Page 95 of Stronger Than Fate
“It is, but I’m not answering,” I stated, and turned off the phone.
“I have no doubt he’ll show up here. Do this—go to my apartment and take everything you need for the trip. We’ll leave for the airport from there today. If he comes here, it’ll be an ugly moment, and I’d prefer to spare you that,” Bastián affirmed as he got up from his chair.
“I’ll take her,” Lolo said. “Bring me the keys to your apartment.”
I looked at them and let them handle it. They were right. I had no doubt Henry would come to my office trying to defend the indefensible and inventing any excuse about the image I had forwarded to him of him and the woman at the bar. I no longer had the desire or strength to face him. I stood up and nodded.
“I appreciate both of you. I’ll get my things.”
“I’ll come with you,” Lolo said, while Bastián left my office.
While I was shutting down my computer and gathering my things, Bastián arrived with the keys and handed them to Lolo. I said goodbye to him and left the office accompanied by Lolo. When we reached the suite, I took everything I needed and gave the place one last look, sighed, and left knowing it would be difficult to forget what I had experienced with him.
Lolo received a call from Bastián when we were leaving the hotel in his car, but he didn’t use the speakerphone so I couldn’t hear what they were talking about, though my brother’s serious expression made me think it had something to do with me or Henry.
“Don't worry, we've already left the hotel,” was all he said before ending the call.
“What's going on?” I asked.
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
“Lolo, tell me what's happening.”
“Bastián wanted to make sure we weren't at the hotel anymore.”
“Why?”
“In case that guy showed up.”
I didn't say anything else. I wasn't sure that was all there was to it—I suspected Henry was at the hotel—but at this point, it wasn't something I cared about anymore. I just wanted my brothers to stay out of trouble for trying to defend me.
Lolo dropped me off at Bastián's apartment and didn't even get out of the car. He immediately headed back to the hotel, which reinforced my suspicion that Henry was or had been there.
When I entered the apartment, I felt exhausted. My body wouldn't respond anymore, and my head felt foggy. I lay down on the couch, closed my eyes, and fell asleep.
I woke up completely disoriented. My head was spinning. It took me several seconds to realize I was in my brother's apartment. I sat up on the couch where I'd been sleeping, and at that moment, the weight of the sad reality came crashing down on me. I was here, running away from the traitor Henry Woollardy, and in a few hours I would board a plane to get as far away from him as possible. I was a coward, I knew that clearly, but I still wasn't capable of facing him. I checked the time on my watch—it was three in the afternoon. I still had several hourshere. I took my suitcase and went to the bedroom to change my clothes because I was still wearing what I'd put on for the office. In comfortable clothes, I went to the kitchen determined to prepare something to eat with whatever I could find. I hadn't eaten anything since morning. I made myself a sandwich and, while eating it, looked at my phone. I had taken it out of my purse but hadn't turned it on yet. The little device was the only thing on the table, and I stared at it as if it were my enemy. I finished eating and after cleaning up, decided to turn it on.
I had about fifty missed calls and just as many messages. I only checked who had sent them. Most were from Henry, which I didn't read; there were two more from the unknown number that I also didn't bother to look at; and I also had several from Niky and my brothers. I started with my brothers who wanted to know how I was doing, so I responded to the “The Dukarts” group:
“Just woke up.
I'm fine.
Thank you.
Love you all”
With Niky's message, I had many doubts. I didn't know if she was aware of what happened, but she was his sister and I didn't want them to fight because of me, so for the moment, I preferred not to read them to avoid the temptation of saying something I might regret. As I was putting the phone down on the table, it started ringing. It was him. I let it ring until it stopped, but a minute later it was ringing again. I didn't want to continue with this torture, so I had no choice but to turn it off again. I knew Henry was stubborn and wouldn't stop calling until he gave his version, but I didn't need him to tell me more lies. I had been very naive, or rather, stupid, but no more. He knew perfectly well what he had done—what else was there to say?
My brothers arrived at five in the afternoon because I had to be at the airport by seven. When I saw Bastián, I nearly fainted—he had a wound on his lip, as if he had fallen or someone had hit him...
“No!” I exclaimed. “Please tell me you didn't fight with him. Please, Bastián. I can't believe he did this to you,” I sobbed, running to his side and hugging him tightly.
“Calm down, little one, I assure you he ended up worse,” he stated, wanting to smile but restraining himself and letting out a hiss of pain.
“Why? I don't understand. What does he gain by doing all this?” I said, shaking my head and hugging him tighter.
I looked at Lolo, who was watching us seriously.
