CHAPTER TEN

I was wide awake when Easton came knocking on my door by morning. I didn’t want to answer, considering he hit me last night, but the persistent knocks were getting into my already aching head, so, I opened the door and his eyes softened at the immediate sight of me.

“Your beautiful face.”

He muttered, trying to touch my face but I moved back. There was a purple mark on my left cheek.

“What do you want?”

I asked, icily.

“I’m sorry for hitting you last night, please my love, forgive me.”

He pleaded, coming into the room.

I stayed behind the door, watching him look around. Since we got married, he has never been in here so his presence was a bit strange.

“I want to be alone, Easton.”

I told him in a harsh tone.

“You have to cut me some slacks here, I don’t judge your past, I married you and merged our companies, I helped you get away from that fool and I agreed to your non sexual marriage terms so I have all the rights to be fucking pissed if you keep seeing your ex husband!”

“How do you know I went to see him!?”

I yelled.

“Because I fucking got a spy a on you!”

He blurted out.

I gasped, reeling backwards at his surprising statement.

“How could you?”

“Oh please don’t act like it was totally unreasonable, you still love that bastard!”

Easton spluttered.

“Stop calling him names!”

I shouted.

“Oh what now, you’re defending him!?”

“I don’t appreciate being followed, Easton.”

I told him, firmly.

“You left me no choice.”

He said.

“Do I have to report this to my grand mother?”

I asked, straightening to my full height. I was threatening him but he didn’t give me the reaction I hoped for.

“I think you forget who I am, Imelda. I am Easton Grant and not Gabriel Damasco, Your grandmother should know her place. I will crush her if she breathes any form of insolence near me and you know that I do not bluff.”

His words were direct and firm and deep down, I knew he spoke the truth.

I folded my arms, looking away as tears gathered in my eyes.

“There’s an important business gala we are to attend by evening, I’ve sent for a nice dress for you”

He told me and placed a soft kiss on my cheek before leaving.

Thankfully, just then, my phone rang.

It was Gabriel.

“What is it?”

I whispered, rushing into the bathroom.

“What a good fucking doctor you are, love, not even bothering to check on your patient?”

His voice was smooth like butter in my ears, soothing my pain.

“Gabriel, I need you to stop calling me.”

I told him, sniffing back tears.

He was quiet for a second.

“Why? Is that old man home?”

He asked in a mocking tone.

“Yes, he’s home and stop that!”

I scolded.

“Oh fuck him, I don’t bloody care about him and neither should you.”

“I’m serious Gabriel, we have to stop this.”

“Why? We’ve not even started anything, I haven’t fucked you in days and I keep daydreaming about your ass..”

“Not funny!”

I whispered harshly.

“Well, it’s not a joke, I need you back fully in my life. I want you to make me more soup, I want to listen to your beautiful Disney voice when you talk about the books you’ve read and go to sleep with you in my arms.”

His words left me speechless for a moment. Why was he doing this to me?

“Gabriel.”

I sobbed.

“You don’t love him, you love me.”

He rasped.

“And I love you so fucking much baby. I regret everything I did. I regret it so much it hurts.”

“He’s not happy that I’m still seeing you.”

I told him.

“So? What the fuck is he going to do about it?”

He asked but I kept quiet. It was a bad move to tell him that Easton hit me.

“Imelda? Did something happen?”

He asked and still no answer from me. Suddenly, a video call displayed on my phone.

“Pick the video call right now!”

He ordered and all I could do was sob quietly.

“That bastard hit you, didn’t he!?”

He kept asking.

“I’m fucking coming over to that place! I’m gonna give him a ducking black eye !”

I knew Gabriel, he was dead serious. I had to stop him.

“Don’t please!”

I finally spoke out.

“That bastard fucking hit you!”

“He didn’t! He—

“Stop lying to me, doll!”

“Gabriel please just stay home alright? I’m okay. I have to go.”

I said quickly and ended the call as I leaned against the marble walls, my heart threatening to burst out of my chest as I wondered how my life had become so complicated.

After dressing up in a royal blue satin dress courtesy of Easton, I looked at my face carefully in the mirror, inspecting the excellent job I had done in covering up the bruises with makeup, not that it helped with the pain in my heart or never ending conflicting thoughts in my head.

I had to be strong, I had to be resilient, I was no longer the depressed and weak wife, I was a strong and powerful woman and Easton Grant may have helped me when I needed him the most but he was out of his mind if he thought I would turn into his punching bag.

He would never hit me again.

“You look so beautiful.”

He told me, rubbing my face with the back of his fingers as we sat at the back of his Rolls Royce. I looked away, too upset to pretend I wasn’t.

“Damasco will be present tonight. Behave yourself.”

I heard him say as he withdrew his hand.

I took a deep breath—this was going to be a disastrous night.

Easton held me closely to himself as we entered the exquisitely decorated hall. It was just like the first gala I attended with him before we got married.

We greeted a few of the guests that approached us and I tried to wear a fake smile and tolerate the feel of my husband’s hand rubbing on my waist.

I looked around the corners, particularly searching for Gabriel and I was flustered to find he was already watching me from a dark corner. He was sipping his glass of champagne, looking dashing in his black tux. He was indeed a handsome devil.

“Look who we have here, the great Grant.”

Someone said, drawing my attention forward.

It was an older man with grey hair holding a pretty blonde girl in a red dress.

“Martin Ford.”

Easton said, seemingly surprised to see him as they shook hands.

The pretty blonde girl smiled at me and I smiled back.

“I thought you’ve retired and away to Tokyo.”

Easton laughed.

“Oh dear friend, I just returned from Paris, came with this pretty thing here to Mark’s fundraising gala.”

Martin said, pulling the girl he was with closer to himself.

“Quite the Leonardo DiCaprio you’ve turned into, she’s stunning.”

My husband complimented and I almost rolled my eyes.

“You’ve got quite a beauty yourself. She must be your new young wife.”

The older man pointed at me.

“Yes. Imelda, this is Martin Ford, my old time friend and business partner, Ford, this is the love of my life, Imelda Del Monte.”

Easton introduced us.

“Don’t tell me she’s Juliana’s grand daughter.”

Martin marveled as shook hands with me.

“She is.”

My husband said, proudly.

“Lovely.”

Martin commented and I gave him a little smile.

“Come on old boy, let’s go sit and talk some more. It’s been decades.”

He told Easton, gesturing over to the tables.

“Of course.”

Easton agreed and turned over to me.

“Come on honey, let’s join them.”

He said.

“Oh no, I’m feeling a little ache in my stomach, I’d like to stand here a little longer.”

I told him.

“Do you want to go back home? I can call Dennis—

“I’m fine honey.”

I cut him off, giving him a robotic smile.

He smiled back and patted my waist before walking away with his friend.

Finally, I was relieved to be away from him.

I looked over at Gabriel and he was still standing in the same spot and watching me. I felt tensed under his gaze, I tried to maintain composure but not until he tilted his head in an open direction, gesturing for me to follow him.

I should have stayed back, I knew it was dangerous to follow him to wherever he was going but I did anyway. I followed him.

I met him at a rooftop, he was watching the beautiful night.

“Gabriel, this is—

I couldn’t finish my statement because he turned to look at me and his blue eyes shone bright.

“He has the guts to touch you after hitting you.”

He gritted, clenching his fists.

“I’m okay, Gabriel. Let’s not talk about that please.”

I exhaled, exhausted.

“I know, I just..”

He paused and then prowled towards me before pulling me to himself for a hug.

“It’s all my fault. I drove you into the arms of another man.”

He lamented.

“Forgive me, my love.”

He begged, holding my face against his.

I said nothing because I had nothing to say. I had no strength to say anything.

He kissed my forehead and slowly released me, still holding my arms.

“Remember when we first met? You were just out of college, you were reading by the fountain and your Dad introduced me to you.”

Gabriel said with a sweet smile.

I did remember that day, it was the day I fell in love with him. He looked like some reality TV star and I was instantly infatuated.

“That was the day I fell in love with you.”

I muttered, thoughtfully.

“I can make this right, my love. Just come back to me.”

He rasped, rubbing the cold tip of his nose on mine.

For the first time since the divorce, I actually imagined being married to Gabriel again and cutting ties with Easton… but, it was just a momentary lapse of judgement. I shook the thought away.

“I’m not coming back to you Gabriel. Please, just move on. I married Easton with my heart and I shall remain his wife.”

I told him and the hurt in his eyes burnt my heart.

“I will never give up on us!”

He blurted out, holding my arms tighter.

I pressed my lips together, holding back tears.

“You’ll see Melda, you’ll see how far I’ll go to get us back together.”

He whimpered, putting his forehead on my shoulder as he sobbed painfully.

My ex husband desperately wanted me back but did I want to go back to him?