Shattered Vengeance (The Alderidges Book 2)

Two: Humbled

ARIEN

"Don't do anything stupid." Dad fixed me with a glare.

"We should press charges against them for sexual assault and also for openly threatening us," I argued as we all sat around the dinner table.

At the mention of that, Sierna lowered her head, getting busy with her food.

Dad glanced at her softly from where he sat opposite her. "I am working on it, Arien. It will take some time, so I want you to be calm. You are hot-headed which won't help."

I rolled my eyes. "James is an asshole so it's no surprise his brother turned out to be the same. I should have never let her date him."

"Stop talking like I am not present here." Sierna snapped, finally looking up.

I ignored her and continued saying to Dad, "James has always been jealous of me, all that escalated when he didn't get selected for the U-19 team. He wants to exact his revenge through her."

Dad hummed, getting lost in his thoughts and Mom stared at him in concern.

"I am going to fuck up his life," I mumbled to myself.

Somehow Dad managed to hear it as his eyes snapped at me. "No. You will not do anything. Whatever has to be done will be done by Kallias, Asael and me. You will stay out of this."

"Why Asael and not me? He is not the head of the family yet, why do you treat him as such?"

Our family has a 'head' every generation, mostly the eldest child of the family. Uncle Kallias is the current head and will be followed by Asael when he retires after two years.
Once you are the head, you get immense power and respect, you get to make all the decisions regarding the family and no one can say otherwise as long as it is good for the family.

"Asael is responsible and mature unlike you," Dad answered. "I need you to stay focused on your selection rather than all this."

I groaned. "Dad, please."

"No. My decision is final, Arien."

I pursed my lips and took deep breaths to calm myself so that I didn't say anything rude.

Dad was right but I was too high on adrenaline to back out of this.

The rest of the dinner was spent in silence while I planned how to make that fucker pay.

.
.
.

Pulling the hood down of my jacket, I walked closer to where James's car was parked outside his home.

I stared at his house, formulating a plan to confront him because let's be honest, I came here without any plan.

I was in a hurry to leave the house without my parents or sister knowing about it and definitely not Asael. He would kill me for this.

We do things by the rules, except me.

"Looking for me?" An irritating voice grated in my ears.

I whirled around and came face to face with James himself as he smirked at me, looking all smug.

"Keep my sister out of whatever problem or rivalry you have with me," I warned. "She is innocent."

He scoffed. "Innocent? She tried to kill my brother."