100 Days to Seduce the Devil

Day Seventy-Three…

~~*****~~

The restroom was engulfed with heavy tension. Monica stood, her hand pressed against the stinging imprint on her cheek. The resounding slap from Jane's hand lingered not just as a physical sting but a blow to her wounded pride. The most hated person in her life could easily slap her like this, the sound of the impact still reverberating in her ears.

"You again! I'll sue you for assaulting me over and over again!" Monica screamed at Jane. As tears welled in her eyes, the cold tiles seemed to amplify the ache in her chest. She wanted to fight back but she was helpless in front of Jane. 

'If I only have the poison needle, I can kill her right here right then!' Monica thought to herself, her angry eyes directed at Jane.

"Sue me all you want. I'll show the world how fake you are," Jane spat back, sneering at her. She wanted to grab this opportunity to vent her anger toward this woman for trying to plot against her sister, Abigail.

"Stop provoking us, Monica. The only reason I am keeping you alive is because you don't deserve an easy death. I'll make you suffer to the extent that you will wish to just die." Jane's voice was laced with a sinister determination, her fingers gripping Monica's jaw.

There was an unsettling calmness in Jane's demeanor, hiding the intense fury and calculated malice brewing beneath the surface. The pressure of Jane's fingers against Monica's jaw served as her threat. 

"Stay away from Nathan and Ethan," Jane added, pinning her on the wall further.

Monica let out a sarcastic laugh. "Why should I do that? Ethan is my son. You can't change that fact! I have all the right to approach him." She couldn't help but mock Jane.

Jane narrowed her eyes when she heard that. She grabbed her again by her shirt and pushed her hard. "You never become a mother to Ethan… even once. You are a selfish bitch! Lack of maternal instinct."

Another chuckle escaped from Monica's lips. "I. Am. Ethan. Biological. Mother." She emphasized. "He was in my care for three years before I introduced him to Nathan. No matter what you say, Ethan is my flesh and my blood."

Jane clenched her teeth. She hated the fact that this woman was Ethan's mother. If she could only wish for one thing, she would rather become Ethan's mother.

"You abandoned him for your own selfish ambitions. Now that he's found happiness elsewhere, you're intent on shattering their peaceful lives. I won't stand by and let you destroy their happiness," Jane's nails dug into Monica's shoulders as her emotions escalated. Her words dripped with a blend of accusation and frustration.

"You don't deserve Nathan's and Ethan's love. Your very existence is full of lies." Jane's voice crackled with fury. Unable to contain her rage, she seized Monica's hair, yanking it downward with a forceful tug. "Without my efforts, you'd have never breached Nathan's heart. You've stolen my identity, Monica."

Monica froze in shock when she heard that. It was confirmed. Jane and Nathan already discovered the truth. Nathan was now aware that the real Shining Star was Phantomflake.

With a sudden, swift motion, Jane lashed out with a forceful kick directed at Monica's stomach before releasing her grasp on Monica's hair. "Consider this a warning. Stay away from Ethan and Nathan. If our paths cross again, this won't be the extent of what I'm capable of doing." Jane's voice held a fierce edge, laden with a solemn threat. 

"I swear, your man won't be there to shield you." Casting a sharp meaningful glance at Monica, Jane turned around to leave. 

Her mind churned with the need to understand what Monica had said to incite Nathan. The gravity of the situation weighed heavy on her as she departed. She witnessed Nathan's rage and conflicting emotions a while ago. 

Despite the pain coursing through her body, Monica's gaze fixated on Jane's retreating form. A malevolent smile curled upon her lips, a dark glint in her eyes betraying her intentions. "I love to watch both of you suffer… not only physically but also emotionally. Just wait Phantomflake, your happy days are numbered." The venom in her voice hinted at a deeper, more intricate scheme, a plot to ruin their peaceful lives. 

"I'm not afraid of you, Phantomflake. I've played you before. I defeated you once. I will be able to destroy you again. This time you won't be able to stand up and fight back." Her smile held a sinister promise

Meanwhile, Jane couldn't wait to see Nathan. With large strides, she went to him. She could still feel the whirlwind of emotions clouding his mind. He seemed distracted and his mind was wandering off somewhere.

"Nate," Jane softly called his name, anchoring her arms around his elbow. "Let's go?"

Nathan just nodded his head. But before they stepped out of the restaurant, Nathan scanned her from top to bottom first. "Are you okay? Did she hurt you?"

Jane's lips tugged upward in a mischievous smile. "Nope." She moved closer to him, tiptoeing. "I'm the one who beat her up," she whispered. Then she winked at Nathan, gently pulling him as they headed to the entrance door.

Upon arriving at the parking lot, Nathan remained silent. But he didn't miss to act as a gentleman for his girlfriend. He opened the car door for Jane before he stepped inside the car.

"Where do you want me to drop you off?" Nathan's voice held a tinge of detachment, his emotions shrouded by the weight of the recent confrontation with Monica. Nathan was clearly not in a mood. 

Feeling the need to accompany Nathan, Jane replied, "I'm tagging along with you. Let's head back to the Sparks Mansion."

"Okay." Nathan started the car, his gaze fixed determinedly on the road ahead. The revelation he'd just been confronted with weighed heavily on his mind, but he found solace in the uninterrupted hum of the engine and the passing scenery. 

He remained tight-lipped, unable to articulate the storm of thoughts swirling within, struggling with the overwhelming task of processing and accepting the shocking truth that had shaken his world.

Jane kept stealing glances at him. She could sense that Nathan was not yet ready to open up so she patiently waited, not pressuring him.

It did not take long before they reached the Sparks Mansion. The two alighted the car and they were immediately welcomed by a cute charming boy.

"Dad! Mom!" With his sparkling eyes, Ethan ran in their direction. The young boy hugged Jane first.

Complicated emotions flashed through Nathan's eyes upon seeing his son, Ethan. Nathan's heart constricted and his jaw clenched involuntarily, his gaze drifting away, unable to hold Ethan's gaze for long. Monica's haunting words resurfaced in his mind like an unwelcome, vivid flashback.

[ Don't worry. I won't tell him that he is not Ethan's biological father. This is part of our plan. Our son must inherit the Sparks' company and all his wealth. ] 

The weight of those calculated, deceitful words haunted Nathan, a surge of conflicting emotions boiling within. When Ethan moved toward him for a greeting and embrace, Nathan's reaction was abrupt and impulsive. He sidestepped, evading the moment, keeping a noticeable distance from his own son.

"I'm tired," Nathan mumbled his words a feeble attempt to justify his sudden withdrawal, walking away without looking at his son, Ethan.

Both Jane and Ethan were stunned because of Nathan's odd reaction. Why did he suddenly avoid Ethan? Why had he abruptly distanced himself from Ethan, shunning the usual warmth and connection they shared?