ARIANA'S POVI understood that Rob deserved to be sad about Flora's death but understanding was not the same as watching your husband sniffing your dead sister's clothes and crying. I had thought I had made peace with his love for Flora but in that moment, it became clear that I was wrong. I would never be able to accept that. Flora's ghost will always have a place in our bed.I fled down the hallways looking for an escape from that torturous scene. As I ran, the scene continued to play over and over again in my head. The sound that had come out of Rob was guttural. He was in pain. He was hurt. I could tell that he was longing for her with the way he placed that red dress close to his nose.
ROBERT'S POVI wanted to run after Ariana and tell her that she was wrong, beg her to stay and hear me out but I was rooted to the spot, holding that red dress in my hand. I watched until Ariana became a dot in the distance.By the time I was exhausted emotionally and returned to the drawing room, I met a quiet that was frigid. Margaret had questions in her eyes and when I asked after Ariana, she told me she had no idea where Ariana had run to.As it grew dark, I began to worry and even told them I was going out to look for her. Nate was still in his bedroom. He had refused to come out since and Margaret had gi
ARIANA'S POVI never knew Flora kept a diary. I remember her telling me that diaries were cheesy and an easy way to let everyone know your secrets. But if Flora had a diary, I wanted, no scratch that…I needed to read it.If it had made Nate know Flora was his mother then it most certainly contained information about other important issues.“I have been lied to my whole life?” Nate yelled.“Calm down little man”, Rob said to him.“Who am I? Why couldn't I have simply been told the truth? I can hand
ARIANA'S POV“You really want to read that now?” Rob asked me.I sighed, closing the diary and letting my shoulders fall. “I don't know…I do deserve the truth though”.He nodded his head in understanding. “But…but what if it changes the way you see her? The memories you have of her?”“Robert…can I ask you something?” I said.“Sure, go on”.“Okay, here goes. When you cam
ARIANA'S POVI had no idea there were tears in my eyes until I read the last sentence in the diary. It's a good thing I still have that gun kept on echoing in the recesses of my memory. It was like someone had put it on loop such that it would not stop.I was soon sobbing loudly, my heart breaking into a million tiny pieces, every fragmentation birthing several others. How had I been blind to Flora's depression? I remember the day we had gown to the dressmakers to try on my wedding gown vividly but I had been too wrapped up in myself and in the dreaminess of marrying Robert S
ROBERT'S POV I was scared. I could not remember a time in my life that I felt this way. I was curious about that diary but I knew that nothing on God's green earth would make me read it. I didn't want to know anything more than I knew.Flora had obviously been mentally tortured for her to go to the extreme of killing herself and I did not want to blame myself for her death. I had pleaded with Flora and begged her to understand that marriage between us would not work. And I had never known about her pregnancy. Why should I be blamed?I was preparing to go home and join Ariana but I needed to have a conversation with Nate.He was still so little and I knew he would not really understand everything going on around him but I needed him to be abreast with happenings. I wasn't ready, however , to tell him I was a father. Admitting that would be accepting the responsibility of being his father. And it scared me shitless. Ariana was still rebuffing me and I was scared that she would run i
ROBERT'S POV My brain froze. Margaret kept on yelling my name over and over again on the phone until she gave up.Nate was missing. Nate was missing. What was going on? Ariana was not home and still not answering the phone. I was angry and frustrated but I would have to go back to the country. Dammit! He had been alright when I left and did not seem like someone planning to run away. Or had he been kidnapped?"Ariana, please...answer your phone!" I muttered to myself, dialing her number for what felt like the hundredth time. But i
ARIANA'S POVI couldn't believe the audacity of Robert. Accusing me of being callous and cheating with Joshua? How dare he! The sting of his words still lingered, like an open wound. I slapped him hard, the sound echoing through the silent room like a crack of thunder. Margaret and Richard gasped, shocked by my outburst, their eyes wide with concern. My father had been stopped in his tracks on his way up the stairs and was looking down at me with eyes of disapproval. "How dare you, Robert!" I spat, my anger boiling over like a pot about to overflow. "You have no right to question me after what you've done!"The words tumbled out of my mouth like a torrent, each