Chapter 21 Like it never happened.
~Haven.
I woke up to Walter's hand tapping my hand. Hard enough to wake me up from sleep.
I gasped, my eyes widening the moment I woke up.
“Hannah. She's here. You need to leave….” he said, his voice laced with a mix of worry and fear. I could see how scared he was as he tried to tell me to leave…he probably didn't want it to sound like he was disrespecting me.
I pulled myself together, rushing out of bed as I grabbed everything that belonged to me.
Then it hit me.
I was…naked.
Walter's eyes lingered for a while before he looked away…he was uneasy.
And so was I.
“I'm sorry,” he mouthed as he pulled on a pair of trousers.
I rushed out of the room without saying anything else.
I got into my room and locked the door behind me, breathing heavily.
I looked down at myself…I slowly walked toward the mirror.
My butt cheeks were reddened…I had hickeys all over.
My neck, my breasts, my thighs, my arms.
“Fuck,” I gasped…
I didn't want to.
I never wanted to, but it seemed like Walter and I had sex the previous night.
I tried remembering exactly how it happened, but I couldn't.
The last thing I remembered was that we kissed and somehow ended up in the room he shared with Hannah and…..
And what?
I held my head, sitting at the edge of the bed.
“What have you done, Haven.”
My eyes welled up with tears.
It felt like I'd betrayed myself. I got myself caught up in something I was already pulling away from.
It was…probably the drink.
Walter…he tricked me.
He tricked me into having sex with him.
His apology…that was probably what he meant when he said he was sorry.
I shouldn't have trusted him when he said he wanted to have a drink with me. I should have sensed something was wrong.
I was being…..stupid.
My body ached all over….reminding me of the mistake I'd made.
I walked into the restroom….letting myself sink into the water in the tub. I needed it….it needed to wash it all off.
I felt filthy….like I'd made a mess of my damned life.
The weather was a bit hot, but I still dressed in a pair of leggings and a sweater.
At least to hide the hickeys from Hannah and Mason while I went downstairs to get some painkillers.
I walked out of the room and down the stairs when I heard Dad's voice in the living room.
My heart thumped.
I cleared my throat.
At first, I wanted to ignore him, but I wouldn't dare. I needed to be on his good side. For the job, for my stay here in Manhattan.
“Good morning, Dad,” I greeted, my head bowed.
Silence. “Mom, good morning.”
Mom looked like she'd seen a ghost.
Hannah glared like she wanted me to vanish.
And Walter? I hated that his eyes stayed on me, filled with something close to concern—but I was sure he wasn't.
If he really cared, he wouldn't have deceived me into having sex with him.
“It's true. You've been behaving,” Dad said, a small smile escaping his lips.
Like I knew she would, “I doubt it. No one's been home with her. No one knows what she does when we're away,” she countered.
“Hannah, please. Don't,” I almost snapped.
I lowered my head again, avoiding Dad's gaze.
“But it's true you……”
“Hannah. She's been behaving. I've been keeping an eye on her,” Walter answered, his voice calmer than usual.
He's faking it.
I told myself.
Dad cleared his throat. “You don't have to worry, Hannah. Since Walter says she's behaving then…why don't we believe that she is?”
Hannah nodded. Reluctantly.
“Thank you,” Walter whispered.
“Father,” Hannah called. I knew she wouldn't stay quiet for long. “I'm uncomfortable with Haven staying in my husband's house. It's making me uncomfortable. I don't trust her. She's the reason I haven't returned to the…..”
“Hannah, we've talked about this several times,” Walter cut in before she could finish. “I've told you the reason Haven has to stay here and what's at stake. Plus…she barely even moves anywhere close to you.”
The reason? So you can drug me and sleep with me?
“I don't want to be here either,” I cut in. “I'll leave today if Dad allows me. Hannah is uncomfortable. They're both married….they need some time alone,” I said.
I….I needed to be away from Walter.
“If you…..” Dad was saying when, again, Walter cut in.
“My father. He….he has a hand in this. It was his idea to bring Haven here. He also believes there's a need to keep an eye on her.”
“I'm not a dog!” I refuted, trying hard not to raise my voice.
Those words—“keep an eye on her”—irritated me.
“You understand what I mean,” Walter answered, looking away.
He only wants to keep me here.
For himself.
Trapped.
“If Walter's father agrees to you being here, then I believe you should stay, Haven. It's better to have you under our watch,” Dad agreed.
Like I thought he would.
I looked at Walter.
Satisfied, aren't you?
“But Dad….” I ended up swallowing my words when Mom's gaze met mine.
“Stay and I'll agree to you getting the job,” he said.
My eyes widened.
“You would?”
Finally…..some good news.
“At least you'll stop being so….useless,” he said before getting up.
Ouch.
He turned to Walter. “We need to have a word with Hannah. In private,” he said as they left.
Mom shut the door behind them, and I was headed back to my room when Walter grabbed my hand.
I didn't think twice.
I slapped him.
“Don't you dare touch me!” I sneered.
“Haven,” he held his face, his gaze still warm. “About what happened last night, I….”
“You're happy, aren't you?” I scoffed.
“I…..”
“Then why don't we just act like it never happened?” I requested. “From now on, please stay away from me.”
With that, I left.