23. Grandmother´s Wisdom
Grandmother′s Wisdom
Electra
I was standing on the balcony of my grandmother's two-story house, staring at the mountains before me.
No one bothered me for the past week, mainly because there was no cell reception here, and Granny also didn't have internet.
It felt so relaxing not to be disturbed by unnecessary things and information.
Given my situation with Mr. Thorn, I was glad he couldn't contact me. I was surprised he didn't show up the day after my arrival, and my heart ached from that one persistent thought. He didn't care enough for me to come here and at least try to explain everything.
It wasn’t like that mattered anymore. Bastian lied to me the whole time.
I fell head over heels for him, not thinking about the possibility that I was just a distraction from his everyday life.
He had a relationship with Rose, and, as inexperienced and naive as I was, he only played with me.
For sure, they spent hours laughing a my account, making fun of my stupidity for trusting his every word.
I released a shaky breath, pushing back the tears, yet I failed, and they were streaming down my face like a waterfall. My heart was broken. The memories of our time together were torturing me, keeping me awake all night, reminding me how great it was. If only it were true.
After another half an hour of mindlessly staring at the beautiful nature, I returned inside. I joined my grandmother and her neighbor from the other side of the river at the table to eat breakfast. He lived there alone, and he often visited my grandma when he was around. They were great friends.
Grandmother piled some eggs on a plate for me, but I didn't have an appetite. I’d hardly eaten since I found the contract in Mr. Thorn's office that morning. I only pretended to chew some food, and then I started throwing up in the bathroom upstairs because my stomach couldn't hold anything.
"I gotta go back today," Declan, a twenty-eight-year-old military officer, said between spoons of oatmeal. He helped me run away from Bastian's bodyguards. Without him, I would never have been able to disappear from under their noses.
"Of course," I mumbled, killing the egg with a fork. I didn't want to return to the city. I couldn't face the hard truth. I was too weak for that.
"You can stay here as long as you wish, darling." My grandmother squeezed my hand, giving me a small, kind smile. I almost burst into tears again. None of them knew what happened, and they didn't ask questions. I was grateful for that.
After breakfast, Declan said his goodbyes, and with a last wink, he left.
He was a handsome, cheerful guy with a great personality.
He made stupid jokes that made me laugh, even when I was drowning in tears.
I just couldn't understand why I couldn't fall for a man like him.
He wasn't a hot-tempered, grumpy, billionaire asshole who was destroying people's dreams. He was the exact opposite, and my life would be a fairytale with someone like him.
"Do you want to talk, dearie?" Granny woke me from my musings, and I shrugged. I wasn't prepared to admit that I had been cheated on again. It hurt so much I almost couldn't breathe.
"I thought he would try to find me," I whispered, shame and embarrassment filling my body. Even when he lied to me, I still craved his gentle touch, desirable look, and praise .
"How do you know he's not trying?" Granny asked, placing a mug of steaming coffee in front of me.
"He's got his own army," I replied, stirring the hot concoction with a small spoon. "He can find me anywhere. All he has to do is to make a call."
"Will you tell me what happened?" The soft, loving voice of the woman who replaced my mother in everything made me cry again.
I couldn't hold so much pain inside. It was crushing me, my heart, and my soul.
It felt as if I had lost the meaning of life.
I didn't care about my job, friends, or anything else.
I was depressed, only able to think about the future that would never come. I imagined our life together. I dreamed about the happy family we could have had.
Fuck! I never wanted to have kids before, but with him, I was willing to give it a shot just because I would love to see a little boy with messy hair and crystal-blue eyes conquering the world.
I looked into my grandmother's worried face.
It was covered with wrinkles but didn't take away her natural charm.
She was everything my mother never was, and she loved me no matter what.
She was the only one who told me the truth about my parent's marriage and their arguments, and she was always there to remind me that it was never my fault. They chose to live like this.
With a heavy sigh, I started to talk. I told her everything from the very beginning: how Bastian was acting like a complete asshole, how we began our special relationship.
I also told her about the thing with his stepbrother.
It was the only time she gasped. When I told her about the contract or the BDSM club, she just smiled at me like she knew something I didn't.
It was odd, but I didn't think overthink it. I was too lost in my memories of the best time with a man who crushed my dreams.
"That's a fascinating story," Granny uttered when I finished with the events of our last evening together. "Do you really believe that he could fake all of this?" She raised her eyebrows at me, slowly sipping her tea.
"He has another woman," I reminded her sternly, fisting my palms. Just the mere thought of Bastian with Rose made my blood boil.
"That doesn 't mean he faked anything with you," she pointed out, making me furious.
"Whose side are you on?" I yelled, abruptly standing. For the first time, it felt like she didn't have my back. And it hurt to know that she picked the side of the man she’d never met.
"Of course, I'm on your side, Electra," she answered soothingly, stretching her arm to take my hand, and I reluctantly sat back.
I didn't want to fight with her. "But you said something about the contract with another woman, yet you didn't elaborate.
Have you read it? Do you know what their agreement is about? "
I stared at the table before me, eventually shaking my head from side to side. I didn't read a fucking thing. I was so upset that I grabbed my bag and some clothes and ran away.
A frail voice inside my head was persistently speaking to me all the time, telling me that maybe I was mistaken, that perhaps Bastian didn't sleep with her.
However, his lack of action confirmed my suspicions.
He didn't care about me at all. He was probably happy that I disappeared and he didn't need to pretend anymore.
"What if there is an explanation behind all of this?" Granny asked, squeezing my palm supportively.
"You don't even know what you're talking about," I whispered, suddenly tired from all the pointless talking. I just wanted to lie in my bed and cry. I needed to let the pain out, or it would suffocate me.
"I know much more than you think." She smiled knowingly, winking at me when I shot her a confused glance. She pushed chocolate cookies in my direction and poured me a glass of milk before she unfolded the love story of her life.
"My dear, I was in the same relationship as you are now.
" Her dreamy face put a smile on my face.
"Before this whole BDSM thing became so popular.
" She leaned into her seat, crossing her legs and giggling.
"I was an inexperienced young girl, and he was a manager in the engine factory.
For a long time, I couldn't believe that he would ever lay his eyes on me. "
"Grandfather was a mechanic," I mentioned, and she nodded. She clearly didn't experience this adventure with him.
"Your grandpa was an amazing, loving, caring man who adored and cherished me in every way," she stated with certainty, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"But he could never have given me what my king gave me with only the simple look of his green eyes.
" She gently bit her lower lip. Her cheeks were wet, yet she was smiling at me.
And I realized that the memory of that man was making her happy, even after all this time.
"I'm sure you know that feeling when your heart is hammering in your chest as if it wanted to run to your man on its own.
Your whole body is trembling in expectation of what could happen, and you're set on fire only because he looks at you differently.
" She flashed me a wide grin when I nodded.
My cheeks reddened in embarrassment. I never talked about this with anyone, and I would never have thought my grandmother knew that feeling so well.
"Why did you or him end things?" I inquired, ignoring my flushed state. I wanted to know what destroyed my grandmother's happiness.
"We didn't," she replied, taking a deep breath before she continued.
"He died during a test ride. I don't know the specifics, and no one ever bothered to explain anything.
" She shrugged, wiping the wetness from her eyes.
"I married your grandfather and had a great life with him.
Yet, I never lived through the full potential of my desires.
I swore to myself to never love someone the way I loved my king. "
She paused momentarily, leaning closer to me and retaking my hand.
"I don't want you to be satisfied with less than you're worth.
If Sebastian Thorn is a cheater and a liar, then he doesn't deserve you, and you need to forget about him.
" She rubbed my knuckles with her thumb, looking directly into my eyes like she was trying to find something in them.
"But if he comes, ready to fight for you, let him at least explain himself.
You don't want to wake up one day regretting the time you pushed someone you loved away because you didn't want to listen. "
"What if he never comes?" I asked in a brittle voice, swallowing the big lump in my throat.
"Then you'll know for sure that he's not worthy of your tears," she quickly replied, moving closer, cupping my face with her palms. "A man who loves you would do anything to get you back."
"What if I was never good enough for him?" I burst out, the fear overcoming my every cell. I dreaded the moment I had to face Bastian and his harsh words. He could be overly rough, and if this was the truth, that he only played with me, he was able to destroy me with one statement.
"Oh, my dear," Granny whispered, hugging me tightly while I sobbed into her blue sweater. "If he ever thinks something like that, you're too good for him."
A hard knock on the door interrupted our conversation, and I pulled away.
I wiped my cheeks, watching her as she stood and walked to see who had arrived.
I observed her the whole time while she was walking to the door.
With one swift movement, she opened it, and I heard the familiar profound baritone that always sent shivers down my spine.
"Hello," Bastian said politely, sounding like a businessman meeting with an important client. "I'm Sebastian Thorn. I'm here to take my girl home."
"Well, young man," Granny started, eyeing him up and down. I saw everything because I was already in the hall, almost behind the door, listening to their every word. "First, you're eight days late, and second, I'm not sure she wants to see you."
"If you don't mind, ma'am, I'd like to find out for myself," he stated in a tone that didn't take no for an answer, but Granny wasn't fazed. She gave him another once-over, and then she turned to me, opening the door wider so I could finally see him.
My breath hitched in my throat at the sight of him. He was dressed in a simple black sweater, leather jacket, and black jeans. His hair was messy, and the stubble on his face was longer than I’d ever seen on him. He looked tired, and dark circles had formed under his eyes.
He gave the impression of a broken, sad person who had lost someone very dear to him.
I couldn't help but feel a certain satisfaction from his somber expression.
For the past week, I'd felt like shit. It was only fair that he was miserable, too.
After all, he and his stupid contract with Rose were the reason behind this .
"Hello, princess," he greeted me gently, scanning me from head to toe with his probing gaze. I instantly regretted my choice of clothes. I wore an oversized grey sweater and black leggings. With messy hair that flew around my face, there was no way I looked exactly appealing.
"You forgot something when you left." He raised his hand and let the pink heart-shaped diamond necklace dangle. The white gold chain was hanging on his thumb. He gave me this ridiculously expensive piece of jewelry along with my collar.
I gulped, feeling tears in my eyes again, yet this time, I wasn't crying because he lied to me. I was crying because he came. He was willing to fight for me, for us, for our future. I couldn't deny the evident happiness settling in my chest. He was the only man who could heal my wounded heart.
However, one thing was absolutely clear. I wasn't ready to just forgive and forget. I didn't want to let everything pass with a wave of my hand only because he would say he was sorry.
It was up to him to show me how much he wanted me back, to persuade me it was nothing between him and Rosalind. I said it at the beginning, and nothing has changed since then. I would not share him with another woman.
Ever.