Chapter 5 5

Tessa's POV

I stood by the window of the small cottage, my fingers lightly brushing the cool glass. The warmth of the late afternoon sun did little to soothe the turmoil churning inside me. I had spent the entire day reflecting on the offer- the man's proposition- trying to make sense of it all. But the more I thought about it, the more complicated it became. Every angle seemed to lead me back to the same question: Was I willing to sell my soul for vengeance?

My gaze drifted outside, to the sprawling woods beyond the cottage, the trees thick with shadows. I had taken refuge here, away from the world I once knew, away from the memories that haunted me. The serenity of this place was the calm before the storm. And I was bracing myself for the inevitable.

I hadn't told anyone about the encounter with the man, not yet. How could I? There was no one left I could trust. Ian was the reason I was here, in this new life, and yet the mere thought of him made my stomach turn. The betrayal still burned in my chest, a constant ache that never seemed to fade. But that wasn't enough. It wasn't enough to make me leap into a pact with someone I barely knew.

The man- he had a name, I was sure of it. But I hadn't asked. It didn't matter. His presence was all-consuming. The way he looked at me, the way he spoke, it was as if he already knew my every thought. And I couldn't decide whether that terrified me or intrigued me.

I turned away from the window, my thoughts pulling me deeper into a spiral. The choice loomed over me like a shadow, an ominous presence that I couldn't shake off. It wasn't just a decision about vengeance anymore. It was about power, control, and the price I was willing to pay for it.

The knock on the door startled me. I hadn't expected anyone. The cottage was isolated, tucked away from the main path. I wasn't expecting a visitor. Not today.

I moved cautiously toward the door, my senses on high alert. There was something about the sound of the knock that felt off, like it wasn't meant for me. A chill ran down my spine as I reached for the door handle. I hesitated for a moment, my hand trembling slightly. But I had to know.

When I opened the door, I wasn't surprised to see him standing there. Ian.

The man who had broken my heart, who had shattered everything I believed in. His presence alone made my blood boil, but I couldn't ignore the way my body reacted to him. The pull, the undeniable connection, still lingered. But I couldn't allow myself to be weak, not anymore.

"I didn't expect you," I said coldly, stepping back to let him in. There was no use pretending I wasn't curious. His sudden appearance could only mean one thing- he had come to try and manipulate me once more.

"I didn't think I'd be welcomed with open arms," Ian replied, his tone flat. His eyes, once full of warmth, were now dull, guarded. He looked tired, worn out, as if the weight of his own decisions had finally caught up with him.

"I don't need your pity, Ian," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. I could feel the anger bubbling up inside me, the familiar ache of betrayal pulsing through my veins. "What do you want?"

"I've come to make things right," he said, stepping into the room. His gaze locked onto mine, and for a moment, I almost believed him. But the doubt was there, a shadow in my mind. I couldn't forget what he had done. I couldn't forget how he had torn me apart.

"I don't need your apologies," I said, my voice steady, though my heart thudded painfully in my chest. "Nothing can fix what you've done."

Ian took a deep breath, his hands twitching at his sides. He was struggling to find the right words, I could tell. But I wasn't interested in his struggle. I wasn't interested in anything he had to say.

"I know I've hurt you," Ian said quietly. "I know I betrayed you. But what I did- it wasn't because I wanted to. I was forced into a position I never should have been in. Rita... she's been manipulating me, using me. You're not the only one who's been lied to."

My eyes narrowed, disbelief flooding my chest. "You expect me to believe that? After everything?"

"I never wanted to hurt you, Tessa. But I did, and I can't take that back," Ian said, his voice softening. "I'm sorry. I know that doesn't change anything, but I want to make things right. I want to fix us."

I shook my head, the sting of his words making my chest ache. "We don't exist anymore, Ian. There is no us. Not after what you did."

The silence that followed felt suffocating, a weight pressing down on both of us. I could see the frustration in Ian's eyes, the guilt that gnawed at him. But there was nothing he could say to undo the damage. Nothing he could do to make me forget what had happened.

"Please, Tessa," Ian said, his voice cracking. "Give me a chance. I've lost you once, and I can't lose you again."

The vulnerability in his words shook me, but I couldn't allow myself to give in. I had given him everything once, and he had thrown it away without a second thought. I wasn't foolish enough to let that happen again.

"I'm done with you, Ian," I said firmly. "This is over."

The look in his eyes darkened, and for a moment, I saw something in him-something dangerous. He stepped forward, his presence overwhelming, his breath hot against my face. But I didn't flinch. I had learned the hard way to be strong, to never show weakness.

"You think you're done with me?" Ian said, his voice low, dangerous. "You can't just walk away, Tessa. Not from me. Not from everything we had."

"I don't care about what we had," I spat, my anger flaring. "I care about what you did. And I'll never forgive you."

For a moment, the room was thick with tension. I could feel the years of hurt and resentment building between us, the weight of the past threatening to crush me. But I wasn't going to let it. Not anymore.

"I'll make you regret this, Tessa," Ian said, his voice a low growl. "You'll see. You'll regret walking away."

With that, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the cottage, leaving me standing there, shaking with a mixture of rage and exhaustion. His words echoed in my mind, and I hated myself for even allowing them to have any weight. He was just a man, and I was done with him.

But as the door slammed behind him, I felt a cold wave of doubt wash over me. Was this really the end? Had I made the right choice? Was I ready to face the consequences of my actions, to let go of the past and move on?

A knock at the door, this time a softer sound, broke my thoughts. My heart skipped a beat, and I felt my stomach twist with both anticipation and dread. Was it Ian again? Or was it someone else?

I walked cautiously to the door, my heart hammering in my chest. When I opened it, I wasn't surprised to see the same man from the night before standing there, his expression unreadable.

"You've made your decision, haven't you?" he asked, his voice calm, yet tinged with something darker.

I didn't answer right away. My mind was still reeling from the confrontation with Ian. I had pushed him away, but the shadows of the past still loomed over me.

"I haven't decided anything," I said, my voice steady. "I'm not sure I want to make any more decisions right now."

The man smiled, but it was the kind of smile that made my skin crawl. "You've already made a choice, Tessa. You've chosen to walk away from your past. And now, you have to decide if you're ready to embrace your future."

His words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. And for the first time, I realized just how much power I had. The power to choose my own path. The power to shape my own destiny.

The man's gaze never wavered. "But remember, Tessa, the path you choose will come with consequences. And the price you pay may be more than you're willing to give."

I swallowed, this wasn't just about Ian anymore. It wasn't even just about vengeance. It was about me. About what I was willing to become. I stepped aside, letting him in, knowing that this was just the beginning.