Chapter 139 One Hundred And Thirty Nine
Antonia sat frozen on the couch, staring at the empty doorway.
The apartment suddenly felt too quiet.
Too still.
She exhaled slowly, running a hand through her hair.
“Great,” she murmured to herself.
Now even Helen was involved.
Why does her life keep getting complicated by the minute?
\---
About twenty minutes later, Helen pulled into the driveway of her house.
Her thoughts had been racing the entire drive.
Something about the whole situation bothered her deeply.
Ernest had always been supportive, yes.
But meddling?
Pushing her sister toward another man?
That didn’t sound like him.
And the way Antonia described his advice…
It felt deliberate.
Like he was steering her away from Kennedy.
Helen parked the car and stepped out, closing the door with more force than necessary.
She walked up the front steps and unlocked the door.
The moment she stepped inside, she heard the familiar sound of video game explosions coming from the living room.
Her jaw tightened slightly.
Of course.
She followed the noise and stopped in the doorway.
There they were.
Ernest sat comfortably on the couch with a game controller in his hands, leaning forward as he focused on the television.
Beside him sat their son, equally engrossed in the game.
“Dad! Dad! Watch out!”
“I see him,” Ernest replied calmly, pressing buttons rapidly.
“Throw the grenade!”
“I’m trying!”
He laughed loudly as the game characters ran across the screen.
Helen crossed her arms.
“Ernest.”
The sharpness in her voice cut through the room instantly.
Both heads turned toward her.
Her so grinned at her. “Mom! Dad’s about to win!”
Ernest smiled casually at his wife.
“Hey, you’re home earlier than I expected.”
Helen didn’t smile back.
“Baby.”
Her son blinked.
“Yes, Mom?”
“Pause the game.”
He frowned slightly but obeyed.
The room went quiet as the screen froze.
“Go to your room.”
He looked confused at his mother.
“But we were just—”
“Now.”
Her tone left no room for negotiation.
He looked at his father.
Ernest gave him a small shrug.
“Go ahead, champ.”
The he sighed dramatically and slid off the couch.
“Fine.”
He walked past Helen toward the hallway.
“Call me when dinner’s ready,” he muttered.
The moment his bedroom door closed down the hall—
Helen turned back toward Ernest.
Her expression was serious.
Very serious.
Ernest slowly set his controller down.
Uh-oh.
He knew that look.
“What’s wrong?” he asked cautiously.
Helen didn’t answer right away.
Instead, she walked across the room and stood directly in front of him.
“We need to talk.”
Ernest’s stomach tightened slightly.
“That sounds ominous.”
Helen didn’t laugh.
He rubbed the back of his neck.
“Did something happen?”
“Yes.”
“With our son?”
“No.”
“With you?”
“No.”
Ernest frowned.
“Then what is it?”
Helen took a breath.
“I just came from Antonia’s place.”
His shoulders stiffened slightly.
Helen noticed.
“And she told me about your visit yesterday.”
Ernest’s stomach dropped.
Ah.
So that’s what this was about.
Helen continued.
“She told me you went over there and gave her advice about Kennedy.”
Ernest stayed silent.
“She also told me you suggested she give Austin a chance.”
Still silence.
Helen narrowed her eyes.
“Do you want to explain that?”
Ernest leaned back slowly in the couch.
“Well…”
“Hm?”
“I might have said something like that.”
Helen’s eyes widened slightly.
“You might have?”
Ernest exhaled.
“Helen—”
“Why?”
He hesitated.
Helen stepped closer.
“Why were you encouraging my sister to move on from Kennedy?”
Ernest looked away briefly.
“Helen, it’s complicated.”
“Try me.”
He ran a hand through his hair.
Helen’s patience snapped.
“Ernest.”
He looked back at her.
“If you don’t start talking in the next five seconds, I swear I’m going to lose my mind.”
He sighed heavily.
He already knew lying to his wife would be a terrible idea.
And keeping this from her was starting to feel worse by the minute.
“Okay.”
Helen crossed her arms again.
“I’m listening.”
Ernest leaned forward slightly.
“This started a few days ago with Sofia.”
Helen’s brows immediately knitted together.
“Sofia?”
“Yes.”
“You both are having an affair again?”
"No. I swore I won't do that to you, ever."
"Then what?"
Ernest hesitated again.
Then he said the words that made Helen’s blood run cold.
“She came to see me.”
Helen blinked.
“Why?”
“Because she wanted my help.”
“Help with what?”
Ernest looked directly at her.
“Breaking up Kennedy and Antonia.”
Helen stared at him.
For a moment, she wasn’t sure she had heard him correctly.
“…what?”
“She said she wanted Kennedy back.”
Helen shook her head slowly.
“You’re joking.”
“I wish I was.”
“What exactly did she say?”
Ernest sighed.
“She told me that if Kennedy and Antonia stayed together, it would ruin everything.”
Helen frowned.
“Everything for who?”
“For her.”
Helen let out a bitter laugh.
“How does that even concern you?”
“Because she said something else.”
“What?”
Ernest’s voice lowered slightly.
“She said if I didn’t help her… she would do something terrible.”
Helen’s stomach tightened.
“What's that?”
Ernest swallowed.
“She would put out on the internet, our pictures and videos from our affair.”
The words hit Helen like a physical blow.
Her eyes widened.
“…what?”
“She threatened me , Helen.”
Helen stared at him in stunned silence.
“For God’s sake, Ernest, please tell me you’re joking.”
“I’m not.”
Her voice rose slightly.
“That woman is insane!”
“I know.”
“So you agreed to do it?”
“If those pictures come out to the public, it's going to ruin our image.”
Helen studied his face carefully.
Looking for any sign of dishonesty.
There wasn’t any.
Just exhaustion.
And guilt.
“So she blackmailed you.”
“Yes.”
“And that’s why you went to see Antonia.”
“Yes.”
Helen slowly sank into the armchair across from him.
Her mind was spinning.
“You tried to push her toward Austin…”
“So Kennedy would move on with her.”
Helen covered her mouth with her hand.
“Oh my God.”
Ernest looked miserable.
“I didn’t know what else to do.”
Helen shook her head slowly, still processing.
“That woman threatened to destroy our marriage…”
“And all because she wants Kennedy back?”
“Yes.”
Helen leaned back in the chair, completely stunned.
For several seconds she couldn’t even find words.
Then finally—
“Wow.”
Ernest watched her nervously.
“Helen…”
She looked up at him again.
Her voice barely above a whisper.
“That woman is far more dangerous than I thought, but I will definitely put her in her place.”