The Triangle

Chapter 21: Happiest Moment

(Janet's POV)
December 17, 2025

I hugged her and started sobbing. “I am sorry Alice. I am so sorry.” I said.

“Don't cry. Tell me who it is?” She asked and I whispered that person's name in her ear.

Her jaw dropped open and her eyes widened in shock. She stood there, as if frozen in her place. She immediately let go of the hug and pushed me so hard that I stumbled.

“No. You can't do that,” she said.

“Alice please listen…” I was trying to calm her down but she didn't let me finish my words and said, “No, I am not going to listen to anything. You are not doing this, that's it.” She yelled.

“I WILL.” I shouted and she flinched.

I held her hand and said, “Alice, I know it's not easy to accept everything but sometimes we are left with no choice. This is what the universe wants and we can not fight against the universe.”

“I-if this is the o-only way then I d-don't want him back…no.” She stuttered in between her sobs.

“This is not only the way to bring Jeremy back, but it is also the only way to kill Cassandra,” I said and she started crying so hard that I got panicked.

I held her face with my both hands and wiped her tears and said, “You have to be strong. You can do it Alice. We can do it. I have decided and I can't stop now. Please forgive me. Please.”

“I forgive you but do you think Jeremy will ever forgive you? Do you think your family will forgive you?” She asked and a shiver ran down my spine.
*****

December 18, 2025

It was midnight, and I was trying to sleep, but I couldn't close my eyes for even a moment. My heart was pounding, and a million thoughts raced through my mind. Suddenly, I heard the door open and saw my entire family, along with Alice, standing in front of me, holding a huge cake decorated with candles.

“Surprise” they said in unison and then started singing “Happy Birthday to You…”

“Oh! I didn't even remember! Thank you so much, everyone.” I said and smiled happily.

“What! You forgot your birthday?” Alice asked. I nodded slowly in embarrassment and everyone laughed at my reaction.

“We have one more surprise for you.” Mom said.

“What?” I asked curiously.

“Follow me.” She said.

We all descended the stairs and moved to the living room. There, I saw a middle-aged man standing with a big smile on his face.

“Professor Campb-father!” I whispered and my eyes started glistening with tears of happiness.

“Happy birthday my lovely daughter. You didn't expect me here, did you?” He asked, but my mind couldn't form the words to say anything.

“Shane always comes here on your birthday, but he never told you about it because he always refused to meet you,” my adoptive father, Stephen Milton said.

“Janet I'm sorry. Please don't get me wrong.” My father, professor Campbell said.

“That's alright, I understand,” I said and smiled. He smiled back, hugged me, and said, “I love you very much, my daughter. I don't want to lose you.” Hearing this, for some reason, I felt a jolt in my heart.
*****

My whole family was together, laughing, cheering and enjoying. What could have been more joyous than this? I was feeling so fortunate to have such a beautiful family. It was the best moment of my life. Perhaps, the last best moment of my life.

Everyone was busy enjoying, meanwhile, I saw Alice standing at one corner of the room with a sombre face. I moved towards her and asked, “Hey, what's wrong?”

She sighed and said, “like you don't know.” I nodded and a drop of salty water fell from my eyes.

“Hey! don't cry, dear. It's your birthday. It's your day. Janet, I'll find another way so you don't have to kill…” I interrupted her, “Alice, you can't do that. This is our destiny. You can't change it.”

She was about to cry when I immediately hugged her and whispered, “It's okay. Everything will be okay. You're my only strength, Alice. Please stay strong. Please.”

“I'm strong enough to handle this, but not Jeremy. He'll be wrecked, Janet. He'll just wreck.” She said, the pain evident in her voice.
*****

“Janet, I'm telling you one last time, please change your mind,” Alice said.

“Let's get in the car Alice,” I said firmly. She sighed and complied with me because she knew that I would stick to what I decided. We were going to the cemetery for saving my love, my Jeremy and kill Cassandra.

Cassandra is a powerful witch. If she wanted she could have killed me before. She didn't need to mess with Alice's life but she did twist the whole game and she did it to become more powerful. Every witches' power multiplies on solar eclipse. Today is the total solar eclipse and my birthday too. Today my powers will increase manifold and she is going to take advantage of it. She will take away my powerful soul and will destroy everything. But I will not let her do that.
*****