i-Spy | A Stalker Romance

Chapter 22: A Pawn in the Game

Stella's P.O.V. 

As I sat across from Jenna, the remnants of our forgotten lunch lay untouched between us. Her words hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over everything I thought I knew.

"Why did you lie to me?" My voice trembled with a mix of shock and anger, my eyes locked onto hers, searching desperately for answers.

Jenna let out a heavy sigh, her usually bright eyes now clouded with remorse. "I had to, Stella. After you left, the responsibility fell on me to attend the masquerade as the second oldest Vasezzac in line. Duncan and Castor hadn't been tested yet, so it had to be me."

"Tested?" I echoed, bile rose in my mouth at the horror of it. "They put you under the test??"

Jenna's gaze dropped to the table, her fingers now tracing the rim of her cup absently. "You know the drill, Stella. It's a rite of passage for us. A brutal, unspoken rule. And I...I went through it. I was of age."

A chill ran down my spine. "What did they make you do?"

She looked up at me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I had to prove my loyalty, my willingness to do whatever it takes to protect the family. And so they made me shoot someone."

My breath caught in my throat and images of Nina fled across my eyes. "W-Who?"

Her voice cracked, and she blinked back tears. "My ex. They chose him because they knew it would be hard for me. It was part of the test, to see if I could put family above my own feelings, my own heart."

Horror and disbelief surged through me. I didn't know what to say. I knew exactly how it felt to be in her shoes. To have the blood of someone in your hands. But they made her kill someone she actually had feelings for that's... I don't even know how she is dealing with it. I didn't even know who Nina was, what was she like, or how her personality was, and yet she haunts me like a ghost, and Jenna... she knew him. Loved him. 

"That's... monstrous" I clenched my fists so tight that nails were digging into my palms. And it still felt like nothing. 

She nodded, wiping at her eyes. "I know. But you know that in our world, it's the way things are done. I didn't want to do it, Stella. I still have nightmares about it. But I couldn't refuse. If I had, it would have been even worse."

I felt a cold chill run down my spine. My family's cruelty and ruthlessness were nothing new to me, but hearing it from Jenna made it all the more real and horrifying. I reached out, grabbing her hand. "Jenna, I... I can't believe they made you do that."

She squeezed my hand, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I didn't want to, Stella. I really didn't. He wasn't a bad guy, but... I had to choose. It was either prove my loyalty or face the consequences."

Her words echoed in my mind, reminding me of my own ordeal. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes as I recalled the night I had to kill Nina. "Jenna, I understand more than you know. They made me do the same thing when I turned 18. They made me kill a girl as part of my test. I had to stab her to death."

Jenna's eyes widened in shock. "Stella I swear I had no idea."

I nodded, the memory of that night still fresh and painful. "They pushed me to the brink, Jenna. They made sure I had no other choice. It's how they control us, how they keep us in line."

We sat there in silence, both of us grappling with the darkness of our family's demands. The realization that we were both victims of the same cruel system made my heart ache for Jenna. Despite the pain and guilt, I felt a strange sense of solidarity with her, knowing that we were both caught in the same web. And so were my other siblings.