Chapter Eight

She got to Edgar's bedroom only to find him staring intently at the screen of his laptop as he typed away. She flashed him a weak smile when their eyes met.

He didn't smile back rather he had a dark angry look etched all over his face. She was taken aback but urged towards him nonetheless.

She gently climbed into bed, settling beside him. With a soothing touch on his upper thigh she asked softly,

"What's wrong Edgar?"

No reply

"Edgar! Edgar!!"

No reply

"Edgar, talk to me. What's wrong?" She pressed on

"Nothing..." He replied sharply without taking his eyes off the screen of his laptop.

The harshness of his voice stung Monique to the very core but knowing something was wrong, she pushed the pain aside and asked again,

"Come on Eddie, please tell me what's got you bothered like this.. Maybe I can help."

"Jeez woman!! Are you deaf or something? I said I am fine and I fucking meant it. If I needed your help, I would have asked.

So if you are done bugging me in my own home and poking your nose where you shouldn't then i suggest you leave me alone and find something else to do"

Edgar all but barked out heatedly and rudely2

Monique's eyes widened with shock and hurt. She forced back the tears that threatened to fall because she refused to let Edgar know the harm his words had caused her.

Schooling her face to rid it of all emotions, she quietly slipped out of bed.

Grabbing her purse on the nightstand before making her way out of Edgar's bedroom who had his eyes fixed once more on his laptop screen.

She walked quickly down the hall and out the door of his apartment knowing she was now seconds away from breaking down.

Every eye seem to watch her as she made her way outside seeing as she was still in Edgar's shorts and sweatshirt but she could actually careless right now.

She asked the footman at the main entrance to hail her a cab when she got there and after he had obliged to her wishes, she thanked him with a generous tip before entering the cab.

Waving at him as the cab driver sped off after she had given him her address. She leaned back against her seat letting out a tired sigh as she went over the events of the past hours in her head. She felt worn-out and devastated.

She had her plate full with Caroline and now Edgar's was also heaping on top.

He had just rained hell on her for no apparent reason and she didn't like how she was feeling right now. It felt downright painful.

The tears dropped down her face uncontrollably. She bolted out as soon as the cab driver got to her house.

Luckily, her nanny Amber whom she affectionately called Nonna had also just arrived at her house. She kindly apologized to the cab driver after paying him before rushing in after her little girl.

She found Monique in her room huddled up in her blankets on her bed, crying her eyes out.

Without a word, she crawled into bed. Gathering her in her arms like she always did when she was upset or sick. She comforted her and like always she calmed down after a hard cry.

They pulled apart and after her Nonna had wiped her face dry with her thumb,she asked softly;

"Why are you crying honey?"

"I don't really know Nonna... I don't really know." She said holding back a sob

"It's Lancaster isn't it?" She asked knowingly with raised eyebrows.

Monique nodded curtly

"I tried Nonna. I tried but I can't hate him. I just can't" She finally confessed

"I told you this revenge game will only ruin you but you wouldn't listen honey. You just wouldn't listen. I've told you several times that Caroline's word couldn't be trusted but no, you had to let her get to you like always and now look at you" Nonna scolded

"But I promised her Nonna and now I can't fulfill that promise... I'm trying but I can't" Monique said with frustration.

"Yes and you never will my child... But why were you crying? What happened and whose clothes are you in?"

Monique blushed seeing as she didn't tell Nonna were she was since lastnight. Clearing her throat softly,she answered;

"I... I was over at Edgar's and these are his clothes. So I was there and I'd just finished talking to Caroline and you know how I get after I talk to her but this time around, she mentioned Mother..."

"Oh dear..." Nonna cut in. Tightening her hold on Monique.

Monique cuddled closer and with a sigh, she continued;

"At the mention of mother, all my pent-up emotions just rushed to the surface. I went back to his room to seek comfort. I needed him at that moment but the tables turned.

He was extremely cold and rude. He even said some awful things to me when i was only trying to help. I couldn't stand it so I left and he didn't even realize it"

Fresh tears trailed down her face as she trembled with pain.

It was fairly dark outside when Edgar lifted his eyes from his laptop. He had calmed down from his bizarre temper and he felt bad for what he did to Monique. He shouldn't have laid his frustrations out on her like that.

A word from his father always got him to act like a mad man but that was no excuse for his actions.

She had looked unwell and from the dried tear marks on her face,he knew she had cried.

And when he had unleashed his anger on her, she had grown from bad to worse. He felt like a total jerk.

He was stepping out of his room to look for her and apologize only to take a glance around the room to notice the absence of her purse.

He cursed under his breath as he rushed downstairs, screaming out her name. He called out her name several times only to be answered with silence.

He knew without being told, that she had left but he had hoped she would have stayed.

He run his fingers through his hair as regret clouded his heart. He had driven her away and the thought of losing her sent a pang to his heart.

Pulling out his phone, he dialed her number and paced the living room as he waited for her to pick up.

It rang several times before going to voicemail. The same thing happened to the other thirty-two calls he placed afterwards. He made sure to apologise with every voice message he left...

Feeling upset with himself, he tossed his phone onto the couch as he thought of the possible outcomes of his actions towards Monique and the fact that none of them seemed bright put him on edge.

He looked around his home and for the first time in forever, he felt lonely. Even his home felt incomplete and somewhat empty...

Monique hugged her pillow tighter as she listened to the voice messages, one after the other. Het chest tightened with his pleas and apologies. She didn't know what she wanted anymore.

She felt she owed it to her sister but then again, she has a life of her own.

She has always placed her sister's needs before her own but why does it hurt when for once in her lifetime, she wanted to put first something she wanted so badly.

Life really is unfair!!! She thought sadly