CHAPTER 69

CHAPTER 69
I woke to the sound of drawers opening and closing, the rhythm of someone moving with purpose. Purpose of trying not to be heard or just to wake me up.

For a moment, I lay still, staring at the ceiling, trying to gather myself before facing him.

Dan hasn’t said a word after my confession about what we did with Luca. He seemed more angry than disappointed, he has been quite the whole night. 

That silence had sat between us all night, suffocating, pressing against my chest until I could barely breathe. I waited for him to react, or to demand answers.

Instead, he had turned away and left me alone with what I had done. In that moment I wanted to facepalm myself for being so stupid, how could I tell him that?

I pushed the blanket aside and sat up slowly.

He stood near the dresser, buttoning his shirt, movements sharp and precise. His face was unreadable in the mirror. No trace of emotion, he didn’t even turn to look at me.

I watched him for a second longer, then forced myself out of bed. If he is going to pretend like nothing happened, it doesn’t mean I have to do what he is doing.

I walked into the bathroom, ignoring the tightness in my chest, and got ready. 

I chose a black fitted dress, elegant. Something that made me feel like I still had control over at least one part of my life. I tied my hair into a neat bun.

When I stepped back into the room, he was tying his tie. He still didn’t say anything, my heart twisted painfully. In any form of punishment, silence always gets to me.

Does he care that much about that woman that he can’t bear to look at me because of what I did?

I picked up my small work bag and started packing it without looking at him. I packed my laptop, my charger and my cellphone. I felt his eyes on me before he spoke.

“What are you doing” His voice was calm, but there was tension beneath it. I zipped the bag slowly, then looked up at him. “Getting ready-”

“For what?” He asked swiftly before I could even finish speaking.

“For work.” I said simply trying to agitste him.  His brows pulled together slightly. “You are not going to work.”I held his gaze. “I am going with you.”

“No.” The answer came quickly, firm. I slipped my heels on, steadying myself. “Yes.”

“Emerald.” He said in a bit calmer tone.

“I am not staying here while you avoid me.” I said taking my coat from the closet.

“I am not avoiding you.” He said in a stern voice. I let out a soft, humorless laugh. “You have not said a word to me since last night.”

He looked away briefly, jaw tightening.“That is because I needed time to think”

“And I did not.” My voice cracked slightly, but I pushed through it. Pulling the victim card on him, won’t work.

“I told you something that is destroying me and you said nothing in return. I needed comfort, you did the opposite.” I continued speaking unable to stop the words from coming out of my mouth. 

He exhaled slowly, running a hand over his face. “I didn’t know what to say.”

“You could have said anything.” Silence fell upon us again, he really has nothing to say to me. I grabbed my bag and walked past him.

“I am coming with you.”

He turned sharply. “No, you are not.” I didn’t stop.

I walked out of the room, down the hallway, through the house, my heartbeat loud in my ears. I could hear his footsteps behind me, faster now.

“Emerald, stop.” I reached the door, pulled it open, and stepped outside into the cool morning air.

I headed straight for my car. His hand caught my arm before I could open the door.

“Stop this.” I turned to face him. “Stop what?”

“This.”

He gestured between us, frustration breaking through his control. “You do not get to act like everything is normal.”

“I am not acting.”

“Yes, you are.”

His grip tightened slightly. “You think dressing up and following me to work fixes what you told me.”

“No,”I met his eyes, my chest rising and falling. “But neither does your silence.”

I saw it in the way his expression shifted, the way something cracked beneath the surface. His voice softened when he spoke again. “I am not angry the way you think I am.”

“Then what is this?” He hesitated, probably thinking of the right words.

“It is not my child.” The words caught me off guard and I froze in shock. He swallowed, his gaze steady but heavy.

“I accepted that. I chose you anyway.”My throat tightened painfully.

“But why would you do that?” His voice broke slightly, confusion finally bleeding through. 

“Why would you kill someone while you are carrying a child.” I looked away, my vision blurring. Guilty gnawing at me and anger at him for reminding me of what I had done.

“They wanted money, I lost control. I had to do what I thought was right to get you back.” I said tears welling up my eyes, praying that he understands my reason.

I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold myself together.

“She threatened me. She said she would kill you if I didn’t give you what she wanted, and I didn’t have the money at the time.” His jaw tightened.

“I was trying to fix the situation.” I said trying to get him to say something.

“By killing her.” He finally said, I nodded. 

“She wanted to kill you, have you been listening to a word I have been saying?”The words came out raw, honest, ugly.

“I thought if I gave her the money she would disappear. I believed her.” My voice shook as the memory came rushing back.

“And when I saw her walk away, something in me snapped. I thought she would come back. I thought she would ruin everything.”

“So you shot her?”

“Yes.” Silence stretched between us again. “With Luca there?”

“Yes”

“And then,” I swallowed hard. “We burned the car.” His eyes darkened. “And the body?”

“We buried her.”The words felt like acid in my throat. He nodded slowly, processing every piece.

“Where?”I hesitated unable to give the correct answer.

“Don’t you dare lie to me.” His tone sharpened slightly. “Where did you leave her?”I looked up at him, fear creeping in. “Why?”

“Because I need to see it.” My stomach dropped. “Dan”

“I need to understand what you did.” I laughed a humourless laugh. “Stop bullshitting me. How will seeing her grave make you understand my decision?” I asked my voice firm.

“Take me there.” A chill ran through me.

“Why does it matter?”

“Because this does not go away by pretending it did not happen.” I shook my head slightly. “We handled it”

“No.” He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming.

“You hid it.”His eyes locked onto mine, intense and unyielding.

“There is a difference.”I felt my defense crumble.

“What are you going to do?”

“I do not know yet.”That scared me more than anything.

“But I need to see it first.” My fingers tightened around my bag.

“Dan.”I stared at him, my heart pounding. Why does he want to see where we buried her? 

“Get in your car,” he said, my breath hitched at the sudden change of heart. 

One minute he doesnt want me anywhere him and the next he wants me next to him in the car?

“Where are we going?” I asked, his gaze didn’t waver, my stomach dropped as realization dawned upon me. I made a mistake by telling him the truth.

“You and your accomplice will be taking me to where you buried her body.”