"...Jealousy is the ugliest trait..."

aux's POV

Keira is a threat to me.

In the four years Nick and I have been together, he has never paid attention to another woman. There have been incidents of flirting but never anything like this. He's bringing her to family gatherings! He doesn't bring me to any family gatherings. He is adamant about a divorce. I have also found out that he will sue for full custody of our daughter. Keira is replacing me and that makes her a threat. She has to go.

I hate her! I hate her stupid blue doe eyes! I have the strongest urge to gorge them out! I want to scar her skin and leave her flawed and hideous so that Nickolas won't even look at her anymore!

I will not feel small or insignificant next to her.

As much as my marriage with Nick was on the rocks, I am determined to make sure it's end won't come as a result of that damn little girl he is cozying up with. It will end on my terms! I warned her and now she's fair game. It's not my fault she was stupid enough not to listen!

There is no love between Nickolas and I. There has never been any love to start with. I came into his life when he was heart broken and it was easy to manipulate my way to fit exactly where I was supposed to. It was hot and it was fun until I got pregnant. I didn't want the baby. I realized he did and it was even easier to leverage a marriage out of him. He married me to save face. He didn't want his baby to be born outside marriage.

It got complicated on my end because I was involved with another man at the time. That is the man I was supposed to marry. Nick happened to come into the picture because I messed up with the Mafia. The man I'm supposed to marry is a French billionaire who doesn't give a crap about the marriage. I don't either. Ours will just be on paper because there are terms to his inheritance. He must marry and father a child before he gets his inheritance.

Nick doesn't know about him. I feel that if Nick paid more attention to me, he would know about Theo Sinclair.

After I got word that Nick was in Santorini with her, I didn't hesitate to follow them. I am grateful for the gossiping session between Nick's housekeeper and chauffeur. They are not my biggest fans and they are obviously excited that Nick is divorcing me and getting together with Keira. But as they gushed about my divorce they let it slip that he is romancing her in Santorini. He brought her to Athena's wedding! Naturally, I have followed them.

Nick has a Villa in Santorini. It's just at the edge of a cliff, facing the sea. This is the first place I have come to. He is having an affair and he won't take her to a hotel. This villa has to be part of my alimony. I want it. But a pest has to be exterminated before it can feel like it is mine once more.

I hid myself in the garden when I got here. It's a cold morning. It's even raining and I'm stuck out here watching the house like a deranged woman! This situation is making me crazier than I usually am. As soon as Nick left, I decided to make my move.

How will I get rid of her? Stab her? Choke her? Drown her? Hit her in the head? Slit her throat? How? I just want her dead. I made my way around the house, trying to find her by looking through every other window. I hope she's alone.

I felt relieved when I realized I won't have to wait long. She is outside the house. She looks like she's about to sing and all the birds and butterflies will stalk after her and sing along! The way she is walking in the rain smiling like the universe belongs to her is irritating me.

I clenched my fists emerging from the bushes and trailing her towards the wooden deck that is at the edge of the cliff. I think I know how to end her. She won't survive the fall or even the rough cliff that slopes into the sea.

Quietly creeping up on her, I waited for her to get closer to the edge. I tiptoed, careful not to startle her. Once she was very close to the edge, leaning on the wooden barricade, I pushed her and I watched as she fell over the deck screaming. The screaming ceased when she hit her head on the rough cliff. I watched as her lifeless body fell in the rough waters and she didn't come up for air in about five minutes.

Delight over her possible death overpowered me. I smiled at the absence of any chance of survival. Damn woman! I did warn her! It's not my fault if she didn't listen!

"Good riddens for bad rubbish." I spoke before walking away with a wicked smile on my face.

My competitor is out of the race. I invited myself into the lavish villa and walked around making myself at home. I went through the closet full her clothes. They are brand new clothes still tagged and high end if i must add. He is really going out of his way to please her.

Grabbing a pair of scissors left in the bathroom, I returned and ripped every dress apart. I am in a jealous rage! I will destroy everything until there's nothing left!

I invaded a jewelry box and poured out all the gold ornaments until it was empty.

As much as she is now dead, I still hate her. Maybe I need to recover her body and burn her until she is ashes before I can get over my jealous fit!

I don't love Nick but he is not allowed to be happy. If it isn't me, then he usn't allowed to have anyone else.

"What are you doing son?" He asked me.

I knew that is the first thing he will ask when I arrive. I haven't even sat down and he has started.

"What do you mean?" Better not to admit anything just yet. He used to use this technique to catch me in a lie. He would have me confessing before he even asked.

"You're married. She's married. What are you doing?"

"I'm dating her."

"You're married." He emphasized.

"I'm divorcing Margaux. I'm going to marry Keira. You can't talk me out of this. Can I go now?"

"You just got here."

"Now I'm leaving." I rose to my feet.

He stood up as well. "Sit down." I sat down. "Your grandmother is concerned about the divorce. She wants to know if you've taken any measures to protect your wealth. Our wealth."

"I already spoke to Helena about this. I know I screwed up by marrying Margaux without a prenup. I'll di everything to protect Bale Industries from the Deverauxs."

"For your sake, I hope so. You know how much she loves the company and the sweat and blood she has put into it. The Deverauxs are vultures. They can't have the company. You must do what it takes to protect our interests. This is your mess..."

"...and I must clean it up." I finished the sentence.

"This girl, put a pause on it until you are divorced. It only complicates this situation more."

"I can't do that. We are keeping a low profile but I can't pause anything."

He sighed deeply. My father wasn't my favorite person when I was growing up. Other than being absent, he was an aggressive father. Time has helped him cool down. Now I prefer him to my mother who only seems to getting more aggressive with age.

"I'll see you in Tuscany?" He asked. "You dropped your daughter off and vanished without talking to anyone. It's your home and you shouldn't have to run away like that."

"I was avoiding her."

"She wasn't home. Only I was home and I saw you fleeing from the window." He chuckled.

I laughed at myself too. "I'll come to Tuscany soon. A day or two tops."

He stopped smiling. "Fix things with your mother. Please. I'm tired of being stuck in the middle."

"Sure." I agreed.

*

"She calls you fangs." I told Bruce as we walked up the driveway towards the villa.

"No!" He chuckled.

"That's how she was describing you. Where did you two meet again?"

"I met her at the hospital."

"Hospital?"

"Yeah."

I stopped when we approached the house and I saw the door open. What is with Keira and not locking doors?

I entered the house and lay the bouquet of white roses on the table. I paused in the foyer. Something feels wrong about this place.

"Is everything all right?" Bruce asked me.

"Are those for me?" Margaux asked me. She is walking down the stairs. "They didn't come in black?"

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

The better question is, where is Keira? Worry gripped my heart rather tightly and I struggled to find my voice but my throat was severely dry.

"Cat caught your tongue dear husband?" She got closer to me. "Brucey."

"Margaux." My best friend acknowledged her with q clenched jaw.

"What the hell are you doing here Margaux?"

"Don't look so annoyed to see me Nickolas! It is our vacation home! I can come here anytime I want!

"Keira!" I called. I pushed her aside and ran up the stairs. "Keira! Keira!" I called again. I entered her room only to be met be a familiar mess. It looks my room when Margaux trashed it. It is a mess with ripped clothes and her jewelry all over the floor.

I hurried downstairs like the hounds of hell are after me.

Margaux is s still in the exact same spot I left her, filing her nails. Bruce is at the foyer standing guard.

"Where is she? What did you do to her?" I demanded furiously. "Where is she?"

She ignored me rolling her eyes at me; a habit Madeline has learned from her.

"Whatever do you mean husband? I just got here!"

"Where is she?"

"Who? The whore you're sleeping around with? I don't know!" She laughed. "Maybe her husband found out and came for her. You know a man's jealousy is violent. Call her husband and ask if he took your lover!"

I grabbed handfuls of her shirt, pulling her up from the chair. "She was here when I left. Where is she? What did you do to her?"

"Nick you're scaring me! Please don't hurt me! I swear I don't know! I just got here!" She feigns fear perfectly.

"Buddy, let her go." I felt Bruce's hand on my shoulder.

When I let her go she grabbed a bag and moved away hastily. I don't want her to leave but it's best if she does. The echoes of her wicked laughter sounded after her exit.

"Easy." Bruce urged me.

"Where could she be?"

"Let's look around the estate." He suggested.

We split up and he went through the garden and I went through the back. I made quick movements, nearly turning the stones. I circled my way to him. He is standing at the edge, where the wooden barrier separates the estate from the steep cliff.

"What are you looking at?" Fear gripped me.

"Was she wearing anything pink?" He pointed to a piece of fabric floating in the wind. My heart nearly stopped. My eyes immediately searched the raging waters. "Nick?"

"It can't be. No it can't be." I took off my coat.

"Nick what are you doing?"

"I'm going down there. I'm going after her."

"No you're not!" He grabbed me.

"She's down there!" I shouted.

"And if she is, she's probably dead!" He told me. "You're going to drown if you don't hit your head first!"

"Bruce, she's down there and if it's a body I'll find then I will retrieve it. Now get out of my way!"

"You're not a professional diver!"

"Then you go!" I told him.

"We will both go." We got undressed to our pants only, leaving our valuables on the deck. "Jump far enough to clear the cliff."

"Okay." I agree as much as the torrent sea is making me timid. My father was in the navy. I wish he was here right now.

I took a deep breath and dived down into the freezing icy water. I sank on impact with the powerful force of the sea trying to drown me lower into the darkness but I felt Bruce's arms around my waist. He swan upwards, pulling me up to the surface.

"Are you good?" He shouted so that I hear him amidst the rough waves.

"Yeah!"

"The water is rough. I can't see her. Stay here. I'll go under for a bit."

He went under. I kept looking around. The waves are hitting and pushing me farther towards the sea. It's like the sea wants to drown me! The villa looks like a dot from where I am. Did she really fall? If so, where is she? Is she too far out at sea?

"Keira!" I shouted at the top of my voice, seeing nothing but the rough blue and dark skies above my head. It's going to rain again.

Bruce came up a distance away and he started swimming towards me.

"We have to get out of this water. She's not here."

"She has to be here!"

"Nickolas, she either drowned or has been carried farther into sea! If we stay here we will freeze and drown.

"Keira!" I kept calling her, even though I know it's in vain. "Keira!"

Bruce is right. The water is freezing cold. The waves are rough. Bruce's eyes say it all.

What if she drowned?

What if she is dead?