HIS CLAIM

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I made my way to my room, carefully opening the door not to wake her up. I felt relieved to see her still in bed, sleeping. I went to lie next to her, pulling her closer to me and caressing her body as I watched her. I noticed her eyelashes were wet, letting me know she had been crying in her sleep and my chest tightened at the sight. She had barely stepped a foot into my world and had already become a target. This wasn't a life for her. It was never a life for her to begin with and I now understood why her death had to be faked. This is my fault. I did this to her. I took a deep breath, trying to contain my anger. I closed my eyes in an attempt to get some sleep, holding her close to me, fearing she would disappear if I didn't. Two days passed and a funeral for her mother had been arranged. I watched Elsa as she stood next to Tessa and Asher, watching the casket being lowered into the ground while she stared at it numbly. She hadn't cried since the day of the hospital. It was like every single emotion within her had disappeared, and I hated every single moment of it. I could see her and feel her. But she wasn' t present. Her green eyes, usually bright and full of life, had lost their spark. She was like a ghost. Her skin had lost the usual tan color and had become pale. She wasn't eating anything either, only sometimes I could get her to eat a spoonful or two and it was visible to see she had lost weight. Tessa couldn't stop crying and held tightly onto Elsa's hand, seeking comfort, but she barely reacted to it as she continued to stare blankly at the lowered casket as it was getting covered in dirt. I took a look around, seeing it was mostly my men present. Her father and his men were present too as well as some people that knew her mother attended the funeral and gave their condolences. They were told it was a car accident and she had died instantly to avoid further questions. I kept my eyes on Elsa, barely letting my eyes leave her. I watched her legs give up on her when they finished burying the casket. I quickly took a step toward her but a hand stopped me from getting closer to her. I looked to see it was -Dante who has stopped me. He shook his head and I clenched my hands but stayed still and turned to look at her again, only to see the bastard's arms wrapped around her. She needs to be with her family too. I kept telling myself and watched her go to her father for comfort. It was killing me to see her like this, and it was killing me she wasn't seeking me for comfort. But this wasn't the time nor the place to be a possessive and jealous maniac. Instead, I stayed put and watched her. Elsa had gotten straight up to the bedroom when we came back. She had barely uttered a word the whole day, walking around with her eyes down like a lost ghost. She avoided everyone, not wanting to look at anyone. Especially me. She couldn't look me in the eyes and always tried to distance herself from me and just wrap her arms around herself when I stepped too close to her. I wanted to give her the space she needed but I couldn't get myself to leave her alone. I opened the bedroom door, only to find her sitting on the floor by the balcony doors. I stepped closer to her and sat down on the floor as well on the opposite side. "I understand now what you meant..." She said quietly while she continued to look out of the window. I didn't say anything and let her continue to talk, desperate to hear her voice for a little. "It does fuck you up in a different way. How...could I lose everything like that?" Her voice went into a whisper. She sniffed when tears made their way down her cheeks. "I see her face everywhere now. First, it was only when I closed my eyes, but now, it's like she's everywhere. Haunting me because I couldn't do anything to help her. I can't look up because I think it's her among people. And when I look down, all I can see is blood on my hands." Elsa let out a choked chuckle. "I'm not a killer...but he wanted to rape me. I shouldn't feel guilty that I took his life. I keep telling myself I shouldn't because he deserved it... But I can't. All I see is his blood on my hands no matter how many times I'm washing them!" She broke down. I went to her and placed her on my lap as I held her tightly while she cried into my chest. It broke me for every single tear she was shedding. "I can't do this anymore! I feel suffocated... I can barely stand being in my own skin." My heart started to hammer behind my chest at her words. "I can't do it anymore... I just... I have to go away." She cried out in desperation. My throat went dry and I swallowed hard. "I can't..." I managed to whisper. She looked at me with her tear-streaked face. Her eyes showed me how shattered she was. "Nicholas..... Please, don't keep me here." Her hands fisted my shirt while she kept crying to me. Are you leaving me? I wanted to ask her but the words died down in my.throat the more I looked at her. I couldn't stand watching her like this. She was broken and suffering so much, and I had no idea what I could do to make the pain go away. "I'm begging you..." She whispered. I couldn't get myself to say anything and just held her in my arms. Maybe for the last time. I went to my office once the sleeping pill had kicked in and Elsa fell asleep. I poured myself a drink and downed it in one go before filling it up once again. I went behind my desk and opened the drawer, only to feel my heart drop at the sight of the red baby shoes. I picked them up and looked at them before I angrily tossed them across the office. "You wanted to see me?" Arianna walked in just as I downed another drink and slammed the glass down on the desk. I placed my hands on the desk, my back still facing her and I let out a breath before I spoke. "I need you to take her away." "...What?" I turned around to face her. She was looking at me confused. "Elsa. She wants to leave and I need you to take her away. To a safe house." I ordered. This was what she wanted and it was for the best. I had already ruined her. "You can't be serious? Are you letting her go?" She asked in disbelief and looked at me to see if I was being serious or not, but I only stared at her blankly. "Just do it." "Nicholas, you can't – " "What the fuck am I supposed to do?!" I yelled out at her. "Hasn't she suffered enough because of me? This wouldn't have happened if I had just left her alone. But no. I was fucking selfish and greedy and had to have her. I would rather watch her walk away and be safe than watch her die." My chest was rapidly rising and falling as I spoke. I ran a hand through my hair in frustration. There was nothing I could do for her. "I need you to take her away because I know I won't be able to let her go." I said, leaving no room for discussion. Arianna didn't know what to say but gave a small nod before she left my office. I grabbed the bottle and drank from it and sat down on the couch, wanting to get rid of all these unfamiliar feelings in me that only she could get out of me. I looked across the office, my eyes landing on the baby shoes on the floor, chuckling to myself as I leaned back on the couch and stared at the ceiling. "You fucking idiot. You really thought you could have it all."

I wasn't meant to be happy. I was meant to be alone. 

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I notice that everything it merged and I did edit this chapters like 2-3 times but again nothing works😩😩😩It look like so messed up and I think m gonna rewrite everything again!!!!

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