Then it hit me. It was the reason why Ty left it to Nick to inform Nadia about Adrian’s second suicide attempt. He knew her reaction would depend on her mental state. If she was willing to fight for him, it would crush her inside out, but if she finally saw him for who he was, there was a chance she could bear the news.
“He was doing so good all those months, and he even realised that I couldn’t love him. He told me to go…”
She was getting closer and closer to another panic attack, and I wasn’t having it. No fucking way. I couldn’t watch her vulnerability and do nothing. I cupped her face, careful not to press on the bruises. A shaky breath left her lips, my touch working better than any pills.
“Look at me,” I pleaded, my heart breaking every time my eyes roamed over her face. “This isn’t your fault. If he loved you, he would’ve stayed away until he was certain he wouldn’t hurt you again.”
She bit her lip, first tears dancing in her eyes.
“I stabbed him.”
I dropped my hands back to hers when she opened her mouth, ready to tell us the whole truth. Words kept coming as if a dame burst. With every next sentence, she squeezed my hands tighter, feeding off whatever strength she found.
“I used to be passive; I took every ounce of his anger, not even trying to defend myself, but this time was different…” she stopped to take a deep breath.
Her face twisted with pain, she let go of me, and doubled over, holding onto her side.
“What’s wrong?” Nick asked, coming closer.
“Just bruised ribs this time,” she uttered, breathless.
She continued with her story, unaware that her words broke something deep inside me—the part of my character that believed everyone deserved a chance to redeem themselves.
Adrian didn’t.
He deserved to suffer. He knew it when he tied the rope around his neck. He knew that life filled with suffering was all that was waiting for him, and he chose the easiest way out. Too bad it didn’t pan out.
“I tried to talk him out of…” Nadia hesitated, unable to call the abuse for what it was. “When that failed, I grabbed the knife.”
Not even my proximity could ease her torment when she told us how things played out that night. She shook all over, and eventually let go of my hands and moved away, hugging her knees, even though it seemed to cause her more pain.
Nick sat beside her when I moved across to the far end of the couch, despising the invisible wall that suddenly separated me from Nadia.
“Have you seen a doctor?” Nick asked a while later.
He had a hard time processing the news, and an even harder time keeping himself in check, but he ignored the overwhelming feelings for Nadia’s sake, trying to be her pillar.
“There wasn’t time. The paramedic looked me over, and told me to head to the emergency room, but Ty didn’t want to risk the police questioning me in case they’d stop me from flying back home. Besides, all I’d get were painkillers.”
I wasn’t sure what hurt me more: the fact that she knew what the doctors would do about her bruised ribs, or that she accepted the bruises and cuts as something normal.
“We need to get you checked over, but we’ll do it tomorrow at the private clinic instead of spending the night at the A&E. I’ll call Mel to get the guest bedroom ready. You’re staying with us for now.”
Nadia shook her head, her eyes wide. “No, that’s not a good idea.”
“I wasn’t asking, sis. I’m not letting you stay here alone. What if Adrian checks out of rehab and comes over?”
There was something in Nadia’s stance that had me bracing for more excuses on Adrian’s behalf. More lies she fed herself with for months.
“I’m fine.” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “I just need to get up and keep going.”
“I fucking hate what he did to you,” Nick snapped. “I’m sorry I hadn’t figured it out, but don’t expect me to leave you here. I’ll help you any way I can, I swear. Until you’re truly better, and until I’m sure he’s gone from your life, you’re staying with me.”
“He’s not a bad person, you know. He’s just lost.”
The annoyance I struggled to keep in spilled from Nick’s mouth with no filters.
“I swear, if you try to defend him ever again, I’ll have you admitted. You can’t keep doing this! He’snota good person.”