Chapter 7
Late at night, wind howled through the broken seal on the window, making it creak with every gust. [
Cold air seeped in, chilling the room like a ghost in the walls.
I clutched my baby, trying to stay warm enough to sleep-
Until a body reeking of whiskey pressed against mine, fingers fumbling with my clothes.
My eyes flew open. [
I spun around and slapped him. Hard.[
The sound cracked through the room like a gunshot.
In the dim moonlight, I saw who it was–Frederick
The slap seemed to knock some sense into him.
He held his cheek, blinking like I’d just betrayed him.
“Serena. I’m your husband he mumbled. |
1 yanked the blanket tight around me.[]
“You’re not. Not anymore.”
“You’ve got a fiance now–Lavinja, daughter of the Secretary of State. Remember her?”
“I’m just the niece of a disgraced politician. The woman you divorced.“[]
Frederick’s eyes darkened as he crept closer.
“Come on, Serena. We were married once!
“Why are you acting like a stranger? Can’t we stop fighting?” ||
I stared him down, voice like ice.
“You’re getting married tomorrow.”
“If anyone finds you in my room tonight, people will talk”
He hesitated, eyes clouded like he was weighing what he could get away with
I thought for one second–that he might leave.[]
I was wrong.]
He suddenly grabbed me and kissed me, hard, ignoring my struggle.
My heart filled with rage and disgust.[]
I hit down, hard, breaking the skin on his lip.[
The taste of blood made lum pause-
Then he went rougher.
The night before has wedding.
Drunk. [
Climbing into his ex wife’s bed-
Still recovering from chilidharth
What the hell did he think I was? ||
Some throwaway?[]
A body to burn off steam on before he put on a tux tomorrow?
The wave of hopelessness that hit me nearly drowned me.
I shut my eyes and let the tears fall.
He froze.
1 someone flipped a switch.
Then his hands fumbled to wipe away my tears.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry… don’t cry.” []
He backed away, awkward and shaken, watching as I turned from him and picked up the baby.
He let out a long breath.
“Serena just let it go.
okay?” ||
“We don’t have to live some grand life. [
“Just something quiet, simple. I’ll take care of you, I promise.”
I looked back at him and laughed–cold and bitter.]
“Frederick, how much more pain do I need to suffer for it to finally count?
“Now get out. I don’t want to see your face.”
The aur in the room seemed to drop ten degrees.
0
The baby, sensing the tension, squirmed and suddenly let out a loud, piercing wall.
His cries cut through the space like a siren, and whatever lust Frederick had left in his eyes vanished.
I rocked the baby gently, my back still turned to him.
Frederick gave me one last look–dark and twisted.
“You’re just like your father,
father, he snapped.
Stubborn as hell. No wonder your whole damn family ended up in ruins”
“You know how many enemies he made, trying to arrest a black market dealer stealing from army cations?”
“And you you expect me to speak up for him?“[]
“Do you have any idea what land of heat that brought on me?]
Serena, you’re so damn selfish.”
Heslammed the door behind him without another word.
I sank onto the bed, cradling my baby, tears streaming down silently.
All the promises he made when we were young. I
one who over believed them.
the only on
Well
No more.
0
If it’s just me now
Then so be it.
I’ll do this alone.
