CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

The following morning I wake up as I feel the side of my bed deepen. I rub my eyes awake, wondering who sat on my bed.

'Good morning," Franky says, with a breakfast tray in her hand

'Franky!" I sit up on the bed. 'What are you doing here?"

'I brought you breakfast" she places the tray in front of me

'Why"

'Because I wanted to do something nice for you," she smiles sheepishly. I smell another reason why she brought me breakfast in bed.

'I am not buying it" I square my eyes, looking at her trying to figure out why she really brought me breakfast in bed. Don't get me wrong, Franky is an amazing sister, but she is not the type that brings you breakfast in bed. For one, she doesn't know how to cook, and two, it's not her style.

'It's the truth" she avoids eye contact with me.

'Spill"

'There is nothing to tell" the flower design on the covers suddenly becomes fascinating to Franky. She is definitely lying.

'Did Thomas ask you to do this?" that's the best logical explanation for why she would do this. He must have asked her to check up on me and is worried I won't eat breakfast because I was upset last night.

'Is it that obvious?"

'Kinda," I smile softly. I understand why Thomas asked Franky not to tell me. I am sure he was worried I won't eat it because he asked her to bring it. Thomas is being thoughtful again. I really missed this side of him.

'Are you still upset with him?"

'He didn't do anything wrong."

'Really, then why does he think he did?"

I tell Franky what happened yesterday.

'I don't think Thomas would be disgusted by your scars."

'I know he doesn't seem like the type who cares, but I know it disgusts him."

'Did he ever tell you it does?"

'No"

'Did he ever look disgusted when he saw you naked?"

'Kinda"

'What do you mean?"

I tell Franky what happened that day. I thought Thomas was going to rape me.

'Melina," she shakes her head smiling. Franky hardly ever calls me by my full name.

'Yes," I answer, wondering why she called me by my full name and is smiling.

'Just because he didn't rape you that day doesn't mean he stopped because he saw your scars. Thomas and you dated for almost a year. The man saw you naked all the time. If he was disgusted by it, you would have known while you were dating."

'I know, but what other reason could he have for stopping that day."

'The only logical reason"

'Which Is?"

'He realized what he was about to do was the worst thing he could ever do to you and stopped."

'Don't you think that's a little far fetch for someone like Thomas?"

'I don't think so." She moves closer to me and takes my hands in hers. 'I know the man is the worse, but I don't think he is disgusted by your scars."

'I wish I believed so too."

'Regardless of if he is or not. What's most important is that you shouldn't feel ashamed of it. I know it's easier said than done, but your scars are not disgusting to look at. They shouldn't make you feel bad about yourself. You are beautiful the way you are."

'Thank you, I will hold that in mind" I pull her into a hug

'You are a beautiful woman, sis; always remember that" She wraps her arms around me

'I will"

***

Thomas and Leo are in his office discussing how their new weapons will be shipped. Leo is briefing Thomas, but he isn't listening. His mind is far away from here. He can't stop thinking about what happened last night. He cracked his brain all night trying to think of possible reasons Melina suddenly pushed him away but came up empty. He knows she hasn't decided if she wants to be with him, but he doubts that's why she pushed him away.

This is also another problem he doesn't know how to fix. He knows Melina has feelings for him, but he also knows that's not enough for her to want to be with him. He knows he hurt her badly, and it would take more than feelings for her to want to be with him. He wishes he could do something to earn her forgiveness. He knows that's the only way he can get her back.

'Boss," Leo says, trying to bring Thomas back from his thoughts

'Yes," Thomas blinks, pulling away from his thoughts

'I am done."

'That's good. What's next on my schedule today" Thomas adjusts himself on his seat.

Leo is about to speak but gets cut off by Thomas. 'What do you think is a reason a woman ready for you to fuck her senseless would suddenly push you away?" Thomas blurts out the question roaming his brain right now.

'What?" Leo asks, confused with the question his boss just asked him

'Yes, what could be the reason?"

'Uhmm," Leo never discussed such things with his boss before, so he feels a little uncomfortable.

'Tell me" Thomas leans forward in his seat and stares at Leo as he waits for him to speak.

'Maybe she got her period," Leo says, the first thing that comes to mind as the best answer to his boss's question.

'Hmmm, I didn't think of that" Thomas tries to fit that as why Melina pushed him away last night, but he doesn't think that's why. He remembered how her eyes were filled with tears.

'I don't think that's the reason." Thomas tusks, shaking his head. 'Get me a glass of brandy."

'Okay, sir" Leo stands up and walks to the bar to get Thomas his drink.

'Here you go, sir" Leo hands Thomas the glass of brandy. Thomas drowns it all in one sip.

'Think of another reason" He hands Leo his glass to fill it up again.

Leo and Thomas spend the rest of the day trying to figure out why Melina acted the way she did last night.

'Maybe Miss Melina is feeling ashamed to be seen naked in front of you after so long" this is the tenth reason he has come up with in the past hour.

Thomas just told Leo what happened last night. He didn't want to tell him, but he felt if he wanted Leo's help in figuring out what went wrong last night. Leo needed to know what had happened.

'That's impossible. I have fucking seen, kissed, and worshiped every inch of her body. That is the most stupid reason you have come up with."

'Please don't kill me for what I am about to say, sir."

'Speak"

'Miss Melina might have the body of a goddess, but she has been tortured badly. I can bet her body is filled with scars, and someone like her would be ashamed to show her body to anyone"

'Hmmmm," Thomas rests his hand on his chin and ponders over Leo's words

'You said she suddenly changed the second her clothes came off, right."

'Yes"

'There is no other reason, sir."

'You might actually be right, Leo. I can't believe I didn't think of it" Melina had a few scars while they dated, but those ones were barely visible. The new ones she has now are really visible because they are fresh. Thomas finally understands why she won't want him to see her naked. He is thanking God he didn't push her too much last night. He would have regretted it.

'That's totally understandable, sir."

'Thank you for helping me figure it out. You can take the rest of the day off."

'Thank you, sir" Leo stands up to leave.

As Leo walks out of Thomas's office, he thinks of ways to make Melina understand that she is still fucking beautiful to him even with her body covered in scars. He also thinks of ways he can make her believe it too.

***

Melina

Franky and I spend the rest of the day together. Franky told me she plans to go back to the states soon. She said there is no reason for her to remain here, which is true, but I worry for her safety. James is cruel, and he can harm Franky to get to me. I tried talking her out of it today but failed. I will try again tomorrow.

I wash my hand and step out of my toilet. I walk to the couch in my room to continue watching TV with Franky. I get there and find the couch empty. Maybe she went down to the kitchen to get more popcorn. I sit down and use my phone to pass the time while I wait for her. Thomas gave me back my old phone. I even thought he threw it away, but he didn't. I was so happy to get it back.

A few minutes pass, and Franky still isn't back. I walk out of my room to the kitchen to look for her. I find the kitchen empty, so I walk back upstairs to her room to check for her. I arrive at her room door and find it ajar. My brows pull together slightly, finding it weird that Franky would leave her room door open while she was inside. I slowly push the door further open and walk inside. I call out her name as I enter, and I wait to hear a response back. I get none. This makes me a little nervous that something might have happened to Franky. I find the light switch in her room and turn it on. A gasp escapes my lips, and tears pool in my eyes once I see the state of her room. I begin to panic and shout out her name louder. The whole room is in disarray. The bedside lamp is broken, and some pieces have blood on them. I am praying the blood doesn't belong to my sister. The throw pillows are on the floor, too, and they seem to have been torn open with a knife. What the hell happened here? I check the toilets and closet, but no sign of her. I run out of her room and begin to look for her in other parts of the house. God! Please make it that nothing has happened to my sister. Please, I beg of you, I can't bear it if something has happened to her.