Avenoir

Avenoir - Kristen

Kristen

I stare at John feeling equally outraged and nauseated. That witch has woven her spell around him. It was obvious the moment the door opened what they'd been up to. Holding hands, her lips bruised, his hair wild and his shirt crumpled.

That fucking slut! He's mine! He's my husband. She can't just waltz in here and snap her fingers and take him from me! She can't stick her forked tongue down his throat and erase his love for me. He loves me! He chose me after Aremid.

I feel hot and sick as he takes her hand again, running his thumb over the back of it. I could scream, I could flail, I could wrap my hands around her haggard old neck and wring the last breath out of her oh-so-perfect body.

But instead, I clench my teeth and try and hold my outrage inside. Attacking Marlena will not bring John back to me. What I have to do is convince him that he belongs with me, that he can't break his marriage vows and walk away from his wife and his son.

"He never would have hurt her," I say scornfully. "He loves her."

"That's not love," John growls. "Stefano covets her. He wants to possess her. You and he are no different. You really are his daughter, aren't you?"

"And what if I am, John?" I snap derisively. "You still love me. You chose to be with me after Aremid. You chose to have a baby with me. What makes Marlena so special, so much better than me now?"

"I don't love you!" he exclaims. "I loved who I thought you were. I loved the facade you wove to fool me. I love Doc because she's kind and thoughtful and honest. I love her because she always considers other people's feelings, and she cares about what happens to them. I love her integrity, her genuine commitment to helping others." He turns to her and catches her eyes, smiling at her as he reaches up with his free hand and slides his thumb across her cheek. "I love her heart. I love how devoted she is to her family, and to her children. I love her strength and her vulnerability. I love her wicked sense of humor. I love that she would never, ever put her needs first if it meant anybody else getting hurt."

"Oh, spare me," I snipe as I make a retching noise. "Of course, who could possibly compete with Saint Marlena?"

"Not you, that's for sure," that smugly annoying mousy blonde behind me pipes up again.

Not hesitating for a moment, I spin around and whip the palm of my hand across her homely face. "I have had enough of your smartass commentary!" I shout as Alice Horton cries out, and I hear St. Marlena gasp behind me.

"Hillary!" That false bitch pulls away from John and runs to her little protege who is holding her face in shock. Marlena tugs on her hand, pulling her up from the seat and folding her arm around her shielding her from any further attacks. "Kristen, how dare you lay a hand on this girl!"

"What the fuck is she even doing here?" I demand. "This is none of her business. This is none of your business, you thieving bitch! What, you think that you can just open your legs and his marriage vows mean nothing? You slut!"

"Kristen, that's enough!" John shouts angrily. "You do not speak to Marlena like that."

"I will speak to her any damn way I want!" I scream. I am so fucking furious I feel like my head might explode. "She's a damn liar! This is all lies! She just hates me and she's trying to ruin my life."

"Why on earth would I try and ruin your life?" Marlena stands there all self-righteously, her arm still around the nosy secretary. "What possible reason could I have for deliberately trying to hurt you?"

"You hate me because I'm a DiMera," I say scornfully. "You could never get past that, not from the moment you found out Stefano was my father. You've been plotting to take John away from me because you don't want your brats to have a stepmother who is a DiMera. So, you've made up all these lies to steal John away." I will the tears to well in my eyes as I turn to John, my expression beseeching. "John, it's true! She's lying. I didn't know what was in that letter. And I never told my father which plane Marlena was on. Why would I put my mother in danger? Why would I do any of this when I know you love me? You chose me! You married me! I had your baby! We are married in the eyes of God, John. You can't take Marlena's word over mine. I am your wife and I need you. I love you!"

I see a moment of wavering doubt in John's eyes, and I rush at him throwing my arms around his neck. "John! John, baby, I love you. I love you so much. I just want to be a family with you and John Jr.  You made your choice after Aremid. You chose me! We were married by a priest, in front of God. That was your idea, John. You made vows to me, you promised to be mine for the rest of our lives. You can't turn your back on me now!"

And then a horribly familiar voice sounds from the doorway. "Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that!"