Within Temptation

Sixteen (Things Could Be Different)

I wake up to my eyes swollen and puffy from crying. My chest feels hollowed out like someone ripped my heart out of my chest. Andy wasted no time in helping me forget my pain. He asked the same questions as before. He asked if I felt any of the signs of mental degradation. I gave him the answer I said two years ago I felt fine. My body could handle the transition from human to Succubus. I glance over expecting Remington to be sitting guard over my bed. I'm surprised by his absence. What I can hear and see is the boys of Asking Alexandria playing with Orion outside. His squeals bring a smile to my face, a smile that fades as the tears fall down my face.

Where did it go so wrong? Ben and I had been supportive of one another from the moment I accepted his proposal. I had toured with him and the bands Danny hand-picked especially for me. My entire pregnancy had been Ben fulfilling every outlandish whim from getting me milkshakes from The Burger Joint to getting me a rush over of Oreo Cakesters from the States. He didn't care in the slightest when I called Andy in the odd hours of the morning because he was the only one who could calm me down.

All it took was one event to spiral our relationship out of control, Ashley Purdy's death. I still couldn't forgive Andy for his actions. It became clear that his path was revenge. In my defense, I tried talking him out of it. It led him to remove the venom from my veins, yet I'd been sucked right back in. Not that Ben was out of the woods. He put cameras in the loft. I only knew of one, right outside the loft in the corner. That camera had been installed by me; it was so I could see if one of my crew needed me.

The pain immobilized me, and I wrapped my arms tightly around me. I lean back against the headboard reminding myself that I had to do the tough things today. I take my phone into my hands finding text messages from Ben. Each one is an apology; each one is begging for a chance to make things right. I half-expected them to turn nasty when I refused to answer. They all stay civil. They show me how much he loves me. He is afraid of losing the light of his life. He is even more terrified of losing his son. It's too late. I text him back my hands steady.

To: Ben Bruce

From: Corinne Bruce

It's too late Benjamin, the damage is done.

"Rin! We need to talk!" Yumi bursts through the door. She's out of breath judging from the bags under her eyes it's a sound assumption that she hasn't slept properly. I jump, and my phone falls into my lap I had yet to hit SEND on my phone. This would drive him crazy. I'd take the small victory knowing my mama would enact her vengeance on him for hurting her daughter.

"I need to save my voice Yumi, I-I have quite a few calls to make." My voice catches.

"Cori, you are my best friend. Please don't take offense when I say shut up and listen to what I'm about to tell you." She shuts the door.

I try to grab my phone watching her swipe it. She deletes my message setting it down on the dresser. I stare at her in shock my hands trembling slightly. I've always given my friends a chance to say their peace, always. When it came to this, I felt the strongest compulsion to get this over with. The quicker I contacted my lawyer the faster I could get myself out of this relationship. I had my own place already and I could easily stand on my own due to Wanderlust doing so well.

"Ben told me what happened last night." She begins.

"You've become awfully close to my husband lately, Yumi." I cross my arms over my chest. "You've been covering for him. He's made it clear where we stand. I—"

"Corinne, stop." She silences me with a raised hand. "Ben doesn't remember what happened. The Enforcers found traces of compulsion in his system. It could be from a Succubus or a Vampire. The bottom line here is that Ben wasn't himself. He feels awful about what happened and wants to make things right."