Page 115 of How to Break My Heart
Everleigh’s honey-brown eyes glisten, a depth of sorrow pooling beneath her lashes. Her lip quivers, the faintest movement that betrays the tears she’s fighting to keep at bay. My hand aches to reach out, to trace that trembling lip and smooth the lines of worry etched into her face. But reality tugs me back, reminding me of the battles I have yet to fight, the promises I still need to keep.
And I’ll be damned if Harvey drags Everleigh into this mess I once called family.
The door closes behind me as Harvey splutters, “Do you realize what you have done? You have single-handedly allowed your daughter to destroyour family! How do you expect us to recover from this?”
My mother drops her gaze to the floor, and with my chest tightening, I pray she doesn’t give in to him. I’ve spent my entire life watching her fall victim to his emotional tirades and abuse. She deserves to get out now and stop living this lie.
She lifts her gaze and straightens her shoulders, drawing strength from some reservoir hidden beneath the surface of a woman who has been downtrodden. “There is nousanymore, Harvey. I’m filing for divorce.” Her voice is a fractured whisper, but each word is laced with the weight of every moment leading to this one.
“Divorce? I won’t allow it!”
He inches closer to her, his face twisting with rage, a crimson flush darkening his cheeks, his jaw clenched so tight it trembles. My eyes catch the rigid set of fists, knuckles white against his skin, and I know all too well how his barely contained fury can erupt.
Before he can take another step, I lunge forward, my voice dropping to a low, lethal hiss, “Touch her, and you die.” The words slice through the air, each one an unmistakable promise.
A flicker of uncertainty flashes in his gaze as he steps back, but the fury seething within does not ebb. It radiates like the sun, simmering and waiting for an excuse to burn.
I feel my own pulse pounding in my ears, my fingers twitching, my body taut with readiness—I will gladly make good on my threat.
But then a gentle touch grounds me. My mother’s silent presence steadying the storm inside me. Her fingers, soft yet firm against my arm, convey the restraint she is urging on me. “Aston, honey, perhaps you could leave us alone for a moment?”
“No chance in hell,” I voice coldly. “Whatever is said will be said in front of me.”
Harvey’s expression deepens, his eyes narrow to slits as he plants his feet wide. His mouth curls back into a snarl and he bellows, “Beaumonts do not get divorced.”
The threat hangs thick in the air, every syllable a dangerous promise.
I stand my ground, meeting his fury with an unwavering stare, my stance a silent shield between this bastard and my mother.
“And I will tell the world just who you are if you make mestay,” she counters, keeping her tone calm. Her composure seems to slice right through him but only stokes the fire in his glare. “We can either end this amicably,” she continues, her tone smooth. “Or you can see what I’m capable of.”
My mother’s sudden backbone catches me off guard, a spark of resilience I hadn’t seen in her before. For a moment, I wonder if she needs me here, standing guard and defending her. Maybe she is stronger than I ever realized.
But as much as I want to believe in that strength, I also know I’ll never forgive myself if he lays even one finger on her. So I stay, a silent sentinel, prepared for whatever comes next.
“You’re both completely worthless to me!” His blinding rage has stripped away any pretense, baring the ugliness underneath. “I spent months securing this marriage. Do you think I enjoy wasting my time? If it weren’t for you playing these childish high school games with your girlfriend, your sister would have happily walked down that aisle by now, proudly and without hesitation. I warned your girlfriend not to get involved!”
The pounding in my ears is incredibly difficult to ignore. The adrenaline spins inside me, a tornado gaining momentum, building and building until I’m on the verge of tearing everything apart to cause maximum destruction.
Then he laughs—a vile, twisted sound that slices through my haze. “Did you honestly think I would allow you to marry and have children with a woman who brings no value to our family?” His voice drips with mockery. “I could destroy her just as easily. Oh, wait! I think I did, when I said you were leaving for good.”
A sensation I can’t even name floods through me, igniting my strength and amplifying my rage to a new level. I don’t think, I just move—charging for Harvey, shoving him against the wall with my hand pressing into his neck, pinning him there. His smug expression falters as he meets my gaze, and I feel my grip tighten. Every ounce of fury I’ve held back is surging through my fingertips, waiting to be released.
“Aston,” my mother calls urgently, cutting through the haze of my anger. “Let him go.”
I press my lips close to his ear, my voice a low, dangerous murmur. “Don’t you ever, and I meanever, talk about the woman I love that way again. Do you understand me,Harvey?”
My mother pulls me toward her, motioning for us to leave. Just as I turn my back, Roland, Georgina, and Myles enter the room in a flurry. I’ve lost count of how long it’s been, but I assume everyone has now caught on that Madelina is either running behind or running away.
Roland narrows his gaze on me, reading the room. There’s a gleam in his eye, albeit slight. I’ve spent enough time with him to know it’s a sense of pride.
I have finally stood up to the man who has controlled my entire life.
“I’m sorry, Myles,” I say, my voice steady. “Madelina can’t marry you.”
Myles bows his head, hiding his reaction, as he absorbs the blow. Beside him, Georgina’s reaction is far less subdued as she presses her hand to her chest.
Obviously, she doesn’t know how to read the room.
