He Strikes at the Hotel

Chapter Fifty Seven

Nerissa aesthetics <3

Giles reluctantly stepped outside the door to Zachery's room, meeting with the others who were holding Jared securely. I on the other hand wanted to stay. Even though Zachery was hinting at me leaving also, I was as much a part of this as he was now, so I wanted to see this, and even add to whatever Zachery was about to do, adding salt to any wounds Jeremy may have.

Seeing the two brothers so close together made me realise how similar they actually were in appearance, even though at first I saw them as polar opposites. Even whilst having complete opposite hair colours and statures, their facial features were like a symmetrical illusion at this moment as they were stood together nose to nose.

Zachery's breath was rugged and sharp as he tightened his grip around Jeremy.

"You really think I have everything?" Zachery hissed out with venom practically dripping from his tongue. "You want everything I have, whilst everything you already have is meaningless? Is that correct?" He paused momentarily, teasing Jeremy's spitefulness with the rhetorical question given to him.

Jeremy opened his mouth to speak with his eyes growing wider and his eyebrows raising like he was about to say something which in his opinion, was of high worth. Before he could even finish his inhaling breath, Zachery pushed him harder against the wall in response, causing Jeremy to recoil his manoeuvre instantaneously.

"Every single damn day of my life I work my ass off going to different businesses, charities, events, networking, fund-raisers, speaking to people I don't know constantly to keep everyone happy; all so that you can have the cushty sitting at home lifestyle that you so begrudgingly take advantage of!" His voice was full of fire now, burning through him as rapidly as a bush fire in a long drought.

"And do you want to know the worst thing about it all? Whilst I'm here doing my best to allow you to have the most fulfilling life possible, where you are actually able to to do what you want at your free will... When the time came for father to give up the throne, I was going to abdicate my duties so you were the next successor. I was going to make it so you were King, because you had so many liberal, intelligent ideas. I thought you would do the best for our country." Zachery's voice was still full of anger, but now it was filling with hurt as well. His voice was beginning to fade in strength, which mimicked the whole feeling of this evening for us all.

Those words hit Jeremy like a brick. He was breathing quite heavily up until then, but suddenly, is breathing hitched and seemed to stop altogether as he realised what Zachery was saying.

I had to cover my mouth before I gasped from this revelation. Everything that Jeremy wanted, he was going to get from Zachery, plus he was able to actually enjoy his youth before hand. His jealousy and greed blinded him to that, with his good morals and passionate views being clouded by his envy. Zachery had just let his heart bleed in front of Jeremy; it bled for what was to be, and the brother who he had lost.

Jeremy was dumbfounded. This was the first time where he didn't wear his smug little smirk, or glared in a way that showed his self-admiration.

He lowered his head softly, sighing for a long moment before caving in to his ultimate defeat. Zachery didn't let his grip falter whilst watching Jeremy's pride and enthusiasm crumble to dust.

Slowly, Jeremy lifted his head feebly to look my way, making eye contact with me which made my stomach drop. Even though he was restricted against Zachery's strength, he still made me feel uncomfortable and on edge. His eyes seemed hollow, with a dark, empty abyss within the centre of his pupils. The glistening of sadistic glory had now been completely erased from his large eyes, and now his face seemed to have sunken into itself, making him look tired and older than his years.

"I'm... I'm sorry." Jeremy croaked through his constricted airways, but his words were heavy with regret, whether it be through the right reasons or not, he was feeling some sort of remorse, I could tell.

But that didn't mean I accepted his apology. He was going to rot in Hell for everything he had done, and I could never forgive someone who would risk killing innocent people, simply because they are jealous of their older brother. I was never going to forgive him.

"O-Okay..." I stammered, not really knowing how to respond. I hated him, but I also pitied him. I must have sounded more upset than anything, as Zachery turned to look at me with his usual 'are you okay?' eyes. I tried to force a smile upon my lips to reassure him, but failed miserably.

Jeremy then turned his empty gaze towards Zachery's growling blue eyes, as he repeated his words to me.

"I am sorry. For all of this, brother. That is all I can say." Jeremy whimpered, as his hand quickly slid to the back of his waistline, where he pulled out a scalpel which he must have had attached to his belt, but was amicably hidden under his shirt.

He lifted it towards Zachery's stomach as my world began to spin around me as I screamed Zachery's name as loud as my lungs would allow.