Forbidden Desire 18+

Chapter Nineteen

ELIO MORELLI

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I watch through the window as Isabella sits in her laboratory class. Every student is wearing a white coat and has their own sets of eye protectors. My eyes train on Isabella as she listens to the teacher. There is a bright smile on her face as he continues to speak. A girl beside her grabs her arm and praises her. The room is soundproof because I cannot hear a single thing.

My hands remain behind my back as I focus on the corridor but it's empty. I relax for a moment because I'll be able to hear danger from a mile off. My phone vibrates and I tug it from my pocket to read over the reminder that stretches across the screen.

Next month: Ariana's anniversary.

I close my eyes. Fuck. I didn't need the reminder.

My heart clenches in my chest in an agonising fashion. She's been gone for six years and it still hurts like it happened yesterday. The nightmares that etch their way into my system keep me up when I'm desperate to sleep. It's probably why I'm practically an insomniac.

I clamp down on my bottom lip and scroll to my phone to find my mother's contact details. We haven't spoken in a while and there is a huge reason for that. She can't find it in herself to forgive me for a mistake that I made and vow to never make again.

My father makes more of an effort but even that is a strained relationship. If my mother could have it her way, I'd be off the face of the earth in a blink of an eye and that thought alone, it fucking crushes me.

Before I can overthink my next move I press my thumb onto her number and raise the phone to my ear. I wait patiently even though inside me is like a storm. I doubt she'll even pick up. I thought she would have had my number blocked but when it rings I release a breath of relief.

The line cuts and I hold down a breath. "What do you want, Elio?"

My mother's voice is harsh. It's not soft like I remember it being. It's not warming in the slightest. She hates me. She's hated me since that day and I will never be able to take that pain away from her–let alone my own.

"Hi," I exhale. "How are you?"

"You're wasting my time," she grumbles sourly. "What do you want?"

My lips part and I think of a million things to say but none of them sound right. I feel my eyes fall from the window to the floor. "I want to know how you are," I admit. "We haven't spoken in a long time."

"And there is a reason for that," her voice is sharp and it cuts me deep.

I press a hand to my head and shake it. "I want you to know that I'm doing things now to prove that I can be responsible, even if the situation is out of my control. That I'm doing this for her, to prove that I'll never let anyone go through her pain again."

Everything I've done is for her.

"Don't you think it's a bit too late for that?!" She exclaims so loud it crackles in my ear. "I lost my baby because of you. I lost my beautiful baby because of you!"

The agony in her tone has my heart bleeding onto the floor below me. "It was a mistake. It was a mistake and I miss her too. But it wasn't my fault."

"How dare you," she snaps. "How dare you! Don't you even think about coming to her memorial. I will have you removed, I will have you humiliated. Don't you think you've caused enough damage already? You ruined our family. You took my pride and joy away from me."

My nostrils flare. "She's my sister."

"She was my daughter!" She screams in despair. "And you took that away from me."