Society's Expectations & Too Many Complications {Finalist}

Chapter 15

It was like the rest of the world had blurred out of existence, just holding those forms of the two. Mr and Mrs Hartley.

Shaking my head, I felt as if I was in a dream, turning the pages of a nightmare novella. Stumbling backwards, I backed against another woman, who scolded me sharply. William's hands were light upon my back, holding me up now, but not even his touch calmed me now.

My ex-fiancee's gaze roved around the room, his eyes searching every nook and cranny. Then, they stopped. Alighting upon me, his eyes widened. Pleasure? Surprise? Fear?

I didn't know. I didn't want to know. Ripping myself away from William, I pushed through the throngs of people. There was a shout of my name, though whether it was through the lips of my enemy or of Will, I did not know.

I did not stay to find out. Vaulting out of the handsome estate, I breathed in the night air. A drop of water fell down my cheek.

Is it raining?

But when the water simply dripped down my cheeks, I found it was but my own self that was crying. My shoulders shook as I trembled, sobbing with the tears that I had never let myself weep after all these years.

How could he be back?

They had migrated to America, and when you travel abroad, it is rare that you ever venture back. He had not the money to make a return trip; the first journey had been funded by my father who was disgusted with his conduct, and did not wish to see him ever again.

Yet here he was. And my sister. Reunited. Oh, what a divine ending.

My sister. Josephine. Such an innocent little girl when she had been of her younger years. She would be seven and ten now, as old as I was when I was first engaged. I had caught but a glimpse of her. Her figure had looked well enough, from a glance. I wondered of the child, the little girl or boy that been born of Zachariah's betrayal.

They must have had a wet nurse to attend to it, I thought distractedly. Then dressed up in their finest to attend a ball which they would not have been invited to.

What had caught my eyes, were Zachariah's ones. Haunting and a bout of memories.

What right had he to come upon me? He should not be here.

A hand touched my shoulder and I dissolved into his touch, feeling happy that William had come to comfort me. He would be an excellent listener, I guessed.

"I have missed you."

A voice. An unfamiliar voice.

I jerked away instantly, curving my body around to see this intruder. What filled my vision only brought me horror.

"How dare you?" I questioned him angrily. "How. Dare you?!"

"Rosalia-" Mr Hartley tried to interject.

"You should not be here," I spat at him, my mouth curling downwards in disgust. "You should be in America, with your wife. My sister."

"It- it is difficult to explain-"

"Explain?" I cried at him. "Why would I want a whit of your explanations? I want none of your words. Get out of my sight!"

"I wish to speak to you," he tried again, though through gritted teeth. "I wish to talk with you. There is many a thing that I must tell you."

"There is many a thing I must tell you," I mimicked him. "I think those conversations were cut short when you robbed my sister of her virtue while engaged to me!"