Page 22 of Downfall

The words keep reverberating in my head. Sure I wanted her dead. Sure I even had the bullet in the chamber with my finger poised on the trigger, but somehow this feels different. I had reasons. Good reasons. She betrayed me after all. And there’s a fine line between taking out an adversary and doing what Paris is right now.

I growl as I realise it. What is almost certainly happening back at that house.

As much of a monster as I am I would never have inflicted that on her. I shut my eyes. Perhaps a part of me should feel joy, she made her bed didn’t she? She married him. Why should I care what their relationship is? What should I care if he hurts her? If he beats her? If he rapes her even?

But I do care. I dofuckingcare.

“What happened?” Ben says leaning against the door. He’s always been so good at reading me.

I shake my head. Can I tell him? What would he say? No doubt he’d call me a fool for going back there again.

“I went back to the house.” I say. I don’t need to state whose. He already knows.

“And?” He says.

“Paris hit her.” I state.

Ben narrows his eyes. “So what?”

I shake my head and down the second drink. “He hit her.”

“She married….”

“I watched him Ben.” I half yell. “I watched him hit her, and then rip her dress off and…” My words die as I see Sofia stood just behind him and the expression on her face says it all.

“It’s not the first time.” She says.

“What are you talking about?” I snap.

“Paris hits her regularly enough.”

“How do you know that?” Ben asks.

She shrugs. “We go to the same country club. She’s not as good at hiding the bruises as she thinks. Besides it’s hard to hide all of them when you’re getting changed.”

“You’ve seen each other changing?” Ben says.

She rolls her eyes in response. “Of course that’s what you would take from that.” She mutters before looking back at me. “Roman, what are you thinking?”

I shake my head, walking over to the couch and sink down into it. I don’t know what I’m thinking but right now it feels like everything I’d planned is off kilter.

“So he hits her?” Ben says. “What’s the big deal?”

“It is a big deal.” I mutter. If I’ve overlooked this, what else have I not seen? What else have I missed?

“She still married him. She still chose to stay.” Ben states. I know he’s right. Nothing that I witnessed tonight changes that. Shedidchoose to stay. Shedidchoose to walk away from everything we could have been.

So why does this feel so significant?

“Roman.” Sofia says. She’s sitting beside me now, though when she moved I couldn’t tell you. “Are you sure she’s who you think she is?”

“Yes.” I spit the word. Maybe their marriage isn’t what it appears but somethings haven’t changed. She still walked away. She still chose him.

“Why don’t you talk to her? Ask her why she did it. See what she says.”

“That’s not a good idea.” Ben says quickly. “No one knows he’s here. He can’t exactly walk up to her in the street can he?”

“He’s been going to her house enough times…” Sofia mutters.

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