Chapter 22 ELIANA IS AN INFLUENCE.
22.
~KIMBERLY~
Shock strangles out of me as the sight of Eliana sinks into my brain, seeing her here is kind of unsettling and surprising as well.
Does she know about the fake marriage? I knew Rafael sent her off in some ways but I genuinely do not understand how he was able to do that.
Still dazed, I lean fully into the open space between the door, not giving her a chance to enter.
"Wait, are you denying me an entrance into my step son's house?" She holler in surprise, her tone cutting my skin.
I've almost forgotten how shrill Eliana sounds, she makes sure her pitched tone has an effect on everyone.
"Your step son?" I scoff, the words sound so foreign in her tongue and it makes me laugh because Eliana has always been a bitch to Rafael when he was younger and had nothing to himself.
Now, he's the beloved step son?
"You have a problem with that?"
"You should leave." I snap, pointing towards the gate.
Rafael should probably get a permanent security man because there's no way this woman waltzed in without them asking for permission from him.
"Wait, you're chasing me out of Rafael's house because you're now fucking a Rollers? I thought you hated them?" She says in a mockery tone.
I bit my lips, genuinely fighting the urge to pounce this woman and beat the shit out of her, honestly, she can wag her tongue the way she wants and she won't be able to get under my skin but I just hate the thought of her reminding me of my past and I'm just healing too.
"I won't repeat myself, Eliana."
"Are you not fucking him? I wonder what he is doing with his father's leftovers."
Something in me suddenly snaps and I march towards her, fury sparks in every pore of my skin.
"I'm not a fucking meal, Frederick never won, I fucking did, and I left you with nothing, that's how vile and shameless I am, and yes, I'm fucking his son and he's obsessed with me that he quickly put a ring on my finger, the privilege you never had, and that's why you're fucking mad."
"You daughter of a bitch!" She fumes in anger, I know I nipped her bud with the look on her face, I wanted to say more but that means I will be dragging her daughter into filth with her and she's nothing like Eliana.
Grinning, I grab her bunched up hair and pull it tightly in my fists, I drag her hair back and watch horror creeps in her face as the effect of my grip settles on her.
"Everyone moved on, Eliana, maybe you should, I'm no longer the girl who eats your crumbs for survival, you're as low as the ground to me, and I will make sure I prove it to you for the rest of my fucking life that I can make something good of myself."
Eliana finally yanks herself away from my grip, she coughs harshly and moves away from me immediately to catch her breath.
"Rafael will leave you, like your parents did, You're only useful for him now, this love story is written by me, and the ending depends on how well you please me." She bites out in exasperation.
I swallow nothing, my shoulders drops immediately but I don't let her see it on my face, I know Rafael will eventually leave me, we're nothing alike, the only reason why I'm not cooling my ass in jail is because he's not tired of me yet, without me, he will sell the company, but without him, I will be good as dead, I won't be able to finish my education or goals, I'm at the mercy of the Rollers forever, I hate it but it's the damn truth and the truth makes my heart constricts in pain.
"Babe." Rafael calls in a soft tone from behind, I quickly turn to him, he arches his eyebrows the moment he notices the expression on my face.
He looks better and much more alive than earlier, he's in a casual pants and knitted cardigan with a black shirt underneath, his hair drips water at intervals. Guess he just had his bath, and here I am, my hair packed roughly into a large bun and I'm only wearing a flimsy armless black top with matching tights, a fucking contrast of each other and the realization settles in more again, we can never be something.
"Is there something going on?" Rafael asks again with a knowing expression on his face, I turn to Eliana, trying to conjure a hard face at her.
Suddenly, I feel his left long hand wrap around me from the front until my waist is jutted to his lower body, he's well high above me and his large calloused hands pressing my curves.
Air whooshes out of my lungs because of the impact of his touch on me, Eliana stares at us in shock, Rafael takes this as his cue to pull me closer until I feel his groin against my butt.
He drops his head on my shoulders and kisses my neck, I fist my hands against his hands under my heavy boobs and exhale softly.
"You should have told me she's here." He mumbles against my neck and pulls me inside softly, Rafael marches in front of me, covering me with his large body.
"You have something to say? Eliana." Rafael questions, an edge in his tone.
I watch Eliana gulp down nothing and curse under her breath.
"We need to talk."she says defensively, taking a few steps towards the door again, Rafael suddenly raises a finger in the air, causing Eliana to abrupt her steps, her well arranged hair now ruffled because of how I grabbed it earlier and I'm proud that she looks like a mess because of me.
"And what did I say about our meeting?" His voice is still leveled but more intimidating, just like how he now talks to me.
I feel a shiver run down my spine, knowing that my husband talks to me the same way he talks to my enemy.
My life is such a fucking joke.
"But..."
"I told you to call me two days before you decide to see me and for me to meet with you depends on how free I am."
"Rafael." She scoffs in shock, her face morphs into disbelief, as if she can't take how Rafael talks to her rudely.
Dear Eliana, I live with that, you might as well enjoy a fragment of his coldness.
"Get out of my building, I don't want to see you around me unless I call for you." He adds in a bitter tone before slamming the door away from me.
A relieving air escapes out of me the moment she's out of ear reach, I quickly move away from Rafael's large body and lean beside the chair, trying to gain my self back.
What just happened?
"You should have called me." Rafael scolds, I want to talk back at him for scolding me for something that isn't my fault but I hold back because I'm still experiencing stiffness in my whole body.
"I was in the kitchen trying to make coffee and I heard a knock, I just...I went there and saw that it was Eliana." I finally mutter, my voice barely audible but he only frowns.
"She won't come back here, I promise." He says in a hard tone and slips his hand into his pockets
"Did Eliana influence your decision into marrying me?" I blurt, unable to keep my curiosity.
Rafael's left eye twitches a bit, he folds his arms and licks his lips hesitantly.
"Not totally." He finally answers.
"Oh God." I gasp, covering my mouth and sink on the couch immediately. Eliana knew about the whole arrangement, she had something to do with my life again. I thought all of this happened because of my volition to want to do it, but that bitchy woman was involved.
"Jesus, Kim, why are you..."
"She made my life fucking hell! I know I don't get to have a say in all of this but Rafael, I'm tired of being part of your games, i told you it was a nightmare getting involved with another Rollers, but i did it because I wanted to be away completely from someone like Eliana, I wanted Cora to be safe."
"And she's fucking safe!" His voice builds up in frustration at me, I recoil immediately, not wanting to have more of this conversation.
My voice spins as I give him another lasting stare before walking towards the stairs, genuinely regretting why I took his hand in the Commissioner's office because I hate the idea of being in jail.