The Joy of Revenge

CHAPTER 15 Confession Xavier | was nervous...no, | was scared sh itle ss. We were already dressed, lounging around in our suite, waiting for dinner. We were at a suite right below Joy's and | could also tell the o two were as nervous and scared as me. | opened the minibar and prepared drinks for the three of us to help take the edge off.

We knew Joy wouldn't accept our gifts if we gave them to her outright, so we made her go on a scavenger hunt, collecting her gifts in search for the next clue. | still had one more gift to give her... whether or not she accepted to be our girl.

| wanted to pamper her. After listening to her story, | was right to assthat her assault wasn’t because she did something wrong to someone else. Those a ssholes just wanted to break her because she had a good heart.

| handed Sebastian and Cristos each a glass of scotch and sat down with them in the living room of the suite.

Sebastian was wearing a dark gray suit with a blue tie, while Cristos opted for a black suit and I, a dark blue suit with a maroon-colored tie. Cristos was on his laptop, searching for the answers we needed regarding the bas t ards of Joy’s past.

“I found out that the guy named Liam is the son of New Salem Mayor Theodore Cohen. The Cohens moved to New Salem during the prohibition era with their riches in tow. This definitely smells like the Angels of Darkness,” Cristos said.

“What legitimate businesses do they have in the area? Sebastian asked.

na “They own a lot of undeveloped property. One property is currently being developed into housing,” Cristos answered. That was where the money was...land.

“Before this Theodore Cohen, who was mayor?” | asked.

“His father, Robert Cohen and before that, his grandfather Edward Cohen and then his great- her, Ethan Coen.

“Holy s hit. That's four generations of Cohens,” Sebastian said. “That means the next mayor of New Salem will be-" “Liam Cohen, Cristos spat out the ba stard’s name. “And get this, one of the pioneers of New Salem were the Taylors. | think the Taylors and the Cohens were rivals. Remember, “Death to all Taylors”? 1/4 12:29 Sat Mar 23 N CHAPTER 15 Confession “He’s been groomed to hate the Taylors,” | said. | propose we wait until this Liam Cohen becomes mayor. In that way, we can take both him and his father down.” 72% “I read from their town’s paper that Theodore Cohen is planning to retire once Liam graduates from college.

That's in a couple of years, Cristos said. “Are you willing to wait that long?” “I told you, there's no expiration date on revenge. | don’t care if we have to wait a few more years. Probably, by that time, they'll think Joy is gone forever. They won't see it coming,” | explained.

“Actually, that’s a good idea, Sebastian said, agreeing to my suggestion. “Theodore Cohen has been mayor for so long. He has the people wrapped tightly around his little finger. Even when Liam becomes mayor, it will still be Theodore Cohen running the show. All we need to do is pit-Liam against his own father.” “Do you actually think this Liam would go against his father?” Cristos asked.

“When he assaulted Joy, he went against the good e of his father,” Sebastian reasoned. “I believe Liam has sunresolved issues with his father. Right now, he’s just a boy living off of his family’s legacy, but once he becomes mayor and has the authority to do whatever he wants, he won't like Daddy meddling in his affairs.” | nodded my head...he made sense.

“Well, we have years to plan. Right now, my only concern is Joy,” | told the two. “Let's go. We don’t want to be late for our date.” The table in the private dining room we booked was elegantly fixed for the four of us. The three of us fixed our neck ties and unbuttoned our suit jackets before sitting at the table, waiting for Joy to arrive.

When she did, we all stood up. She was perfection... wearing a fitted black floral co cktail dress which gave emphasis on her cleavage, her small waist and her curvy hips. Her flowing blonde hair was parted to the side and tucked behind her ear. On her left wrist, she wore the watch | gave her, makingsmile.

“The dress fits perfectly,” Cristos said. He has shopped with her so many times, he knew her measurements by heart.

“Beautiful,” | murmured while | helped her with her chair. Joy blushed and smiled shyly. She my heart s kip a beat.

made “I agree with Xavier. Beautiful,” Sebastian said, smiling brightly.

19 sat, Mar 2 DAN CHAPTER 15 Confession 7238 Dinner was also perfection. Kobe beef, scallops, lobster, oysters, cheese, ham, prawns... the plates just ccoming. For desert we had chocolate truffles and ice cream.

After dinner we decided to go to our suite and have one drink before going back to the mansion. We still had one more thing to do.

We all sat at the balcony, sipping our champagne. There was something about the stars and the moon that makes love so romantic.

| LOOK but the velv rectangular box from my inner coat pocket and waited for Cristos and Sebastian to do their thing.

| was never good with words.

Virtue Cristos suddenly kneeled in front ofand took one of my hands in his. He slowly raised- the palm of my hand to his lips and kissed it so gently. A sudden shiver ran down the length of my spine as he placed my palm along the side of his cheek. He smiled sweetly at me, but his blue eyes gazed into mine with a passion | have never seen before.

“You deserve to know the truth too, Joy,” he said, his voice so low. “I know you see us as your bestfriends, maybe you even see us as your brothers, but we actually don’t want that. We don’t want to be your friend or your brother.” My heart sank. The kiss on my palm, this elaborate celebration, was just a distraction to my impending doom. | should have known. | was just a charity case to them, have always been. And now that | have completed my metamorphosis, it was tto say goodbye and part ways.

| lowered my head and simply nodded. | had previously thought | would be strong enough to accept their rejection, but this gut-wrenching pain I felt in my chest was worse than | had expected.

| couldn’t hold back my tears. | helplessly tried to blink them away, ashamed they would see how distraught | was. | didn’t want their pity. But as hard as | tried, | couldn't keep the tears at bay.

“Hey. Why are you crying, my dearest?” Cristos asked, his distress noticeable in his voice. Xavier immediately pushed him away and tookin his arms. He stroked my hair and ears from my cheeks while Sebastian rubbed my back to console me.

“Cristos, if you weren't my blood brother, | would drag you to the lake and drown you,” Xavier said angrily. “Why did you have to pause like that? Now look. Joy thinks we don’t want her in our lives.” He kissed my forehead and wiped the remaining tears from eyes. “Sebastian, | told you it should be you who tells her.” | raised my hands in the air, stopping Sebastian from saying anything. “No, Sebastian, | get it. | do. | was just a charity case for you three and now that it’s over, you wantto move on.

“I should punch the both of you in the face!” Xavier hissed at Sebastian and Cristos. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, looking frustrated.

Suddenly, he took my hands, placed it on his chest above his beating heart and covered my hands with one of his. | lowered my head, anticipating the heart ache that | knew would come.

“You know me, Joy. I'm not good with words,” Xavier croaked. He lifted my face, gently caressing my chin with his thumb, so his eyes could peer into mine. “But my heart that you feel beating under your hands, it only beats for you... ever since | heard your angelic voice. Sgoes for Sebastian and Cristos. Our hearts belong to you, Joy.

Only you... and that, my love, is the simple truth.” He opened a long velvet rectangular box and took out a gold bracelet. It was engraved with two words... ‘Our Heart”.

“You are our heart, Joy,” Xavier said while placing the bracelet on my wrist. “Do know I... | mean we love you and will go on loving you until our final breaths.

“I love you...” | whispered and grinned brightly with tear-filled eyes.

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