The Remarried

Chapter fourteen

When I see Daniel again, he only needs to look at me and I know that there is something he longs to tell me, something he's been keeping inside for too long.

"Come on. Say it," I smile.

"You never loved my brother."

"I loved Edmond with all my heart," I say and my voice doesn't shake. "It was him who didn't love me. Who just took advantage of me to get to my brother. He would never marry me if it wasn't for my brother."

I can tell that I didn't convince him. Maybe because I can't really convince myself.

"If you loved him, you would have died with him," he says adamantly.

I smile sadly. "Then why didn't you, Daniel? Why didn't you drink your cup?"

"To avenge him."

"My reason was the same."

"But you didn't avenge him. You forgot about him as soon as you were somebody again. As soon as the Senator's son fucked your brains out, because that was all you ever knew!"

I slap his face so hard that my hand prickles. "Watch your tongue, boy! Who I let fuck me is my business. And as long as I decide about it and don't whore myself to just anyone out of necessity, I am still better than you. Because letting people fuck your body is still not as degrading as letting them fuck your mind!"

"I think you belong in both categories, actually!" he retorts.

"That's enough, young man!" David's voice sounds from the door. "I won't let you insult my sister."

"That's all right," I say, lifting my hand. "There are things between us that need to be made clear. And if this language makes it easier, then let's speak it."

David just shrugs and closes the door. I turn back to Daniel. He keeps watching me like I am something he would never touch with his bare hand.

"It was me, you know?" he says then, a bit out of breath. "It was me who advised Jordan to have you poisoned. Because you should have died that night."

"Perhaps I should have," I nod calmly. "But then I wouldn't be able to complete what Edmond started. That was the only thing that mattered to me, because it was the only thing that mattered to him. Edmond didn't want monarchy, Daniel. He didn't want war for this country. Quite the contrary."

"There is no other way for things to change."

"Things may change, but people won't," I say. "Whatever new regime comes, they will destroy it again. People always take things the wrong way. Monarchy, democracy, theocracy... it never works. Nothing will ever work because people are bad, not the system."

Daniel shakes his head. "The Senate took power to restore order. To end the war. But once it was over, they didn't leave."

"No, they didn't," I nod calmly. "But you are now going to start a war within this country. How is that going to help the situation? You will weaken our army, and even if you win, all you'll have will be a decimated land and an easy prey for any other country. Is that what you want? To rule such place for a while?"

"It won't be like that forever," he says and I know that he truly believes it. "We can rebuild everything. Make it right."

"You are really still a child," I sigh.

He turns around and storms out of the room without a word. I know that it works him up, the way I speak, like I am a wise woman who knows everything, knows the truth that he cannot comprehend yet. But although I may not know the truth, I am sure that he can't know it either.