Heartless (Random Updates)

Chapter 20

Jennifer jumped as a beep came from Sean's office door and she quickly lifted her head off his shoulder, running her fingers through her hair to make sure it wasn't messed up. "Calm down, Jennifer, it's just the guys," Sean smirked as the door opened, allowing the rest of the group to walk in.

"I...I..." Jennifer stammered as she dropped her gaze to her lap.

"Don't," Sean said, shaking his head as he applied just a tiny bit of pressure to her head to see if she would put it back on his shoulder. She did and a small smile broke out on his face while the men walked over to the couch where they were sitting.

"Is everything okay?" Owen asked while watching the couple.

"No," Sean said, shaking his head. "Our lovely wife is having trouble with a few things and we haven't even begun having our examination and discussion yet."

"What happened?" Axel asked.

"She spotted our family picture," Sean smiled at the last two words.

"And?" Gabe asked confused while looking at her, "you didn't like it?"

"She had trouble understanding why we would have a candid moment on display," Sean tried to explain. "Then I called her Love and it triggered her."

"How?" Owen asked.

Sean turned his head and placed a chaste kiss on her hair, "It's okay, Pookie, tell them so we can start to correct it."

Jennifer dropped her head so she was staring at her hands and cleared her throat, ""My role in life is to be the perfect trophy wife for my husbands," she said, void of any emotions. "My father will pick the perfect men for our family and I will never question my father's decisions for me. While my husbands will provide everything I need, they will never love me. Love is not real so I will never expect to receive it. I will always look perfect for my husbands so I will not bring dishonor upon them, nor will I ever question their decisions since they know what is best. I know that I am merely a trophy wife and they will never love me. I am meant to be seen and not heard and will always be perfect or I am not fulfilling my role as a good wife. A good wife means happy husbands and that is the ultimate fulfillment for a woman. A woman is meant to be the perfect wife for her husbands and nothing more."

A few of the men started mumbling under their breath while Owen straightened his tie, "I see," he said after taking a moment to compose himself. "And is this what you believe of us?"

She looked up at him confused, "Yes?" she trailed off nervously.

"So you think love is not real and we do not love you?" Owen asked.

"Yes, Sir," she whispered looking back at her hands.

Owen crouched down, ignoring the mumbles that were in the background. He gently placed his finger under her chin and slowly lifted it until she was looking into his eyes. "We can understand that, Jennifer. We are very well aware that we have been giving you mixed signals and we apologize. We will try to be nicer to you and treat you the way you deserve to be treated."

"I...I...don't–" she whispered."

"Shhh," he said, shaking his head, making a strand of his dark hair fall into his eyes, "we know and it's okay, I promise. We will show you, just try and trust us."

Victor crouched down beside Owen, "We are very sorry you have been brought up to think this way, Princess, but it's not true. We know that it will take a lot to show you otherwise and get you to think differently but we will be patient and take this relationship slowly and at your pace."

"I...I...I...don't..." she gasped as she tried to understand what was happening right now.

Owen watched her carefully, "You are expecting us to react differently," he said after a moment and she nodded honestly. "The way we are out in public and the way we treated you in the beginning is what you were expecting." She nodded again, "I can understand that."

"You're Reapers," she whispered as she tried to calm her breathing.

"Yes we are," Owen nodded, confirming her statement. "Are you scared of us?"

"You're murders," she gasped.

"Yes," Owen nodded again. "But we have rules."

"So does the mafia, pedophiles, and rapists," she snapped then paled, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Pookie," Sean said rubbing her back, "this is very overwhelming. I need you to slow your breathing or you'll have a panic attack. Come on, slow deep breaths."

"Oh my god, my parents sold me to serial killers," she mumbled softly as she clutched her shirt. She shut her eyes to keep the tears from falling as realization hit her just how worthless she was to her parents.

Sean carefully uncurled her fingers so he could move her hands to the top of her head to help her open her lungs. Axel rubbed his neck as he admitted, "Actually, we forced them to give you to us."

Her eyes shot open at his admittance, "What?"