Chapter 37: And the fight begins!

Something is seriously wrong with Stella. Even though we are staying in the same room, she has been avoiding me like the plague. She comes in only after she has assured that I was already asleep. At first I thought she had moved out of the room but her clothes and all her makeup stuff is still here and her bed looks used. She has been sneaking in and out. Whenever we come across each other in hallways, she would change her direction mid way and flee to the opposite side. According to Justin, Stella apparently had a big talk with Dominic after she left my room that day when Stephanno had come in and she had been weird ever since.

Something about that chain clearly irked her out. I wanted to confront her about it and just get it over with because all this was starting to take a toll on me. I still hadn’t mustered up the courage to come clean with Dominic, much to the dismay of Stephanno. We have stuck to meeting in private while acting cool when in public. I felt like I was having an affair, which I sort of was, I guess.

I sighed resignedly and started prancing around my room, waiting for Stella. Today, I haven't stepped out of my room. My plan was to corner her. I heard noises coming from the hallway so I snapped out of my daze and went down.

“Christopher!” I exclaimed in delight as I recognized the beast of the man who was grinning at me and went over and hugged him, then moved towards Tao. Dominic and I were starting to get worried when they didn’t show up after a few days.
“So , did you guys rescue Laya and Savannah?” , a nervous voice asked from behind me…..Stella….

I jumped when I heard her squeaky voice and turned back, scanning her face for any sign of jealousy or anger. But she just looks resigned and beat. I wanted to hug her tightly and ask her why she had been avoiding me. But one look at her face, stopped me in my tracks.

“They are safely back at their parents house. Dominic broke up with them. They are no longer his concubines. He had a duty to rescue them, which he did” Christopher said.
“Oh, I bet that wasn’t a pretty sight. Did they just take it laying down? And what happened with Dominic suddenly?” I asked Christopher, with my eyes still fixed on Stella.

When Christopher declared that Dominic had broken up with his concubines, Stella had gone pale, which confused me. Didn’t she hate them? Shouldn’t she be happy that her rivals are gone?
“Laya went mad and started throwing stuff at Dominic. Savannah took it quite well, I must say.” He shrugged and answered.
“Stella, are you okay?” I asked her as I saw the blood drain from her face.

My eyes traveled down to her neck and frowned. She wasn’t wearing Dominic's chain. I thought she would just adore it and never take it off.
Stella held back a sob as she looked at me.
“I give up…….After all these years I finally give up……I already lost Dominic, I had rather not loose you too.” She sobbed, her cheeks flushed as her eyes brimmed with tears.
Huh? What? I didn’t even get time to get over my bewilderment as she launched herself at me, hugging me tightly.

“Stella? You lost Dominic? What on earth are going on about?” I asked her confused.
She let go of me reluctantly, then took a step back and sniffed. Tao immediately grabbed a tissue and offered it to her. She nodded her gratitude then fixed her attention firmly on me.

“Dominic let go of all his concubines” She said softly, her voice strained.
“Yes I know, Christopher just told us about Laya and Savannah” I said dubiously, rolling my eyes.
“No Jess, he let go of ALL his concubines” she repeated, enunciating.

Then it hit me. Oh god ! No! This can’t be happening. My stomach was churning with guilt.
I couldn’t bring myself to meet Stella’s eyes. Just then Dominic entered with Stephanno. Dominic looked oblivious to what was happening while Stephanno looked like he had just been caught in a tight spot.

I got to do it before the situation becomes much worse. It has already gotten all muddled up. I took a deep breath and braced myself as I declared out loud, “ Dominic, I need a divorce and I need you to release me from the bonding”

Nice! Smooth Jessica.....Real smooth! I resisted the urge to slam my hand on my head at the utter stupidity I just did. I should have eased him into it, not grabbing the bull by its horns.

Stella gasped while Dominic went still and Stephanno quickly stepped in front of Dominic and me, clearly thinking things would get ugly. Ugh! Why did I have to blurt this out in front of everybody?
I should have tacitly told him in private, not make a public spectacle out of it. Now that I have done it, I might as well go all the way in. Maybe then he will realize that I am just not good enough for him. He deserves someone much better, someone who gives him unconditional love, someone like Stella.

I gently took a step forward, while placing an arm over Stephanno’s hand, motioning him to step back. He looked reluctant to do so and I saw the worry and agony in his mind. He however, did take a step back as did everyone else in the room. Though everyone had moved to give us some space, they were still watching us intently.

I gulped hard, then with a visible effort opened up the barriers, granting him access to my mind. I put the memories I shared with Stephanno at front, praying to god that he won’t flip out. But it was a long time due. He didn’t deserve to be kept in the dark. I bit my underlip nervously as I saw his fists clench, his eyes bulge .It broke my heart when I saw him turn teary eyed. His eyes turning red and his shoulders stiffening when his eyes went over me and gazed murderously at Stephanno’s neck where I had claimed him.

Just then a loud wailing noise erupted from the mansion and Stephanno immediately went out the door, followed by Tao and Christopher. The alarms were ringing. Something or someone has breached the Water Sect’s border. I was torn between my urge to run outside to defend the borders and my desperateness not to leave Dominic alone while he was like this. I looked at Stella, my eyes wide, panic stricken.

“Go, Jess. I will take care of him….for you” She added, after an afterthought.
I didn’t even stay to ponder over what she meant by that. She spoke as if she was taking care of someone else’s man and not her own. I soared past the hall, then past the ground, my feet picking up speed with each passing mile. I slowed down as I approached the huge gates and frowned when I saw barricades in front of it. The Sects only put down barricades at front when they have a threat of an impending attack.

I saw Stephanno perched upon a tree with binoculars in his hands and without a thought, I immediately climbed up. He held out his arm and I grasped it as he pulled me up and seated me beside him. I didn’t need to ask him what was going on. I could all read it in his mind……his panic….his terror….his mind clicking, thinking out battle strategies. I gently nudged the binoculars from his hand and positioned in front of me and bent my head to look.

What I saw made me almost loose my balance and fall from the tree, but luckily strong arms caught me and pulled me back up. Oh my god, this is insane. We are gonna get butchered. A large fleet of ships were coming in, with its heavy weaponry aimed at us, with the flags of the blood sect soaring through the air, triumphantly.

Both of us got down, stumbling , almost loosing our balance in our haste.
“What now?” I asked him.
“We fight” he said determined.

“We fight together” I replied and held out my hand. Last time I wasn’t of much use……But this time I am ready for them……I not gonna stand back this time…..I am going to ride with Stephanno, shoulder to shoulder……Stephanno took my hand, his chest filling with pride as he looked at me, then he bent his head and placed a soft kiss on my forehead.
"Together" he repeated, his grip on my hand tightening.