“What changed?” I ask, curious to know more.
“When we got home, Matheo was pissed that he didn’t get to come with us to see your father. Tim had the best reputation at that time, and my brother wanted to know more. He and mymother got into an argument right as we got home, it was pure jealousy from him. I stood there, watching them from the corner of the room. A scaredlittle fool, that was all I was back then.”
His body starts shaking, just like mine does when anxiety creeps in. I put my other hand on his shoulder, showing him I’m here, right by his side.
“No one knew he had a gun on him, he was the last person who was supposed to have one. He has never been able to regulate his emotions. And right when my father stepped down the marble staircase and came into our view, Matheo’s eyes locked with mine and an evil smile appeared on his face. Then...” His voice trembles, but he forces himself to finish the sentence. “He pulled the gun and shot her right in front of us.”
I cover my mouth with my hands, pure shock moving through me to the story, his memory.
“My father wanted to kill him, he still does. But he couldn’t, he couldn’t kill his own son. But he stopped talking to him, so did I. The second he turned twenty, and you were freshly eighteen, he started the plan he had worked on for years. And he became the closest person to you and your father, even after we all became enemies.”
“Those times when I was younger, I thought it was Matheo who came and visited us, that’s what he told me. I never remembered the name of the boy who came over,”I say.
“I don’t remember ever telling you my name.” The smile on his lips is weak, only forced to be there.
“He never told me he had a brother... And you don’t have the same surname.” He looks over at me then, with a look that speaks for itself.What did I tell you?
“He changed to our mother’s surname shortly after he killed her, separated himself from our father and I.” He explains.
Sadness washes over me instantly along with other emotions I can’t quite place. Suddenly, the past six years of my life feels like a complete lie and pure manipulation.
“Your father knows,” he adds, making my body tense up.
“What?”
“He only accepted Matheo as your bodyguard because of what Matheo told him. Tim hates my father just as much as my brother does.”
I knew my father wasn’t the best person, but I never thought he would ever lie to me, not to mentionuse me. I feel myself losing color, my face turning pale like I’ve just seen a ghost. I back away from Brian as vomit fills my mouth, spilling over the floor before us.
It keeps coming, pouring from my mouth as tears spill from my eyes as every realization hits harder and deeper.
“Please make it stop,” I cry out, begging for help.
But he’s already on his way back with a huge bowl. I hadn’t even noticed that he left my side.
“Don’t worry, baby, I’ll take care of you and clean everything up. It’ll all be okay.” He strokes my back as he speaks, the tone of his voice calming me yet again.
“Is that why he could fuck me without losing his position as my guard?”I cry as I ask the question, feeling ashamed of myself. I’m a fool. How could I have been sostupid?
“Probably,” he says, his eyes filled with sadness as he watches me throw up out of anxiety, his hand never leaving my back.
“I thought he loved me,” I keepcrying, staining the red silk with my tears.
“I know baby, it’s not your fault,” he soothes the pain that’s trying to break my heart.
“It is! How am I sostupid? I never considered myself a dumb blonde but it’s obvious now that’s exactly what I am,” I cry out.
“You arenotdumb, Anastasia, and I never want to hear you say those words ever again. A manipulator targets someone for their own benefit. Doesn’t matter what you look like. It was always his plan.”
“I don’t want to go back there!” I scream in pain.
“You don’t have to, and I’ll never force you to.”
“I never want to see his fucking face again either!”I regret my words, but as I look at Brian, he seems to understand what I meant. “I’m sorry.”
A small smile forms on his lips, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. The words cut deeper than I expected but he trieshis best to hide it. He knows I didn’t mean it like that, and he’s probably used to the feeling. But I still hate myself for not thinking one step further.
“Are you done?” He asks, reaching for the bowl.
