Chapter 19: I Am Sorry

When I woke up, I found myself in a new place. The rays of sunlight fell into my face through the open window and the chirps of birds echoed in my ears. I sat down, groaning when a sharp pain shot through my back.

I massaged my scalp as a migraine began hammering at my skull. I studied the room’s dark walls, hardwood flooring, a red circular couch in the corner, and a TV hung on the wall. The room was beautiful, but I had no idea where I was. The last thing I remembered was passing out.

I was shocked to find myself in a black shirt. A man’s shirt? Whose shirt was this? Did I get raped after all? Oh my God! My breath shook as I quickly got off the bed, looking for my clothes, but nothing was in sight. I stopped dead in my tracks when a tall and muscular figure hovered behind me.

“You're awoke,” a soft and deep voice said. A deep frown crinkled between my brows when I recognized his voice. Vivian. “How’re you feeling?”

“Where are my clothes?” I demanded and turned around to face him.

He smirked and crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall and eyeing me from head to toe. “They ripped your clothes, sweetheart.”

Suddenly, everything surged to my head. Henry’s success party. Lisa's moans. Those men. And Vivian’s rescue. My vision blurred when tears gathered in my eyes.

“You’re okay,” Vivian said quietly.

I brushed away my tears, shaking my head. “I need to go home.”

“I want to talk to you,” he said quickly.

“I don’t want to talk to you,” I snapped, and made my way to the door.

He rushed towards me and caught my forearm. “You are not going anywhere,” he gritted out. “The doctor said you experienced a traumatic attack, so you have to take some rest. You are safe here. No one will hurt you, Alice,” he said softly like he had read my mind.

Why was he behaving differently? Didn’t he hate me?

“How can I be safe with a mafia leader? You…” I poked my finger in his chest. “Killed those men brutally in front of my eyes. What makes you think I would be feeling safe in your house? Didn’t I cause your sister brain injury? Didn’t you hate me replacing your sister? I deserve everyone’s hate, right?”

“Alice…” He breathed out, looking guilty.

I snatched my hand from his grip and met his eyes. “Mr. Vivian Miller, I am very grateful you saved my life but I’ll never let you get closer to me.”

“I want to help you.”

“Help me?” I scoffed. “Didn’t you remember what you did to me that day?”

“Alice…”

“Please leave me alone!” I cut him off and headed to the door.

He caught my forearm firmly and spun me around and growled in my face, “I said you’re not going anywhere. You’ll stay in this room until Henry’s arrival.”

“Please, Vivian. I want some space. You don’t understand how I am feeling right now.”

“I understand what you have been through and how you are feeling right now that’s why I brought you here. You are safe here.”

“I’m not safe here. I’m not safe anywhere. And you’ll never understand my feelings because you’re also one of those selfish people who hurt others to get in their path. They don’t care about others.” I fell to my knees and broke into tears. I was missing my parents. I needed them and I wanted to be with them.

He sat on his knees and pulled me into a hug, rubbing my back. “No one will hurt you, Alice. I promise,” he whispered and I gripped his shirt and buried my head in his neck, feeling secure in his arms for the very first time.

“Didn’t you hate me?”

“No,” he replied quickly. I pushed myself back and stared into his eyes. “I knew what I had done to you was wrong. I betrayed you, which was unforgivable, but still, I want your forgiveness.”

“Please don’t…”

“My need for revenge was stronger till the day when I didn’t know you.” He held my hand in his and looked into my eyes. “But when I came to know your true self, I felt regret for becoming such a shit person to you. I’m sorry, Alice. Will you forgive me?”

It took me a long a few minutes to say, “I-I forgive you.” It was difficult to forgive a person who was toying with you around, but I believed in a second chance and I would give him. “But I’ll never be able to trust you again, Vivian. You’ve lost my trust.”

“I’ll earn it back,” he said with a long sigh.

“Viv…!” I twisted my head to a little familiar girl when I heard her small voice. She was the same girl whom I saved that day. She reached out to Vivian and asked, “Viv, who is she?”

He pinched her nose playfully, grinning. “Did you forget she is the same person who saved you on that day?” My eyes popped in surprise when I heard his statement. How did he know about that? He glanced at me briefly to catch my reaction. “Thank you, Alice.”

“Oh…” The girl came closer to me and held my hands in her little ones, examining them.

“What are you doing?” I asked with a frown and smile.

“I’m checking you if you are still hurt.” Her statement made my heart melt.

“I’m not hurt, little,” I whispered, watching her.

Vivian pulled her into his arms and kissed her head. “Have you had your breakfast?”

She rolled her eyes. “Yep.”

“And milk?”

She shook her head. “I’ll drink milk only after you play with me.”

“You go, daddy will be there in a few minutes.”

“What!” I blurted out, and both pairs of eyes snapped at me. “She is your daughter?” I asked quickly.

“She’s my life,” Vivian said, glancing at his daughter. “Harley, you go, I need to thank this special person properly.”

Now, everything was clearing in my head. He was feeling sorry because I saved his daughter’s life. I stood up and crossed my arms over my chest. “If you think you are feeling sorry because I saved your daughter, then you are very wrong. I don’t need your apology, Vivian.”

“No, it’s not about my daughter. I feel sorry because I misunderstood you. I thought you were…” Before he could complete himself, something collapsed in the hall. “Shit!” He hissed and hurried out. I followed him.

The next thing we noticed, Henry stood in the hallway, gripping the edge of the stairs and glaring at us angrily. His shoulders tensed with rage and the fiery in his eyes.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Vivian growled and descended the stairs.

“You fucking asshole.” Henry advanced on him and caught his collar and slammed him against the wall before throwing a punch right on his face.

Before Henry could hit him again, I rushed downstairs and caught his arm, and tore him away from Vivian. “Stop it!” I growled and shoved him away.

Henry’s nostril flared as he glared at me. His eyes trailed down my body before he turned back his gaze into my eyes. “Fucking buddies!” He spat, glaring at Vivian. “You are a highly demanding whore, aren’t you?”

Before he could let out more disgusting words, I slapped across his face. He was the one who slept with one of his models last night. How could he accuse me of things which I had never done? “I think you’re a highly demanding MAN WHORE!”

In a second, he shot his hand out and gripped my neck, slamming me against the wall. His eyes burned into me. “I warned you not to lay your filthy hand on me ever again but you…!”

Vivian rushed towards us and tore Henry away from me. “Fuck you, Henry! How could you be so mean? Do you have fucking idea what she has been through?” He growled into his face. “They almost raped her last night. Yesterday you left her in the hotel and she was stupid enough to walk on a deserted road alone.”

“What?” Henry snapped his head to me, and the fury in his eyes was no longer. His features turned soft, and his eyes were filled with pity. We locked our eyes for a few seconds, but he looked away, feeling ashamed. He reached out to me and grabbed my hand gently. “Let’s go.”

I snatched my hand away from him. “I can walk by myself!”

We went out and sat in the car, and he drove. “Do you remember who they were? I mean, face and some remark?” he asked and gripped the steering wheel tightly.

I fixed my eyes out of the window. “You don’t need to do anything. Vivian has already killed them.” I remembered how the blood splashed on my body when he shot one of the men.

During the ride, we didn’t talk a single word. He stayed fixed on the road and never looked at me. I stayed fixed on the window.

When we arrived at his house, I climbed out of the car and walked away. I heard him calling me, but I didn't stop. I didn’t want to talk about last night over and over again. It made me feel sick.

Jessica opened the door and greeted me, but I ignored her and rushed towards my room. I walked inside and slammed the door behind me, breathing heavily. I clutched my head between my hands, feeling ugly throbs of migraine in my skull. Henry didn't care if I died or lived.

Shaking his thoughts away I peeled Vivian's shirt off and stepped into the shower. I took a long shower to clean myself and freed myself from their dirt and smell. I felt dirty and sick. I rubbed my body harder, which caused bruises on my body. But I didn’t care. All I knew was I wanted to get rid of last night's memories. After spending thirty minutes in the shower, I got out and checked my appearance in the mirror. My body was marked with red bruises on my neck, elbows, and shoulders.

I got dressed and walked out of my room. Due to frustration, I misbehaved with Jessica. She greeted me but I ignored her so I should apologize to her. But before I could approach her, I heard Henry’s voice. I followed his voice and went towards his study room. I peeked through the crack of the door. Henry stood next to his huge oak table and Joseph was in front of him, with his head bowed.

“You are fired!” Henry said matter-of-factly.

I looked at Joseph, whose expression was fixed. “Ok sir,” he said and walked towards the door.

When he reached the door, I asked, “Why did he fire you?”

“Are you okay?” He ignored my question and examined me like I was wounded.

“Why did he fire you, Joseph?” I growled impatiently.

“Because I could not fulfill my duties. He strictly told me to guard you, but I was…” he sighed in despair. “I’m sorry.” I bit into my lower lip to stop myself from a sob. It was not his fault.

“You are not going anywhere!” I snapped and dashed into Henry’s study. “Why did you fire him?”

Henry tore his eyes away from some papers he was reading. “I don’t like a person who disobeys me.”

“He has not disobeyed you!” I gritted out.

He snapped the file shut and looked at me. “This is not your place to tell me who obeys and who disobeys me.”

“He’s been working for your family for twenty years and you just threw him out of your office without thinking twice. What kind of man you are, Henry? You’re punishing him for nothing. The person who should have been punished is you. You told me to wait for my chance and I waited for a long five hours. But in the end what you did…” I bit my lip to stop myself from letting out further.

He cheated on me.

“What did I do?” He asked quietly.

I swallowed a lump in my throat. “Please, don’t fire him.” I changed the subject.

Henry dumped the file on the table and reached out to me, looking into my eyes. “What did I do, Alice? Tell me.”

“You and Lisa.” I closed my eyes for a few seconds. “You two were having sex in the hotel room.”

“Really?” He scoffed like I had made a joke. “By the way, she feels really good. You know I like her pussy!” He growled in my face and gave me a sharp pain in my heart.