CHAPTER TWO

JASMINE—

“Alison has returned.”

Banging my brush on the bed, I catch my breath.

My efforts to calm down are fruitless... At risk of losing control.

I sigh deeply.

I've been nervous since Hades and I's wedding anniversary night a few days ago.

Every time I hear Hades’ voice say her name in my mind, my heart races and shuts down, making it impossible to think.

My heart skips a beat as her blond flowing hair appears in my mental screen and almost makes me break down.

Alison. The one who Hades truly loves. The woman I can never compete with.

The woman I can never be.

She was the reason he was happy during our anniversary night.

Because she has returned.

How foolish I was to not read into him.

The sound of the doorbell takes me off my feet and my head snaps towards the door like I’ve been called.

My personal maid, Enora, tries to beat me to the door but I tell her to halt.

I silently pray it is Hades, because I want him home.

He has not come home for three days for some business he has to take care of.

And I have been patiently waiting and tirelessly like the good wife I am.

I open the door to see Hades and I smile.

He is smiling too but only when I decide to fathom his smile that I notice a glowing blond hair behind him.

My heart stops beating.

Alison steps in front of Hades and my heart instantly makes a summersault.

My breath hitches.

Alison Welsh.

She is beautiful and her smile is as warm as her personality.

Alison has always looked good. The same friend that I’ve always looked up to grew up to be more than a beautiful woman.

Her lips stretch her smile further for me and her blue eyes gaze at me only to stark me a contrast of my own guilt-ridden conscience past.

No.

All my life it feels like I owe Alison.

Growing up as an omega at the orphanage, with little to no love and acceptance from people around me, Alison was one of the reasons I wanted to wake up every morning.

She was a good friend.

My best friend even, she was the daughter of a beta and yet she did not mind being with someone like me.

She was always there. Against all odds.

I wanted to be like Alison.

She was pretty, she was perfect. She was everything.

She was involved with Hades first, not until I found out he was my mate and was forced to marry him.

And because we were mated, and married, Alison had to back down, and eventually, she left the silvermist for more personal reasons.

But yet before leaving, she was still so subtle about everything.

About me getting married to the man she loves.

And till this day I still feel horrible, like I took what was supposed to be hers.

And now that she’s back.

I don’t know what to think.

“Jasmine,” Alison cry snaps me out of my reverie.

And she pulls me into her warm hug.

I am stunned but don’t hesitate to hug her too.

My eyes dart to Hades and my heart sinks in.

He looks so happy.

I’ve never seen him as happy as he looks right now.

It makes me jealous.

I’ve never made him this happy.

And I don’t think I can.

I take a step back after my hug with Alison and bite the inside of my cheeks.

“It is so good to see you again” Alison is ecstatic.

I want to say the same thing but I’d be a liar.

If anything, I am terrified of being in the same space as Alison.

Hades walks into the house and closes the door behind him.

I am a bit taken aback to see some luggages with him.

He left with little to few things.

Yet he’s back with so many things— including Alison.

The minute the servants in the main pack house start to help with the luggages and Hades catches my eyes lingering on them, He lets the words out immediately.

“Alison will be staying here for a while”

I pause.

My eyes switch to Alison and a drapery smile enchants her lips.

She bats her long lashes at me and I turn to Hades.

He strains his neck at me. “Do you have a problem with that?”

I want to ask why, but I don’t dare.

I gulp.

“Of course not. Alison’s my friend” I glance at Alison who looks excited.

It’s been years since I’ve seen her and called her friend. But what else would I address her with? She used to be a friend.

And now?

I am just a backstabber who married the man she loved.

I have no say in this.

Even if I am asked.

Saying no will make Alison hate me, and I've already done enough damage to make her hate me—but she doesn't—and Hades will never look at me the same way.

“You’re amazing jasmine. Thank you for letting me stay here” Alison’s soft voice clouds the house and she proceeds to take me by the arm.

“How I’ve missed you Jasmine”

She’s so pretty. She smells nice.

It’s almost obnoxious.

“Thank you,”

“Please do not thank me,” I smile.

A faux smile I do not intend to use.

“I certainly do, the two of you are just way too nice to me and I can’t thank each of you enough” she beams and turns to look at Hades.

Hades smiles, and their eyes lock in a gaze that makes me feel invisible.

The air is charged with tension as they seem to see only each other.

Their eyes speak a language that only they understand, and I'm left feeling like an outsider, witnessing a private moment that reveals the secrets of their souls.

I try not to read much into it and disrupt their gaze with a clear of my throat.

“Alison, let’s get you settled in” My voice sounds weak.

I hate this feeling settling at the bottom of my gut.

As Alison lets go of me and takes a step forward, the bracelet around her wrist slips out of her hand and falls to the concrete ground, halting her from going any further.

Simultaneously, she and Hades squats and dive for the bracelet.

But instead of taking the bracelet, they both grab each other’s hand.

My eyes linger briefly on their hands before taking notice of the bracelet on the floor.

Its familiarity hits me and I instantly realize it is the same bracelet I have seen on Hades’ wrists a couple of times.

I can still vividly remember the day He aggressively yelled at Enora for accidentally touching it.

Even I, his wife, doesn't dare to touch it.

I've always wondered what was so special about such a bracelet, but now I can see it is a noticeable significance of their love for each other.

My limbs weaken.

They burst into laughter, laughing at their silliness, but as the moment fades and their laugh ends, they forget to let go of each other's hands.

In slow motion, right under my darn eyes.

Hades' fingers trace gentle circles on Alison's palm, his warm eyes roaming her face with a tender intensity.

The air is electric with tension as they savor the touch, their connection palpable.

I'm frozen in place, a helpless witness to the sparks flying between them.

My heart falls into my stomach and a monstrous chill passes through my entire nervous system.

What the fuck was that?

-*