Chapter 4

Helena’s POV

I froze at the cold piercing voice of the man I had dreaded all day.

My fingers behind my back tightened instinctively around the folded paper.

The document suddenly felt so heavy in between my hands, like it could slip out and betray me if I wasn’t careful.

I turned slowly to face him fully and shield the document.

He was sitting exactly where he always did with one arm resting on the armrest and the other on the light switch. 

“I asked you a question, Helena. Where are you coming from?” He repeated.

“I went for a walk,” I replied slowly.

His eyes narrowed at me. “A walk?” He repeated after me, clearly unimpressed. “A walk for how many hours?”

I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral even though my pulse was racing. “I needed some air,” I replied.

“You need discipline!” He snapped. “You stormed out of this house without my permission and now you think you can walk in anytime you want?” He blasted out.

That word again.

“Sorry papa, I didn’t know I needed permission to breathe,” I replied while rolling my eyes.

He stood up slowly with a deep scowl across his face.

“You don’t get to be sarcastic with me, young lady. Especially not after disappearing all evening,” he said. “Do you have any idea how that looks?”

I did. I perfectly did.

“I’m tired,” I muttered, shifting my weight towards the hallway. “I don’t want to argue tonight.”

“Oh, but we are settling this now,” he said sharply. “You don’t get to run away when things don’t go your way.”

I clenched my jaw. Don’t react. Don’t explode. Don’t—

“Where were you?!” He demanded.

I met his gaze briefly, then looked away. “Out.”

“With who?”

“Alone.”

He scoffed. “You expect me to believe that?”

I didn’t answer.

Silence stretched between us as I avoided his eyes and kept my hands behind my back tightly.

I turned in time to catch his gaze dropping just slightly to my hands.

Oh no.

“What's behind you?” He asked.

“Nothing,” I rushed out, maybe too quickly.

“What are you holding behind your back?” he asked, taking a step forward to me.

“Nothing,” I replied too quickly again.

He took another step closer. “Show me,” he ordered.

“No,” I shot back while taking a step back too.

His eyes darkened. “You’re hiding something.”

I laughed. “You don’t get access to every part of me just because you raised me!” I spat out.

“I raised you,” he repeated coldly. “I fed you. I educated you. I protected you.”

“And now you wanna control me?” I fired back before I could stop myself.

His hand slammed down on the table beside him. “Watch your mouth.”

“I’m done watching everything!” I snapped. “And I’m certainly done being watched.”

He took a longer step towards me and reached for my wrist.

I reacted quickly, pulling back sharply and shoving the paper deeper behind me.

“Don’t you dare!” I snarled.

The room fell silent immediately.

Then…

His face hardened. “You’ve changed,” he said. “You’ve become disrespectful, you ungrateful girl.”

That word stung harder than I expected.

Ungrateful? Me

“For everything I’ve done for you,” he continued, “you repay me by sneaking around like a delinquent?”

“I didn’t ask for everything you gave me!” I shouted. “I didn’t ask to be raised like a project!”

“I raised you like my own daughter!” He roared back. “And this is how you repay me? By running off instead of accepting your responsibilities?”

“You mean your responsibilities?” I corrected, bitterly. “Like paying off your debts with my soul?”

His eyes grew distant in a way I hadn't seen before. “Everything I’ve done has been for you.”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s always been for your selfish interest."

He stared at me as his chest rose and fell hard. “You think you know better?”

“I know I don’t belong to you,” I said quietly.

Something in his expression shifted, like everything had just dawned on him.

“You are ungrateful,” he said finally. “After all I’ve sacrificed.”

That was it. Something inside me snapped.

I turned without another word and marched down the hallway towards my room.

“Helena! Don't you dare walk out on me again!” I heard him yell but didn't stop.

I didn't even stop when my vision blurred. I could hear him calling my name behind me, but I ignored him.

I slammed my door shut and locked it behind me, turning it to rest on it.

My chest rose and fell violently as I leaned against it. The tears spilled freely now, but I wiped them away angrily.

I pushed myself to my feet, furious at myself for letting him see even a fraction of my weakness.

I grabbed a duffel bag from my closet and yanked it open.

Then threw in a few essentials. Some clothes and anything else I could carry.

My hands shook as I stuffed everything my hand reached inside. I didn’t stop thinking for a second, I just moved.

I wasn’t doing this to make a point. I was doing this to survive.

When I finished, I slung the bag over my shoulder and walked back towards the front door.

My steps slowed as I reached the doormat.

I stopped with my hand on the handle.

This was it. But I waited.

I thought he’d say my name. Thought he'd tell me he didn't mean it or at least try to stop me.

But he didn't.

I turned around to find him just standing in the center of the living room with his eyes fixed on me.

But there was nothing apologetic in them, just a cold stare.

My throat tightened and I pulled open the door, stepping outside and slamming the door shut behind me.

The sound echoed through my head like I had just put the last stop in our relationship.

Then I took a deep breath before stepping out and flagging down a cab. 

He doesn't want me, he doesn't deserve me.

I stepped into the cab and gave the driver the directions to the only person I could count on at a time like this.

In about thirty minutes, the cab pulled up at the very familiar apartment.

I paid and stepped out towards the front door slowly, pressing the bell and standing anxiously.

Tessy opened the door a few minutes later in sweatpants and an oversized hoodie. Her hair was tied up messily on her head in a way I was sure she wouldn't want me to see her.

But tonight wasn't the night for all that.

“Helena?” She asked, looking around. “What are you doing here?”

I didn’t answer. I just dropped my bag and broke down.

She barely had time to react before I collapsed into her arms, sobbing as I finally let every emotion out.

“Hey. Hey, what happened?” She whispered, wrapping her arms around me. “You didn’t even call.”

“I couldn’t,” I choked. “I couldn’t stay there.”

She guided me inside, shutting the door gently behind us. “Sit. Sit down,” she offered as she guided me to a couch.

I sank onto her couch while she rushed to grab some tissues and water.

“I’ve never seen you like this,” she said quietly, sitting beside me when she returned. “What did he do?”

Everything spilled out immediately.

The marriage. The argument. The control issues. The ungrateful claims. I told her everything.

And when I'd finished, my eyes were swollen.

Tessy stared at me like she was trying to process everything all from the top.

“Sorry, girlfriend,” she whispered softly, running a hand down my back. “I can't believe he would try selling you,” she added.

“Me neither.”

“That man is unbelievable,” she exclaimed.

I let out a shaky breath. “I don’t know what to do anymore.”

She reached over and squeezed my hand. “You did the right thing coming here.”

“I feel stupid,” I admitted. “I thought maybe… maybe he’d stop me.”

She smiled at me warmly. “It’s very understandable to feel that way. But truly, he was never going to stop you, Lena.”

That truth hurt more than the argument ever did.

We sat in silence for a moment.

Then Tessy’s expression shifted sharply as she looked to be thinking. “You know,” she said slowly, “I might have an idea.”

Oh no, not this again.

“Uhm, Tessy, I don't think I'm in need of more ideas,” I replied, thinking back to the elderly woman that married me out.

“Don’t worry about it, I’ll tell you tomorrow,” she said. “But trust me, it’ll change everything.”