Vinter's POV

No one knows that I am here. I didn't inform anyone about it. Charles and Dylan are gonna freak out, and Tristan is going to have a hard time because of it. My mother is going to get worried too.

I won't say I only have one reason to be here because there are many. It might look like I'm only here to stop Dove from breaking our soulmate bond, but that is not it. I feel like if I spend more time with Dove then she might start liking me. I know even if she starts liking me there is no guarantee that she won't break our soulmate bond. But I'm not going to give up, not yet.

I'm acting out of my character, and to her, my desperation would be so much more visible. That is the truth though, I'm indeed very desperate for her to change her mind. I want to give it my all so that in the future I don't have any room for regrets, I also want to fix all the mistakes I made when I decided to trust an outsider's words over my soulmate's words. I will prove to Dove that I'm a changed man.

The longer I stayed inside the room the more I felt suffocated, so I went outside. On the table, I saw a bunch of photo albums placed so I picked one and went through it. Flipping through the album I realized it was filled with Mr. Mammon's childhood photos.

"My grandson is cute, isn't he?" I heard a voice say from behind. I jumped back in surprise as I looked at the owner of the voice.

"Y-yeah," I replied. Gabriella smiled at me. It was the first time I saw her smile.

"Your soulmate went to bring Aries back," Gabriella spoke.

"Aries?" I asked.

"My grandson," she pointed at the photo of Mr. Mammon. So his name is 'Aries'.

"I see," was all I could say as an awkward silence settled between us.

"Your soulmate seems very distant from you," Gabriella spoke. I looked at her in surprise. How did she figure it out?

"Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked. "I am the guardian of the sacred tree, I can see things that normal human eyes cannot. It looks like you and your soulmate are not on very good terms as when you are together your auras are not as bright. When soulmates are close to each other spiritually their aura radiates very bright energy."

Soulmate bond is more complex than I thought it would be. Dove should try to get to know it better before breaking it. I feel like if she breaks it without having complete knowledge of it, something bad will happen. I hope my intuitions are wrong this time.

"I... we...," I wasn't able to form words.

"You don't have to tell me about it. Even though I suspected that you two are here for some other reason, I would like it if your soulmate will tell me about it," Gabriella said. "Now that she is bringing my grandson back, I think I will have to do anything she will tell me to do, and I will do it as long as it is in my power. Your soulmate got me in a tight spot, she is smart."

"Yeah, she is. Anyone would be like that if they face what she did," I spoke with a painful smile.

"I don't know what she went through. But you look like you are going through a painful phase as well, you are a kind man," Gabriella commented.

Kind man? Am I a kind man? How can I be a kind man when I sold my father's life to a criminal organization? How can I be a kind man when I'm trying to woo a woman who already belongs to my younger brother?

I will be the reason behind the demise of my entire family, and yet I'm being called a kind man? Why is life so unfair?

~~

A few hours passed by just like that, I heard the doorbell ring. I know for a fact that Dove is back, with or without Mr. Mammon, I don't know. But knowing Dove, I know she isn't one of those who would give up just like that. I went out to check when I got greeted by a crying Gabriella, and a stunned Mr. Mammon.

"My baby... I thought... I lost you forever..." Gabriella sobbed in Mr. Mammon's arms as he continued to hold her not uttering a single word. It was as if he was trying to process if whatever happening is real or just a dream.

Dove was standing there at the back with a small smile as he kept watching the grandmother and grandson have their reunion. She walked closer to Mr. Mammon and placed a hand on his back.

"It's real, Aries. It's all real," she gently spoke as she pushed him a bit ahead making him snap back into reality.

Tears rolled down his eyes as he stared at his sobbing grandmother. He was a lot taller than his grandmother, he hugged her back pulling her closer.

"Grandma..." he whispered. "You are real."

"Yes, I am, my child," Gabriella said gently patting her grandson's head.

My eyes momentarily fell on Dove, and I realized she was already looking at me with an amused expression. She walked up to me and tilted her head. She let out a small chuckle, she was standing too close which made me feel blood rush to my cheeks.

"Crybaby," she spoke barely audible as she placed her hands on my cheeks. I didn't realize I was crying until she wiped my tears. She gently stepped away from me as she again looked back at Mr. Mammon and his grandmother.

"His full name is Aries Rivera," Dove spoke.

"Why are you telling me that? I thought their real names were supposed to be secret," I replied.

"I told you this cause I think you two would make great friends in the future," she looked at me and smiled.

She sounded so sure about it. Is it even possible that Mr. Mammon or should I now call him Aries, would make great friends someday?
Because last time I checked, he hates me.

"We should give them some time alone," Dove said as she tucked onto my wrist and pulled me with her.

"Let's go and meet up with Elijah. What do you say?" She asked.

"That is a great idea," I replied.

~~

Elijah is a nice man, it's always fun to spend time with him. After meeting him we walked around the town for some time and now we are back at Gabriella's place.

When we got back, we saw Aries and Gabriella having heartwarming conversations about Aries's childhood. I realized he doesn't remember most of his childhood. Dove said it was a good thing that he at least remembered his real name. She told me he has a very traumatic past, but she didn't give me details. But it looked like it was very horrific since she was having a hard time telling me about it. She told me that he went through things far worse than what she faced.

It made me realize how there are so many people in this world who are so broken and traumatized due to their past. Only if there was something that would help them feel relieved from all the pain.

Aries and I didn't speak to each other because when I tried to speak to him, he just glared at me. I still don't understand why he hates me so much. Because to me he looks like an interesting man. I was sitting at the dinner table alone as I sipped on my wine. Dove said she wanted to be alone as she wanted to write some songs.

I felt someone's presence beside me, so I turned to look at the person. Turns out it was Aries with a frown on his face.

"I know you are dumb, but I didn't know you would be this dumb," he mocked me.

"What do you mean, Mr. Mammon?" I asked.

"You can call me Aries, I don't think I'll be able to work as Mammon for too long after this," he spoke. "And what I meant was, you support my brat for breaking your soulmate bond?"

I scowled a bit when he called Dove "my brat", but I decided to ignore the envy rising within me.

"I don't, I'm here so I can change her mind," I replied.

"And what actions did you take to make her change her mind?" He asked.

"I tried being everything that I was not to her before," I replied. He chuckled and shook his head.

"In my organization, there is this guy who is just like Dove. He thinks whatever he is doing is the ultimate justice. I only recently figured out that these people are consumed in their inferiority complex, and to hide that very fact they pretend to have a superiority complex," Aries spoke.

"Who is the guy you are talking about?" I asked.

"My leader; Lucifer," he replied.

I did not expect that the leader of a such great criminal organization would have an inferiority complex. Life is full of surprises.

"Then what should I do to make her not break our soulmate bond?" I asked.

"Make her face the reality. She needs to understand the fact that this bond between you two is not a joke, it defines her entire identity. Breaking is will be like dying and losing your identity. The thing with Dove is, she does not realize what she is doing while she's on the quest for satisfying her curiosity. If you won't be able to control her now, flower boy, she will bring chaos in your and her life," Aries responded.

Dove is perfectly capable of fixing everything, but often the person who can fix everything is also powerful enough to ruin everything.

"But what if she gets provoked if I try to make her show the reality?" I asked.

"Well, how Dove will react, I have no idea. She was never the type anyone could predict. I will let you on this little secret, flower boy. If my assumptions are precise then the only reason Dove is alive is because of her unpredictable nature. Lucifer always saw Dove as a threat, because he couldn't predict her either," Aries explained.

"But, you... Vinter Harris, you are her soulmate. No one knows her better than you, and hence no one can predict her better than you. Go with your gut feeling, that's the only advice I can give you."

"Don't you have high expectations from me?" I asked.

"I said what I felt, rest is up to you."

"Why are you helping me with this?" I asked.

"Don't misunderstand it, I'm not doing this for you, I'm helping you to help Dove. I always wanted her to stay away from all the mess, but that woman keep inviting and creating more and more mess. I'm afraid she will lose herself again if she gets stuck in a mess she can't clean," Aries said.

"I have seen the sides of her not even Levy has seen since I'm the only one who can comfort and control her when she has her nightmares. It used to be worse than this back in the juvenile center. She used to attack people when she woke up," he spoke as he opened a few buttons of his shirt.
There was a huge scar on his chest.

"She stabbed me with a broken glass once. Don't tell her this, she doesn't remember it and I don't want her to feel guilty about it. She thinks I never support her, but the thing is there has to be someone who can show her the right path because she can easily manipulate Leviathan and Belphegor. For Leviathan, Dove is the reincarnation of his dead sister, and for Belphegor, Dove is a friend he never had his entire life."

Aries is the nicest guy I know, despite his cold exterior where he pretends he hates everyone, he cares too deeply for people around him.

"Before meeting you guys, I had never thought criminals can care so much for someone, especially murderers. You are such a kind man Aries, Dove is lucky to have you in her life," I genuinely replied. He scowled.

"Sh-shut up, you are annoying me," he stuttered going back to his original self. I chuckled.

"I'll help Dove through this, I promise. I will try my best to change her perspective on breaking our soulmate bond," I said.

Being her soulmate, it is my job to make Dove realize what is right and what is wrong. I will make her accept our soulmate bond.

♤♤♤

My respect and love for Mammon after this 📈📈