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I usually get undressed in the bathroom—alone. I’ve been holding back showing her all of his scars. I didn’t want her to see her reaction to the ugliness. She’s the only good thing, the only pure thing that has ever belonged to me. I don’t think I could handle seeing revulsion in her eyes. I suppose that makes me weak, but at this point, it is what it is. Still, I know that in doing that, I’m keeping a certain amount of distance between us—a distance that is hurting Helena. I’ve been toying with the idea of revealing the scars. It’s best to know now if she can handle them. She’s innocent, sweet and despite having a father who spends his time ignoring her, she’s sheltered. If she can’t deal with it, I’ll keep them hidden. She’s into me enough that I can manage to distract her from the proof that I am the son of a monster. She never has to know that deep inside of me is lurking the same type of beast that I keep a tight rein on.
That can’t be tonight, though. Tonight, I need my woman to soothe the filth I felt inside as I took the demo crew through the dungeon and the rest of the tunnels. I hated doing it, but I need that system destroyed carefully. Whatever we do here, I need to keep the structure of the overlook the home is built on solid. I’m going to bring Helena’s vision to fruition. That thought makes me smile. I’ll make sure she’s happy here. They’ll be happy here together. We will have a family, build a life—all the things I have wanted my entire life and yet, never thought I would receive. I lean back to take off my shoes but my hand hits something unusual. It’s firm and crinkles under my palm at the same time. I put my foot down and turn to see what it is and frown when I see a pink envelope that I recognize immediately as Helena’s stationery. I grin, glad she left me a note letting me know where she’s at. I’m still going to tear into my bodyguards. They don’t make a move unless I know exactly where they’re going and where my fucking wife will be.
I rip open the envelope, anxious to read Helena’s sweet words, and fuck, she is sweet. She’s always giving me that sweetness, that gentleness that she carries inside her. She gives it to me so much that now, I’m addicted. I crave it.
I unfold the letter, a smile still playing on my lips as I take in her writing, gentle but strong strokes of a pen that make beauty. Helena can do that with anything at her disposal—even pen and paper.
As I begin reading, the smile dies on my lips and slow anger being leeching in.
Marco,
I’ve really tried. I thought I could do this. I thought I could live this life with you. I can’t. The you I fell in love with as a child is not and has never been the real you. I tried to pretend that we could have a life together. I was wrong.
The love I thought was the real thing, has just turned into to emptiness. I’ve had enough empty in my life. I can’t pretend to be happy anymore. I need to find where I belong in this world. The only thing I am totally sure of is that I don’t belong with you.
We are too different.
I will have my father send the papers dissolving our premarital contract and engagement.
You’re free. Be happy, despite everything, I want that for you.
Helena.
After reading it, I read it again. Then again. And again. I zone out—just staring at it. I’m still not sure how many times I read it, but with each word repeated in my brain bitterness and anger take over. I crumble it in my hand and grab my cell.
“Yo, what’s up, Marco? I thought we were meeting for a family dinner here at the hotel?” Sebastian asks.
“Helena is gone. I want her security team in my hotel room in twenty minutes. I want our best trackers finding her and I want her found now. No delay.”
“Fuck, did someone take her? What’s going on?”
“No, she left on her own. I’m not sure what happened, but it’s clear something did. Are the security cameras at the house still working?”
“Of course. We had the feed transferred to the construction trailer you had set up for your office.”
“Good, then change of plans. Have the security team meet me there and you and Gio come too. All hands on deck damn it. I want Helena found and I want her found now.”
“Got it.”
He hangs up and I throw Helena’s fucking note in the floor. It deserves to be buried with the rest of the soon to be rubble of this place. As for my fiancée, I’m going to turn her fucking ass red for pulling this shit.
