The Demon And The Siren [Completed]

|Chapter Thirty : Mistake|

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Z A N D E R
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"You have my consent, Your Highness."

The moment those words leaves her mouth, all the confusion, frustration and conflicting emotions I've been feeling ever since I came to know Layla is Laira seems to dissipate right then and there.

All I could feel was the sense of rightness as Marilla's arms twine around my neck and her fingers loose themselves in my hair while mine pull her body closer.

I wait for that pricky feeling of guilt or immense dread of doing something utterly wrong wash over me just like how I'd felt when I was with Layla earlier.

I wait for the waves and waves of confusion I'd felt when Layla had stared into my eyes telling me she loves me and no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't say the words back.

I wait for my body to panic and detach myself from Marilla and rush away from her just like how I'd done when Layla had leaned in to kiss me.

Nothing happens.

If anything, as the moments pass with just holding Marilla, all I feel is content. Like I'm finally where I actually belong. Like this is finally something right I'm doing.

And it was more scary than being horrified at the realization earlier when Layla had tried to get closer to me that how suddenly. . .

How suddenly the love I had for Laira wasn't there anymore. As if it never existed. . . .

I wanted to blame it on my knowing Laira aka Layla's true evil side. I wanted to blame it on the injustice she did on Marilla by giving her a choice she had no other way than to oblige. I wanted to blame it on the other mission I'd planned right when Layla had asked me whether I'd come along with her to the Black Sea.

I wanted to blame it on everything that might make some sense but deep down, I knew something was wrong. Something was so very wrong.

I'd fallen for Laira at the very first sight of her. The feeling was so sudden and so strong I couldn't decipher anything except the sudden love I felt for her. And I'd believed it to be so true and deep.

I'd grieved over her supposed death long enough to never allow myself to fall for anyone else.

But then I met Marilla and Charlotte died and I wouldn't say I missed Laira any less but somehow, it'd been a dull ache than a fresh wound rubbed with salt.

Every argument with Marilla from that moment onwards made the ache duller and duller but not quite washing the pain away. The loss I felt at Laira's death was always there somewhere deep.

But then when Laira actually appeared in front of me that day at Marilla's parent's penthouse. . . .

I shut my eyes hating myself for the lack of anything I'd felt that day.

When Laira had called out my name, it was suddenly like....like I was seeing her for the first time. Like I....like I didn't even know her.

And it hurt more than anything.

I shouldn't have felt so empty then. I'd loved her all this while afterall!

But no, I'd come up with a plan to betray her right then without even consideration of what she had meant to me before. All I saw was a new person who was Marilla's sister and she was hiding something.

I just wanted to know what the truth of that day when Laira supposedly 'died' and my mother was captured was.

I knew if I wanted to find out the actual truth, I had to make Layla trust me enough and make the truth slip past her tongue unbeknownst to her. I knew she was lying and I didn't mind a flying fuck about betraying her.