Betrothed for Rejection

Chapter 39: Confessions And Denial

Freeing my self from Adrian's arms as he slept I got up. The raspiness in my throat urged me to go to the kitchen for a glass of water. Drinking two full glasses I look out at the view.

Darkness illuminated with thousands of lights is all that I can see and I feel like my heart is silent yet screaming so loudly. As if being stuck in a world from where there is no escape. Tragedy after tragedy, if my life were an English Drama it would for sure win an Emmy.

"What has you awake?"

Adrian comes behind me as I look out the view. I stay silent and he knows what is going on in my mind.

Holding my hand, he asks me to sit while he grabs two glasses and a bottle of scotch. I stay silent because deep inside, my heart is going haywire. Normally, I wouldn't have gotten it in my head but Evelyn's words feel like an incessant echo in my head.

"Ailey what I am about to tell you is a dark dead secret, something no one has ever known other than the Vittorios. All I ask in return is for you to trust me".

I nod but stay silent.

"You remember Elaine don't you? My very lovable twin sister. She was the apple of everyone's eye. Things were beautiful. The perfect family. Dad wouldn't be so harsh with us we were living in peace".

He stops and drinks from his glass then looks at me.

"Elaine was just 19 years old when she wanted to marry. You always wondered why I hate Axcel so much? He, he was the one that Elaine fell in love with. My dad didn't approve of him. Neither did I? Then one night after fighting a lot with my father, Elaine rushed to her room, and Dad asked me to go and talk to her. I did want to but then decided to give her sometime to cool off".

I feel a bundle of nerves tie in my belly as Adrian closes his eyes as if trying to erase the memory.

"An hour later I knock on her door. She wasn't there Ailey! All there was in her room was a crumpled piece of paper which said that she couldn't live with these strict norms and conventional ways! She felt imprisoned. And that she is leaving for London with Axcel".

"I rushed down to inform Father about it but by then it was too late! Cracks had started to form in our once happy home. My father stood near the window his face was hard. He told me that his little Elaine was no more! My little sister was gone!

I gasp out loud as I bring my hands to my mouth. Trying to hold in my tears.

Knowing that I hadn't talked to her when he had asked me to an hour earlier he took out his anger on me! I was only 19 years old back then! A sophomore in College on Semester break! My father beat me till I had a few broken ribs, there were bruises on places I don't even remember and I was barely breathing. My mother of course begged my father to stop! If it weren't for her I might've not made it".

I burst out crying just hearing about the pain this man had to go through. Without thinking I hug him tight and he holds on to me.
I take his face in my hands and run my fingers on the back of his neck. He leans in to my touch and kisses my forehead.

"When I woke up my mother was by my side. She kept on crying. Told me my sister died on spot and she was fearful she would've lost me too! As for my father. He was nowhere to be seen, like always he had shut himself off".

I look up at him, "How did things resolve? What has this to do with Evelyn?"

"So much that you don't know, Ailey what I might say now may hurt you but it's something that I have found out. I can prove it with papers that my private investigator gave me".