All Chapters of VENGEANCE AS CRUEL AS HIS LOVE: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

82 Chapters

Chapter Seventy One

Jennifer POVThe final day was here, when the devil who had been behind my predicament would finally be revealed.Croft would be the first to step out, after which I would call Lucy, and then we would drive to the hotel. He stood by the front door, keys spinning once around his finger before he caught them. His face was calm, almost casual, but his eyes held a warning meant only for me.“Remember,” he said quietly, stepping closer, “nothing slips. Lucy must believe everything is unfolding exactly how she wants.”I nodded, forcing my expression into something fragile. “I know.” His thumb brushed my knuckles, grounding me. “Trust me.”“I do,” I whispered.He pulled my face closer to his and kissed me. He opened the door, the sound sharp in the still house, and walked out. I watched from the hallway as his car rolled down the driveway, taillights disappearing beyond the gates.The moment his car was out of sight, I exhaled shakily, letting my shoulders slump as if the strength had draine

Chapter Seventy Two

Jennifer Pov The first thing that pierced the veil of my sleep wasn't light, but sound. A voice, soft and slightly off-key, wove a familiar melody through the pre-dawn stillness of my bedroom."Happy birthday to you... happy birthday to you..."My eyes fluttered open. The digital clock on my bedside table glowed 5:00 AM in soft red numerals. A slow, deep beam of pure, unadulterated joy spread across my face, warming me from the inside out. I turned my head on the pillow to see Becky sitting on the edge of my bed, a mug of steaming tea in one hand, her face alight with a love so fierce it made my throat tight."Happy birthday, dear Millie... happy birthday to you!"She finished the song with a flourish, leaning forward to press a warm, sisterly kiss on my forehead."Becky," I whispered, my voice thick with sleep and emotion. I pushed myself up, the sheets pooling around my waist. "You remembered the 5 AM rule.""Of course I remembered," she said, her eyes sparkling. "It’s tradition. M

Chapter Seventy Three

Jennifer's POV The scent of brewing coffee and sizzling bacon guided me down the stairs, a comforting, familiar trail that led straight to my childhood. I was still floating on the cloud of the morning’s messages, the simple joy of being remembered. I pushed the kitchen door open, a happy greeting for my mom on my lips.It died there.Because standing in the middle of the sun-drenched kitchen weren't just my parents. They were a choir. My father, in his crisp weekend polo shirt, and my mother, in her floral apron, stood side by side, their faces beaming. As I stepped fully into the room, they began to sing.“Happy birthday to you… happy birthday to you…”Their voices; my mother’s soft and melodic, my father’s a slightly off-key but heartfelt baritone wrapped around me. It was a sound from a lifetime of birthdays, a ritual that had survived my runaway wedding, my suspension, and my descent into a world of danger. They knew nothing of the Iron Maidens or Pascal’s exile, only that thei

Chapter Seventy Four

Jennifer POV My head was heavy with a pounding headache when I opened my eyes, the world spinning violently around me. Every blink of my eyes made the light outside the hospital smear into blinding streaks. My limbs felt heavy, yet my heart thudded as if it wanted to leap out of my chest.“Nurse… no! Don’t touch me!” I croaked, shaking off the hands that tried to steady me. My voice was hoarse and jagged, but laced with urgency. “I’m fine! Don’t… don’t hold me!”The nurses exchanged worried glances, their hands hesitating, but they didn’t relent. My body shook uncontrollably, not with weakness, but with anger, fear, and desperation.“Jennifer… slow down. You fainted just a moment ago.”I cut him off, my hands clutching his jacket. “Don’t you dare tell me to slow down, Alistair! If you don’t take me to Stanley right now… this will be the last time you see me alive!”Croft froze, a flicker of shock crossing his usually controlled features. My words hit him like a physical blow, and I c

Chapter Seventy Five

Jennifer POV The moment the officer pulled me away from Stanley, his laughter still ringing in my ears, I knew one thing with terrifying clarity: I wasn’t done.I didn’t wait for the echoes of Stanley’s laughter to fade before I turned to Croft. “I need to see Lucy,” I said, my voice steady despite the storm tearing through my chest.He stopped walking. Croft searched my face, concerned and cutting deep lines across his brow. “Jennifer, you should rest. We can handle this—”“No,” I cut in sharply. “If what Stanley said is even close to the truth, then every second matters. I want to look at her and hear her voice deny all the allegations.”He hesitated, then nodded once. “Alright. We’ll go.”The drive felt endless and rushed at the same time. My fingers dug into the leather seat as Croft pressed harder on the accelerator.“Faster,” I urged. “If Lucy knows we spoke to Stanley, she won’t stay put.”“I’m already pushing it,” Croft said.“Push harder,” I whispered. “Please. She might be

Chapter Seventy Six

Jennifer POV“Yes!!!” she said, laughing. "You are even lucky; your sister took the bullet that was actually meant for you. You would have been dead a long time ago. You should be happy and thankful to your little sister.” She laughed hard and continued, “And you know what, Jennifer? I will never forgive the idiot that let you breathe.”At this time, I wasn't in control of myself. Hearing her confession weakened me to my bones.“You think you can yell at me and insult me? Look at you, Jennifer! Your tears, so childish and ridiculous! You’re pathetic, and you’re slow! You don’t even know what’s real! Clueless!”“What did I ever do to you, Lucy? I thought you were my friend.”“Friend? Ha! Ha!” She laughed in a manner I’d never seen before. “Jennifer, you were my friend. Oh yeah, I think you are correct. But as for the aspect of what you ever did to me, you have done a lot,” she said.“I want to know what I did,” I demanded.“Good!!” she exclaimed. “You stole Stanley from me.”And then

Chapter Seventy Seven

Stanley POV I was led into a dark room, the single overhead light flickering faintly, casting jagged shadows across the walls. I sat rigid in the cold metal chair, hands cuffed, every muscle tense. The air smelled of urine and dust, a scent I’d grown to hate over the years.The door creaked, and an officer stepped in. He pulled up a chair opposite me and sat down with deliberate patience, the quiet stretching between us like a taut wire.“Stanley Morgan,” he began, “we’ve got a lot to discuss, but first, let me introduce myself. Officer Mark. Let’s start simple. One at a time.“So,” the officer continued, “why were you in that hotel room? And what was that hidden spot you were in?”I leaned back in my chair, the chain of the cuffs clinking slightly, and smirked. “Why do you care? Maybe I just like hotels… privacy. Or maybe I enjoy being untouchable. You tell me, detective. Does it matter?”The officer’s lips curved into a half-smile, unbothered. “I like your confidence. But we need f

Chapter Seventy Eight

Croft POVI sat stiffly in the waiting room, my hands clenched around the armrests of the leather chair, my mind running over every detail from the chaos earlier. Jennifer had rattled me more than I expected, but I refused to let it show. My gaze flicked across the sterile walls, the hum of fluorescent lights above doing little to calm the storm in my chest.Lucy’s confessions kept replaying, each word gnawing at me, twisting my thoughts into knots. How could someone Jennifer once trusted so completely betray her in such a calculated way? And yet, nobody observed. Despite the little drama she played in my house, it wasn't enough for me to conclude that she was evil. She orchestrated everything perfectly. The audacity and manipulation were fascinating in their darkness.My mind wandered between anger, disbelief, and an odd, unsettling curiosity about how deep her schemes truly ran.I barely noticed the passing of time until the doctor, whom I had met only briefly while rushing Jennifer

Chapter Seventy Nine

Jennifer POVThe pain came in waves, crushing waves that made my head feel too heavy for my neck. I couldn’t turn it. I couldn’t even lift my hand without a sharp ache and I still couldn't see clearly. My vision blurred, then steadied, then blurred again. The steady beep beside me felt louder than it should have been and increased the pain I felt in my head.Tears slid down my face into my hair. I wasn’t even sobbing, just crying quietly and helplessly because my body refused to cooperate.My skull throbbed as if someone had wrapped it in iron bands and kept tightening them. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping the darkness would help, but it didn’t. It only made the pain louder.I felt weak, empty, and frustrated. As if everything I had been holding together for months had finally collapsed inside me.My chest tightened with fear, not of pain but of blacking out again.Then suddenly, I heard noise. Fast footsteps. A door opening too fast. A familiar voice that didn’t bother lowering itsel

Chapter Eighty

Jennifer POVI stood before the huge mirror in the west wing of the Croft mansion, one palm resting beneath my swollen belly while the other moved in slow, absent circles across my skin. My stomach was round now, heavy with life, promises, and everything I once believed I would never have again.The mirror reflected a woman I barely recognized. Not because I had changed into someone else, but because I had survived becoming myself.The journey here had not been gentle. I remembered the nights I cried myself to sleep, questioning my worth after betrayal clawed through my trust. I remembered the sharp sting of lies whispered with smiling lips, the way friendship had been weaponized against me.I looked up, and my eyes pictured our huge wedding frame that Croft hung in our room. A soft smile spread across my face. “Look at us,” I whispered, “After everything, we made it here: love, laughter, and our little miracles.”Lucy’s face came to mind as I remembered how my wedding gown five years

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