My Guilty Pleasure

40. The Past Catches Up with You

-Come on Desiree, what is wrong with you? You look even worse now... You know you are just a couple of days away from giving birth. You need your strength. - I wanted to roll my eyes, but I stopped myself. I know he is just taking care of me but I don't want to deal with him. 

-I'm fine. Just tired...- Oh I wish that is the only thing I am. Broken would be more like it. I am broken, sad, and crashed. He just came back to torture me, to finish what he started at the hospital. To destroy me. Now he parades his fiance in front of me. I am "nothing". His exact words. "Nothing". I sighed and Zachary brushed my cheek turning my head so I would look at him.

-Did something happen? You can tell me anything, we'll work on it together...- I see sincerity on his face yet I only want to laugh at his face. How would we work on this I wanted to ask but I didn't. I can't talk about it, I am poisonous now. Nothing good would come from me. 

-No baby, I'm just really sleepy. You should go to work.- I needed so much strength to say these words. But it worked. His face looks calmer, and my pet name worked too. He is smiling like a kid on a Christmas eve. 

-I know honey, just a little longer. A couple of days and you will have a baby in your arms.- The fact that he said "you will have a baby" didn't settle well with me. Isn't it supposed to be our baby? 

-I know, that must be why I'm so tired. Carrying a huge belly around comes with consequences.-

-Listen, I need to go honey. Will you be okay on your own? If you need something call, Arianna, okay?- I nodded and he kissed my head tenderly before going out of sight. Well, I might as well call Arianna now, some company will be good for me. Someone other than my husband... As I called her it took her half an hour to come here. I heard my front door opening and closing and a few seconds later she is standing in front of me in my bedroom. 

-Well, I want to say nice to see you but you look like shit. What is wrong with you? You have bags under your eyes, your hair is greasy and awful. Who are you and what have you done with Desiree?- I couldn't help but smile at that. I wasn't in the mood to take care of my appearance these last couple of days. It was the last thing on my mind. 

-I'm pregnant. My legs are swollen, I'm tired all the time, and this kid is kicking me all night long. But I get what you mean, I'll wash my hair.- I said in a small voice and Arianna took a seat next to me on a bed. 

-You are weird... Did something happen?- Agh, here we go again.

-Did Zachary put you up to this. You barely had a conversation with me and you're asking what's wrong. Why would anything be wrong?- She looked at me with a "are you kidding me" face.

-No, Zachary didn't tell me anything. I know you, I got to know you and there is definitely something wrong. So spill... Does it have something to do with Damien?- Her question caught me off guard and I looked at her with wide-open eyes. Does Zachary know I've seen Damien? 

-Wh...Why...What do you mean?- I panicked and she picked up on that. 

-It is about him... I know he's back. Listen... I didn't want to say anything because I thought you and him are over. But since I don't know what is happening with you two, I need to tell you things. You see, a while ago, I got mixed up with some bad people. It was that rebellious state in my life, and I... Well, it wasn't pretty. My boyfriend at the time. He was... Abusive. He was controlling... Don't make me tell you details, I was young and stupid and in love. So I ignored all the signs. That's not the point now... The point is that he was obsessed with Damien. I didn't realize what was happening, but I connected the dots here and there. They are not nice people. My ex-boyfriend and Damien. Trust me, he wouldn't be so scared to go after Damien if he is just some citizen. Damien must be in some deeper shit than my ex-boyfriend. - I stayed quiet for a while. I know it's true. Damien told me himself, I'm not stupid. I know what he's into. But it doesn't matter. It didn't matter to him who I am. It didn't matter that I'm broken, covered in scars from my past. I shivered remembering everything. I told him about Alexander, and he was there even after that.