Chapter 93 Tainted with her tears
CHAPTER 93: Tainted with her tears
Silas
The soft, rhythmic rapping against the oak door was an intrusion I wasn't ready for. I stirred, my body still entangled with Vera’s. The scent of our shared passion still clung to the air like a thick veil. A quick glance at the clock on the side table and I realised it was almost midday.
“Who's there?” I asked after another rap at the door.
Vera shifted, sighing contentedly in her sleep beside me.
“Sir? Forgive me,” a maid’s voice muffled through the wood. “Madam Claudia asked me to inform you and madam that brunch is ready. You missed breakfast. She mentioned it’s nearly noon.”
“You can leave,” I replied, my voice raspy, and thick with the remnants of sleep. “Tell her we’ll be down shortly.”
“Yes, sir.”
I listened to her footsteps retreat before sinking back into the bed, sighing deeply. I turned to the woman snuggled into my side. She was still lost in a deep, lethargic sleep, her face tucked into the crook of her arm. Seeing her like this, peaceful, after the meltdown that she had had yesterday, softened the sharp prick of guilt I felt over what had happened this morning. Yet it also made the weight of the truth I now knew feel like a physical blow to my chest.
My eyes drifted down to the sheets, trailing to the spot where I knew the slight curve of her stomach was; the undeniable reality that changed everything. The realization didn't just hit me; it anchored me.
Slowly, I reached out and splayed my palm over the warmth of her womb. She stirred, but didn't wake.
“Son,” I whispered, the word barely a breath. “My son.”
It felt so normal…so real.
He was really mine. Perhaps, that was why I felt that way when I heard the heartbeat that day. He was mine, flesh and blood.
A wave of profound, agonizing regret washed over me. I leaned closer to her sleeping form, my lips almost touching her stomach.
“I’m sorry,” I breathed. “For the fear. For the pain. For that night. For everything.”
Whether I had been drugged by Vane that night or not, it didn't take away the fact that it was me who caused her pain.
I wanted to tell her. I wanted to shake her awake and tell her that she wasn't a victim of some faceless stranger, that her child belonged to a father who was right here. A father that loved it deeply already and wanted it. But Dr Caleb's warning echoed in my mind. I couldn't risk the baby.
And if I was being honest, I couldn't risk the loathing that would replace the hope I saw in her eyes last night. Chauncey was right. I was afraid of more than just losing the baby. I was terrified of losing the woman carrying my most prized possession.
I realized then that I felt more than just the cold embers of revenge. It got me thinking I had sinned against her too. We were both guilty of a crime against the other.
Who was the sinner? And who would qualify as the saint?
Was my anger and hatred still righteous? My hands were tainted too…with her tears.
I took a cold shower, shutting off the voices in my head. It was a weekend and I dressed in casual clothes and went downstairs, careful not to wake Vera.
I was crossing the foyer toward the dining room when the front doors swung open. Lily walked in with one of the servant's wheeling in her suitcase. She looked sun-kissed and vibrant, radiating the joy of her recent graduation trip.
“Silas,” she chirped, her face lighting up as she saw me.
“Lily.”
“Hello!” she replied.
“Welcome back,” I said, stopping in the middle of the foyer, my hands shoved deep in my pockets.
“Thank you so much,” she gushed, rushing over to give me a quick, impulsive hug. “The trip was incredible.”
I gently pulled back. “You’re welcome. I'm pleased you had a great time.”
She took a step back and beamed. “I did. Thank you again. Truly. Everything was so perfect—the hotels…everything. I didn't lack a single thing. You were too generous.”
“Your sister wanted you to have the best.”
She smiled, turning towards the stairs. “I'm going to head up and get settled, take a shower. These flights are exhausting.”
I watched her for a beat.
“Lily,” I called out, stopping her in her tracks. “Aren't you going to ask after your sister?”
It was strange that she didn't ask after her sister after not calling her while on her trip.
She faltered, a brief shadow of guilt crossing her expression. “Oh—of course! I was just... I was going to go up and see her as soon as I dropped my things. How is she?”
“She's okay, however—”
Before I could speak further, the door opened again and Chauncey stepped in, looking far too alert for the hour. His expression changed when he saw Lily, surprise swallowing his urgency.
“Well, look who it is,” he chirped, grinning at Lily. “The world traveler returns.”
“Hi Chauncey,” Lily beamed, eyes twinkling at the sight of my younger brother.
“Welcome back. How was the vacation? Did you manage to leave any sights for the rest of us?”
She beamed at him, her cheeks turning pink. “It was wonderful. The most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I have so many stories,” she rambled excitedly.
I watched quietly, observing how she lit up at the sight of him. Fuck no! She liked him.
Chauncey smiled. A smile so charming and disarming. “I bet. You'll have to tell me all about it sometime,” he said politely.
Her smile widened, “Of course.”
“Lily, don't bother Vera now,” I interjected, my voice leaving no room for argument. “She’s sleeping. She had a long night and needs to rest. Go see her later when she's up.”
“Oh. Okay,” she replied, looking a bit deflated. “I’ll just go unpack then. See you guys later!”
She shot Chauncey another look, then hurried upstairs, leaving me alone with my brother.
Chauncey’s smile vanished the moment she was out of earshot. “Don't start,” he groaned, before dragging his gaze away from the top of the stairs where Lily disappeared to me.
I arched my brow. “I didn't say a word.
He jerked his head toward my office, his expression turning serious. “We need to talk, brother.”
“The dining room first,” I said, heading towards the dining hall. “I need a bite before I deal with the rest of this.”
He followed me, an amused, skeptical look on his face. “Brunch? On a Saturday?” He briefly glanced at the Richard Mille on his wrist. “Silas, it’s nearly twelve-thirty. Don’t tell me you’re just waking up?”
“Is that a crime on the weekend?” I muttered.
He snickered. “Not a crime, just... out of character. For you, anyway.”
We stepped through the dining room threshold.
“Of course he's just waking up, Cee,” Claudia’s voice sliced through the air. She was seated at the table, elegantly peeling an orange, her eyes sharp enough to draw blood. “It’s hardly a mystery, considering he and his wife decided to get busy so early this morning,” she spat with apparent irritation. “I think we have to revisit that conversation about soundproof walls.”
Chauncey’s eyebrows shot to his hairline as he looked at me, then back at our sister.