Page 65 of Forgive Me, Father

I laughed.“Itisyour ex?Fucking great.”I pushed myself up from the floor.

“Stop, please.”He pulled me back.

“Don’t worry, my mother groomed me well.You are free to do what you want.”My voice wavered as tears welled up.

I walked to the room and collapsed onto the bed.

Tears were close, too close, and I fought like hell to keep them from falling.

The door shut behind me, and silence followed.I braced myself for his outburst, for him to yell or demand an explanation.But nothing came.Not even a word of reprimand for what they’d done.Not eventhat.

“This was the inner circle, sweetheart,”I heard my mother’s voice.I wasn’t made for this.To be his wife.I couldn’t handle the blows of a cheating husband.It wasn’t fair.I gave him all of me.

“It’s not what you think,” Alfonso’s voice said and I felt the bed shifting.

“I don’t care.Just leave me alone, please.”The words fell from my lips in a broken whisper.

He touched my hip, and I moved his hand away.

“Camilla, please,” he begged.“Just look at me.Let me explain.”

“You lied.You told me you had a business meeting.”

“I know.I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.I get it now.We are just a business deal.I will remember to treat it as one.”

“Camilla.”

“I need to be alone now, Alfonso, please.”

He let out a quiet sigh but didn’t argue.Instead, he gave me the space I clearly needed, and a moment later, I heard the soft click of the door closing behind him.

* * *

I didn’t know when I’d fallen asleep, but when I opened my eyes, they burned from all the crying.Sunlight streamed through the window, warm and unrelenting, dragging me back to reality.

Alfonso’s side of the bed was smooth.I didn’t know what hurt more.The fact that he lied to me or the fact that he gave me what I asked for.

I didn’t think he would.He was so strong in his opinion and I really thought he was going to fight.Fight with me, fight for me, fight because Simi told me the truth.

I got up, took a long shower, and dressed in a bikini and a pair of shorts.Today, I’d ignore him.I’d answer only when spoken to, polite, brief, distant answers.If you stop watering something, it withers.Hopefully, my feelings for him would too.

I walked out of the room, down the passage, and saw him sitting at one of the tables on the balcony from the corner of my eye.

I didn’t so much as glance his way.I just grabbed a pastry, tucked my book under my arm, and stepped out onto the deck.Still, his eyes followed me, I could feel them, heavy and unrelenting.

The ache for him was still there, buried under the surface, but it dulled quickly when I remembered he’d been with someone else yesterday, lying straight to my face.

The thought churned in my stomach.It made me feel sick.

I opened my book and a few minutes later, Nico sat down on the deck chair next to me.

“Are you really not going to let him explain?”

“Explain what, Nico?”

“Camilla.”He raised his eyebrow.