Marriage Merger

Chapter 43

There was no inch of Ximena’s body that didn’t hurt like her but the one part the stood out was her heart. It felt like somebody had ripped it right out of her chest and had stomped on it repeatedly, of which in this case, the person was Adriano. Thinking about him made a blistering pain arise in her entire body and threatened to sink her further into depression.

Amanda’s words still echoed in her head because those were literally the last words she had heard before going under. It was like she had stabbed her in the heart and wrung the knife deep inside so she could feel the worst pain imaginable. Of course, her and Adriano had been a thing. That would explain why he had behaved oddly when she gate-crashed their wedding. But he had said she wasn’t anybody important…what a big fat lie!

Life wouldn’t be the same for her. Although most of her wounds were now healing, her left arm and left leg were very much still broken and the doctors had recommended nothing but bed rest. Eventually, after some weeks, she’d have to begin therapy so that she could gain proprioception in her two limbs so as to regain normal function.

When she had kicked Adriano out of her room the other day, her father had asked her what he had done to her. She broke down into tears and told them exactly what had happened that day. Her father was pissed to say the least. In fact, he was downright livid but she was sure she saw guilt flash in his eyes as well. She knew that he knew that it was practically his fault; the Dos Santos family wouldn’t even be in their lives if it wasn’t for him. But she couldn’t bring herself to hate her father for that.

She loved Adriano, despite his betrayal and something deep down told her that her feelings would never fade or they would take a long time to fade at least. All those months they’d spent together, living in the same house, sleeping in the same bed, wrapped up in each other’s arms…he was a part of her soul that she couldn’t imagine getting rid of.

After three days, the doctor gave the green light that she could go home. She got a stock up of pain killers, iron supplements and other medication for her to become fit again. All her family were there to assist her, her brother Salvador being extra sweet and even helped her sit in a wheelchair. It was odd; both sitting in a wheelchair and Salvador being civil with her. So, the little raccoon did have a heart after all.

Her mother rolled her out of her room and much to her displeasure, Adriano was outside in the lobby waiting to see her. He smiled at her but she immediately looked away, not being able to maintain eye contact. The emotional wounds were still too fresh, too raw.

“Ximena, my love. Please look at me,” he said, well practically pleaded earnestly. She heard the urgency in his voice but she was too stubborn to respond, despite her raging heart.

“Didn’t she say she didn’t want you to come near her? Are you deaf, Dos Santos? Leave my sister alone or there will be consequences,” Salvador growled at him, just about to charge at him but thankfully, Andrea stopped him before he could.

“Don’t, hermano. You’ll make a seen,” she chastised him, her tone disapproving.

Emilio cleared his throat. “Get your lawyers ready, Adriano. A divorce will be underway soon,” he announced but so that they could hear and not everybody else. Ximena’s head shot up at this. Of course, she knew her dad was impulsive, but was he willing to lose 40% of his company’s shares.

“Papa, what are you saying?” she demanded just as Adriano asked, “Did you just say divorce?”

Emilio ignored Adriano and held Ximena’s shoulder. “You cannot be with a man who cheats and is disrespectful to you. I know full well the repercussions and I’m willing to face them. I won’t allow anybody to hurt my family,” he swore solemnly before he looked, actually glared at Adriano. “Especially not you. You and your father better get ready.”