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All eyes are on me as I make my way into the room, no one saying a word. My mother looks like she’s going to pass out, and my father looks devastated beyond repair. Zayan has a smug grin on his face, while Marnix is looking at me like he wants to murder me.
I knew leaving all of them alone in a room was a bad idea, but I just couldn’t think straight with the chaos running through my mind. I needed a moment to screw my head on straight, but now Marnix is looking at me like he doesn’t even know me. Like I’m some annoying bug under his shoe. His icy cold stare makes me feel so small.
First things first, I need to get Zayan the fuck out of here. “What are you still doing here?” My voice is full of fury; I’m sick of seeing his face.
“I was invited,” he says innocently.
“I don’t care. You can shove it up your ass and get the fuck out.” I’m being disrespectful in my family’s home, but it doesn’t even matter at this point. He needs to leave. I can’t get everything off my chest with him here.
“Don’t bother. I was just leaving.” My head snaps in Marnix’s direction, not sure if I heard him correctly. He said I, not we. He’s already standing near the door.
“If you’re leaving, then I’m coming with you.” I walk toward him, but he holds up his hands to stop me.
“I’m leaving alone,” he insists, making sure I understand. Whatever happened while I was in the bathroom has Marnix acting like I’m a total stranger. All of my attention is on him, not noticing anyone else in this room anymore. He’s the only one I care about right now. My parents will be fine, and Zayan can go fuck himself. I just need to know what’s going on with Marnix.
We were fine. Hell, we were better than fine before we got out of the car.
“What happened?” I’m confused about why he’s acting like this.
“Why don’t you tell me?” His voice is harsh and ice cold. There’s no longer any hint of that tenderness he had in the car with me earlier. That Marnix has completely vanished. I feel like I’m looking at the man I first met—the asshole who only needed me to solve his problems.
“I can’t read your fucking mind, so why don’t you help me out?” I snap at him, getting irritated the longer I wait. I know it’s because of Zayan. I’m on edge now, because I don’t know what kind of sick shit he’s done to fuck me over.
Marnix laughs. Not a friendly one either, but one full of anger and spite. “Maybe it’s because you’ve been talking to him behind my back the entire time, making me look like a damn fool. Or I don’t know, the fact that you’ve been spying on me, trying to get information on the Snakes.”
What the fuck is he talking about? I’ve done neither of those things.
I look over to my parents, who are standing there stunned, probably trying to process what’s going on in front of them. Yeah, well, same. “Mama, Papa, could you guys give us some privacy please?” I don’t need them seeing any more of this shitshow. They look hesitant to go, but I give them a pointed look, silently begging for them to just leave for a bit.
“Fine, but figure this out now. We expect a full explanation of what you did and how you’re going to fix it.” My mother’s voice is full of anger and hurt. I can’t blame her—this is the chaos I was trying to avoid.
Thankfully, my parents leave the room, allowing me to direct my attention back to Marnix. “I’m not sure what you think you know, but your information is wrong.” I don’t know why he would even think I have anything to do with the Snakes. I stay as far away from that bullshit as I can. As for Zayan, the only contact I’ve had with him was when he came into my restaurant and when he called me today. That’s it. He tried to call me when I first met Marnix, but I ignored it, hoping it was a fluke or freak accident. I should’ve blocked his number a long time ago, but coming down from an overdose was a bigger priority.
“Wrong? So you’re telling me the text messages he showed me aren’t real?” He’s looking at me in disbelief.
“What fucking text messages?” I haven’t texted Zayan once. I’m actively trying to avoid the motherfucker, so I’d never actually message him of my own free will.
“Don’t play coy, dahlia. I showed him everything.” Now Zayan thinks it’s his turn to jump into and join the party with his stupid comments. My entire body is now vibrating with anger. He’s lying. Whatever he’s showed Marnix is fucking fake.
“There’s nothing to show. I haven’t talked to your piece of shit ass in years,” I growl, balling my hands into fists so hard that I can feel my pulse pounding through them.
“Stop fucking lying. At least own up to it. I’m not an idiot. They were from your number.” Marnix’s angry voice sends a chill down my spine.
“I’m not lying!” He’s not even listening to me or trusting the fact that he knows me—actually fucking knows me—instead of Zayan, who he just met. “You’re really going to believe him, some jackass you just met? The same jackass you know I was trying to get away from—instead of me, the woman you married?” I’m all but screaming at him, trying to get him to hear me.
“When the evidence is all there, it’s pretty hard to believe a word that’s coming out of your mouth. The messages were from your number, for Christ’s sake! We’ve barely seen each other lately—there’s no telling what you’ve been doing under my damn roof.” Marnix is losing his temper; I can see the fury deep in his eyes. He’s trying to push me away again. He’s not even giving me a chance to explain myself, because he’s already made up his mind.
“Marnix, he’s lying. He’s a fucking manipulator. You have to believe me.” I’m pleading with him, begging him to be on my side. To trust me.
“Looks like you’re both good at that then.”
My heart is slowly breaking with each word he says. He’s cutting me deep and he knows it. “Marnix…” I croak. The rush of emotions are now overpowering.
“No. You must think I’m a fool. You’ve been playing me this entire time. Fuck, I can handle that—I’ve been used before. But Cohutta too? You know how much he cares about you. You know what it’s like for him, and you just shit on all of that. What was your endgame? Play us until you got what you needed and then you’d just leave? You’re a traitor. A liar and a fake. You disgust me.”
I think I can actually hear my own heart shattering into a million pieces. The pain in my chest right now is insurmountable.
“Marnix, I’m telling you the truth. If you’d pull your head out of your ass, you’d realize that.” Tears are spilling down my face from the agony racking my body. I hate crying—I really fucking hate it—but he’s killing me right now. He’s breaking me apart, piece by piece. “Marnix. Please. Please don’t leave me with him.” I walk toward him, hoping some contact between us can make him remember. Remind him of the sweet words he just told me in the car, before everything got ruined.
