The Dark Side Of Fate
44 A Family Matter

~Tamia~ Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the ꜰindNʘvel.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

I was afraid of the outcome of the confrontation

How can everything switch suddenly?

The woman claimed I threatened her; I did not remember doing that. I just warned her that Dominic shouldn't be in my bad books.

From the look in Sylvester's eyes, I knew I had overstepped, and I was worried because Stephanie was his mother, and she was trying to make it seem as if I had instigated the arrest.

" Where is the proof?" Stephanie asked Sylvester sounding hysterical.

" So you arrest your brother based on what her ex-husband told you?" she said, pointing at me, and it hurt. Why did they always have to link anything that happened in the east to me?

" Not based on what Leo told me, mother; head Enforcer Bryce said Dominic sent him to the east to try and collect developmental tax. The same taxes that caused the Brighton attack.

Bryce claimed the order was given to him with my seal and signature, and he said it was Dominic. He even called him Lord Dominic, a title meant for me alone,” Sylvester said, and his mother searched his eyes for deception but couldn't find any and then looked at me.

There was mistrust in her eyes, and slowly I began to suspect our friendship was over.

"If I find out that you set him up to help Sylvester as you threatened, then you will have me to contend with. You might have Sylvester in knots, but he is still my son. Two months is enough to prove you are unworthy,” she said, and I fought back my tears.

I was mad that she could turn on me so quickly.

"Why are you trying to blame Tamia for this? How does she have a hand in this? What would she gain from this?" Sylvester asked her, and she shook her head

"You promised to play dirty if he poses a threat to Sylvester. You promised to do anything to help Sylvester. You might not have used those words, Tamia, but you implied it," She said, and I was stunned by how her mind could twist my words.

Sylvester looked at me with disbelief but tried to hide it. I did not know what damage this woman's rage and fear would cost me, but I needed to speak.

"I did not set him up, Stephanie. I do not know Bryce," I said, defending myself.

"Yet it is your ex-husband, who did not want to give you up, who has teamed up with bane, that pointed Bryce out as the culprit.” She said, and I knew what she was trying to imply.

"I suggest you speak plainly, Stephanie. You are trying to say Leo and I set Dominic up using Bryce so we can get whatever you feel we are after,” I said, and she was silent.

Sylvester gently touched my hand, a plea to ask me to calm down.

"As much as all this hurts me, I will let it pass because you are hurting, and people say a lot of things they regret when they are hurting, but I will not accept your accusations,” I said, and she growled at me and looked at Sylvester.

"Even if he was accused of such, you should have investigated instead of humiliating him like this. You have wounded his pride with your actions. Taking the lordship from him was a hard blow; you shouldn't have done this, Sylvester. This is low," she said in tears, and I felt Sylvester's rage emerging.

"And let him force me into a war because his feelings are hurt?" he yelled at her.

"Do you know the implications of his action? I would have chosen to push back if Leonardo had not reached out but revolted instead. There will be a war. People will die because of his hurt. Is your son's feelings more important than people's lives? Is it more important than the peace we are enjoying right now? Answer me, mother. You say Tamia threatened you; why wouldn't she? She saw him for what he was. A threat to me, a threat to the north and our world, so she did the only thing she knew she could by asking you to force him to remain so he won't complicate things for me at the hearing as he and Larry had planned. Did she force him to get involved with Larry and actively work against me?" He said, his hands shaking.

"I would have lost the seat today. If they could prove that I committed those crimes, the Volkov family would no longer be in charge. Are his feelings worth all that?" He asked her, and she began to weep and went to her knees.

"You know he didn't do this. He is not smart enough to pull something like this. He will not do this, Sylvester; please, Let him go," she pleaded on her knees, weeping.

"If the investigation proves he is innocent, then I will let him go, but his name has been mentioned as the main culprit, so he will remain in custody until proven otherwise," Sylvester said, and she began to cry. She looked at me with anger.

"They had different views and did not see eye to eye on many things, but they were getting along before you, Tamia. I know you did this. I know you think you are doing this for love. I know you think you are protecting Sylvester by removing Dominic from the picture, but you will live to regret this." She said in tears, and I could not believe why this woman wanted to drag me into this.

"All I can see is that you need to blame someone other than yourself for not raising your first son properly. So you picked the easy target, which is me. I did nothing to Dominic; I won't feel sorry, I won't regret it, and I won't hurt over it," I said, a bit annoyed.

"I hope you will be a mother one day.." she said, and Sylvester shut her down.

"Enough, mother, leave my room now!" he said, and she was in shock and disbelief, but soon she realised he was serious and stood up. She looked at me scornfully and then looked at Sylvester. "She is desperate, Sylvester, making her a dangerous woman. You need to be there when she was talking about Dominic," She said, referring to me.

"I hope you know what you are doing, son. Dominic is the only family you have. He is your only sibling. Just like she left her husband, she can leave you, move on and won't have anything to do with you, but Dominic and I will always be your family. I know you haven't felt this way about anyone since Susan left, but do not let your feelings blind and control you, Sylvester..." she said, and he shut her up.

"Get out," he yelled at her, enraged.

"Sometimes I question if you are my mother,” he confessed.

"You let him disrespect me and work against me, and then you expect me to be understanding and forgiving towards him, but you are quick to point fingers whenever he is hurting. I do not care if he is your favourite, but if I find out he is guilty, I will have him tried and executed for treason,” Sylvester said finally, and Stephanie and I both gasped.

She hurried out of the room while I remained. She had messed up Sylvester's mood and left me to deal with it. I did not know how he would react, but I braced myself for it.

"Did you order her to keep him at home for my sake ?" he asked me with a low voice, and I knew there was no use lying.

"I meant well, Sylvester,” I tried to explain, but before I could say anything, he crashed his lips on mine and pulled me close to his body.

His kiss was fierce and demanding, and I let him take me.

I knew he needed the tranquillity that love brings, and I was willing to give it. I needed it, too. Stephanie had come to stir up shit, and I hoped she calmed down soon and came to her sense. Sylvester tore my clothes and my underwear. I did the same to him. He hoisted me up with my back against the wall and rammed himself into me. He was growling and pumping viciously. The pleasure he gave coursed through my veins, taking away the anger, fear, anxiety and pain Stephanie had brought and replacing it with pure love and a need for the release he offered. I held on tightly, digging my claws into his kin, and Kaira growled and moaned simultaneously.

I wished he would sink his teeth into my flesh at that moment and claim me.

I wanted to be his forever and prove Stephanie was wrong.

He did not just have them, he had me, too, and the children we would have in future... He had my love, heart and my life, and I know it was enough, just as he was enough for me.

I came viciously, and he pumped through it, forcing my orgasm to linger. And soon, he came and gently let me down. With my back against the wall, he placed his forehead against mine.

"Thank you for forcing her hand, Tamia. Everything she said shows how far you are willing to go for my sake, something even she has been incapable of doing. I am not mad at you, my love; I am surprised and grateful," he said, and tears began to roll down my cheek, and I held on to him. I was relieved.

"Sylvester, I was scared you were mad at me," I confessed, and he wrapped his arms around me and let me cry my tears of relief.

He led me to the bed and made me lie down.

"Before we got home, I knew something was troubling you. Do you mind sharing?" he asked, sitting on the bed by my side. I realised he would be stepping out soon.

I nodded and sat up.

"Something didn't sit well with me about how easy it was to catch Dominic. He might be stupid, but I doubt he is that stupid,” I said, and he frowned at me.

"What are you implying?" He asked, and I sighed.

"We still need to trace the paper trail for the first order. The one that was done without mistake, the one that you couldn't find out about until the deed was done.” I said, and he stroked my hair. "Larry must have done it and framed Dominic for it," he said, and I shook my head.

"It came together too quickly, almost as if someone or some people are trying to throw us off their scent, Sylvester. Let us keep this within our circle, but we need to trace those documents and investigate what happened with Brighton thoroughly because I believe what happened with Leo went the way the culprit hoped. Leo is passive, so they know he will not attack. They also know you let me communicate with him once, so he might feel comfortable reaching out,” I said and sighed. "All 1 am trying to say is that they wanted you to find out. Whoever did this made it sloppy enough for you to find out. They wanted you to know, and Dominic to take the fall. I do not like your brother, Sylvester, but that isn't his handwork," I said, and he bowed his head.

I knew my words had confused him, but I have been an investigator since I was Luna of the east. Although nothing of this magnitude had ever happened, problems like this were always easy to solve. As much as I was mad at Stephanie for trying to make me look like the bad guy, she was his mother, and she, too, knew he wasn't capable of this.

I have to hope for her sake that he is truly innocent because if it turns out that he did it, then it would be a blight on the family's name.

Soon, Sylvester left the room to join Marcel and Theodore to discuss the next course of action. After he left, Avery linked me that she and Linda were coming to my room. I knew they wanted to get involved with the matter. Somehow our lives were tied to this shit, and we all knew it.

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