INSATIABLE CRAVINGS
Insatiable Cravings – Episode 79
Subtitle; {Loving You Is A Loosing Game}
TAGS: Age-gap, Mafia, Forbidden Love, Drama, Tragedy and Betrayal.
Settings: United Kingdom, Russia and others.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
~ Genevieve ~
I was acutely aware that the moment Adrianna caught me taking water from Dominic, I had landed myself in a right pickle—an impending, lengthy lecture lay in my future. After all, she was a spitting image of Mariah King, albeit without the power to ground me. But believe me, her words could cut just as deep.
I found myself pressing my back against the wall, an inch away from it, intentionally creating what I thought was a reasonable distance. As if that could somehow cushion the impact of her inevitable tirade.
“It was just water, Ria,” I repeated for what felt like the hundredth time, but she maintained her piercing gaze, unwavering and knowing.
It had been nearly five minutes since she’d practically dragged me into this room, and still, not a word had passed her lips. She stood there, her expression a mixture of disbelief and judgement as if I had committed some heinóus crime.
“It’s not as if taking water from him is going to rúin your career or something. I didn’t pilfer anything to sabotage your company’s growth, Adrianna, so quit looking at me like that.”
“And how should I look at you, then?” she snapped, her tone sharp enough to make me flinch. “No, tell me—how should I look at you.”
“Adrianna, it was just water! Why are you reacting like this?”
“I’m not reacting in any way that isn’t befitting of what just happened, Genevieve. What on earth were you thinking?!”
“Nothing!” I shot back, not even bothering to deny it. “I wasn’t thinking because I was too busy coughing. I simply needed a drink of water.”
“Not from Dominic Morozov, you don’t.”
“Why not? If you were in my shoes, wouldn’t you have taken the drink?”
“I would never take anything from Dominic, let alone even consider putting it in my mouth.” She stepped closer, her presence intimidating. “You wouldn’t do it either. Genevieve King wouldn’t under any circumstances accept anything from anyone—man or woman, good or bad—because of your ego. It’s rather typical for a King to have humongous ego. The act itself isn’t the real issue; it’s the manner in which it was done.”
Oh, crikey. She wasn’t wrong.
If anyone else had been in Dominic’s place, I wouldn’t have looked twice or even considered accepting anything from them. I would have rather choked than touch anything offered by pretentious, intolerable people.
“It was almost as if tonight wasn’t the first time he’d handed you water. It felt so casual, so routine, so… so homely.”
Well, there it was. I was undeniably in trouble.
Clearing my throat, I stepped closer to her, each step slow and cautious. She noticed, her brows arching as she regarded me with the wariness of someone observing a wild animal poised to pounce.
Perhaps it was time.
“I want to tell you something, but you must promise me you won’t get angry. Or mention it to Mother or Dad.”
Her brows remained furrowed, and her gaze was intense enough to sear a hole through my head. “And what is that?”
“No, no, no. Promise me first,” I insisted.
“Fine,” she rolled her eyes. “What is it?”
How on earth do I start?
How do I explain that I’m dating her enémy—the very one she warned me to steer clear of?
Words eluded me, and when they finally tumbled out, I blurted, “Um, Dominic and I are a couple.”
“I beg your pardon? I didn’t quite catch that.”
“I’m in a relationship with Dominic,” I articulated slowly this time. Shock flickered across her face, her eyes wide with disbelief. “We’ve been seeing each other for a while now.”
“And how long, precisely, is ‘a while’?” she snapped, her expression a mixture of incredulity and anger.
“Four months.”
“Four months?!” Adrianna exclaimed, closing the distance between us so abruptly that I couldn’t help but flinch. “You and Dominic Morozov have been in a relationship for four months? How? When? Why? Where?”
“You’re getting angry.”
“Of course I am! My little sister is dating someone who’s significantly older than her.”
“Significantly older? It’s just a ten-year gap.”
“Just? How can you possibly describe a ten-year gap as ‘just’? You will break up with him.”
A scoff escaped my lips. “No, I won’t. I love him, Adrianna.”
“Love? How on earth do you know anything about love? You’re eighteen.”
“Nineteen! And I know more about love than you do.”
“Oh, you do, don’t you?” she shot back, her tone laced with mockery.
“Ria, please, I truly love him. I love him and he loves me. You can’t just demand that I end things with him; you simply can’t.”
“You must,” she insisted, her voice rising with urgency.
“Why? You’re the one who has a problem with him, not me. Why should I have to bear the brunt of it? Why do I have to suffér?”
“Suffér? You know nothing of sufféring,” she retorted, her expression fierce.
“And you do?” I countered, incredulity spilling over.
“Yes, I do!” Adrianna exclaimed, rage threading through her words. “I know about sufféring, which is precisely why you’re free enough to be in a relationship.”
Confusion swirled within me, a tempest of emotions. “What do you mean?”
“What I mean is that all my life, I’ve been bearing the weight of responsibilities to grant you the life you enjoy right now. Everett didn’t want to be controlled, so he left. If I were to leave as well, who do you think would shoulder all the burdens? Do you believe Mother would allow you to go if I left? I took on those responsibilities so you could have the freedom you possess—the life you live now.”
What?
“So yes, I know what it is to suffer, while you know nothing of it. Everett is free, you are free, but I am not. Do you think I relish being a puppet, as you’re so fond of saying to Mother? Do you believe I adore it? Well, I don’t. It’s suffocating, and I absolutely loathe it, but I endure it for you. If I hadn’t agreed to this long ago, Mother would have found a way to tie you down, ensuring you couldn’t leave.” And just like that, she turned her back on me, storming away as if she hadn’t just detonated a bombshell in the middle of our conversation.
I stood there, reeling from her words, the weight of her unburdened heart pressing down on my own. My mind raced, processing the revelation that my sister had sacrificed so much for my sake, and yet here I was, caught up in my own desires, oblivious to the sacrifices she had made.
The air felt thick with unspoken tension, and my heart pounded in my chest. How could she see my relationship with Dominic as a betrayal when her own sacrifices felt like a shackle? But as I thought about it, I couldn’t help but acknowledge the truth in her words. I had always taken my freedom for granted, while she had been the one bearing the weight of our family’s expectations.
“Adrianna!” I called out, my voice echoing off the walls, but she didn’t turn back. The door swung shut behind her, leaving me in a suffocating silence, and I felt the tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.
What was I supposed to do now? I loved Dominic, but at what cost? Would I be willing to sacrifice my relationship for my sister’s peace of mind? The conflict raged within me, a tempest of loyalty and love.
As I sank onto the edge of a chair, my heart felt heavier than ever. I could still hear Adrianna’s words ringing in my ears, hauntiñg me. I had to find a way to make her understand, to bridge this chasm between us, but how?
In that moment, the reality of my choices settled around me like a thick fog, obscuring my path forward. I was caught between the love I felt for Dominic and the responsibility I felt toward Adrianna. It was a delicate balance, and one wrong move could send everything spiraling into chàos.
Taking a deep breath, I wiped away the tears that had begun to fall. I couldn’t let fear dictate my choices. I had to stand firm in what I believed, but I also had to find a way to honour my sister’s sacrifices. It was time to confront the situation head-on, to face Adrianna once more and show her that I was not just the carefree little sister she thought I was. I was ready to fight for both love and family.
TBC
