Chapter 4 The Harsh Truth

A V E R Y

I got up in the morning and showered. I was doing my hair when Linda walked in with my bed coffee.

"Good morning, ma'am." – She placed the cup of coffee on the nightstand.

"Please call me, Avery." – I told her.

"What do you like to have for breakfast, Avery?"

"Um, how about bacon and scrambled eggs?" – I requested.

"Sure, I will prepare that for you." – I thanked her, and as she was about to leave, I stopped her.

"Do you know who stays in the next room?" – I asked, hoping to find out who that person could be. I still cannot come out of last night's event. It still bothered me.

"It's Dasha." – She answered.

"Not the opposite room, the room next to mine."

"Um... there's no one... there." – She stuttered and nervously smiled, which made me think that there is someone in that room, but no one wants to tell me for some reason.

"Are you sure, Linda? I heard noises from that room last night." – I observed her; she was wiggling her fingers in distress.

"No, Avery, there's no one in that room. Maybe you had a dream?" – She avoided my gaze and took the empty cup that I placed on the nightstand.

"Okay." – I said, making her think that I believed her, but I wasn't convinced. Instead, my curiosity increased.

* * *

It's been a couple of weeks now, and I haven't heard any strange voice or any person growling or any noises from the other room. Dasha told me it was Kevin the other day yelling, but why would he yell at me?

Anyhow, I just left that topic right there. Everyone was busy with their work as usual. I rarely saw Scott and Mary as they were the ones looking after the company.

Esme, well, she was always busy on her phone and never came out of her room most of the time except for breakfast and dinner. She even went to the office on some days.

One thing I noticed was Kevin lived here with us, and he is always seen with Esme. Dasha told me that since Esme is looking after all the finance, Kevin reports to her.

Dasha started to avoid me whenever I asked her about Nicholas. When asked, she said she is busy and went out with her friends most of the time, leaving me alone in this big mansion. I spent my time in the room all alone, thinking about my life. I called my parents and Ridhi often.

I told Ridhi about everything, and she was worried about me. Not even once Nicholas tried to contact me, and when I asked others for his contact number, they said he was busy. When mom asked, I lied to her because I didn't want them to dwell on this.

* * *

I looked in the mirror at myself before heading down for morning breakfast. As I walked down, I saw someone seated at the head of the table. I couldn't make out the person as his back was facing me.

Everyone was already at the table eating their breakfast. Since everyone was early than me, all the seats were occupied except the seat at the end of the table.

"Good morning." – Dasha greeted me in her whisper tone.

"Morning." – I greeted back. Everyone was quiet at the table, and Dasha went back to eating her breakfast. Linda brought pasta, and I thanked her, for which I earned a smile from her.

I looked straight to see a man at the head of the table eating his breakfast. I never saw him before. His eyes were only focused on his plate. I noticed his short dark black locks were neatly cropped. It was smooth and perfectly set with the gel.

My eyes trailed down to his stubble, strong jawline, then to his broad shoulders. He wore a black checkered suit with a white shirt underneath that fit him perfectly, showing his biceps. His top two buttons were undone, and he didn't wear a tie.

I then realized that I haven't even taken a bite except staring at this stranger. My curiosity was eating me from inside, and I wanted to know who this guy was. I took a bite and slowly nudged Dasha.

She looked up and raised her brow. I leaned towards her and asked. "Who's that guy over there?" – I whispered, making sure no one heard me.

"You don't know who that is?!" – She asked. I shook my head, saying no. I don't remember meeting or seeing him anywhere.

"That's your husband, Nicholas!" – She said, making me choke on my food.

Everyone looked at me; I quickly drank water and looked straight where his gaze was now on me.

That's when I noticed his dark grey orbs, which held a firm cold stare matched his thick dark brows. His face was sculpted to absolute perfection.

"Are you alright?" – Mary asked me in concern which made me divert my gaze.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." – I gulped hard. My mind was a blank, complete blank. I just stared down, avoiding my gaze on anyone.

"Done." – I heard Nicholas say in his husky voice, which made me flinch and drop my fork. I remember this voice, but I couldn't figure out where I have heard it.

After thinking for a few minutes, I remembered it was the same voice I've listened to a few weeks back from the other bedroom. Was he here all these weeks?!!

Two guys dressed in grey clothes strolled towards Nicholas. Everyone was eating their breakfast while I stared at them. The two guys stood next to Nicholas, helping him to sit on the wheelchair that was next to him, which I never noticed. The guys then walked in front of him, making Nicholas follow them in his wheelchair without saying anything. I was shocked to see him in the wheelchair.

"Dasha, why does Nicholas use Wheelchair?" – I asked her in a pure state of shock.

"Um... he has been bound to a wheelchair for the past eight years." – Her gaze never met mine. Soon others left the table. I felt my whole world turn upside down, making my head spin.

"What?!!!" "He was in a major car accident eight years back, and the doctor told him he lost his leg movements, and since then, he uses a wheelchair." – I slumped in my chair, hearing her say he was disabled.

Why did no one tell me this before? Did they hide it from me on purpose? Do my parents know this?

I was about to ask Dasha, but she left. I lost my appetite and was no hungrier. My breath hitched in my throat. I needed to talk to Mary. I was about to get up when Linda walked towards me.

"Avery, you didn't eat your breakfast. What's wrong, you didn't like it?"

"Um, nope, all good. I'm full." – I looked in every corner of the room to find Mary, but I couldn't find her. Linda took my plate and walked to the kitchen; I followed her.

"Linda, do you know where Mary is?"

"She left for the office already." – She answered.

"What about Scott?"

"He left too. What's wrong?" – She was worried about me.

"Linda, I need to talk to them. It's very important." – I told her in my fragile voice.

"Well, you can call them. Let me give you the number."

"Can't I meet them in the office?"

"I think it would be better if you talk to them over call first. Scott doesn't like any of us going to the office unless he needs us to."

"Fine, give me the number. I'll talk to them." – Linda gave me the number.

I went to my room and dialed. It rang for a few seconds before someone picked up.

"Hello, I'm Isha, from Nunez Co speaking. How may I help you?" – I heard a woman speak from the other side.

"Hello, I'm Avery. I need to talk to Mary. Can you please pass my call to her?"

"I'm sorry, but she is in the meeting now, and I cannot connect your call." – She said in her flat voice.

"Please, this is urgent. I need to talk to her now. I'm Avery Nunez." – I told her my last name, hoping she would pass my call, but still, she rejected me.

I plopped on the bed and requested for Scott, for which she said he was busy too and strictly told no disturbance. I didn't know what to do. I then knew the one person with whom I could talk to.

"Can I at least speak to um, N-Nicholas? This is very important, and why don't you understand me?" – Even though I wasn't sure why I was asking for him, I still asked her hoping she would connect my call.

"Nope, sorry, he is busy too." – She said in her same flat voice, which made me want to punch her in the face.

I disconnected the call, and then I realized why he never met me in person. I can't believe they all lied to me.

What bothered me the most was he lived right next to my room all these days and still fibbed he was in London. Even though he knew I was here, he didn't even try to talk to me. What is going on in here? Why is he avoiding me? It was one in the afternoon.

I told Linda I would be visiting my parents and left. The driver insisted that he would drop me for which I didn't deny. Soon, I reached my home and told the driver to leave as my dad would drop me back.

The main door was open, and I jogged inside shouting for my parents.

"Mom? Dad?" – I saw my mom watching TV, and I ran to her crying.

"Honey, what's wrong?" – She caught me in half, and I hugged her crying. I couldn't speak and kept crying on her shoulders.

"Baby, what's wrong? You are scaring me." – She made me sit on the couch and gave me a glass of water.

"What's wrong, honey? If you don't tell me, how would I know?"

"Mom, they lied to us." – I sobbed in her embrace.

"Who lied?!"

"Everyone, mom."

"Baby, I do not understand anything."

"Nicholas is disabled for the past eight years, mom. They hid this from us. He cannot walk. He is a wheelchair user." – I cried harder. My mom was shocked to hear me.

"I-I don't understand... How could he..." – Before she could complete, I added, interrupting her.

"He was in an accident and lost his leg movements."

"How did you know? He was supposed to be on his business trip, right?"

"That's what I thought too. But he wasn't; he stayed right next to my room all these days. I saw him today using his wheelchair." – My mom quickly made an outgoing call to my dad and asked him to come home soon.

Meanwhile, she consoled and gave me food. After some time, I saw my dad coming. I ran and hugged him.

"Dad,"

"What's wrong, honey?" – I held him tightly with my grip.

"We need to file a case against the Nunez family." – I heard my mom say behind me.

"What? Why?" – He asked in shock. My mom then explained everything to him. To my surprise, he didn't say anything.

"Dad?!!!" – He looked down, avoiding my gaze. A tear rolled down my cheeks.

"You knew?" – Was all I could ask, and he just sat there without saying anything, avoiding my gaze.

My breathing increased, and my heartbeat thumped faster and faster with every second. There was complete silence for a while until I decided to break the silence.

"How could you do this to me, Dad?" – I mumbled, crying.

"Baby..." – I bought my hand, stopping him in midair.

"Don't you dare call me that? I trusted you. I fucking did. How could you do this? You married me to a disabled person. You deceived me. What did I ever do to you that you had to do this?" – I screamed in pain.

"Avery, please..."

"Don't!!!" – I ran upstairs to my room and locked the door crying in my bed.

"Avery, open the door." – My mom knocked on the door.

"Please, leave me alone. I don't want to talk to anyone. You all lied to me. Go away." – I hugged my pillow and cried for God knows how long.

My eyes were heavy, and I shut them hoping this was just a nightmare, and when I wake up, I would be thankful that this shit never happened in my life.

* * *

I opened my eyes, and reality hit me hard. Please, please, please, let this be a nightmare. I shut my eyes again and opened them; no matter how many times I did, it was all fucking reality.

As I washed my face, I noticed my eyes were still red; my cheeks were swollen from crying for so long. I decided I would call this marriage off. This shouldn't have happened in the first place. I went down, and my parents were in the dining room.

"Mom, I'm hungry." – I said, avoiding their gaze. She served me dinner, and I ate in silence. They both just sat opposite, staring at me.

"Avery," – I cut him right there.

"I decided to get an annulment." – He was shocked to hear me.

"No, you ca..."

"It's my life, and I have made the decision. I am not going back. Send the people and get my things." – He opened his mouth to speak but was stopped as we heard a knock on the door.

He walked towards the door while I finished my dinner and walked to the living room, turning the TV on. He came back with two men inside. I looked up to see that these two were the same men who helped Nicholas in the morning.

"Ma'am, we need to leave." – One of the guys spoke in his robotic voice.

"I am not coming; you can leave now." – I said, focusing my gaze back on the TV.

"Sir requested you to come back now." – The other guy spoke. I wasn't sure whom he was referring to. Was it Scott or Nicholas? The fuck why do I care.

"I told you I'm not coming; you can leave." – I said in my cold tone, hoping they would leave. Instead, they walked towards me.

"Please, you need to leave now else we will have to force you, which we do not want to." – He threatened me.

"How dare you talk to me like that? Do you know who I am? Go tell your sir that this marriage is off, and I will be sending an annulment in the morning." – I barked at them. Instead, they both grabbed my shoulders and pulled me towards the main door. I shouted and screamed, but none came to help me.

"Let me go, jackass." – I fought so hard, but they were stronger than me.

"Mom!!!" – I cried, but they stood there watching these men take me away.

I saw the car outside, and I was scared that if I don't fight back, I would be locked in that so-called mansion forever.

I hit them and kicked my legs in the air, but they never let me go. I tilted my head back to see the door shut, and my eyes started to tear up as I was freaking out. But I never gave up and kept fighting. I realized, if I somehow don't escape now, I will never be able to escape from these evil monsters.

As soon as we reached the car, they tried to push me inside. In an instant, I bit the guy's shoulder and kicked the other person in the nuts. Their grip loosened as I started running from there for my dear life.

I heard their footsteps behind me, but I kept running and running until I saw a black Mercedes approach in the opposite direction; I waved my hands in the air to stop them.

"Help!!!" – I screamed, and the car stopped right in front of me. Turning back, I didn't see those guys.

Quickly, I went to the driver's side; the person rolled the window half down. "Please, I need a drop." – I begged in between my breaths.

The guy signaled me to get in. Thanking him, I got inside the back seat and ducked my head down when I saw those two men next to the window looking for me, and then they ran away.

I lifted my head and thanked God, and sighed in relief. I heard a voice next to me which sent quivers down my ridge. I immediately recognized who that was.

I slowly turned to my right, and my body shuddered, looking at him.

"MOVE!!!" – Said Nicholas in his malicious tone, looking straight as the driver started the engine.

How didn't I notice the driver wearing grey clothes just like everyone else?

I instantly turned to my side of the door to get down, but it was locked.

"Let me go!!!" – I shouted and screamed, but he sat there as if nothing had happened.