In This Love

Chapter 13

Avery

I looked at him as something ticked me on the inside. How could he? How dare he? Saying that he wouldn't be here if it weren't for me. For a moment I was left discombabulated. But soon, I let his tone sink in. I then realised what he truly meant.

He owes it to me because I sacrificed myself for everybody's greater good. Because I owed it to my parents somehow.

My hands gripped tightly onto my champagne glass. So hard that it felt like it would break. My eyes never left his taunting ones.

Cassy walked towards me with a smile on her face as everybody around us clapped. Rhys bowed his head to be modest. While I knew on the inside he felt a silent petty victory.

"I already talked to the manager and he consulted the orchestra. The piano is yours for a few minutes" I whipped my head towards her and my eyes widened on what she had said.

But I was just sharing a thought!

Cassy Holt was Rhys's cousin. She was extremely nice unlike her cousin and very understanding. She looked at me like I was not what everybody thought. She didn't think that I was strange or peculiar. She didn't think that Rhys was unlucky to have a cripple as a wife. In fact she was happy about it. Even thought I didn't see the point.

I had told her about the piano lessons I took when I was in highschool. About that song I wrote as I fell in love with the city. We were standing and listening to the music the orchestra played and I shared my thought on it.

And she told me that I should play tonight. And I declined as I thought she was joking.

But I didn't know.

"I thought you were joking" I said as I tapped my foot on the marble floor, completely forgetting what just happened a few moments ago.

"I wasn't. Now come on! Let's go" she tugged on my arm and started to drag me with her "N-no. I can't! Cassy! It's been a long time since I played" but my pleas payed no heed to her stubborn self.

"I'll make a fool out of myself!" I finally said making her come to a halt. Her blond hair flipped in the air as she turned her head towards me.

She had the same personality as Sarah. I felt it.

"No you won't! You are going to show these snobs what you truly are! Through your singing" I ripped my arm from her hold and rubbed it a little.

"You don't like to be pretentious like typical rich people?" I asked her as I looked around my surroundings. There was no sign of Rhys there and I took a sigh of relief. When if I sing tonight. At least he won't see me.

"Yeah. I resent the thought of being an asshole to people who don't deserve it" she said as she looked around the crowd too.

"But you are an asshole to your cousin" I mumbled when I kept my gaze limited and looked back at her.

"That's because he deserves it" she wiggled her eyebrows at me. Causing me to burst with laughter. People were staring at me now at the sudden laugh.

"Come on. Let's go" she tugged on my arm. Once again. She didn't even let my answer and staring to walk towards the piano in the middle of the hall.

I let out a groan and followed her.

Cassy walked to the stage as I went to the piano. My heart was racing as I assessed the crowd who were busy until Cassy spoke "Hello everyone! Hello busybodies! Today! Avery Holt" I felt a little tug at that name "will sing a song for us!" I found my parents watching me happily like none of this was affecting them. Which calmed my nerves a little. Then, surprisingly and not shockingly I found Ashley and the great Nora Roberts standing together glaring at me with full hate in their eyes.

That new duo didn't shock me that much. It was like those two were the evil pair of Sidra.

Nora leaned in to Ashley's ear, whispered something in her ear while Ashley never left my gaze and nodded in agreement.

I didn't want to think what they were planning.

I searched through the crowd once again hoping not the see Rhysand here. Fortunately, he wasn't.

Somebody came and put the mic in front of me. I took a deep breath and said "It's been a long time since I have even touched a piano. And the song I'm about to play.....I wrote it many years ago. I hope you enjoy" I smiled a little.

Mr and Mrs Holt were standing together with complete different expression of each other. Mr.Holt smiled and Mrs Holt scowled at me.

But I couldn't let the memory of her words get to me now.

I cleared my throat. Shut my eyes and felt the cold marble keys under my fingers.

The feeling of the keys brought a few old memories of the good old day. The days when life was easy.

Without even thinking I started to play.

// playing "City of Stars" from Lalaland //

"City of stars

Are you shining just for me?

City of stars

There's so much that I can't see

Who knows?

I felt it from the first embrace I shared with you

That now our dreams

They've finally come true"

My heart filled with joy as I memories the words. What they meant. What they meant to me.

It was the time when I was dealing with social pressures. One night I had left my house with Sarah in her old jeep. To the city.

I opened my eyes as I felt peace. Finding every single people in the hall looking at me. The waiters had stopped for me and saw me play. Many people were looking at me like my voice pleased them.

Reached to them.

And then.

I found his gaze on me. It was the first time tonight I let myself look at him. At the moment it didn't matter what was the reality. It was this song that was embedded in my soul.

His dark hair fell on his eyes as he jerked his head to push them out of his eyes to look at me.

I couldn't understand what his gaze meant. All I saw was. Peace in them. For once.

Just for one moment.

And it was gone.

I looked down at the piano still playing what my fingers remembered.

"City of stars

Just one thing everybody wants

There in the bars

And through the smokescreen of the crowded restaurants

It's love

Yes, all we're looking for is love from someone else

A rush

A glance

A touch

A dance"

All of the memories came to me as flashbacks and echoes. And I told myself it's time that I got to let it all go.

My heart shuddered and whimpered at the same time as a longing pain from my fate came to me.

Reminding me that I wasn't free anymore.

"A look in somebody's eyes

To light up the skies

To open the world and send it reeling

A voice that says, "I'll be here"

And "you'll be alright""

I didn't even know when I was young. Just how much I had missed something I never experienced in my life.

Love.

Nobody ever told me that they were there for me and everything will be alright when I went through the nightmares alone.

"I don't care if I know

Just where I will go

'Cause all that I need is this crazy feeling

A rat-tat-tat on my heart

Think I want it to stay

City of stars

Are you shining just for me?

City of stars

You never shined so brightly"

I sighed and finally opening my eyes and smiled a little as everybody clapped with a great energy.

Some whispered praises and some didn't say anything. Their happiness just showed what they felt.

And then my eyes locked with Rhys's. And I couldn't believe what I saw in them.

The same longing pain that I felt in my darkest days.

The days without love.

It was that moment I realised that Rhys was just like me.

A person who never has felt what loving someone is. And longs because we know it it never happen  to us.

Tears filled my eyes but I didn't let them fall.

Not tonight.

❤

I strode towards the restrooms as the pain in my leg started to regulate throughout my body. It hurt so much that it felt like my body was starting to go numb.

The moment I  reached the restrooms the pushed the doors open and ran to the nearest stall. I leaned next to the door and sank down to the floor. Not caring if it was dirty or not. My deep blue dress rose, exposing my leg for the cold air. I hissed in pain when my fingers touched my thigh.

The folding of the knee cap was buckling up and tightening as my leg started to swell.

"s**t!" I cursed out loud. No no, it couldn't happen right now. How could I be so stupid? Why didn't I bring my medicines with me? Why was this happen-

I stopped my thoughts when the restroom door opened. I didn't dare or care to look who had come in because I was busy with myself.

"Tsk, Tsk look Ashley how miserable your sister is right now" I heard a familiar voice say it. Rage filled me when I immediately knew who it was. My whole body froze at the taunt in her voice but my blood chilled even more when I heard Ashley's reply.

"Ugh! Nora! She's not my sister. Just a bastard who was doomed upon my perfect family. She's a no body" I looked over my lashes to see the vengeful gleem on their faces.

Why were they doing all of this? I snorted at the memory when Nora Roberts pretended to change within a second to show Rhys that she wasn't a bad person. Was he that blind not to know what demon crawled under that beautiful facade?

"Why are you guys doing this?" I said as they both crouched to the level where I was sitting. I wasn't going to let them see that their words were affecting them.

"Because it's fun" Nora placed a hand on my thigh. Her cold fingers stuck a pain inside of me.

"Seriously? For a guy" I managed to say ignoring the pressure on my leg.

"We want to see you suffer" Ashley said this time her face never showing any mercy.

"I didn't do anything to you-" I screamed in agony when Nora dug her nails into my leg. Ashley shot up from her place and strode towards the doors. To see if anyone was listening.

She turned to Nora and nodded - giving her a silent command and reassurance. Nora smiled wickedly "You are so cunning yourself, Avery. You want to lure him. Make him yours. Pathetic." She dug her nails deeper causing blood to draw out of the new wounds.

"Are you sure you're not describing yourself?" Tears were pooling in my eyes as I knew that I couldn't stop them.

"Nora! We gotta go. Someone's coming" Ashley commanded with urgency. Nora withdrew her nails from my leg. She got on her heels and rushed out of the restroom like a hurricane with Ashley.

I let out a low whimper.

All I did was marry a man who was worshipped by the entire women. That's all. I didn't even want it to happen but it did.

Tears were making their way down my red cheeks. I raised my hand to wipe them feeling pathetic.

The doors of the restroom opened again and the sound the a person rushing in heels made their way to my ears.

I didn't look up this time. A pair of black heels came in my blurred vision. Now I lifted my gaze and found Cassy looking at me with horror.

"What happened? W-who did this!?" She stammered and reached to touch my leg but I moved away.

I didn't want anyone to see me like this. I hated the feeling of bring weak and defenceless.

"Ashley and Nora" I murmured as I wrapped my arms around myself and a small sob broke through my chest.

"Tell me everything" she said but I cut her off.

"Is it my fault Cassy? Is it my fault while I was forced to accept this marrige? Why do they hate me for it? It's not like I love him. This is nothing but a partnership. A contract. Why do I have to suffer?" I said as my voice broke.

She opened her mouth to say something but I stopped her again "Can you get me a wheelchair and help me get the hell out of here? Please?" I hoped that she would listen to me.

She nodded as if she was calculating something in her head.

"I'll be right back. Wait" she got up from the ground and ran outside the room.

Minutes passed and the door opened. The sound of heavy feet echoed in the empty room.I lifted my head hoping to see Cassy but Rhysand stood there with the expressions o never thought I would see on his face.

Worry and confusion.

His gaze went straight to my wounded exposed leg and froze there. Cassy pushed him back as she dragged a wheelchair with her. She brought it in front of me.

"What happened?" Rhys said in his heavy voice as he reached to pick me up from the ground. I winced at the warmness of his hands as they made thier way under me, to lift me up in his arms.

I wanted to yell at him that it was all his fault. And at Cassy too for bringing him along with her. My face was so close to his as my nose lightly grazed his neck. He heaved a sigh at the contact of skin.

I glared at Rhys and gritted my teeth refraining myself not to burst at him. I let my eyes trail down to his sculpted face. I peeked through my lashes completely ignoring the pain I felt in my heart and my body.

My breath came out in puffs and hit his neck causing him to shudder as goosebumps rose on it. He closed his eyes for a second to contain himself.

But why was he affected by this? It was just a feminine touch.

"Your crazy ex dug her nails into my skin quoting "it was fun" and to make me suffer" he lowered me down to the chair and retrieved his hands from my body and stood at a safe level. His face showed that he was unfazed by our touch but his hands fisted in a five on hearing the mention of his supposed ex "and my sister too. The reason why seems pretty clear"  I looked up from my position.

"She married you" Cassy mumbled while she was lost in her own thoughts.

❤

After the incident in the bathroom. It was found out that Nora and Ashley had left the party. And I without even saying goodbye escaped to the car with Rhys. When Cassy persisted him to go back without letting anyone see us as it might arouse questions among people.

The ride back to his house was silent. I mindlessly touched the cloth that rested on my leg and peeled it away. Fully exposing my leg to the air. My fingers grazed at the small wounds of nails.

From the corner of my eye I saw shift uncomfortably when he saw my leg and then refocused back to the road ahead of us.

The car drove to the driveway of his home as he opened his car door and got out. A few seconds passed and he opened mine.

His eyes held me in his gaze as he silently asked her permission. I knew that he wasn't doing all of of this because he had a change of heart. He was doing this out of his own guilt and pity. He might not be showing it on his face since this mask was flawless.

His arms went under me and picked me up in his arms and walked to the main door like I weighed nothing. It was then I felt his strong muscles of his arms that were elapsed around me securely.

He looked ahead of us not once looking down at me. I kept my gaze low out of respect, I didn't know why.

He walked us to my room and quietly opened the door and strode inside.

He stopped causing me to hold my breath as I felt a wave of butterflies in my stomach as his manly scent whirled in my senses. I almost leaned into him.

Maybe it was a light drinking or the crying that was making me hazy. Or it was just tiredness that was entrapping me.

He walked towards the bed and lowered me to it. For the final time for this wreck of a night. He looked at me with a little guilt in his eyes. Rhysand was debating internally whether to say something or not.

It'd weighed on him if didn't say anything and would've just left me alone. But this man wanted to sleep with a clear conscience tonight. Without any nightmares to eat him alive.

I was still in my dress I realised.  He walked away not out of the door but to the cupboards to get something from them.

He came back a few minutes later with my nightsuit in his hands and handed them over to me.

I simply took them without even crossing a word at him.

He didn't let go off the clothes until he held my gaze and I didn't retrieve either.

Sincerity sparkled in his brown eyes as he said "I'm sorry for what happened tonight" but just by saying those words he isn't set free from the little havoc inside of him. He knew that him apologising will never compensate the alarm in the situation.

He let the clothes go as I gathered them in my arms letting my gaze fall on the floor. I didn't look up until I heard the sound of the door lightly closing behind him.

A lonesome tear fell out of misery.