Game of Love Ch. 14

"Listen, stop annoying me with your calls." Kim warned, tears welling in her eyes.

'Still audacious, I see.' He chirped. 'Wasn't the message I sent through your son clear or maybe you need something intense, maybe death? You think just because you've faced my attacks, you've learnt how to attack also? There's more to me than you've seen.'

Kim covered her mouth, trying to hide that she was scared. It was as if her brain shredded from the inside.

"I am not scared of you and from now on, I'll not be scared of you." She didn't know where she got that courage from. "Do whatever you want to."

The man gave a high cold cackle that seemed to pierce through Kim. Her fear intensified and she visibly trembled.

"In fact, I am gonna tell Eric everything." She said harshly. "I'll explain to him what's been happening. I'll ask for his help and the both of us will find you out together."

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds before Kimberly heading the sound of something breaking and then breaths like a huge hurricane followed by a growl that scared the hell out of Kimberly. She didn't wanna awake any demon that was gonna destroy her.

'Are you threatening me?' He barked.

"It's not a threat!" Kim snarled, feeling like she was getting possessed. "It's a promise! You consider yourself to be unbeatable, while being hidden? I will do everything to bring you down. All this fun that you're having, I'll wipe it off your face."

'You seem to forget who I am, Kim.' He chuckled bitterly. She could feel the wrath in his voice. 'If you try anything, your loved ones will get it and...'

"You can do your worst. Eric is the strongest boy I know." She said with such fire in her voice. "You might be able to take advantage of my weakness but will you be able to hide from Eric? He's powerful, influential and he'll get you out of your hiding place."

'I am warning you, Kimmy. If you try anything....'

"Why? Are you scared? What happened to your laughter?" She teased, taking a deep breath. "Now you listen to me, the both of us are gonna meet and settle this nonsense once and for all. You'll name your price and I'll pay you. You'll disappear like a bad dream and my secret will be safe. Do you get that?"

'Don't you dare order me around?' He yelled. 'I call the shots. I decide when I should meet you and...'

"Tell me where and when!"

'And if I don't want?'

"Then I tell Eric everything. I don't care what I'll lose because it can't be worse than losing my children. And besides, with Eric's help, I'll be able to finally bring you down. My children might forgive but I'll make sure that you spend the rest of your life in jail."

The man groaned and cursed under his breath. Kim didn't give two hoots about it.

'Fine! I will send you the address and we'll meet this very night to settle this once and for all.'

"Good!" Kim chuckled. "See you!"

She cut the call and immediately she did, a message arrived containing the address of the meeting place. Kim changed into a black blouse, a black skinny jean, black boots and a red coat. She tied her hair in a ponytail and left like the hounds of hell were after her.

***

Eric was slowly passing his hands on his husband's hairy chest on which he lay with a smile on his face. His husband was sleep, breathing on his face and snoring softly. Those sexy snores were music to his ears. They had come to bed like an hour back after spending hours in the hot tub. Sergio had probably been too tired but Eric had failed to sleep. He just lay on his husband's chest, playing with his hairs.

Both of them were only putting on boxer briefs. Eric's memories were only filled with the wonderful loving making in the bedroom and in the hot tub. He'd never felt so satisfied before and he didn't want to even sleep. He just wanted to stare at his husband the entire night.

After so long, Eric started feeling thirsty. He needed water. He glanced at the table beside his bed and noticed that it was empty. He knew he had to go to the kitchen to get some but he didn't wanna leave his husband alone.

"Hey, baby..." he whispered. "...I am gonna have to leave you for a few seconds, okay? I will be back. Don't miss me too much!"

He kissed his husband's tender lips and got off the bed. Sergio stirred but he didn't wake up. Eric wore a black cargo short and his husband's t-shirt with sandals on his feet. He didn't wanna go downstairs naked for fear of meeting someone.

He threw his husband air kisses and left the room, still smiling. But as soon as Eric got out of the room and started heading towards the stairs, he spotted someone rushing down the stairs while looking all around as if sneaking out. Eric quickly hid at a corner, trying to see who it was. At first, she thought it was Adrianna but once he got to see that face, he got the greatest shock of his life.

"Mother?" He gasped under his breath. "Where could she be going this time dressed like that? And why is she acting like she's sneaking out? Could she be hiding something?"

He watched as she slowly walked to the door, quietly opened it and got out. He ran downstairs to see what she was up to but all he heard was the sound of the car. She was definitely up to something, maybe the reason why she had been acting weird the past few days.

Eric sighed, combing his hair with his fingers. But when he saw his husband's favourite car keys on the table, crazy thought started hitting him. Without wasting a second, he grabbed the keys from the table and started running outside just in time to find Kim's car exiting the gate.

He rushed to his husband's Range Rover Evoque and didn't waste any time. He started the car and followed Kim behind. He honked and the security guard opened the door. When he got out, he saw Kim's car at a distance and he reduced the intensity of his headlights and followed her at a safe distance. He didn't want her suspect anything.

He followed her, watching as she made her way to the outskirts of town. She was driving at a speed that made him wonder where she was going to. But he followed her and made sure not to be spotted. She got out of town and then made a turn and parked in front of an abandoned building.

Eric quickly parked his car away from where she was and got out. He carefully and quietly went near and found her entering the building. Now he was sure that something was up. He was just hoping Kim wasn't in anything illegal, otherwise, it was gonna break Sergio's heart.

***

"Hello?" Kim called out in the poorly lit building.

There were boxes and planks all over. She had to be careful not to hurt herself. She called again but the only thing that was responding was the echo of her voice. She looked all around trying to see if she could see anything or anyone but she couldn't. The place was creepy and it was starting to freak her out.

"Hello? Is anybody here?"

Kim's heart jumped in her chest when she heard a loud noise behind her. She screamed, quickly turning. But there was nothing there. It was only a cat that had been chasing something. She grasped her chest, feeling like someone had just pulled on her heart. It raced so much that she felt like she was gonna have a heart attack.

She continued going inside until she reached at the wall and started glancing around. She could have sworn that was the address she had received. She took out her phone and started checking the message. She was right. That was the place? Could he have tricked her, she thought?

"Hello, Kim?"

Kim almost dropped her phone when she heard a sweet female voice behind. She made a quick turn and froze when she saw who it was. She became white as chalk. Her eyes and mouth were frozen wide open in an expression of stunned surprise. Her heart raced at tremendous speeds, and her lungs shallowly rose and fell in time. But suddenly, she started getting upset.

"Giada, it was you?" She snarled, shaking her head angrily. "You were the one blackmailing me? How? Why? I thought... I thought we were friends. How could you do this to me?"

Giada stood there looking like a queen with her arms crossed and an orgasmic smile on her face. She was dressed like she was from a fashion contest with the highest heels Kim had ever seen. Her hair was curled and her face was made up, but not overdone.

"You were the one that was playing hide and seek with me? The poisoning of Eric?" She gasped, hitting her brow. "Oh my God, I should have figured it all out at that time. Who would want to hurt Eric more than you? But you know what..." She chuckled bitterly. "...you messed with the wrong lady. Do you know what happens if someone troubles me a lot? They get to feel my wrath."

She clenched her fists and was about to vent at Giada but got shocked when Giada got out her gun and pointed it at her head. Kim's heart leaped into her throat and her legs became wobbly with fear. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and her mouth went dry.

"Are you tired of your life, Kim?" She chuckled sinisterly, chirping. "What could I do? You and Eric are alike and I hate you more than anything in this world. The two of you won't be at peace until you take all that I have."

"W-what?" Kim stuttered, taking a step back as Giada got near. "What did you think? Eric will steal my son's husband and I will remain quiet? I will do nothing?"

A tear rolled down Kim's cheeks. "What are you talking about? I was helping you. I promised I was gonna bring them back together, didn't I?"

"Yes!" Giada barked, making Kim's heart to hammer. "But did you do anything to fulfil your promise? No! You just watched because you're useless."

"Is that it? That's why..."

"You're dead wrong, Kim!" She laughed heartily. "It's more than that. My son's marriage to your son was supposed to make me rich, powerful enough to destroy that son of a bitch once and for all. But he destroyed my plans and you didn't do anything to help me. That is when I lost it."

"You're insane!" Kim gasped, her jaw shaking. "All this time I was thinking I had a friend but I was wrong. The only thing I had was a big snake in my house. I can't believe I even wanted to bring Sergio and Trevor together. I am so glad Eric got married to him instead. He actually saved my family. But do you know what you are? A criminal!" She yelled.

"Enough!" She turned on Goode like an enraged panther, cocking her gun angrily. "You think I am a criminal? You've got no idea. How about I put a bullet in your head right now?"

Fear sat on Kim like a pillow over her mouth and nose as she watched Giada's finger playing with the trigger. She slightly closed her eyes waiting to be shot but....

"Now, now, Giada... is that anyway to treat our guest?"

Kim froze when she heard that voice, a voice that was very familiar. It wasn't as deep as it was when he was calling her but she couldn't miss that voice anywhere. She quickly moved her eyes past Giada to the direction of the voice and saw a figure in the dark that was coming towards them.

Then suddenly, he emerged and came into the light, a man that Kim couldn't recognize. He was just average height, wearing a pitch-black suit with the jacket unbuttoned. He had a sky-blue shirt that was halfway buttoned up with the collar raised, revealing his muscular hairy chest on which a gold chain rested. And he had golden brown shoes on his feet.

But it wasn't that which got her. It was the man himself. He was quite handsome with caramel highlighting on dark hair which he had in a comb over. He had that evil grin on his face that gave sent chills down her spine and she didn't know why. The man had one hand in his pocket and he was slowly shaking his head like he was gonna do something really evil.

He must have been in his mid-30s or somewhere near his late 30s. As he got near, Kim couldn't help but notice that he looked a little familiar. But she couldn't seem to remember where she had seen him before.

Meanwhile, Eric sneaked in the building and hid behind a pile of boxes. He got shocked when he saw Giada holding a gun to Kim and there was another man that he hadn't seen before.

"So finally, we meet, Kim!" He chuckled. "I must say that you're one sassy lady."

"It was you?" Kim gasped, shaking her head. "You're the bastard that was blackmailing me..."

"Don't even think about it!" Giada warned. "If you even make a move, I'll blow your brains out."

"Relax!" The man slowly held Giada's hand, making her drop it. "There's no need for that. Kim is as harmless as a newborn baby here. Even an iron lady knows to respect a dangerous man's territory."

"Why?" Kim asked. "What did I do to you that you and this evil woman decided to destroy my life. What will you gain from all this? As far as I know, I don't have enmity with you. So why would you do this?"

"She... she doesn't have enmity with me?" He laughed hysterically, pointing at her. "She doesn't have enmity with me? Did you hear her?" Then all of a sudden, he stopped laughing and got stern, getting closer to Kim with fist clenched. "Well, it seems like you're getting old, Kim. Even your memory is getting old. Well, let me jog your memory a bit. Perhaps, it will come back to you."

The man's jaws started shaking uncontrollably. "It all happened 30 years ago in this very city. A happy family, mother, father and son. They were very happy and they lived a fairy-tale life. The man loved his wife more than anything in this world and did everything for her and their son.

But like they say, not all fairy tales have happy endings. There's always a villain trying to ruin the happiness of lovers. This one came in form of an evil lady who tried her possible best to lure the man in her trap. After trying so long, she managed to seduce the man and got him away from his beloved family.

The sweet family started breaking. The man became violent, abusive and obsessed with the evil lady. The wife tried all she could to bring back her husband's love but it was too late. The family complete broke when the man brought the evil lady home and introduced her as his wife. His wife and her little child were thrown out like yesterday's garbage!" He groaned, making Kim to take a few steps back.

"The wife begged but the man was deaf to her pleas. Heartbroken and shattered, she left in the heavy rain. The child got so sick that he almost lost his life. But his mother tried all she could to heal him. Desperate and helpless, she had no choice but to leave her son at an orphanage in another city. She went back to her husband but they murdered her in cold blood. She left her son alone in this wicked world to suffer in the street after running away from an abusive foster home."

Tears welled up in his eyes. He was breathing like he was in labour.

"Does that refresh your memory, Kimberly?"

Pure terror surged through Kim's veins, ice daggers straight to the heart. The fear she'd felt when he was blackmailing her was nothing compared to the way she felt at that time. Darkness washed over him sending chills down her spine. Already, her heart rate was accelerating and her mind replayed the story he'd just told her. Her breaths were harsh and her muscles were frozen in place but filled with such a tingling pressure to run away. But she couldn't.

"Do you remember that story? You know it very well, don't you?"

"I... I... I don't know what you are talking about." Her voice was filled with so much fear it felt as if she was face to face with the devil.

"Really?"

He furiously gripped Kim's hand, bringing her closer. She winced in pain, feeling like he was burning her.

"You think I am joking here?" He barked in her face. "Well, since you've decided to play dumb I will tell you. My name is Jayden Alvarado, the son of David Alvarado and the same woman you murdered!"

He threw her arm and she furiously hit the wall with a thud. It was painful but Kim didn't feel anything. It was like the man had paralyzed her nerve. The adrenaline flooded her system like it was on an intravenous drip- right into her blood at full pelt. Her eyes widened as she took short harsh breaths.

***

30 years ago

*

"David, please, I am begging you!" Audrey pleaded, kneeling in front of her husband. "Don't do this. You know that I love you so much. Where am I gonna go with your son at this time?"

"Back to hell where you belong?" David yelled, waving his finger angrily in her face. "I don't know where you or that bastard is gonna go. But I want you out of this house this instant."

Audrey sobbed uncontrollably and got up. She rushed to Kim who was standing near David with her arms crossed and an evil grin on her face, enjoying the entire drama. She was dressed elegantly, looking down on Audrey like the most disgusting thing she'd ever seen.

"Please, you're a woman too." She pleaded. "You can understand my pain. Do not destroy my home like this. I love my husband so much and we have a son together." She was holding her three-year-old son who was crying. "If not for anything but for the sake of my son, do not do this. I am ready to forgive you for this and..."

"Forgive me?" Kim laughed, shaking her head. "I don't need any forgiveness from you. My husband told you to get out of this house so get your lousy self out. And as for that..." She grimaced, pointing to the crying boy. "...bastard, he's not my husband's son. The truth came out. You've been sleeping around and he found out. So, if I were you, I would just take my shameless self to the street I belong."

She flipped her hair and clung to her husband, laying her head on his shoulder.

"Did you hear that?" David pointed to the door. "Get the fuck out. The next time I see you, I am gonna find myself in jail for murder."

"Please, don't do this, David!" She pleaded. "I have nowhere else to go."

David laughed manically, hitting his brow. "You know what, I have no time for this."

He gripped her arm painfully and started dragging her out of his house together with her son. She was crying... she was on the floor but he didn't care. He dragged her out like a thief and threw her in the rain.

Kim was smiling where she stood, feeling like a man that had just won a race.

'Wow, Kim, you've totally outdone yourself this time.' She thought, rubbing seductively on her temple. 'You've landed yourself in the arms of the richest man, got rid of his wife and son. And now you get to live a lavishing life alone with him. Who could have known that a simple plan would get me here? Goodbye, Audrey and good riddance.'

She chuckled inwardly and continued enjoying the drama.

*

"What have you done?" Kim gasped, covering her mouth in shocked surprise. "David, what the hell have you done?"

She was staring at the body lying lifeless on the floor with blood on her mouth and white shirt. It was Audrey and she was dead. Kim dropped to her knees, breathing like the hounds of hell were after her. She glanced at her husband that was staring back at her, trying to get to her.

He looked horrified. He had blood on his hands, her blood and he was sweaty. Tears had welled up in his eyes and he was shaking in fear.

"M-my love, I didn't do it." David said abruptly. "Please, believe me. She... She came here to beg me to take her back and threatened to kill herself. I thought she was joking. The next thing I knew, she drank poison and... and..." He couldn't finish his sentence before he burst into tears.

Kim groaned, trying to calm down. Her heart was pounding in her chest but she tried to ignore it and slow her breathing.

"We need to call the police, David." She muttered. "We need to tell them what happened."

"W-what?" He was scared shitless. "We can't do that, my love. They're gonna think I killed her. By now, I am sure most people know the circumstances under which we got separated. They're gonna think I killed her to get rid of her."