Nemesis

Chapter 09: Nemesis

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5th April 2009, Gemini Imperial Villa,

"I came here because I heard you were put under house arrest," Cornelia arches an eyebrow as she surveys my rather pitiable state. Her expression carries a mixture of amusement and curiosity, as if she stumbles upon a particularly intriguing spectacle.

I find myself ensnared in a bewildering predicament. I'm serving a one-year house arrest sentence, a punishment that, in my view, seems excessively harsh for what I consider a minor infraction – disrespecting His Majesty. It leaves me wondering what on earth I did to deserve such a severe penalty.

"Can you please be honest and tell me your true reason for being here?" I sigh, frustration simmering within me as I observe Cornelia seated in my bedroom.

Her response is candid, to say the least. "I come here to laugh at you," she states matter-of-factly, her words landing with a casualness that mirrors her choice to wear sunglasses indoors. It is a peculiar quirk, reminiscent of Char, though lacking his charismatic allure.

"Very well, then. Feel free to laugh," I respond with a resigned tone, accepting the inevitability of her mockery.

"Ha, Ha, Ha," she lets out an exaggerated fake laugh right in front of me, her mocking tone grating on my already frayed nerves.

"I can't stand you," I mutter under my breath, my irritation undeniable.

"The sentiment is mutual, breakfast dish," she retorts, continuing her penchant for jesting about my name.

"Are you looking for a fight, Porn?" I stand up from my seat, frustration bubbling to the surface as I lock my gaze onto hers.

"Bring it on, egg!" she declares defiantly. And with that, an odd and almost childlike ritual commences. Amidst the absurdity of my house arrest, Cornelia and I begin a rather bizarre exchange, repeatedly bumping our foreheads together.

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Ten minutes later,

"Huff, huff," Cornelia and I are both breathing heavily, our chests heaving as we greedily gulp in air. My lower lip is bleeding, a small rivulet of crimson trickling down my chin, and I bear a bruise on my cheek along with a distinct bite mark on my collarbone.

Cornelia isn't faring any better. I've broken her nose, causing blood to stream from it. An unsightly bruise has already formed beneath her eye, courtesy of my knee smashing into her head. I believe she also bears the imprint of my hand on her neck.

Our once-pristine attire is now in shambles. She had torn my shirt in the midst of our scuffle, carelessly discarding the remnants. Cornelia, too, has lost her shirt, leaving her practically in her undergarments.

This is a level of physicality in our confrontation that is unprecedented. Usually, Auntie Mari intervenes before things escalate to this extent.

I sink my teeth into her neck, drawing blood with a viciousness that mirrors the intensity of our rivalry. Yet, in the midst of my aggression, I feel a sudden, sharp pain in my own neck. I can sense, without looking, that Cornelia has retaliated by sinking her teeth into my flesh.

We remain locked in this fierce embrace for over a minute, neither of us willing to yield. This is precisely why I detest her. She seems determined to be my nemesis in nearly every circumstance imaginable.

Both of us are acutely aware that if this relentless exchange continues, we'll inevitably faint from the excessive loss of blood. So, we make a simultaneous decision to release each other, our mouths stained with the taste of each other's blood.

"Your blood tastes disgusting," I remark, though despite my comment, I can't help but swallow the coppery fluid lingering in my mouth.

"Yours too," she retorts, her response punctuated by her own swallow. I can't help but think she's rather peculiar, especially when she begins licking the cut on my lower lip, the very wound she inflicted moments ago.

"Did it hurt?" she inquires as she continues to gently lick my lip.

"Not really," I respond, my expression unchanged as we maintain our embrace, refusing to let go. "Do you want me to return the favor?"

"Then I'll break your nose in return," she retorts harshly, a veiled threat in her words.

In a rather unconventional turn of events, I decide to reciprocate by licking her lips. After all, why shouldn't I when she initiated the action in the first place? It only seems fair.

I can see her eyes widen ever so slightly, a reaction that brings a sense of satisfaction. She clearly hadn't anticipated that I would respond in kind. But wait, why is she...sucking my lip?

Godammit, Cornelia! We may have our differences, but this isn't Alabama, and we certainly aren't engaging in any form of incestuous behavior! Well, you know what? To hell with it! She started this bizarre exchange, after all!

I seize a fistful of Cornelia's luxuriant hair from the nape of her neck and forcibly draw her toward my face. Our lips collide in a furious kiss, an eruption of tongues and teeth, a relentless battle of wills.

In that electric moment, I taste the sharp bitterness of our deep-seated animosity, intermingled with the heady, intoxicating rush of the moment. We kissed fiercely, as if trying to consume each other, as if trying to prove something to ourselves.

She broke the kiss for a breathless moment, her eyes locked onto mine. "I hate you," she whispered, her voice laced with desperation.

I smiled, a dangerous glint in my eyes. "I hate you too," I admitted.

In the next heartbeat, our lips crash together once more, sealing our mutual loathing and desire in a fiery kiss that leaves us both gasping for air.

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"Are you planning to sleep here tonight?" I inquire, the weariness in my voice palpable.

She glances down at her disheveled attire, a stark reminder of our recent confrontation that has left her practically in her underwear. "I can't return like this," she replies pragmatically. "I'll ask Euphy to bring me some clothes tomorrow."

"Then let's turn in," I say, stifling a yawn. Conversations with Cornelia always seem to sap my energy.

"For once, I agree with you," she responds, and we both lie down side-by-side in an uneasy silence. The air in the room remains charged with the unspoken animosity that lingers between us. It's a feeling we both know all too well.

However, the absence of Auntie Mari, who often served as a buffer between us during our disagreements, casts a bittersweet shadow over our current situation. Those memories of Auntie Mari stepping between us to prevent our fights are now cherished and irreplaceable. Yeah… I will always remember such sights. The scenes I'll never get back. My precious childhood memories.

I feel Cornelia's hand gently encircle mine, a surprising display of vulnerability from her. "Benedict," her voice trembles, and tears glisten in her eyes. "I miss Lady Marianne," she admits, her words punctuated by sobs. It's the first time in my seventeen years of life that I've seen her cry.

"Me too, Corn," I murmur softly, my grip on her hand tightening in reassurance. "Me too." Although I still have the option to visit Auntie Mari in the C's World, I realize it's not the same for Cornelia. For her, the icon she admired is gone forever.

"You won't leave me too, will you?" She continues to break her character, revealing a vulnerability I've rarely witnessed in her. Will I leave her? I don't think so. But in the back of my mind, I'm aware that one day, she will leave me behind. After all, I will outlive her.

A heavy realization weighs on me as I lie there, contemplating the future. All the people I care about will pass away before me. I will be forced to witness their deaths, one by one. My siblings, my fiancé, my friends – they will all depart this world ahead of me, leaving me alone in the end.

"I will never leave you, Corn," I respond, my voice carrying a solemn conviction. "I promise." It's a vow I make to my lifelong nemesis. No matter what happens, I won't leave her. I will stand by her side, forever.

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Author's Note;

And that's a wrap! I wrote this chapter to introduce the relationship between Ben and Corn. They are licking each other's wounds for now.

So... here's the thing. I'm not sure what to do with Corn. Should we add her to the harem or not? The main reason for my dilemma is Nonette. She's been a supportive fiancé, and I feel conflicted about introducing another love interest. I've created a poll on the other site and the result was to add Corn into harem.

With this, we are now over 15k words mark! Yippee! There won't be a new chapter tomorrow because I'll be busy. I'll be back with new chapters in a week.

Also, can you guys guess what Charles will think when he listens to today's chapter?