Chapter Twenty-eight

~🖤~

The sunshine peeks through the windows, bringing me nature's relief, which I didn't think I would ever get.

It has nearly seven months in California. I decided to stay here with Rose, until my niece was born. After all, I had come in love with the sunshine in California.

Emilia Clarke Embrey was born a week ago, after six hours of labour.

She's beautiful. Her hands were soft and a blush always coating her cheeks. I was too fond of her to let go, so, I was planning on buying an apartment and finding a job in Cali.

Back in Leavenworth, I had told Anna to tell Alex about my panic attacks, along with other problems. Alex was cooperative, so, he gave my post to Anna and he had sent me a card, telling I was always welcome there.

Although except Ace, Anna, Rose and Chris, no one knew, I was in Cali, basking the warmth of the weather.

After that incident, i couldn't stand being in the same room with several people.

When on the urgent pleading of Rose and Chris, I went to a therapist, I told him I was facing nightmares, panic attacks and depression. He also had diagnosed me with claustrophobia.

After four months of intense therapy, doses of anti-depressants, musical and physical therapy, I was now, finally better and normal.

But there still existed my shattering heart.

Not to lie, he still visited my dreams and I was so pathetic and hopeful for someone, who couldn't even love me back, I found myself searching him in every song. Simply, I was desperate with a broken heart.

But my niece, Emilia or Lia, had helped me a lot in my therapy.

I used to sit in my room all day, during the first days, fighting my panic attacks and nightmares. It became worse, when Heath started to call Rose, everyday, about her health and the baby. But I always avoided the conversations between them.

More likely, I couldn't hear them, the panic attacks were quick to follow.

Ace and Anna were engaged on the same day, Lia was born. They had decided to start their own company after their marriage, which was in two months and I was happy for them.

At least, someone was getting the happy ending. And that was, surely not me.

I sipped into my traditional morning hot chocolate, slowly reminiscing the horrible, disgusting yet somewhat nice past, rather like those two months. My thoughts always somehow, turned to Heath and what hurt most, that he never cared for me.

Keeping tracks on the Twitter Media, after two months of the incident, several feeds on other's accounts and comments on his account were posted, quite regularly. It didn't require brains for a person to know, that each of them had sex with him and how good he was.

It had just been two months for him to become a player again.

Although, after a first few feeds when I couldn't handle my already shattered heart, I stopped opening Twitter but not before deactivating my account, permanently.

I conversed with Ace, regularly on the phone. Whenever, he brought him up, I sidetracked him. I know he could sense it, but I didn't care and he didn't push. It hurt at first, it still hurts somewhere to think him with other women, but I didn't own him, sadly.

Completing my cup of hot chocolate, I went past the living room, to Lia's crib in her room.

I cradled the sleeping beauty in my arms, and looked over to the garden in front of the house, the sunshine of Cali adding to the beauty.

I hummed a soft tune, my mind wandering of to different directions, I heard some shuffling in the background and was quick to turn around, my instincts kicking in.

There was also the reality, that the Unknown person, who had the secret chats with Xavier, our old rival was still on the loose. But we didn't bother, because it didn't seem like he was that important, or else, he would have killed us months ago.

I smiled softly to myself and at them.

"Hey!" Ace grinned, "What's up?"

I smiled, "Nothing. Just cradling Lia."

Anna ran up to me and hugged me tight. I returned her hug, smiling softly and then I realised, I missed these two couples.

"No jokes?!" Ace raised an eyebrow, cocking his head.

I shook my head, but the smile was still intact at my designated place.

Both of them frowned, "You've changed."

I smiled again, speaking softly, "I know."

It was true. I had changed, terribly. I was not the same person who spoke with sarcasm and who was headstrong and confident. I knew, these qualities were still present in me, and only one could bring them out.

But unfortunately, the rape had taken a massive part in my life and the person, whom I still loved, was not by my side. Not that he cared, even.

I changed the topic, "Where're those two? When did you arrive?"

"We're here!" Rose and Chris came and stood behind Anna.

The four of them looked at me with sympathy and as if they had something to tell me. I ignored their looks and prodded further.

"When did you arrive?"

Ace spoke, "We both came by my Company's private jet."

I raised an eyebrow, missing or maybe forgetting some parts.

"You know, I'm the CFO and his brother, so, I thought, why not use the company's resources to full use?"

I smiled, laughing softly, "Right."

All the four of them had happiness in their eyes, as I laughed for the first time in months. Maybe, family was all I needed.

"But what makes you bring here, all of a sudden, at, " I looked at the clock, "10 AM in the morning?"

Ace took Lia from my arms, kissed her forehead, looked at her adorably and kept her in the crib.

Anna smiled at him, then took my hand and nearly dragged me outside, to the living room.

They all sat on the sofa, I in the middle with Ace and Anna by my sides and Rose sat on Chris's sofa's armrest.

"What happened guys?" I asked, curiously.

Anna held my hands tightly in hers, smiling at me, while Ace rubbed my back and the others nodded her head at her.

She took a deep breath, "You need to go and see him."

I pulled my hands back in shock and laughed hysterically, "Need? Him? Why the fuck?" Venom was laced in my voice.

It felt good to curse after months, when all I have been like a silent, broken butterfly.

"He is hurting, Calli." She continued, with concern in her eyes.

"Wow." I laughed, "What about me?"

"I know, Calli. You are also hurt but he's miserable." Ace piped in.

I looked at him and laughed, "Bro!" I shook my head, anger taking control, "Hurt? It doesn't even describe it. I am shattered and broken."

Anna tried to open her mouth, but with the look I gave her, she closed it for good.

I continued, "He's the one who is still sleeping. I don't own him and he's the one who doesn't even care for me a bit. He fucking pushed me, fucking blamed me, when I needed him the most. He told me, I was faking the rape. He doesn't fucking care. He doesn't..."

All through these, I was yelling, tugging at my hair, furiously and laughing hysterically but at the last, frustrated tears were running down my cheeks.

Even today, I didn't like to cry. I had all these emotions bottled up in me, for six months to be exact. And today, even though I didn't like, the tears were cascading down my pale hollow cheeks.

Ace hugged me, while Anna smoothed my hair, "We know."

He continued, "But if you don't give him a last chance, he won't be able to stop smoking."

"He smokes?"I asked, whimpering more like.

"Yes." Anna piped in.

"But it's been six months. He has again become a player. He doesn't care, doesn't love. What's there to do?" I whispered, painfully.

"A last chance. He loves you, Calli. He said to me." Ace gave me a assured smile.

I looked into his eyes, searching for some dishonesty but getting none. At last I asked, whispered.

"He told you? When?"

He grinned, "He was drunk on your birthday, May 12th. You know, a drunken person always speaks the truth."

It was July now. That means he had confessed this two months ago. But it still hurt, as he didn't even care to wish me.

"And he has stopped fucking women. Nearly a month after the incident." He finished, smiling.

I contemplated the information.

Could I give him a last chance? But how many more chances? He had pushed me, blamed me for nothing, hurt me, shattered me, so many times. So, did I want to give him a final chance?

Yes.

Because I still hoped and loved him.

I cared for him, to mend his maybe broken heart, just like mine as Ace said.

"Just a last chance." They all whispered, giving me a confident yet reassured smile, together.

"Follow your heart for once." Rose advised in a motherly voice.

"I followed it and see where it let me." I answered her.

"If he doesn't love you, kick his ass." Ace grinned, bringing a grin to my face.

I was ready to face him and give him my last chance, which included my last strand of hope and full of love.

"Last chance." I nodded.