Aubrey

Three weeks had passed since I've been rescued and brought home. I've been seeing the same therapist and let me tell you she has been happy to see me. I spoke to her about the time I spent with Anthony. I really opened up to her about it and it made me feel better.

Discovering that Ivory was all part of the plan made me soo angry. I can't believe that girl. When Vincent informed me of what happened I was soo upset. How could she be soo deceitful and sick? I wanted to slap her soo hard. The fact that the baby wasn't Haden's is sad. I actually feel sorry for him.

"Aubrey, you have a visitor!" Mom yelled from downstairs.

"I'll be there in a minute."

I tied my hair into a ponytail since it just finished drying from my shower and darted downstairs.

Opening the door I found a guy standing there. For a second I thought it was Haden because they looked soo alike but he was slightly younger.

"Hi, I don't think we've met but I'm Xavier, Haden's younger brother."

"I'm Aubrey."

"Yeah, I know." He chuckled.

"I really need your help." He sighed.

"Sure. How can I help?"

"Its Haden, he hasn't left the house in weeks. And I've tried to help him but he won't listen. You're the only one that can talk some sense into him."

"I don't think that's my place to do that."

"Please Aubrey. Just try. I can't stand to see my brother like this."

"Fine. I'll help."

We got into Xavier's car and went to Haden's house. This was a bad idea and I knew it.

He pulled up in the driveway of my former home and I felt a wave of emotions wash over me.

I got out of the car, took a deep breath and open the door. Xavier sat in the car and nodded at me to go inside.

A mixture of alcohol and vomit hit me as I walked inside. The house was silent and lifeless. It felt soo different.

"Haden." I called to receive no answer.

I walked into the kitchen and found him slumped over and staring at the floor.

I knelt in front of him and he looked up at me. His eyes were lifeless and dull.

"Aubrey." His voice broke.

"Yes I'm here."

"You came back to me. You look beautiful."

"Thank you but I didn't come back to you Haden. I came to talk some sense into you for your brother's sake. He is worried about you."

"What about you? Are you worried about me?"

"You're no longer my concern."

"Aubrey, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you away."

"I have made peace with it Haden. I've moved past it, not completely but I'm getting there."

"Do you forgive me?"

"No I don't forgive you Haden. I don't know if I could."

"Aubrey, I didn't want things to turn out this way."

"That's what happens when you don't listen. I was trying to love you and I know I was wrong for that but the way you treated me was horrible. You called me names and yelled at me. You hurt me emotionally and mentally. I was emotionally scarred Haden. I don't blame you for all my suffering Haden but I hold you accountable for part of it."

"Aubrey, I wish you would come back to me. I can show you that I'm a changed man. Ivory screwed me over and I just want to be happy again. I found out that the baby wasn't mine. I found out that she never loved me and she used me. My heart is broken and I need you to heal me. You always loved me."

"I can't heal you and I can't fix you. You have to do those things on your own. What Ivory did to you wasn't right. I don't even think I could stand being in the same room with you. Here you are begging me to stay. I remember the times I begged you to stop bringing women and sleeping with them. Did you listen to me? No you didn't! The times I asked you for help with things and you ignored me or the time you brought Ivory to our honeymoon party. Those things hurt me and I was suffering. I was suffering and you didn't care. You called me a whore and a slut. You broke my confidence and shattered my soul. You made me feel useless and to make things worse, the moment I disappeared you whisked away with Ivory and married her. So don't you dare say that you need me because you don't!You never did."

"I know I hurt you Aubrey and you have every right to be mad at me. I annulled the marriage between Ivory and I. I want to fix things with us. I am a changed man. I realise that you were always there for me. I need you to help me. I feel soo lost. I'm sorry for what I did in the past."

"Haden , don't you get it? There will never be an us. We will never be together and I will never love you. And if I recall, those were the same words you told me. So why is it hard for you to accept it? Just let it go. Just because you lost Ivory doesn't mean that you should get me. I'm not some consolation prize. I'm not an option and you need to understand that. If Ivory wasn't exposed like that, would you have come to me and begged me to be with you?"

"No." He sighed and put his head down.

"Exactly. So don't ask now. I think you're just scared of being alone. You have no one to turn to. That's how I use to feel. I would wait up for you every single night and I knew you were with Ivory but I stayed up anyway. I cared about you soo much and now that everything blew up in your face you want me back. Well I'm not coming back Haden, I never will."

Tears were running down his face as he sobbed. I knew I hit him where it hurt and I felt satisfied. He finally understood how I felt all those times.

"Aubrey, I would do anything for you. Just please don't leave." He begged.

"I want you to get up and take care of yourself. You need to get your life back on track. Your family is worried about your wellbeing. As for me, I can't and will not stay with you. And last but not least, I want nothing to do with you. I want you to stay away from me just like you wanted before. Goodbye Haden." I said as I walked out of the house. I didn't realise I was crying. They weren't tears of sadness. I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders.

"Is he okay?" Xavier asked as I got into the car.

"He will be fine. Trust me." I smiled.

~

"Thank you for talking to Haden. I appreciate it." He smiled.

"You're welcome."

"I know it must have been hard Aubrey and I admire you for that. You'll always be part of the Vanderbilt family. My parents still love you and anytime you need anything just let us know." Xavier smiled.

"Thank you. That's very generous of you all." I got out of the car and walked up to my home.

I was about to open the door when I felt a presence behind me.

Spinning around I came face to face with Ivory. She had her baby wrapped in her arms as he slept soundly.

"Great, first Haden, now you. This must be my lucky day." I stated sarcastically.

"Please, just hear me out." She begged.

"You have some nerve showing up here Ivory. You are just as evil as Anthony. How could you do that to me? Do you know what you put me through just because you were after Haden's money."

"I know and I'm sorry for that. I regret doing that more than anything else. I am sorry Aubrey."

"I don't care about your apology. Now do me a favor and get off my property before I call the cops."

"Please just listen. I'm in some deep trouble. Anthony ratted me out to the cops in connection with your kidnapping and I know I can't get out of this one." She sighed.

"Congratulations. You got what you deserve." I spat.

"Aubrey I'm not here to fight you. I'm here to ask a favor."

"I don't want to do anything for you. Now goodbye." I said as I walked away.

"Aubrey wait! Can you please take Damien? You're a kind and wonderful person and I know you'll be a great mother. A better mother than me. I want my baby to have a good life and I know you can give him that. I know you will give him the love and care that I can't. You can hate me but this little guy here did nothing wrong and he deserves a good life. I want you to raise him. Please."

I was speechless. She was right, the baby is innocent and he did nothing to me. His parents were the one to blame.

"I will raise him."

"You will? Thank you soo much Aubrey." She smiled as she handed him over to me.

"Here is some of his stuff." She passed me a bag filled with items for him.

"Aubrey, thank you for doing this for me."

"Oh I didn't do this for you. I did this for Damien. He shouldn't get caught up in the mess that you and Anthony made."

"I know that."

"Ivory, why did you continue hurting Haden if you truly loved him?"

"Because I was afraid to tell him the truth and I was afraid to lose him to you. But I guess he's going to be with you now that I'm out of the picture."

"No, Haden and I aren't going to be together. Not now, not ever."

"Oh, I understand."

"You are a scheming, thieving, lying woman but I know that somewhere deep in your heart you really felt something for Haden."

"How do you know?" She questioned.

"Because I've been there once. I've been in love with Haden. And I can see that you're broken. I can see the look on your face. The look of a broken heart."

"I can't even save what Haden and I have now. He hates me."

"It serves you right and now you have to bear the pain. You did this to yourself so don't expect any pity."

"I don't expect pity. Aubrey, I'm sorry. Can I ever earn your forgiveness?"

"I will never forgive you for what you did. You and that sick brother of yours. You two were conspiring to get rid of me and I will never forget that. I will never forget what I went through and I have the scars on my back to remind me of every painful moment. So yes, I will raise Damien and I will make sure he doesn't turn out like any of you." I spat as I walked away and into the house leaving her standing there with a look of mixture of guilt and shame on her face.

"Sweetie you're back." My mom smiled.

"And who is that?" She questioned as she looked at Damien.

I briefly explained what happened and her eyes widened.

"That is soo kind of you Aubrey. Taking this little bundle of joy like that. Isn't he adorable." She cooed as she held Damien.

"Yes he's soo cute.I guess I'm going to be a mom." I laughed.

"I'll be here to guide you Aubrey. That reminds me, you'll need a crib for him. I'm going to go buy a few things for him. I'll be right back." She smiled as she passed Damien back to me. She is definitely going to spoil him with toys and presents.

I took him up to my room and cleaned him up. I changed him into a cute dinosaur print onesie and held him in my arms. In an instant he was asleep. Looking at him, I knew that I would give him the world and love him unconditionally.