Page 146 of Revenge

Dad told me exactly what I was supposed to do. At precisely eight o’clock, the party would be attacked by a group of men. Viktor and his father would be killed, and Dad would be left with everything. He would gain all the power he needed to be the ruler of everything. But they fucking missed. I had to disappear until things calmed down and I could return to claim Viktor. Then something unexpected happened.

“What’s wrong?” Mom asks.

“I just took a pregnancy test, and it’s positive,” I tell Mom, freaking out over the cell. I was supposed to lay low and stay out of trouble.

“Your father isn’t going to be happy. Who’s the father?”

“Does it matter? What should I do? I doubt Daddy would approve of me having a baby that isn’t a Manarch.” He was clear with me. He told me my only duty was to marry Viktor so he could take over everything. Me having someone else’s baby is not part of the plan he has carefully devised for the last five years.

“Where are you?” Mom asks.

“In London, on my way to the airport.”

“Do you know how far along you are?”

“Maybe five weeks. I should get an abortion and forget the whole thing,” I add more for myself.

“I’m sure you can think of something that will fix this. And Fiona…”

“What?”

“Don’t tell a soul about the pregnancy. This has to be our secret.”

I look in the mirror for the hundredth time. I hate the fact that little bitch Aisling ruined my body and left a scar where there shouldn’t be one. I never wanted to be a mother. I would have ended the pregnancy in a heartbeat, but she was the perfect excuse to get what I wanted. The power of being a Manarch has been the only thing I’ve cared about for years. I was groomed to be a Manarch. The plan was to sleep with him and make him believe it was his baby when I got home from London. Shortly after I revealed I was having his baby, we would marry, and the McIntyres could have everything. Everything was planned to perfection until I learned of the whore in Viktor’s life. She was an obstacle I wasn’t expecting. He was head over heels for her and still is.

There was only one way to fix this, and I knew I had to return home immediately. I needed to sleep with Viktor as quickly as possible. Men are dumb, so he wasn’t going to figure it out. But because of Ava, it wasn’t as simple. I couldn’t believe my dad didn’t do anything to prevent him from getting involved with a whore from the housing projects. She’s a low life, and it should have been simple to get rid of her at the beginning, but here I am, still dealing with her. Her giving birth to his bastard son hasn’t helped me, either.

I had no choice but to plan quickly. I needed to find a way to be alone with Viktor. But it was impossible. Everywhere I went, she was with him. I had people spying on him, waiting for anything to go wrong with them. Anything that could get me what I needed. When I got the call that he had gotten into an argument with her, I jumped at the opportunity. Bonus when I realized he was drunk. I was finally going to get everything I wanted.

She ruined my perfect plan when I learned she was pregnant too. I tried multiple times to get rid of her. I even tried to run her over with my car shortly after I learned where she was, but I failed. Then the two idiots my dad sent who were supposed to kill her failed as well. I was sure it would happen when he had her pushed down the stairs, but once again, it was another failure. Apparently, Oliver found out about her pregnancy and started protecting her, making it harder to get rid of her. I ran out of options when Viktor heard me tell my mom that Ava was pregnant. I was careless. At least he hasn’t learned that Aisling isn’t his, so there’s still hope for me to get what I want.

I’m going to meet with a hitman to set a plan in motion that won’t fail. Now that we are divorced, I’ve run out of time. Aisling is my only bargaining chip, but I fear she won’t be for much longer. I have to take matters into my own hands, and I can’t count on my dad or his men to get the job done. I need to get rid of Ava once and for all. I heard they’re getting married tomorrow. The hitman will kill Ava, and I’ll be done with her. I’ll take Aisling and pretend someone kidnapped her. Viktor will be distraught and will move heaven and earth to find Aisling. By the time he miraculously finds her, I’ll be there to console him about Ava’s death and be the perfect mother. It’s the perfect plan. Everyone fears Cillian McIntyre, but that’s because they don’t truly know what I’m capable of. After all, I’m my father’s daughter.

I grab my purse and leave. My meeting with the hitman in a nearby diner should be quick. I’m keeping my dad in the dark on this one. I don’t need him trying to improve my plan as he often does. Inside the diner I spot the hitman and walk straight to him. He’s from out of town so no one will know who he is.

“Make it quick,” he says as I sit.

I hand him a picture of Ava. “She’s your target. They’re getting married in a hotel he owns. The address is on the back of the picture. It should be easy to get in. But expect a lot of security. He doesn’t take chances when it comes to her.”

“Do you have the money?” I take the envelope out of my purse.

“Twenty thousand like you asked.” He stands to leave. “I need to know when it’s done.”

“You’ll know. Don’t ever contact me again.”

For some people, twenty thousand dollars might be much but for me this is money spent. Tomorrow it will all be over, and Viktor will be mine.

Wearing a black wig, sunglasses, and coat, I stand in the hotel lobby. It’s the perfect disguise. I didn’t even recognize myself when I left the house. Plus, there are people everywhere providing additional cover.

A few days ago, I came to the hotel to figure out the best way to execute my part of the plan to take Aisling. I got the details for Aisling’s room and paid a housekeeper to give me her uniform and confirm when Aisling arrived. It’s a few hours before the wedding, and everyone should be too preoccupied with all the little details to notice me.

I quickly take the elevator up to a room I booked on the floor below Aisling. Inside the room, I change into the housekeeping outfit. Who would suspect trouble from a housekeeper?

Once I’m ready, I take the elevator up one floor. Exiting the elevator on the floor Aisling is in, I notice only two men at the door. Viktor is getting careless, but it’s perfect for me.

“Hi, someone called for housekeeping,” I say, fluttering my eyelashes flirtatiously. I have towels in my hands, so why would they suspect anything? Men are so gullible. One of the men looks me up and down but doesn’t recognize me. That’s not surprising, given I’ve never seen him before. He knocks on the door, “Ms. O’Brien, a housekeeper is here.”

“Let her in.” I hear Ava say.

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