Chapter 8: Living For Pain

WELLINGTON’S POV

My knuckles turn white as I keep folding my hands, trying to get a hold of myself and not smash the table before me into pieces.

How dare she? 

“Wells, sit down. We must talk about whatever happened there just now.” I hear Nani's voice before I turn to see her already sitting down cross-legged.

“There's nothing to talk about here. Just find another person. There are thousands of girls ready to take up this offer without complications. It doesn't have to be her. You know nothing about her.” I fume, falling into a chair.

She gives me one disbelieving look, then shakes her head, frowning in contempt. “Do you? I mean, it looks like you know her so well that you sound so sure that she's not a good fit!”

“Nani…”

She lifts a hand to cut me off. She is the only lucky person in the world who I can't fight, so let her take advantage of that.

“It's true that there are plenty of fish in the sea, but why keep looking when I have caught the best of them all, Wells? Before I made the decision and chose her over all that I have their files, I already knew that she's perfect for the kind of discretion and compliance we need to be about this whole arrangement! And sorry to add, I needed someone who could stand up to you and get into your thick skin like she does, not someone who'd be so fiddle minded or easy to get converted. She's a fighter, brother.” She continues, making me stay still as if a stick is stuck in my ass.

She has some points there, but I can't stand the sight of that woman. She irritates me more than anyone I've ever met. 

“You can still find someone else. I don't want her to carry my child.” I say firmly, standing my ground.

“It's not like you're going to have any form of contact with her for this to work. Besides, you know that it is already too late to find a suitable person, so please, inform the doctor and prepare for the surrogacy." She points out stubbornly and picks up a novel on the table, an obvious indication that her words don't call for further debate.

“You are too kind, Naniska.” I mutter ironically, slowly rising to my feet, knowing fully well that I've lost the fight. “If I'd read the files of all the women you picked, nothing would have made me choose her for any reason.” 

She scoffs and raises the novel higher to hide her face from my blaring gaze. “Don't be so sure, bro.”

“There's nothing I'm more sure of, sister.” I grumble as I go inside. 

For a while, I've avoided coming to the villa. I spend more time at one of my hotels where it's easier to pretend life's going as perfectly as planned and forget grief which has been my favorite companion.

I do not think anyone would ever stop the pain I feel that's become a numbness I'm used to. I always avoid the old Victorian house like a plague because it is where my happiness started and ended, it is also where my pain began. But I walk into it, the front door is always left unlocked just like Regina wanted.

I'm surprised the door doesn't creak when I open it, but dust makes me sneeze and cobwebs catch my face as I go further in. I stop to look at the sealed furniture, then at the picture and art frames that line up each corner of the wall.

My eyes stop when I look at the fireplace and catch the huge frameless picture of Regina holding our little boy. I sit on top of the covered couch and stare blankly at the picture as images of that day's event come back to me. 

He was just three months old, a healthy pompous baby. We were the happiest couple, slowly getting used to being parents. She said every memory counts, that we must take pictures of him, with him. And we did, she’d sat on the floor and held our boy protectively, like a mother hen shielding her chicks from incoming danger, but she was laughing heartily at me as I took a picture of her. 

The next day, I'd come back from work to see it already framed and mounted on top of the fireplace where we spent most of our nights rolling around the floor, laughing about meaningless things.

I didn't have memories, not any worth reminiscing about until I met her because I know how heartbreaking memories could be. She changed everything for me, became my everything and I promised to protect her. I told her she was safe with me, I gave her parents that assurance before they finally accepted to bless our union. But I let her down. I didn't only fail her, but our son and his grandparents as well.

She'd begged me to stay longer that day and I'd refused, promising to come home early. I won't stop grieving although that'll not bring them back, but it'll give me purpose and wake me up every morning. The pain keeps me going, vengeance keeps my heart beating. 

“I'm close, Regina.” I whisper into the silence, staring into her glamorous eyes which seem so alive as if she can hear me. “Just give me a little time to get into the brotherhood and I will bring each one of them here to kneel before you. I'll make sure you watch them bleed to death.”

I slide a hand into the chest pocket of my shirt and bring out her pendant and our engagement ring. I look at it for a while, all that's left of her…us. I hold it tightly in my palm as I stand and leave, unable to bring myself to go further.

I walk past Nani who is still lounging around in the garden and go straight to my car without another word. She sees me, but doesn't say anything or make any move to come to me. She already knows that I get into a foul mood whenever I visit the house and I will remain sour, scowling at anyone that dares speak to me for the rest of the week. 

That is exactly why I don't go in there even if I do visit the villa or I just stay the hell away from the estate entirely.

Would Regina have accepted this woman to be the biological mother of our child if she was alive? Well, if she was, there'd be no need for surrogacy and we'd have had about three kids by now. Everything would have been fine and I'd never have met such a crazy woman thrice this week. 

And now I've to see more of her. Pft.

I dial Mr. Peter's number and wait until he picks up at the second ring.

“Forward me Mrs Salazar’s file again.”

It's hard for me to comprehend how a woman who easily abandons her father by refusing to bend to his will seems trustworthy to my dear sister…