Chapter 72
A R I A N A
My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears I pushed open the door to Dante’s study It was dark and quiet.
He had left for work hours ago, the workers were all busy with their works and I remeber when Dante had told me that his study room had no cameras because no body goes into his study room not unless he trust you.
And he trusted me.
I walked to his big desk my hands were shaking knowing what I was about to do was wrong, It was a terrible betrayal that when he finds out, things won’t be funny at all.
But I had no choice my father gave me a deadline and it was almost upto a month, I know he’d hurt Asher if I did not bring him the papers.
I started opening the drawers and searching through the files my breathing was fast and shallow.
I was so scared someone would walk in.
“Where are they?” I hissed in fear with shakey hands.
Then I found them.
One file was about Dante’s company It had information about deals that were… not exactly legal.
It was the dirt my father wanted.
The other file was about my father’s company, Melendez Corp It showed how Dante was secretly buying all the shares his planning to take it over completely.
This was it, this would ruin Dante’s reputation and it would give my father the proof he needed to fight back.
I took both files and shoved the rest back to the way they were feeling sick to my stomach.
I was betraying the man I loved, the man who trusted me and loved me butI had to save my son.
“I’m so sorry Dante” I say heading out of the study room and heading back to my room.
I picked up my small packed bag making sure to keep the notes I had written for Dante apologizing for having to leave.
I was meeting my father at our spot in one hour I would give him the papers and I pray that he would let Asher go with me as it is my plan was already set.
I had bought two plane tickets to London.
My college friend, Sarah, lived there she said we could stay with her.
It was our only chance to get away from my father and from Dante after what I had done.
I met my father at the old, empty warehouse the same place he had taken me before.
He stood there, smiling his cold smile. “Do you have them p>
I handed him the files.
My hand was shaking.
He opened them and looked quickly.
He started to laugh, a mean, happy laugh “Good, very good you were of some use after all p>
My heart was breaking. “Now give me my son as you promised p>
He nodded to his guards. “Bring the boy p>
A few minutes later, a guard brought Asher out my heart stopped.
He was so thin his clothes were dirty, he was not walking right, he looked almost lifeless.
His eyes were big and full of fear.
“Asher!” I cried, running to him.
I fell to my knees and hugged him tight, he felt so small and fragile in my arms.
“Mummy,” he whispered, his voice weak. “I am so scared the bad man would not give me food sometimes It was dark I don’t want to stay here, I want to be with you p>
I held him and cried and broke into sobs for all the pain he had suffered I cried because I had failed to protect him.
“It’s okay, baby,” I said, kissing his hair. “Mummy is here now I’m taking you away we are going to be safe p>
I picked him up.
He was so light, I carried him out of that horrible place, away from my father.
We got into the cab and hit the road to the airport, I made sure to change Asher’s Clothes in the car grabbing lunch for him at the restaurant in the airport while we waited to board our plane.
We got on the plane to London not long after and I found our seats and buckled Asher in.
He was already falling asleep, exhausted from his ordeal.
As the plane took off, I looked out the window the city got smaller and smaller, the life I was leaving behind got smaller too.
My lips quivered as thought about Dante crossed my mind, his smile, the way he held me at night, how he said he loved me.
I really did love him.
It wasn’t a lie, it was never a lie, what I felt for Dante was true.
My heart felt like it was breaking into a million pieces I felt so bad for betraying him for stealing from him and leaving him without an explanation.
He would never understand.
He would just think I used him and ran away.
A tear slipped down my cheek then another.
Asher stirred next to me. “Mummy?” he asked, his voice sleepy. “Why are you crying p>
I wiped my face quickly and forced a smile. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Mummy is just… sad I miss someone very much p>
I looked at his little face in the dim light of the plane for one second, my heart jumped as I saw something… a resemblance.
The shape of his eyes, the set of his jaw… it reminded me of Dante but that was impossible.
It was just my mind playing tricks on me, mixing up all my pain and guilt.
I kissed Asher’s forehead. “Go back to sleep, baby everything will be okay now p>
But as I said it, I knew nothing would ever be okay again I had lost the man I loved, and I would have to live with that forever.