Page 21 of Broken Bonds

My flats squeak against the floor as I walk up and down the hall. Unable to stay still, I’ve walked it so many times that I’m amazed I haven’t made a hole.

The security details, planted around the room like statues, watch us intently with a stony silence. They blend into the drab gray walls, but their presence is a constant reminder of the lurking danger that surrounds us.

A predator waiting for its prey.

I long to understand why this is happening, what twisted reasons lie behind it all. Mrs. Kral’s departure from the room freezes me in place with her icy gaze. I can’t help but feel that she’s used to getting her way and my stubborn refusal to leave only fuels her disdain towards me. I know I’m not the ideal woman she envisioned for her only child. Adopted or not, Lionel is still her son and she will do whatever it takes to protect him, even if it means getting rid of me. “You must wait before entering,” the nurse tells me. “I need to check Mr. Kral. Afterward, you can see him.”

The next few minutes seem like an eternity, the moment has yet to come.

My facade of composure cracks as I see the hollow eyes staring back at me. My father’s words about eyes being windows to the soul ring painfully true.

But I can’t give up now. Not even for him, not even for our crumbling relationship. This is a battle for my own sanity and strength.

As I leave the restroom, determination fuels each step towards that room at the end of the hallway. The nurse’s smile is meant to be encouraging, but all it does is remind me of how much I need reassurance.

Each foot planted on the ground feels like a small victory, yet also a burden weighing me down. The door opens with ease, almost beckoning me inside.

And there he is, propped up against pillows in his pajamas, watching me intently with those piercing eyes. As we lock gazes, an inferno ignites between us, consuming all rational thoughts and leaving only raw emotion in its wake. In this moment, nothing else matters except for the palpable tension between us.

But deep down, I know that this is just another step on that dreaded green mile towards an uncertain future.

“Here I am,” I say, stating the obvious. Duh, Stella, brilliant.

“You look good,” he greets me. “Did you sleep well?”

I just stare at him. My hands still, holding the thick white curtains behind me, trying to stop myself from the urge to run and hug him.

“Is that what you want to talk about?” I ask him without taking my eyes off his. “What can I say? The room Ethan got me is lovely and it has a beautiful view of the mountains where you can see the sunrise. There’s a bathtub, so I might take a long bath tonight.”

I finish my sentence by raising my eyebrows. If having a banal conversation is what he wants, I’m willing to give it to him.

After a few seconds of silence, he clears his throat. “Come sit here with me,” he asks, pointing toward the foot of his bed. Once again, I have to urge to run and hug him. My fingers itch to caress the smooth strands of his thick blond hair. To trace the stubble on his chin.

I lift my chin and walk to the other side, where the chair in which I’ve spent so many hours is. I take it and bring it near his bed before dropping my ass on it.

“Thank you,” I reply, looking him in the eye. “I’m glad you’re on the mend, Lionel.”

There, I can also be pleasant… when I want to be.

“Listen, Stella, I’m sorry.” What? I almost ask him to say it again. Lionel isn’t the type of man who admits he’s wrong. Never. In the past, when we had our arguments, it was always me who gives in and apologizes.

No more. No more submissive and quiet Stella Lambert, well technically my name is now Stella Kral. The lamb has grown horns and is ready to fight for what she wants.

“What are you sorry about, Lionel?” He better not think he’s going to get out of this so easily. “About the things you said to me last night? Or the fact you’re in this mess and you dragged me into it?”

He looks at me without saying a word. It seems he’s thinking about what to say next.

Fine by me, I’m not in a hurry, I’m quite comfortable sitting here.

“I never imagined being in a situation like this,” he mutters and does it with such sincerity, it takes my breath away.

We both stay silent. In the room we only hear the echo of the monitor blipping along the beat of his heart. The same ones I once thought were beating at the same rhythm as mine.

“I’m very sorry this happened, that all this has taken you out of your normal life, from what you had at home.”

Although I appreciate his words, they aren’t enough. I need more.

“The life I had at home ended when you showed up and fed me all those lies.”

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