Probably

Chapter 17

Blackout

"Alex control your tongue." I spoke with rage. "I know you never got on the right foot with Antoine but everything has a limit. Don't accuse him of something he has not done. Don't hold him responsible for your actions."

"I am holding him responsible for my actions?!?! I am accusing him?!?! You're damn right I am. I am holding him responsible for everything that has been happening with me for the past 6 years, causing me to do anything that I have done till now. He is responsible for the pain and agony in my life and he will pay for it. Mark my words." Said Alex angrily as he rolls up his blood stained sleeve,s taking a step closer to Antoine. I immediately push him back to his original position.

"What on earth is wrong with you Alex?!? Behave your self. Will you bother to tell me what is going on clearly? In fact, will either one you speak up." I say loudly, glancing once at Alex and then at Antoine.

I notice that Antoine could no longer look into my eyes as he always did, even after hurting me in the past. He kept looking down with his head hung low. This was a new reaction from him and it made me realise that he may be somehow involved in this issue. But what was more scary was that for the first time he looked as if he was repented for his actions. I mean, that surely explained the level of his involvement and the intensity of the crime.

"What did you do Antoine?" I said softly but with a tone of agitation. I tried to get him to make eye contact with me but he just couldnt do it. I waited for probably one minute but I got no answers.

"I am asking again and this time for the last time- what did you do?"

"I...I...I."

"Really Veronica, this is the guy your in love with? Unbelievable! He doesn't even have the balls to tell you the truth. I'll tell you instead. He hired some goons to take care of me while I was out buying flowers for you and they kidnapped me, kept me hostage in a dark room, and then took me to a dark ally and beat me up. After the ceremony got over they let me go. Hence the blood stained shirt and my absence at the ceremony."

I was literally speechless listening to this. My jaw probably dropped just listening to it. I couldn't believe Antoine could stoop down to this level in order to separate me from another man. He had become worse than what he was 6 years ago. At least 6 years back he was only hurting me. Now he is literally torturing people around me which in turn was also affecting me. I couldn't believe I was trying to protect a man like him from the misery of our future together thinking it would inflict pain upon him.

Yet, out of all these thoughts, a small part of me still believed that Alex was lying and that Antoine wasn't involved and that he hadn't become the monster that I feared he had become.

"So how is Antoine involved in all this? I mean, you have no proof that he hired them." I said.

"Are you for really? Are hearing yourself? Did you not hear what I said? A dozen of goons beat me in a dark ally, very conveniently when the ceremony was going on, and left me stranded there to fend for myself after the ceremony was over. That should have given this loser enough time to spend with you all alone, to woo you and... you know... have him all to yourself. I mean you like a treat today for any man..."

Antoine punched him hard across his cheek bone bruising him even more. Everyone in the lobby was staring at us. I think someone even called the police. I didn't know what to say or do other than simply pull him back. Before I could figure out what to say, Antoine spoke with a threatening tone-
"Don't ever say something like that to Veronica. Otherwise next time I'll make sure you don't comeback alive for that dark ally."

I was shocked to hear those words from Antoine's mouth. How could I possibly be so naive that I didn't see this happening? I had no hope left- About Antoine being a better human or about we being together. He had become the guy you would prefer to keep your distance from because all they do is bring trouble, pain and agony.