Forbidden Deception (Deception)

43

L ife isn’t the same. It may never be.

Missing Rafael while knowing he is out there, probably hating me and plotting my demise, hits me like a punch in the gut.

I can’t even focus on the movie in front of me. Everyone is piled into Remo’s living room, but I can’t look at the screen without thinking of Rafael and our movie nights, without remembering him kissing me on the shoulder and hugging me closer when I screamed.

I glance to my right, and Aurora cuddling with Remo kills me.

I get up and walk upstairs to my room.

Shutting the door behind me and sitting at my windowsill, I rest my chin on my knees, watching the darkness that has enveloped the city.

What is Rafael doing right now?

Is he having dinner alone? Or is he with his brothers?

Mikko, Khyros, and Eiran probably hate me for hurting their brother. They felt like another family to me.

A lone tear slides down my cheek. I look up at the full-moon tonight. Its glow is so vast and bright that I hope it doesn’t reveal my broken heart to the world.

I hope you don’t hate me.

I left before I could cause more damage to you.

Forgive me.

Nothing has been able to get me to laugh or get my mind off of Rafael. Not shopping with Ambrose, cooking with Aurora, doing my usual accounting tasks with Remo, and not even Helia’s teasing.

I have fallen, and I have fallen hard.

It’s a deep ache that pummels my heart. Over. And over again.

My phone is with me. It’s here, but I cannot talk to Rafael.

Getting off the window, I walk towards my phone and grab it off the bed.

Should I try?

It’s only been a week.

I click on his profile, but my hand trembles when I try to dial.

I bite my lip.

Thump.

I can do this.

I won’t ever know if he will pick if I never try.

Taking a deep breath, I dial and hold it to my ear.

“The person you are trying to reach is unavailable. Please leave a message after the tone.” My heart squeezes tightly inside of me as the tune rings.

“Rafael…” My whisper is shaky.

What if he doesn’t hear it?

Didn’t he block me?

It doesn’t matter.

“I hope you understand that I couldn’t do this to you and Remo.” I take a deep breath. “I left before I could destroy two parts of my life that I am unable to live without.”

“Would you like to listen back or re-record the message?”

I don’t answer the phone, not knowing if I want to delete it or send it to Rafael.

Instead, I record another message for someone else.

I take a deep breath and shut my eyes.

“Please leave your message after the tone.”

I pause for a second.

“Hey, Danyi. I know you probably read my letter and possibly found my apartment empty. I am unreachable because I changed my phone number. I said this in the letter, too, but I want you to hear me say it. I’m sorry, Danyi. I’m so sorry. I not only fooled you, I betrayed our friendship, ripped apart our trust, and I am so, so sorry. You won’t believe me after this, but trust me when I say it has been the hardest decision I’ve ever made.”

I take a deep breath, only for it to come out shaky.

“I broke my own heart, broke it to pieces when I left you and Rafael. And yes…” I laugh. “Rafael was my forbidden boyfriend. He was the one my heart finally called out to. I know you had your suspicions when you found us sitting too close or laughing or even finding comfort in each other when we were in the same room. I hate this more than you do. I hate myself more than you both probably hate me. I was sent on a mission to find a file. Just one file. And I was supposed to destroy it. I didn’t anticipate building relationships that would mean the world to me.” I sniffle, opening my eyes to find cold and empty trees outside my window.

“You probably won’t want to see me or talk to me ever again, and I understand. All I want to say is that I am sorry. I panicked, and I couldn’t choose between Rafael and my brother, so I left. I ran away. I couldn’t do it. I guess I deserve it for betraying you two. Know that I am forever sorry. You are the one friend who reached out, the one who made everything in that cursed city a little more bearable for me.” My head drops down, and I shut my eyes once more.

“I am sorry, and I love you, Danyi.” I hang up and drop my phone to the floor.

Digging the heels of my palms into my eyes, I don’t dare to open them. I don’t dare to even give myself the option to pick my phone up and apologise a thousand times, over and over.

Instead, I decide to head downstairs. Maybe Rafael blocked me, maybe Danyi did, too, after reading my letter.

I have caused this, so I shouldn’t be the one sulking or feeling any heartbreak.

“Isn’t this…” Aurora trails off, holding her phone towards Remo.

I catch her look at me for a second, and I know exactly who she is showing Remo.

“Funny how this is the first time the media sees his face…”

I grab the phone out of her hand and look at the article.

There are pictures of Rafael in London at a party for Vance Hartley, the top upcoming Prime Minister candidate, leader of the conservative party.

Rafael’s exiting the hall, and a woman is by his side. She’s smiling up at him.

My heart crashes and burns into flames.

He… Did he move on?

My phone slips out of my hand and drops to the floor. Though my eyes are still stuck on my phone lying upside down on the floor, the image of that woman and Rafael leaving the party together is imprinted in my mind. It’s everywhere. I couldn’t even read the headlines, but I don’t think I want to anymore.

I know exactly what they will say.

It will break me all over again.

I glance up at Remo and Aurora to find them watching me carefully.

“He’s not coming for me or will let me fight for him, will he?” I smile sadly at them. “He’s… I lost him, didn’t I?”

Aurora reaches for me, but Remo stops her, his eyes hard. “She’s Mikko’s wife’s sister,” he says, but it doesn’t make it any better.

“Then they’ve probably known each other for far longer than he and I ever did.” I let out an empty laugh.

My knees weaken when the flashes of that image continue to run through my mind. I almost drop to the ground, but Remo is quick and has me in his arms before I can hit the floor.

I can’t breathe. My chest restricts, and I gasp.

“Remo, it hurts,” I hoarsely whisper. Tears coat my eyes. “It really, really hurts, but I have myself to blame, don’t I?” I grab his hand, wanting some kind of comfort, but nothing helps.

“I can’t do this. Help me. Please help me, Remo,” I beg, looking at Aurora, who walks over with worry filling her eyes. “Make it stop, Aurora. It hurts too much,” I punch at my heart, the stupid organ killing me slowly.

“It hurts. Please,” I beg, sobs breaking out.

Remo wraps his arms around my shoulders, his hold tight. “I’m sorry, Venezia. It’s my fault. I should have told you no.”

“No, Remo. We didn’t know it would be like this,” Aurora counters him, but I can barely make out words properly.

“I need to fix this. If he truly wants you, he will get a chance. I’ll… give him one. For you.” I hear Remo hesitate, but his words make me freeze. “I’ll take you to a party. You can watch him from afar, decide whether you want to talk to him or not, see if you want to ask for forgiveness or move on. I’ll leave the choice in your hands.”

I look into his eyes to see if he is serious, and I don’t detect any lies.

“You won’t keep going with this mission? What about your files? Your revenge?”

Remo shakes his head. “They don’t mean anything when I can’t give my sister what she wants and needs.”

I look at Aurora to see her smiling sadly at me. “We love you, Venezia. Never forget that. Nothing comes before you.” She grasps my hand in hers and kisses my forehead. “The choice is with you and Rafael now.”

***

I have a guard trailing after me, but I stand still in the darkness of the hall. I couldn’t care less what it is about. I’m only have one purpose and one alone.

To see Rafael. To talk to him if I have the courage.

So far, I haven’t seen him, and it’s taking me a long time to gather the strength to walk out there to face him.

It has been over two weeks since I have seen him.

I’ve been standing here for over an hour, and my feet are starting to hurt. I don’t come to places like this. I hate these kinds of events. I looked all around the room and couldn’t find him. Is he even here today? Did he decide not to come at the last minute?

I grab a drink from a waiter walking by and take a sip, my eyes looking all around the room until I finally look up at the stairs. The two grand staircases, lead down into the hall with white ribbons around the railings. My gaze drifts around the room until a man in a suit walks through the double doors.

My whole body stills.

He buttons his jacket and slips a hand inside his trousers.

Rafael is here, in London, and he is the most handsome man in the room.

I stumble a step back, so the shadows cover me.

He walks down the steps, his face set in a hard expression, like he would be anywhere but here. No one approaches him, probably too wary of the look on his face.

It all reminds me of how much he smiled and laughed in my presence, how soft he became with me. He melted before my eyes, revealing every part of him.

He gave me pieces of himself, and I plunged the knife of betrayal deep into him.

I hurt him.

I betrayed him.

I ruined our rhythm. I ruined us.

The glass in my hand shakes. My breath falters when a woman approaches him with two glasses. She gives him one, and he accepts it but walks off without addressing her. My eyes follow him as he greets people. He nods and engages in conversation, but even the sight of Remo doesn’t make his stony expression change. He doesn’t talk to him, nor does he tease, and throughout the hour or two, nothing disastrous happens.

Rafael isn’t acting like himself, and who else is there to blame except me?

He looks in my direction every couple of minutes, but he can’t see me. I am standing near a heavy curtain that hides me well.

When he doesn’t find anything, he looks away and continues on his way around the hall.

“A dance?” A voice interrupts my spying. I look towards the man and find that it’s a familiar face.

Remo told me about him. The smile on his face is mischievous. Here I am, heartbroken, and Vance Hartley has decided he wants a dance with me. Me, of all people.

With dark hair, a smile that seems far too innocent, and a tall, lean build, Vance is the public’s sweetheart despite rivalling Orion Phelum, who is an investor like Remo. They both love being in the public eye, blowing kisses and winking at cameras everywhere they go. They make the headlines almost every day.

Not to forget, because this is an inner circle party, many people here aren’t famous because of their work but due to their finances.

From military generals, political figures like Vance himself, Kiara Emris, Griffin Teisser with his wife, and even people like Orion, who is currently flirting with the daughter of a popular bank’s CEO. Everywhere I turn, there are people who are ready to hide crimes, dirty money, and laundering of all kinds. This party is high class and not where I should be.

I didn’t study all of them, but I know enough that I shouldn’t step foot in here. But I needed to.

“Vance, get out of here.” I sigh, turning away from him, only to be stopped by his hand on my arm.

My guard steps forward, but I shake my head, and he blends into the shadows once more.

“Come on. Just one dance?”

I narrow my eyes at his request. He must have a motive. Why else would he bother asking for a dance from Remo’s sister? I’m aware my position in society will mean I could get used, but the power is in my decision.

“Why?”

Vance tilts his head. “You look lonely,”

“Sure.” I snort, looking away from him only for my eyes to find Rafael talking to a woman. My chest burns all over again.

“Oh, you fell for the wrong man, Venezia. Rafael, despite not showing up in London often, has always been cold and private. You think you can get past his walls?” Vance stands next to me and looks at Rafael with me.

I push my shoulder against his. “Go away. You think you’re some relationship advisor or something?”

He grins. “Or something. Come on.” He grabs my wrist and pulls me towards the dance floor despite my protests.

“Vance, stop it right now.”

“Stop fighting. Rafael might not think of this dance as real as we want it to show,”

I instantly slow down and stop him in the middle of the dance floor.

“Vance, you’re getting this wrong. I don’t want to be thought of as someone who will move onto another so quickly. I’m not a player like you.” I scrunch my nose, making him laugh.

“Wrong assumption, cutie.”

“I’m not your cutie,” I snap.

He grabs my hand and places it on his shoulder, then slides his hand onto my hip and starts to move us. I give in.

“Only one dance, you hear me? Whoever you are trying to make jealous by using an easy option, aka me, do so, but hurry up.” I sharpen my eyes, and Vance stills for a second but continues dancing.

“Sure.” He smirks, turning us.

His eyes are so light that I know exactly why the public will be keen on selecting such a good-looking prime minister.

“Busy lying to the public these days?”

“Busy cosying up to a certain billionaire?” he retorts with a raised brow, making me bite back a smile.

“Busy trying to act like a player in order to impress someone?”

“Busy trying to look heartbroken when you are here looking for them?”

I laugh, shaking my head. “How about you mind your own business?”

“How about you wear more golden dresses? They suit you.” He winks.

I slap his shoulder playfully. “Stop that.”

“It’s working, though.” He nods to his left, and I look over to find Rafael dancing with that same red-headed woman who offered him a glass, but his eyes flick over to me every few seconds.

He didn’t dance in public places. Ever.

My heart jumps into my throat.

I snap back to Vance to find him smirking.

“Told you.” He lifts a shoulder. “No need to thank me.”

He lifts my hand and twirls me. Once. Twice. The third time, he lets go of me. My eyes widen, and I land against someone’s chest.

“I’m sorry. Vance is stupid—”

The man instantly steps back.

I look up to find angry eyes on me. Mocha eyes twisted with hurt. Vance threw me right in Rafael’s arms. His expression falters, then he’s walking away.

I lift a hand to call him, but he’s already climbing the stairs. Then he’s gone.

And I fall back.

It seems he only came to fulfil his duties.