Hatred With Benefits

S E V E N T Y - F I V E

ALIYA.

She's shaking. She's shaking too fucking much from all over and my heart is jumping in my chest in

fear for her. In fear of what might happen to her.

"Deep breathes, Eva. Deep breathes. " I try my best to calm her down, but the sobs don't stop and the

trembles only increase, till a point where I'm fucking scared she has no control over it either.

"Please, Eva. You need to take deep breaths. " I tell her again, rubbing her back to try to provide some

warmth and her head only presses harder against my shoulder, her grip on me getting tighter as no

words fall from her mouth other than cries, and my heart both hurts and shakes for her. I know the

extent of Eva's love for Emerson, and I'd have thought of everything, but this. They might have

misunderstandings and fight when the time comes for it to happen, but never would I have thought that

Emerson Ford would take the big step of leaving her. Not this way. Not with her like this.

We remain in the position and after several minutes; Eva's sobs start to lessen and it turns into loud

hiccups as she takes inhales.

I pull back to look into her eyes, and they're full of tears. "Evie. Look at me, babe. " She raises her head

to mine and it only takes one look for me to recognize the familiar pain and sadness that swims around

those blue orbs.

"I'm here. I'm here, Evie. " I tell her but she says no words, other than hiccup again. My chest falls in a

sigh and I start to move up, curling my hand around her wrist to drag her up with me. She loses her

balance, but I'm quick to wrap a hand around her waist, steadying her on her feet.

"You should take a shower to get some relief. " I let out at the sight of the tangled mess her hair has

become over her head, and the tears that roll down her cheeks with her mouth closed.

"Eva, please. Come with me. " I speak again, but she doesn't move and she doesn't say a word. "Eva,

the bathroom?" I repeat my request and it takes a while before she slowly shakes her head as a revolt

against my words.

"You don't want to go to the bathroom? I think you should take a bath to calm—"

"No. " The one word is powerful enough to cut through my words and she finally lifts her eyes to me

again. "No. I– I can't go. He's there. "

"He? There? What are you talking about?" I furrow my brows in confusion and she starts to shake her

head non-stop as she opens her mouth, "I can't go in there. He's there. He's there, Aliya. He—

Emerson is— he's there to torment me. He will—" the rest of her words turn into cries and I hold a hand

over the back of her head as I bring her into my arms again, my eyes burning with tears at the meaning

behind those words.

He's there. So many memories of him in there with her and it'll kill her to step in there now that he's no

longer here. Now that he decided to leave her.

Eva hugs my body tightly, and her body is cold against mine; the pounding of her chest loud against

mine and I don't know what to do other than to continue hugging her.

I don't know how to tell her he'll be back by her side when he has left. I don't know how to tell this

hurting girl in my arms that everything will be fine when I know it won't; not like this. I don't know how to

tell Eva that I'll always be here for her because I know that'll never be enough.

The only thing I can do is hope that she doesn't fall back into the hole she once fell into.

EMERSON.

√NEW YORK CITY.

"And look who's back. " The woman in front of the desk smiles at me as she swirls a strand of her hair

around her finger and I throw her a bored look, "Is my brother around?"

"So straight to the point like always, pretty boy. Don't you—"

"I don't have time for your jokes. Just tell me if my brother is in or not. " I snap at her and she flinches a

bit before she clears her throat and jerks her head in the other direction. I give her one glance down

before I walk away from her and in the direction of the man I'm here for.

Standing in front of his door, I don't place a knock before I push it open and stride inside the room, and

he's sitting elegantly behind his desk with his eyes focused on the screen before him.

"The one with the focus as always. " I speak out and his head snaps to me, surprise masking his

expression as he slowly rises from his seat. "Emerson? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Hello to you too, brother. " I greet him, the smile that always accompanies those words now lost and

nowhere to be found.

"Why are you here?" He asks again and I push away from the door to make my way toward him. When

I stand in front of him, he proceeds to say, "You didn't do anything stupid, did you?"

"I did. " I confirm, settling in the seat in front of his. "And I'm here because of it. "

Elias sighs before he takes his seat again, dragging the chair closer as he places his hands in front of

him. "What did you do this time?"

I remove my gaze from his, staring at my fingers as I mumble, "I left. "

"Left who?" Elias questions and I say, "Her. I left her. " And if it wasn't the toughest decision I've ever

had to make in my entire life.

"Her?" When my gaze settles back on my brother, there's a look of confusion in his eyes before

realization dawns on him. "Her, " he repeats firmly this time. "The girl you told me about? Why? I

thought you said you love her. "

I let out a sad chuckle. "I had no other choice, Eli. "

I don't say another word before Elias mutters the only name that could have been my reason for it.

"Father. "

~FOUR DAYS EARLIER~

"Can't believe you're leaving me to go meet your girl?" Jaxon whines on my way to where my car is

parked and I give him a look of irritation. "Fuck off, dude. I'm not your bitch. "

"But you yearn to be. " He says as he throws a hand over my shoulder and I jerk his hand away as I

take a step to the side, away from him. "Stop being sickening, Jax. "

"Oh, right. I wouldn't want to fuck an annoying jerk like you either. I wonder how Eva puts up with you. "

He says as we stop in front of my car, and I open the door before I turn to him with a small smirk on my

face. "She has no other choice; she's trapped in my charm. "

"Like the lot of them all. " He retorts and I give him my middle finger, earning a laugh from him before I

slide inside the car and into my seat. I fasten my seatbelt and Jaxon taps on my window before he Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

waves and walks back inside.

I shake my head, a small laugh leaving my lips before I take my hand to the steering wheel, stopping

when my glance catches the screen of my phone and there's a new text.

"I'm on my way, baby. " I mumble under my breath as I stop the car and grab the phone to reply to her

text, only to find out it isn't from Eva but dad Instead.

DAD: I want you at my office.

I hiss and attempt to throw the phone to the side, only for another text to come in.

DAD: You'll pay for it, if you dare ignore my message.

I let out a groan of frustration as I toss the phone to the other seat and start the car, heading in the

direction of his office. I just need to listen to whatever bullshit he has to say, and I can head over to

Eva.

~

Stopping the car in front of the company, I move out of it and head inside, taking the elevator that leads

me to his office and when I arrive inside, he's standing by the window.

"I'm here. " I announce, but he doesn't move nor does he give me a response so I try again, "You called

for me. " Again, it's silence and I cuss under my breath as I stride closer to his side. When I'm almost

near, he turns around and I halt my steps as his eyes meet mine. They're the familiar coldness they've

always been, with him wearing his signature frown but there's something different about his face that

tells me I won't like this meeting before dad ever opens his mouth.

"And how long did you think you could hide it from me?" He queries and I lift a confused brow, "I don't

understand. "

"Did you honestly think that you could get close to Matt's daughter and keep me in the dark?" He

chuckles darkly as he sidesteps me and my heart is thumping in my chest as I turn around to his view

with wide eyes, "Matt's daughter? How— how did you know that?"

"The world is too small for Mason Ford, don't you think?" He responds as he drops to his seat, settling

his glass in front of him and I pace closer to him. "I love her. "

"I expected no lesser nonsense words from you, kid. " He chuckles. "But there might just be one use for

it. "

When I lift a brow at him, he says, "You might be just want I need to get rid of Matt Carson

permanently. You're close to his daughter, and as far as I know; he treats the girl like she's his whole

world which means she's close to her father and she'll help you in getting everything I need to bring

Matt Carson—"

"No fucking way. " I interrupt him, knowing where he's going with the rest of his words. "I'll not help you.

Eva is my fucking girlfriend, and I'll never do anything that'll harm her or her family. "

"I thought you'd say that, " he laughs, sinking back in his seat. "You're the useless one after all, aren't

you? But again, you don't have a choice here, kid. If you want to be with her, you have to go along with

what I say; if not, I'll not this relationship progress any further. "

"Why the hell do you hate me so much?" I ask him in a low voice and he slams his hands on the table

before him, leaning over it as he speaks, "Give me one reason why I should not?"

"Because I'm your son?" I reply and he snickers. "A son who killed my wife. "

My breath catches in my throat as I open my mouth again. "I– I didn't. I didn't do that. "

"Yes, yes, you did. " He persists as he moves back and walks around his desk to stand in front of me.

"You killed your mother. You killed my wife. "

"I didn't. " I repeat the words as I take a step back and he takes another forward. "You did! You took her

away from her family, and me! All she ever wanted was for her children to be comfortable and have

everything they could ever want in life, but what did you do? You whine and whine about not getting

attention like the goddamn bastard you are!" He spats and I flinch, but he doesn't stop there. "If she

never got into that plane for you, she'd still be here. But of course, you wanted her to come there to

give you the goddamn love you are always wanting and you fucking took her away from me!"

"No, I didn't, " I mutter, shaking my head. "I didn't kill her. I didn't take her away. It was meant to

happen, and I— I didn't. I didn't do that. I didn't. "

"Yes, you did. " He growls and I shake my head again, "I fucking didn't. Please. Stop. Just please. "

"You did. You killed your mother! You killed the one who wanted nothing but good for you! You're

worthy of no one, Emerson. You're a failure and a useless piece of—"

"Fucking stop!" I yell, not thinking about my next action as I swing my hand out, and throw my fist in his

face. He staggers backwards and I watch as he falls to the floor, a chuckle leaving his mouth as he

spits out blood.

"Yes, that's what you are, kid. You're meant to destroy things and that's why you'll never be worthy of

anything– or anyone. " He spats and I turn my back to him, shutting my eyes to hold back the tears that

threaten to fall.

"Give into my offer, or you'll lose the girl the hard way, Emerson. " He speaks behind me and I turn to

look at him. With bitterness laced through my voice, I speak, "You stay the fuck away from her! Stay the

fuck away from me! You have no fucking right to meddle in my life and decide the choices I make!" And

I turn to walk out of his office.

"You'll come back begging, kid. Mark my words. "

His words echo behind me and the tears finally fall.

~PRESENT~

"So let me get this straight; the girl you're in love with is the daughter of dad's rival, and now that one

reason is threatening your relationship with her?" Elias asks for clarification in front of me and I give

him a nod. "And I don't know what he'd do. "

"So you thought the next right thing to do is to leave?" He raises a brow and I sink my teeth into my

bottom lip at the mention of the decision I took; one that I'm not so proud of, but I made regardless

because I can't be that selfish. Not to her.

"Emerson, you told me you don't find yourself living without this girl?" He reminds me of the words I

once uttered to him and I say, "You don't understand, Eli. Our relationship isn't just causing Mason to

react; it's drifting her away from her parents and I can't do that to her. I can't take that away from her. "

"Did she complain about it?" He asks and I shake my head. "She didn't. "

"She didn't complain, and yet you saw it as an issue?" He says and I respond with, "She didn't

complain because she doesn't understand yet. I've been there, and I know how it feels, Eli. I know what

it's like to have your parent loathe you. I know what it's like to get no affection from the people who

gave birth to you. I know the impact it could have on her, and I don't want that for—"

"Can you hear yourself, Emerson?" Elias cut in before I can finish my words, and when I remain silent,

he continues. "You're saying you took it upon yourself to decide for the both of you. She was willing to

give up her parents for you, and you think she doesn't understand the weight of her decision? You think

she'll come to regret it?"

"The relationship between a parent and their daughter will always remain the most important. " I tell him

and he says, "Yet she was willing to abandon that relationship for you. Because she loves you.

Because you are what she wants. You think you won't be enough, but she knew you'd be. Look,

Emerson; you know I give and know no shit about love, but if I were in your shoes and a girl is willing to

turn her back on her family for me? It'd be her and me against everyone else. "

"But that's not the only obstacle in our way. I don't want a relationship with her where we'll have to be

afraid of what'll happen tomorrow. I don't one where we'll have to be cautious of how we move because

there are people who don't want us to be together. I don't want one filled with troubles; I can't give her

that, Eli. She deserves more than that from me. She deserves to be with me, in love and happy, without

having to worry about what hers or my father would pull up next to come between us. I want to be with

her and I want to love her in peace, but why's that so hard to have?"

Elias sighs. "What did she say when you decided to leave?"

"I didn't tell her I was leaving, " I answer, and when he arches his brows, I proceed to say, "Not to her

face. I couldn't have. I wouldn't be able to bear it, and I'd have never been able to leave her. I left her a

note instead. "

"And what does your note says?" He questions further, and I lick my lips, taking a gulp at the

remembrance of the number of times I had to rewrite the note because my tears wouldn't stop ruining

the previous ones. "That I'm leaving to make things right, and I need her to be strong for the both of us

while I'm away. " She should have read the note by now and it'll hurt her. She'll feel sad, and she might

even cry, then after that; she'll be strong like I know her to be.

A sigh leaves my brother's mouth again and when I lift my gaze to him, he shakes his head, "I think you

let Mason influence you into making the wrong decision, little brother. This move of yours may seem

right to you. You're doing this for yourself and the girl you're in love with. You're doing this to have a

future with her, but think of it from her perspective. Right now, she's on bad terms with her parents and

the reason for that left her. This is no more than leaving her at her lowest, Emerson and I'm afraid it

won't be easy for you after this. "

"It won't. " I agree. "But it'll be worth it in the end. "

"Will it?" He raises a brow and I hum, "It has to. It will. "

"Is that why you're here? To make it worth it?" He asks and I say, "I have to try, Elias. "

Elias moves from his seat and walks to my side. His hand drops on my shoulder as he opens his

mouth, "I gave up my life so you could have everything you want. I let Mason control me, and I work my

fucking ass off for him so you could get to live your life. I think it's time to remind our father that he's to

keep to the end of his promise if he wants me to keep to mine. You're going back to Washington, little

brother. "