Chapter 11 #2
A while later my brother went to rest, but I wasn't sleepy.
I looked at the suitcase that was still in the living room and decided to open it.
The clothes had been thrown in carelessly and all wrinkled—whoever had put them there was furious and had taken out their anger on my garments.
Among the clothes was a box that I recognized immediately; it was the gift I had given him for Christmas.
There were also the keys to my apartment because Hermes had a set, and my car keys, so I assumed the car was in the garage.
Instinctively, I raised my hand to the heart-shaped pendant that Hermes had given me, hanging from my neck on a beautiful chain.
I had to return it—it wasn't right for me to keep such an expensive gift that meant so much.
I lifted my hands and unfastened it; it felt like I was removing my own heart.
I left it on the table and observed it for a few minutes, remembering Hermes's beautiful smile when I asked him to help me put it on.
I shook my head in denial—there was no point in remembering those things anymore.
I left all my things in the suitcase and took it to my bedroom.
Tom was sleeping peacefully. I looked at him and remembered his love story; it caused me great anguish that he had to give up Connor to save me, and it also made me feel guilty.
I was going to insist until he was exhausted that he should fight for that love, and I would help him in any way I could.
I was in the living room watching something on television, or at least trying to watch because my mind was elsewhere.
I couldn't stop thinking about what Hermes might be doing and how he might be feeling.
My phone rang and my secretary's name appeared on the screen.
I had communicated with her a while earlier to tell her that I was fine and that, thanks to my brother, my father had not been able to carry out his plan.
That news had made her very happy. I had also informed her that I was taking my leave early and instead of working until December 28th, I wasn't planning to go to the office anymore, but when she had told me to rest and enjoy my vacation with Hermes, I had to explain that I was no longer in a relationship, and that had saddened her.
"Hello, Julia. Is something wrong?"
"I'm sorry to bother you, but I need to ask you a favor."
"Of course, tell me how I can help you."
"I would need you to come sign some documents that were left without your signature and need to be sent to Switzerland today."
“Are you sure I didn't sign them?” I asked, because I had the impression that I had done so.
“You only signed one, but there are three that need your signature.”
“I'm sorry, Julia, with all the craziness the other day I must have forgotten.”
“If you prefer, to avoid bothering you, I can have the courier bring them to your home and you can sign them there,” she suggested.
“I'd rather go to the office. Those documents are very important and they wouldn't forgive me if they got lost or something happened to them.”
“Yes, you're right. You don't need to come right now, as long as we send them before five in the afternoon, that's fine,” she informed me.
“I'll be there shortly. Thank you, Julia.”
“I'll be waiting for you.”
I changed my clothes because I was wearing shorts at the time, and put on black pants and a white tank top. To avoid waking Tom, I left him a note letting him know that I had to go to the office for a while and that he should wait for me for dinner.
I went down to the garage and, sure enough, my car was there. It had been quite a while since I'd used it because we always traveled in Hermes' car. I got in and started it up.
When I arrived at the office, Julia greeted me with a big smile.
She got up from her chair and approached me to wrap her arms around me and give me a warm hug.
She wasn't normally this effusive, but I assumed she felt sorry for me after hearing everything my father had said to me.
I hugged her for a few minutes, needing to feel that comfort.
Her embrace reminded me of my friend Serafina, and I made a mental note to visit her before leaving for Miami.
“How are you?” she asked, and I could tell her concern was very genuine.
“I'm doing pretty well, thank you for asking,” I replied.
“I left the documents on your desk. I'm so sorry you had to come here while you're on leave.”
“Don't worry about it, Julia. I wasn't doing anything important. I just need to pack my bags, but I'm not taking that much with me. I'd like to ask you a favor,” I said, as I took a package from my purse.
“Of course, whatever you need.”
“I need this package delivered to the person and address written there.”
“We'll have it delivered, don't worry.”
That package was for Hermes. It contained the keys to his house, which I had fortunately left at my apartment and not taken to the meeting with my father, and the necklace he had given me.
“Thank you,” I said, as I walked toward my office.
I opened the door and froze. Hermes was standing in the middle of the office looking at me seriously, but it wasn't the seriousness caused by fury; it was the seriousness produced by uncertainty and fear.
I couldn't move or speak; my body wouldn't respond.
I felt Julia gently pushing me to enter the office.
“Talk in private, no one will disturb you,” she said, and tried to close the door, but my question stopped her.
“Julia, what did you do?” I whispered.
“Delfina, you're a wonderful person. You don't deserve to have your life destroyed by other people's wickedness. I did what I had to do. I owe you so much, and I hope I can help clear up all the misunderstandings with your boyfriend.” She closed the door, disappearing behind it and leaving me alone with Hermes, who continued to stare at me without moving from his spot, with the same expression he had when I entered.
“Hello,” he greeted me, and remained standing in place, without moving a single muscle.
“What are you doing here? Why did Julia let you in?” I asked, not understanding anything, and his presence had completely thrown me off balance.
“Julia not only let me in, she did much more than that, and I'll be grateful to her for the rest of my life,” he replied.
“I don't want to know,” I whispered, shaking my head.
“I owe you a huge apology,” he stated with certainty, and with that voice that made me tremble.
“It seems so,” I said, and began walking toward my desk under his watchful gaze.
“I was wrong. I made a huge mistake by not trusting you and believing all the lies that goddamn son of a bitch told me.
I don't know if I deserve your forgiveness, but I beg you to forgive me.
If you want, I'll get on my knees, offer you my cheek to slap, or use me as a target to throw whatever projectile you can find, but please accept my apology, I'm begging you,” he said, trying to approach me, but my raised hand made him stop in his tracks.
“Violence isn't necessary. I'm not like my father. Fortunately, I was raised by a great woman and a brother with principles, and I have nothing of my father except the color of my eyes.”
“I never imagined he was your father. You don't even share the same last name,” he said, and again tried to approach me, but my hand stopped him for the second time.
“By my own choice. I don't even want that man's last name,” I stated.
I walked around my desk and sat in my chair, needing to be far from him because his proximity destabilized me. Then I looked at him and pointed to the visitor's chair.
“You can sit down if you want.”
He did so, and then our gazes met again.
His still looked fearful and distressed, while mine showed pure disappointment.
He had learned the truth from Julia; my secretary had to intervene for him to listen and understand what had happened, and for him to deign to hear what I had to say.
That wasn't very encouraging, much less did it make me happy.
Even though he was sitting in front of me and seemed willing to resume our relationship, I was far from feeling joyful.
“My love, forgive me. I swear that...”
“I understand clearly, Hermes. You distrusted me without a moment’s hesitation.
I don’t know what they told you, but you never listened to my version.
You treated me like trash, like a whore, like.
.. I don’t know, it doesn’t matter anymore.
It hurt that you denied me the chance to defend myself.
I think during the time we were together, I showed you that you could trust me.
I gave you my heart, I moved in with you, I intended to share my life with you.
The problem is that we’ll always have the shadow of your girlfriend’s betrayal hanging over us because. ..”
“It’s not like that,” he interrupted, also shaking his head.
“It is like that, of course it is. You let your past define you and you continue measuring everyone by the same standard as those who betrayed you. I’m not her, I would never have done something like that, not to you or anyone.
Unfortunately, I’m paying the consequences for something I didn’t break, because I wasn’t the one who broke your heart. ”
“I know, Delfina. I understand clearly that you’re not like her.”
“Then tell me something, why would you never marry me? Because if you understand clearly that I’m not like her, what prevents you from marrying me in the future, because you made it clear to me that would never happen.”