The Tie That Binds

by Maura, Catharina

  My greatest accomplishment in this life is and always has been you. I know you’ll continue to make me proud and I’ll be watching over you as you conquer the world.

  * * *

  I love you, baby girl

  Daddy

  * * *

  Tears stream down my face as I clutch the letter to my chest. I lie back on my bed as a sob escapes my lips, my heart shattering. For the first time since my dad passed away I fall apart. I cry until I’ve got no tears left and stare up at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep. Eventually I drag myself out of bed and into my bathroom. I’m still wearing the dress I got married in and my mascara runs in ugly lines down my face. I look like a mess and I feel even worse than I look.

  The shower helps me feel a bit better, but not by much. Not even my favourite silk nightgown helps to lift my spirits. I settle into bed, praying I’ll be able to fall asleep without memories of my dad assailing me.

  God must have heard me and decided to punish me for my lack of faith because as my head hits my pillow the sound of a girl moaning fills my ears. I freeze in disbelief, whatever was left of my heart shattering beyond repair. Dominic is in his room with Lucy. His bed and mine share a wall and though the walls are thick, they aren’t soundproof. He knows I’m in this room. He knows I’ll hear them if they’re too loud. How could he do this to me?

  More tears start to run down my face and I sniff, trying my best to keep my tears at bay. I’m heartbroken. It feels like I’ve lost everything in the span of a couple of weeks.

  My bedroom door opens suddenly and I sit up in surprise. Daniel is leaning against the door wearing nothing but long sleeping bottoms. His eyes find mine and he sighs.

  “I knew you’d be crying,” he says, his voice soft.

  He walks up to me and gets into my bed wordlessly. I’m surprised but welcome the comfort he’s offering me. Daniel takes me in his arms and shifts so my head is resting on his chest. I sniff and he carefully wipes away the tears that won’t stop falling.

  “I’m sorry,” he whispers.

  “It’s not your fault.”

  He sighs and tenses. “I was the one who put the letter there. Vincent asked me to give it to you after the wedding, but maybe I should’ve.. I don’t know. Maybe I should’ve told him to do it himself. Maybe I should’ve given it to your personally. Maybe I should’ve just thrown that girl out so you wouldn’t have to listen to this shit.”

  I snuggle into him and shake my head. “It’s not your fault, Daniel,” I repeat. I listen to his heartbeat and my tears slowly abate. When is the last time Daniel hugged me? It must’ve been years ago. He spoiled me rotten when I was a child, but things started to change when I got older. He started to treat me differently and slowly but surely, we grew apart.

  “Thank you,” I whisper.

  Daniel kisses the top of my head like he used to when I was a child. “Anytime, sweetheart.”

  7

  Daniel is gone when I wake up but I’m sure he spent all night with me. I don’t remember the last time I slept so peacefully.

  I brush my teeth and wash my face leisurely before slipping on my silk robe. It matches my nightgown perfectly and it’s always made me feel like a queen. I tie the sash around my waist and follow my nose to the kitchen.

  Much to my surprise Daniel is standing behind the stove, frying bacon in one pan and eggs in another. I lean back against the doorframe, silently admiring the view. He’s still wearing only his pyjama bottoms. I hate to admit that he looks sexy as hell.

  It takes me a few minutes to realise that I’m not the only one ogling Daniel. Lucy is leaning against one of the kitchen counters looking at Daniel appreciatively. She’s barely wearing anything. I’m fond of skimpy nightgowns but hers cannot be called a nightgown at all. Not even remotely.

  “I didn’t know you could cook, Daniel. You’re a man of many talents, huh?” she says. I bite back a smile when he ignores her. I walk into the pantry and grab one of the aprons, purposely picking the hot pink one that Mary loves, just to mess with him. I walk up to him and place my palm on his lower back. He shifts out of my reach with an angry scowl on his face, startling me. I freeze and almost drop the apron I’m holding. I ignore the brief jab of pain in my chest and the sudden feeling of rejection. It makes no sense for me to feel this way.

  “Oh, Alyssa. Sorry,” he says. He brushes my hair out of my face gently and smiles. “I didn’t realise it was you. Hungry?”

  I nod and hand him the apron. “Wear this. The oil might splash on you.” My eyes subconsciously move towards Lucy and Daniel follows my gaze.

  “Hmm,” he says, taking the apron from me with a smile. My heart skips a beat when I take in his chest and abs. His lower abs taper into a V and I struggle to drag my eyes away from his body. He’s stupidly hot. I knew he was muscular underneath his suits but I never realised quite how much. I wish I’d taken the time to appreciate how his body felt against mine last night. I breathe a sigh of relief when he finally puts on the apron, covering most of his body. To my knowledge Daniel hasn’t spent many nights here since he moved into his downtown apartment. He was certainly never there when I was. I’m pretty sure I’d remember him wandering around the house half naked.

  I feel strangely possessive. I don’t want Lucy staring at him the way she was just now, even though our marriage isn’t real. Daniel finishes up cooking breakfast with a bright smile on his face and I start to set the table.

  “How come you’re cooking today?” I ask.

  “Sundays are family days, remember? Most of the staff has the day off. Usually my mum would’ve cooked, but I was up earlier so I thought I might as well.”

  I nod and help him place the food on the table just as Mary and Dominic come strolling in. Just like Daniel, Dominic is wearing only pyjama bottoms, but it’s different somehow. Dominic is far leaner than Daniel is and I guess I just got used to seeing Dominic like this.

  Yeah, that must be what it is. The reason why my heart fluttered was because I’m not used to seeing Daniel half naked.

  Daniel takes off his apron and takes his seat opposite me. We all dig into our food and though I’m trying my best not to I keep catching myself staring at Daniel. The way his muscles move when he reaches for something and his messy bed hair.. I’ve never noticed him the way I do now. I guess it’s because I’ve not seen him in such an informal situation in years. He’s always in work mode, regardless of whether I see him at the office or at my house with my dad. This is the first time in years that I’ve seen him looking so relaxed.. and so casually dressed. He’d usually spend his weekends at his apartment. I haven’t seen him here in years.

  Dominic clears his throat and both Lucy and I look at him, startled. “I said have you settled in okay?” he bites out.

  My eyes widen and I nod. What is he so pissed off about? “Yes, thanks for asking.”

  “You might want to change rooms, though,” Daniel says. “There are plenty of other guest rooms so just pick whichever one you want.”

  I nod at him, my mood plummeting. The last thing I want is to hear Lucy and Dominic again. If her staying over is going to be a regular occurrence then choosing a new room isn’t a bad idea.

  “What? Why would you pick a new room? The room you’re in has been yours since we were kids.”

  Daniel levels him with a pointed stare. “You and your girlfriend kept us up most of the night with your little show.”

  Dominic blanches and looks at me, distraught. “You heard us?” he asks, looking down guiltily. I look away and take a sip of my tea, unsure of how to even reply.

  He looks at his brother, confused. “But how did you.. did you two.. were you together?”

  Daniel crosses his arms and stares his brother down. “Alyssa lost her father and just moved into a new place. Her best friend, the one person she should’ve been able to count on, was too busy screwing his girlfriend to realise she shouldn’t be left alone. Of course I was there to console her. The question is, why weren’t you
?”

  I look up in surprise. He went as far as making it a rule for me to keep my distance from Dominic, yet now he’s berating him for doing just that?

  “Did you know she read a letter last night that her father left her? You’re so preoccupied with yourself that you haven’t even taken the time to ask her if she’s okay.”

  Daniel makes his disappointment clear and Dominic looks down in shame. “I’m sorry, Alyssa. He’s right. I’ve been a terrible friend. Let me make it up to you.”

  I shake my head. “It’s fine, Nic. You had other things on your mind. I understand.”

  And I do. I do understand. I’m not a priority in his life. Not anymore. I can’t keep pitying myself or keep vying for his attention. Enough is enough. Friendship isn’t something I should ever have to beg for.

  “Moving rooms isn’t a bad idea, Daniel. I’ll have a look at the other rooms. Thank you for suggesting it.”

  I smile at him and he nods at me. When the awkward silence becomes too much to bare I get up and take my dishes to the kitchen. I rinse them and load them into the dishwasher while Dominic hovers around me. I ignore him and walk back to my room, but he’s hot on my heels. I’m angry and want to slam my door in his face but he’s too quick.

  I groan and sit down on my bed as he stares at me pleadingly.

  “I’m sorry, okay.”

  I nod. “I said it was fine, didn’t I?”

  Dominic chuckles. “Fine? Fine? We both know it isn’t fine when you say it’s ‘fine’.”

  I sigh. “What do you expect me to say, Dominic? Daniel is right. You weren’t there. You haven’t been there for me in months. When is the last time you and I even had a private conversation? You didn’t even drive me to my house from my father’s funeral. You didn’t accompany me to the reading of the will even though I asked you to and you didn’t check up on me last night. You’ve made it quite clear that you don’t give a damn about my wellbeing. What exactly do you expect me to do or say now, huh?”

  The fight leaves him and he sits down on the floor in front of me. He grabs my hands and entwines them with his.

  “I’ve been a terrible friend. Lucy has just been so insecure about you and reassuring her has continuously meant letting you down. The bond between us has always been strong so I knew we’d be fine. Both of us keep being dumped because of our friendship.. I didn’t want that to happen this time, but I also didn’t mean to hurt you the way I did. I’m so sorry, Alyssa. It’s hard for me to find the right balance between you and her. It’s hard for me to keep you both happy.”

  I don’t know what to say to that.

  “Nic, I’m not asking you to choose me over her. I’ve never asked that of you nor have I ever expected it. All I wanted was for you to look out for me a little, but you haven’t. You just haven’t been there. It’s like you don’t even care. I was there for you when your dad died but now that I’m in the same situation, you’re not there for me.”

  I spent days and nights consoling Nic when his dad died seven years ago. I was there to wipe every single tear, but he hasn’t done the same for me.

  “You’re right. I know you are. Please, Alyssa. Please give me a chance to make it up to you? Let’s go get some ice cream tonight, just you and me. Just like the good old days?”

  I nod reluctantly, hoping he won’t let me down yet again.

  8

  I stare at my reflection and turn around in a circle. I’m wearing another form-fitting dress and I’m starting to like them on me. I’ve gotten so used to not dressing up and wearing comfy baggy clothes that I forgot how good it makes me feel to dress up. I should make a habit out of it.

  I grab my clutch and slip on a pair of heels. I know it’s just ice cream but Dominic and I haven’t been out together in so long. I haven’t been out in forever full stop.

  I pull a hand through my long brown hair, loving the feel of it. Straightening my hair always makes me feel good. I touch up my lipstick one more time and nod to myself, satisfied.

  I walk out of my door at the same time Daniel does. He pauses and looks at me, surprised.

  “Where are you going?” he asks, his eyes roaming over me slowly. I instantly feel guilty, even though I know I’m not doing anything to feel guilty about.

  “Oh, Dominic and I are going out for ice cream.”

  Daniel walks up to me and I automatically take a step away, my back hitting my closed bedroom door. Daniel puts his forearm against the door and leans into me, almost caging me in with his body.

  “You’re going for ice cream dressed like that?”

  His voice is soft and dangerous. He’s standing so close that taking just one step closer would have him pressing his body against mine.

  “Dressed like what?”

  Daniel chuckles and pushes my hair behind my ear with his free hand, truly caging me in now. “Are you sure this is appropriate?”

  I bite down on my lip, my heart racing. “Of course.”

  Daniel scowls at me and stares me down as though he thinks I’ll cave and admit I’m doing something wrong.

  “Daniel? Alyssa?”

  I jump and Daniel pulls away from me, both of us turning to Lucy who’s staring at us in shock. Her gaze keeps jumping from me to Daniel as though she can’t believe what she’s seeing. It’s like she caught us making out or something.

  “Are you also joining us for ice cream, Daniel?” she asks.

  My heart sinks. Dominic told me it’d be just the two of us. I thought we’d finally be able to catch up again, and that this would be his way of making up for his absence. My heart aches and I inhale deeply. I drop my head back against the door and close my eyes. Another night of watching Lucy and Dominic falling all over each other.

  “No, I’m not. Change of plans. I’m taking Alyssa out for dinner. Please let Dominic know that Alyssa won’t be joining you.”

  Lucy smiles and nods. “Oh dinner sounds great! We’ll come with you. We can always do dessert afterwards.”

  Daniel chuckles. “Yeah, no.”

  I bite back a smile and look at my shoes instead.

  “What?” she says, a confused look on her face. It’s clear that she isn’t used to people refusing her anything and her baffled expression is amusing as hell.

  Daniel ignores her and grabs my hand, pulling me past her. We walk past Dominic who is waiting in the hallway and Daniel waves at him. “Enjoy your date,” he says.

  Before Dominic can reply he’s pulled me out the door, slamming it closed behind him. He walks me to his car and opens the door for me. I sit down quietly. Daniel seems angry and I have no idea what’s causing his anger.

  He’s quiet as he drives us to one of the most expensive hotels in town. It’s a five star hotel with a beautiful rooftop restaurant, but it’s also always fully booked.

  I follow behind him quietly as he walks to the lift that goes straight to the top. It’s clear that he’s been here before.

  “Are you okay?” I ask once the doors close behind us. He hasn’t spoken once since we got into the car. He looks at me and smiles absentmindedly.

  “Yeah, fine. Just lost in thought, sorry.”

  I nod awkwardly, unsure of what to say. Should I warn him that we probably won’t get into this restaurant?

  The hostess smiles at us politely. “Welcome. Do you have a reservation?”

  I shake my head and her smile falls. Daniel takes out his wallet and for a second I’m scared he’s trying to bribe her into giving us a table, but then he takes out a black card and hands it to her. Her eyes widen as she swipes it. She nods at us politely as she hands it back to him, her hands trembling just slightly.

  “I didn’t recognise you, Mr. Devereaux. Please forgive me,” she says. She leads us to a small secluded table in the corner of the terrace. It’s hidden behind a wall and I wouldn’t have noticed it if she hadn’t led us straight to it.

  Rather than putting the card back into his pocket Daniel gives it to me. I stare at it curiously. It’s just a bl
ack metallic card similar to a credit card but instead of credit card details it’s got the golden Devereaux family crest on it. The same one as Devereaux Inc’s company logo. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that DM Consultancy isn’t Daniel’s only job. The main reason my dad didn’t just make Daniel the full-time CEO is because Daniel doesn’t have time for it. Besides doing this he’s also on the board for Devereaux Inc.

  “What is this?” I ask as I sit down.

  “Put it away and keep it on you. It’ll give you access to any facility owned by the Devereaux family. We always have at least one table for VVIPS at every single one of our restaurants and at least one room in our hotels. It’ll also give you discount at all of the shopping malls and other stores owned by us. Every Devereaux has one of these cards. This one is currently registered to me, but I’ll transfer it to you tonight.”

  I stare at it with wide eyes. “I had no idea something like this even existed. Dominic never told me about it and I’ve never seen him use it either.”

  Daniel nods. “Hmm, yeah. I developed it a few months ago. He doesn’t have one because I don’t trust him with it. Probably didn’t tell you about it because he’s bitter as fuck about it. Last thing I need is that little asshole racking up bills everywhere and demanding superior treatment. He can have one when he finally grows the fuck up.”

  I sit back in surprise. I know Daniel and Dominic aren’t as close as they used to be but I didn’t realise Daniel’s impression of him was this bad. I want to stand up for him, but realistically I know Daniel is right. Dominic does have a bit of a penchant for showing off. Putting a card like this in his hand would only make his behaviour that much worse.