REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 111 – 120
CHAPTER 115 – 117
DEEP CONVERSATION WITH VERA KINGSTON.
“I hope it’s okay if I come in?” The older woman asked from the door.
Tesiera nodded, confused. Why is Vera in her bedroom?
“How’s the leg?” Vera asked.
Tesiera stood to greet the woman properly. “I’m fine, ma’am. Do you need me to do anything for you?” She asked politely.
“Oh, sit down,” Vera waved her away. “It’s okay to be strong, my dear, but there’s also nothing wrong with admitting weakness every once in a while. We don’t have to be strong all the time. That’s what makes us human,” Vera said, taking a seat on the bed.
She was tired, Tesiera admitted to herself. So, she lowered herself onto the bed too. Silence fell between them. For some reason, Tesiera felt uneasy and nervous. Maybe it was because Kracus’s mother was in her bedroom, alone.
The question is…Why?
With another person, she would have bluntly asked why that person had come to see her, but with Vera Kingston, Tesiera simply remained quiet.
Vera looked at her with unreadable eyes. A heavy silence stretched in the air between them.
“So, you’re the woman who tried to kill my son, twice?” Vera’s words landed like a hammer blow, catching Tesiera completely off guard.
Tesiera’s unease surged, and her mind raced to find the best way to respond without coming off like a cold-hearted killer.
But a nagging voice inside her head reminded her of the truth: you’re a cold-hearted killer.
Tesiera sighed. She was never one to sugarcoat or make excuses for her actions, anyway. And she wasn’t about to start now. “”Yes, ma’am. I did attempt to kill your son, on two occasions.” she admitted, her voice laced with resignation.
“Mmh.” Vera nodded thoughtfully, her eyes piercing. “Why did Lenny hire you?”
Tesiera could have said it was because she swore to protect him, to eliminate his enemies, but the truth was, Tesiera had no idea why. Now that she was close to Kracus, she realized he had no real reason to hire her.
He had plenty of well-trained men at his disposal to protect him, and enough connections to hire ruthless hitmen if he wished. So, why did he choose her?
“I honestly don’t know, ma’am,” she confessed.
Vera’s gaze remained intense. “Why did YOU want to work for him after trying to take his life, Miss Rinderson?”
“I owed him one,” Tesiera replied with a hint of regret in her voice. “He wasn’t my target. The fact that I nearly killed the wrong person filled me with guilt. That’s not something I do. So, I wanted to make amends if he’d allow it,” she explained, her shoulders slumping slightly. “I promised to work for him for a while, help eliminate any threats he had. I hate being indebted to people, and that was my way of trying to get even.”
“Mmh.” Vera repeated that same contemplative sound she had made earlier. Then, her expression softened, and she offered a sad smile. “You thought he was Cullian.” Her words held a sense of certainty, not a question.
Tesiera simply nodded in response.
“I read your file a few weeks ago,” Vera Kingston disclosed. “My son has adamantly refused a third personal bodyguard for years. He’s been under the protection of Bose and Clinton for almost, if not more than, a decade, and Lenny has a deep aversion to new people in his inner circle. I was curious to learn who this new addition was, considering his persistent refusal.”
Tesiera was left astounded by Vera’s revelations and chose to listen rather than speak. She’d read her file?
“From the moment Cullian entered this world, he was the black sheep of the Kingston family. From his earliest years, he was a magnet for trouble, entangled in all sorts of shady dealings. His youthful misadventures matured into a full-fledged reign of terror as he grew older. During high school, he mercilessly targeted my son, subjecting him to relentless bullying,” Vera’s gaze hardened as she delved into these painful memories.
Then, a genuine smile graced her lips. “My son, on the other hand, was the polar opposite of Cullian even in his youth. Kracus was universally adored, with not a malicious bone in his body. It was precisely his innocence that made him the target of Cullian’s ceaseless torment.” A pause, “On the fateful day my son went missing. I had strong suspicions of Cullian’s involvement, but he also vanished without a trace during those critical days. There simply wasn’t any evidence to conclusively prove Cullian was a perpetrator rather than a kidnapped victim, as his mother fervently claimed. Those three days marked the darkest period of my life.”
Tesiera observed Vera closely, her chest tightening as she heard the narrative once more. Although Kracus had recounted his kidnapping ordeal to her that day on the ship, hearing it from his mother’s perspective stirred deep emotions within her.
“When my son was eventually found, he was covered in bruises, battered and beaten. He was nearly unrecognizable, bearing the scars of a brutal assault. And when he confirmed Cullian’s involvement, it nearly drove me to madness,” Vera declared, her fists clenching as she shook her head. “My husband, his father, grappled with the tormenting truth. They were both his sons, but Cullian was a hidden secret, and exposing his identity would cause a scandal that could shatter our family. My husband was torn over pursuing justice against that devil’s reincarnate in the form of his illegitimate son.”
“I, on the other hand, no longer cared about the consequences. I was determined to bring that monster to justice for what he had done to my son. But Cullian vanished once again. He ran away from home, and he was nowhere to be found for two long years,” Vera recounted, her voice tinged with bitterness. “The next encounter with Cullian occurred after my husband’s funeral, two years later when he succumbed to a heart attack. I was alone in this house when Cullian and his gang paid an unwelcome visit. They timed it perfectly, waiting until all the security personnel had departed.”
Vera fell silent, her gaze distant, lost in painful memories.
“What did he do?” Tesiera asked softly.
“They beat me within an inch of my life. Cullian was furious that I had been searching for him, making his life unbearable according to him. He blamed me for his constant need to keep moving from one place to another because I was searching for him.” Vera raised her thigh and showed Tesiera a series of scars. These scars were long and jagged, bearing witness to the brutality she had endured.
Tesiera’s eyes darkened at the sight of them. Rage and sadness filled her. As a Torturer, she’d seen countless scars, but nothing could have prepared her for this.
These were crosschecked burn marks, deeply etched into Vera’s flesh, spelling out the word ‘Bitch’ in cruel, bold letters. It was a horrifying sight, and the knowledge of the excruciating pain that accompanied each of those burns was even more disturbing. All Tesiera could do was trace those scars with her eyes in stunned silence.
They left another cruel label on my back, reading ‘Loser.'” Vera continued, her voice shaking with emotion. “They strung me up like a macabre display and taunted my broken body as they marked me. They nearly…” Vera’s voice faltered as she struggled to regain her composure. “They almost sexually assaulted me too.”
Taking a shaky breath, tears glistened in Vera’s eyes. “For years, I could barely look at myself in the mirror. I was shattered, a mere shadow of who I once was. But the suffering didn’t end with me. What happened nearly destroyed my son. He endured his own torment at Cullian’s hands, but it was what Cullian did to me that scarred him the most. He became consumed by a burning rage, relentlessly hunting Cullian down. That monster must have sensed he’d crossed a line, because he truly disappeared this time. It’s been over a decade, and no one has heard a word about him since.”
Oh, Kracullian, your sins continue to accumulate, Tesiera thought darkly.
Mentally, she revised her plans for Kracullian’s punishment from three hours of torture, to a grueling 24-hour ordeal. By the time she was done with him, he’d wish he’d never been born. She’d simply need to be exceedingly careful to ensure the dog wouldn’t die before she was done with him.
Apart from Raymond’s actions toward her, Tesiera possessed significant knowledge of being torture. Many of her instructors had used her as a subject to teach her specific torture techniques. It was one of the reasons he was an expert in the field. However, those experiences were from many years ago.
What Raymond had done to her had occurred just weeks ago, and she was still in the process of healing from her wounds. Perhaps that was why she felt empathy for Vera Kingston and the suffering she endured.
“You’re a strong woman, Vera,” she stated with genuine sympathy. “I’m so sorry this happened to you.”
“It’s okay. I managed to pick up the pieces,” Vera said, her voice quivering as she fought to regain her composure. “My son hated violence but I thought I might lose him to that consuming rage. But as the years passed, my Lenny slowly let go. He’s still searching for Cullian, even to this day, I know he never stopped. But I’m grateful that he didn’t let that rage consume him entirely. To rule his life and guard his path.”
Tesiera sensed that Vera was trying to tell her something. But whatever it was, eluded her grasp.
“I understand that Cullian caused you pain as well, Miss Rinderson, but don’t allow that rage to define you,” Vera spoke earnestly.
Silence hung in the air between them.
Then, Tesiera broke it. “I’ve carried this pain, that anger, since I was eight years old. I don’t know how to exist without them. What happened that night in the alley shaped me.” she confessed, “Avenging my father’s death is all I am.”
“No, Miss Rinderson. You can be more,” Vera asserted with conviction. “If you have the opportunity to achieve your revenge, then go for it. It may help you heal. But along that path, try to release the rage gradually, and the pain as well. It will enable you to make sound decisions and avoid meeting an early death just because you allowed those emotions to guide you.”
Vera paused, her teary eyes gentle, but piercing. “Find new purposes in life. Discover new hobbies. Learn how to embrace your humanity. Live your life to the fullest. Because if you don’t, then they truly did win.”
Tesiera’s thoughts drifted to Kracus, the doctor who had unexpectedly entered her boring life and into her cold heart. She wondered if the path Vera had described was something she could envision for herself.
“Is that what you did, Ma’am Vera? Did you learn to live again?” Tesiera raised her hands and stared at them. All she could see was the blood of countless men.
Vera nodded, her emotions still raw as she sniffled and wiped away her tears, offering a melancholic smile. “It was nearly too late, but I managed to do it. I sought therapy, followed a multitude of recommended recovery procedures, and now I can genuinely say I’m in a much better place.”
Silence returned to envelop them.
Tesiera had always been someone who rarely pondered the future; her singular focus had been seeking vengeance for her father’s death. She had never contemplated a life beyond that. Ever.
However, recently, she found herself thinking about the future. For the first time, there was something else that piqued her interest. Or, more precisely, someone.
“Therapy… Does it truly work?” Tesiera whispered, as she lifted her gaze from her hands to Vera.
Vera smiled warmly, “Oh, it does work. At first, it may feel like a futile exercise, as if you’re pouring out your darkest secrets to a stranger who’s spouting theories from a textbook to help you conquer demons they’ve never truly experienced. You might even feel a lot of frustration. But the truth is, when you open yourself to it, when you genuinely commit to getting better, you’ll be amazed at the miraculous journey of healing that begins.”
Tesiera listened intently. For some reason, she felt an unexpected connection with this woman who had suffered so much. Vera’s words carried weight, and Tesiera could sense the wisdom in them.
But, why were they having this conversation? Tesiera couldn’t fathom why Kracus’s mother was here in her bedroom, sharing these deeply personal and painful stories that must have been incredibly challenging for the woman to share.
As if sensing Tesiera’s curiosity, Vera leaned in slightly. “Do you know why I’m here I’m telling you all these?”
Tesiera shook her head, “No, ma’am.”
“Today, I caught a glimpse of a side of my son I thought was lost forever. He was happy, carefree, and so utterly relaxed,” Vera shared, her gaze fixed on Tesiera, a mixture of emotions in her eyes. “There have been fleeting moments when he showed hints of it before, but deep down, I always sensed this guardedness that never truly faded since the day he returned battered from being kidnapped by his own half-brother. It was a defense mechanism he had built after that traumatic experience, something most people wouldn’t notice. But tonight, I watched him look at a woman with an unrestrained passion and happiness I hadn’t seen in years.”
“None of his past relationships managed to break through that guard. Don’t get me wrong, he appeared content, but there was always something missing,” Vera added with a scoff, shaking her head.
Tesiera struggled to understand didn’t understand what what Vera was saying. She gazed intently into Vera’s eyes, as she waited for the punchline that might explain if Vera was joking or not.
However, as seconds ticked by, it became apparent that there was no punchline. Vera was being serious.
“I don’t understand,” Tesiera spoke in a low tone. As someone who often didn’t understand social interactions and humor, Tesiera often relied on cues to decipher what people say sometimes, especially when they weren’t speaking her language; Blood, Torture and Killing. This moment seemed like it could be one of those instances.
Vera’s penetrating gaze bore into her. “What I’m saying, Miss Rinderson, is that it’s evident my son has strong feelings for you, feelings that surpass the roles of boss and bodyguard. It appears you may reciprocate those emotions, even if you conceal them well. So, I must ask, what are your intentions regarding my son? How do you feel about him and what are your plans regarding those feelings?”
Tesiera felt an irresistible urge to be completely honest with this woman who had bared her soul, sharing things that Tesiera knew were not easy to discuss. She wanted to do the same.
“I’m a killer, ma’am. I have zero social skills. I’ve never been in any sort of relationship with any man. I’m not domestic, apart from these,” Tesiera raised her knives and daggers for Vera to see. “I’m literally lost in this world. I don’t know how the world works beyond spilling blood, fights, and death. Those are the only languages I understand. I possess no skills, no hobbies, nothing.”
Vera continued to watch her, her expression inscrutable, remaining silent.
“Your son, he…” she lifted her hand and then letting it drop helplessly, “he’s perfect. He’s good, kind, incredibly intelligent. I take lives, and he saves them. I don’t deserve a man like him. I don’t know how to be with a man like him. I fear I’d end up hurting him because there’s a darkness in here,” she pointed at her chest, “a deep darkness that continues to fester. I’d never want to cause harm to Kracus. He deserves to be with a woman who is as good as he is, someone who genuinely deserves him.”
“Perhaps you didn’t see what you thought you saw,” Tesiera continued, her voice tinged with doubt and sadness. “If there’s any guardedness in Kracus, there’s no way it’s me undoing it. I don’t possess the ability to bring that out in people. When they see me, they see their own death staring them in the face. People don’t willingly spend time with me, ma’am, and for very valid reasons.”
Tesiera shook her head, averting her eyes. “The doctor was deeply concerned for you when we came here. Maybe it was the sight of you genuinely making progress in your healing and regaining strength that brought happiness to him. It couldn’t have been me. I’m just… Tesiera Rinderson, the Torture Machine.”
Tesiera expected Vera to agree with her. Instead,, the older woman smiled and rose to her feet.
“Oh, dear, it seems you don’t truly see yourself, do you?” Vera mused. “I’ve only met you today, and yet I’ve observed far more than you, who have lived with yourself, have ever perceived. Not to mention those around you. My son is neither blind nor foolish, Miss Rinderson. You said you don’t know how the world works beyond what you know. Then, perhaps it’s time to look beyond torture and acknowledge the world around you. Maybe then you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how the world truly works.”
Vera bent down, her touch motherly, and gave Tesiera’s shoulder a reassuring pat. “You’re right, my son is incredibly intelligent. For him to genuinely see you, perhaps there’s more to you than you realize. I’ll leave you to get some rest now, Miss Rinderson. It’s quite late.”
As Vera made her way to the door, leaving Tesiera alone with her thoughts, the assassin had one more question.
“Ma’am Vera?” Tesiera called out as the door was being opened.
Vera turned back to face her.
Tesiera met her eyes. “If I ever have the chance to capture Kracullian, is there any message you’d like me to inscribe on his body as I peel off his skin using hot oil?”
Vera looked down, giving it a thought for a few seconds.
“Winner,” Vera answered at last, meeting Tesiera’s eyes. “When he etched ‘Loser’ on my back, he told me I’d never recover from it, that he didn’t need to kill me when he could break me. But I did heal. I emerged stronger, and I’m living my best life now. So, ‘Winner’ it is,” Vera said with a wide smile. “Inscribe ‘Winner’ for me, Torturer.”
With that, Vera walked out, closing the door behind her, leaving Tesiera alone with her newfound insights, her thoughts about herself, her future and the world.
REVENGE WITH LOVE : CHAPTER 111 – 120
Click 3 below to continue reading
