Chapter Eighteen

Dimitri

My grip on the steering wheel tightens without showing any signs of releasing any soon as the anger within me emerges, making me close my eyes in order to breathe. Everything that has happened in my life has got to be happen for a reason because this world can't be messing with my head without a proper cause. No matter how unrealistic or how crazy it might sound but all I ever done is for the sake of Brody and Sophia. Both of them means the world to me, they're everything.

I've come to realise just how much I love Sophia. Little by little, it grows into something bigger and deeper; not just a feeling where I'd want to be with her because she's beautiful but because of her imperfections. The imperfection she portrays, shows a different perspective somehow.

It doesn't take me long to realise that I've parked my car in front of the town's bar for the past fifteen minutes but deep in my heart, I just want to head back home and breathe her in. I'm not upset with her but I'm overall confused and angry at myself for being too naive, too far from what I expected—I want to open up and tell her everything, all my worries and anxiety but it'd make me concern about her. If I tell her everything, then she'd be having the same burden. I don't want that.

For the past few hours, I was driving with no exact destination in my mind. It felt like I needed a release, just a slight release in order to keep myself sane. Ever since we moved here, our lives are better but the anxiety grows into something larger; making me expect the worse rather than living my life properly. Aidan has helped me a lot in order to start fresh and I'm more than grateful but for some reason, I feel like we shouldn't have left. We should've just stayed in New York.

Now, I've lost almost everything already. The business. Most of my money.

I'm like an ordinary person wandering with anxiety seeping through and it scares me of how normal I feel. The kind of life I had never expect I'd have but I'm having. ''What is wrong with me? What is wrong with you? Damn it,'' I mutter under my breath before running my hands over my face to wipe away the worries and stress.

''Screw it.'' I utter before stepping out of the car and head straight towards the bar, entering to find people drinking and living their lives in sorrow. Never did I expect myself to enter an old bar and even get a drink here to release my stress, to find an escape from reality because as far as I had lived my life, nightclubs and well-tended bars were my go-to.

I take a seat at the bar to find myself staring at the bartender, ''How can I help you?''

''Beer.'' I respond to her, causing her to take a mug before pouring it full.

It's odd how I'm staring at the glass as if it's toxic. It's not like I haven't drank alcohol before and knowing I had ordered something light instead of something strong eases me a little. I drove here and I'll be driving back—I need to get back once I'm not intoxicated and having a beer would be good enough to ease myself up rather than losing my senses, that's not what I need right now.

''You know, people say I'm a great listener.'' She comes back, continuing to look at me as she wipes the glasses underneath the bar. ''Been listening to people's shit for the past years and believe me, no one has it better.''

''How'd you know I'm dealing with shit?'' I raise an eyebrow.

''First of all, as much as you're dressed up to blend it—you look like you don't belong here. Second, you haven't even touched your drink and it has been sitting there for the past ten minutes. Third, the look on your face. They never lie,'' She replies, placing both of her hands on the bar before sighing. ''Whatever it is going on in your head, I hope you'll be able to settle it. It's not good for you,''

I scoff, ''I wish it was that easy.''

''You have a family? A lover? A wife?'' She asks, leaning back.

''A son and a lover.''

''Then, you shouldn't be here. People come here once they realise they've lost everything. They've lost their money, their families, their loved ones and even themselves. You can't be coming here, ordering a drink that you're not even going to bother take a sip and give me that look. You have two people waiting for you at home. Don't waste your time being here,'' She says.

''What if I'm already losing everything? Do I still not belong here?'' The fact that I've lost everything I worked hard on is never a good reason why I'm here and knowing I've disappointed my parents is far worse. The look on their faces when I told them I was going down and literally dragging them with me was bad enough—they were devastated, they were upset. I am their only child yet I've made it that I'm their worst one.

''Losing money isn't everything. Losing your son and your girlfriend is everything,'' Her eyes meet mine in an instant. ''Don't busy chasing something that you've lost and neglecting the things you still have. It's not worth your time,''

''Thanks.'' I say, standing up to take my wallet out.

She shakes her hand, ''No. This one's on me. Just head home,''

I walk out of the bar and straight into my car before driving down the road with only two things in my mind, my son and my lover. Whoever she was, she was right—the bartender. I've lost something but I haven't lost everything and doing this to hurt Sophia's feelings, it's not worth it. I should've talked to her and discussed it, like we were before we left New York but now I'm holding the burden on my own when she deserves to know it as well.

As soon as I've arrived in front of our house, I immediately frown my eyebrows at the sight—the door is wide open, making me wonder if we have any visitors but there's no sight of any familiar cars parked around. I quickly step out of the car and make my way towards the front door to find Sophia laying on her stomach with bruises covering most of her body and blood staining her clothes, shocking me. As my eyes remain still on Sophia, I find Brody crying near the stairs with his phone in hand.

''Sophia?'' My voice shakes in fear as I immediately make my way towards Sophia, finding her pulse.

''Dad!'' Brody exclaims, running towards me. ''Dad, where were you?''

It's like everything around me begins to crumble and fall. One by one. Yet, I don't bother wasting any time as I grab my phone to call 911 but as soon as I've unlocked it, the sound of sirens eases me. ''Brody, are you okay? What happened? Did you call 911?'' I ask, my vision starts to blur as sweat forms on my forehead, making me lose grip of reality—my hands grow cold as they shake anxiously.

''Sir, we would like you to step aside.'' Someone says from behind me as I'm being pulled away but my eyes remain still on Sophia, seeing her alive yet lifeless at the same time throws me on the edge. 'This is all my fault.' The words keep on replaying in my head, knowing just how well if I didn't leave, this wouldn't happen. At least, not to her.

I hold Brody close to me, ''You okay? Are you okay?''

--

It has been hours, or so I thought it has. It has only been two hours ever since Sophia was pushed into the emergency room and straight towards the operating room, leaving Brody and I to wait outside. Fortunately, Aidan came as soon as he got my message but he left Kenna behind, not wanting to stress her out. After checking up with Brody and making sure he is okay, Chloe comes to save the day—immediately grabbing onto her son as soon as she reaches him, ''Oh my god. How did this happen?'' She asks, eyes wild and face filled with worry.

''There's something you should know,'' I respond.

''Does this have anything to do with you shutting down your family business?'' She stands, meeting my gaze. ''Not just that, the fact that you went missing was all over the news. Can you tell me what's going on now? How can this happen? Are you and Brody okay?''

My eyes wander to Aidan, ''Can you get Brody something to eat?''

''Sure. Come on, bud.'' They both walk side by side and straight towards the elevator. Even though Brody seems a bit hesitant but he follows Aidan out until finally, they're out of sight; leaving Chloe and I to have this conversation to ourselves.

I sigh deeply, ''It has everything to do with me shutting down my family business. The funny thing is, I don't even know who's behind this mess and it's sick. This person, clearly is coming to get me and wanting me to corrupt but knowing he can't reach me, he's trying to hurt those who are closest to me. I'm sick and tired of playing his games,'' I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling devastated.

''Dimitri . . . '' Chloe breathes.

''That's not even the whole thing. I lost everything, my job, my money, my trust. Now, he wants me to lose Sophia as well—I'm glad he didn't come after Brody and I'm glad he didn't search the house but he sent people to hurt her. They hurt her, Chloe . . . in ways I don't even want to say, because it scares me. It fucking scares me how much she went through just because I wasn't there to safe her. I'm a terrible companion, now I know why you did what you did.'' I shake my head, defeated.

''You can't say that—it's not true.''

I look at her, ''Oh yeah? Give me one good reason why you left. It's clear, Chloe. You even told me yourself,'' The sight of two broken souls just staring at each other and talking, ''I was a bad husband. I was too busy chasing dreams and money that I forgot about being there for you. No, I was there at events; at our anniversary, at your birthday but I wasn't exactly there in your life. This doesn't mean what you did was fine but I was the cause of it. I was the reason you went away,''

''You're not the same person!'' She paces, ''You're not that person anymore, Dimitri.''

''Then? Why does this keep happening to me?''

''It's not your fault,''

''It's clear how this is all my fault. This person, is after me and if I stop playing his stupid game, if I keep on running away from him in order to keep my family safe, he'll just come right at me and hurt me more. I can't let it happen again,'' The whole sensation of feeling defeat and hopeless is what I once felt when I lost the first love of my life but now, knowing just how much my life is falling apart and my loved ones being threaten and hurt, it's a far more pain I'd never want to feel again. ''You have to understand, I need to find him. I need to find him for good,''

''How are you going to do that?'' She shakes her head, in disbelief.

''Believe it or not, I have just the clue who might did this to me.''

''You can't just assume—''

I cut her off, ''—I'm not assuming anyone. I just know it might be him; he has never liked my parents and it makes sense why he would want to do this. It makes a whole lot of sense,''

Chloe continues to look at me before frowning, ''Wait, you can't possibly think it's your uncle?''

''You're good at that, reading my mind. I'll give you that,'' My lips slightly curve up into a small smile before standing up, ''I need to find out why. I need to understand. I know it's silly of me but it might really be him.''

''But, but, he's your uncle.'' The sight of Chloe staring back at me with confusion written in her eyes show just how much this is also taking a toll on her but knowing that our son's life is in danger especially after what happened to Sophia, I can't just stay still. There's something out there and there's something big—it might not be him, it might be someone else but he has never liked my family. He has never liked our schemes and he has never joined much events regarding my father. He might just be the suspect.

''Exactly. He might not be,''