The Estate Private Lounge. Alistair's Interrogation and Judgment of Eleanor.
The confrontation in the drawing room was violently terminated by Alistair. He dragged Eleanor into a private lounge, the door slamming shut with a terrifying finality.
"Say that again." Alistair's voice was low and dangerous, the powerful aura emanating from him making it difficult for Eleanor to breathe. This was not the anger of being deceived; it was the fury of trust being betrayed.
[Emotional Peak: Fury and Despair]
Eleanor leaned against the cold wall, knowing she had no retreat. She had discarded her facade, releasing all her hatred.
"I said," Eleanor met his rage, "my brother died in the Thorne family's Core Algorithm experiments. His death granted you immortality."
(Supernatural Context Deepened: The Thorne family uses a secret algorithm to convert the life force of ordinary people into their own power of "immortality.")
Alistair became terrifyingly calm. It was a calmness more frightening than his fury.
"You've been lying all along," Alistair slowly approached her. "All your dependency, all your worship, and all the humility you showed me—was all of it just to sneak into my study and steal my Algorithm?"
[Dog-Blood Twist: The Judgment of True/False Emotion]
Eleanor felt the immense hurt in his words. It wasn't the anger of a tutor towards a tool, but the despair of a man betrayed by the one he loved.
"Of course," Eleanor gritted her teeth, denying herself any chance to waver. "The contract wager was my perfect stepping stone. Your emotions toward me were merely my tool."
Alistair roughly gripped her shoulders, his strength nearly crushing her bones.
"In the Black Forest, my kiss was a reward. Your physical reaction was not fake!" Alistair roared. "Tell me, Eleanor! Did you have even a single second of sincerity towards me?!"
"No." Eleanor stared back, uttering the most heartless single word.
"Excellent." Alistair released her, swaying slightly. His eyes instantly became vacant, as if his soul had been ripped out.
[Revenge Declaration: You Will Pay Double]
"You won my trust," Alistair's voice was hoarse. "You won your chance for revenge. But you violated the contract. You lost control."
Eleanor instantly denied: "I did not!"
"You did." Alistair pointed out mercilessly, "You were willing to expose yourself for revenge, not for ten billion. This proves revenge is more important than money. And the fury and hatred you just showed me were real, and that is the antithesis of love."
He walked to the desk and picked up the phone.
"The contract is terminated. You have no inheritance, but you have no freedom either," Alistair's voice was iron-cold. "You betrayed me, Eleanor. Now, you will pay double."
(Author's Note):
Chapter Seven: Eleanor's revenge is fully exposed! The dog-blood conflict escalates: The opposite of love is hate! Alistair realizes he has been played, and he terminates the contract based on her "loss of control," stripping her of freedom. Remember: the price of revenge is always double.
By: KHChing