No Going Back

4 - 1

Floria

"Take care," Hendrix whispered, a gentle bidding greeting to me as walked out and a few minutes later Antonio hurried in.

My heart ached for Hendrix, who was navigating an even difficult situation. Unlike me, he had no family near, to lean on, and his devoted love had been shaken just six months after proposing to Samara. May God give him strength.

He walked in, our eyes met, and I saw no guilt there. Seeing him hit me with the harsh truth: life and emotions can change and shift in an instant. The love I felt just last night had transformed, now tainted and burning, leaving me shattered to the point of numbness. What an astonishment it was that the one person who had made you feel more emotions than anyone else, now leaves you feeling too exhausted to feel anything towards them.

"Floria!" he exclaimed, rushing towards me with frustration etched on his face, yet no hint of remorse. I nodded slightly at my uncle, who swiftly stepped in front of me, blocking Antonio's path.

I knew such all-consuming, possessive love existed only in the pages of novels, but his obvious frustration shook me to my core. Where was the fearing concern, the worry that he might lose me, that a wife expected from her husband?

"You'll answer her, whatever she asks," my uncle hissed, a threat underlying his words. "And if your words make her cry, remember, you've been part of a world that can easily pull you back in." I stood unmoved, aware it was a low blow, exploiting his past to keep him in line and prevent chaos at the medical center. But after his betrayal, this seemed the bare minimum.

Antonio's fist clenched as my uncle patted his shoulder, sparing him one last glance of calm calculated rage before walking out. He stood at the door, his imposing frame resembling a bodyguard, ever vigilant.

"Floria, what the hell do those texts mean?" he whispered fiercely, but his fury evident. His nostrils flared, and his eyes blazed with intensity. I was taken aback by his audacity, questioning me with such assurance. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I bit back my emotions, grinding my teeth to deny him the satisfaction of seeing me break.

"Exactly what it said," I spat, my tone dripping with disdain and resentment. "My words match my actions, unlike yours," The anger in my acceptance aimed squarely at him, hoping he'd taste the bitterness of it in his mouth.

He looked stunned, his expression frozen in brief bewilderment, as if his mind struggled to comprehend that I, his "ever-loving" Floria, could unleash such venom. I savored the moment, reveling in his shock.

"I know you're mad," he began, his voice heavy with recovery from the surprise, "it's only fair..." His words trailed off, seeking traction on unstable ground.

"Fair?" I fired back. "Staying by your wife's side, comforting her while she carries your child, and respecting her requests - that's fair, Antonio Conti." His eyes flashed wide, the name clearly striking a nerve. The same name he'd  despised, a stamp of the distant relative who abandoned him at the orphanage. Yet, he'd adopted it as a badge of honor, symbolizing his journey from homeless kid to successful man.

"Twenty questions," I stated flatly.

"What?" he asked, frowning down at me, his brow furrowed in confusion.

My husband's gaze lingered on mine, searching for a glimmer of sentiment, but my eyes remained empty, shut off to him. The shock of my transformation still lingered on his face and somehow it brought me composure.

"We played that on our first date," I explained curtly. "Now, I'll ask you twenty questions, and you better answer honestly." I avoided his gaze, I couldn't bring myself to meet his eyes, the pain of loving him still lingering, yet tainted by his betrayal.