Episode 10

This is overwhelming. Then I remembered I hid something in here. It was a tie I got for him for his birthday, the year before but he wore it a lot so I hid it in his study. A place where I knew he would never look. I had to check if it was still there. I hid it a week before he died. I walked to his bottom drawer of his desk and opened it. I saw the box I hid it in. I took a deep breath and opened the box. The tie was still in there and I took it out of the box but there was something else in it. A note.

Chlo-bear,

Sweetie, you are so smart hiding my tie here. This is my office Hun I know every nuke in here. But I'm going to act like I haven't seen it if it makes you happy.

Ps. I wore it every day because you bought it for me and I love you.

Your Papa

This got me almost in tears. Oh, how I miss my dad. He is the sweetest thing ever. But I didn't cry because I am not in my safe space. I am made of steel. I am made of steel. My tears were now gone and I was back. I put the tie and note in my purse.

Walked down the hall and the door was slightly open. I stood by the door and leaned on the doorframe. No expectations no emotions. I was plain as paper.

There she was in front of her vanity. Putting on makeup. She looked so strong. However, frail in a way. Her skin was a lot older than it should be. She is sick after all. This woman abandoned me when I needed her most. She turned around and looked at me. When I was her face, my first thought was to walk up to her and punch her for everything she did to me. Punch her so hard I might break my wrist again. Then I felt like running to her and cry on her laps for all the times I needed her and she wasn't there. I wanted to share my happy moments with her.

Share my pain with her, my success and share the good times in my life with her but I was raging all the same so I just stood there.

"Chloe! It's so nice of you to finally come to see your old dying mother." She said sarcastically and I rolled my eyes. She kept looking at me as if expecting me to say something but I just stood there.

"Come closer Chloe I'm not going to hurt you." I didn't want to walk over there but then I noticed the IV hanging to her hand and I didn't want to argue. I walked a little closer to her but not too close. I looked at her and I saw something different in her eyes like regret and remorse. Her warm hazelnut eyes looking at me.

"Chloe I know you are angry, scared and traumatized by what I did to you but look on the bright side it was more of a blessing."

Is this lady serious right now? Where is she going with this anyways? I just feel like screaming in her face right now. But I needed to be modest so I let her continue.

"I mean look at you now. You are so rich and you smell so good. You even changed your last name to Moretti from Costa. I see the news all the time and you're always at the top of the business headlines. Moretti enterprises did this or that. You are now on top of the food chain because I accused you of murder. Once you got there, you forgot about me. You did not even think to send me a thank you card"

This woman is delirious. I think chemo fried her brain cells. All she had to do was say sorry but no, she just had to ruin it. I made a trip for her but I am starting to seriously regret that decision. I should just leave but my feet were plastered to the ground.

"I mean just look at you. You are almost pretty. Who even knows how you became the owner of Moretti enterprises. Maybe you married Rafael Moretti and killed him. That is a smart move there dearie. That's why you have his last name isn't it?"

That is it she has crossed the line. Talking about my father that way. She is in for a ride. I was about to explode on her then I remembered she is sick of cancer. I had to be subtle. I really want to kill this time bomb right here and now but I can't go to jail. I have more work to do here than in jail.

"Well, Alexa I'm sorry to see that chemo fried your brain cells and you have become delirious. I think you have forgotten how this all happened. When I was fifteen you threw me out of this house with the accusations of murder in my hands" my voice was starting to go higher so I took a deep breath and continued.

"I didn't come here for you to insult me or my father Moretti but for an apology which you clearly can't deliver. I am here because of my father's dying wish. You know he also died of cancer, as you will soon. I thought you might have changed but I was wrong. It's only a matter of time Alexa before your sins catch up with you." I turned around to walk away but I saw pictures of my dad and me on her dresser. I stood there looking at them then she continued

"You see Chloe, you have always been a brat. Now you are ungrateful too. I am your mother young lady and you do not walk away from, worst of all don't call me by my name we are not acquaintances"

God what is it with this woman?

"My mother? Ha-ha. You were never a mother to me. Never. Has it ever occurred to you that maybe I just wanted to be your daughter over all the riches" I was losing it I had to make this quick. "You know you are right about two things. The best thing you ever did for me was throwing me out because I found two amazing parents that gave me the love you couldn't. And second, we are not acquaintances. You are nothing to me but pain and hate. You know Alexa when I was on the streets I walked by here every day hoping that one day you would open those gates and take me in your arms. But that day never came. I watched my father die of cancer and it was not pretty." I took a deep breath because this is the last thing I will ever say to this woman in my life

"Alexa I forgive you. For everything, you did to me. I forgive you for hurting me and today I let go. Juan told me you were waiting for my forgiveness so you could die in peace. Well, you have it. I forgive you for all the mean words. I hope you can now die in peace because today I no longer hold the pain you put in me."

I said and walked out of the room more like ran because the tears were about to come running and there was no holding back. I walked past Rosalinda and she looked at my teary eyes with so much pity. I just kept walking and I ran into my car. I drove around for like two hours just thinking.

I don't know why I am crying. I had no expectations but I had hope that she was really a better person. I really hoped she had changed. But nothing changed and once more she still had the power to make me cry with just words. I needed to forget this pain and forget everything. So I went back to the hotel bar and sat there

"Rough night huh?" the bartender asked

"You don't even know the half of it. I will have six shots of the strongest drink you have in there and keep it coming."

"Yes ma'am,"

I was five drinks in when I started losing control of my brain. I was getting tipsy but still aware of my surroundings. This is not supposed to be happening a second time. This woman hurts me repeatedly but she is gone now. Inexistent to me. Aria had been trying to call me but I couldn't answer not in this state.

I was about to drink my sixth shot when the bartender brought me a class of what seemed to be iced tea

"Oh I didn't order this," I said

"No ma'am the guy over there sent it," I didn't even bother to look

"Tell this guy I can buy my own drinks and I'm not in the mood to talk unless he wants a broken nose that I can give him," I said in a very foul mood.

The bartender left and I drank my drink and asked for more. My hand just healed. It's like people just want me to keep punching them.

"I thought we were going to lay off the hitting people thing," that voice I would recognize anywhere.

Nicholas! My heart leaped. Stop, you traitor.

Now I do not want to look up because I might get lost in those big blue eyes. He put his hand on the counter in front of me.

Then I turned around and I was right it was him. Why is he here? Is he stalking me? I need to retort.

"I thought we were going to lay off the nosiness," I said mimicking his voice.

He laughed and sat next to me. I heard him laugh again. For a moment there I forgot everything I was going through not Alexa. I was tipsy and losing all my care in the world. I needed this just for today. If I can't hit someone, I need to find another way to channel all these feelings. I will drown myself in whatever this drink is called.

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