Pitiful Woman

AYSU

“Forever love?” Aysu queried, and the temptation to laugh almost overcame her. “Is that supposed to make sense?”

“Why wouldn’t it?” The unexpected visitor moved closer. “No matter what Ximun is to you, I am always going to be his forever love. I was the fifteenth mate he had but I was the only one he loved with all he had.”

Aysu narrowed her eyes and she processed how best to go about that situation. Seconds later, she crossed her arms and asked, “What do you want?”

“Nothing in particular.” With that annoying gait of hers, Mayana moved closer and sat on the far edge of the bed. “I just wanted to put a face to the name Aysu.”

“Now that you have done that, do you care to leave?”

“No.”

“No?”

“You are not befitting Ximun’s status and I would like to emphasize that before I leave.”

“Didn’t he turn you away after you came back despite rejecting him?”

“He…” Mayana flustered and Aysu made sure an intense glare remained in her eyes. “He did not. We are just on a small break till he sorts out what to do about you.”

“Does he intend to kill me?”

“I wish he would.”

“If I call Ximun into this room right now, are you going to repeat everything you have said so far?”

“Why not?” Mayana remained proud and that made her laughable and slightly pitiful. “He will never turn me away.”

“Ever since you came to this place,” Aysu relaxed her shoulders, which were tense for whatever reason, “how many times has Ximun approached you?”

“A lot of times.” There was a brief hesitation before that response and that was enough for Aysu to know that the woman was lying.

“Miss Mayana,” Aysu sighed, “I don’t understand what you are trying to do, but I doubt Ximun will appreciate you spewing lies without shame.”

“Who said I’m lying? Ximun and I are pretty tight and-”

“I don’t have time for this. Please, leave.” Mayana scoffed quite loudly in response. And Aysu asked, “Is something the matter?”

“You are pretty noisy and gutsy for someone who’s going to be a trophy mate. Besides, shouldn’t you be mourning right now? How come this place smells like sex? Have you been screwing behind Ximun?”

“Watch your words, Miss Mayana,” Aysu remained calm.

“You should be ashamed, Aysu.” Mayana shifted closer and then sniffed the air around her. “You just lost your child so you should have some shame. Mourn the death of that child before you go about screwing men that aren’t your husband.”

“Are you done?”

“No.” Mayana folded her arms and her gloat increased. It seemed the woman thought that she was successful in threatening Aysu to stay away from Ximun. “I am not done.”

“Okay.”

“I know that you are just some lowly she-wolf from Tarmish Pack. It is indeed surprising that you were able to weasel into Ximun’s life, but let me tell you that there’s no space for you here. At most, you’ll become a slave once Ximun discards you. After all, you don’t have anyone to call family both here and in your weak Pack.”

That last statement hit Aysu but she didn’t show it.

Once it was clear that the woman was done, Aysu smirked. “You are very cute. Are you done now?”

“Don’t gloat so much, you are a nobody.”

“I think the nobody here is you, the woman who is so pitiful that she decides to cook up lies to feel good about a situation that will never work out.”

“What?”

“Listen to me, Mayana. Ximun is over you. Stop thinking in your far, insane imagination that you two will end up together. I hate to break it to you, but what you wish will never happen because I am his true mate. And I will always be.”

“No, you won’t.”

Aysu’s brows jerked. “Think whatever you wish to, Mayana. But please do that outside. Leave this place at once before I call the guards on you.”

Mayana wasn’t ready to back down. She got up and said, “I don’t care what you say. Because I am going to get rid of you and have Ximun all to myself. We are going to be a family just as we planned in the past and-”

“Good for you, Mayana. Please,” Aysu gestured towards the door, “leave.”

The woman scoffed because she now knew that she was defeated. Perhaps she had hoped to rattle Aysu’s confidence with her lies, but since Aysu failed to fall for the far tales, her plan flopped immensely. And she was forced to find words to say.

After a few seconds of searching the ground with her eyes, Mayana looked up and said, “You really get on my nerves, I wish that poison took your life as well.”

Aysu said nothing in response but the nerves in her head reacted and as she watched the woman strut out of the room in defeat, that last statement was all Aysu played and replayed in her head.

And an hour later or so, after Aysu had taken a good bath and brush, that statement still rang in her mind.

“Aysu?”

She turned to face Ximun who she didn’t realise was around.

“Oh, hi,” she greeted.

“Is something wrong?” he asked and moved closer to where she was standing.

“Mayana was here.”

“She was? Why?”

“I don’t exactly know. She wouldn’t stop talking about something ridiculous. But she said something very strange before she left.”

“What was it?”

“Ximun,” Aysu planted her hands on his chest, “does anyone else in the palace know about the baby?”

“Apart from Andrew, his helper, you, me and your two helpers, no.”

“Huh.” Aysu, who looked to the side, then became certain that she wasn’t mistaken.

“What is it?”

“Mayana mentioned that I lost the baby. Then, before she left she said she wished the poison had killed me as well.”

“Not so many people know about the poison either,” Ximun added, his voice lowered in slight dread. Then, their eyes met. “Is she the culprit we have been looking for?”

“She could be,” Aysu replied after a thick exhale.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to spare her,” Ximun added as though Aysu asked him what he was going to do.

“Even if she was once your lover?”

“I vowed not to let the culprit off the hook.” His hands wrapped around her waist and he pulled her closer with a swift motion. “And I don’t intend to go back on my words.”

“I see.”

“Do you want me to do otherwise?” he asked, his eyes searching hers.

“Truthfully. I don’t care.”

“What if Magnetino and Gideon are somehow involved?”

That was a tough question. “I hope they are not.”

Ximun clicked his tongue. “I guess there is only one way to find out.”

Aysu returned his hug. “It might not be easy for you, Ximun.”

His chin rested on her head. “It will be. As I said earlier, you will always be the only one in my heart.”

“Thank you, Ximun.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

Aysu smiled. “You have done more than enough. So, thank you.”