The Wife He Underestimated

ELEVEN—In My Room.

❧

I wake up to the sound of a woman screaming.

“They’re going to kill each other, somebody stop them.”

The sound of pattering feet running out of my room causes me to sit up in alarm.

A wave of dizziness hits me and I bite back nausea.

When I feel stable enough, I look around.

I’m in my room. My actual room.

My heart skips a beat and I hold my breath in disbelief. I pinch myself to be sure it’s real.

I’m back in my room at the Delacruz mansion, everything’s exactly as I left it.

I let out a relieved sob.

It has all been a bad dream.

I throw off my covers and hurriedly slip my feet into the flip flops by the side of my bed.

As I walk by my vanity, I catch sight of myself in the mirror and feel my heart sink.

The left side of my neck is wrapped in a bandage.

Carla’s knife was real.

A scream sounds from below, followed by the sound of breaking china and I snap back to the present.

I guess I’m about to find out how I ended up back here.

“You couldn’t keep your filthy hands to yourself, you had to defile her the first night in that house.”

I freeze at the odd sight.

Sebastain has a man pinned against a wall, his elbow against his neck.

The man’s hair falls past his shoulder in sleek, black sheets, a manic smile stretched across his lips, green eyes twinkling in amusement. “I didn’t lay a finger on her.”

My mouth falls open in shock.

“What is wrong with you? Get away from him.” I scream at Sebastain.

Both men turn at the sound of my voice and Sebastian instantly lets go of Edward.

He hurries toward me, worry in his eyes.

“Mari, are you…”

“Why were you hurting him? What is wrong with you?” I scream at Sebastain.

He halts.

His brown eyes large with worry and mild confusion. He looks between Edward and me, suspicion in his glance.

“The hospital called when you were brought in. I heard you thought you were…raped.” His voice cracks on the last word.

“No, I wasn’t.” I glare at him. “And how’s that any of your business? What am I doing here?”

“Told you she wouldn’t appreciate your help.” Edward sniggers behind and Sebastain stiffens.

Lee rushes forward, and for the first time, I notice other people in the room.

There’s a fidgety boy standing behind Lee and Madame victoria is directing a few girls to clean up the broken vases.

For a moment, my heart aches at the familiarity of her presence.

I can smell her Sunday midnight special from the kitchen. It takes a lot of effort to look away from her.

Carla is nowhere in sight. I grit my teeth.

I’d have loved to slice open her pretty face.

“I guess it’s time for us to leave.” Edward buttons his shirt and rolls down his sleeves absently.

“You can leave, Mari’s staying.” Sebastain turns on him in an instant.

“No, she’s not.” Edward laughs, “she’s desperate to leave this place, it’s all over her face.”

Sebastian turns to look at me, and his brown eyes catches the light. I feel a painful twist in my heart.

Out of habit, I tilt my head just a bit to the right perfectly capturing the right angle that causes Sebastian’s eyes to look like solid gold under the light.

He tilts his head along with me, a reflex he since developed when I starting doing this as a kid.

I miss him so much, I want to run my fingers through his hair.

“Ahem!” Edward clears his throat.

I flinch back from Sebastian, forcing down my memories. “I’m ready to leave.” I force myself to look at him.

He silently steps aside, his eyes going dark, void of light and emotion.

Just like that, whatever warmth I sensed from him is gone and he’s back to being the cold, unreachable man I married.

I feel my heart harden.

It doesn’t bother me, I’ve seen it happen so often, I’ve come to stop caring.

“This way please.” Edward offers me his arm.

I take it without hesitation.

For the second time in less than fourty eight hours, I walk out of my home without looking back.

“Is someone going to explain how we ended up here?” I direct my question toward Lee and Edward once we’re in a car and speeding away from the Delacruz mansion.

They both exchange a glance.

“You had a medical emergency while you were out eating dinner.” Edward’s face is hooded, I can’t make out his expression in the dark car.

“What kind of emergency?” I try to rack my brain, but I can barely remember a thing.

“Durling, you sound like you’ve been hit over the head with a pan. What’d you remember?” Edward’s tone is light and playful as usual, but I sense an underlying tension to it.

I turn towards Lee “we went to have dinner because the doctor wouldn’t let me stay over?”

I’m uncertain, but Lee nods affirmative to show I’m correct.

“So what medical emergency brought me back to the Delacruz house?” I hate how vague everyone is, I can feel my annoyance growing.

“Relax, it was your wound.” Edward’s fingers graze the side of my neck. He’s trying to calm me down.

I flinch at the sudden warmth of his hand, but slowly relax as his thumb circles around my nape.

“The knife that cut you had rare, undetected poison, so none of the medications were working. The doctor said the original weapon had to be examined for an antidote.” Edward’s fingers slowly makes it way down my back.

They move in a slow rhythm, up and down.

I instinctively arch my back to give him better reach.

Warmth spreads in my lower belly.

“So why wasn’t the doctor with us at Sebastain’s residence?” I knock Edward’s hand aside. I have to focus.

“Oh he was, matter of fact, he’s still in there. Your boy Seb roughened him up a bit for negligence.”

“And what does any of this have to do with Sebastian? The world doesn’t revolve around him.” I hiss in anger.

I hate this.

“Why don’t you channel all that heat towards me instead? All that anger, I can take it.” Edward’s lips murmur against my neck.

His breath tickles my skin, warm and tingly and my toes curl in need.

With great effort, I force myself to lean away from him.

“Doesn’t explain how you two know each other.” I mutter, mind racing with effort.

“You think I know that prick?” Edward laughs

“Durling your boy just has some serious saviour complex.

“Mhmmm” I nod in agreement absently.

The first words I heard this evening has just resurfaced in my mind.

“They’re going to kill each other.”

That’s what a maid screamed when I woke up.

Sebastian never dirties his hands with underdogs, he usually has his guards do it in his stead.

I glance at Edward sideways.

I remember him rolling down his sleeves, and I’ve never seen a man remain unmarked after Sebastain’s handled him.

There are no visible signs of harm on Edward.

His charm, his easy going smile, his constant need to always c***k a joke.

All this could be an effort to hide the man he truly is underneath.

Sometimes the most dangerous ones hide behind charisma.

I shiver involuntarily.

My memories are off, the attendant, Lee, has a weird aura about her, the Hamiltons all had prior knowledge of me, Sebastian thinks doctor Max might be compromised.

“You okay Durling?” Edward pulls me to himself.

I give a small nod and allow him hold me, his body warmth enveloping me.

There’s a web of lies and manipulation all around me, spun intricately to keep me trapped and ignorant.

So let them think I’m oblivious, let them assume I’m soft and weakened, let them pull their strings and lead me on like a puppet.

I’d play along, and when it’s time, I’ll rain down hell on everyone who has hurt me.