His Ruthless Revenge (A Dark Bully Romance)

Chapter Fifty Two

The next few days go rather smoothly and I know we made the right decision by going back to the cabin again.
I called my mum and told her I was coming to pick her up so we could spend some time together but decided not to say anything to her about Chase over the phone.
Chase drove us to my mum's house and kindly waited in the car so I could break the news to her gently and speak to her in private.
"What do you mean you're not with Finn anymore?" My mum exclaims loudly. "You two seemed so happy together."
"We were..."
"So what happened?" She demands brusquely. "I just dont understand how you can break things off so suddenly."
"It was a difficult decision but we both knew that it was over in the end. We were always better off as friends, Mum." I explain gently, realising my news must be a huge shock for her, especially because she was so fond of Finn and always got on well with him.
"Oh, April, I'm so sorry." She apologises hastily, taking my hand in hers. "I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I'm just worried about you and thought you were really settled and happy with Finn."
"There's no need to worry about me." I assure her sincerely, gently prising my hand out of hers. "I promise you I'm ok now."
"Well, that's all that matters I suppose." She replies softly, her voice full of doubt and concern for me.
"There's actually someone I want you to meet and he's waiting in the car." I blurt out suddenly, holding my breath in anticipation.
"You've met someone else?" She proclaims bluntly. "Already?"
Deliberately ignoring her discourteous tone, I exhale slowly as I prepare myself for the following introductions.
"He's not exactly someone new." I warn her, taking hold of her arm as I lead her outside.

Chase is standing by his car, leaning against the door as he looks up and notices us exiting the house.
"Hello again." He murmurs faintly, standing up straight and offering his hand for my mum to shake. "How are you doing?"
"Chase?" My mum gasps, a horrified expression on her face as she takes a step back. "I-I don't understand."
"I'll explain everything properly, I promise. All you need to know right now is we're back together and we're really happy and I hope that will be enough to convince you."
"You two are back together?" She repeats incredulously, shaking her head in astonishment. "After everything he put you through? He got another woman pregnant, April! He broke your heart."
"And I broke his." I remind her faintly, lowering my voice so Chase can't hear us clearly. "Mum, I know this all seems crazy and I guess it is but Chase is who I want to be with and I'm absolutely certain about that now. I've made my choice."

It's safe to say that our journey to the cabin is full of unspoken tension between the three of us. Chase keeps throwing me nervous glances as he drives and all I can do is offer him a weak smile in response, silently telling him that everything will be OK.

My mum is still silent by the time we arrive and looks completely shell-shocked when she finally steps out of the car and takes a look at the cabin.
It really is luxurious and definitely not what springs to mind when you picture a log cabin in the middle of nowhere.
"So, what do you think?" Chase asks her anxiously, awaiting her response. "Do you like it?"
"It's lovely." She answers curtly, refusing to give anything more away. "It really is."
Chase carries all of her belongings into the kitchen and sets her bags down on the floor, placing a kiss on my forehead as he leaves us alone for a couple of minutes.
"Chase is actually going to be away for a few days, which means we'll have the place to ourselves. That OK with you, Mum?" I ask cautiously, hoping she'll start to relax once it's just the two of us.
"Oh, that will be lovely." She says brightly, offering me a brief smile. "I might go and see which bedroom I want."
She scurries off upstairs and I chuckle lightly, rolling my eyes as I join Chase outside.
"She came around to the idea pretty quickly." I inform him dryly. "She's picking out her own room as we speak."
"She can have the run of the place for all I care. I just want her to like me again." He admits candidly, sighing deeply.
I reach out and pull him towards me, embracing his broad shoulders as I squeeze him tightly.
"Just hurry back to me." I remind him firmly. "Go and spend time with your little boy and then come home to me."
"I will." He replies jovially, offering me a weak smile. "God, I'm going to miss you."
"It's just for a few days and then you'll be back with me. Nothing will ever keep us apart again." I promise him, hoping my vow will come true just by speaking it into existance.

The cabin feels so empty once Chase leaves and I try reminding myself that what I told him was right.

It's just for a few days. We've spent so much time apart already. We can get through this final separation and then we'll finally be together. Forever.

"You pick which room you want yet?" I ask my mum, finding her in one of the bedrooms next to the one I share with Chase.
"I love this one." She informs me quietly, refusing to turn around as she gazes out of the window into the surrounding forrest. "The view is spectacular."
"You didn't have to be so frosty with Chase, you know. He's always been respectful to you." I point out coldly, refusing to acknowledge her complimentary statement about the view.
"I know he has but he's also done some terrible things. He broke your heart and he hurt you so badly. I remember how broken you were and couldn't stand it. You had to run away and leave your whole life behind because of what he did and that's difficult to forget. I practically lost my daughter because of what he did and now you just want me to forgive and forget?"
"He did break my heart. He did everything you say he did but there's a reason behind all of it. There's so much you don't know, Mum and it's time that you did. I've kept so many secrets from you but secrets eat you up from the inside and they eventually destroy you. I'm done being controlled by my past and that starts with me telling you the truth. It starts with being honest with you." I conclude firmly, ready to blow the lid and expose everything concerning our lies and deceit.

She's frozen in place after I pour my heart out to her; having just revealed everything from the very beginning and she looks completely stunned as well as traumatised by my revelations.
My confession started with Chase and how he used to treat me at school. It's something she never even knew about and I observe her disgust when hearing about all the malicious acts he inflicted upon me.
I go on to explain how unbearable it was and how I couldn't understand his hatred of me, also telling her about the evening I saw my father's car parked outside our house and knew he'd come back.
I relay how Kerry found me and how we went back to her house with hopes that I could stay the night. The story continues when I disclose how I found out that Chase was Kerry's brother as well as the horrific details about Kerry and what my father had done to her as well as Louise and how Chase assaulted him that night, explaining that my father would have been dead if I hadn't called an ambulance for him.
"He used to give me this look sometimes." I confess delicately, searching her face for her initial response. "It made me really uncomfortable but I didn't know how to explain it."
"April, what are you saying?" She whispers faintly, her hands trembling as her breathing becomes laboured.
"He would try and barge into the bathroom, when he knew I was showering. He'd make up excuses but I knew he was doing it deliberately."
"H-he never...? Please tell me he didn't hurt you?" She stammers, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
"He didn't." I assure her hastily. "But I know he wanted to and Chase stopped him that night when he came back but I'm sure he was going to hurt me, Mum."
"I-I'm so sorry." She apologises weakly, cupping my face with her hands. "I should have known and I should have protected you." She cries desperately, covering her own face as she rocks back and forth in the chair she's sitting on.
"Mum, please look at me." I implore her frantically. "No apology is needed from you because you had no idea. None of this is your fault."
"I can't believe I was married to such a monster." She trembles violently, shaking her head in denial.
"Look, he's gone now and he's never coming back. We're all safe because he's out of our lives forever." I declare boldly, taking her hand in mine.
"And you really think you can move forward with Chase? You've forgiven him for everything he's done?" She asks doubtfully, biting her lower lip in contemplation.
"I have." I reply confidently, unwavering and unflinching.
"But what about the bullying he put you through as well as being unfaithful. Is it not too much to forgive?"
I take a moment to answer her, turning to face the fire which is crackling away beside us as the flames dance and burn so beautifully.
"I've made plenty of mistakes along the way and we're both to blame for what each of us did wrong but we want to move forward and start over. I need him, Mum. I don't feel complete without him."
"Well, if that's what you really want and what you've decided then I won't question it." She replies readily, taking me by surprise. "I can't belive what you've been through, April. You must have been to hell and back and I had no idea. What kind of mother does that make me?"
"You're my mum." I say proudly, folding my arms around her. "And I love you so much."
We stay like that for a long time; neither one of us is willing to move and interrupt such a profound moment between us.
"How on earth did you get through it?" She murmurs softly, stroking my hair back as we both stare into the fire, transfixed by it's hypnotising flames which provide us with safety and warmth.
"It was horrible." I acknowledge truthfully, remaining stoic and somewhat detached from it all. "It was an absolute nightmare but I'm awake now. It's over."

At least that's what I thought...