HIS CLAIM

53

Elsa

Hours went by and it was now pitch black as I was still on the floor, lying on my back while staring emptily at the ceiling. It never occurred to me just how much I had fucked up by staying in the safe-house. He had always been there for me, taken care of me and I just left him all by himself... I knew I should have been there for him. I wanted to be there for him, yet I could barely handle looking at him without guilt eating me alive.

I blamed myself for losing our baby, it was my job to keep it safe and I had lost it. I was afraid to look at him, afraid to actually witness him blaming me for everything. That was why I had to leave... I ran away because I was scared the longer I stayed around with a flat stomach, the more he would despise me for it.

I couldn't handle it.

I slowly stood up and made my way to the bathroom. I looked in the mirror, seeing how red and puffy my eyes were.

What a fucking mess I have become.

I washed my face with cold water, hoping it would take the worst away and make my eyes less puffy. I grabbed an oversized hoodie and pulled the hood over my head as I walked to Ava and Samantha's place to get Kiara. I knocked on the door, making sure I kept my eyes lowered to the ground to avoid any questions about it because I knew it was visible to see I had been crying.

"Oh, hey, Elsa. Here to get Kiki?" Samantha asked with a smile.

"Yeah..." I had to clear my throat a little as my voice sounded off.

"Thank you for watching her." I tried again, sounding a bit better.

"Are you okay?"

"Yep." I dismissed her question just as Ava made an appearance with Kiki. I took her in my arms, happy to see the little furball rub her head against my chest with a purring sound.

"Thank you again for watching her."

"No problem." Ava said, and I turned around to leave, only to stop after a couple of steps before I turned around to look at them again.

"How come you reported to Arianna and not Nicholas?" I decided to ask since it went through my mind ever since Arianna left. I had my suspicions about them the moment we bumped into each other but I wasn't too sure about it. But now, I was completely sure they were working for him when I couldn't spot any of his men. It only made sense he would put someone close to me but also someone I wouldn't recognize so I wouldn't feel like I was being watched. I just didn't know why they reached out to Arianna first.

"Eh, who?" Ava raised her brows, faking confusion but I saw right through it. Samantha was quiet as she was still observing me ever since she asked if I was okay.

"I know he sent you here to keep an eye on me. I just want to know why to Arianna and not him?" I was looking directly at Samantha, who now had a corner of her mouth tilted a little upwards, confirming that they were in fact working for him.

"I guess there is no point in keeping this a secret from you...." Ava trailed off and looked at Samantha.

"I think you know why we reached out to Arianna instead of Nicholas." Samantha replied, and I gave her a slight nod. He wouldn't have hesitated and killed Asher the moment he saw him. It didn't help that he wasn't fond of him at all to start with. Even though I was hurt and angry with Asher , it didn't mean I wanted him to die.

"It doesn't seem like you're ready to see him either since you didn't mention him once to us. If we reported to him, he would have come." She added, and she was right. If we were to see each other again, I would rather have it be under different circumstances.