Irresistible Love novel Chapter 21

You can't ever predict what life has for you. When you expect something it doesn't goes the way you want and when you least expect something to happen, you get a surprise and it is where you are confused about your life and it makes you think hard whether the things that are happening is for good or bad. Like a deer caught on a spotlight, I watched as Kiara looked at me visibly upset and I could feel the anxiety building up inside me as I thought the more about her.

Earlier, when I was with Alex's grandmother in a mall I was caught none other than Kiara and Kristian and she refused to believe that I was someone else named Ivona. Even though I had dyed my hair, still she refused to believe that it wasn't my real hair colour and I was indeed the same Juliette she knew as her best friend. I was so busy Alex's grandmother trying my best to take all information about Alex's past life out of her that I didn't realise when I was noticed.

Looking at the current state of Kiara, I was sure that she had already heard the conversation between me and Zachary and she had already known the truth.

"So? How longer did you plan on playing the act Ms. Ivona or should I say Mrs. Juliette Sullivan?" she said in a taut voice and I shifted on my position looking back at Zachary who wore his sunglasses and shoved his hands into his pant pockets avoiding Kristian's penetrating gaze.

We were inside in Zachary's house as we stood in three different corners of the house with Zachary sitting casually as if nothing happened in his lounge, Kiara and Kristian stood together near the piano while I stood near the balcony thinking of a way to start a conversation.

"So you knew who I was back in that mall, right?" she asked and I looked up at her to reply but she scoffed at me and held her forehead laughing sarcastically.

"Of course you did!" she answered her own question and it was when Kristian spoke up "And you! You knew all this from the beginning didn't you? Still you made me work in your absence and here you are enjoying with your wife or should I say," he air quoted the word "Late" before eying me up and down and glaring back at Zachary "Wife,"

Zachary chose to keep his mouth shut as he sat there on the lounge and remained mute looking anywhere but at him.

"What great actors," Kristian remarked in a disbelief and huffed "Should we clap for your brilliant performance?" he mocked us and then clapped his hands keeping his words.

"Kiara, I can explain," I said and she narrowed her eyes at me.

"Oh so you know my name? I thought you don't even know me," she said in a toneless voice.

Pursing my lips I looked back at Zachary for some help but all he did was shrug his shoulders in response clearly telling me that I have to deal the situation all by myself because I was the one who planned all this from beginning.

I remember the day when we planned all this in the hospital. Zachary wasn't really the supportive one but he didn't even step back but instead he made one condition before me and it was I had to deal with his family and mine all by myself when the truth of me being alive comes out. Wanting to start the plan immediately, I had said yes almost immediately without thinking of the situation or consequences but now when I face an upset Kiara and a miffed Kristian I get it just how difficult it would be to face the other family members.

"You made me feel like a maniac. I thought maybe I was seeing things and I got the wrong person but I was right. I thought we could help Mr. Sullivan who has been suffering and being miserable all this while because of your death but here we see he knows that you're alive and he has been with you since the beginning but just why? I don't understand just why did you act the way you did back there in Romania even though you knew your wife was alive. What was the reason for acting and for remaining hidden from us all this while?" she asked out of breath.

"Do you know how your father, brother and mother has been suffering all this while? Do you know how your friends Tess, Eve, Marianna have been mourning since your death? Do you even know how I felt after I heard the news of your accident that happened just after a few minutes after I had called you to tell you about your parents arrival and them searching for you? Since then I have been thinking that perhaps it was my fault. If only I had not called you that day then you wouldn't have died," she said in a brittle voice and soon enough Kristian had his arms around her.

"Um Kiara....are you not happy that I am alive?" I said out of the blue but then realised my mistake and bit down on my tongue. Her head whipped up in my direction and her previous sorrowful expression changed to a grimace one as she strides up to me and lifted her hand up wanting to slap me.

If it wasn't for Zachary standing in the middle and holding her hand, I would've hit hard on my face but it made even more frightened than I already was.

"You! You just don't even understand my pain and you think I'm unhappy because I see you alive?" she outraged and I shrunk behind Zachary, horrified.

"I-I am sorry Kiara," I whispered and heard her struggling against Zachary's hold.

"Let go of her," Kristian spoke up.

"Enough now. You need to listen to her part too before jumping to conclusions. We know that you were in pain but we didn't do it on purpose. As much as you were hurting, we went through it too and we didn't really love to deceive you all. We have a reason for doing it and before you hit her, listen this... she is pregnant," Zachary said and Kiara's eyes widened up in shock.

"W-What?" she managed to mutter and looked my way.

"Look! Please calm down and let me explain," I said as calmly as I could and all she did was to stare at me blankly while Kristian held her by her shoulders mirroring Kiara's expression.

It took me an hour or more to tell her everything that happened from the point where I had the accident to where I got up in the hospital and got to know everything and letting Zachary know about me and our plan. Even though Zachary didn't really seem to mind it, still I felt an urge to stop myself from telling them about our plan of catching the back stabber that was still roaming freely between us. By the time I finished, Kiara had an equally angry expression as Kristian as he looked back and forth between me and Zachary.

"So, now you're saying that you have to keep on playing the act of being Ivona infront that scoundrel Alex?" Kristian asked and all I did was nod in agreement and heard Zachary sighing.

"No! You can't!" Kiara cried out and before I realised she came forward and engulfed me into a tight hug. I could feel the tension in her body and I knew I made her suffer a lot and it was why she was so worried for me. The fact that I had hurt so many people, made me upset and at that moment I realised how much I hated Alex for doing that to me and also the person who has been helping him.

"Do you not understand? You are no more a single person. You have a life inside your body and you have to protect it!" she said signifying the baby in my womb.

"Exactly Kiara!" I held her by shoulder as I looked into her eyes.

"I have to protect my baby and it is why I'm so keen on ending this once for all. Just think about it Kiara, they tried to kill and almost succeeded on killing me, it was just my luck that saved me and I came back alive. Do you think they will not try to harm my baby?" I said and saw Zachary flinching at the end and his jaws locked yet he chose to keep his mouth shut.

"Still, this so risky. He will kill you!" Kiara cried.

"Don't worry nothing will happen to her," Zachary spoke up and we all looked towards his direction as he went back to sit on his lounge.

"How can you be so sure about that?" Kiara asked and before I could argue Zachary spoke up "Because she is not going back!" he said and I huffed in response.

"Again! We are just back to square one!" I murmured annoyed by Zachary's argument of sending me back to Alex. We have been fighting over it since morning but yet he keeps standing to his decisions.

"Yes, don't send her to him," Kiara said finally smiling and looked back at me "He is right. Don't go back. We are here and we are going to help you. I-" she held my hands and looked at me with determination "I promise we are going to find the one who has done this to you."

"But Kiara. Everything will fail if I don't go back. Do you know what will happen? Alex will know everything and we can never catch-"

"The only thing you need to do now is to rest and take care of yourself. Leave the rest to me. But this is more important and this is decided that you're not going there anymore," he said sternly when Kristian spoke up "Yes, now we are with you as well. I'm sure he has something planned in his head so rest assured and leave everything to us."

I looked back and forth at the three of them and I understood that no matter how much I tried I couldn't manipulate them and finally I gave up and thought about it and sighed.

"Fine! Do whatever you all want," I said and pushing past Kiara I walked towards the bedroom but I could hear them calling for me.

I just don't understand why Zachary doesn't want to proceed with this plan. We were just so close to reach the end. Just what made him change the plan all of a sudden.

Does he not wish to find the person?

But amidst all this things, I was sure of one thing and it was whatever Zachary was doing I was sure that he wasn't backing off because of my pregnancy. Either he wants to hold the matter for some days or my lips quirked up as I realised is behaviour "or perhaps he has already caught the one."