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“Ugh!” Arianna groaned, running her hand through her hair, and then stomped back to her bed where she pulled the covers over her body. However, still, she was plunged by her encounter with Marcel, the memory playing in a loop in her mind.

The way his lips had felt when they brushed against her. The electricity that zinged through her body? Had he felt it too? That connection? Mimi was right, she was indeed attracted to Marcel. She felt something for him, maybe, but then, he wasn’t her dream mate. Marcel was not the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

She was attracted to Elijah as well and unlike Marcel, he was willing to leave his bloody life behind. They would go away, far away from the violence and death, and establish a life there. There they would have children and train them to be responsible people in the society and not part of some underworld madness.

But then, Marcel couldn’t do the same. Even if she told him, begged him, Marcel would not give up this life – not even for her. Why? Because this was all he ever knew. All he ever has. What he was born for. Just like a sun could never leave the sky, Marcel was waist-deep in this lifestyle and can’t leave it.

So yeah, she wasn’t thinking about herself only, but her future. Her children deserved a better life than this. She already heard what happened between Marcel and his father Daniel, and although he is not his father, Marcel’s still the man’s son and she couldn’t risk it.

In one word, she can’t act upon her raging feeling, no matter how tight it kept pulling her like a magnet. She can’t do it; Marcel was not for her.

A knock on the door roused Arianna from her thoughts and she stood to open her door, surprise on her face when she saw it was Winters, the last person she expected.

“Hi, can I come in?” Winters said when she realized Arianna was not making any move to let her in.

.....

This was her chance for revenge, Arianna thought. She could just slam the door in the girl’s face and go back to bed, but that would be childish. So she stepped back to let her in.

“Thank you,” Winters told her as she came in, staring around her room while Arianna scrutinized her from behind, wondering what she was up to.

“What do you want?” Arianna asked, arms wrapped around her chest, heading to her bed and sitting down on the edge while shooting the girl a questioning look.

“I um...” Winters began, fiddling with her hands before letting them fall on her sides, “I want to apologize for my attitude earlier. I had no right making fun of you, actually, I was jealous,” She confessed.

“And you are quite candid,” Arianna realized. Aside from Mimi and only because they were friends, she had not seen any other woman express herself directly.

“When Marcel mentioned that you would be helping with the mission, I thought you were just -”

“Nobody?” she offered her a more plausible term.

“I was going to say one of his soldiers.” Winters looked at her, “I’m a nice person,” She hinted that Arianna should not think the worse of her.

“I’m sorry as well,” Arianna apologized, “I already formed an opinion of you before I could get to know you. I’m not as pompous as you think.” She admitted her own shortcomings.

Winters paused and took a good look at her, as if seeing her in a new light, “I like you,” She said, surprising Arianna who went red in the face instantly.

“You like me?”

“Yeah, no wonder, Marcel likes you as well. You are one of a kind.”

Arianna chuckled politely, “You talk as if you don’t like him?” she tactically pried for information on her intention towards Marcel.

Winter told her politely, “I enjoy myself a healthy competition,”

Arianna stood up immediately, “I am not your love rival. I don’t have anything to do with Marcel, you can rest assured nothing happened between us,” She tried to defend herself.

“Really?” Winters didn’t believe her.

“Yes, really,” Arianna said, not only to assure Winters, but herself as well – to her stupid heart that wouldn’t stop beating.

“Why do you keep lying to yourself?”

“What?”

“It’s clearly written in your eyes, yet you deny your feelings for him, why? For what reasons?” Winters questioned her.

“I don’t think I’m entitled to answer that question and you’re beginning to overstep your boundaries here, miss Winters. And do I need to remind you that I’m older?” she scolded her.

“Then act like one!”

“What?” Arianna was surprised at her outburst.

“You can’t keep on blowing hot and cold at the same time. You toss Marcel left and right, use and manipulate his feelings as you like, but that’s coming to an end now.” Winters told her firmly, all traces of a smile disappearing from her face and Arianna gulped nervously, the young lady was serious.

Winters lifted her head and went on,

“It’s time for you to make a decision, Arianna, do you or do you not want Marcel? Like I said earlier, I don’t mind having a rival, however, the moment I win Marcel’s heart, you are no longer a rival, but a hindrance to me – a hindrance to our happiness.

“I don’t fully know what business you have with Marcel, but once I’m his, I’ll have you move to a place where you wouldn’t be able to see and influence him and there, you can continue the terms of your deals. However, I won’t have you sway him anymore. I’m sure you’re not that selfish. ”

For over a minute, there was nothing but tense silence between the women and Arianna didn’t even realize she was not breathing until Winters found the door and left the same way she had come.