CHAPTER LXX
Therapist.
Seeing a therapist meant she was out of her senses, yeah?
“I-I’m not out of my senses,” She bent down to pick the comb, then continued combing her hair. “I’m not mad. I – I don’t need a therapist. Only crazy people do. Even Valerie said I’m a strong woman,” a smile appeared on her face, and the comb fell from her shaky hands again, making the smile disappear.
Immediately, the image of herself being raped flashes in front of her eyes, and her knees buckled.Belonging to NôvelDrama.Org.
“Again, having that mental imbalance might make her remember the assault,”
Saige staggered on her feet, and her butt landed on the bed. She stared at her shaky hands and buried her fingers in her hair to untangle them since the comb wasn’t working.
“I-I have to leave. I need to go home. They-Chase would choose Sophia over me again once he learned that I’ve lost it. Who would want an assaulted, mentally unstable woman to rule his empire beside him?” A throaty, pained laugh left her lips. “He-I can’t allow that to happen. I can’t let Sophia win again? So what if she has his mind and body? I – I can have the title of his wife. I have to do something to help myself. Dad-dad will help me. He will get me drugs so I won’t have these seizures. They will stop, and I-I’ll be back to normal. No one will even know I had this little moment,”
Cold sweat trickled down her face, and she gulped before tightening her hands into a ball to stop them from shaking.
~~~
Sophia’s hands involuntarily went to her throat, where Saige had choked her, and she caressed the skin. She had applied ointment on the bruise, but it was still hurting. It just didn’t hurt as bad.
Sophia dropped the pen in her hands on the reading table as her mind reeled back to Saige.
Was she okay? Had she woken up?
Since she left the guest room after pushing Chase away, Sophia hadn’t talked to anyone or seen anyone except the maid that took her breakfast to her in her room.
A knock on her door startled her, and she let out a croaked ‘come in’ without turning towards the door.
She heard the sound of the door knob twisting, and the door creaked open before the person walked in.
“Soph,”
Sophia’s head whipped towards the door, and a nervous smile appeared on her lips seeing Valerie standing by the door side holding two wrapped boxes in her hands. One was larger than the other.
“Hey,”
Valerie gently dropped the boxes on the bed and walked towards Sophia, pointing at the bruise on her neck. “How are you? I hope it’s not hurting?”
Sophia swallowed and nodded her head. “Not as bad as it was last night. I feel better,”
Valerie smiled nervously. “I’m glad you’re fine. Sorry about what happened. It doesn’t happen frequently. Saige was-she was the first it had happened to. I can assure you won’t ever have to witness anything like that again,
Sophia nodded. “Uhh – have a seat opposite me,” She pointed at the seat opposite hers.
The atmosphere was tense, and they could both feel it.
Valerie shook her head. “I’m not here to stay for long,”
“Oh okay then,” Sophia nodded.
“Actually,” Valerie motioned towards the boxes on the bed. “These boxes are from Lucas and I. He sent you the larger one. Mine is the small one. Sorry for the late birthday gifts,”
Sophia stood up immediately and rushed to her bed, unwrapping the large box. “Lucas really sent me a gift?”
Valerie smiled. “Yeah,”
Sophia didn’t say a thing. She continued to unwrap her gift with a smile on her face. She knew he always hated her, but of recent, he had changed, and she noticed it.
Sophia gasped as she stared at the gifts inside the box; a big, white, customized Teddy bear with the writing ‘Happy birthday, freckles’ on it, a new phone, chocolates and lastly a glass of perfume.
Sophia stood up and dashed out of the room to look for Lucas but stopped when Valerie gripped her wrist.
“He isn’t at home,” Valerie said.
Sophia’s smile fell, and she frowned. “Where did he go?”
Valerie placed both of her palms on Sophia’s shoulders. “He went to Pakistan with Don and Luci. They should be back anytime soon, “It was so damn hard to bite her tongue so she wouldn’t tell Sophia about her being their baby sister. She always wanted to tell her every time she was around her and that was why she decided to distance herself a bit from Sophia.
“Pakistan?” Sophia’s smile deepened. “Why?”
Valerie waved it off. “Just a small task,” How could she tell Sophia that they had gone to end Mirza and his empire? He was the bad guy, but someone like Sophia would still think he didn’t deserve death. It was best to leave her innocent-minded.
“Okay then,”
“So, I have someone to meet up with right away,” Valerie patted Sophia’s hair. “Don’t ignore my gift even though Lucas got you a bigger one. Be expecting one from Luci too,” Valerie winked and leaned in to drop a peck on both of Sophia’s cheeks before leaving.
~~~
“Dad,”
Saige opened De Luca’s study and rushed in frantically. Leaving the Romano compound wasn’t an easy thing to do because no one knew she had woken up. She had to sneak out of the main mansion before using authority of being the Don’s fiancee over the security guards by the gate.
“Sweetheart,” De Luca stood up from his chair and went round the table, rushing towards her. He cupped her face. “Are you okay? Hope those men didn’t do anything to harm you? Look how you’ve changed in just one night,”
“Dad,” She wrapped her arms around his neck, and a lone tear rolled down her cheeks. “They-he made his men rape me. Dad I’m no longer a virgin, and I’m scared Chase won’t want me anymore. He never wanted me. His rejection would be worse. I need help, Dad. I’m losing it,”
De Luca managed to stand on his buckled knees. He pulled away from the hug and walked her to the couch, wiping away her tears. “Does he know?”
She nodded. “I-I just left the compound. I-I was given treatment there. I’m scared,”
He pecked her on the forehead. “There’s nothing to be scared of, sweetheart. He wouldn’t let Mirza go scot-free. I know Chase very well. He’s like a son to mean you don’t need to be scared that he’s going to leave you. Chase isn’t a man to judge women like that,”
She shook her head, her tears rushing down her face. “That’s not the issue, dad,” She looked at her trembling hands. “Dad, I-I’m scared I’m affected mentally. They were talking about it last night. I need your help, dad. I need help. I don’t want to run mad. Chase wouldn’t want me. He wouldn’t think twice before calling off this marriage. I-I’m losing it, dad,”
“Calm down, sweetheart, “De Luca cooed. “You’ll see a therapist right away. You won’t -“