CHAPTER 7 Friends

Valerie's POV

Leonard grabbed me by my hand, dragging me towards the stairs to his study room.

I tried freeing myself from his tight grip. "You're hurting me," I said, trying to match his pace as my eyes watered with tears. He pushed me inside and slammed the door angrily.

"Who the fu*k do you think you are going around sniffing my house for secrets?" I flinched at the sound of his voice "If you have any questions then fucking ask me, don't go asking around like a freaking detective. You're here to act as my wife and be the mother to my children, not the other way around,"

"It's not my fault you won't tell me anything, you won't even talk to me. I need to know about their mother and how deeply they're hurting to help them heal," I fired back at him with a glare.

"They're not hurt, my children are perfectly fine. Okay? They need a mother figure and that's why you're here," he pointed out, and that only increased my anger.

"You call yourself their father, and you can't even see through them, are you even worth being a father?" I yelled at him loudly, standing on my toes to match him.

I instantly regretted my action, I saw his veins pop out in anger. I was held against the wall with his hand wrapped around my neck, knocking the air out of me. His eyes were so red, big, and about to pop out of their sockets.

"Pls, I didn't ...mean... to ehmm," I pleaded as I struggled to breathe. I was holding his hand, hoping for release.

"What did you say? You don't know sh*t, you know nothing about us," He screamed in my face like a maniac. I could only pray to survive this as his hold on my neck tightened more with every word he spoke.

"I'm... I'm ...sorry," I begged him, tears flooding down my face as my life flashed in front of me. Nobody is aware of my marriage to this demon right here. I thought about Monica and I regretted not talking to her for days now, she'd surely hate and curse my dead body.

Just when I thought of giving up, he shoved me to the side. I yelped when my back hit the floor. My hands replaced where his hands just left. I kept coughing and taking deep breaths.

"Stay in your lane, mind your business, or else." He stormed out of the room, leaving me to drown in my misery.

I heard footsteps approaching, but I didn't have the strength to stand up as I kept staring into blank space, "Hey, are you okay? What happened?"

I looked up to find my knight in shining armor. I started sobbing out loud at the sight of him.

"It's okay, it's okay, you're okay," He knelt close to me and patted my back as I kept crying. I almost lost my life today in the hands of my so-called husband.

He handed me his handkerchief to blow my runny nose, then helped me up. He took me to the veranda and sat me down on the wooden chair there. I watched him disappear and came back with a bottle of water and a scarf. He handed me the bottle and then wrapped the scarf around my neck.

How I wish he was my husband and not his friend.

He sat down on the chair opposite me, then held my two hands, looking me directly in the eye and I almost forgot my worries as I lost myself in his eyes. "Are you better now?" He asked with concern.

"Yes," I nodded at him. " You know, angels aren't supposed to cry, right? To me, you are one, and even though you still look pretty when you cry, I still don't want you to waste your tears," he said, smiling widely. While I try miserably to hide the effects of his smooth voice on me.

"Are you allowed to say that?" I asked in a low voice.

"Of course, I'm allowed," He responded, "I've known Leonard for years and I can assure you he's a good man, and he's not always like that. If you are a little more patient with him and get to know each other each day, you'll both enjoy your marriage." He added, putting good words out for his friend.

I can't help but wonder how the two of them met and how he's been coping with Leonard for years.

"He's not a good man, he almost murdered me in that room. Mr Mateo," I told him. I shuddered at the memory as I touched my neck again.

"Mr Mateo? Pls, call me Mateo. We're friends now, aren't we? He asked, raising a brow jokingly.

"Yes we are," I said shyly.

"Good, you can call me anything, and I'll be here. That's what friends are for, right?" he said, smiling.

I don't want to be your friend, I want to be more than a friend to him. But I nodded in reply.

"I have to take my leave now, we don't want to get Leonard angry," he said, as he turned to leave.

"Okay, thanks for today, Mr Ma… Mateo," I remembered he asked me to call him by his name.

"I didn't do anything," he gave me his biggest smile that showed his dimples as he ruffled my hair, and he left, leaving me to blush at myself.

I kept giggling like a schoolgirl as I walked back to my room. I need to find out when he's coming back, because I don't mind getting in trouble if he comes for me.

I was about to shower when I saw marks on my neck. I trailed the mark on my neck. I should be more careful when dealing with Leonard. He has made it obvious he doesn't like me, and I'll stay in my lane henceforth, it'll just be me and my children.