𝐑𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧 ✓

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐱

RopeBurn

"I swear on my life and the River Styx
I never thought it'd be you I'd miss"

Elvira

↽———⋆♥︎⋆———⇁

Hot water poured down my skin, with careful fingers I dug out the green contacts to expose my brown eyes underneath. The blonde wig proved to be much harder to remove, the lace front pulling out my baby hairs even with the hot water melting the glue. Pants replaced the once steady breaths, though it was quickly taken over by sobs. Perhaps I had indulged in too much self pity, but it felt so easy to feel sorry for myself. I had struggled to stay afloat for two years.. only to end up on a flight right back to the place I had tried to hide away from.

The door opened, a head poking through. Aisha's hijab became clear. Her slender fingers covered her eyes as if to provide me some privacy. I appreciated it, though really it wouldn't bother me if she saw my bare body. "I apologize for intruding, it's just that I was laying out something for you to wear when I heard your cries. Could I perhaps offer some company?" Her voice was so fragile, how could I turn her down when she wanted to support me so badly?

A attempt to stifle my own cries rang out, echoing against the bathroom walls. "I would appreciate that, thank you." My fingers attempted to comb out the knots in my hair. No matter how much conditioner I put into it, it remained in mats.

"Could I perhaps help you with that? Your hair, I mean. I often have tangles too, I've practically become a professional at getting them out." Hesitantly I moved to her, she moved to sit on the floor and I quickly followed. "I'm sorry about your grandmother, Elvira. I attended her funeral, Marco did as well. Though we stayed behind.."

"Why would he be at her funeral?" To say I was envious was an understatement. This motherfucker got to be at her funeral while I was in Russia freezing my ass off and wasting my time.

Her fingers moved throughout my hair, it was much less painful now that she had taken over. I had been ready to rip out my hair before she came to help. "Well he paid for the funeral, and your mother asked for him to attend." Typical Marco, using money to win people over. Though my mother probably asked him there to ask why I hadn't come home yet.

"Uh huh." Was all I managed, sitting up once she stopped messing in my hair.

"I can't say much to take away your pain, as you need time to mourn. However I can tell you that when the pain subsides the memories won't be such a problem anymore." She brushed off her pants, adjusting the hijab on her head. Today it was black, though typically she wore some shade of purple. Or rather, she had the other two times I had seen her.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it, Elvira."

Hearing my name so many times in one day felt off. I was so used to being Irene, that even with my many years behind me having the name Elvira it sounded fake. Like I had always been Irene and this was the lie.

She left the room, leaving me to wash out the conditioner and finish washing away any blood and grime left on my body. I couldn't help but ponder on Alexei's condition. To say I didn't have feelings for him would be a lie, truthfully. However asking Marco wouldn't be all too smart, especially if he hadn't truly changed and was only pretending to be better.

     The silence from when I left the bedroom was excruciating. Mateo had his back to me, though it was doubtful he'd speak to me after loosing a tooth. The way I see it, he shouldn't go around mentioning someone's weight. How much I gained or lost wasn't any of his business.

      Marco sat at a table, the food was placed in front of him. Taking the empty seat across from him I motioned to the stew, to which he took a spoonful and swallowed it. "I should take offense to the fact that you still believe I'd ever try to poison you." He told me, a smile crept onto the face from the corner of his mouth.

    "Do you remember when you tried to drown me? Or when you threatened to exploit my greatest fears to earn my submission? I can't put anything past you." He breathed out, motioning for me to eat my food. I waited another minute before taking a bite of the stew. "How did you find me anyways? I was so sure you never would."

     He seemed taken aback by the question at first. "Well.." he sipped what I assumed to be coffee before finishing his sentence. "It was pure chance really. I saw you across the street while in Russia for a weapon exchange. At first I wasn't sure if my eyes were lying. You were blonde, so it didn't seem like my Elvira." He explained, aggravation creeping up into me. "Aisha went into your shop the next day, when she confirmed it to be you I planned from there. I honestly thought you would have tried to run after you saw her, but perhaps you don't remember her. She helped after you broke into my alcohol cabinet."

     That was where I knew her from.

      "You can't blame me for not remembering who she is. I was black out drunk after all."

      "No, I cannot."

      I finished off the soup in silence, before pushing the bowl to the center of the table to signal that I was finished. "Do we still have to get married?" I was dreading his answer. The thought of having a diamond on my finger marking myself as his property would be the end of me.

      "We will once you're ready for marriage. I don't want to cause you anymore distress than this change will already bring on. You're even welcome to live on the separate end of the house if it would bring you joy." He was confident I wouldn't escape, or even try. Either the place had turned into Fort Knox or he just trusted me too much.

      "There's no need. Keep your enemies close, surely you've heard of that before haven't you?" My eyes narrowed, his remained unbothered.

     "That is just a label, it doesn't bother me as much as you seem to think it will." Son of a bitch.

↽———⋆♥︎⋆———⇁
Song - Achilles Heel / J. Maya

This is the last prewritten chapter so enjoy it ;)