Chapter Twenty
1069 Words
The hospital air had been suffocating, thick with unspoken words. I stood in the hallway, waiting for Theo to come out of Liana’s room. My heart pounded in my chest, racing with fear and anger. When he finally emerged, his expression was unreadable, his eyes cold. The silence between us was loud, but I didn’t dare speak.
When we got home, the tension followed us like a dark cloud. Theo sat on the edge of the bed, flipping through a book he wasn’t reading, his jaw tight, every movement deliberate. I quietly changed my clothes, desperate to avoid a fight, but it felt like walking on shattered glass.
Then, his voice cut through the silence like a knife. "Liana’s going to sue you," he said flatly, without even glancing up from the book.
I froze mid-step, my pulse spiking. "Sue me?" My voice came out more like a whisper, disbelief lacing every word. "For what? I didn’t do anything!"
Theo finally looked up, his eyes piercing through me. "For pushing her down the stairs. What else?"
I shook my head, trying to keep my voice steady. "Theo, I told you—I didn’t push her. She did it to herself. She’s lying!"
His lips curled into a bitter smirk, a laugh void of any humor. "Of course, you didn’t. Because she’s just crazy, right?"
"Yes!" I shouted, feeling the frustration boil over. "She’s obsessed with you, Theo! Can’t you see that?"
Theo stood up abruptly, the book falling to the floor with a thud. "You know what, Delilah?" His voice was icy. "I don’t care. I’ve already handled it. She won’t press charges."
Relief washed over me for a brief moment, but it vanished with his next words.
"On one condition," he continued, each word dripping with resentment. "I have to take care of her until she’s recovered."
I stared at him, my mouth going dry. "What?" I whispered, feeling the walls close in. "No. No, Theo, you can’t do that."
"I can, and I will," he said firmly, his eyes narrowing. "This is your fault. You caused this mess, and now I have to clean it up."
I stepped toward him, desperation clawing at my throat. "I’d rather go to jail than have you taking care of her, Theo. Please, don’t do this."
Theo’s face hardened, a flicker of cold rage passing through his eyes. "Don’t be stupid. If you go to jail, it’ll ruin the company’s reputation. And let me remind you, Delilah, you are my wife. That means your actions reflect on me. So, no—you’re not going to jail. You’re staying right here, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to protect what matters."
His words hit like a punch to the gut. I could barely breathe, knowing that this wasn’t about me, or us, anymore. It was about his image, the company, everything except the family we had built.
Two days later, the nightmare became real. Liana moved into our house.
Every time I saw her lounging on our couch or wearing that smug expression, I felt my blood boil. She’d make snide comments whenever Theo wasn’t around, and I had to swallow my pride, praying for patience.
One evening, I walked into the living room and found her leaning against Theo, her head resting on his shoulder, her hand lazily tracing circles on his chest. Theo sat there, his face expressionless, but he wasn’t pushing her away. The sight of them together made my stomach churn, my heart pounding with a bitter mix of jealousy and rage.
I couldn’t stand it. I turned and rushed up to our bedroom, tears burning in my eyes. I threw myself onto the bed, burying my face in the pillows, but the sobs came anyway, loud and uncontrollable. I was losing everything—my family, my marriage—and it was all slipping through my fingers.
Suddenly, the door creaked open. Theo’s voice came from behind me, sharp and cutting.
"Are you crying?" he asked coldly, his voice void of any sympathy.
I looked up, my face wet with tears, and met his icy gaze. "What do you think?" I choked out, wiping my face angrily. "What do you expect, Theo?"
"I expect you to own up to your actions," he snapped. "You don’t get to play the victim here. You brought this on yourself."
His words hit me like a slap to the face. I sat up, my chest tightening with anger. "I didn’t push her, Theo! How many times do I have to say it? She’s manipulating you!"
Theo laughed bitterly, shaking his head. "You’re unbelievable, Delilah. You really think everyone is against you, don’t you?"
I stood up, glaring at him, the tears drying on my cheeks. "No, Theo. I think she’s against me. Liana is doing this on purpose. She’s trying to take you away from me, and you’re letting her."
"And why wouldn’t she want to be with me?" Theo shot back, his voice rising. "Maybe she’s better for me than you ever were."
I felt the world tilt. His words were like poison, seeping into my veins, freezing me in place. "How can you say that?" I whispered, my voice trembling. "After everything we’ve been through, how can you—"
"Because it’s true," Theo interrupted, his face twisting with frustration. "Look at what’s happened, Delilah. Tyrone nearly drowned because of your carelessness, and now Liana’s injured. You’re spiraling out of control, and I can’t trust you anymore."
I stumbled back, feeling as if he’d struck me. "You can’t trust me? You think I’m the problem?"
"Yes!" he shouted, the veins in his neck bulging. "You’re the problem! I’m doing everything I can to keep things together, and all you do is make it worse!"
I stood there, trembling, my heart shattered into a million pieces. "Maybe you’re right," I whispered, my voice barely audible. "Maybe I am the problem. But I love you, Theo. I love Tyrone, and I’m trying—"
"Trying?" Theo scoffed, cutting me off. "You call this trying? You’ve done nothing but ruin everything. And now, you’re crying like you’re the victim. You deserve this, Delilah. Every bit of it."
His words hit like a final blow, leaving me breathless and numb. I sank onto the bed, feeling the weight of his accusations crush me.
Maybe he was right.
Maybe I did deserve this.
- Writer
