CHAPTER TEN: The Morning After the Storm

ADELE'S POV

I woke up in a cold sweat.

My ears were ringing. I sat up and looked around. My throat felt raw and I tasted something metallic.

My eyes adjusted to my surroundings. The black silk sheets felt different. It took me about five seconds before it hit me.

I'm in Julian's room.

Panic filled my chest and I ran my fingers through my matted hair, trying to recall the events of the night before.

Pain shot up my arm and I flinched. My right hand was wound delicately in gauze. My fingernails were stained with streaks of blood. Dead flesh was stuck under my fingernails.

What happened to me?

Vomit surged up my throat.

I swung my feet off the bed and stumbled into the bathroom. I tried to retch into the toilet seat but most of it got on the white tiles.

Shit!

I peered into the mirror. My reflection stared back at me–hollow eyes and matted hair.

I looked like hell.

The brown robe I had on was several sizes bigger.

They were definitely not mine. I wondered how I got into them.

How did I even get here?

I washed my face and scrubbed the blood and skin from my fingernails. My mind ran through the events of last night.

I had two quarter glasses of bourbon and snuck into bed. Did I enter a drunken state?

Oh god! Did I sleep with Julian?

Get it together, Adele!

I took a deep breath and stepped back into his room.

His walk-in closet caught my eye.

I eyed the door. I should probably go in search of Julian, but my nosy side clouded my reasoning.

I ran my fingers over his unsurprisingly overwhelming array of black, blue and white suits.

Nothing of interest here besides shoes, Cartier watches and a few Rolex watches. A gold wedding band sat untouched in its little black box.

Why does he still keep it? Maybe he's still not over Celeste. The thought made my fingers sweat.

I heard the clinking of shoes against marble approach the bedroom and panic shot up my spine.

I hobbled back into bed and forced my eyes closed.

The door opened and the strong aroma of eggs and coffee filled my nostrils.

My stomach rumbled.

The bed sank under his weight.

“Set it down right there. Thank you, William”

“Yes, sir”

The sound of receding footsteps.

I smelled him. His face was inches from mine.

My eyebrows twitched, almost breaking character.

“I know you're awake, Adele. It's okay to open your eyes now” he chuckled and softly pressed his index finger against the tip of my nose.

My eyelids flew open.

He looked like a rogue mafia billionaire. His blue suit complimented his black eye patch perfectly.

Hold on—eye patch?

I blinked and sat up.

His eyes scanned my face and dropped to my bandaged hand.

Did I hurt him? Did he hurt me?

What happened to us last night? The confusion was killing me. I wanted answers immediately.

“Erm…what happened last night?”

“Well good morning to you too, Mrs Hawthorne “ he reached out and held my arm, delicately pulling away the bandages.

My eyes darted to the bedside. The butler had wheeled in a trolley with bacon, eggs and pancakes. A glass jug filled with hot coffee sat next to a black mug.

I flinched when Julian's finger brushed over the sore spot. I looked at it for the first time.

An angry red mark had materialised on my right wrist, circling it like a natural bracelet.

“I need an answer, Julian” I pressed again, with more urgency this time.

Julian sighed softly and reached out to the bottom of the trolley, retrieving a first aid kit. He held my hand and gingerly applied lotion on it.

He was taking his time. Stalling.

“You were erm…sleepwalking. And then you got burnt by accident."He didn't meet my gaze.

Sleepwalking? No. Not again.

“Is that…is that why you're wearing an eye patch?”

Julian shrugged.

“That, or I'm just making a fashion statement“

Not funny, Julian.

His index finger traced my burned wrist and lingered for a few seconds. Then he pulled away and stood up abruptly.

“You had a fever last night into the morning, so I'm having my doctor come take a look at you. Have your coffee and get some food in you. If you need anything, just ring the bell”

He turned to leave.

“Wait!” The word was out before I could stop myself.

I crawled out of bed and walked up to him. His back was turned to me. Rigid.

“Please, Julian. Just let me see it”

“It's nothing, Ads. Accidents happen”

What was he talking about?

“Please” my voice cracked.

I needed to see.

His shoulders heaved in a sigh. He turned around.

I stood on my tiptoes and ran my fingers through his hair. I unclasped the eye patch.

My breath hitched. My heart throbbed violently.

His left eye was purple and swollen shut. His eyelid told tales of ripped out flesh.

That explained the blood and dead skin under my fingernails.

A sharp ache spread throughout my chest and my fingers hovered over his face.

What have I done?

‘Soon enough he'll know who you really are. Good going, Mrs Hawthorne.’ The childish voice in my head snickered.

“Oh Julian!” I gasped.

My vision blurred. Hot tears burned my face.

This is what I do. I hurt people. All I do is cause them pain. I hurt Liam. I hurt my dad. Now I'm hurting Julian.

“No. Don't you dare blame yourself. It was an accident” Julian reassured me firmly, cupping my face in his hands.

I shook my head as the tears poured even faster.

He doesn't know. Nobody knows. This is all my fault. This is who I am.

“Hey…look at me. Look at me, my love “

He tilted my face to meet his.

“It was an accident. You were sleepwalking. It's nothing. I'll just put some more ice on it”

“Ice? You need stitches!” I sobbed.

“Okay, then I'll get them after work. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that it's not your fault. Do you hear me?”

He leaned in–and kissed my face. He kissed my forehead softly and pulled me into him.

He held me in a bear hug and I sniffed and gulped back tears.

Guilt washed over me in waves.

“I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry” I sobbed into his chest, my throat burning from the ache of suppressed tears.

I pulled back but he held me close for a few more seconds before stepping back.

He led me back to his bed. I flopped onto the sheets, clasping my hands tightly in my thighs.

He knelt down in front of me.

“I want to stay and make sure you're okay, but I have an emergency meeting.”

I nodded and sniffed.

“Do you need anything or anyone?” His hand rested on my knee. His eye patch was back on.

He still looked smoking hot.

“Ronnie. I want to go see Ronnie“

He shook his head.

“I'm sorry, but I can't let you go out like this. The doctor will see you, and you will stay in bed after that. Understood?”

I frowned at him.

“I want my best friend”

“Okay. I'll have the driver pick her up and bring her here. Is that better?”

“Yes. Thank you, Julian”

“Don't thank me. Just stay in bed and take care of yourself. And remember, if you need anything —”

“... just ring the bell. I understand.” I smiled.

“I hate to leave you here “

“Since when did you care? Go to work, Julian “ I laughed and pushed him away softly.

He stopped by the door and looked over his shoulder.

“Take care of yourself, Mrs Hawthorne.”

“Right back at you”

He left, taking all the oxygen with him.

*****

JULIAN'S POV

A dull ache had spread throughout my body at the end of the meeting.

For the second time, the board of directors had proposed bringing in an assistant Chief Executive Officer in my own company.

I did everything I could to calm them down and prove that I was not unstable in any way, but I knew that it was only a matter of time before the dam burst open and drowned me.

“Nice shirt, Janice”

I nodded to my secretary as I stepped into the elevator. She beamed and sat up straighter.

The tightness in my chest eased up a little as I stepped out of the elevator and into my office. I pulled at my tie and shrugged off my suit, hanging it on the suit rack standing close to the wall.

I poured myself a glass of whiskey and gulped it down quickly, feeling the warmth spreading through my chest.

I refilled my glass and stared into it.

The intercom beeped. Janice's crisp voice rang out.

“Elliot is on his way up, sir.”

I took a sip.

“Thank you, Janice”

The elevator bell dinged and Elliot's cologne filled the space as he strode in.

He wore a deep blue kaftan that cast a certain radiance about him.

“I just thought to drop by and check on you — erm. What happened to your face?”

I shook my head and waved him off, searching frantically through my head for answers.

“Home accident.”

“Well, you look like shit.”

“Thanks, man. Why are you here?”

“Just dropping by. Are you sure you're okay?”

“I'm fine, Elliot. Back off”

My shoulders sagged and I sighed. I can't open up to my best friend because I'm not even sure there's anything to tell. Or if it was in place to tell it.

It broke me to see Adele crying today. Buried within all that brokenness, a strange flame lit up in my heart.

I can't wait to get back home and make sure My Adele is okay. I want to get her the help she needs.

I hope she will open up to me. I hate the faraway look she had before screaming for her brother in my arms.

Elliot snaps his fingers and I flinch.

“You don't look so good, man. You should get that eye checked out.”

He is right. The eye has begun to itch–a bad sign.

I want to go see the doctor, but I want to go home to Adele.

I stop myself. Adele has a guest. If I show up, my presence might be too imposing.

Doctor it is, then.

As I follow Elliot out, I make a mental note to send Adele flowers.

She hated the first ones I sent to her after our first fight. I wonder if it was the flowers she hated or the card.

Must be the flowers.

My phone pings and I glance at it.

Leo's school.

I'll call back later. My mind raced with possibilities, but I waved them off.

Surely it's nothing.

I catch a whiff of Adele's scent and I crane my neck, searching for her.

'She's obviously not here, stupid' I chide myself.

I pray a silent prayer, for I cannot get this woman out of my mind.