A MAZE OF GREED

Theodora never failed to take Ruth by surprise with her bitterness. She always managed to break her previous perception in Ruth's mind.

"Sometimes, I do not understand how a person can be so selfish?" Ruth narrowed her eyes at her.

"Are not we all selfish here Ruth? You are using that old woman to gain sympathy from society. You use your beauty to attract men towards you. You use your wicked brain to lure them into the trap and, use them to your advantage.

How else a street cat like you managed to sneak her way in 'the great manor'? ....Since you came here, you deliberately planned everything in detail. You began removing every obstacle in your path beginning from Eloise."

Ruth could only listen to this woman's senseless theories.

"You used Rees to get here. You then tried your charm on Lester. But when you realised that Edwin was the goldfish in the pond, you shifted your complete focus on him.

You think that I was not noticing you going into his office frequently?"

Ruth was speechless. She concluded that what people said about Theodora was not an entire lie. She had her ears and eyes all over the place. She used that information only when she deemed it fit her advantage.

"But let me tell you one thing, Ruth. Using Edwin is useless, really. People may consider him as the rightful heir of the O'Dell family but, he is not worthy of it.

Only my husband is capable of protecting the family name and, expanding its influence. And I helped him with that. I made him the man he is today. I stood shoulder to shoulder by his side and took responsibility on my shoulders.

And after so many efforts, you think that Edwin will get everything easily?"

Theodora scoffed. "If you are dreaming about it then it is time to wake up little bird. You may step into the world of elites at your will. But surviving in this world is not an easy task. This world is not for a naive woman like you!"

Theodora laughed, throwing her head backwards. Her shoulder shook as she laughed. That was the most Ruth had ever seen her act like a normal person. But Ruth was not a fool to consider Theodora normal in any way.

"I have sacrificed many things in my life to reach this peak. The things I have done and made others do are beyond your imagination. And you think to snatch a part of it from me? Never! I will not let it happen till I breathe! Not even with the help of Edwin."

Ruth also just noticed how much resentment Theodora held against Edwin, her own nephew. Ruth had seen Edwin insult people irrespective of their age and status but, she had never seen him disrespecting any family member, especially his uncle and aunt.

Then why does Theodora keep such bad will against him?

Of course, she could because if a mother could not think for her own child, then why would she think about somebody else's child?

"Trust me, Ruth, Edwin is a notorious womanizer. He will lure you, seduce you, make you feel wanted, exploit your soft heart, and when he is done using your body and beauty, he will discard you like a used paper.

You can enjoy his masculinity in bed. I heard that he is incomparable in that department. Even I would not have minded having a great time with him if only he was not my family." Theodora shrugged nonchalantly.

Ruth felt so disgusted with this woman that she thought of draining her body with every single drop of blood that belonged to Theodora Longhurst. She had already lost Ruth's respect a long time ago. But after this, all she had in Ruth's heart was pure white HATE!

Was this another reason she used Gerald?- Satisfy her physical needs? Ruth felt the bile rise in her throat.

"Hundreds of women has came and gone in his life. He has never settled on anyone. And you think that he can settle on someone like you? You even do not know who your father was. Or did your mother had more than one man that she herself did not know name of your father?"

"Theodora!" Ruth thundered like an angry goddess.

Her ears burned with the poison Theodora just spat out of her mouth.

"How your tongue did not go limp before saying such an awful thing about the woman you do not even know? You do not have any right to talk about my mother because you are not worthy of even the dust of her feet.

You are very proud of your title and the privileges it provides, are not you? Then let me tell you, Theodora O'Dell, life is way beyond these materialistic things. You will realise it one day. But then you will be already in a sorry state that no one can imagine.

And this is my challenge to you!"

Ruth had enough of Theodora's nonsense.

"And I challenge you to dare that! Let's see Ruth who wins. A woman with no family status or a woman who is practically a ruling queen of Vincardine?!"

Ruth smirked, her eyes blazing fire of anger, vengeance and determination.

"It will be fun, I promise!"

Ruth walked out of the room with a hard face and harder resolve. She would teach this woman a lesson of her lifetime. Theodora O'Dell had to pay for every pain she had caused to all the people she forgot.

She had to pay for discarding her daughter. She had to pay for her arrogance and negligence.

Ruth would make her pay! By hook or by crook!!!

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Augustus has again locked up in the far cornered room in his office building with a bottle of alcohol as his companion. Elsie's words had only ignited his rage even more than before.

-"And this empire belongs to brother Edwin. Is not he the rightful successor of this legacy after uncle Walter?!"-

Even Elsie, his little girl also thought that it all belonged to Edwin and not him!

What else could be worse than this?

Augustus stood up from his armchair in rage. He chugged half glass of alcohol. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he glared at Walter's portrait with bloodshot eyes.

"Walter, you moron! How much do you want to mess with my life? Are not you yet happy with what I have been through since my birth?

You must be laughing at my misery from above there, right?!"

He guzzled the remaining alcohol down his throat. He burped loudly, his eyes heavy under the effect of alcohol.

"And you Margaret... why you are still punishing me even after years? Why do you torture me in my dreams? You had a choice, you could have chosen me instead of Walter. Have not people done that before in the past?

You could have chosen me over your mate! But you did not! You saw Walter's title, the power he had and the fact that he was the leader of the werewolves. But did you know how much I wanted you? How much I loved you?"

Augustus was finally letting it out of his chest. Margaret was the main reason he always loathed Walter.

"I met Agatha, my mate!" Augustus ran his hand on the portrait that hung beside his.

"She was sweet, kind but not as beautiful as you! But when I met her, I thought I finally had someone to feel that void in my chest that you created unknowingly." A tear rolled down his cheek as he thought about Agatha.

"I thought I might move on from you. But no! The Moon Goddess had to be cruel with me this time too! You always supported your husband in everything he did, irrespective of the consequences.

I expected the same from Agatha. Was I wrong when I expected her to support me in the rebellion against Walter? No! And yet she opposed me, fought with me. Her loyalty for her leader and love for her family created a rift between our relationship."

Augustus's heavy breaths collided with the thick walls of the darkroom. He looked like a different person in the flickering red light of a single torch that illuminated a part of the room.

"And then came Theodora. She was everything I wished Agatha was. But then she is neither Agatha nor you. She is just... Theodora! No matter how much she try she can never take your places in my heart." Augustus never felt guilty about that, because he knew why Theodora agreed to marry him.

The O'Dell! The title was enough to make her agree to marry a man who was many years older than her. That title made her accept who Augustus really was along with his world.

His drooping eyes then settled on Edwin's portrait.

"I should have killed you at the right time. But you always remained as a reminder of Margaret, a part of her. I should not have let my emotions fool me!"

Augustus turned to fill his glass again but paused midway when something struck him. Turning around, he stared at the blank space beside Edwin's portrait.

His mind tried connecting the dots that he should have already done. A face tries to appear in front of his hazed vision. Augustus blinked after rubbing his eyes a couple of times. He staggered on his feet as the aftereffect of drinking too much alcohol.

Before that face got clearer, Augustus collapsed on the floor, slurring something incoherent before he passed out.