Page 143 of Darkest Deception

The door shuts behind me, and we are cloaked in silence.

My lower lip trembles, but I bite it, holding myself together.

“Helia,” I try again, my voice croaking.

He looks up for a second at me, and it feels as if I’ve been holding my breath, just waiting for him to look at me.

He doesn’t speak.

No jokes.

No remarks.

“What are you doing?” I snap.

He blinks, the tendons in his neck flexing.

“How dare you leave me like this?” I continue, speaking in the only way I know. “How dare you not believe me? How could you not trust me, Helia?” My hands shake in my lap. “Was our love this weak?”

I keep looking between his eyes, trying to find anything, but I come up empty. His jaw tics as he stares at me, his eyes so intense I feel them cut through me.

“Mum left. I kicked her out before she could do anything more. I’ve sent police after her for a domestic violence case and have her locked up. Aurora helped me. She stayed over at my house and looked after me. Remo even came a couple of times. Everything happened. Everything settled.”

My voice drops to a whisper. “Except you.”

I look at my lap, at my pale, trembling hands. The prisons need to do a better job of keeping the temperature warm.

“You left. You didn’t trust me enough. You found me guilty of a crime I never committed. I know I wrote that email, but I wasn’t thinking. Mum had just said some things to me that really hurt me. I was losing you because you hid yourself from me. I didn’t have Aurora. I didn’t have my company. I was lost, running out of options, and still… I didn’t send it. I couldn’t.”

When I lift my eyes, I find a rush of emotions in his. Like an angry storm waiting to strike destruction.

“Ambrose.” His strong voice echoes around the room. “Won’t you ask me?”

He lifts a brow and leans forward, resting his arms on the small separator between us.

“Won’t you ask me if I have lost?” he says.

“Lost what?” I frown.

He inhales, his brows dipping, and he looks the very exact image of a lover admitting defeat in front of his love.

“My heart.” He leans back in his chair, runs a hand through his hair, and looks to the side before looking at me again.

And then a curved smile touches his lips.

“I fucked up. With the only woman in my life I’d be willing to go to these lengths for.” He chuckles to himself, shaking his head.

“I don’t understand, Helia.” Why isn’t he asking for proof? Why isn’t he blaming me?

“You, Ambrose, took everything from me. How could you make me love you so much that even when hate took over me for a second, I still couldn’t hurt you? I couldn’t handle seeing you in pain because of me.”

My heart thunders inside of me. It flutters and races with each word coming out of his mouth.

“It’s not my first time in here. Stop stressing, Emerald. When I get out, I will claim you, a ring around your finger, the biggest diamond you want, the most expensive wedding gown, the biggest wedding hall. I will give it all to you all. We both collided in a way that the universe could be laughing at us right now. Two of the most unlikely people have fallen in love. How does that work?” He raises his brows with a smile.

“Helia.” I scramble closer to the divider between us. “You… Even if you fell into the ocean, I would find you. Even if you drown me with you, I would accept death if it meant loving you till my last breath. Never doubt me. Never doubt my love for you.” I place a hand against the glass, and he raises his own, placing it against mine.

“You will rise to the top, Ambrose. You will be right among the people who have always thought of you as little. You will rule this kingdom. I promise to get you there.” He tilts his head, his eyes following a lone tear falling down my cheek. “Don’t cry, baby.”

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