-Leia-I wake up and hear the shower running, a slow smile spreading across my face. Last night was mind-blowing; Christian did things to me that had me nearly passing out from pleasure. Then he took care of me afterward, but as soon as I got into bed, I was lights out.We made up without promising the world to each other and I think that is a step closer instead of a step apart. I love that we can talk about things and not argue, how we get each other and appreciate the other’s space. Stretching, I’m about to get up when he saunters out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He sees me and grins. “Good morning, wild cat,” he says, but just as I want to ask what the hell he means, he turns around and my face feels like a volcano.Scratches and bite marks all over his beautiful skin!“Oh, god! I am so sorry!” I exclaim, but he just chuckles and walks to the closet.“Why? I love being all marked up. Now, when my back stings during my meetings today, I’ll think about you

-Leia-Things are weird lately.Christian barely calls me anymore and when I call him, he almost never answers. I understand he’s abroad right now, but ignoring me for no reason? My mother is getting worse - she sees her sister when she looks at me and talks about the good old days. Her cries of pain are etched onto my soul but there’s nothing I can do but watch her wither away. I have no one to turn to, not that I want to worry anyone. Suffering alone used to be a black spot the size of a golf ball, but now it’s grown to a yoga ball size. I’m not sure how long I can keep this up anymore…I just want the pain to go away.Sitting alone in the penthouse with Klaus on my lap, I look at my phone and wondered if I should call Delilah and Lucas. They’ve always been there for me no matter what, and I could use the shoulders. I take a deep breath and blow it out before video-calling them both. They literally answer at the same time and smile when they see me, but the second I see their face

-Leia-He thinks I cheated on him with Oliver because of the pictures he received. He’s been following me around, checking my bank accounts, and staying away from the penthouse. All because he thought I cheated on him,I went to my apartment after Christian kicked me out and cried the entire night, with zero sleep. It left me sitting with puffy eyes, no change of clothes, and no way to get my things back from Christian’s penthouse. He wasn’t answering my calls either; not that I expected any less. Swallowing my pride, I decided to go around to Delilah’s place. She took one look at me and nodded, but I was all cried out by then. Good thing we’re the same size, or I would truly be screwed because even my wallet and cards are still at Christian’s penthouse.After letting Delilah do my makeup, I took a deep breath, tucked my hurt away, and went to work. It will help me take my mind off the shitstorm that is my life right now. I like to think I hid my pain well because Alexander didn’t

-Christian-Life is moving in slow motion, everything is still happening as if I didn’t lose my purpose for living. The morning after I kicked Leia out, it took everything in me not to call her back or answer her calls. I wanted to beg her to come back, that I’ll put everything behind us if she forgave me and still loved me.But my pride stopped that.Her scent was still all over my penthouse so I immediately had her things packed up and taken away. I wanted no sign that she lived here, I wanted every trace of her removed from my life. But I couldn’t be an asshole and have her things left outside, so I had them pack it all away. Now my penthouse is an empty shell once again; it doesn’t even smell like Leia anymore.It’s been two months since I saw Leia last, two months since I removed her from my life, and two months since I’ve touched alcohol. The smell of it reminds me of the ugly things I said to her, and I am already stewing in my guilt as it is.I’m never home anymore. I always

-Leia-I hear Delilah sneaking into the bedroom and feel as she wraps her arms around me. I have no idea when Christian eventually left the apartment because I’ve been crying in here non-stop ever since. The last time I cried was when I found out I was pregnant and I’ve refused to shed another tear ever since. There was only me and my life with my baby. No one else will come close.Or so I thought - the second I saw how broken Christian was, all my defenses crumbled to dust. He was hurting as much as I was, I could see it in his eyes. He knows what he did was wrong, how he treated me was wrong, and thought an apology would take away weeks of pain.I love him, but I am not naïve.“Are you gonna be okay?” Delilah asks behind me. “Need me to go beat him up for you?”I laugh through my sobs and clasp her arm closer to me. “No, I’ll be okay. I needed him to hear me say that…It had to come from me. Hopefully, he moves on as I will,” I say.If anything, this will probably make Christian try