FALLING IN LOVE WITH HIM - HER FIRST LOVE

“You know nothing, Helena. Don’t jump to conclusions before knowing the whole truth. You should know before accusing me that your Papa is no saint either,” Myra said, taking Helena’s hands in hers and pulling her to the nearest chair, urging her to sit. Helena’s mouth twitched downwards in utter disappointment as she looked at Johnathan.

“You said it right, Mama. I know nothing about him. I never thought that I would see my father raising his hand to hit my mother. I never took him for someone who indulges in domestic violence,” Helena said, ashamed of her father. Myra felt guilty for tainting her father’s ideal image in Helena’s eyes.

“I thought you loved Papa. Why did you cheat on him, Mama? Didn’t you think about me once before ruining my happy family? What did I do to deserve this betrayal?” Helena asked, sounding too broken.

It broke Myra’s heart to see her daughter crying. She was her bold, fearless, strong-willed daughter. Never had she seen her beloved daughter this disheartened and shattered. Myra almost decided to take the blame and hide all her husband’s sins from her daughter. However, when Johnathan opened his mouth to spout insult, she was forced to speak the truth.

“Look what you’ve done? You broke my innocent daughter’s heart, and for what? If only you could stop yourself from whoring around,” Johnathan cursed, accusing Myra of breaking his family apart, much to Myra’s vexation. It was the last straw of her tolerance, and she finally decided to rip the mask of his pretended righteousness.

Ignoring her husband’s accusing stare, she took a seat beside Helena. “Do you remember Kessie, who works in our NGO and made your guitar?” Myra asked Helena and saw how Johnathan’s face paled when he heard Kessie’s name. He never thought Myra would reveal his extramarital affair to their daughter. Panicked, he grabbed Myra’s hand and glared at her in a warning, but the latter only snatched her hand away.

Myra had made her mind, much to Johnathan’s dismay. “Did you think I’m so dumb that I wouldn’t know what you were doing behind my back?” she asked Johnathan and deliberately chose to ignore the pleadings in his guilty eyes.

“She is his kept woman, and he has been cheating on me for years with other women before her,” Myra revealed. Helena bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. She lowered her head, shedding tears into her lap, unable to meet any of her parents’ eyes.

‘Is it the universal celebration of the world’s betrayal day or what?’

Helena thought as everyone she loved and trusted chose to betray her in the most despicable way possible.

“What about you, Mama? Who is the person in this house who dared to keep illicit relations with Christopher Castellanos’ daughter-in-law?” asked Helena. The mere thought alone twisted her guts in repulsion. She knew it had to be one of the servants.

“It’s your grandfather’s most trusted butler,” Johnathan spat indignantly.

Helena got up from her seat and moved away from her parents. She scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief. “Wow!” she said sarcastically and clapped her hands in mock applause. “Wow! What fucked up family I have! How lucky and blessed am I?” she asked and laughed bitterly.

The truth was so bitter that she felt the bile rising in her throat. It was suffocating to breathe in their presence, so Helena rushed out of their room without sparing them another glance.

Helena blinked, wiping her tear-soaked cheeks clean. She searched for her laptop and found it on her bed.

Without wasting a second more, she browsed the name SPALEV High on the internet. Not that she wanted to learn anything about the school, it was enough reason for her to look into it that Ace Hunter studies there. Nevertheless, she liked the school uniform and the location.

She was glad for the brief privacy her parents allowed her so that she could shed her tears in the comfort of her room and come to terms with their illicit affairs. She was packing her bags when the door to her room opened, and her father walked in. He eyed the suitcase and looked at Helena with pleading eyes.

“Where are you going? Sweetheart, you’re angry and rushing with your impulsive decisions. Please don’t do it. We can sit and talk,” Johnathan offered. He knew he was already losing her. It was impossible to change her decision when she was determined. His daughter was stubborn like that.

“I can’t stay here, not after learning what you did,” Helena said, glaring at him with her accusing eyes. There were no tears in her eyes anymore, just disappointment and anger. Johnathan flinched at her harsh tone. He begged her not to leave him, but his plea fell on deaf ears. Helena didn’t even respond to that and continued with her packing.

“I’m sorry, Sweetheart. Please forgive me,” he said. Helena let out a sarcastic laugh without looking at him. “No, Papa, you’re not sorry, and I can’t forgive you, not now,” she declared. Johnathan placed his hands on her shoulders, bringing her to sit on the bed. Kneeling before her, he cupped her cheeks in his palms to kiss her forehead.

“I’ll do anything and take any punishment but not this. I can’t live without you, Helena. Please don’t leave. You’re the only reason I’m still living with that despicable woman,” Johnathan said. Helena looked at him incredulously. She couldn’t digest his male chauvinism belief.

“You have the balls to raise your hand on my mother and call her a whore when you couldn’t keep your fucking dick in your pants. How very hypocrite of you,” Helena spat her anger out while Johnathan cringed at her foul language.

“I’m going to London,” she revealed suddenly and ignored how her father frowned in confusion.

“What? Why? London is so far away from home,” he said, sounding defeated. Helena turned her laptop so that Johnathan could see the screen. She showed him the information she had browsed earlier. Johnathan’s eyes went wide with surprise when he saw the name SPALEV High. “It’s the best boarding school in London, and I want to join as soon as possible,” Helena announced, much to Johnathan’s horror.

“Why London, though? I can find you the best school in the US,” Johnathan quickly offered. He couldn’t hide the panic in his voice, but it seemed Helena didn’t notice. She brought one of her charcoal sketches and held it before him. Johnathan’s heart raced, and his jaw dropped in shock when he recognised the face on the sketch. What scared him the most was the light shining in Helena’s eyes as she eyed the boy.

“I’m in love with him. I want to join this school because he studies there,” Helena confessed. Johnathan stared at his daughter with widened eyes. He was shell-shocked at the unexpected revelation. It felt like thunder had struck him, and he choked, struggling to breathe.

‘That’s Alexander’s son!’

He reminded himself with a startling realisation.

He wondered how Helena knew him or when they met. It didn’t help soothe his anxiety as he recalled that Hera was in love with him too. He was Hera’s boyfriend.

‘How does Hera always find a way to cross paths with us?’

Johnathan couldn’t let this happen. Helena and Hera should never meet.

“No, it’s not possible. You can’t go to London. You’re too late as admissions are already closed in all the schools, and besides, your grandpa won’t allow it,” Johnathan said dismissively, his tone harsher than he intended. All he could care about at this moment was to stop Helena from meeting Hera or Ace.

He watched while Helena shrugged indifferently.

“I don’t care what grandpa considers, and I’m sure you can get me admission to the school somehow,” Helena said confidently. She had wasted enough time thinking and caring about others. Now she was determined to pursue her happiness and live her dream. “This is the least you can do for me after ruining my happy family,” Helena said, leaving no room for him to argue.

Johnathan would do anything for his daughter’s happiness. If Helena wanted Ace Hunter, then Hera had to back down. Once again, Johnathan would shamelessly choose his daughter over Hera’s happiness. If injustice happens with Hera once again, so be it.

He wanted to know more about her and Hunter’s story, but it wasn’t the right time. He knew Helena wouldn’t appreciate him meddling with her love life anyway. When Helena didn’t attempt to talk to him, and the awkward silence stretched, he decided to leave her alone.

Myra walked in as soon as Johnathan left. Helena knew her mother had been standing at her door, listening to their conversation.

“So, you’re leaving,” Myra stated. It wasn’t a question. She knew her daughter too well. Helena sighed in exasperation when Myra didn’t say anything else. “If you were unhappy in your marriage, you could’ve talked to me, and I would understand,” Helena said, patting the place beside her on the bed. Myra couldn’t stop her sob and cried into her daughter’s shoulder, hugging her tightly and whispering apologies.

She disclosed how miserable her journey had been as Johnathan’s wife. She had loved him unconditionally even though he never acknowledged her presence in his life. She was paying the price for being born into a noble family and married to a royal one. She had always honoured her family’s prestige more than her own happiness and silently endured all the pain.

Eventually, she gave up, and in one vulnerable moment, she crossed the line and made the mistake of losing her dignity.