His Yasmina [Completed]

Chapter 30- Jackpot

Although the castle was large and the walls thick, the emptiness, the silence of his beautiful home was killing him knowing his Yasmina wasn't under his roof.

He thought he had won. He'd used her, humiliated her, trapped her, turned her life upside down. He was feeling regret long before her brother appeared.  He'd chased her out of pride, out of his determination to posses her to beat her brother.  To use her, to take her trust and use them as weapons against her.

Pain and regret washed over his face. The guilt and agony slithering through him like a venomous snake.

Cristiano hadn't truly realized his mistakes until he watched her body language change.  The wall she kept between them appeared to grow and stretch with every second passing as he banished her from his life with his empty, cruel words. 

His heart fell to his feet remembering her pale face, her sweet lovely face harden as her eyes narrowed. He saw her soul there, what he'd done to her. At that very moment, he was hit by how much he really loved her. She had such strange power.  She made him say things, want things, do things he shouldn't. . . Made him feel things he didn't know he could feel. 

He mistakingly accused an innocent man, tortured and ruined an innocent woman.  And all for what?  His lying selfish sister who was trying to save her bastard lover, his best friend, his closest advisor–a spineless man who lied to his face and acted loyal when all this time he was the true enemy.

The traitor. The liar.

According to his guards Mateo left the castle without a word to anyone as a thief in the night the morning of Zayn's arrival. It explained his absence. Not long after after Zayn departure, Cristiano was contacted of Sofia's discharge from the recuperation facility she was currently receiving help.

Who signed the discharge papers?

No other than Mateo himself. He used Zayn as a pawn, took advantage of his trust, urged Cristiano to avenge Sofia all the while orchestrating a careful plan to extract his sister unsuspectingly.

No wonder Mateo was disagreeable from the very start of Jasmine's addition to his plans.  It only delayed his plans to run away with his sister.  Cristiano never suspected, never questioned his puzzling behavior, assuming his infuriation was due to the work it required to bring Jasmine and her friend to the castle. 

"You're not honestly thinking of using his sister?  Why involve her?  All we need is Zayn."  Mateo argued. 

"I want her before I want Zayn."  Cristiano stated with determination.  "There is no room for argument.  If you can not handle the situation.  I will appoint someone else." 

"Her involvement will prolong Sofia's justice.  This is about her not some girl!"  Mateo continued, turning red in the face from his rising irritation.  "What is it about her that's so special?  So she denied you that night.  This is not the way. Her presence will complicate things."

"I will eventually lure Zayn here by using her.  We must not rush things, Mateo.  We will avenge Sofia.  But all in good time.  When the time is right, I will make Zayn pay and his sister will be left in the same condition as Sofia. All our work will not be in vain."

The pain he felt was slowly killing him alive knowing all along the true intentions he brought her to the castle.  The excuses he made to himself as to why he had to have her be a main presence in his plans. It was true. He could have approached Zayn and sorted out the truth but he chose the way that would ensure she presence in his life. He wanted her from the moment he set his eyes on her.

It wasn't really about her brother more than his selfishness.

He wanted her more than he wanted justice. And he went about it all wrong. His excuses to use her, pursue her was just that, excuses. Deep down he loved her. He never believed in love at first sight. But now he did. His soul met its other half that night of her sisters wedding. Cristiano was a fool to deny those growing feelings and lied to himself that she was the sole reason Zayn would pay.