Page 111 of Obsession (Dark Revenge)
Jared returned to the bedroom, and I followed him inside. He waited for me as I entered before closing the door, enveloping us in darkness. Jared made his way to the bed, placing the water on the nightstand, and turned to face me.
“Aren’t you getting in?” he asked, sliding under the covers. The cuffs lay on the nightstand, unused since I began playing his wife, and I hadn’t objected to that change. I walked closer, slipping into bed beside him. My heart was still racing after the earlier scare, and sleep didn’t come easily.
I tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position while attempting to banish thoughts of someone entering the room. “Stop that,” Jared scolded, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me close.
“What if someone did break in?” I whispered, glancing anxiously at the door.
“I’m right here with you. What if they did?” he countered, closing his eyes.
His words were strangely comforting, and I began to relax, closing my own eyes. With Jared’s comforting presence, it was easier to drift back to sleep. However, Jared woke me up very early, shaking me awake.
“What’s going on?” I asked, still groggy from sleep, my confusion mounting.
“Last day,” he reminded me with a sense of urgency in his voice.
“Is the sun even up?” I mumbled, struggling to keep my eyes open.
“Barely,” he replied, his energy in stark contrast to my drowsiness.
I groaned, rubbing my eyes as he swiftly got out of bed and began dressing.
“Come on, Alison,” he ordered. “Get up and get dressed.”
“It’s so early.”
“Yes, but I don’t want to spend my birthday in bed,” he insisted.
As my sleepy mind gradually processed his words, I heard the bathroom door close behind him. Suddenly, it dawned on me—his birthday. I hadn’t thought about it in years. This day had always been special, but not for the usual reasons.
Instead of showering him with presents, it was an occasion when I used to introduce new and exciting ways to hurt him. However, it was evident that Jared had orchestrated this final day together to coincide with his birthday, a gift to himself. I couldn’t help but admire the cleverness of his plan.
I swiftly leaped out of bed and descended the stairs with purpose. It was time to introduce a new energy into his birthday. This occasion would be different. It wouldn't be about torment and suffering. Instead, this day would symbolize the conclusion of our long-standing feud, and the most fitting way to achieve that was by crafting the most exceptional day imaginable.
-Jared-
Exiting the bathroom, I immediately noticed Alison’s absence in bed. She wasn’t in the closet either, busy selecting clothes. Confusion clouded my thoughts, prompting me to venture downstairs in search of her. The scent of a hearty breakfast drew me to the kitchen, where I found Alison hard at work, seemingly preparing a feast for an army. It was utterly bewildering. I approached, grasping the back of a chair, closely observing her bustling about, making sure I wasn’t mistaken.
“Have you invited the entire neighborhood over?” I teased, smirking at her.
She responded with a faint smile. “No, I’m not just cooking you breakfast. I’m making you a cake.”
“A what?”
“A cake. You know, a birthday cake.”
I shook my head, clueless about the concept, which left Alison looking astonished.
“Have you never had a birthday cake?” she asked incredulously.
“Maybe my mom made some when I was very young, but it’s been so long that I can barely remember,” I admitted.
“Well, I’m making you one,” she declared.
“Why?” I questioned, genuinely curious.
“Because it’s something everyone gets on their birthday.”
“Yes, I’m aware, but I also remember how we often spent my birthday in school, and it was not you making me a cake. I would have been lucky if you only smeared one in my face,” I retorted.
