Chapter 65 To Gain Peace
When the sting of my heart was not reducing and each passing second was reminding me of my sin, I decided to redeem my unforgivable actions using ‘other’ methods.
One of them included taking Alyssa to her home and reconciling with her family that had abandoned her.
“Are you sure about this, Vince?” Alyssa whispered, her fingers twisting the fabric of her dress, certainly against this idea.
“Yes. It’s been a few months. He must have forgotten and forgiven everything.” I reassured her to not be vexed.
Her eyes fixed on her lap, a screen of grief forming in her pretty eyes.
“How… how do I forget and forgive?” Her voice cracked as her lips began to quiver when that time was vividly present in her mind.
“They deserted me when I had nowhere to go, when I was at my lowest point, Vince.”
We stopped at the redd signal. Our eyes collided, she was overflowing with disappointment and sorrow as I held pity. My hand extended, placing it under her cheek.
“If… if.. You hadn’t saved me that moment, I would have jumped into that truck.” She whimpered, holding my wrist desperately.
I frowned, cupping her cheek possessively, “Don’t you ever mention that moment.” But when I caught a trace of tear, I relaxed, “Please don’t.”
She nodded, quickly wiping the tears that threatened to fall, forcing out a smile as she refused to release my wrist.
The extreme devotion glistened in her eyes that boosted my pride and helped to soothe my hidden scars.
“Families fight but they get together in the end. I am sure you guys will too.” I assured her, trying to lift her spirits.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Please, in my words.”
“Okay…” She hesitated before becoming strict, “Only if you are saying.”
I chuckled faintly, “Thank you.”
Soon we reached their place, I intertwined my fingers with Alyssa’s freezing one. The dread was etched on her face, she was against the whole idea.
We arrived and entered her place. She took a deep breath, only trusting me. We stood in the empty hall as a servant told us to wait there.
“I still think it’s a bad idea, Vince.”
“It is time we move forward without carrying the weight, my Dear,” I said sweetly, tightening my grip on her hand before releasing it when we heard footsteps.
“They’re your blood. They disowned you over a man like Ken, a mistake, but now that they see you’re with someone who truly cares for you, they will understand. They have to.”
I thought, maybe, just maybe, doing this might help me sleep. If I fix everything Ken destroyed in her life. Maybe the nightmares would stop this way.
And Alyssa will have her family back, her life would be completed. She would have everything.
Still in a deep, worried corner, I was wondering what I would do if they wouldn’t- even if there was nothing left to hate.
I brought her here with such hopes
But, That man was prideful, stubborn, and still furious over the public embarrassment of Alyssa’s broken marriage with Ken.
Her father stood at the top of the stairs, he was fuming with wrath. Her mother stood behind him, she was also enraged, glaring at us.
“You have a lot of nerve showing your face here,” her father boomed, his voice echoing off in the hall.
“Mr. Whitlock. We are here to talk it out. Ken is no more so why do you still continue this hatred?” I started the talk.
“Father…” Alyssa stepped forward, her voice trembling.
“Vince is different. He’s everything I thought Ken was. He saved me. He was there when you guys weren’t.”
“Saved you? Are you here to mock us, huh!?” Her father let out a harsh laugh as he descended the stairs.
“You dragged our name through the mud for a coward who jumped off a building, and now you want us to welcome the man who replaced him? You’re a fool, Alyssa. You always have been.”
“I agree. I am a fool for abandoning my life for Ken but today, I stand with a man you wanted for me.” She took a deep breath, her hand placing on my arm with a faint smile.
“But look at yourself, does a stain like you deserve that!?” She flinched.
“Watch your tone,” I stepped in instantly, my voice becoming defensive, reacting on its own. I moved in front of Alyssa, shielding her body with mine.
“Yes, she made some mistakes but she doesn't deserve eternal punishment for that. She is my wife and deserves respect, Mr. Whitlock.”
“Respect? She earns respect by being a daughter of this house, not by running off with every suit that smiles at her!” her father roared, pointing a finger at her contemptuously.
“You are a disgrace. Don’t come back until you’ve learned what loyalty means.”
The argument spiraled into a storm of shouted insults and long lost grievances. I leaned into the conflict, defending Alyssa by every comment made by him.
If it was my family argument, I would have ended it with violence but I hardly controlled myself with them.
“How hard one simple fact is for you to understand, dammit? She was innocent! She had no idea–”
Finally, Alyssa broke.
“Stop! Just stop it!” she screamed, even her father flinched for a second. We turned to her, her shoulders were shaking.
“I told you it’s not worth it, Vince,” She sniffed, failing to hold back her tears.
“These people won’t even see my face if I die right now.”
Her father’s face fell for a moment, struck by a sudden, harsh but late realization.
“Alyssa?”
She turned and ran for the door. I glared at them first before I ran after her, catching her just as she reached the car.
She collapsed against me, her body weakened, clinging onto me as she broke into ugly sobs.
“I hate them,” she choked out, her hands clutching the lapels of my coat.
“That is why I didn't want to go back! They’ll never forgive me for my mistakes. They’ll never see me for who I am!”
I pulled her into my chest, hiding my face from her, kissing the top of her head, gripping onto her desperately.
“I’m sorry, Alyssa. I thought they could change,” I whispered, gritting my teeth when the weight was becoming suffocating.
“I don’t want them!” she cried, looking up at me with eyes that were vacant of anything but my reflection.
“I don’t want my family. I don’t want anyone else. I only want you, Vince. Just you. Please, don’t ever let me go back.”
“Okay, okay, I understand, I’ve got you,” I whispered, helping her to sit in her car, forcing a smile.
“You don't need anyone else. I am here for you and always will be.”
Without further talks, we left and my attempt to gain solace failed.