Seven

DELIA HERRERA POV

‘Celine Herrera is mine, she is my fiance, and I would hate for what happened today to repeat itself. Making a mockery of my wife-to-be is the same as making a mockery of me and rest assured, I won't sit back and just watch"

He'd said those words with a straight face, he'd threatened the press without a trace of hesitation and as I watched the news for the hundredth time, I felt my heart rate start to hurt... Or maybe it was because I couldn't fucking breathe.

The tablet fell from my hand as I gasped for air and clutched at my chest to relieve whatever it was that was clogging it up but it didn't help.

"Andrea!" I gasped for the name of my maid, but I was sure she wouldn't hear even if she was in the same room with me. My voice was that low.

Getting to my feet proved difficult, and when I finally managed it, I stumbled toward the front door because I knew if I didn't get air, I was really going to suffocate.

My heart squeezed and the door in front of me felt as if it was moving in waves as I reached for it. My hands clutched at the door handle and I struggled with it, twisting every which way to get the door to open as images of Celine and Belshar smiling at each other as they walked down the aisle flashed in my head.

"It's not real. It's not real" I muttered through each gasp and then yanked the door open. The cool night breeze was like a slap to my face and I stumbled to the floor, my finger smacking against the rock decoration that littered the side of the walkway.

Footsteps registered through the roaring in my ear and with much difficulty, I managed to glance up to see who it was.

"Oh my goodness, Delia! What are you doing on the floor" Julie screamed as she rushed toward me, grabbed me by the arm, and tried to help me to my feet.

Glaring at her, I yanked my hand from her hold, the fog and pain dissipating a bit as I took in the worried look on her face. I got to my feet and closed the space between us.

"What the hell was that on the news Julie... Didn't you say Belshar crushed Celine, so why the hell am I hearing Belshar confirm that they're together... He said she was his for everyone to hear, do you fucking know what that means..." I winced as the words came out of my mouth... Why the hell did I acknowledge it, now it was real. Now it was fucking real God damnit.

Julie gaped at me, her mouth dropping open with no words coming out.

"You better start talking because I am going to kill you first before I go for her. Belshar was supposed to be mine, so why was he saying that in the news?" I asked, and Julie just gaped, her breathing pattern increasing. "I asked you a damned question so why are you just staring at me like that! Fucking say something"

"I don't know!" She yelled off all of a sudden making me flinch. "Why are you shouting at me like it was my idea that the two of them got to meet? You are the reason why this is happening, so stop yelling at me like it's all my fault," she screamed, her veins standing out angrily and her chest heaving as she loomed over me, almost as if she was getting ready to strike me.

I scoffed in surprise, my mouth parting a bit and she must have realized just what she had done because she quickly stepped back from me and looked down at the floor as she unclenched her fist.

"I am so sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you. I must have been out of my mind for a second there..."

"It's too late to grovel," I said and watched as her eyes turned panicky. "You said it yourself that I am at fault, so why do you apologize now"

Julie dropped to her knees so fast, it was like she had no bones in them.

"No Delia! It's all my fault, please forgive me for yelling... It's just that the whole news was so shocking and I didn't know what came over me"

I smirked. "You seemed pretty determined to let me know that I was to blame so why are you apologizing like it's the end of the world, oh wait let me guess, is this because you think I won't continue paying for your mother's expensive stay at the hospital while she waits for a heart transplant," I asked with a glare and Julie's head dropped further. "Get up"

I said and her gaze jerked to mine.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Julie," I said and watched as she quickly got to her feet, her eyes red-rimmed with tears. "Don't you dare dodge," I warned, then reached back as far as I could and struck my palm against her cheek.

Julie gasped in shock, stumbling a bit from where I'd told her to stand.

"I am so sorry" she apologized as she moved back to the position quickly.

Scoffing, I smirked at just how pathetic she was and then smacked her in the face, then I repeated it over and over again until my arm hurt and my palm stung.

The last blow sent her to the floor, and I stood over her, heaving and trying to catch my breath.

The rage in me had lessened and with it came clarity.

I glanced down at Julie whose whole face was red with snort and tears crisscrossing to create a grim image.

"Oh my goodness! What have I done" I gasped, then leaned toward her. "I am so sorry for hitting you, Julie, but you know how I get when I lose my temper, right? This wasn't me... Please don't be mad at me. I promise I won't hit you again" I said as I offered her a hand.

She stared at it with her other eyes and that was when I saw that her eyes were swollen shot... I guess I hit her much harsher than I thought I did. No wonder my hand hurt. Did she have rocks in her face or what?

Julie took my hand just as I was about to retract my offer and I helped her to her feet then pulled her in for a hug.

"Please forgive me. You are the only friend I have... I must have gone crazy for a second... I didn't mean to hit you so hard," I said, then pulled back to stare into her eyes. "Will you forgive me, Julie? I promise this will never happen again. Will you forgive me? Please"

Julie trembled in my arms as she nodded, more tears trailing down her cheeks.

Andrea rushed toward us, then gasped, her eyes widening when she took in the appearance of Julie.

Andrea stopped in front of me, then took my hand and examined it with a frightful expression.

"Oh my goodness Miss Delia, your hands are completely swollen! How could you hurt yourself... You should have called me to handle this," she said, and I snatched my hand out of her hold.

"I did call you but you were nowhere to be found... Take Julie to the hospital and fix her up, also tell the doctor to move her mother up the list so she can get her transplant" I said and watched as Julie's eyes widened. I took her hand. "I really mean it when I said I was sorry Julie. Hitting you was all a mistake, a mistake I made because I was angry... Please still be my friend... Please," I said, and she nodded more eagerly.

I smiled, then gave Andrea the go-ahead.

"I'll call for the doctor to see to your hands Miss Delia," Andrea said as she escorted Julie away from my presence.

Sighing, I walked back into the house and after a few minutes of pacing the room, I sat down on the sofa.

"What the hell did you do to get him to agree to your ridiculous contract Celine? Belshar doesn't act like this... Just why is this happening!"

Everyone knew Belshar's word was law, and he never joked with anything he said, so that meant that his declaration wasn't a lie and he was likely going to marry Celine.

Was he in love with her... Was that why he hadn't reacted when she'd bumped into him at the bar? Had that sly Celine known him way before Julie even suggested Belshar to her? Had she been pretending all this time?

"Why do you always get in my way and take everything from me, Celine... You took my parents and now you want to take the man I love. I won't allow it to happen. I'll never let you have him" I yelled, heaving as the anger started to well up inside once more.

"You really want to play this dirty game with me, Celine? Too bad, everyone that plays with me always dies at the end, and you'll be no different Celine."