JOANNE
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The night the women of the Ale-o house threw a celebratory party for Lisa was the night she died.
Theodore didn’t seem to care about my frozen state. He continued speaking.
“I hope you realize that Hardy is walking you down the same path. It’s all for his big investigation. He knew Lisa would never commit suicide. The police and a lot of powerful people were involved in this case, but none registered it as homicide. But suicide. Until he hired a private investigator who proved that Lisa’s death was indeed a homicide, A few days later, Hardy received a letter that came in an actual envelope saying everything Hardy has ever had will be taken away from him, no matter how much he renews them, and he or she will make sure Hardy never finds true happiness.
Ever since that day, Hardy hasn’t remained the same.
Because it all just proves someone was onto Hardy and gave Lisa a clean death with her unborn child.”
Theodore paused to catch his breath.
A little too soon, he continued.
“Not knowing who the darn person is, Hardy decided to rewrite everything that happened with Lisa again. That’s why he introduced you to these people and got you involved with these women, so whatever was happening, the person who sent that mail would see you and aim for you too. Hopefully you don’t end up dead before he catches whoever that person is. And Hardy is too broken to care if you die or not. He’s saving Bailey as backup.”
My heart immediately shattered into crumbs, and my legs felt like they were not connected to my body.
And worst of all, Theodore wasn’t stopping.
I needed him to stop talking so I could think.
“And now that you’re close to revealing you’re pregnant to these women, Hardy is on the edge. He feels like everything is happening too fast, and he wants to be prepared. And if you’ve noticed, of course you would never. You don’t know what Hardy is like. He’s been different these days, and I” Theodore’s voice faded out.
I caught him shaking his head like he was shaking something off at the back of his mind, and he let his new words flow.
“The maids were talking. They said you both slept together. But Trinity clarified that nothing happened between you two. But if you don’t leave now, things might get bad for you. Not just from these women at the Ale-o house but from Hardy too. He has a bad habit he’s slowly swimming towards.”
I gently laid my body on the car’s seat and clutched my purse even tighter. I never said a word and just let Theodore watch me.
“I’m sorry to just lay this all out on you. But I had to. Hardy, who you’re actually wanting to help, willingly. He doesn’t give a darn about you, Joanne, and that’s how bitter the truth is.”
That’s why Ophelia had warned her to be careful.
Because she knew something.
I tried to find my words, but my head was drowning in a sudden brain fog.
Of course.. I forgot I was empathizing with a man who would kill me under one slit. Where had my head gone?
And he had Bailey as a replacement?
II immediately felt like a complete fool.
Because I witnessed how intoxicated and teary-eyed he became in front of me, I decided to feel sorry for Hardy Bensimon, who never forgot who I was to him.
‘A tool’.
Because he showed me his vulnerable side by kissing me. I determined that I wanted to help him.
Boy. Wasn’t I an idiot? A large one at that.
I didn’t say anything, so Theodore just gently turned back to the steering wheel, hit the car’s ignition, and took off.
–
I was quiet during the entire ride, and the moment we got home, Trinity was standing outside waiting for me with a grin on her face.
Home?
No way, I just mentally called this place home.
Nowhere was home with Hardy Bensimon.
We’ve moved around three different places, with me being drugged.
Hardy didn’t even trust me or consider me anything, and yet I wanted to willingly help him.
Seeing the depressed look on my face, her face swiveled into an expression matching mine, and she immediately took me by the hand.
“Is something wrong?” She asked almost quietly, eyeing Theodore walking out of the car behind me.
“I am tired, and I want to rest,” was all I said before retiring to my so-called room.
**
The day was beginning to get dark, not because it was getting close to darkness, but because Fall had arrived, bringing with it bothersome rainy days. It was only 5:32 p. m., yet the day appeared to be ripe for starry skies.
Despite the strong walls and the little rectangle window, I could hear distant thunder and the hard wind rustling the tree leaves.
I closed my eyes and imagined what it would be like to live a life of freedom.
If I thought selfishly, this is what my life would be like. A lavish lifestyle with a man like Hardy, but with a different mentality and objective. Actually alive and loving. Without putting a pregnant woman’s life at risk.
The door to my room opened, and Trinity bobbed her head out the small opening.
“Your dinner is re-
“Thank you, Trinity. I’m not hungry.” My tone was as sharp as a cutting-edge knife, and I internally felt bad when Trinity actually looked sad. But I didn’t do anything about it.
“Please jo-
“I’m fine, Trinity.”
I cut her off again, and she nodded slightly before leaving the room.
I was quiet again, trying to start my alone time with envisioning, when the door creeped open.
“Trinity, I told you I’m not hungry, what do you w-
I stopped talking and slowly pulled the blanket above my fully clothed body when I saw Hardy standing by my door.
His thick, mysterious voice immediately took over the room. “Joanne Mccain, are you trying to starve and kill my child?”
.
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