Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 50080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50080 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Stelios speaks briefly to Sasha, and my heart drops to my stomach when I see the other man glance at me before saying something back to my husband.
Don't read anything into it, B.
But the moment Stelios reaches my side, the words simply fly out of my mouth.
"You've told him then?"
The way my husband's gorgeous face hardens almost has me stumbling a step back, and I can only bite back a cry as he suddenly cups my elbow in an unshakable grip.
"Are you that much in a hurry to let the whole world know you want a divorce?" he hisses under his breath.
He pulls me close to him before I can answer, and I can only suck my breath in at the way our sides are suddenly pressed completely against each other.
"I told him we won't be able to join them for lunch," Stelios says curtly as he leads us out of the stadium.
"Why?"
Eddie opens the door for us, and Stelios waits until we're inside his limo before answering.
"Helene's dead."
I stare at him blankly.
"It's what your grandfather called to tell me, and since I can tell you're already wondering about it, the answer is no. Neither your grandfather nor Kayra or I had anything to do with her death."
Stelios says something else about Helene dying of natural causes and Papou wanting to meet with us, but I have a hard time concentrating since all I can think about is her.
Helene is dead.
She's the only person in this world who would've made sure hell would break loose if Stelios and I were to divorce.
And that person is now dead.
My gaze darts back to my husband, and this time I really can't help shrinking back when I see the rage burning in his slate-gray eyes.
"You're mad at me," I whisper unsteadily.
"What else should I be?" Stelios snarls. "Am I supposed to be happy that my wife asked for a fucking divorce?"
"I'm s-sorry—-"
Stelios' fingers curl into a fist, and even though I know he'd rather kill himself than hurt me, I still end up scooting back to the opposite side of the seat.
"Don't fucking say sorry if you're not planning to take the words back."
I no longer know what to say at this point, and all I can do is stare at him helplessly.
"Tell me something, Bailey."
The calmness of Stelios' voice is terrifying, and it reminds me of the stories Astro used to tell me about him.
The calmer he is, the deadlier he gets.
"How long has this been in your mind?"
Even though I have no plans of answering such a leading question, my resting bitch face has apparently failed me—-
"I see."
His tone is so, so quiet, and it's enough to make me jump in my seat. "Stelios, I'm—-"
My husband cracks his knuckles, and the rest of my words die in my throat.
"Why do you want a divorce, Bailey?"
"D-Do we really need a reason at this point? Helene's already dead—-"
"Just answer the fucking question," Stelios bites out.
"It's n-not you—-"
"Is it because you love someone else?"
I'm torn between horror and hysterics, and all I can do is shake my head. How can he even think that when the only man I've ever been in love with is him?
"Don't fucking lie—-"
"I swear it on my parents' graves, Stelios. It's n-not that at all—-" The rage in his eyes suddenly dies out, and my words falter.
"This is because of what I am, isn't it?"
Oh God.
"You thought you could handle—-"
"Stelios, no."
I know he's going to call himself a monster, and I just can't let him do it.
"You don't need to lie."
The flatness of his tone hurts, and even though I realize letting him believe I see him as a monster is the quickest way for me to get a divorce—-
Tears burn in my eyes as I look at him in helpless appeal. "I swear, Stelios. It's not that at all—-"
My husband doesn't bother to answer this time, and I start to panic because I can already feel him distancing himself from me. Theía had also tried to keep us at a distance when she first learned of her diagnosis, and while it took everything in Papou and me to make her understand nothing in this world can keep us from loving her—-
This time it's just me and Stelios, and while I never ever want him to see himself as a monster—-
I can't tell him I'm in love with him.
I just can't.
But when I hear him tell Eddie to take us home instead, I realize that my husband is already halfway convinced I'm divorcing him because I don't think he's good enough of me—-
Oh, Stelios.
If I don't say anything now...
It will be over between us.
I'll have my divorce, but he'll also always think it's because I see him as a monster.
"Stelios?"
His lips tighten, but he doesn't even look at me, and it's getting harder to keep myself from crying.