HELENA'S POV
The next morning I was able to slip away from Matteo's entangle while he snored lightly on the bed. I gathered my clothes strewn about the room in a tiptoe and, quietly put them on before I slipped quietly out of the room. Apart from the familiar pain in my leg, my entire body ached in a way that I couldn't exactly hate. My legs trembled from last night shenanigans with Matteo, my hair was a disheveled hair on top of my mess and my mouth smelled like stale booze and finally the unsettling feeling settled within me when I remembered the whole ordeal with Dante.
I was nearing the house and my heart began to pound, I wasn't sure what I was going to find, I wasn't sure what the situation was going to be, I didn't know if Dante and returned home waiting for me – my head spun, weaving different scenarios together and finally I pulled through the grand entrance.
By the time I walked through the double ornate doors, Dante was sitting waiting for me. He had a glass of whiskey in his hands, and for someone who might have spent a night in a jail cell, he didn't look so bad. In fact he glowed, his entire body seemed to radiate, an almost cocky look on his face that he either tried so hard to hide or he had no idea he had that look on.
"You're back" I choked out, steeling myself from all the emotions that were running to through me.
"It worked, Matteo dropped the charges. I'm free, I'm fucking free babe and my company is mine and it's all thanks to you" he smiled, gesturing his hands for me to come into his arms and I scoffed.
No, Matteo is still asleep there's no way he'd have dropped the charges especially when they were no charges to drop. He still lied to the very end.
I forced a smile, one that didn't reach my eyes. "I'm leaving you Dante"
Dante paused, his eyes widening a bit, there was a flash of shock and maybe panic but it disappeared as soon as it appeared, then he scoffed.
"Why? He fucked you too good you're having second thoughts?"
Suddenly, I raised my palm and connected it to his face in one swift motion, the slap felt hot and I could see his cheek reddening at the impact. Dante's cheeks turned and his eyes widened in disbelief, he shot a look at me suddenly, fiery and angry staring right at me but I was even more angry – angry at his words – angry at how nonchalance he was even at the thought that I had spent the night with Matteo. He was the same person that threatened every man that tried to touch me, and suddenly this was okay because his company was on the line? I felt so stupid.
"What the hell Helena!" he raged "Why the hell would you do that?"
"You lied to me, you used the fact that I am so head over heels in love with you and I'd do anything against, you used my weakness for you against me and for what? For a bloody company"
"What – "
"I know – " my voice cracked "I know you already sold me to Matteo before you came to me with the whole idea and the whole arrest was a fake sham – you fucking lied to me" I shoved at his chest repeatedly
"Helena listen – "
But I wasn't listening, the tears streamed down my face as I beat at his chest repeatedly, allowing the anger and frustration I felt towards him to completely consume me until he grabbed both of my hands forcefully.
"Helena – " he forced me to look at him "I was going to tell you, I swear – "
"Everything you have ever said to me Dante, has been a lie. How you said you loved me – lies, you'd never let another man touch me – still a fucking lie but here you are jumping at the first chance to sell me for your company. I took a bullet for you and this is how you repay" I yelled, then I grabbed the glass of whiskey on the table and threw it at the wall, the sound of the shattering glass pierced through the air and Dante looked surprise, the shock was evident and he took a step back putting some much needed space between us.
"Helena you have to understand that this is not just about you – I had to make sacrifices – "
"Oh so I'm the sacrificial lamb?" I shot back before he had a chance to complete his words. He gritted his teeth in anger, running his hands through his hair in the exasperated manner he always did.
"Helena no – I just – that was what he wanted and – "
"It was much better to offer your wife on a platter of gold than give your brother a part of the company"
"That was not an option" he had his jaw set in stone, but he softened the look in his eyes reaching out to me again "I love you Helena – and that is never going to change regardless of the circumstances. It's us, we've always been a bit dysfunctional but it doesn't change anything, it doesn't change the love we have for each other – it doesn't change how I feel about you"
I stared at him, allowing his words to soak through me, fill me in, leaving me wretched and confused. His voice was smooth, like honey, the perfect manipulation tool, holding my gaze lovingly with his, I could almost feel the light touch of his hands caressing my skin, clawing me to cave to his apologies but each time I remembered the look on Matteo's face when he told me Dante's plan, the anger renewed again.
"I'll damned if I ever believe a word that comes out of your mouth again"
His mouth fell open, but he quickly regained his composure "So what now? You're leaving me? After everything we've been through. You can't do that"
"I can't do this anymore Dante" I cried "I can't do this toxic cycle with you, you keep hurting me time and time again, everybody warned me, they told me how you really couldn't love anyone else except yourself but I loved you too fucking much too see it and now it's biting me in the ass. I just want to pack my things and leave, you can enjoy your company after all it's all you've ever wanted isn't it?"
I turned to leave but Dante held unto me, I didn't move and he stayed silent for a while before he spoke up again, his voice quieter this time and he asked "Did you – did you actually do it with Matteo I mean"
I turned with a smirk, "Yes and I fucking enjoyed it too"