Chapter 49
A R I A N A
I stared at my father, my vision blurry with tears, the ropes on my wrists felt so tight, but the fear in my heart felt even tighter.
He looked enraged and if looks could kill I’ll be six inches under the ground.
“Dad,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “Please please do not kill my child., it doesn’t have to be this way, please, he is just a little boy. He has done nothing wrong… just let him go please p>
My father just stared down at me his face was cold, unhinged by anything I said, if anything it made him look even more infuriated.
“I worked for everything,” he said, his voice flat and hard. “I built my company from nothing, I made the Melendez name powerful, do you have any idea how many sacrifices I had made to get to where I was? Huh? I put my sweat and blood to reach the position I was a few weeks back I did it all and you… you ruined it. You ruined everything p>
I shivered at his tune but it didn’t stop be from pleading. “I am sorry, dad! I am so sorry! please, do not punish Asher for my mistakes. He is innocent keep him out of this and punish me instead, please p>
He took a step closer.
He looked at me like I was dirt like I was nothing.
“I regret having you,” he said, each word like a knife in my heart. “You were a disappointment from the day you were born A weak, stupid girl. And now you’ve ruined what I’ve worked so hard for”
I cried harder.
Hearing your father say he regrets you… it is a pain I cannot describe but the pain of losing Asher was nothing compared to that.
I had always known that dad didn’t care for him, he didn’t want me in his life, I was never the child he wanted… he wanted a male heir, someone as despicable as he was.
I did not stop begging for Asher, I would beg forever.
“I will do anything,” I sobbed. “Anything you want, punish me dad, please you don’t have to drag my child into this. I will get your company back, I will talk to Dante, we can figure something out, Just please… do not hurt my baby Let him go I will do anything p>
He just stood there, watching his eyes were empty.
“If you want your son to live,” he said, his voice low and mean, “you will do exactly what I say p>
I nodded fast, my whole body shaking. “Yes, Dad… I promise you, anything, i will do anything p>
“You will go back to Dante,” he said, walking closer to me again. “You will act like you love him You will pretend you want to be his wife, act like the perfect wife for him”
He leaned down so his face was close to mine.
“And then You will look for important papers in his office, files relating to my company that he has against me and then you’ll also look into his secret business deals, his bank records, contracts with other powerful men, anything that can show he is a criminal anything that can ruin him p>
He grabbed my chin, his fingers digging into my skin.
“If you cannot find real dirt,” he whispered, “then you will make some up, you’ll lie, You will tell people he hurts you, you will tell the police he threatened you, you will destroy his name along side his business and You will make the world hate him p>
I felt sick.
Betray Dante?
After everything? After he promised me a fresh start?
But I thought of Asher’s scared little face in the video.
I heard his voice crying “Mummy p>
I did not hesitate.
“I will do it,” I said quickly. “I will get the papers. I will ruin him, I’ll do anything it is that you want me to do Just please, do not hurt my son p>
A small, cruel smile appeared on my father’s lips. “Good girl p>
He let go of my chin and stood up straight.
“But you must be very careful,” he warned. “Dante can never know about this, he can never suspect you are lying to him. If he finds out… if he even guesses p>
His voice turned dark and threatening.
Fear wrapped around my heart like ice.
“I understand,” I whispered, fresh tears falling. “I will be careful, I promise you he’ll never find out about this, dad please”
My father looked at me for one more second, then he turned and left the room, locking the door behind him.
I was alone again.
I had just promised to destroy the man who was starting to show me kindness, the man who wanted a fresh start with me.
But I had no choice.
My son’s life was more important than my happiness, more important than my guilt.
I would betray Dante Russo.
And I would pray that he never found out because if he did?
God knows what would happen.