I felt frozen in place when I witnessed the nanny rush inside the house with tears streaming down her face. I pursed my lips and just glared at her for a few uncomfortable moments. It was a dead silence. My mind went into a fog. It was difficult for me to discern the swarm of various emotions exhibited on her face.
A minute or so pass as she continued to weep into her hands. I felt helpless. I didn't know what to say to her. She appeared completely devastated. She was vulnerable and broken. I didn't even think she was capable of exhibiting those types of emotions.
Kameron informed me about the double date she tagged along with that Ahmad guy. I'm not friends with him. I wouldn't even call him an acquaintance. He is some pretentious guy who has access to a copious amount of money. He tails around Kameron due to his connections in the clubbing scene. Honestly, I generally tend to like Kameron's friends, but there has always been something about Ahmad that makes me feel on edge whenever I'm in his presence.
I stepped outside to see a livid Ahmad trotting the parking lot. He was yelping out obscenities and pouring a bottle of water over his face. He turned his head, and our eyes connected.
His eyes were red, and his shirt was drenched with the water from the bottle. The familiar sharp scent of mace roamed the air.
Did Stassie mace him?
I took a couple of cautious steps forward to get a better glance at the irate imbecile screaming like a small child.
She did mace him.
The scene presented out in front of me left me no choice but to put two and two together. Stassie was currently in her bedroom, in distress, and I know Ahmad to be a notoriously repugnant man. I couldn't help but jump to a conclusion about what could have happened.
Did he harm her?
I will be the first to say I am not the chief when it comes to the morale department, but there are some actions I do refuse to condone.
If he landed a hand on her I'm kicking his shit in.
"What the hell is going on?" I posed a question.
"I knew it was a mistake going on a date with that gold-digging bitch!" He was a babbling idiot.
I called her a bitch one time, and she didn't hesitate to quickly put me in my place. I can say for sure it won't happen again. It's not a word apart of my verbiage. As soon as the word left my lips, I instantly regretted it. I was just so riled up and furious. I have never been in a situation where I was outsmarted by someone I thought to be so weak and feeble. She showed that I was wrong when she revealed to me the irrefutable evidence she has on me and Minka. She is a tough adversary, and I know that now. I was frightened, and my emotions got the best of me that day.
"Calm down! My nephews are fucking sleeping." I snapped at an enraged Ahmad, who was still spewing out nonsense.
I turn my head hoping one of the twins would not come outside.
Stassie somehow convinced Josh that I was open to watching over them tonight, and by the grace of God, they were well-behaved. Ahmad was loud. If he wakes up those demons. I will have no choice but to finally pummel the bastard to the ground.
"She wants to act all prim and proper when I have proof that she's just a low-down dirty whore." Ahmad was seething.
I raised my eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" I asked, curious about what he has on Stassie.
Ahmad smiled with his teeth. His expression was almost cynical. He looked like a villain from a superhero movie.
"There are videos of her all over the internet getting fucked like the cheap whore she is!"
I let out a sigh. I was not expecting that information from him. It was disgusting.
This guy is a fucking pig.
I licked my lips. "Get the fuck out of here." I hissed at him. "If I ever see you anywhere near the property, I'm calling the cops."
Ahmad is the biggest clown I've ever met. As much as I cannot stand Stassie, she was way out of his league. She could do so much better than the likes of him.
"Fuck you!" He spat at me.
He angrily got in his car and drove off. I could hear Stassie weeping from her bedroom down the hall. She's not in fact the raging sociopath I believed she was. Hearing her cry had an eerie and bizarre effect on me. I did not feel detached from her situation. I actually felt bad for her.
As much as I didn't want to, I decided the best thing to do was check on her and see if she was okay.
I slowly walked down the hall. She left her door slightly ajar. Her lights were dim, and she sat on the edge of her bed. To my surprise, the twins were in her room beside her, comforting her.
I don't know how she did it. It's remarkable when I think about it. I can't think of any individual that has come close to what Stassie has achieved. She somehow won over the twins. They rave about her every chance they get. Despite the fact I hear her call them every name in the book, and they are pretty brutal to her as well, in a sick and deranged way, it is how they have been able to form a bond.
"Hey, are you okay?." I asked as I leaned against the doorway.
"I'm fine." She growled.
"No, you are not! He made you cry!" Murphy huffed. "Where is he? I'm going to kill him!" He shouted.
The kid is half Ahmad's size, and he's ten years old. His balls haven't even dropped yet. Yet I know what Murphy is capable of. I wouldn't piss off the kid on his good day.
"Yeah, where is he? He was mean to Stassie!" Julian spoke with just as much aggravation as his brother.
It was adorable.
"Don't worry about me, boys. I got this." She wrapped her arms around the twins and planted a kiss on each of their foreheads.
"Alright boys, go to bed. We got a long day ahead of us tomorrow." She smiled at them.
The twins gave her one final hug before they retreated to their bedroom across the hall.
I was now left in the room with her. We have avoided each other until now.
"So how long did you guys know? I know how men talk just as much as bitches." She spat.
She was now in her angry phase, and I had the great pleasure of being her target.
"I honestly didn't know until now," I answered honestly.
I observed as her breathing began to take a hike. She balled her tiny hands and gritted her teeth. She pursed her lips. "So, what are you here for? Are you going to ridicule me? Are you going to judge me for something that happened years ago?" She was irate, and I don't think there was any calming of her.
"I was just seeing if you are okay, Stassie. Calm the fuck down!" I spoke a little more aggressively than I intended to, but I was getting irritated with her tone.
"Why? You have been nothing but an asshole to me from the moment we met. I don't need you to check on me. I don't need anything from you. Actually, how about this? You can get the fuck out of my room!" She was so angry her hands were shaking.
She is the most difficult, stubborn woman I've ever had the unfortunate to come across. I was just trying to be nice. It looks like there is no point in trying to erase the friction between us. Stassie can fuck off for all I care.
"Fine by me. It's not my fault you are in the situation you are in." I snapped back at her hastily with just as much aggression as she gave me.
"Fuck you!" She roared.
"Fuck you too!" I shouted back at her before stepping out of her room.
As I walked up the stairs, I realized I have something over her. It makes me extremely uncomfortable that she knows about my relationship with Minka. It petrifies me that she can on a whim destroy my life.
She's already blackmailed me. I hate she has been holding this over my head. The more I thought about it, the more pleasing of an idea it sounds. I should take advantage of this opportunity that fell into my lap. I can simply confront her and tell her I have access to her videos and finally make her quit, but in the end, I couldn't bring myself to do it.
I got to my room and lit up a cigarette. This past week, I picked up the habit of smoking cigarettes again. I've been very stressed out. I don't know how to hold myself together.
"Hey," Minka said, showing up in my room.
I looked up and saw Minka. She wore a silver nightgown, and she pinned her dark hair up. It's been a few days since we last spoke. I have been in a space where I have to reflect on everything that has transpired over the past couple of months. I am never going to forgive myself for the selfish and cruel part I engaged in with starting this affair with Minka.
I made a decision. Although it is a challenging decision, it is a decision that must be done and carried through with.
Minka folded her arms. I noticed the dark bruise-like spot that resembles a hickey on the side of her neck.
I gulped. She fucked Josh the night of the party, and I don't think she stopped since that night. I know it's something that happens occasionally between the two, but it still drives me to a sense of fury when it happens.
I ran my hand through my hair. "Hey," I said in a rather cold manner.
"You have been so distant lately. I just wanted to see what's wrong?" She strolled over and sat beside me on the bed.
My body tensed up when she placed a caring hand on my lap. Out of instinct I quickly scooted away from her and let out a deep breath. Here goes nothing.
"I've been thinking a lot about everything. About my parents, Josh... us. What this could do to my family. I think we should cool things off for a while." I said it as distinctly as I can.
"Wait... why?" Minka uttered, stunned by my proposition.
The impact of my words quickly took an effect on her. She stared at me bewildered. Her eyes were filled with outrage.
"Josh is my brother... I don't know. It doesn't feel right. This whole thing between us is making me feel guilty." I lowered my head in shame.
It's honestly killing me. I can't continue this.
"Don't you love me?" Minka cried.
"You know I do, I love you but Josh..." I said sadly.
"Fuck Josh!" She cut me off.
If this were a month ago, I would probably agree with her but, over the past week, Josh and I have been bonding more and more. It's been nice to get to know him. He's a good guy, and it makes me feel all the more dreadful about how I betrayed him. As much as I love Minka, I have to end this.
"I'm sorry Minka. We can't continue this anymore. We are done." I said it firmly.
"You can't do this, Theo. I love you, I love you so much!" Minka cried.
"I know. It's just that you are married to my brother. He loves you."
"Theo, I don't love him. I love you." She pleaded. Tears were running down her cheek.
I stared deeply into her tear filled eyes. I can't explain why but something was off. It didn't seem authentic. It was almost like a forced reaction.
"I'm getting a divorce. I just have to wait a little longer." She pleaded.
I raised my brow. "What do you mean? Why do you want to wait longer?"
"If I file for divorce now, I'll get nothing."
"You would have me," I said to her only in an attempt to see where she was getting at.
"I know, but I don't have any money to fall back on. The prenup I signed says after four years, I will get half of everything he has, and then we can finally be together. That was the plan, wasn't it?"
I frowned.
No... it was not.
I never wanted a hand in Josh's money. Ever. He may have given me a large loan, but I plan on paying every penny back. Minka married Josh for his money. The way she was speaking made me look at her in another light.
"Minka." I shook my head in the utmost horror.
I have already done enough. I will not play a role in the demise of everything my brother has worked hard for.
"Minka. I can't." The pressure of her words was excruciating.
"Wow." she cried before she rushed out of the room in tears. If this were a few days ago, I would chase after her, but now things were different.
That one statement she said to me changed my entire view of her. It was like a light switch in my head. Did I really love Minka or was I just after her because Josh had her?
▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️▪️
Author Note
This chapter was a doozy.
Theo definitely deserves all the hate he gets but I think he has room to grow. He is a spoiled brat and Stassie is insane. I think they will mesh together well when it happens.
AND NO this will not be a love triangle. I HATE that trope.