Chapter 49 Finding Solace
ALYSSA’S POV:-
The silence in the hall was deafening, my breaths were stuck in my throat, fingers clasping his shirt powerlessly.
Before, I was perturbed, disappointed. Suddenly, I wasn't.
For a heartbeat, the fear things would go worse invoked but Vince proved me wrong. In his arms, I found my lost tranquillity. He protected me, again.
“You are safe here,” he murmured.
His voice was low and rich, vibrating against my temple, filled with a tenderness I failed to realise I was craving.
“I swear to you, no one, no one, will ever touch you in this house again,”
At that moment, I realized. I need this. I wanted him.
I was exhausted, of hiding the bruises, of hunger, of silence. Defeated before the allure of his protection, I leaned into him, letting him take my weight.
“All of them have hurt me, Vince,” I whispered weakly.
The air around him seemed to darken as he turned his gaze toward the line of maids.
“All three of you are fired. Out of my sight. Now!”
Vince’s sharp command came, snapping his fingers twice and pointing in the other direction.
The maids left quickly to avoid his wrath. They were obviously frightened because of the cold billionaire's rumor.
Enrage him by disobeying. Face worse consequences.
Never thought I would get to witness it.
“And you, Mama,” Vince stepped forward, bringing me with him, eyes darting daggers at her for being so insensitive.
“I trusted you. I left her in your care and this is what you did to her? How can you be so cruel?”
“S-She is lying,” His mother tried to justify uselessly, her voice trembling as she gestured toward me angrily.
“Alyssa is not lying!”
Vince raised his voice, scaring me at his extent of anger. He saw and loosened himself slightly, repeating his word cautiously.
“My wife is not a liar. You are.”
“She-she is blinding you! She is manipulating you-”
Vince didn't let her finish.
“Alyssa is my wife. Not a piece of dirt you can grind under your heel,” He said, his voice dropping to a terrifyingly calm level.
He moved with a dangerous protectiveness, stepping in front of me as if to block her very sight of me.
“She is the woman who shares my name, who lives under my roof, and who is, by law and by my will, due every ounce of respect.” He paused, letting out a slow ‘tch, tch, tch,’
“And you broke that line… How dare you.”
“W-What are you going to do, huh?” She challenged, holding her head high, no sign of regret on her face.
“I will decide that later,” Vince replied, his eyes stone-cold and unforgiving, moving back from her.
“For now. Leave. Right. Now.”
She blinked, glancing at the dark windows where the night pressed hard against the glass, “A-At this hour?”
“Yes,” Vince said, final and absolute.
“F-Fine! Your father will deal with you for this disrespect!”
I watched from behind him as the woman who had made my life a living hell turned away, her footsteps echoing hollowly as she walked toward the door.
I should have felt triumphant, but I only felt a strange, hollow ache. His bond with his mother trembled and I wondered.
‘Had she behaved the same if it was Astrid? Was this hatred because of my tainted image?’
My chest clenched because by her behavior, one thing became crystal-clear: I had become a stain for this world.
And Vince was protecting me. Sheltering me from the accusations and stains. But, for how long would he?
Was I… ruining his life?
Vince turned back to me, his hands reaching out to cup my face, dragging me out of my thoughts instantly.
“Alyssa,” he whispered. “Look at me.”
Vince turned back to me, his hands reaching out to cup my face. His thumbs brushed over my cheekbones so gently I almost forgot how to breathe.
“I-I’m sorry,” I breathed, my eyes downcast. “I’m ruining everything.”
“No, you are not, this is my fault, my negligence.” He whispered.
“I promise you this won’t happen again. Forgive me this time, It won’t repeat. Please?”
He tilted my chin up, forcing me to see the warmth in his eyes. Forcing a smile, I nodded, “I… forgive you,”
“Thank you,” He smiled, kissing the top of my head, inducing a strange fluttering in my chest.
He let out a breath of pure relief and pressed a soft kiss to the top of my head. My heart did a strange, frantic flutter. Feeling shy under his intense gaze, I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.
“I… I think I’ll go to our room now.”
I didn't get far. As I reached the door, I felt his hand catch mine, not to stop me, but to join me.
“Vince?”
“I still want to say a few things,” He whispered gently as he followed me in, the heavy tension of the hallway melting away the moment the door clicked shut.
Vince didn't go to his desk or his phone. Instead, he sat beside me on the edge of the bed and took my hand in both of his.
“What happened today... It was disgusting. But it served a purpose, Alyssa,”
“What… purpose?” I asked innocently.
He took a grasp of my hand, drying my throat when his thumb was tracing circles over my knuckles.
“I can’t just expect people to respect you. I have to demand it.”
Lifting our locked hand to press it firmly over his heart, my body was stiff when I could feel his heart racing in rhythm to mine.
“It made me realize I can’t just expect people to respect you. I have to demand it. Not only from outside but everywhere. I have to physically separate you from the toxicity,” He enunciated sternly.
His grip on me tightened due to his powerful determination while I was staring at his mystifying features with pure bafflement.
My heart compelled me to drum in sync with him, drowning in his endearment.
“She doesn't realize that attacking you is attacking the foundation of everything I am trying to build.”
He continued, leaving me mesmerised to perceive was it only his redemption or something deep I was impotent to encrypt?
How could for his solace, he would go this far and… support me?
“Will you really do all this for me, Vince?” I asked.
I shifted closer, searching for any hesitation, hint of regret but there was none, soothing my heart in an instant.
“Absolutely, Alyssa,” He whispered, leaning in, resting his forehead against mine, his breath warm on my skin.
“Where else are we supposed to find solace, if not in each other?”