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Chapter song: The Kill - Bury me

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7.

Emilia.

I take one last look at my phone before turning it off and sliding it into the bedroom drawer. A text was sent, a picture of my mom, passed out with dried blood on her cheek. My heart races as I shakily jot down the address on a slip of paper that Aiden normally writes me love notes on every single morning, I fold the end of my life and slide it into my bra.

I have three hours to make Aiden hate me enough to let me go and figure out a way to get to this address, it's about forty minutes away.

I know what I'm walking into. I know what Aiden's about to do... he's about to get down on one knee and ask me to be his bride. I want nothing more in this world than to be his wife, to support and cherish him, as long as we both shall live. But that isn't in the cards for me anymore. As long as we both shall live, ends tonight. For me.

And that's the exact reason I need to break his heart. I need him to let me go, to let me leave. I trace the walls with my fingertips as I head towards him. Trying to remember every smell and feel of our home before I never return.

It's a suicide mission. I know this. But I can't and won't risk his or Howard's life. When I arrive at the location of my mom's kidnapping, I don't know what will happen but I've been backed into a corner.

My life for hers, I will gladly trade my soul for my mom. Aiden says he's damned and I'll be the one going to heaven, but I know him. The real him. And if anyone has a perfect spot in heaven, it's him. And we will meet again.

My heart squeezes in my chest as I walk into the living room. Aiden stands on the rug in the middle of the area, the fireplace is roaring. Classical music sweeps through the space as he holds his comforting hand out for me.

My eyes trail to the red roses around the room. Blood. All they remind me of is blood. Aiden's blood. On the rooftop. I can't. I can't see anything happen to him again.

"Did I tell you how stunning you look tonight?" He asks, his baritone warming my chilled insides. I give a nervous chuckle as I grab his hand.

We stare into each other's eyes. Him, admiring me. Me, memorizing every outline of his face and the bright emerald of his irises. "Emilia, I-" I cut him off, I can't let him do this.

He doesn't let me. I've never seen him look at me so intently, so purely before. "I want to be with you, every day... like this." he gestures around the room, I can't speak.

He grabs a black velvet box from his pocket and bends down on one knee, the moment I've been waiting for my entire life. To be a wife, a wife to him. My entire life started with him, and it will end with him still owning my heart. "Emilia Achelois Banks. Would you do me the honor of bec-." He can't finish his proposal over my heavy sobs, I knew he was going to propose but my gut reaction knowing I'm about to deny him is ripping me apart.

Tears streak my face; he smiles thinking I'm overwhelmed with love. I am, but the fear is overriding any emotion.

"Aiden I can't do this."

He shakes his head as if he's heard me wrong. "Because I'm proposing?" He stands, looking confused.

I nod, "I'm just too young."

He places the closed box back in his pocket; I didn't even get to see the ring he got for me. I bet it's perfect.

With his cool demeanor, he gives me a crooked smile. "No biggie, we can wait." Always patient. He pulls me in for a hug, I quickly scoot back.

Shaking my head, "You misunderstand me. I can't do any of this. I can't be with you."

If you've never seen someone's heart shatter before you, then I can't fully describe what's happening in front of my tear-soaked eyes.

Realization dawns on his sharp features. "Emilia." He steps closer, towering over me as I try not to crumble. "Don't you dare fucking break what I just realized I have." His voice cracks. "My heart."

"I don't want this anymore." I deadpan, my face giving nothing away. My insides ripping to shreds before his eyes, but he doesn't notice.

He shakes his head in disbelief. "I don't believe that. You're mine. I'm yours, Em. That's it." He sneers, his eyes darkening.

"I'm not yours!" I lie, my heart pounding in my chest.

His voice raises, "Stop fucking lying!"

I look around our fancy living room, "I wanted you for your money."

He stands now, his laugh is almost animalistic. "Oh, that's fucking rich coming from you, Emilia." He scoffs, "The girl who argues with me about buying her a two-dollar coffee. You're my assistant, you see I have millions in my bank account and that's just ONE business account. You're not a fucking gold digger."

He steps towards me menacingly, "Tell me the fucking truth Emilia!"

If I don't do something now, he's going to break my already crumbling resolve. I'll bow down at his feet to beg for his forgiveness and get us killed... instead of just me.

How do I make him hate me enough to let me leave? My voice is small, and the lying words I spit out send bile up my throat, "That night in Italy... the first night when-"

"Oh my God." He coughs, placing his hand out for me to halt my words. "Don't you fucking dare. Don't you tell me," He rakes a long rigid hand through his hair. "You wouldn't fucking do that to me."

Silence spreads through the room.

"Right, baby?" His hands are on his knees as he tries to hold himself up.

I Bite my lip, the tears pouring. "I slept with Leo, Aiden."

His laugh actually scares me, "He touched you." With a shake of his head, he steps away from me. "Not only did he touch you. You LET him fuck you."

He's becoming unhinged, pacing the large living room. "I've never let anyone in." He says to himself, "you wouldn't." He mumbles desperately.

"I did."

"I... don't believe... you." He's hesitant, but from the way his cold eyes look over my body I can tell he does believe me.

"I did." I lie.

"I'll rip his tiny cock from his body and kill him slowly for daring to touch you when you were vulnerable." He spits, his tone is venemous.

"Aiden, I'm not a victim. I wanted it." I'm about to puke but I need to make this about me, not Leo.

He stares at me, I look away from his shattered heart. His expression grim, he takes a step towards me slowly. I have to get out of this house soon. "Emilia, look at me!" I look away further, he grips my chin in his hands stealing my gaze. "You're fucking breaking me sweetheart."

I know my locket is a tracker, in one final attempt to make him loathe me, I grip it between my fingers. He looks at me with such sorrow as I rip it from my neck. We both watch the symbol of our love fall to the ground and onto the soft carpeting. Maybe one day he'll understand why I did what I did.

His eyes are trained on the locket, a single tear rolls down his cheek. It worked. I broke him. "I'm sorry, I have to go Aiden. I can't be here any longer."

He stiffens, his demeanor slightly changing. "Just..." his voice cracks, his eyes pleading with me. "Stay here."

"Aiden, I have to go. This is your home."

His chest stiffens, "The fuck it is! This house is NOTHING without you!" his anger bellows through the room. He walks over to a vase and grips it in his large hands. With a quick sling, he smashes it against the wall. Ceramic breaks and bounces off the marble walls, like our relationship.

I clench my chest to keep my shattered heart from spilling out. "I don't fucking want it, Emilia. I don't want fucking any of it without you!"

I begin to step away, and he calms. "Don't be scared."

His voice becomes panicked, "Look, baby." He places his arm on his head. "I can't call you baby anymore." Tears start to streak his perfect face. I hate myself. I hate this.

"Aiden, please." I can't speak, the lump in my throat is too big.

He paces for a moment, "You're safe here, just stay here." That won't work. I just stare at him, not knowing what to say. "I'll go to Ricky's okay? We'll figure this out, sweetheart."

"There's nothing to work out." If I give him the tiniest hope, he will stay with me to talk things through. "I slept with another man."

I thought all of this would make him throw me out with his own hands, but as he kneels before me looking hauntingly helpless my heart shatters at his feet.

He's never knelt for anyone. Getting on one knee to propose is different. This is him begging. The desperate action tears me up inside. "It's okay." His voice is panicked. "You love me, right?" He questions my adoration for him, I hate this.

"We can make this work." He clenches my hand in a pleasing tone. "You thought I was dead Emilia I don't blame you for seeking comfort." His eyes darken.

I don't say anything more, I can't. I've hurt him enough. "Do you want to be with him?" he asks.

I scoff, a natural reaction to the thought of being with anyone else. "No, no way."

"Then why are you doing this?"

"The guilt has eaten me alive." I sigh, "And I can't be on the run anymore, I need a real life." I lie, digging into his insecurities. I would run with him across the earth without a second thought and no regrets at all.

"Emilia! I love you. I don't give a fuck what happened, we're bigger than that and we can work through anything. It's us against the world baby, you know that right?" He collapses even though he's already on the ground. Pleading with me. Begging me.

He looks up at me through thick lashes, and I down at him with falling tears.

He stands, straighter than usual. His body towering over me, as if he couldn't bear to be on the ground for one more second. To be below me for one more second. As if I would step on him. But I did. I took his heart, and I walked over it.

"Swear to me Emilia, don't fucking ruin us bab- I love you, you're not allowed to leave me. You understand that right? I don't know how to let you go. I won't allow it."

I look at the door, I can't take this anymore and I have to leave. "Just go Aiden."

He looks at me once more, his eyes bloodshot and his hair a wreck. "I'm sorry for raising my voice. I'm leaving. Sending Howard inside to watch over you. Your mom has two guards at her house and I'll be more comfortable with him here for you."

He looks from me, to the locket, to the door. "Do you need anything? I hate the thought of you sleeping alone."

I shake my head, "Maybe a hug? One last time?"

Before I get the full sentence out he wraps me in his arms and lifts me with natural ease. His head in the crook of my neck and his hands traveling the outline of my body. The moment gets heated as he grabs the back of my neck possessively, forcefully. "Let me fuck you, Emilia. To knock some fucking sense into you." He's so angry with me he's switching between anger, lust, and fear. "While your still mine to take, let me take you." He pleads.

"Go." I whisper, and he sets me down immediately.

Aiden steps out into the cold night, my heart is shattered as well as his. The door shuts quietly, he doesn't slam it like he did the vase.

In our empty home, I send him the only comfort I can. My words, and I hope they will travel to his heart somehow through the frigid wind outside.

'

Then I throw up the meal he spent all day cooking in a nearby vase.

I straighten up when Howard steps in a few minutes later. He throws his jacket on the rack.

"Bad fight?"

I keep my voice level "Did you hear anything?"

"No, but Emilia. Fights happen, things will work out." Okay, good. He doesn't know anything.

"You're right." I straighten up, acting as I believe him. Only I know I won't ever see either of them again. Now, for my escape. I can brush away my hysterics as the fight with Aiden, so Howard won't suspect anything else is going on.

I wrap him in a tight hug, just like Aiden but this is different, it's like I'm hugging my bonus dad. "Thank you for everything, Howard."

"You okay, Emilia?" He asks, I wipe my tears away and look at him.

"Just worried about me and Aiden." I fake a small smile. "I'll be fine in the morning. I'm going to go get in the sauna to relax."

He looks at me with concern, "Need me to walk you down there? You are so upset." he brushes a stray hair from my face, "And you and Aiden will be just fine. That man loves you more than any person could possibly love another." Whatever fragment of my heart was left, it's gone.

I shrug, "You're right. He'll come back tomorrow?" I try my hand at manipulation. It works.

He touches my shoulder tenderly, "Of course, he'll stay at Ricky's tonight and come to you in the morning. Probably with roses and chocolate." He smiles. "Now go get in the Sauna and clear your head. I'll be here reading."

After rushing to my room, I rip the red dress off and leave it laying on a heap in the floor. I throw on a robe, and toss my things into a black duffle bag. Aiden's key ring sits on the nightstand, I snatch that too.

Howard, comfortable and already snoozing on the recliner doesn't notice me slipping through the pantry door with a getaway bag in hand. We've all gotten too comfortable.

I pass the sauna, changing into all-black attire and heading straight for the secret exit door. The guards are in the greenhouse or around it which is out of sight from this door. I'm going to try to sweep around undetected.

I walk into the garage. Thankful that no one is guarding the front of the house. The garage door is already open and I'm scoping out which vehicle to take. Aiden's challenger is gone, he must have gone for a drive?

Tesla, quiet and discreet.

Everything is going perfectly until I arrive at the front gate post.

"Where do you think you're going?" The guard lazily flips through a magazine.

"Umm." I try and think, then I remember Aiden's car being gone. "Following Aiden, he's letting me drive the Tesla!" I fake squeal and he gives me a smile. Hoping Aiden didn't talk to him on his way out.

"With no guard?" He cranes his neck to peek inside the car.

I bite my lip, "We're umm... going to have some fun..." I say quietly.

The guard nods in understanding, "No wonder Mr. Scott was in such a rush to get out of here." He laughs, pressing the button and opening the gate for me. "You two have a good time." He winks, I wave at him as I slip out into the night.

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