Fated To Three, And I Broke Them All

Chapter 183: 183-She Carries Too Much Guilt

Jaguar:

”Well then, why don’t you move into my mansion?” I asked.

I didn’t know how those words had just escaped my lips.

I noticed her eyes widen.

She took another step back.

”Come on, Verity. It’ll be much easier for you to stay in one of our guest rooms and work from there. Because—”

I paused, trying to find a better way to convince her.

”Look at it this way,” I said as I stepped towards her again.

This time, when she stepped back, I took her hand and gently pulled her towards me.

She didn’t resist.

She came to a stop against my chest, her fingers curling into the front of my jacket.

”You can’t get ready in the morning, travel all the way to our office, spend half the day working there, then come all the way back here just to change and get ready again before travelling all the way to our mansion for your second job.” I paused to see if she looked convinced.

”And then God knows how long my grandmother will keep you working. After that, you’ll have to travel all the way back here, probably late at night. Don’t you think that’s too much of a hassle?”

I tried to explain it in a way that sounded reasonable instead of simply telling her to move in with me and scaring her away.

”I don’t think that would be appropriate,” she commented, gently slipping her arms free from my grasp before walking towards her room.

”Why not?” I asked, following after her.

She picked up the medicine kit to put it back in its place.

That’s how we ended up in her bedroom.

”Because I have a boyfriend, and he’s already—” She paused, rolling her eyes and slumping her shoulders, clearly tired of having this conversation.

”He already thinks I cheated on him with you,” she mumbled, pointing at me before immediately folding her arms across her chest, making her breasts bounce slightly with the movement.

”What?” I asked, trying to sound shocked.

But I already knew.

That video Mrs. Baker had sent me.

In it, that was exactly what he had accused her of.

There were parts of the conversation I hadn’t heard clearly, but now everything made sense.

Verity had confronted him about the drugs, and he had responded with aggression and violence.

”Anyway—” she paused. ”I think, if anything, I should move in with Roman,” she murmured, running a hand through her hair.

I figured it was the right moment to confront her about what I believed was a terrible decision.

”He’s abusing you, Verity. And moving in with him will only make it worse.”

The moment those words left my mouth, I watched her eyes widen in shock.

”No. What makes you say he’s abusing me?”

The way she scratched at her elbows told me everything.

She needed help. She just didn’t know how to admit it or ask for it.

”Come on, Verity. I know he’s abusing you. Why the fuck aren’t you walking away from that abusive asshole?” I growled, stepping towards her and taking hold of her arm, gently pulling her closer.

She looked up at me with those innocent eyes before a broken smile spread across her lips.

”Because that’s the right kind of punishment for someone whose brother abused an innocent woman.”

The moment those words left her mouth, I almost yelped.

I swear, my whole body broke out in goosebumps.

”No. Are you kidding me? Just because your brother did something to Gigi doesn’t mean you have to go through it too,” I said as I cradled her arms, pulling her closer until her back rested against the wall, leaving her nowhere to move away.

”But this is the punishment I deserve,” she shot back, trying to push me away. Her attempts were weak, though, almost as if she wanted to stay close.

A moment later, she stopped struggling.

Her hands settled against my chest, and her fingers curled lightly into the fabric of my shirt.

”Why do you act like you care?” she whispered, lifting her eyes to meet mine.

”I know how much Gigi means to you. And I know she’s still holding on to what my brother did to her.”

Her voice broke.

She bit her bottom lip and lowered her gaze.

Then it hit me.

Verity thought I loved Gigi so much that I would throw Verity into a lifetime of pain and suffering for her sake.

She didn’t understand that I could care about both of them equally.

”Verity,” I murmured, gently placing a finger beneath her chin and lifting her face.

She looked up at me, blinking softly.

”She’s moved on. She’s happy now,” I said.

But Verity shook her head.

”She asked me the other day where my brother was buried.”

Her voice was barely above a whisper as a tear rolled down her cheek.

The fact that she believed she deserved the abuse, and that it was the reason she wasn’t stopping Roman, completely stunned me.

How could someone carry so much misplaced guilt?

She had done nothing wrong.

She was just a young woman carrying an unbearable weight all by herself because she believed we loved Gigi so much that we wanted Verity to be punished.

What she didn’t know was that she had become such an important part of my life that the mere thought of her being in pain hurt me.

But one thing she had said lingered in my mind.

Why would Gigi ask where Justin was buried?

”I don’t know. I– I’d just love to be punished until my body gives up and I die, just like my brother. Because I can’t rest until she’s happy.”

She spoke with her lips trembling, the corners of her mouth pulling downward.

”I feel responsible for being so traumatized by my brother’s actions.”

My fingers brushed along her jawline, gliding to her ear before tracing their way back beneath her chin.

I watched her eyes slowly close as she leaned into my touch, a quiet hiss escaping her lips.

”No. I won’t let that happen,” I whispered, lowering myself until we were at eye level, making sure she couldn’t avoid my gaze.