Rebirth Of Vengeance.

A Tempting Proposition.

After a long hours drive Through the dimly lit city of New Orleans, Circe’s impressive sport car finally came to a stop in front of a small house on the outskirt of town, isolated from the all the buzz and noise that takes place during the ungodly hours.

Noel stepped out of the car and surveyed his surrounding, now cautious of the fact that even thought the stranger in front of him had stopped him from jumping off a bridge and taking his life, she could still potentially be someone dangerous.

With this thought now potent in his mind, Noel fell behind Circe in steps as they walked to her house.

As they stepped into her house, Circe gestured towards a couch for him to make himself comfortable.

“This is my place. It’s not much but at least it should be comfortable enough for you for the night.” She informed as she tossed her car keys on the table and stripped off her stuffy jacket.

As she walked away, leaving Noel alone in the living room like a deer caught in head light, he took a moment to survey his surroundings, his eyes immediately drawn to the fine and elegant decorations that adorned every corner of the house. White fine polished chairs that looked if high comfortability from where he stood. A wide screen T.V that was sure to give you the best view of anything cinematic and best of all, a fire place to keep the house warm during intense winter like this one.

Her car, housing, furniture and everything put together was far superior to his own modest abode he had considered magnificent, and a hollow sense of failure crept over him.

He couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps he should have succumbed to the water’s embrace, allowing it to wash away his troubles. A bitter self-deprecating laugh escaped his lips, only inaudible to himself.

Breaking his train of thought, Circe approached him with a glass of water in her hand.

“Here, you must be thirsty.” She offered with a push of the glass in his direction and a friendly smile.

Noel gratefully accepted it, suddenly aware of his intense thirst, and gulped down the liquid without sparing another second. The coolness flowed through his parched throat, providing a momentary respite.

It was only after he had drank the water that his mind pondered the possibility of something dangerous having been added to the water.

He stared long and hard at the empty glass in his hand. Cursing at his foolish unsuspecting self and sudden thirst.

Maybe this was why Celine chose his brother over him. Mark was clearly everything he wasn’t.

The fleeting thought reminded him of the pain that his heart had been burdening and a fresh wave of despair hit him.

As if sensing the sudden down surge of his mood, Circe moved from where she was and settled on the couch. With a friendly smile, she patted the space beside her.

Noel hesitated this time around, weighing his options.

Circe chuckled. “I’m not some movie serial killer, Noel.” She called his name for the first time after learning of it during their ride to her house.

At this, Noel moved towards the position she had patted and slowly sank down, exhaustion hitting his nerves the moment he settled.

He enjoyed the comfort the couch instantly provided and sighed out. Circe chuckled quietly after watching his reaction.

The silence that followed after that allowed their presence to settle comfortably on the couch in the living room, yet Circe’s hesitation was palpable.

Finally, she mustered up the courage and asked. “Do you…want to talk about what happened? I’m all ears if you want to. But of course if you don’t want to I’m also fine with that.”

Noel hesitated, unsure of whether he should reveal his life's turmoil to this newfound companion.

He thought that if he were to tell her about how much of a failure he was to the point that his wife had left him for his brother, she would feel disgusted.

Sensing his uncertainty, Circe interjected quickly, “That wasn’t thoughtful of me. You don’t have to tell me anything.”

Noel looked into her eyes after her word, seeing nothing but genuine concern etched upon her face.

Although he didn’t want to speak of the unfortunate things that had happened earlier on, some part inside him made him feel like she deserved to know the truth, the reason behind his desperate act, considering it was she who had saved him from the whispering fake promises of the water.

Taking a deep breath, he embarked on a narrative, recounting the series of agonizing events that had unraveled his life. His voice filled with pain and disbelief, he explained how he had caught his wife of five years in a torrid affair with his own brother. The impending divorce papers that he was soon to receive one of this days, adding insult to profound injury. Adding to his misery, the small company he had tirelessly built had crumbled after a disastrous business meeting.

Circe’s heart swelled with sympathy for Noel, but the look in her eyes was anything but sympathetic. The brown of her eyes burnt with unknown anger. She felt an unmistakable surge of anger towards those who had betrayed him so mercilessly.

She too had tasted the bitter sting of betrayal, having recently discovered her fiancé’s infidelity. She understood the excruciating pain that consumed his heart and soul and the wounds that threatened to consume you for eternity.

But her case was different. As for Noel, she couldn’t under why he had experienced such betrayal. He looks were enchanting and his hard working mindset made him seem all the more presentable.

Noel sighed, his voice heavy with resignation. “Right now, I… I feel utterly tired and defeated. I don’t know what to do anymore.” He confessed and buried his head in his palms.

Vision of his wife and brother having a happy future flashed in the darkness of his closed eyes.

Suddenly The overwhelming sense of being forgotten and everyone carrying in with their lives, consumed him, placing a heavy weight upon his shoulders.

In that moment, during his internal session of regret, Circe’s eyes flashed with indignation, fueling a newfound determination within her.

“Backing down now would make it seem like those predators have won and I’m sick of watching that happen! We have to get revenge for you.”

Taken aback by Circe’s sudden burst of determination, Noel couldn’t help but feel confused at that moment. His mind whirled with questions as he tried to make sense of her words. What did she mean by backing down would make the predators win? And what did she mean by revenge?

Ah, she was probably saying all these just to reassure him of life, Noel thought.

In an attempt to dismiss her proposition as a joke, he forced a laugh, hoping to diffuse the tension that was how brewing.

“Don’t play around with words like that.” He told.

But Circe remained resolute, her eyes shining with a fiery determination. Leaning in closer, she asked him with unwavering and newly developed sincerity.

“What do you think about getting revenge on you wife…well ex wife and brother? You can make them pay for the pain they caused today.”

Noel was dumbfounded by her audacious suggestion, unable to comprehend her motive.

The thought of revenge had never crossed his mind, probably because the wounds of betrayal were still fresh in his heart. But aside from that, he has always believed in forgiveness and moving on, letting go of the pain rather than dwelling on it. But Circe’s words lingered in the air, casting a shadow of doubt and temptation over his thoughts and belief.

However, seconds later, he dismiss the idea once more, he laughed it off, pretending not to take her suggestion seriously. But Circe saw through his façade, her eyes locking onto his with unwavering intensity.

“An interesting offer, isn’t it.” She asked as she inched closer resting weight on her adjacent hand. “Take it. I’ll help you.” She offered, a hot fire burning with the brown of her orbs that made Noel question her sudden prompt for Vengeance.

But still, he was Caught in the whirlwind of conflicting emotions. He found himself entertaining the thought for a few fleeting seconds. Images of his unfaithful wife and treacherous brother haunted his mind, and a surge of anger pulsed through his veins. But ultimately, he shook off the idea, reminding himself of his core values and aspirations.

Sensing his hesitation, Circe spoke softly, “I’m not asking for an answer immediately. How about you sleep on it?” She raised a brow.

Noel slowly nodded his head, seeing that as the only way to make this stressful day come to an end.

Circe smile and stood from her seat. “That’s good. Now, how about I get you settled in for the night?”

She said and began giving him directions to one of the guest rooms. After a brief explanation, She disappeared for a while and came back with a pair of fresh clothes and handed it to him.

“You can use these for the night.” She said and waved him off as he began heading in the direction of the guestroom she had described.

After finding and entering the described room, Noel stood alone in the room, thoughts racing as he stripped and showered away the remnants of the day. As he prepared to lay his head to rest, the temptation of revenge once again crept into his mind. He fought against the notion, telling himself that it was a path he could not tread. But deep down, a seed had been planted, a seed that whispered of vindication and justice and the last thing that appeared in his mouth as he slipped into the dark abyss of his sleep was the taunting faces of his wife and brother.

The following morning, the first rays of the sun peeked through the curtains, illuminating the room and dancing down on the brown floor board.

Circe awoke and made her way towards Noel’s guest room, eager to speak with him about their conversation from the previous day and check how he was holding up. But as she entered the room, she was taken aback to find it empty, stripped of any evidence that he had been there at all.

Confusion and concern swelled within Circe. She rushed to the kitchen, expecting to encounter him, but did not.

Standing in her empty living room, the realization that Noel had left, settled in.

And for some reason, that made her feel anxious.