"You really don't want to talk about it?"

"I-" I started then stopped to think about what I wanted to say.

I bit my lip in thought, asking myself what I could tell him. I can't possibly tell him that my mother wants me to leave Kaden to be with him because he's richer. I don't think I would never be able to face him again if I tell him that now.

What would he think of me?

Will he just judge me?

He will also know that money was the reason I was married to Kaden.

The pressure in my chest became more apparent at the thought of him thinking so lowly of me. What would he think of me? What is he thinking of me?

*Flashback*

"You're good for nothing. Nobody, other than me, will accept you." He hissed fisting his hand into my hand pulling up and closer to his face. "You're using me, so you better make it worth my money."

I closed my eyes tightly sniffing as my shaking hands went to grab onto his slightly to make him loosen his painful grip.

"Please." I pleaded finally opening my eyes to let more tears roll down my cheek.

"Do you think you would here if it wasn't for me? Even your own mother knows what you're really worth." He snapped pulling me toward the kitchen counter. "Anyone telling you they care about your life is damn liar. Nobody does anything for free. You don't even love me. You're here for my money."

I winced when he slammed my body against the counter trapping me against.

"Do you know what they call women who fuck men for their money?" He asked pulling a knife from the counter. My eyes widened as he pressed the cold metal against my arm. I fought against him and screamed as he cut my skin open.

"A whore. And who would want a whore?" He said pulling the knife away and watching the crimson liquid on the knife.

He let me go and I dropped to the floor crying soundly as I watched my own blood stain my dress.

"No one. No one wants a whore. And they will take advantage as soon as they know how easy you are." He snapped dropping the knife beside me. "Go clean yourself up. You're making a mess."

** End flashback**

What was I even thinking? What good would it do to tell him what my mother said?

No.

I can't tell him.

I looked back at him after putting a small smile on my face. He looked down at him waiting for my answer. The weight of his gaze almost pushed into telling him the real reason, but I just can't bring myself to do so.

"She was angry that I didn't go to Italy." I said and the look he gave me only told me that he didn't believe a single word I just said.

He nodded grabbing the gun once more. "I don't believe you, but I won't push it."

I opened my mouth and closed it a couple of times before nodding, thankful that he wasn't pushing it because I look at more, the more anxious I get thinking about what my mother said.

I want him to keep being my friend. And I won't let my mother take that away from me. I can't even remember when the last time was I had an honest conversation, before I met him and Frieda. They were bluntly honest and helped me in ways could have never hoped for. Their friendship means more to me than whatever my mother's hopes are for me.

I took the gun back in my hand

"You'll tell me when you're ready."

I nodded giving him a small smile nervously looking down at the weapon in my hand. "Y-you're my friend, so yes."

I stayed silent after those words left my mouth, probably waiting for him to say something. When he didn't say anything, I looked up to meet his gaze.

The corner of his lips turned up a little and he looked at me with a glint in his eyes. "Go ahead and shoot, friend."

*****

"Stand up Maya!" Frieda yelled for the third time at my laying form. "You're progressing with everything but endurance."

This woman must be stopped.

"I'm sorry." I whimpered turning to my side. "I just don't have your stamina."

"No kidding." She said rolling her eyes.

I sighed and looked up at her. She was over six feet and way stronger than me, yet she never wants to slow down and always expects me to keep up, both in speed and strength.

I will die before that happens.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked as she sat on the floor. I nodded and she took a deep breath. "Do you plan on leaving him?"

Her question caught me off guard. I slowly sat up and looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. Her face was serious and I looked down at my hands, asking myself how to answer that.

Yes?

The answer should be yes, right? And it should be easy to answer her question.

Then why wasn't it?

She looked at me expectantly.

"You can't answer yet, can you?" She asked and I just looked at her, not saying anything. She nodded to herself taking my silence as a response. "But, it's okay."

"My cousin cares about you." She said and I looked at her again. "I'm just stating the obvious. He wouldn't have lifted a finger for you, otherwise. I don't know what his objective is, since he never does anything without getting something but he cares for you."

My eyes widened in surprise with each word and took my time registering them. what she said brought me more comfort than I thought it would. Whether I want to admit it or now, I know that what she said makes me happy, if the warmth spreading all over my body was anything to go by.

"You're blushing." Frieda's voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I felt myself get even hotter as the smirk that appeared on her face.

I fervently shook my head looking at her. "N-no. It's not like that."

Her smirk widened causing my heart rate to increase under her scrutinizing gaze. "Of course."

"Really. I- I'm just glad that he's willing to help me so much when I don't have much to offer." I said looking down at my shaking hands again. "He's a good man."

"A good man, huh?" She said and the amusement in her tone made me huff before narrowing my eyes slightly at her. She chuckled looking at my obviously red face. "Look, I usually don't like making new friends, but I really want you and your lazy ass to see me as that." She said and I looked up at her in surprise.

Really?

She always helps me and tries to motivate during our sessions, but I thought it was just for me to be more comfortable. It looked like she was even pushed into helping me, so I never thought that she actually wanted to be a friend of mine.

"Really?"

"Really." She nodded stretching her legs in front of her. "I want you to trust me. You can talk to me if you want. I'm a good listener."

A good listener.

"Your mom is a bitch." She said and I gasped at her bluntness and randomness. "She is. And I'll keep saying it until you realize that you don't have to do anything she tells you." She shrugged as she looked at my shocked face.

"Where did that come from."

"She just is. And she got you into this mess." She said standing up. "And that pisses me off because I could have been in bed right now instead of constantly beating your ass to the ground."

I let out a small laugh at her words and stood up too not even trying to deny the obvious. She brought her fists in front of her as I got into position too

*****

.

"My cousin cares about you."

I laid on my side, eyes with my eyes glued to the glass door of the balcony. I pulled the blanket closer to my chin and let out a small sigh while looking at the moon.

My mind fixated on only one thing.

Or person.

The person that did nothing but invaded my thoughts. I thought of Nickolas without even realizing it. He was constantly on my mind.

"My cousin cares about you."

This has never happened to me. I never found myself thinking so much of one man who wasn't my father. Not only do I find myself thinking about him, but also looking forward to seeing him. I found myself staring at my phone for no reason as if my will alone could make his name appear on the screen.

This is ridiculous.

I was acting like a lovestruck teenager. I can't even hear the man's voice without feeling warmth in my heart.

I know I cannot allow myself to feel such things. He was a good man. At least I have seen enough of him to come to that conclusion. And I also know that I shouldn't take his kindness for granted or let myself believe that it was anything thing other than him being kind.

I know I cannot let Frieda's words get to me. Why would a man like him want someone like me? I have nothing to offer. A man like him needs someone who stand up for herself. Not a weak one like me. Not someone who knows that her mother is wrong but still can't properly say no to her. Not someone who can't even help her paralyzed father. Not someone who can't save the company her father worked so hard to build.

He said that he would want something from me. And I still wonder what he could possibly want. Maybe it had something to do with his and Kaden's job. But I didn't know anything about that. I found out about their work not eve long ago.

Maybe I'm even confused about my own feelings. I've never really been in love but even I know that what I'm feeling can't be it.

It's still too soon, right?

It has to be.

What is this?

Is it gratefulness? Is it friendship?

Why does he make my heart race so fast? Why am I feeling like this when I am married to someone? Why am I having these selfish thoughts when I should be finding a way to help my family?

I groaned a little rubbing my eyes before looking back toward the glass door and blinked when I saw a figure outside.

I gasped sitting up quickly to turn the light of the nightstand on. My head whipped back to the window as my hands clenched around the sheets and no one was there. I grabbed my robe and put it on before shakily but quickly get out of the bed.

Was I being paranoid?

I stood near the bed not moving before narrowing my eyes toward the glass door again.

No one was there.

I really need to calm down.

I sighed and sat on the edge of the bed slowly, closed my eyes and took deep breaths, trying my best to clear my head. I did that for a few seconds before looking back at the glass door, quickly jumping up when I saw the figure there again, this time right in front of the glass door.

A loud gasp escaped my lips before I jumped up and ran toward the door.

"Mike!" I yelled as soon as I pulled the door open and ran down the hallway. "Mike! There's somebody on my balcony."

He was already running up the stairs when I said followed by another man.

"Go!" He ordered the man behind him, who ran back outside, as Mike kept going up the stairs. "Please stay here, ma'am."

I watched as he ran toward the bedroom. I looked back toward the front door to see men running around outside and I silently wondered how many of them were around here.

I sighed and leaned against the wall and listened to their voices and loud footsteps around me. There was someone out there. Someone was so close to my bedroom. One of my trembling hands went through my hair and I exhaled.

What if I was sleeping? What would have happened if I was sleeping.

Mike came back out of the room and I looked at him.

"There's no one in the room, the balcony door was locked." He said looking over my trembling form. "There's no way the person could have gotten in the house."

"The person was outside."

"The men are checking outside." He said and I nodded not saying anything. "You're safe inside the house."

That did nothing to ease my tension. There was someone there. And I don't see myself going back in that bedroom.