Page 9 of Revenge
“Yes, Mr. Manarch?”
“Nothing. Take the evening off. I’ll be home late.” I walk toward the stairs.
“If I may, Mr. Manarch,” I stop. “I can’t imagine how you must be feeling right now. It can’t be easy to marry someone out of duty.”
“Mary…” I start, unsure what I want to say.
“We all came to love Ms. O’Brien. The tides can turn at any moment. Don’t lose hope.” She gives me a motherly look.
I want to tell her how inappropriate she’s being. Everything happening doesn’t concern her. Her job is to keep this house, not me. I already have a mother. Yet, I find comfort in her words, anything to make sense of this mess I’ve made. This house without Ava is empty. It’s no longer a home.
“You can at least pretend you’re happy,” Fiona says.
“There’s nothing to be happy about,” I say, annoyed, looking around.
“We have guests, and as of twenty minutes ago, I became your wife. Get over that whore and smile.”
I turn and glare at Fiona. “You will not speak of Ava again.”
“Daddy,” she says as Cillian approaches.
“You look beautiful. Congratulations, Viktor.” Cillian holds out his hand. I’m going to refuse to shake it until I spot my father looking at me. It’s an icy stare that, at another time I would dismiss, but there is too much to lose.
“Thank you.” I shake his hand. “If you’ll excuse me.” I leave before he starts a conversation.
Loosening my tie and unbuttoning the top of my shirt, I head to the bar in desperate need of a drink. There are almost three hundred guests, a mixture of all five families. I’m surprised a fight hasn’t broken out. Then again, we’re at my father’s house, and everyone fears him, even Cillian. The bartender pours a drink, which I finish in one shot. I ask for another and do the same. I’m on my third when Tina touches my shoulder.
“How are you holding up?”
“I’m not in the mood.” I drain half of my third drink. She looks around, and I follow her gaze.
“What is it?” I ask her.
“I spoke to her earlier. I told her you were getting married today.” I turn to her, anger rising. Her hand drops, and immediately she takes a step back.
“Why the fuck would you tell her I’m getting married?”
“Because I didn’t want her to find out from someone else.”
“Why the fuck did you do that?” I comb my fingers through my hair.
“Because she’s my best friend and deserved to know.”
“What did she say?” I finish my drink and ask for another.
“Nothing. She sounded like she was going to cry. She ended the call before I could say anything else.”
“You didn’t have the right to fucking tell her.” I turn to leave, and she tries to stop me. “Don’t,” I spit at her “You’ve done enough damage as it is.” I keep walking before I do something I will regret.
A million things must be going through Ava’s head. This is a truth that even the strongest person might not handle. I’m sure she thinks I’ve betrayed her, but she needs to give me a chance to tell her what happened. If she knew the danger she’s facing, she’d understand why I had to marry Fiona. I don’t love Fiona. She means nothing to me. Ava needs to know the truth. It’s always been her, even before I knew it myself. Ava gives me the strength to go to war if I have to, and I will. I love Ava above everything. Without her, nothing matters, not the clan or my life. When this is over, me, Ava and my unborn child will be a family.
Chapter Five
Ava
“Good morning. I’m here for a nine o’clock appointment,” I say to the receptionist at the obstetrician-gynecologist clinic.
“Good morning. Name?” the receptionist asks.
