Chapter 9%
Halle’s POVE
I yanked my hand out of his grasp and met his gaze head–on.%
“Make it up to me? How exactly do you plan on doing that?“%
Alexis, flustered and desperate, pulled out his phone and tapped through to a set of photos.%
“Look, Halle, I already tore down the villa. I restored the cemetery–it looks just like it used to. I even had all the gravestones remade. Sixty–eight of them. Not a single one is missing“%
I stared at him calmlythen corrected, “You’re wrong. There are seventy now. You forgot my mother. And my child.”%
Regret filled his eyes as the truth hit him. “I… I’m sorry. I killed them. I know I did. I’ll do whatever it takes to atone, to earn their forgiveness-”
“Forgiveness?” I let out a cold laugh. “They’re dead, Alexis. How exactly are they supposed to forgive you now? I never should’ve saved you that day. That’s my greatest sin–not just against them, but against all of my ancestors.“/
Alexis looked at me like I’d slapped him. “You… you regret saving me?”
I didn’t answer.
He reached for me again, but Harlan stepped in and slapped his hand away without hesitation.%
“Are you deaf?” he snapped. “She just said she regrets saving your sorry life. You should’ve stayed buried in that grave.“%
Alexis’s expression shifted when he noticed Harlan. He suddenly became alert and guarded.%
“Who are you?” he asked sharply. “And what’s your relationship with Halle?”
Before I could say anything, Harlan casually draped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me closer.
“Nice to meet you,” he said with a smirk. “Name’s Harlan, I’m her childhood sweetheart.“”
Alexis’s eyes locked onto the space between us, where our bodies were pressed together.”
“You’re my wife, Halle. How can you let another man touch you like that? Come here. I’ll let this slide if you just come back with me,” he demanded.
Hearing how authoritative he was, I laughed–genuinely laughed, but there wasn’t a shred of humor in it.”
“Mr. Stanley, let me remind you–we never got legally married. There’s no marriage license. So technically, I’m not your wife. Besides, you made it very clear in front of your entire family that Janice was your wife.“W
Five years. For five long years, I waited for him to take me seriously–always with an excuse, always postponing the marriage license. Deep down, I knew he was just waiting for Janice to come back.
Alexis frantically shook his head. “No! It’s always been you. You’ve always been the one, Halle. If want, we can go get the license right now.”
“No thanks” I looked at him square in the eyes, my voice was like ice. “Alexis, leave. I don’t want to see you again.“}]
His eyes reddened, and his voice cracked. “Halle, I can’t lose you. I won’t survive without you. You’re the only one who ever truly loved me -not for my status, but for who I really am…”
Right then, his phone lit up with a call from Roy.”
“Mr. Stanley,” the voice crackled over speaker, “Miss Brewer can’t hold on much longer. Have you learn how to lift the hex?“}]
Silence. Thick and telling
Then Harlan laughed out loud. “Ah, so that’s what this is about. Here I thought Alexis came here because he genuinely cared for Halle. Turns out, he just wanted to know how to lift the hex on his little lover.“W
He stepped forward, voice casual but cutting. “Tell you what, Mr. Stanley–how about we make a deal? If you disappear from Halle’s life forever, I’ll how to undo it.”
Alexis ignored him and turned to me in a panic. “Halle, don’t listen to him. I’m here for you. I swear, I don’t care what happens to Janice-” “Enough,” I interrupted. I reached into Harlan’s bag, pulled out a scroll containing ingredients and instructio how to undo the hex, and placed it in Alexis’s hand “Go save Janice. I may hate her, but I hate you even more. You’re the one who truly broke me. Don’t mistake this for forgiveness. I’m only doing this because I don’t want innocent members of the Blackfire Tribe caught in your mess.”
