The Price of a Secret

19 | BETWEEN SIGHS AND TEARS

Leaving the room that night had been a mistake. The room was warm and stuffy, but in reality, what was causing the temperature to rise was his own body. Ever since he had touched Elizabeth under the apple tree, his body had been on fire. Getting so close to her had been a mistake. All his nerve endings were on alert, and his thoughts were confused.

He wanted her to desire him. To crawl at his feet. To suffer for him, as he had suffered for her. But now, none of it made sense. He kept replaying her words in his head to convince himself that he hated her: "I wish you had stayed in the past, where you should never have left". But it wasn't working. His heart insisted on undermining his plans for revenge. And judging by how he had reacted to touching her, his body was conspiring with his heart. He couldn't control them.

And why should he even try to control them? Ah, yes. Because she had destroyed him.

They hadn't talked about the money he gave her at graduation, but he knew she remembered. Sometimes, he had the impression that she wanted to push him away. But at other times, he realized she wanted him closer. He didn't understand this duality, but he was willing to find out.

Despite all of this, he couldn't forget that Elizabeth was married, and her husband had hired him. And who was this Mason really? Something had triggered all of Simon's instinctive alarms. Mason seemed dangerous, and he had to be careful about that. In fact, he understood more and more each day that he needed to take care of Elizabeth. He could see that Mason was hurting her, even though she tried to disguise it, and he didn't understand why.

That book. He knew the book. It's the story of a woman, Fran, who decides to escape from her abusive husband, with whom she has a son. She changes her identity and starts a new life elsewhere, living in fear of being found by her violent husband. Was Elizabeth trying to find a way to escape from Mason? But she didn't give any indication of that. In fact, she tries to make it clear that she's fine and never complains about her husband.

These doubts kept spinning in Simon's head. How could he get closer and help her if she tried to push him away? And should he really try to help her? Or should he seek revenge for the pain she had already caused him? But despite all of this, there was still someone he had to protect above all else, even from his own feelings, and that was Lia. He was in love with the little girl. He felt a connection he couldn't explain. Deep down in his heart, way deep down, he knew he had to be her guardian and protect her always.

Shaking his head from side to side, Simon tries to clear his thoughts. He couldn't go on like this. He needed a break from all this madness. So, he decided to stay away from Elizabeth for the next few days.

Leaving the inn's restaurant, he watches Elizabeth, Lia, and Greta from a distance. He notices they are heading to the stable, and he's not too fond of that. Horses can be dangerous.

From afar, he observes the scene. Elizabeth has an enviable posture on the horse. She seems to have taken riding lessons. In her arms is Lia, happier than ever to "command" the animal. The two of them ride calmly in the riding arena, and Lia squeals with joy. Greta remains outside, looking terrified.

They spend over an hour in this fun. They ride, trot, and jump over small obstacles, all to Lia's delighted screams. There are other children and their mothers at the place, but Elizabeth shines among them all. It's not just her posture. It's the energy she radiates. Simon can't help but compare her to an angel.

When Lia appears tired and disinterested, Greta takes her off the horse and leads her back to the inn. However, Elizabeth stays on the horse. Simon suspects she's going to ride alone, so he asks the stable employee to saddle a horse for him.

In a matter of moments, he's riding towards the path Elizabeth took. He has to quicken his pace to catch up with her. In fact, she's going too fast. Dangerous, he thought.