SHE'S MY WIFE

Chapter 14: It's always been her

Max stood outside the gates wondering if he was making a mistake. Should he have listened to Emilia and not come here? What he was about to do wasn't easy. Not because he still had any feelings for her but because seeing her would remind of him of what she'd done. Her betrayal had led to his son's death and destroyed his life. Could he ever face that woman? Did he have the guts to do so? Squaring his shoulders, he went in.

"I'm here to see Lisandra Martinez" he told the guard at the front door. They conducted a mandatory security check up then he was told to empty his pockets into a tray, write his name on the visitor's log book before he was led to a room with a couple of benches and tables where he was told to wait. He looked around, taking in the bland decor. This could have been avoided if she hadn't been so wicked. They wouldn't be here, Zander would still be alive if Lisandra hadn't done what she did.

Once in a while he lay in bed wondering why he had led her on. For her to think she had a chance, he had to have shown her some kind of affection. They'd lived together for nine years. He knew she loved him but he'd chosen to ignore it hoping she would get tired one day and leave on her own. Instead he'd created a mess that would forever hunt him. The only thing he hoped was that wherever Zander was, he'd forgive him for being such a coward. Emilia had been right to tell him everything was his fault. If he'd been clear with Lisandra from the beginning, none of this would have happened. But he was here now, to make everything clear to her.

"Oh my God, Max, you finally came" she said stopping beside him. Lifting his head he looked at her. The elegant woman he knew was nowhere to be found. In her place was an ordinary woman who didn't even come close to the word pretty. Maybe now that he had seen the real her, now that all the makeup and glam had been scraped off, the curtain on his eyes had dropped. He couldn't find the reason he'd kept her by his side for nine years.

"Sit" he pointed to the other side of the table.

"Do you believe me now? Is that why you came?"

"Believe you?" he asked shocked. Did she think he would ever listen to anything she said ever again?

"Yes, I swear I didn't kill Zander. It wasn't me"

"First of all, don't ever say his name with that filthy mouth" he said his nostrils flaring. It was so hard to sit in front of her and not give in to the urge to kill her.

"Max please...."

"Please what Lisandra? What the fuck were you thinking when you kidnapped him in the first place?"

"I just.... I'm sorry Max. I didn't think things would get out of hand like that"

"If I forgive you, will you give me back my son alive? Will you bring him back?" he hit the table with his fist. She moved back gasping and for the first time, he saw the fear in her eyes. She ought to feel afraid. If she wasn't locked up, he would have killed her with his bare hands. She'd taken so much from him and instead of stopping she wanted to take more.

"She always does this to you. Every time you're with her, she always poisons your mind against me. When will you see her for who...."

"Dammit Lisandra, stop!" Max roared, attracting the guards attention. He didn't care though. This woman was going too far - no she already had but wouldn't stop. Was this how she always was? How blind had he been before? "Just shut up. You have no right to say anything about Emilia. Aren't you done? How far are you going to go?"

"During the years we spent together, when she wasn't there, you loved me. I could see it in your eyes and the way you treated me. Then the second she comes back, you throw away the nine years we were together like it was nothing. How could you be so cruel?"