DIVIDED ALLEGIANCE

THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE.

Chapter Twelve

Arianna was undressing in front of her mirror when the door opened, and Richard strolled into the room. His broad shoulders filled the grey fitted suit, a testament to his masculine build.

"Hey," Arianna murmured softly, the word tinged with the awkwardness that had settled between them in recent days. Their routines remained the same, the usual conversations exchanged, but an underlying tension persisted, a discordant note in their harmony.

She knew Richard well; a multitude of thoughts and concerns undoubtedly swirled within him, yet he seemed hesitant, unsure of how to articulate them.

"Love," he replied, forcing a smile as he moved closer, pressing a tender peck to her lips. "How was your day?" he asked, his thumb gently caressing her cheek.

"Manageable. Been preparing for my upcoming case session. It's in a week," she replied, deliberately mentioning Senator Fabian's name, a silent invitation for him to voice his anxieties. Whatever he needed to say, she was ready. The pretense of normalcy within their home had become a heavy burden. She needed him, always had, but now, more than ever, she craved his understanding.
Richard's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. His hand slowly dropped from her cheek, and he turned away, walking towards the closet to change.

Arianna sighed inwardly at his reaction. The Richard she knew confronted issues directly, never allowing them to fester in silence.

What had shifted within him? Was his disapproval of her involvement in the case truly insurmountable? There was no turning back now; she was too deeply immersed.

"Richard, what's going on?" she blurted out, abandoning any attempt at subtle conversation.

"What do you mean? I don't understand," he replied, his back still to her as he changed into more casual clothes. He then settled on the bed with his laptop, his attention immediately drawn to its screen.

"Richard, what is wrong with you? Why are you acting like this?" Arianna asked, her voice rising in frustration as she gestured wildly with her hands.

"What are you even talking about, love?" he asked, his eyes fixed on the laptop, feigning ignorance. His deliberate act of obliviousness grated on her nerves. Why this charade? He disapproved, and she was already committed – what was the point of this unnecessary distance?

"Richard, if this is all about me getting involved in that case, then just say it," she demanded.

"What is there to say anymore? You're already involved, and that's that. It doesn't matter anymore. My opinion never matters anyway," he said calmly, but the quiet words resonated with a profound hurt and resentment that pierced Arianna's heart. He had always mattered to her, always.

"Richard, you know that's not true," she whispered, her voice strained, a tremor lacing her words.

"I don't" he replied simply, his focus unwavering on his laptop.

"Richard, please, let's talk this out, like adults... mature adults... please,"

Arianna pleaded earnestly. Anything could happen to her, but the thought of losing Richard was an unbearable prospect.

"Yes. We are talking right now," he said, his gaze still fixed on the screen.
Arianna sighed, frustration mounting.

"Richard, please, what do you want? Just tell me what?"

Richard finally paused his work and looked up at her. Finally, she thought, a fragile seed of hope taking root.

"What I want?" he repeated, and she nodded firmly.

Abruptly, he stood from the bed and walked towards her, stopping a noticeable distance away, more than five feet separating them. "It doesn't matter. What I want doesn't matter... to you," he said, his gaze locked on hers..

Oh no, she thought, this conversation was far from reaching a resolution.

"Richard, please, I'm sorry," she blurted out, the words a desperate plea.

Richard scoffed. "You know what, Arianna?" he said, his voice gaining intensity. For the first time since their marriage, he called her by her full name. A cold dread settled in her chest. Throughout their relationship, she had sometimes called him Richard, but he always used endearments for her. This felt like a significant shift, an ominous sign.

"I don't care if I get hurt or anything. I sincerely don't care because, trust me, I would do anything for you... I can die for you," he declared, his face flushed with a mixture of anger and disappointment..

Tears began to blur Arianna's vision. She had always known Richard's love for her was deep and intense, but his explicit willingness to die for her struck her with a profound weight. He truly loved her beyond measure.

"What if..." he continued, his voice now reaching a higher pitch. "What if something bad happens to you? What if, in the long run, you get hurt in a way I don't even want to imagine?

What do you think will happen to me? What will I have done? Arianna, don't you even consider your own safety at all?"

He stopped, his breathing ragged, while Arianna sobbed quietly.
"I don't care if I end up getting hurt, but what about you? I won't be able to bear it, and you know that," he added, and Arianna covered her face, weeping uncontrollably.

"Richard, please, no one will get hurt, I promise. I'll make sure to win the case... please, Richard, don't leave me," Arianna choked out, her voice cracking with sobs.

"Winning the case is a small comfort, but still, I hope so, Arianna. I hope so. Because Fabian will never go easy on us," he said, just as his phone began to ring.

Glancing at the caller ID, his expression flickered from anger to a momentary look of panic, though he quickly masked it. With a final, searching look at Arianna, he hurried out of the room to answer the call, leaving her to grapple with the weight of his last words.

Fabian will never go easy on us?
The phrase hung in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning. Or wait... was he also receiving those letters and texts? Had he been subjected to the same threatening messages? The thought sent a chill of fear through her..

As much as she yearned to remain focused on the case, the escalating tension and surrounding circumstances were proving to be a significant distraction. A gnawing unease, a deep gut feeling, settled within her, a premonition that something significant, something dangerous, was on the horizon.

Arianna sighed, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. All she could do at that moment was try to concentrate and do her best to win, if only to mend the growing rift with her beloved husband. And thankfully, their possession of strong evidence gave them a significant advantage, increasing their probability of success. So, she would focus, ignore the persistent gut feeling and those unsettling, threatening texts.

They wouldn't dare hurt her. They wouldn't dare.

© Adira H.

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