Sweet Revenge With My Billionaire Vampire

Adeline froze, her hands leaving Miranda’s face as she tried to comprehend what she had just said.

Enzo sighed deeply. "What bar?"

"Timeless Tavern," Miranda replied quickly. "In Libu City. There’s a guy who I’m not sure, but I think works there... He gives me the packets."

His eyes grew more narrow, a small frown on his face as he turned over the information in his mind. "A bar? What kind of bar would deal in something like this?"

Adeline’s voice broke through his thoughts, shaking with barely contained rage. "So my uncles paid you to slowly poison my grandmother?"

Miranda squeezed her eyes shut, nodding as a wave of regret washed over her. "I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to... But I needed the money. I’m so, so sorry."

Adeline’s face twisted in rage, her breaths coming in shallow, ragged gasps as she shifted to the far end of the couch, staring down at the floor.

"Sorry?" she said, her voice trembling as she ran her fingers through her hair. Her words grew louder with each passing second. "What are you apologizing for? My grandmother is gone, Miranda. She’s gone, and you’re sitting here saying sorry like that fixes anything! Is it going to bring her back from the dead?"

"I should’ve known. Her sickness was too strange. No wonder the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her."

"It was you!" She shouted.

Her gaze snapped back to Miranda’s, and in a flash, she lunged at her. Miranda barely had time to gasp before Enzo moved, his arm wrapping tightly around Adeline’s waist, pulling her back just in time. He sunk down onto the couch, bringing her body into his lap. His arms encircled her, locking her in his grip.

"Let me go!" Adeline yelled, her voice breaking with rage as she writhed in his hold. Her fingers clawed at his arms, her nails digging into the fabric of his suit jacket.

His grip on her didn’t falter, his expression remaining unruffled. "Adeline, calm down."

Adeline’s chest heaved as she glared at Miranda, who had shot up from the couch in terror. The woman backed away, covering her mouth with trembling hands as tears streamed down her face.

"How could you?" Adeline screamed at her, struggling harder against Enzo’s hold. "She was the only person in this world who loved me, and you took her away! I’m going to kill you, Miranda!"

"I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! Please, don’t hurt me!" Miranda pleaded.

Her cries only fueled Adeline’s anger. "Stop crying! I’ll give you a real reason to cry if you don’t shut the fuck up!"

With one arm still holding her, Enzo reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a pen and a piece of paper. He tossed them toward Miranda, who looked a bit confused as they landed near her feet.

"Write down the address of the bar. Now."

Miranda nodded, her quivering hands reaching out to grasp the pen and paper. She knelt on the floor, scribbling down the address in messy, uneven letters. When she was done, she slid the paper across the floor toward Enzo and stood up.

"This is it."

Adeline finally ceased her struggles, burying her face in his chest, still sobbing.

Enzo leaned back against the armrest of the couch, angling his head slightly and resting his chin atop her head. "There, there," he murmured. He gently caressed her hair with one hand, while the other remained on her back.

He lifted his gaze away from Adeline and directed his attention towards Miranda. "Is there anything else we need to know?"

Miranda stood up, wringing her hands together as her pupils darted around nervously. She seemed to be searching for her memory, trying to piece together anything useful. Then, she shook her head. "No. That’s all I know. You’ll find out more if you meet the guy at the bar."

"Describe him. What does he look like? Does he have a name?"

Miranda nodded. "I don’t know his name, but he has white hair—probably dyed—brown eyes, in his early thirties, and he smokes a lot. He’s about this tall," she said, raising her hand above her head to indicate his height. "That’s all I can remember."

Enzo scrutinized her expression for a moment, trying to determine if she was telling the truth. Then he nodded. "Alright. Stay safe, Miranda. We’ll need you to repeat everything you’ve told us when the time comes."

Miranda bobbed her head, signaling her agreement. "I will. I’ve felt nothing but guilt ever since Mrs. Beverly passed. I can’t live like this anymore, knowing I poisoned her. I’ll confess. I’ll say everything, wherever and whenever you need me to."

Adeline pushed her head up from Enzo’s chest, her hand wiping at the tears clinging to her cheeks.

"Feeling better now?" Enzo whispered softly with a faint smile.

Adeline responded with a subtle nod. But just as she was about to speak, a loud shattering sound echoed through the room, interrupting the silence. At the same time, their heads jerked in the direction of the source of the noise---the window behind Miranda.

The glass sparkled as it rained onto the floor, and Adeline’s heart dropped when she saw Miranda. Blood dripped down her forehead in thin, crimson streaks.

She staggered slightly before her wide eyes rolled back and her body crumpled, collapsing onto the floor with a sickening thud.

Adeline drew in a quick breath, her eyes growing wide in horror. "No... no, no, no," she murmured.

Paralyzed with shock, she remained immobile, her body refusing to respond to the commands of her mind. All she could do was stare at Miranda’s lifeless figure.

Enzo’s gaze darkened, a look of anger on his face as he flicked his gaze from the lifeless body to the shattered window.

The faint whistle of another incoming bullet reached his ears, something only he could hear, and his body reacted instinctively. He immediately grabbed Adeline, wrapping his arms tightly around her and flipping over the couch.

She let out a startled cry as he covered her body with his.

A hiss of pain escaped Enzo’s lips as a bullet tore through the back of his shoulder, splattering drops of blood across the couch—and some onto Adeline’s face.