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Irephrased the question. “Inyouropinion, can someone withASPDlove another person?”
Hedidn’t answer for several moments.Iwondered if he’d give me another lecture for simplifying the word to the generalized version used by society.
Instead, he gave me a look of defeat and said, “No, they cannot love.”
Iclosed my eyes before walking out the door.
ChapterTwelve
Present
* * *
Piya
Myinsides shookwith anger asIrushed out of the cafeteria.Axeldidn’t chase after me, butIwasn’t about to leave it to chance.Withmy arms wrapped around my middle,Ibolted outside.
Poppywas going through a rebellious phase where my very existence irked her.Nomatter whatIdid,IwasEnemy#1, and she was dead set on defying me.Shenoticed thatAxelagitated me and asked him to return.
Myheart was ready to give out, andIpulled out my phone to callJay.Heneeded to know what was happening, and we needed a strategy against the havocAxelwas causing in our lives.
Onering.
Tworings.
Voicemail.
Itried again and again.Voicemaileach time.
Defeated,Istared at my phone.Itwas almost dead sinceIdidn’t pack a charger last night in my haste to leave the house.
Screwit.Ididn’t needJayto handleAxel.IbroughtAxelTrimalchiointo our lives and had to take care of it myself.
Ispent last night hiding in my hotel room and drowning in regret over what happened.Bythe time morning came around, the effects of the hangover had subsided, andIhad returned to the reality of being anAmbani.
Twenty-one-year-oldPiyaMittal’snatural inclination would be to cause a ruckus overAxel’sactions, wanting to speak freely and get it out in the open.Thirty-four-year-oldPiyaAmbaniwas limited by the restraints in her life.
Whenwe married,Jaytold me there was no such thing as divorce for us.Therehad been numerous cases of infidelity within theAmbanifamily, all strategically hidden so as not to cause scandals.Yet, no one got divorced.
JayandIcould never leave one another, so telling him about last night would only hurt him and cause irreparable damage to our internal relationship.Insteadof blowing up my marriage becauseAxelbroke into my house and had his way with me,Ihad to do whatAmbanisdid best; repress.Ididn’t have the luxury to pursue this in court, so whatever happened,Ihad to put it to bed.
Iwas determined in my efforts untilAxelshowed up atPoppy’sschool, and now he had made follow-up plans to weasel into my daughter’s life.
OhGod, did he know?Washe back in our lives because he knew of my andJay’ssordid secrets?Wouldhe expose us to the world?
Iwas so distracted by my emotional turmoil thatIdidn’t realizeIwas walking to the parking lot.Damnit.Ihad taken anUberfrom the hotel, and the designated rideshare area was on the other side of campus.
Iturned on my heels, ready to burn off my anxiety with a long walk.Mybrisk strides were cut short by an engine revving and a car veering to an abrupt stop.
“Whatthe hell!”Igasped at the aggressive maneuver.Asleek, whiteBMWM2pulled up beside me, andIknew the driver of the car a little too well.
Heathen!
Axelleft the car running as he flung open the door.Satan’sspawn bowed his head to emerge out of it.Thenon-threatening blue jeans and heather gray t-shirt didn’t make him so.Thetall man towered over me, biceps peeking out of his t-shirt as he ordered, “Getin the car.I’llgive you a ride home.”
Icould have laughed.Infact,Idid just that;Ithrew my head back and laughed wholeheartedly.EverytimeIthoughtAxelcouldn’t be more ludicrous, he proved me wrong.Didhe truly believeI’dget in a car with him after what transpired between us?
KnowingAxel, he probably did.Thefact only made me laugh harder.Wipingthe tears from the corner of my eye,Isaid sweetly, “No, thanks.”
