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Vengeance

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Chapter 10: Vengeance (Tristan's POV)

"You ran out last night in the middle of our conversation, Tristan." 

"You should wait for me to walk through the door before you start, Michael," I replied, pushing the door to his study shut behind me as I walked in and stopped at the chair across from him. 

Shrugging my suit off, I hung it on the back of the chair and then sat down, sighing quietly as I leaned back and spread my legs, resting my hands on my thighs. I watched him for a moment, thinking back to our conversation last night, the same one that ticked me off for the rest of the night. 

After hearing what Michael told me, all I wanted was to unwind with a drink or two at The Veil with Cal and a chess board between us. But then Amara Milano happened. 

My fucking cherry on top. Not just that but the wicked little siren even made me bleed. My gaze shifted to the gauze wrapped around my right hand. 

A true bitch, I tell you. 

"Did you think about my offer?" he asked, bringing my attention back to him. "We'll treat it like business, remember? You do this for me and I'll never bother you again, Tristan." 

I sighed in annoyance, sick and tired of his antics and melodrama. "You can quit the helpless act. If I do this, we both know I'm not doing it for your sake." 

I'm doing it for Mom. 

He placed the same crimson file bound in leather between us and I stared at it, moments from last night replaying in my head. 

"Elijah Milano," he announced, "he's coming after us again." 

I closed the file and pushed it away. "You mean he's coming after you. You want me to get rid of him so you don't have to get your hands bloody," I concluded, "of course you do." With a light scoff, I stood up and pocketed my hands, strolling over to the window that overlooked the neighborhood. 

"Actually, no," he said, catching my attention. 

I spun on my heels and leaned against the wall, folding my arms across my chest, and tipping my head to the side. "No?" 

He shook his head. "I'll take care of Elijah when the day comes. But I need your help. Nothing can tear him down and nobody can get to him as long as Amara stands by his side." 

I stood upright, straightening my neck. 

"I want you to get rid of Amara Milano," he demanded, "she's his biggest strength but also his biggest weakness. Without Amara, Elijah will crumble to the ground. I'll take it from there," he said casually. "Just get rid of the girl." 

That fucking girl... she was the origin of all my problems and she'd lead to me ruins if I didn't do something about it. 

"As long as Amara stays by his side, he'll keep getting away with it. He's coming after me and it won't be long until he hunts you down too. With Amara being his right hand, who knows, maybe they'll succeed. She has a knack for kicking you down and putting you in your place anyway, doesn't she?" He lifted a smug brow at me, taking the file back. 

"Take the night to yourself and think about it. Work with me this once, Tristan. Once and I promise never to bother you again. You'll never get another opportunity like this to knock down two birds with one stone. You won't just be getting rid of your biggest rival but you'll finally do your mother justice. You've never been capable of anything other than disappointing me. So this once, prove me wrong." 

"Your offer is tempting, Michael," I said, facing him in that present moment. "So I'll prove you wrong," I decided, "I'll do it." 

The corners of his mouth tugged up as he placed a hand over the file and slid it over to me. "I appreciate you doing this for me, Tristan. After all, you are my nephew," he chuckled softly. 

I took the file out of his hands and rose to my feet, grabbing my suit. "I'm not doing this for you, Michael. I'm doing it for my mother." 

I couldn't help but notice as his eyes drifted down to my bandaged palm. "What happened to your hand?" he questioned. 

Glancing down at it, I flexed my fingers, ignoring the pain that shot up my arm. "I played a game and lost." Releasing a breath, I turned to him. "Don't bother me about this again. If you're giving me this job the way you claim to, you will let me handle this my way. I'll go about this as I deem fit. My methods, my games, my tricks. You will stay out of it. 

"This will be the last time I see you, Michael. After I finish the job, you'll walk away and leave me the fuck alone or I won't hesitate to snap your fucking neck. Do you understand, Uncle Michael? Hmm?" I lifted a brow at him. 

He watched me with slightly narrowed eyes before nodding sharply once. "Understood." 

"Good. Don't call me again," I said before spinning around and walking out of the study and then his house. Knowing him, he would definitely call again. 

Last night's meeting with him left my head completely scrambled and my thoughts enraged. I didn't know what to think, what to believe, or how to go about this. Each minute that passed since I left last night, the anger and fury within me only seemed to grow. 

I was furious at everything. At Michael for keeping this file and the truth from me for the past nineteen years, at Elijah Milano for bringing my family and my entire world to ruins the way he had, but especially at a devious little attorney so powerful and lethal; Amara Milano. 

I replayed the conversation in my head at least a thousand times last night and each time, my hatred for Amara and her father overpowered the hatred I felt for Michael. The details in the file matched Michael's story, proving that Elijah got away with a crime he should have paid for with his life. 

Nothing could stop me from taking my revenge on those who wronged me, even if the person standing in my way was her. 

Despite that, a flicker of doubt still lingered in my mind. If Amara hadn't pulled that stunt with the Ambrose case last night, would I still have made this decision? Would I still choose to punish her for Elijah's sins? Would I still go after her? Would I still agree to kill her? 

But the truth was, Amara never gave me a reason not to, she only gave me reasons to despise her in this lifetime. If hatred was all we had, I would see it through to the end of time. I would come after her with a vengeance. 

I couldn't fucking care less how irrational and immoral it was of me to go to such lengths and unleash my and Michael's enmity with Elijah on her. She was Elijah Milano's daughter and that came with its own consequences. This was one of them. 

Last night's conversation with Michael had been piling up on me for hours and when I got the call for the Ambrose case, I reached my boiling point. Even then, something stopped me from slitting her throat then and there last night. 

But somebody had to bleed in this war between us. If it wasn't her, it would be me. 

It was important for me to think this through but by the time the sun rose this morning, I was more certain than I had ever been. I would kill Amara Milano for every way she ever wronged me, for everything her father had done to me. If I couldn't make him pay, she would atone for his sins and she would beg me for mercy. I'd make sure of it. 

But what fun is a war when your opponent can't put up a fight? 

Glancing at the time on my dashboard, I tossed the file in the passenger seat and started up the car, driving straight to the Milano Law Group building. It was time to pay her a little visit. The drive was short but it was enough for me to compose myself and by the time I arrived, I pulled it together. 

After all, this was a game I would have plenty of fun with. 

Why not let it begin now? 

"Sir!" I paused in the lobby as the receptionist caught my attention while I passed the front desk. "May I ask where you're going?" 

Pocketing my hands, I answered, "I'd like to see Amara Milano." 

"Do you have an appointment?" 

I quirked a brow at her. 

She cleared her throat, "Mr. Harper," she tried again, "I understand but I have to—" 

"Tell Lana to inform Ms. Milano that I'll be there in a minute." Without waiting for her response, I continued making my way into the elevator and headed up the floor I knew held Amara's office and her office alone. 

She preferred it that way, calm and quiet. Save for Lana's desk, nothing else took up that floor and all other attorneys hired were on the rest of the floors, divided by department and the kind of law they specialized in. When the elevator opened on the top floor and I stepped out, I realized almost immediately that Amara wasn't there. 

But it was too late to go back now. So I continued making my way down the hall, stopping at Lana's desk. 

Her hand froze, hovering over the pack of chips she was munching on as she scrambled to her feet. "Mr. Harper," she greeted, quickly glancing down the hall at Amara's office. "Uh," she cleared her throat, "Ms. Milano isn't here." 

"Where is she?" I questioned. 

"That... is something I'm not authorized to tell you." 

I let out a breath as I ran my tongue along my cheek, glancing around the floor. Bracing my arm on the table, I leaned in and she paled a little, shuffling back on her feet. "Where is she, Lana?" 

"She..." 

I brought my other arm up to the table and lifted my brows at her. 

"She went home for lunch. She'll be back later this evening to work late so I don't think... you'll see her." 

"I suppose I'll find out later this evening. You won't call security now, will you, sweetheart?" 

She shook her head slowly. 

"Good," I said, retreating. "Don't bother calling Ms. Milano either. She likes surprises, doesn't she?" I got back on the elevator and headed out. 

I suppose I'll have to find her somewhere else then. 

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Chapter 10

The hatred is giving and the enemies is really giving enemies 

I almost forgot how to write proper enemies cuz I haven't written them in so long but these two are on a whole new level. they actually hate each other I can't even fucking deny it lmao

things just got veryyy interesting boys and girls

next ch: hunt