Mafia Billionaire’s Forlorn Wife
Chapter 38

Rhys

“Come on, I just saw the most beautiful Dali piece on display, can we please go there do I can get it for myself?” Amelia asks, more like whines— she’s seemingly doing a lot of it tonight— and especially with my mood already turned sour because of Arabella’s disappearance, I am seriously not in the mood to stay at this event for longer than necessary.

“I’ve already bought the Dali.” I tell her through my teeth. I know I shouldn’t be upset with Amelia, but the stunt that she pulled downstairs is what put Arabella in a foul mood in the first place and perhaps that is also the reason why she left.

I just thought that perhaps my wife realised that Amelia hugging me in front of the media out of the blue was completely out of my control.

“What?” She stutters out, “what do you need it for? Since when did you get interested in Surrealism?”

Since my wife mentioned that she would like a Dali at home.

The same wife who has abandoned me at an event that I was only attending because I believed it would make her happy.

I try— and fail— to push Arabella’s thoughts out of my mind but I am unable to do so.

Instead, I respond to Amelia, “I’m just dabbling in different art forms. We’re opening a new office in New York, just thought that it would make a good lobby portrait for it.” I lie to her outright and find her looking at me as though I have lost my mind.

I know that Amelia would never understand or agree to the kind of thoughts that I have started having for Arabella.

Hell, even I don’t understand them whatsoever.

Ever since she has started talking about leaving me and how she is done with this marriage, I have been feeling this strange ache in my chest that just doesn’t let me stay away from Arabella for long.

If I didn’t know myself any better, I would have thought that I am too afraid to leave her alone for I believe that she would walk away if I do.

But that isn’t just what this strange feeling is.

It’s something which I don’t understand at all.

“You didn’t tell me about this new office.” Amelia states with a frown on her lips, looking at me as though she does not believe me.

I look away, taking a sip of the champagne that is too mild for my tastes, “it’s a new initiative.” I say casually.

Amelia narrows her eyes slightly, “but—”

“I’m going home now.” I say to her, getting more and more agitated by the minute because of the storm currently brewing inside my chest. I need to get home and ask Arabella about what the f**k happened to her and why did she have to leave without telling me first.

Hell, I would have left with her and thought of something else to make her feel better about how things have been between us.

Why are you even trying so hard to make things better?? You don’t care about her, remember?

I push away that nagging voice inside my head as Amelia objects, “what? But why? The night has barely begun.” She pouts.

Even the sight of that makes me want to snap at her but I keep reminding myself that she isn’t at fault here.

“I’m tired, Amelia. I’ll see you later.” I affirm, hoping that perhaps she would take a hint and just let me leave.

Amelia reaches out and takes hold of my hand, “Rhys, wait, please.” And before I can yell at her, she squeezes my hand, “I…I need you.” She whispers softly.

That is when I furrow my brows, “what’s wrong?” I question.

She looks troubled as she nibbles on her l*p and her eyes fill up with tears that make me take a step closer to her, “Amelia, what’s wrong?” I ask her softly, stroking her knuckles with my thumb.

I have hardly ever seen her look so timid and fragile. Right now she looks like the wind may blow in her direction and she’s going to break under the effect of it.

“It’s just…” she whispers shakily, “it’s my ED. I think I’m going back to it, Rhys. And I don’t know how to stop myself. I’m barely hanging on, lately.” Her voice cracks towards the end and I immediately pull her in for a hug to ensure that no one present sees her cry.

“Hey, it’s okay, I’m with you, alright? We’re going to fight this together, I promise.” I whisper to her, rubbing her back to calm her down.

We pull back and she looks at me nervously, “can you take me to our spot please? I’m feeling very tense right now.”

My thoughts contradict inside my mind as I realise that on one hand I want to go back home and talk to Arabella about what happened to her, and on the other hand, I want to be there for my best friend who has had a terrible experience with an eating disorder in the past and looks like she really does need me by her side.

“I promise I won’t keep you waiting for long. I swear!” She says urgently, probably seeing the conflict on my face, “just for a little while and then you can go back home. I just don’t feel so well tonight, Rhys, please, I’m begging you.”

My heart clenches in my chest and I nod my head, reaching out to place my hand on her arm, “alright, come on, let’s tell Madeline and then we can leave.”

Amelia’s face brightens up and even though I regret not going home to my wife, I know that it is my responsibility to be there for my best friend.

⚜️⚜️⚜️

Arabella

“Please don’t leave me here!” I scream on top of my lungs, my throat turns scratchy while I beat at the door in front of me. “Dad! Please! I’m begging you!” I scream but how much louder can a ten year old’s voice be, right?

“You have started becoming a brat, Arabella! You will learn your lesson.” I hear my father’s strict voice from outside and more tears stream down my face as I shake my head even though he cannot see me.

“Please…I won’t ask for more dolls, I promise. I’ll fix Ms. Muffin with glue, dad. I won’t ask Ace for his toys. Please don’t do this!”

I am trapped.

My father loves to throw me inside this non functional refrigerator whenever he gets mad at me. I have stopped doing things that make him mad all because I fear him.

I don’t want him to be upset with me.

And I have yet again managed to get myself locked in here.

I bang at the steel door again, “please, dad…please…it’s so dark in here…”

But I only realise much later that there is no one present to hear my cries right now.

I don’t know how much time has passed while I sit here on the floor of the bathroom stall that is currently flooded with water since that pathetic b***h turned on all the taps and made sure to prolong my suffering.

It’s dark, and cold, and wet.

Everything that reminds me of the worst times of my life when my father used to see me as his personal punching bag.

And good for him, my fear of what he might do to me kept me from saying anything about what he was doing to me to anyone.

Even Ace doesn’t know.

Neither does Rhys. When I met him, I did tell him that my father was emotionally abusive but I never dared to reveal the disgusting extents of his abuse.

And now, I am trapped once again and my husband who should have been here to protect me, to rescue me, is nowhere to be found.

Does he really not realise that I am not with him? Or has Amelia ensured a fool proof plan in her tactics?

Tears continue to pour out of my eyes as I rest my head against the wall, trying my best to visualise better scenarios behind my closed eyes.

Why do I always have to bear this?

Even after the years that my father subjected me to the very same darkness that I am currently sitting in, I’m still not comfortable with it.

“Please…Rhys…just come and save me.” I mumble out loud but even my own ears catch up on the lost hope inside my words. “Just come and help me. Please, I beg you.”

“What the hell?”

My eyes fly open and I am immediately blinded by the influx of light that floods my senses as I g***n.

The unknown male voice from outside asks again, “is anyone in there?”

And then I hear some shuffling outside the stall and finally, someone is opening the door for me.