Beyond A Scorned Heart

CHAPTER 18: Confrontation

Silence reigned in the small rose garden. The garden was one of the finest getaways in the palace, It was well decorated with different rose plants and benches on each side. She sipped the coffee he had previously offered her and shook her head. Of all the the people in the world, he had to be the one to meet her in her most crucial moments. The last thing she needed was his inquisitive mind bugging her with questions on her relapses. His stare alone said everything, he was curious. Well, damn him and his white coat profession! She wasn't going to satisfy his raging hunger. She smiled to herself, she was going to keep staring at him as long as possible and he was going to keep looking at her expecting a reason or cause for her retrogression. It was going to be a long silence. But....

"You left the dinning hall quite early"

He spoke. He freaking spoke! She frowned a little but a smile resurfaced on her face. She was still on her game; the silent treat

"You didn't even touch your plate".

Silence

"You know, Prince Nathaniel came shortly after you left and he was asking of you"

More silence

  Then he smirked. "Do you speak Italian frequently? I heard you stayed there for four years". Her face hardened. She clutched the cup in her hands tightly and glared at him

He continued defiantly. "It seems to me by your reaction that your stay there wasn't  pleasant one".

"Pleasant? No, you underestimated the word. It was paradise". She smiled sarcastically. Paradise of hell.

"Very well, Westernfield is such a beautiful place. Don't you think so? Or do you hate it as well as it hates you?". He pressed on. He was determined to get a reaction from  her even a little emotion or outburst. The woman before him was a puzzle. A puzzle, he was determined to fix together.

"Yes, Westernfield is a beautiful place, so lovely. And yes, I hate Westernfield...More than I hate doctors".  She spoke , her expression blank as she continued sipping her  coffee. " Anyway, thanks for the coffee. It's the only thing keeping this tiring moment sane".

He stared at her for a moment and smiled. "I think you are an interesting person. Pretty as well"

"And I think you are a fool to fabricate such words"

He threw his head back and laughed. He chuckled and turned back to her. "You don't think, yourself worthy? Well, I think you are pretty. You are a pretty woman with an enigma. An enigma I tend to discover which I surely will".

She snickered."Impressive! Doctors and their words. Words of guile and artifice". A frown formed on her face. "One of the things I detest in this world are people who act like they know a thing or two about me. You don't know me".

"You are wrong. I know a lot about you. I know that you are unhappy, Isolated. And you have never experienced true happiness, but you act like you have. You think yourself wronged, unfortunate and despised which make you think yourself, unworthy of affection, so you tend to keep away from friends. You hate your past, a past surrounded with painful memories. Memories, you wished so dearly you could forget. Memories that can never be forgotten. Memories that makes you neurotic, that takes away your sleep, your health and anything healthy. You are scared, scared of yourself, scared of little dirty deeds in that brain of yours. You lie, dear . You lie that you don't care about how people think of you, that their words don't bother you, that you are happiest alone, that what you seek is revenge. But Its all a lie because you care how they think of you, their words bother you, you are not happy in fact you are lonely, in need for love and attention  and what you seek isn't revenge but atonement".

She bit her lips and clenched her fists. This was the reason, she hated them. She hated their talent of discovery. Discovery, she didn't want anyone prying into. She hated to admit it but he was right and she knew that he knew that he was right. She turned her back  and she could feel his eyes on her watching her move.

"Are you admitting the truth or are you going to run away from it? Haven't you thought about it? That there is always something beyond a scorned heart. I can help you. I can make those nightmares disappear. All you have to do is allow me, let me help you"

"Everyone keep on saying the same thing".  She turned her face hardened. "Everyone thinks I am some kind of charity. I don't need help. What I need, is to be left alone in peace".

"If you wanted to be left alone, why did you come to Westernfield? A place where you know you will never be left alone at least in peace. Even when you knew that, you still came here. You came here because you wanted to stop running away from your past, you wanted to stop hiding and you surely didn't come here to be alone. So, what has changed?"

Silence

"What is your main reason for coming to Westernfield?"

More silence

He sighed,his voice firm. "Why did you come  to Westernfield? You surely didn't come for revenge. So tell me, Maria, Why did you come back to a place that has caused you so much agony? Keeping silent won't cease the pain bottled inside your chest. Stop being a coward and face the truth, Maria ".

"You are right!! I am a coward. I came back because I thought they were apologetic! I thought they were sorry for they all did to me. That they would ask for my forgiveness, that I can finally be loved and accepted. But I was wrong!I was wrong because they still...." Tears prickled in her eyes. "They still feel that same enmity towards me. I was ready to at least hear their pleas even after the whole harm they did to me. They made me this way, pitiful. I was scorned for no reason. I....."

He hushed her. "You don't have to say anything. I understand"

"No! You don't understand. No one does. I don't want your help neither do I need it. Let's not bump into each other in the future. Have a nice day,  Dr. Black".