REYNOLDS ✔️

CHAPTER 5

Maria sits on the couch wrapped in a warm black fuzzy blanket. She stares at the mug that is sitting in front of her, she watches the steam rise from the cup, and lets the calming smell of the tea soothe her.
Mmm.. Earl Grey. Her favorite.
Alexander comes back from the kitchen his mug in hand, and is carefully walking over. He sits down next to her placing his mug on the table. Alexander looks at her as she continues to stare at the mug.
"I can't help you until you tell me exactly what happened." He says, but he gets no response.
"Maria I want to help you, and I can't if you don't tell me."
"I told you-" She began. "James killed my son." She said continuing to stare at the mug.
"But that's not all that happened..How did you get those cuts on you knuckles, and that bruise on your cheek?"
There was pause, and then she began again:
"I feel guilty." She finally looked up at him. She didn't the look the same to him. He knew she was broken, but now her really saw it, the glass finally broke. She cracked.
"He was going to shoot me first, but I begged him not to because I wanted to see you again."
"I wish he would've killed me." She wraps her arms around herself, closing herself off from him. She sobbed so hard and so loud it hurt Alexander more than the other times he saw her cry.
"Don't say that! You could've never predicted he was going to go after your son." This made her sob more. Alexander put his hand on her back.
"I'm going to find him." He said making Maria look up. "And I wont stop until I do. I'll make sure he never hurts you again." Maria rested her head on his shoulder and buried her face in his jacket and cried. Alexander put his arm around her, rubbing her back, trying to comfort her. They stayed like this for hours, until Maria eventually fell asleep on him. Alexander looked at her. She looked at peace for once in her life, even with mascara running down her cheeks, and bruises she looked beautiful. Alexander knew that those feelings he felt weren't guilt, they were love, he couldn't deny it anymore. He loves her. He didn't want anything to happen to her. But he remembered Eliza, Eliza, she loved him more than anything, she gave him everything he wanted, a family, comfort, love. But Maria gave him something he didn't get from her. When we was with her he felt passion, lust, exhilaration...These things were something he longed for and he finally felt them with her.
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Alexander wakes up on the floor, his back hurts from laying on the hard wood, but it was worth it at least Maria was comfortable. She was curled up in the blanket, her lips parted, her hair disheveled. He looked out his window and saw that it was dark out, they must've slept the whole afternoon. He looked at his clock:
9:30 p.m.
He went out his front door to check his mail, and he got a letter.
It was from Angelica.
Alexander's heart skipped a beat at the thought of her. He may love Maria, but his heart still had enough space for Eliza and Angelica. He's had a crush on her since he met her at the Winter's Ball, she intrigued him. They started talking and they've been close ever since that night. He opened it, it says:
My dearest Alexander,
I am returning to New York to visit you before I go back to London. Eliza and Phillip are staying upstate for the rest of the summer, but I am returning early because I miss you. I am hoping when I arrive we can catch up and talk like we used too. I will there by dawn tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing you.
Sincerely,
Angelica
Alexander must've read that letter over and over. She was going to be at his home by dawn, how was he going to get Maria out of the house? She has nowhere to go.
"I'm fucked." He thought. He rushed over to Maria and gently woke her up. She yawned and sat up.
"What is it?" She asked seeing that his face was full of worry.
"My sister-in-law is returning from upstate New York and she'll be here by dawn." Maria's eyes widened.
"You're kicking me out aren't you?"
"No I can't, you have nowhere to go." He looked out his window and sighed. "I'm just going to have to tell her."
Maria immediately got up and grabbed his arm.
"You can't! You'll ruin you're reputation! You'll ruin me..."
"I can't lie to her, besides I know I can trust her."
"Are you sure?" He nods, and Maria lets go of him. Maria flops back down onto the couch and hopes that Alexander's sister-in-law is trustworthy or else she can't ever see him or show her face again.

*TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY? WHAAAA? I know it's crazy right? Well this chapter has been in progress for a while and I decided to give you guys two chapters in one day. Thank you all who have read this it means A LOT. I thought my writing was crappy, but I guess it isn't so bad. Thank you all I love ya!
- Hailey