Chapter 46 – Truths and Goodbyes

Chapter 46 – Truths and Goodbyes
The silence in the room was heavy as lead. Every breath, every movement, seemed to resonate off the walls. Isabella looked from one to the other, trying to decipher the invisible web of feelings that connected everyone there. Dante remained leaning against the wall, arms crossed, but his eyes never left Helena—a mixture of anger and longing. Alexander, for his part, looked like a statue: cold on the outside, but with a storm hidden within.

And then, when Helena finally took a step forward, Oliver—the stalker—moved too. His hood slid back, revealing his pale, tired, yet overcome with emotion, face.

"I thought you were dead…" His voice was hoarse, filled with pain, as if years of silence had exploded all at once.

Helena couldn't hold back her tears. She ran to him, and in a few seconds, brother and sister were face to face, so close it seemed impossible they had been separated for so long.

"No, Oliver. I didn't die." She took a deep breath, stifling her tears. "It's true, Alexander and Dante are a bit strange, but I don't think they would kill me."

Oliver closed his eyes, trying to absorb every word. "Then why did you leave? Why did you abandon me?"

Those words struck Helena like knives. She bit her lip, holding back the urge to break down. "I'm sorry. I know nothing will justify what I did. I know it was a bit much... extreme, even. But at the time, it seemed like the only way out."

Alexander stepped closer, unable to remain silent any longer. "So if you knew it was too much, that it didn't make sense... why did you do it?"

Helena turned to him, staring at him with the coldness of someone who had revisited this past a thousand times. "Because I was eighteen, Alexander. I was a stupid girl. And it seemed so... magical, escaping from a criminal to live with 'Prince Charming' in Europe."

Her words cut deep. Alexander felt as if each syllable were a blade sliding across his skin.

"So you never loved me…" His voice was low, but thick with disbelief.

Helena shook her head slowly. "I loved you. At first, I loved you. Until you became too suffocating. Do you remember how I was when I decided to run away?"

He lowered his eyes, remembering perfectly. "I remember. And I also remember that I made excuses to make it seem sensible for you to stay with me."

"And why, Alexander?" Helena pressed, tears streaming. "Why all this?"

Alexander took a deep breath, and for the first time in a long time, spoke without a mask. "Because I didn't want you to get close to Dante. I was afraid of losing you to him. But in the end, I ended up losing you anyway."

A heavy silence filled the room. Helena wiped away her tears, giving a sad smile. "I'm glad you understood. This is an important step. Thank you for never coming after me. I know that all this time, you would have been able to figure out where I was."

Alexander nodded. "Yes, I knew. But like my psychologist said: if you chose to go, who am I to stop you from making your own decisions?"

Before the emotion could build, Dante interrupted mockingly:

"Oh, the perfect one goes to a psychologist."

Three voices echoed at the same time, in unexpected unison:

"Shut up, Dante!" said Alexander, Helena, and Isabella.

Oliver couldn't help but laugh, breaking some of the tension.

Helena took a deep breath and looked at Alexander, but this time with less heaviness in her eyes. "I see you've found someone else."

Alexander shifted his gaze to Isabella, who was watching everything attentively. He gave a small smile. "Yes. She's an amazing person."

Helena smiled slightly, but her tone was serious. "Then please, don't make the same mistake you made with me."

Alexander fixed his eyes on Isabella, then back to Helena. "Never."

Isabel awkwardly raised her hands. "Guys, just one thing... it's a little weird that you talk about me as if I'm not here."

Dante laughed, breaking the mood. "Good, Isa. But the burning question is: is all this shit over?"

Helena sighed, looking at her brother. "It's over. Oliver and I are leaving. I apologize for everything that happened."

Alexander, however, didn't let it go. His mind was still racing with doubt. If you already knew this would happen... why didn't you take your brother with you the first time?

Helena noticed his look and answered before the question even came out. "I know what you're thinking." I didn't take Oliver because I didn't have the money for him to go with me. And I couldn't risk taking him to the other side of the world with a man I didn't really know.

Alexander looked at her, and for the first time in years, he truly smiled. "I understand. I hope you're happy in Europe."

"Thank you," Helena replied, her voice breaking. "And I am. Very happy."

Alexander kept his smile. "That's good. Now... goodbye, Helena."

She took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment. "Goodbye, Alexander."

He then turned his back, walked toward Isabella and Dante, and together the three of them left the room. Helena stood still for a few seconds, watching him walk away, as if a part of her still didn't believe the definitive end to this story.

Oliver touched her hand. "Come on, little sister."

She squeezed his fingers firmly. "Come on."

And they both left, ready to start over far away.

On the street, the night was eerily calm. The icy wind blew between the buildings, and the lights reflected in the puddles on the sidewalk. Alexander, Dante, and Isabella went the other way, while Helena and Oliver disappeared in the opposite direction.

It was all over. At least for now.

But Isabella couldn't shake the nagging feeling in her chest. She looked at Alexander, who was walking beside her, and then at Dante, who was close behind. Something told her the story wasn't over. Not with those two men still around.

And she was right.

The end had come for only one chapter. The real conflict was just beginning.