Don't let me go | HEROPHINE

Chapter 25

Josephine's pov:
Hero pulls me up from the ground against my will as I push him back.
'Get your hands off me!' I retaliate.
'Don't touch me right now.' I warn him, trying to control my breathing and remain as calm as I can.
'Jo come on, we have to talk about this!'
'What's there to talk about?' I yell back at him, clutching my scalp and pulling at my hair to release some of this anger.
'Everything. That video isn't what it looks like.' He hangs his head.
'Oh it's not? Because to me, it certainly looks like you took her home with you after she put her hands all over you!'
'That's not even close to what happened Josephine. You have to believe me.'
'Are you crazy? I just saw it with my own eyes!' I shout relentlessly. I can't contain this anymore. I feel so betrayed. The best day has turned to the worst day so fast.

Hero's Pov:
I ball my fists and feel my nails digging into the skin there. She's not even listening to me. My wife doesn't believe me. This is my worst nightmare.
'You have been drinking yourself senseless the whole time I was away!'
'That's not true..'
'Yes it is, you know damn well it is!' She fires back.
I can't argue with her, because deep down I know she's right. I avoid eye contact.
She smiles sarcastically. I don't even recognise this woman. The way she's talking.. it's scaring me.
'Jo, I was drinking as a distraction. I missed you so fucking much.' I fight back tears, 'I didn't know how to cope with the pain. I was nothing here without you.' I confess, hoping she'll come around to my explanation.
Yet, it has the opposite effect.
'Don't try and turn this around like it's my fault. You should have been happy for me! I got a great role and had a great time filming!'
With her last comment comes a sting of jealousy, I'd forgotten all about the steamy movie she'd just filmed with Noah Centineo.
I disregard her entire statement.
'You're not making any sense Jo. You know I love you.'
'Don't even go there' she responds. It hurts a little knowing that this is the first time she hasn't returned my declarative of love towards her, but I don't blame Josephine given the situation.
'You slept with another woman Hero. Well, girl more like. She looked about half your age! Is that what you're into now? Little fan girl sluts?!'
'Now just stop there, thats irrational and wrong!' I raise my voice at her this time. She's overreacting completely and taking this way too far.
'Jo. You should know I'd never be fucking unfaithful to you. Nothing happened that night! Or ever. It's always been you!'
'Well then explain her following you out like she's your fucking side piece.' She spits, her tone less angry this time.. more hurt. Broken inside.
'She followed me!' I try to tell her but she just rolls her eyes.
'As soon as we got outside I told her to leave me alone.'
'Convenient that part wasn't caught on camera, huh?' She replies, hardly any volume in her voice this time. I almost prefer when she yells. She worries me when she's this quiet. It means she's serious and thinking more carefully over her words. It means I'm in serious trouble here.
'Hero, you were probably so wasted you don't even remember what really happened. You could've fucked and made yourself believe you didn't. I know what you're like when you're drunk.'
For a split second I doubt my own story, but it immediately passes. I know I would never cheat on Jo, she's my everything.
'That's not true, Josephine.. it's not.'
She must notice my hesitation as she turns away from me and walks towards the stairs.
She doesn't believe me.

Josephine's pov:
I hear him shouting my name as I run upstairs, not once looking back. I turn into the bathroom and slam the door behind me, bolting it. I just have to breathe, and give myself time to think things over. Suddenly, an overwhelming feeling of sickness surges through me, and I throw myself over the toilet bowl, my insides purging from my body. My throat burns from the acid projected out of my stomach. I wretch a few more times until I feel totally empty, in more ways than one. I sit down on the floor and lean against the bathtub. Flushing the toilet with an outstretched arm.
Hero must have heard me being sick, as there's a banging at the door but I ignore it.
I reach for my phone in my pocket and switch it on. I tap 'Mum' in contacts and she picks up instantly.
'Jo?'
'Mum. I need to come and stay with you for a few days.'