Strings Attached

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"Come with me," I suggested. "Tell the driver to pick you up at my house."

I would have offered to take her to her apartment myself, but I knew she would have refused that.

Besides, I wanted our time together to end on a different note and if I took her home with me, I'd have a chance to make sure she would be okay. For a moment, I thought she would decline my offer, but she smiled and relented, realizing it was a better option than standing there alone.

The house was dark and quiet when we walked in and it appeared everyone was asleep. I walked Cora to the patio, remembering how that used to be her favorite part of the house when she came to visit.

"Take a seat," I said softly, turning on one of the lamp that stood in the corner behind the sofa. "Do you want something to drink?"

She shook her head, suddenly looking uncomfortable when I sat down next to her. "Where is your wife?"

I could feel my face settle into a strained expression. "She's sleeping upstairs."

"I'm sorry," she said. "I was so wrapped up with this whole therapy thing that I didn't even ask you how you were doing. Is your marriage as bad as you thought it would be?"

"Not exactly," I confessed, knowing it was safe to confide in her. "I think I was wrong about her, Cora."

"So she's not an opportunistic gold digger?" Cora asked with genuine interest.

"No," I said with a frightening dose of conviction and exhaled. "I think she got tricked into this mess just like me."

Cora became serious. "What are you going to do, Sebastian?"

"That's the problem," I muttered with irony. "I have no fucking idea."

"Is there any way out?" she asked with hesitation, aware the chances of that were scarce. "Perhaps you can file for an annulment?"

I shook my head. "The marriage has been consummated and even if it wasn't, it wouldn't make a difference. That contract is waterproof. There is only one way out." Cora knew exactly what I meant.

"How does she feel about that?"

Hell will freeze over before I let you touch me and make me pregnant with your child.

"She hates me," I muttered, aware that I had caused that hate myself. "I don't think I have to tell you more to get the picture of how she feels about having my baby."

Cora gazed at me with a staggering amount of compassion that I didn't deserve.

"I'm sorry, Sebastian," she whispered. "You're a good man. I really hope you'll manage to find a way out of this and be happy. You deserve it."

But I wasn't a good man and happiness just wasn't in my cards. Cora had no idea of the amount of sins I had added to my list ever since Isabelle had entered my life and I didn't have the heart to disillusion her.

"Don't worry about me," I said softly. "You have to focus on yourself. Are you going to be okay?"

She was silent for a few moments and then she whispered, "I don't know, Sebastian. I keep telling myself I have to accept it, but it's so hard." Her eyes turned sad. "I don't want to die, but I am so tired."

"Shh, Cora," I soothed, alarmed by the thought of her dying. "You mustn't think like that. You have to stay strong and fight. There is still hope..."

"I know," she muttered, 'but sometimes it's hard to find a reason to keep fighting. I mean, I don't even feel like a woman anymore. When I look at myself in the mirror, it's like I'm looking at someone else. This illness changed me so much that I don't recognize my own reflection. God, I don't know why I'm telling you this. You must think I'm pathetic..."