CHAPTER LXXIII
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Saige took deep breaths, struggling to calm herself down , as her father’s words rang in her mind.
“Help me, Romano. She has lost her mind. My daughter has lost it and I can’t lose her. She’s all I have,”
Shortly after she had left her art room, she was going to her dad’s office to talk things through with him and make him understand when she heard him talking to Chase on the phone. That had immediately stopped her from meeting him and she rushed back to her room once she heard that Chase was coming over.
He was coming for her. That means he at least cared.
That was the first step to love, right?
At the thought of that, a small smile appeared on her lips. “Chase cares about me and he’s coming for me. I have to dress good for him and falsify dad’s words about me losing my mind. Once I’m sure he’s convinced, I’ll place an order for the anti-depressants,”
In less than fifteen minutes, she was staring at her reflection in the mirror with her lips stretched into a wide smile, already dressed up in a green knee-length dress. She had creamed her hair and combed it, then concealed the eye bags around her eyes.
“Saige,”
She flinched slightly at the sound of her dad’s voice, followed by her door opening and then him walking in with Chase following closely behind him.
Her smile widened at the sight of Chase and she fidgeted with her fingers. “Dad,”
De Luca halted in his steps. She looked normal, not the way she looked a few hours before and it surprised him. What was going on?
However, before De Luca could say a thing, Saige walked past him and went to Chase. “Chase, thanks,”
Chase’s brows furrowed into a frown and he stared at De Luca who looked equally confused. “Is this some sort of game or a prank? If it is, stop it,”
Saige internally squeaked in joy, seeing that her plan was working. She silently cleared her throat. “What’s wrong? I’m saying thanks for helping me. I-I’m grateful for what you did for me back at your place,”
Chase’s tone was hard. “I did nothing for you, Saige. What the fuck are you saying? I think you’ve really lost it,”
Her breathing accelerated and Saige looked down at her shoes, hoping Chase didn’t hear the sound of her breaths. “I-,” She looked up at him, her fake tears glistening in her eyes. “You really helped me by calling the doctor last night. I don’t know what I would have done to Soph if not for you. I feel bad of myself,”
“How did you leave the compound without anyone knowing?”
“I was scared,” She held his warm hands in hers’ and Chase quickly snatched his hand away. Her heart gnawed with pain at his action and Saige swallowed the lump in her throat. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to touch you,”
“I asked you a question Saige,” Chase insisted. “How the fuck did you leave the compound without anyone’s knowledge?” He dragged each word slowly, an obvious- hidden meaning behind them. He obviously meant that she shouldn’t dare lie to him.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.
Saige took a step back and stared into his emotionless eyes. “I’m really sorry I left. I-I was really scared. I – I had heard your cousins’ conversation with the doctor last night while I was asleep. I thought everyone would think I’ve lost it, so I snuck out. I thought dad would be able to help but he-he also thinks I’ve lost it,”
“No one thinks you’ve lost it for fuck’s sake, Saige,” Chase’s words came out frustrated. “The doctor said you’d have to be awake before any conclusion regarding the effect of the assault would be discussed and you running off like that would only solidify that you’ve truly lost it. Why would you think you’ve lost your mind?”
“Everything was scary,” She placed both of her palms on his arms, leaving them there when he didn’t push them away. “I – when I woke up, I didn’t look like myself. My – my hair wasn’t normal. I had eye bags under my eyes and – everything just wasn’t normal. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I did and how I treated Soph. I thought I had actually lost it. That was why,”
De Luca spoke. “And what about the dru-,”
She was quick to turn and cut in sharply. “I’ll see the therapist, dad. I’ll see a therapist as advised. Personally, after thinking it through, I realised that I actually need one. You were right,”
Chase said nothing. He stared at both father and daughter, trying to find any hint of lie between the both of them. He found none. It was either he had suddenly lost his ability to see through people’s lies or they were saying the truth.
“It’s good to hear that you’re going to see a therapist,” Chase slid both of his hands in his pockets and left it there. “It would be good for you,”
Saige turned and smiled.
Chase stared at the both of them suspiciously before nodding at De Luca. “I’ll take my leave now,” He turned to leave.
“Don,” Saige quickly stopped him by placing her hand on his shoulder.
Chase turned, making her hand fall back at her sides. “What?”
“Can-,” She moved forward again and placed her hand on his arm. “Can you please stay a little longer?”
Chase shoved her hand away from his arm and narrowed his eyes at her. “I’ve never stayed behind for you, Saige and today won’t be the first either. If this is all about Sophia even though you’re being unreasonable regarding it, you have nothing to be worried about,”
Saige stretched her arm to touch him again. “But-,”
Chase cut her off by taking a step back, then without acknowledging her, he nodded at De Luca. “If there’s anything serious, let me know. You have nothing to worry about because I’ve taken care of Mirza and his men,” He placed a cigar between his lips and lighted it, then put the lighter back in his pockets before turning to leave as only the sounds of his shoes on the tiles resounded through the room. He stopped by the door side but didn’t turn to face them. Chase pulled out the cigar from his lips and blew out smoke.
“Make sure she sees a therapist, De Luca. I won’t rule my kingdom with a mentally unstable woman by my side,”
In a blink of an eye, Chase was gone, the only evidence of his presence, the lingering sandalwood scent in the air.