The Winter Bride (TSBS-2) COMPLETED

Chapter Twenty-Eight

One of the biggest sicknesses this world has is expectation. We all expect other people to be a certain way or to do a certain thing. Most people, they spend their whole lives under the wants of other people.
― Eric Shonkwiler

Ashley Davis-Harris

I am going to stay with my family.

The words circled in my head as I stared at the street lights, passing one by one at a shaky pace. My fluctuating emotions made me feel I was in a roller coaster ride. A terrible one at that. With my tears hindering my vision, I dropped my head on the window pane. How could he not consider me as his family? Even when I did everything for him, even when he became by everything. Was I ever his family?

The months we spent together were smudged out in seconds as he discarded me. Although, I knew him enough to realize it was not willingly done. He wanted what I wanted. He wanted to keep our bliss, but our past was bloodstained. It was not easy to wash off that much blood.

Since the morning, I had a feeling it was too sweet to be true. We tried to forget the flaws, but it was an impossible task. I could never forget, then how could he?

You should do the same.

My eyes closed as tears uncontrollably slid down, but I still smiled. No matter how his actions were, he wanted me to stay with my family. It hurt to be apart when you were used to being with a person. He knew I could not bear that weight so he took it upon himself whereas I was a coward to voice it out. Although it pained him to say Papa was my family, he thought of me and made a decision with a heavy heart.

Sometimes in love, we had to let go because staying together was more agonizing. We both knew we meant so much to each other yet we had to let each other go.

You could never turn your back to family. It latched onto you and it stayed forever. Even if we pacified our hearts, it would never be enough. We would die from within realizing we were betraying our family.

I rolled the wedding ring on my finger, caressing it fondly.

But Neil became my family too.

That was the only reason why I was in the car, leaving him back there while he was hurting.

As the car drove through the familiar dreadful gate, I sat up straight with composed thoughts. I was not the helpless and submissive woman who left this house of dictatorship in despair anymore. No way would I ever go back to being that spiritless feeble woman who kept her mouth shut and followed what was dictated. If I became what I was, then I would be betraying Neil. All he ever wanted was for me to be myself without any restrains, without any worries.

I breathed out confidently, coming out of the car and stared up at the monstrous structure of the estate. The two railings of the stairs leading to the gigantic doors felt like tentacles that were threatening to confine me once again, but I curled my hands and made a promise to myself.

I left Neil with a motive.

As I walked forward with confident strides, the guards ran to open the doors for they feared what I had become.

Ashley Davis Harris.

******

I thought I might be shaken up as the familiar emerald eyes laid upon me with disdain.

Amusingly, I felt no fear for being in the room with three of the Davis elders. Surprisingly, my mind was calm, my thoughts were collected, and my stance reflected opposite of what they thought of me.

As we stood in the study room, the air felt stuffy and three sets of eyes expressed three different emotions. Father looked at me in contempt for choosing a man over him. Mother stared back at me in regret. However, the highlight was my grandmother who did not hide her disgust and loathe.