Page 32 of Downfall

The mess she’s made.

Hell, Paris can take the blame for all I care.

I pocket the thong. I don’t really care if I should or not. I don’t really care if it’s noticed by her. I want this keepsake, this tiny memento if you will. And god knows I’ll be using it again, probably the minute I get back home.

I’m halfway back down the hall when I hear a key in the lock and I realise they’re back. Sooner than expected. I’ve practically been caught red-handed. I move quickly, ducking back out of sight.

Voices echo through the house and it’s clear they’re getting nearer. I curse my stupidity for lurking so long but there’s nothing to do now but hide.

I tuck myself back into the closet, concealing myself entirely by Rose’s belongings.

Rose walks in first, but Paris is quick on her heels.

“Why won’t you just take the damn test?” He hisses.

“Because there’s no point. I’m not pregnant.” She replies.

From where I am I can just make out their faces. He looks furious. She looks almost exhausted.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised they’re working on starting a family. They’ve been together five years but the thought of her carrying his brats, of growing fat with his child, it makes me furious, so much so I’m not sure how I’m able to remain hiding.

“How would you know if you don’t take the test?” He snaps.

She shakes her head, folding her arms. “I’m not pregnant. I’d know if I was.”

He scoffs for a moment. “Like hell. When was the last time you even had a period huh?”

Her eyes widen like he’s discovered some sort of secret and he latches onto it.

“What? Are you barren, is that it? Are you so dried up inside you can’t even have children?”

“No.” She says but I can hear the pain of something in her voice. God does she want that? Is that why she sounds distressed? Because she wants to have his child but is as yet unable to.

He laughs. A nasty bitter laugh and grabs her arm making her wince. “Then let’s go make that baby.”

“No.” She says yanking back. “I don’t want a child, not with you.”

He laughs again. “I don’t give a fuck Rose. We’re doing this one way or another.”

She opens her mouth to retort but clearly thinks better of it and then she just seems to give in, her body slumps, and she lets him lead her out the room like she’s too tired to even fight.

I want to step out, to reveal myself but what would be the point? Paris would go running his mouth and Rose? Fuck knows what Rose would do.

So I stay where I am, thinking it over. Paris wants children, wants a family so much so he’s going to force Rose into it. I don’t feel bad for her, I don’t feel sorry. The woman made her decision, she decided long ago what life she wanted. This is all of her own making and she deserves everything she gets.

But as the grunts from the other room begin to grow I feel the fury growing inside me. That he’s in her right now. That he’s fucking her barely metres from where I am and that she’s willingly letting him, that she’s not even trying to stop it.

I clench my fists, willing myself to calm, willing my mind to focus on all the ways I could kill him. All the ways I can ensure that Paris Fucking Blumenfeld is no more.

Rose

I’m at the Governor’s house. It’s another meet and greet only mercifully Paris isn’t here. Darius sent him away on some errand that was apparently so important he had to go straight away.

Not that I’m complaining.

Around me is most of Paris’s immediate family. All Blumenfelds. Plus a few other faces. Big names. Big movers in this city. Though notably I’m the only Capulet not that I mind. It’s rare that my father doesn’t attend these things, and I wonder briefly what’s kept him away but I don’t dwell on it.

His absence makes tonight bearable.

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