LUCIA~

Ten years ago, I was just eighteen years old when I witnessed my sister die, without any help.

I couldn't go there to help her as she was surrounded by men in black and were carrying guns.

"Run!" Teja had managed to whisper to me despite the guns pointed at her, but I couldn't run.

Then this man had stepped in with his gun and fired at Teja, until she could breathe no more.

As Jenny drove through Rivermist pack toward our home, I remembered the simple sad smile on Teja's face after the bullet fired through her body.

"Babes. Don't you think you might be mistaken?" Jenny cut into my thoughts. "I mean, the man that killed Teja is older, right? And your mate is young and...."

I shook my head, "Only I know what I saw, Jenny. Please believe me"

Jenny was frustrated and wanted to say something but I shunned her, and we drove back home.

Immediately the car stopped at the parking lot. I rushed out of it and ran blindly to my room.

I grabbed Teja's picture and hugged it with tears. "Sis. I finally found that man that murdered you" I cried.

Jenny rushed in and pacified me even though we ended up crying together.

***

Jenny pinned the portrait that I managed to draw out to the whiteboard.

"Now that we know what he looks like, the next line of action is....?"

Embers of fire coming out of my heart, calories of anger coursing through my veins. I marked the portrait with a red pen, "Find him and make him die just like he killed Teja."

All these while, I only assumed what his face looked like. The day he killed Teja, he had no mask on, but due to the trauma, I still can't remember his face, but now, I drew his face out, to find him easily.

Jenny grabbed her phone and put a call through. I don't know who she was calling, but it seems like the fellow wasn't picking.

"Urgh! This bald man must be drunk again" she complained.

"Which man?"

She sighed and threw her phone aside. "That's the Gamma in charge of names and entry records last night."

I became interested. "Oh really? But why call him and how did you get his contact?"

Jenny flashed me that killer smile that made her look incredibly beautiful more than me. "He wanted me to mate his son. I'm just calling him to ask him about this man. We could use his name."

Aww. Gratitude poured from my heart to Jenny. "I don't know what I could have done without you, Jenny"

She smiled again. "You know I always got your back?"

Shortly after Teja's death. My mum fell sick, that was when I was 18 years old. Jenny, who was the same age as me, had come with her dad who was the healer who came to look after mum.

My mum died shortly afterward, but this only brought about my friendship with Jenny who believed that my mum died because her dad didn't do his job well.

Ever since then, she insisted on living with me as a way of making up for what she believed was her dad's fault and, up until now, we're both twenty-eight, we're inseparable.

I told her about my sister's death and my desire to find the murderer and kill him. Since she was a vlogger, she did everything in her power to help me, but nothing seemed to be working.

Even though I haven't taken my revenge, I still have this feeling that I wouldn't have made this progress without her.

That day, she left home for a photo shoot while I did my work as a digital marketer online.

Some minutes into the afternoon, the doorbell rang. I frowned in confusion since I didn't order anything and it's unlike Jenny to come back home still pressing the doorbell.

I stood up to open it only to meet an older woman there, smiling at me like we'd met each other before.

"Who are you?"

The woman beamed another graceful smile. "I came to see you. Lucia, right?"

I nodded. "How can I help you?"

"Won't you invite me in at least?" She blinked like a cute puppy, drenched in the rain.

My confusion deepened, but still I let her in and offered her tea.

"You're so nice, my dear. Your home is very warm and..."

"Ma’am, why did you come here?" I cut into her gossip as if I've known what she wanted to do.

She smiled amicably again. "I came with a marriage proposal, dear. I was so happy when he showed me your picture and flaunted the mate bond. I really want to...."

"Marriage Proposal?" I demanded, sitting up in confusion. "Marriage proposal from who and who showed you my picture?"

The woman smiled coquettishly, in a way that instantly disgusts me. She took my hands, "I never thought Justin would be getting married before I die. I'm so happy that...."

What am I even doing? Allowing some random old lady in to be speaking rubbish?

I snapped my hand away from hers immediately. "Stop it, old woman I don't know you."

"You're going to be my daughter-in-law soon, so I won't be vexed by anything you say, my dear."

"Damnit!" I screeched. This woman must be really mad. "Ma'am, I don't know you from anywhere, would you just..."

"You're mates with my son. How could I not be happy?" She giggled.

This finally made me stop, dead in my tracks. "You say mate?"

"My dear. It will really be an honor to have you in our family. That punk couldn't rest properly all because he was researching about you...."

The woman's eyes turned dreamy.

I staggered back as the bits and pieces came together to make a perfect chess board.

By my mate, she must be talking about HIM.

Marriage proposal, she must be asking me to marry her son, who was my mate.

And the mate is the man that I spent all my life wanting to kill!

'Teja. Who would ever thought I'd get to avenge you this easily?'

The older woman held my hand again, "What did you think of my proposal?"

"What did you say the name of your son is?"

Expectation edged on her face. "Justin. He came back from abroad recently and I...."

"I accept your proposal!"