Page 72 of Something Blue

Celso murdered Damion.

I can’t breathe.

Every single thing that has gone wrong in my life has been because Celso interfered. I didn’t even open half of the folders, but I can’t bring myself to look at another thing.

I’ve seen what I need to see, and it’s enough to make me realize - Celso is the monster I always thought he was.

He is a murderous asshole who only cared about what he wanted. He interfered with my life, repeatedly until he ended up destroying my father and killing the man I was supposed to marry.

Tears are streaming down my cheeks when I stand up. My legs are weak and shaking. I grip the sideof the desk and try to steady myself but I’m struggling.

Celso walks into the office.

“Neve? What are you doing in here?” his voice is tight, strained.

“You killed him. You did - you did so many terrible things.” I mumble, still fighting for air.

“Neve, sit down, my angel, you’re pale.” He hurries around the desk and tries to wrap his arm around me, but I scream and push him away. The anger giving me some clarity and a chance to take a deep breath. “Don’t touch me. You are a monster. You’ve - you’ve been controlling my life.” I shout.

“Neve, please, if you let me explain?—”

“Explain what? How? Nothing you say will make this ok.”

I can’t stop crying. I’m scared, but I’m more angry than anything else.

My heart rate is through the roof and my fists are clenched at my side.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Celso

Right now, staring at Neve as she tries to hold herself together, I can see the pain I’ve caused. I can see the damage I’ve done, and my mind is in overdrive trying to figure out how to fix it.

“Neve I did it because I couldn’t be without you. I couldn’t let you leave the city. I couldn’t let you go to college somewhere far away from me. Don’t you get it. I need you here. I can’t be without you. I didn’t this all so that we can be together - and we’re happy now?—”

She shakes her head as I try to step towards her again.

“Don’t you dare touch me.” She snarls. “You’ve done all of this foryourself. You didn’t do this for me. You did this so that you could get what you wanted. How do you know I wouldn’t have been happier with any of those other guys? How do you it wasn’t my dream to go to that college? You made the choices for me. You have been manipulating my life for years.” She’s so angry her face is bright red from shouting.

I can see her hands shaking and the tears are streaming down her cheeks and soaking her white top.

“My angel.” I mutter, breaking apart inside. “Please, try to understand why?—”

“There is no why that justifies murder - and what you did to my father.” She stammers in disbelief.

“Your father - all I did was show the world who he was. And Damion - he said the most terrible things about you. He was using you and your family. He didn’t care about you at all. No one has a right to speak about you like that. And you would have ended up trapped in a marriage to that man.”

“That may be so.” She says. “But you - you.” She breaks down, her voice snapping and her words no long audible. Neve pushes past me as she hurries to our bedroom.

I follow close behind her. Wanting to help her. Wanting to comfort her, but the hate in her eyes dares me to even come close to her without consequences.

Neve grabs a suitcase out of the closet and starts throwing clothing into it.

“Don’t leave. I’m begging you don’t leave me.” I drop to my knees and wrap my hands over my eyes. “Please, Neve. You don’t understand. If you leave, I will be destroyed. I will have no reason left to live.”

She turns to glare at me.

“I can’t be here right now, Celso. I can’t bear the sight of you.”

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