Chapter 41

Placing her palms on the cold glass panes, Emmaline watched the beautiful garden with cold eyes. She wouldn’t deny that Matteo’s mansion was exceptionally beautiful and opulent but it wasn’t something new for her. The girl was born as a Princess and had spent nearly her entire childhood in the palace which belonged to Jasper, so wealth and luxury were never so enticing to her.

Emmaline was donning a pair of a baby pink tee and denim shorts. Her silver hair was perfectly combed and braided with a few rogue strands kissing her face. But her eyes were dry as she had cried enough. Her face wore an austere look but her agile mind was working at a rigorous pace.

A click on the door alerted her. She kept her expression blank and continued staring ahead unless someone pulled her arm from behind forcefully. She recognized the touch.

Matteo.

Matteo after hearing her mother wasted no time and rushed to check up on Emmaline. Or rather say to find the truth with his own eyes. The man who was so much concerned about her privacy a day back barged in without even knocking and literally pouched on Emmaline.

Emmaline watched him with a grim look as he started scanning her arms. Not for once he looked at her face instead his sole focus was on her hands.

His temper flared when he found her skin with no flaws, no blemishes, and no blood stains. Matteo immediately shot his burning eyes at Emmaline and gripped her left forearm jerking to himself.

“How come you’re healed? Weren’t you severely injured?” He asked her in a dominating tone.

Emmaline looked down at his hand that was holding her before meeting his questioning gaze, “Yes, I was injured and now I am perfectly fine.”

Her casual reply triggered him. Gripping her both arms tightly, Matteo pulled her closer before sneering at her face, “Your skin was torn, Emma. There’s no way you can get healed in a day.”

Emmaline didn’t respond. She kept staring at him with hollow eyes.

Her silence blew his top, “Were you fooling me, Emma? I trusted you. You were begging me to help you yesterday Babe now why are you behaving this way?”

Matteo screamed in his face but she could hear the pain in his voice. He was feeling betrayed. She opened her heart to him and they both made a promise to themselves to never hide things from each other. It all can’t be a ruse; his heart wasn’t ready to accept it.

“Do you really think I will lie to you, Matt?”

She suddenly spoke taking him off guard. Matteo lifted his watery eyes and connected with her stern ones.

“No, I am not. But your silence is making me queasy Emma.” He spilled what was on his mind, “I know you wouldn’t deceive me but-”

“But you came in your parents’ words. You are reminding me of my promise but didn’t you also promise me that no matter what happens, your trust in me won’t waver?”

Matteo was startled. His hold on her loosened while his gaze dropped to the floor. Emmaline also stepped back as she watched him looking away from her.

“I heard everything, Matt. But you know what I am not at all angry at your parents because for me your responses matter. You saw my vulnerable side Matt, the side which I always keep hidden. I revealed my weakness, my tears, my pain to you, and today you’re saying that I am counterfeit.”

Matteo shook his head in denial, “N-No, Babe. I will never-” he trotted and tried to hold her but Emmaline weasel out of his grip and stopped him by showing her right palm.

“Yes, you did. You just proved to me that I made a mistake by believing in you. I was emotionally weak yesterday and asked you to marry me. I know it was shocking for you Matt but I wasn’t in the right state of my mind, you showed have understood that. Yet you had an option Matteo, you could have waited for me to get stabilized and then again discussed it with me before approaching your parents. But you just took it seriously and spilled everything to Mr. Stefanini. And after hearing their conversation, you jumped on me for knowing the truth. You are indecisive Matt. Why are you getting so easily manipulated by others? Don’t you trust yourself?” She grated out.

Her words enraged Matteo to no extent. Anger overpowered his remorse. Marching towards her like a raging growl, he gripped her chin making her look into his piercing blue-green eyes.

“Didn’t you manipulate me too? You were fucking bleeding when I brought you home when I break the door of the washroom and found you lying on the cold tiles, your wounds were healed. Automatically? How on earth did that happen? And the scars on your arms,” he said and clutched her arms, “Why aren’t their scratch marks? I didn’t apply a magical cream on them, Emmaline that they got disappeared. Fucking tell me the truth.” He spoke darkly.

Emmaline scoffed, “Why would I? You don’t trust me. I already made a fool of myself by crying in your arms. Only if I knew how hollow your trust is. Your mother advised you to reconsider your decision right? Then do the needful and I will do the same.”

Matteo panicked at her reply, “What do you mean?”

Emmaline smirked in response and slapped his hand away, ” I was emotionally torn and imagined you as my lifeline. But your Mum is right. Marriage is indeed a big step and these decisions shouldn’t be taken in a hurry. I am perfectly in my senses now so it will be better if I walk out of this mansion and of your life too.”

Matteo shook his head and engulfed her hands in his shivering ones, “W-Why? What do you mean by that? No, you aren’t going anywhere.” He blabbered in fear.

Emmaline threw him a glare and yanked her hands off before crossing them over her chest, “Who are you to stop me? You proved me right that men are dogs. I fucking trusted you and you were hesitating to defend me when your parents were questioning my character. I don’t expect them to stand for me but you knew everything. You just came in with their words and started targeting me. But you know what? I am grateful to your parents for being my eye-opener. I don’t wish to marry a man who is so indecisive, gullible, and immature.” She seethed and pushed him away before marching to the door.

“Your Dad is right Matt. Whoever takes my responsibility has to confront the man who is a demon in disguise. To tackle him, you have to play smart and clever. And to be honest”, she said and turned to him who was watching her with a crestfallen face.

“You don’t have the balls to fight him.” She yelled and stormed out of the room.

The moment Emmaline exited, Matteo kicked a nearby table and let out a thundering growl. He was incensed, and offended, but also deeply hurt. Emmaline not only humiliated him but called him incapable, and incompetent of becoming her man. Her faith in him disappeared in thin air just after a fight. Her every word slashed his heart into two. She not only ridiculed his love, and his feelings for her but also regretted befriending him.

Matteo grabbed his forehead. He was guilty of doubting her. He still wasn’t blaming Emmaline because he was the one who went back on his words, not the opposite. How dare he accuse her when his trust turned into suspicion in a day?

“Shit. THE FUCK I RUINED EVERYTHING!! How could I just do this to her? She trusted me and I-,” a cold sigh escaped his lips as his gaze turned rueful, “I don’t even have the right to accuse anyone when I am the one who is at fault. I chose to trust her and I only doubted her.” Slamming his fists on the wall, he leaned his forehead as guilt strike him hard.

“She would wish to never see my face ever again then how will I be able to gain her forgiveness?”

On the other hand, Emmaline after cursing Matteo ran to find the exit. She harshly wiped her tears with the back of her palm and tossed away her slippers not to make her departure obvious. She was hating everyone at the moment so she refused to leave through the main door. She did not want to face him or his parents.

“Fuck humans. I don’t know why I even choose to trust them,” grumbling, she wiped away the traitorous that keep leaving her eyes. First Stacy and now Matteo but Matteo’s betrayal pained her more.

After waking up in the morning, the first thing Emmaline did was search for Matteo. She was cognizant of whatever she had said to him last night which made her regret it. It was because she knew that his parents would never consent to it considering her age and the horrendous incident of last night.

Matteo had already made arrangements for her clothes and breakfast before leaving to talk with his parents. His concern for her swelled her heart that’s why after gulping down her meals, she ran to help him. Emmaline knew that he would have to bear the brunt alone of her deeds. But her heart got broken when he easily got convinced by Olivia and his stand for her wavered.

Emmaline wanted to clear up the misunderstanding. She decided to save Matteo by taking her words back but the way he started checking her body, she felt utterly disgusted. Of course, her wounds will get healed, she was a werewolf after all. She was so lost in despair that this fact slipped her mind. That’s why the first thing she did before leaving the room was to prepare the answers for it because she knew she would definitely be questioned that too by Matteo. But after confronting him, she didn’t consider it important. Why would she justify herself for a man who easily comes in people’s words? Whose trust is like glass.

Emmaline sprinted through the corridor and finally found an open window.

“After getting rid of one spineless jerk, I am not going to fall into another pit.” Scathing, she hopped on the sill and jumped through it ending her unfortunate friendship.

But to her consternation, someone witnessed her heroic stunt.

“OH, MY GOD!!!”

Olivia screamed in fright as she watched Emmaline jumping off the window. Her heart stopped as she froze in shock. Why? Because she jumped from fucking third floor.

“N-No, did she hear us?”, her lips quivered as her vision turned blurry.

“EM-EMMA”, Overcoming the shock, she ran after her, praying for her well-being.

“EMMA!! I AM SORRY, I DIDN’T MEAN THAT!!”

Olivia started to regret doubting her. Wasn’t there enough on her plate? Instead of encouraging her, she stepped to degrade her, and question her character. How pathetic she could be?

Peeking through the window, Olivia looked down frantically but to her surprise, there was no one.

“Huh?”

Confused, she darted her eyes around the garden when suddenly she spotted Emmaline who was sitting on the boundary wall. Olivia couldn’t believe her eyes. Still suppressing her fear, she again opened her mouth to call her but words died in her mouth when Emmaline jumped through the wall and ran away barefoot, uninjured.

*****