldn’t shake off the fear.
I had so many questions I wanted to ask her, so many things I wanted to say. But deep down, I knew that confronting her would only lead to more pain and confusion. So instead, I remained hidden, silently observing her from afar.
Then a man came to join her. He was dressed casually in jeans and a tight-fitted dress shirt, with folded sleeves. He placed a chaste kiss on her forehead, and she looked at him with so much love and adoration.
I was shocked to realize that he was my uncle. Fear gripped me as I hid away so they wouldn’t see me. Thoughts of things he could do to me for not meeting his expectations regarding Kessler filled me.
I know Kessler wanted me because I could tell from the way he looked at me whenever we were compromising, but he was just careful not to have sex with him, knowing the intention of my uncle.
I looked again and saw the way they interacted; there is more to meet the eyes, and there is no doubt that they are lovers.
I don’t want to jump to conclusions yet as I watch them intently from where I am hiding.
But I was more than shocked as my uncle smashed his lips on my mother’s lips and she joyfully responded to the kiss without batting an eyelid.
No this can’t be, I mutter to no one in particular, Uncle Jack can’t be fucking my mother, I protested.
They stopped kissing because they were out of breath and looked into each other’s eyes.
“I was furious at my mother! What kind of mother would let her child suffer at the hands of her uncle and still stay with him? Angry at my uncle for being a devious, skimming bastard. But thankful that I hadn’t given in to my uncle’s demand of sleeping with Kessler. I was furious with myself for being a pawn in his hands!
My mother had been alive all this while and left me all alone to suffer. The thought of it made my heart break.”
How could she turn a blind eye to my suffering? The realization that she had allowed me to endure such pain was crushing.
How could she abandon her flesh and blood, leaving me to fend for myself in the clutches of my manipulative uncle?
Tears welled up in my eyes as I struggled to come to terms with the harsh reality.
They were about to leave, but from the look of things, they wanted to continue their unholy act. I shook my head at the thought as I followed closely. I needed to know where they were heading.