Married To My Sister's Husband

Mom

Alora's p.o.v

“ Anything I can get you, Miss Zaylee?” Laura asks as I stare at myself in the dressing mirror, my fingers tremble as they rest on my neck where Seth's have just been but I see a different face, the face of the man that took advantage of me when I was little. The room is suddenly smaller, suffocating. My stomach twists and for a moment I feel the hands of that bad man on my neck strangling me.

“Miss Zaylee” Laura calls my attention and he's gone. I blink hard, forcing myself to breathe and look at her.

“What?” I ask.

“I ask if I can do anything,” She says.

“Yes, can you arrange a new phone for me?” I ask and she nods.

“I'm sorry about Mr Van Doren…I never seen him like that, he always so calm” She says and I give her a small smile before she leaves.

Right so I woke the beast and what did I do? I only asked about his mother because I thought maybe we shared a similar tragic story of mothers who barely showed us love except I turned out fine and he didn't. Was that so wrong?

I don't like it here, it's too cold and unwelcoming and I fear this house, he will pull me under.I already know that feeling and all I did to leave that place and I don't want to go back there but I can't leave now that I have a lead. I'm going to the New Year's eve party, I'm sure Irene will be there and I can find out anything I can about Zaylee. I hope that I can pull this off and no one will notice that I'm not her, we are already so identical it's scary but I don't know her mannerisms. If people are going to think I'm her then first of all I should dress like her, I'm sure I can find something so her to wear in that huge closet.

***

Seth's p.o.v

“Seth, it's really nice to see you back after disappearing on me for how long, over a year now?” Helen asks.

“It’s nice to see you too, Helen” I say. We did see once last year at her housewarming event and I like Helen, it's her office I hate. I remember the first day I came in here, I was 12 years old and Beatrice had talked me into trying therapy. I wondered how talking to someone would help me get over the death of my whole family. I can't say it has been a complete waste or that it has helped a lot but Beatrice was right, trying to talk about it did some good even though it was hard.

I didn't want to come back here but I also didn't want a repeat of this morning so I had my secretary clear my schedule and book a session. I can't shake the look of pure fear in her eyes, she must think I'm a monster.

“What brings you here all of a sudden? Kill anyone lately?” She asks and I can't tell if she's kidding but then she smiles.

“I lost my s**t in the ring, landed him in the hospital with broken ribs” I say and her brows crease in worry, her eyes are wide. I fight back a smile, it's too easy.

“Seth-” She begins and I chuckle. She started it.

“Relax Helen, can't take a joke?” I ask and she sighs.

“Really, what happened?” She asks and I give her a brief explanation and her mouth has fallen open by the time I'm done.

“You're married?” She asks. I've just told her how I had a hand on my….wife's throat and not in a s****l way yet this is her first question.

“It was a private wedding” I say. I made sure there was no paparazzi, they'll have enough time to gossip about us later.

“I'll be damned, did Beatrice put you up to it?” She asks.

Kinda.

“Excuse me? Helen, I think I'm capable of making my own decisions, I'm not 10 anymore” I say.

She begged me a lot and even went on to threaten me about how she won't be here forever and this was her only wish for me so I obliged.

“I know I'm just…I didn't think…why did you put a hand to her throat?” She asks. “I know you don't like to talk about your mother but that is intense, did she say something specific?”

“She was going to assume my mother didn't show me enough love,” I say.

“And why did that set you off?” She asks as I clench my fists. This is stressing me out, I'd rather be in boxing gloves right now.

“She doesn't know a thing about my mom or how loving she was so she shouldn't talk about her,” I say, my jaw clenches. No one should. I remember beating someone to a pulp as a boy because of something similar. I was expelled from school but I didn't care.

“Do you want to talk about how loving she was? What was she like?” Helen asks.

I've been in and out of therapy for 13 years and I'm yet to answer that question, today might just be the day.

“She…she was the kindest woman I've ever known,” I began and Helen nodded, urging me on. My heart beats faster the more I remember her, her smile, her laughter, I would try to recall everything about her every single day so I won't forget but now her laughter is a faint memory.

“Do you have some memories you would like to share?” She asks.

“I can't,” I say.

“It's okay, take your time, do you think she would have loved Zaylee?” She asks.

She always wanted me to be happy, anyone I love she would love. She definitely wouldn't approve of my actions this morning.

“I can't do this right now, Helen” I say and rise to my feet.

“You did well today Seth, every step counts, I hope to see you again soon” She says but I ignore her because I don't know when next I'll be in this office.

“Have a good day Helen, I'll leave your paycheck” I say, my fists are still clenched as I walk out of the office and they're slightly shaking when I unclench them.

I text Dean on my way to the elevator to know if he's free to be at the gym. Boxing gloves an

d bruises? Those are easier. Talking, feeling? That s**t is f*****g unbearable.