The Villain She Isn't

Helen's Point Of View:

As we approached Xander's sleek black car, the driver stood waiting, his posture perfectly straight and professional. He opened the door smoothly as we neared, and Xander motioned for me to enter first. I slid into the soft, cool leather seat, followed by Xander, who settled beside me with his usual calm demeanor.

The driver closed the door with a quiet thud and quickly moved to the front of the car. His movements were precise, almost mechanical, as he took his seat and glanced at Xander through the rearview mirror, waiting for instructions.

"Drive home," Xander ordered, his voice clipped.

The engine roared to life, and the car smoothly pulled away from the curb. Inside, the silence was thick, almost suffocating. I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur into streaks as we sped through the busy streets. People went about their lives, unaware of the tension simmering in the car.

Beside me, Xander was focused on his phone, his fingers moving quickly across the screen. I couldn’t tell if he was texting or dealing with something urgent, but he seemed engrossed. The only sounds were the hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of fabric as I shifted in my seat.

After a few minutes, Xander cleared his throat, breaking the silence. I turned to face him, catching his eye as he finally looked up from his phone.

"So, what did Grandpa say at the hospital?" he asked casually, though his curiosity was evident.

I hesitated, searching for the right words. I knew what Xander's grandfather had actually said, but I had no intention of sharing that. Instead, I decided on a slight twist of the truth.

"He didn’t say much," I replied evenly. "He just wanted to thank me for being the girlfriend of someone as arrogant and proud as you."

Xander’s expression remained unchanged, but a small scoff escaped his lips. "That old man thinks I'm arrogant?"

He refocused on his phone, clearly dismissing the comment. But I knew my words had struck a nerve, even if he wouldn’t admit it. My response had been more about getting under his skin than telling the truth.

As the silence settled again, my thoughts drifted back to the encounter with Chloe. Her reaction when Xander introduced me as his girlfriend had been hard to miss. I cleared my throat softly, deciding to bring it up.

"Your friend Chloe," I began thoughtfully, "it seems like she has feelings for you."

Xander raised an eyebrow, finally looking up from his phone. "Why do you say that?"

I scoffed softly, unable to hide my exasperation. "Isn’t it obvious? She looked surprised and disappointed when you introduced me as your girlfriend. She wasn’t exactly thrilled about it."

Xander brushed off my observation with a wave of his hand. "That's her problem."

I studied his face, noticing how unaffected he seemed. But something about his casual dismissal didn’t sit right with me. "If that's the case," I said more pointedly, "why didn’t you ask her to be your contract wife instead?"

Xander sighed loudly, a mix of frustration and resignation in the sound. He looked at me, his eyes searching mine for a moment before he spoke. "I don’t want things to get complicated between me and Chloe," he said seriously. "I want us to stay friends and not give her the impression that I have feelings for her."

His words lingered in the air, and I felt a pang of something I couldn’t quite identify—pity, understanding, maybe a bit of both. It was clear that, despite his aloof exterior, Xander was carefully managing the relationships in his life, even if it meant keeping others at a distance.

The car continued its smooth journey through the city, but inside, the atmosphere felt heavier, filled with unspoken emotions and unresolved tensions. Xander returned his attention to his phone, signaling the end of our conversation, at least for now. I turned back to the window, my thoughts a tangled web of curiosity, concern, and a growing sense of unease about what lay ahead.

As the car glided smoothly through the city, my mind wandered back to the mess I’d left behind. Thoughts of Jonah and my parents began to crowd my mind, pushing aside the awkward tension that had filled the space between Alexander and me. I knew Jonah all too well—he would have already spun the story to my parents, twisting the truth to paint himself as the victim. The image of him standing before them, his face twisted in feigned sorrow, filled me with a bitter sense of dread.

Jonah wasn’t the only one who would have poisoned their minds against me. My twin sister, Helena, would have undoubtedly collaborated with him, adding her own manipulative touch to the narrative. She always had a way of making me look like the villain, the one responsible for all the chaos in our family. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d tried to undermine me, and I knew it wouldn’t be the last. The thought of their faces, disappointed and angry, made my stomach churn.

Should I visit them? The question had been gnawing at me for days. Part of me wanted to confront them, to tell my side of the story, but another part of me hesitated. What if they didn’t believe me? What if Jonah’s lies and Helena’s manipulations had already sunk too deep? I wasn’t sure if I could handle the disappointment in their eyes, the accusations, the hurt.

Just as the anxiety began to build, Alexander's voice cut through the fog of my thoughts, jolting me back to the present.

"Are you going to call your parents?" he asked, his tone nonchalant but with a hint of genuine curiosity. "Tell them about what happened between you and your stupid husband—or ex-husband, or whatever he is now?"

I turned to look at him, surprised that he had been paying attention. There was an unexpected softness in his eyes, a rare departure from his usual aloofness. For a moment, I considered his question, weighing my options.

"I’ll pay them a visit tomorrow morning," I finally replied, my voice steady, though my heart was anything but. I had to face them, had to tell them the truth, even if it meant walking into the lion's den. There was no escaping this, not if I wanted to reclaim some semblance of control over my life.

Alexander nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer, and returned his attention to his phone. The moment passed, and the silence settled back in, but my mind continued to churn. I didn't know how I would face my parents, especially my father, who had been looking forward to my marriage with Jonah.

The thought of going to see my parents and explain how Jonah assaulted me made me really uncomfortable. Lots of questions raced through my mind. What did Jonah tell them about what happened between us? Did he tell my parents he assaulted me? I was sure Jonah would never say he assaulted me. He might even lie and blame me for what happened between us. And I also knew my stupid twin sister, Helena, would also support him.

The car's steady hum seemed to echo my thoughts as they spiraled deeper into the looming confrontation with my parents. I could already picture Jonah's smug face as he spun his tale, leaving out the part where he crossed the line—where he became the monster. He'd make it all about me, twisting the narrative to make it seem like I was the unreasonable one, the ungrateful wife who couldn’t keep her marriage together. And Helena... I could already hear her voice, backing him up, just as she always did.

She was probably standing by Jonah’s side right now, telling our parents how I ruined everything, how I never appreciated what I had. Helena was always the perfect one in their eyes—the twin who could do no wrong. If she supported Jonah, they'd believe her without question. The unfairness of it all burned inside me, but what could I do? What would I even say to my parents that they would believe?

The question of whether I should even bother going to see them kept gnawing at me. Part of me wanted to stay far away, to avoid the inevitable hurt and judgment, but another part of me knew I couldn't run forever. I had to face them, had to tell them what really happened, even if they chose not to believe me. I owed it to myself to try, no matter how much it scared me.

Just as the car turned a corner, the world outside a blur of passing lights, Alexander's voice broke through the heavy silence, pulling me back from the storm inside my head.

"And would you love me to go with you tomorrow to meet your parents?" he asked, his tone casual but laced with genuine curiosity.

I turned to face him, surprised that he'd noticed my inner turmoil. For a moment, I considered his question carefully, trying to weigh my options. The idea of having Alex with me, someone strong and unwavering, was tempting. He could offer support, a buffer between me and the harsh judgment I knew awaited me. But then, a realization hit me like a cold splash of water.

Taking Alex with me to see my parents might give them the wrong idea. My parents might jump to conclusions, assuming that Alex and I had been seeing each other even before my marriage with Jonah began to fall apart. Jonah could easily twist this to make it seem like I had been unfaithful, that I had moved on too quickly—paint me as the villain they already wanted to believe I was.

The last thing I needed was to add fuel to Jonah’s lies or give Helena more ammunition to use against me. This was something I had to face on my own, without complicating things further.

"I appreciate the offer, Alex," I said softly, choosing my words carefully. "But I think it’s best if I go alone. My parents... they might misunderstand if you’re there."

Alex raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued by my response, but he didn’t push the issue. He simply nodded, understanding in his eyes. "Alright. But if you change your mind, just let me know."

The sincerity in his voice caught me off guard. For a moment, I felt a pang of something—gratitude, perhaps—that he was willing to stand by my side, even though we were only bounded by a contract.

I gazed out the window as the car sped on through the city. I didn't know how my parents would react since they had always been so proud of my relationship with Jonah. Would they even listen to me? Or would they side with Jonah and Helena, believing their lies over the truth?

As these thoughts continued to swirl, I suddenly felt a small spark of determination. I wasn’t the villain they would try to make me out to be. I would stand my ground, no matter what they threw at me. And maybe, just maybe, they’d finally see the truth.