Mated For Revenge

CHAPTER NINE: Montemayor's Secret

I sit on the bed, cradling Maxinne’s sleeping figure in my arms. My fingers trace gentle patterns across her soft fur, my touch tender and full of affection. As I watch the rise and fall of her chest, my heart swells with a love much stronger than the kind of love I’ve given to anyone before.

Maxinne stirs slightly, her ears twitching at the sound of my soft humming. Then, she nuzzles closer to my warmth. I lean down and press a kiss to her forehead. All my anxieties and doubts melt away, completely replaced by a fierce protectiveness that surges through my heart. Maxinne may not be human, but I love her and I accept her, and that’s all that matters.

Suddenly, the peacefulness in me is interrupted at the sound of Mr. Knox's worried voice echoing through the hallway.

“Maxinne?.... Sweetheart?”

The familiar anxiety that has plagued me a few moments ago returns with a vengeance, tightening its grip around my chest.

"Maxinne," Mr. Knox's voice calls out again, this time more urgent. "Maxinne, where are you?"

I hesitate from moving, torn between the fear of letting Mr. Knox knows what I already discovered and the need to ease his growing concern.

“Alright, Mr. Knox is a kind man. There’s nothing to worry about,” I murmur.

With a heavy sigh, I gently lay Maxinne down on the bed, tucking the blanket around her before steeling myself. Then I step out of the guest room and into the well lit hallway, the door softly screeching and my footsteps echoing softly against the polished marble floor.

Mr. Knox is halfway down the stairs, his brow furrowed as he looks over his shoulder for any sign of Maxinne. When his eyes land on me, a greater form of anxiety floods his features, which is quickly replaced by fear.

“You’re still awake?” he asks.

Though he’s not voicing it, I can tell that he wants me back into the guest room while he searches for Maxinne.

"I... I have her," I admit reluctantly, my voice a bit shaky. "She's... she's with me."

Mr. Knox's eyes widen in surprise, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly. My heart lurches in my chest when Mr. Knox rushes towards the guest room, his footsteps echoing loudly in the tense silence of the hallway. With each step he takes, the air grows heavier, thick with trepidation and uncertainty.

As Mr. Knox reaches the door, I hold my breath, my eyes fixed on his form. When what’s inside is finally revealed, Mr. Knox’s shoulders tenses, his face loses its colors, his eyes remain wide. For a moment, we lock eyes, neither of us speaking.

Is he angry? Or is he simply afraid that I now knew the truth about Maxinne?

Before I could dwell on it any longer, Mr. Knox returns his attention to the sleeping Maxinne, his expression remains rigid. With careful hands, he gathers her into his arms, cradling her close to his chest as if she’s the most precious thing in the world.

I watch in silence as Mr. Knox turns to leave the room. I try to maintain that silence, but the threat of the possibility of what will happen after this sends a chill down my spine, and a knot forms in the pit of my stomach.

"Y-you don't have to worry," I stammer, my hands clasped over my chest. "I won't tell anyone. I promise.”

Mr. Knox's expression changes, its rigidness dulling until it becomes impassive like always.

"Good," he says simply, his voice devoid of emotion. "I would hate for anything... unfortunate to happen."

I’m about to release a sigh of relief after assuming that that’s it. However, I hold that sigh when Mr. Knox speaks again.

"You must leave first thing in the morning," his voice is firm, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Now that you know the truth, it's not safe for us, especially for Maxinne, to let you stay here anymore."

My heart sinks, a wave of disappointment washing over me. I have hoped that Mr. Knox would understand that he would see me as more than just a stranger intruding upon their secret. But his words shatter that hope, leaving me feeling lost and alone.

"But... but why?" My voice trembles, my eyes pleading with Mr. Knox to reconsider. "Now that I know the truth, shouldn't that be reason enough for you to let me stay?"

Mr. Knox just stares at me. I’m waiting for him to say something, but when he doesn’t, I desperately add,

“I can be trusted. I would never do anything to put you or Maxinne in harm's way. Please, Mr. Knox, let me stay. Maxinne... she's the reason I manage to believe that there's still a life for me. She keeps me sane. She helps me forget the pain of losing a child."

I gasp when Mr. Knox glares, disintegrating the impassiveness of his facade. Then he says in a cold voice and a sharp tone, "Don't be carried away. You're not Maxinne's mother, and Maxinne is not your daughter. Stop using my daughter as an excuse to stay here. You’re not her obligation."

And with that hurtful blow, Mr. Knox turns and approaches his bedroom, leaving me standing alone in the empty hallway. I sink to my knees, tears streaming down my cheeks as the weight of Mr. Knox's rejection drills through my heart, giving it another hole that seems irremediable.

Aloneness… is what I fear the most, but it keeps on following me, as if it’s the fate I need to accept. I lost my parents five years ago and that’s the first time aloneness was introduced to me. That’s why when I met Elijah, I allowed my entire universe to revolve around him, even enduring the pain of his parents' abuse and his indifference to my suffering. Now, this? Perhaps I deserve all the pain I’m feeling for desperately clinging to people, for hoping to fill the void within me. Maybe it's really my destiny to be condemned to solitude, forever unwanted and unloved.

With heavy footsteps, I trudge back to the guest room. As I enter, I reach for my own clothes in the cabinet, pulling them on with trembling hands. Then, with a heavy sigh, I collapse onto the bed, feeling utterly helpless as I wait, awake and in silence, until the moonlight is replaced by the morning one.

I rise from the bed, then emerge from the guest room, my heart heavy and so are my movements. As I round the corner, I nearly collide with Mr. Knox, who stands waiting in the hallway with a solemn expression on his face.

Mr. Knox looks at me from head to toe, then asks monotonously, “Ready to leave?”

I nod. "Yes. Thank you again for everything and I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused.”

"Maxinne's babysitters will be arriving soon," he responds. “Let’s wait for them first, then I’ll help you find an apartment before I go to work."

I shake my head, then politely say, "That’s nice of you, Mr. Knox, but I'll manage on my own this time. I don't want to be a burden to anyone anymore. It's time for me to start becoming independent."

“You’re saying that you won’t be needing my help? How about my lawyer?” Mr. Knox asks. Though there’s a hint of concern in his tone, his face remains impassive.

“I’ll find a job first so I can get a small apartment. Then, bit by bit, I’ll save money to afford a lawyer.”

Mr. Knox stares at me without a word.

With a heavy heart, I take a step back, my eyes lingering on his stoic form. "Goodbye, Mr. Knox. Please tell…” I pause to calm my emotions, before continuing, “Please tell Maxinne… my goodbye.”

Just when I’m descending the staircase, a series of tiny footsteps echoes from behind me, a tiny voice calling out my name, making my heart break more and my tears to fall again.

“Catherine! Catherine!”

I refuse to look back, knowing that if I do, I may never find the strength to leave and find myself begging to Mr. Knox for me to stay again.

“Daddy, where is she going?”

I don’t hear a response from Mr. Knox. The next thing I hear is Maxinne’s cry, which causes my every step to falter.

I jog until I’m finally out of the mansion. When I reach the colossal steel gates, I search for a way to open them. The mechanism eludes me, its intricacies hidden behind layers of metal and machinery. Torn between the idea of seeking Mr. Knox's help and my reluctance to return to the mansion and face the heartache of leaving Maxinne behind, I stand still, gawking at the gates with ignornace.

Suddenly, a low rumble echoes from behind the gates and the gates begin to slide open with a slow, mechanical whir. Then, a sleek red car glides through the opening.

Mr. Knox emerges from the mansion’s entrance, glaring at the approaching car. But it’s the figure darting out from behind Mr. Knox that catches my attention the most - Maxinne in her human form. She races towards me, her eyes wide with panic as she throws herself into my arms.

"Catherine, don't leave me, please!"

My arms instinctively wrap around Maxinne’s tiny body. Then my attention is transferred to Mr. Knox's approaching figure.

"Catherine, please," he says, his gaze flickering between me and Maxinne. "Stay for just a moment. Bring Maxinne back inside."

Confused, I’m unable to give a quick response. My attention is then diverted by a woman emerging from the sleek red car. Her long, porcelain legs stride towards us. Once she’s close enough, she removes her tinted glasses, revealing a pair of violet eyes that bear a striking resemblance to Mr. Knox's.

The woman's scrutiny is heavy, her red lips twisting into a mocking smile as she addresses Mr. Knox. "How many more strangers will you allow inside your house before you come to your senses?"

Wow! Another someone who wants me gone.

Maxinne suddenly chimes in, “She’s not a stranger. She’s Catherine, and she’ll be my mommy.”

Our eyes widen as we gawk at Maxinne, who’s innocently smiling while roaming her gaze to us.

The woman’s expression darkens, her eyes flashing with anger and frustration. She squares her shoulders, flips her dark hair to her back, crosses her arms over her chest. Then she speaks in a voice dripping with disdain.

"Are you kidding me? You're using marriage to fight me? I'd completely understand if you choose the right woman. But she..." The woman pauses, her glare flickering towards me before returning to Mr. Knox. "...she is hardly the right choice."

"It's none of your business. What I want for myself and my daughter is my decision alone," he says, his tone is now cracking with anger.

The woman’s lips curl into a sneer. "Oh, but it is my business. Especially if involves Maxinne’s being."

Confusion twists my expression, furrowed brow, narrowed eyes, partly open lips.

What did she mean by using marriage to fight? And why did she seem to have such a strong opinion about Mr. Knox's decision in life? Just who is she?