His Ruthless Revenge (A Dark Bully Romance)

Chapter Fifty-Seven

The police came that night as well as an ambulance and several paramedics. They quickly confirmed that my father was indeed dead and the faint hope I had that he might still be alive was dashed into a thousand pieces.

Chase and I both stuck to the story he had me memorise and it's a good job we did because the police separated us as soon as they turned up so they could take our statements.
I told them exactly what Chase told me to say and kept emphasising how frightened he must have been when he came face to face with my father. I tried my best to make it seem like he didn't have a choice and was only defending himself against him. Of course I left out the fact that Chase nearly beat my dad to death several years ago and isn't afraid of anyone.

They didn't need to hear that.

I hoped and prayed the police would believe that Chase acted in self-defence but the fact that he was so much younger than my father as well as so much stronger went against him in the end and Chase was sent to prison.
He was remanded in custody until his plea hearing and pleaded guilty to manslaughter. His solicitor advised him to do it so he would get a lesser sentence and Chase agreed.
It didn't seem to make much of a difference when we told everyone about my father and who he really was. Kerry verified what we said and had to relive everything my dad did to her all those years ago but Chase was still charged. They seemed to think he had even more of a motive to attack him when they found out what happened to his sister.

As I'm writing this today I know I must sound rather detached from it all and in a way... I am. It's my coping mechanism as well as the only possible way I can survive without him.

The first few weeks were utterly unbearable and I'd spend every night in bed wide awake with the most horrific images swirling around inside my head. I couldn't even close my eyes.
If I did eventually drift off in the middle of the day then I'd have even more horrific nightmares and I'd wake up screaming, thrashing my arms around and drenched in sweat.
My mum would rush in and comfort me, stroking my hair and staying by my side for as long as it would take me to drift off again.
She's been my absolute rock since it happened and it didn't take me long to confide in her about the true events of that night.
I just couldn't keep it in any longer and blurted it all out  to her when I woke up from one of my nightmares.
She was completely stunned when I told her that it wasn't Chase who pushed my father down the stairs. It was me.
She sat in silence for the longest time before she finally spoke; her eyes brimming with unshed tears as she asked me the inevitable question.
"So, Chase said that he did it to protect you?"
"Yes." I whispered, closing my eyes as my tears began to fall again. "Because that's what he does. He always protects me."
"Not always." She replied cooly, unable to hide the distaste she still felt towards him. "I'll never forget what you told me about your school days and the way he treated you back then."
"You're still holding that against him?" I snapped defensively, removing my hand from hers. "After everything he's done for me since then? He's in prison right now to protect me!"
"I know he is and I'm beyond grateful for that but that doesn't excuse the awful things he's done to you before now." She reasoned calmly, infuriating me even more.
"If I can forgive him then so can you. I don't expect you to understand what Chase and I have because you've never been in love like we are. You were married to a sick monster your entire life so how on earth could you possibly understand?"
I  knew I couldn't take it back once I said it and as hurtful as it was, I knew I meant every word. She has no idea how Chase and I feel about one another or what we've been through together and she'll never understand any of it.

The most agonising point was when Chase told me that he didn't want me to visit him. I'd clung onto the idea that I'd be able to visit him as often as I could and then it was ripped away from me.
His sister Kerry broke the news to me as Chase had stopped communicating with me altogether by this point. At first I thought he was mad at me for allowing him take the blame and once again came so close to confessing. However, I soon realised that lying to the police is a crime in itself and Chase could still get sent to prison for committing perjury and so could I.
I felt absolutely helpless and had no idea how to help him; especially when he wouldn't even talk to me or accept any of the letters that I sent to him.
Kerry turned up at my house one day and couldn't hold back her tears when I opened the door to her.
"What is it?" I demanded frantically. "What's wrong?"
"I've just been to see Chase." She wept bitterly, struggling to compose herself as she took a seat at the table.
"Oh, God. What's happened? Is he OK?"
"He's not hurt." She clarified quickly. "But what I'm about to tell you is going to really, really hurt you, April."
"Tell me." I whispered, bracing myself for the absolute worst.
"He doesn't want to see you anymore." She disclosed calmly, taking my hand in hers. "No communication either. No letters, phone calls or anything else."
It felt as though I'd been punched in the stomach and smashed over the head with a sledgehammer. Vomit rose at the back of my throat and I only just made it to the bathroom in time.
I stayed in there for several minutes, splashing water on my face as I stared back at my own pale reflection in the mirror. She looked so gaunt. If it was anyone but myself, I'd be really concerned about her. 
"He can't mean that." I murmured softly, joining Kerry again at the kitchen table. "He's just scared. He's frightened and he's lashing out by trying to push me away." I argued fiercely, refusing to accept the truth.
"I don't think he is, April. He seemed pretty convinced when he told me." She admitted, shaking her head slowly.
"So why will he see you?" I demanded harshly. "Why does he refuse my visitation requests and accept yours?"
"Because he's not in love with me." She retorted sharply. "I'm his sister but I'm not his soulmate. He can't bring himself to face you knowing he can't be there for you and not see you everyday."
"But he knows I'll wait for him, doesn't he? I've already told him that I'm not going anywhere." I argue desperately, trying so hard to convince her.
"He doesn't want you to wait, April. That's the whole point." She replies gently. "He said he has to let you go."
We sit there in silence as her words slowly start to sink in and my brain tries to process everything she's said.
"Never." I state boldly, clenching my fists beneath the table. "I'll never let him go."