Chapter 31 — You Are Strong

“Why are you crying?” I heard a small, soft voice and looked up to see Harley. I was in such deep thought that I didn’t realize when she climbed on the bench. “Why are you crying, Princess?” She asked again, gazing at me.

I dropped my gaze down on my hands. “Because I’m upset.”

“Why are you upset?” She wiped away my tears. “Did anyone hurt you?”

I kept my eyes on my hands because I didn’t want her to see me weak.

She hugged me tightly. “You know what dad always says to me, whenever you are upset then sob loudly because it relieves you from pain. Whenever Dad is upset, he cries on my shoulder.” I looked at her. “You can also cry on my shoulder. It will help you overcome your pain.”

I quickly hugged her and sobbed silently. I didn’t know why I was feeling severe pain in my heart. My heart was aching like someone had ripped it out. Divorce was the thing that I always wanted from him. Then why was I scared? Why was I feeling insecure? Even though we were enemies. My mind was overwhelmed with a lot of questions.

“Harley,” a male voice said from behind.

“Viv. Princess is crying,” she said, and I quickly wiped away my tears.

Vivian came to my side. “Obviously because of her Prince,” he said with a smirk on his face.

“Harley, you go, I’ll be back after a while,” he said, and she nodded and climbed off the bench, and rushed towards the car. He took a seat next to me. “Again Henry, right? Talk to me, Alice.”

“I don’t want to talk about him,” I snapped and stood up to leave but he grabbed my hand and pulled me down on the bench. “Vivian, please leave me. I want to be alone.”

“I won’t leave you alone unless you tell me everything.”

“It is none of your business,” I gritted out.

“It’s all my business just tell me what he has done to you?” he demanded. “Alice, look at me.” I looked at him. “Am I your friend?”

I nodded.

“Then tell me.”

“He did nothing.”

“Then why the fuck are you crying?”

“Because he wants a divorce,” I growled and closed my eyes.

He studied my face. His expression was hardened, but his eyes were soft. “You should be happy, Alice.”

“I’m happy, Vivian. I’m happy that he’ll stay out of my damn life, I’m happy that I won’t have to see his face every morning, I’m happy that I won’t have to tolerate his arrogance, I’m happy that I won’t have to wait for him anymore and I’m happy I won’t have to miss his smile, smell, and his caresses, I just…” I couldn’t find my voice and burst into tears. I didn’t want to cry in front of him, but I couldn’t help.

He didn’t say a single word, just staring at me. Two minutes passed. I waited for him to say something. “Um, I-I am sorry, my mind is a mess.” I broke the silence. “Don’t stare at me like that, say something.”

“You are in love with him, Alice,” he whispered and I froze. It took me a few seconds to understand his words but when I realized what he meant.

“No, never…” I denied it.

He wiped away my tears with his thumb. “Look at me, Alice.” I lifted my gaze at him. “You fall in love with him.”

I said nothing, just stared at him. Love. I loved him? My mind didn’t work.

“How could you fall in love with him, Alice? How could you like the man who gives you nothing but hate? He has been treating you like shit!” He continued. “I have seen how he treats you. Damn him! What he does to you.” He shook his head. “I’ve known him for a long time. I’ve seen him with Ava. I’ve seen how he treats women. He is a mess. He won’t love you back.”

It hurts.

“Because he loves your sister,” I said.

He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. “No! He doesn’t love Ava and he will never love anyone.”

"What?" I snapped my eyes at him, shocked. “He doesn’t love Ava?!”

He smiled roughly. “You have been living with him for over two months, Alice, and you don’t even understand him. Love doesn’t exist in his life. Love isn’t his thing.”

“But Ava loves him,” I said.

“Ava loves him and she will always love him.” I could feel pain in his voice. Pain for his sister. “But Henry never loved her back. Henry has a special spot for my sister. But not as a lover. They both were fucking buddies. They liked each other’s company. But Henry felt nothing for her. They were just close friends.”

I kept quiet for a few minutes, processing his words. Henry didn’t love Ava? It was shocking.

“Alice.”

Vivian was watching me. “I don’t know about my feelings for him. I’m confused.” I swallowed, looking down.

“I know, Alice. You don’t need to rush your feelings. You should take your time to figure it out.” He paused for a second. “You’re strong Alice.”

“I’m strong?” I laughed quietly.

He nodded and gave me his beautiful smile. “You are a beautiful, strong, and kind woman. You’re selfless. You know I thought you’re one of many who always runs after money, but you’re different. You’re special.” He looked down at our locked hands. “No woman could tolerate things you did. You even have a soft side for those people who mistreat you. You are too good, Alice. And sometimes you remind me of my wife.”

I smiled. “People are not bad Vivian, the conditions made them miserable, and you are also one of them.”

Before he could say anything else, his phone buzzed out. “I must go now, Alice.” He glanced at his screen. “Take care of yourself.”

I nodded. “I’m fine. Thank you.” And he walked away.

I sighed and processed our conversation in my head. What Vivian had told me was that true? Henry didn’t love Ava? I thought they both were in great love. I misunderstood them. When will the day come when I know you, Henry? I wanted to help him, but before I could get a chance, he had already made his own decision.

Fine.

“Alice.” A man’s voice echoed in my ears. Familiar but foreign. I paused and panic hit me hard in my chest when I realized who he was. He was the man last night. “I couldn’t control myself seeing you here alone, baby.” His foul breath was tickling on my shoulder. “You smell so good.” He breathed in my body and my heart pounded in my chest in terror.

“W-who are you? What do you want?” My voice was shaky. He was behind me, and I knew he had a knife in his hand. I could feel the icy touch of iron against my skin.

He caressed my hair. “You’ll soon know, baby, who I am.” He laughed in my ear and made my hair stand up on the back of my neck.

My heart was racing and throbbing under my chest like it would pop out at any moment. I glanced around the empty ground and no one was there. The only person who could save me was only me. I didn’t see his face, but I knew he was dangerous. “Let me go,” I whispered and stood up, but he placed a sharp knife against my neck.

“One more step can rip out your throat baby, so sit the fuck here!” He growled and made me jolt.

I had no other choice except to obey him. I sat back on the bench. “What do you want? I don’t know why you want to kill me?”

“Because you are the barrier, since the day you came into his…” I didn’t give him a chance to complete his sentence and grabbed my purse, hitting him right in his face with it as hard as I could, and ran away faster with all my strength. I didn’t have enough of a chance to look back at his face.

I was running so fast that I did not know when I collided with the car. “Ahh.” I cried out, gasping for breath. My whole body was shuddering. I jerked away when a man’s arms wrapped around my body tightly. “You are a fucking idiot, a lunatic girl who can’t take care of herself,” he growled and hugged me.

“Are you okay?” He whispered after a while. His one arm was around me while another was tracing my face gently.

“Henry,” I whispered and hugged him back. “Henry, that man last night…he was following me. He…” I looked back.

He rubbed my back. “Get in the car. I will be right back.”

I grabbed his arm. “Don’t go, he has a knife.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” He kissed my forehead. “Get in the car and lock yourself up.”

“No, please don’t leave me alone.”

He snapped his eyes at me and something changed within his soul. “I will never leave you alone Alice.” He hugged me and kissed my forehead again. “And you won’t leave me, okay.”

*****

I took a long, warm shower before going to bed. I wrapped a towel around my body and dried my hair, feeling relaxed after all that mess.

Suddenly a dark shadow appeared out of nowhere and draped his arm around my waist. “Leave me!” I gasped and screamed and stomped my foot on his leg.

“Fuck, Alice!” I was relieved when I heard Henry. I thought it was the same man again.

“You scared me to death. I thought it was him,” I growled.

He turned me around, but eventually, an unexpected thing happened. My towel fell on the floor, leaving me completely naked in front of my husband.

And we froze.

"Oh…" His lips parted in a soft gasp as his eyes trailed down the length of my body. I had left nothing to hide in my body so I quickly put my hands on my breasts and it grabbed his attention. His lips curled into a smile. “And what about that?” He pointed between my legs. “Don’t you want to hide that?”

Pervert!

I wanted to run back into the bathroom, but I let him drool at my body. Let him see what he would lose after divorce. He didn’t take his eyes off, devouring every inch of my body. “You are so beautiful,” he rasped and his eyes darkened.

I bent down and grabbed my towel. “What are you doing in my room?”

“I came here to talk to you.” He swallowed, and his eyes fixed on my lips. “But I think not now.” The next moment he shoved me against the wall, grabbing my face with both hands, he kissed me hard and rough as though he was hungry for ages. He was demanding me and kissing me roughly. I moaned into his mouth and kissed him back. Our tongues started to work expertly. He ate me up. His mouth moved down to my chin, then to my collarbone. He kissed every inch of my skin and made me moan. “Henry.” I breathed out.

God, he knew how to kiss.

“I want you, Alice, right now. Tell me you want me.”

I wanted him badly as much as he wanted me; I wanted to kiss those sexy lips again; I wanted him all mine, but the difference was that I just wanted him because I loved him and he wanted me because he desired me. He stopped kissing me and looked into my eyes. His lips were swollen and his breath was fast.

At a single glance he had read out all my mind and he got his answer. “You’re grabbing an opportunity to have sex with me before the divorce, right?! I've never thought you would be such a cheap man, Henry. I hate you!”

It didn’t take a second his expression formed into burning lava. “Oh really? You thought I was grabbing an opportunity with you?” He laughed wryly. “You want me as much as I want you, Alice, you know it very well.” I dropped my gaze, refusing to look at him because he was right.

He picked up the envelope from the table. “Have you read this paper, Alice?” he asked softly and handed it to me. “Read it.”

I grabbed the paper and the first thing I read was a marriage contract instead of divorce. “It is our marriage contract.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, staring at me with amusement.

“But you said it is divorce,” I said, frowning in confusion.

“I was kidding. But before I could clarify it to you. You already ran out of my office. You didn’t even receive my call.”

“Why this marriage contract?”

“I wanted to inform you that I’m going to end our marriage contract. I don’t want this marriage contract any longer.”

“Why?”

“Can’t we live like a normal couple? I mean…” He ran his finger through his hair. “I mean no fighting, no argument, and not revenge.”

My jaw dropped as I stared at him in shock. “Are you drunk, Henry? Do you have any idea what you are talking about?”

He came closer to me, staring at me and looking damn sexy. “I’m talking about what I want, Alice. I want you and always you.”