Athena
The pain didn't subside as quickly as Sebastian had assured me.
It persisted, dragging on for hours. What made it worse was the unpredictable fluctuations in my body temperature, swinging from scorching heat to bone-chilling cold. Words failed to capture the sheer horribleness of it all; it was an indescribable torment. It felt as if my energy was being drained from the very core of my being, as if I had already lost copious amounts of blood.
My teeth chattered uncontrollably, and my body convulsed with continuous waves of shivers, each second worse than the last.
This felt even more unbearable.
Sebastian had dressed me in warm clothes and tucked me under the duvet, doing his utmost to keep me warm. I couldn't fathom how exhausting it must have been for him to constantly offer support when everything seemed so out of control. The weight of responsibility lay heavily on his shoulders, and despite my efforts to conceal my pain, I knew I had achieved the bare minimum, which felt like nothing at all.
"I feel... a bit better," I managed to utter.
"Athena, you don't need to lie to comfort me," he sighed, pulling me even closer into his embrace. "You don't need to hide your pain from me."
I rested my head on his chest, seeking solace as he leaned against the headboard, rubbing my back and hands to generate warmth. "I know... but I don't want to see you worried," I confessed, tears streaming down my cheeks, staining his pristine white shirt.
"Shh..." he whispered, planting a gentle kiss on top of my head. "It's okay. You can tell me if you're in pain. You can tell me where it hurts. I want to be the one you lean on when you're in pain. So don't hold back."
"I'm scared, Sebastian..." I finally let go of the sobs I had been holding back, "I'm afraid I can't bear it anymore. I'm trying, but everything feels so wrong. It's been hours... and the pain isn't fading away at all. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
Before he could respond, the next question escaped my lips involuntarily, fueled by desperation. "Can't we just take that medicine again? The pain wasn't this intense when I was on that medication. Maybe it was actually suppressing the growth enough to prevent this level of pain?"
His body tensed at my question, a visible unease washing over him.
If I had been in a clearer state of mind, I would have questioned why the mention of the drug made him so uncomfortable. But amidst this overwhelming agony, my focus was solely on finding relief from the pain.
The thought of my baby boy experiencing any harm tore at my heart, intensifying the pain I was already enduring.
"W-what?"
"I think the pain might subside if I take the medication again. Can't I just have one pill, please?"
"Athena, I'm so sorry, my love," he replied, his voice filled with regret. "But we can't be certain if all of this pain is solely due to the medication. I can't risk it... It could potentially cause even more harm to you."
"Why don't you reach out to Tristan? Please ask him if it's safe or not. Tell him about my condition. I'm sure he could at least suggest something to alleviate the pain," I pleaded, my voice barely steady as I struggled to catch my breath. "He's familiar with my case, he might be able to help.
I yearned to comprehend the turmoil reflected in Sebastian's eyes, but it remained an enigma. I couldn't decipher a single emotion on his face, even though his hesitancy was unmistakable.
Before I could attempt to speak again, a searing wave of pain surged through my lower abdomen, causing me to groan in agony. I clutched onto Sebastian's shirt, my hands gripping it with a vice-like intensity.
God, it felt as though death would be a preferable alternative.
Sebastian looked at me, his expression conveying what words couldn't— he wished he could bear this pain in my place. Slowly, hesitantly, I observed his hand reaching for his phone on the nightstand, his movements unsteady and deliberate, as if each passing second weighed heavily on his decision and its potential consequences.
Just as he was about to dial, his phone began to ring on its own. The caller remained unknown to me, but the realization dawned on Sebastian's face, suggesting he knew exactly who it was.
"Give me a second, love," he said to me, his left hand still tightly holding onto me, assuring me that he was there and would continue to be.
He answered the call, "Hello."
After a response from the other person, Sebastian spoke again.
"The test is complete? Alright, I'll send someone to collect the physical copy and check the email now," I watched as he conversed on the phone for a few more seconds. "Thank you."
He remained engrossed in his phone for a brief moment before finally meeting my eager gaze, waiting anxiously for him to speak. His arms around me tightened during this time, and although traces of hesitancy still lingered in his eyes, there was a subtle shift. It may have been small, but it was a change nonetheless.
"Let's call Tristan, okay?" he finally announced, accompanied by a gentle smile.
****
Tristan
"Yes, let's give her that medicine and... and also the third one in the new prescription I gave you the other day. It'll help with the pain," echoed my own voice from moments ago, resounding in my head. Regret and anger surged within me once again.
Shit! Shit! Shit!
What had I done? Why did I mention the third medication, and why had I included it in the prescription in the first place?
Fuck this!
I paced back and forth in the room, realizing that my previous personality was falling heavy on my plan. I was supposed to be heartless, detached, and make things difficult for Athena. Yet, here I was, showing sympathy and making it easier for her.
She needed to feel the pain so that Sebastian could feel it. Both of them needed to be dragged deeper into their graves and here I was, making stupid decisions and making it easy for them.
"Why have you made such a grave mistake, Tristan!" I grumbled under my breath.
This single error had the potential to unravel the entire plan. It could delay the impending attack, the one that was meant to be the final blow for her.
Why was I allowing sympathy to creep in for someone who was directly, or perhaps indirectly, responsible for my mate's death? What was I doing?
"I'm sorry, Celine. I'm so sorry," I face buried in my palms, letting out a weary sigh. "I just don't know how to continue being the villain in someone's story, even if they're our enemies. I'm not the strong mate you once knew, my love. I don't understand why, but I no longer feel that same strength within me. I don't have the will to keep going. I'm trapped and torn between what I'm supposed to do. But if you were here, you would want me to seek vengeance for you, wouldn't you? Your revenge was the reason you left me... it mattered to you more than anything, and now it matters to me just as much as it did to you. I'm trying, but I don't know how much longer I can continue being this new Tristan Perez."
Why was I feeling guilty? And what was this guilt for?
Was it for inflicting such excruciating pain on Athena, or was it for my inability to exact the vengeance I yearned to unleash upon them, deep within my heart?
"What is wrong with me?!" I shouted, my composure teetering on the edge.
Realising this would end up terrible, contrary to my motives, if I kept being like this, I did what I thought was the best— bringing the plan...days forward.
Swiftly, I removed the SIM card from my phone and replaced it with a new one. Without hesitation, I dialled Aaron's number.
Provocation only affected the desperate...and at that moment, he was the only one consumed by desperation. He was the pawn that would help me reach the final round of this game.