More damage than good

"I'm Mayla, let's get you inside."

Avia let Mayla escort her into the house. She had no strength left inside her to put up a conversation. Even with a friendly face like Mayla.

A million thoughts raced in her mind about Joem. Trying to put together the pieces of the man she was coming to know and differentiating it from the person she once knew. It was difficult to believe that someone could change so much in such a small period.

Avia had only ever seen in movies or read in books tales of how pain changes people for the worst. Pain that turns beings capable of being heroes into villains. Now she got the chance of seeing such a pain for herself and the worst part of it all was that she was responsible for it.

She couldn't find it in herself to hate Joem for becoming stone-hearted. When it was her cruel deed that led him down that path. Her love put his life in danger and her sacrifice destroyed him.

Avia began to doubt whether the choice she made back then was worth it. Was it worth it to keep Joem from harm's way when it ended up doing more damage than good?

Her parents would have hurt his body but his soul, mind, and heart would have remained unscarred by them. However, she had wounded his heart, broken his mind, and shattered his soul. A pain with no cure and one that came with dozen consequences. Such as leading Joem to a point of wishing to ruin the rest of her life to even the scales.

The thoughts in her mind exhausted her further. There was no energy left in her body to think about the upcoming party. Avia needed to find a place to lay her head to get some rest. It was all too much to process in one day.

Mayla escorted her to the master bedroom on the second floor. She helped Avia out of her jewelry and makeup, got her a comfortable dress to wear, and took Avia's wedding dress with her to be washed.

"Get some rest, I'll be back in a while with some food," Mayla let out.

Avia didn't respond. Her mind was far away to be conscious of what the maid was saying to her.

Mayla had a look of pity in her eyes while looking at Avia. She felt sorry for Avia. Mayla wasn't aware of what Avia might have done to enrage Joem and Beabianca to such an extent that the two were hell-bent on making her life miserable. But she knew enough about Joem and Beabianca to know that Avia's problems had just begun.

Especially with Beabianca. The lady was cute and cuddly around Joem but when the man wasn't around she became a completely different person. Like a beautiful rose, one needn't forget that it has thorns that prick.

Beabianca's thorns were poisonous. One prick and one's fate would be sealed. Mayla lowered her head, she was but a helpless maid, and there was nothing that she could do for Avia.

She exited the room and locked the door behind her.

Avia found one constant point on the wall and stared at it. She hugged her body tightly. Her hands trembling from the shocks she received since meeting Joem once again.

The reunion was nothing as she had imagined it. It was way worse than marrying a man she didn't love. It was more painful to be married to a man who hated her existence. To gaze into his eyes and see all the hatred staring back at her.

Avia leaned her head on the soft fluffy pillows and let her mind drift away. Tears streamed down her eyes continuously without stopping. Yet, not a slight voice was made from her mouth. The room was dead silent.

The rest of her life flashed before her eyes. It wasn't going to be easy to deal with Joem and his lover. And Avia understood that the worst part wasn't in the terrible things they had planned for her. But in the love the two of them shared. Avia's heart wasn't strong enough to watch Joem and Beabianca's love for the rest of her life.

Avia wished to turn back the clock. To the point where Joem returned into her life so that he would be late in getting her and she would end up marrying Nathan. At least then she would have been able to keep Joem's image sacred as it was in the past. The memories wouldn't have been tainted by the person she met today.

Hours and hours went by with Avia not moving an inch. Mayla had come to the room thrice, to bring her tea, and food and to cover her with a blanket when the weather started getting chilly. She turned on the AC in the room to keep her warm. Before leaving her to her thoughts once more.

Mayla was in the dining room setting the table for dinner when the head maid arrived in the room. "I'm sorry I'm late," she said apologetically to Mayla. "How is the Misss?" she asked.

"Innocent," Mayla answered with sadness in her tone.

"I see," the head maid noted. "I hope she finds the guest room comfortable. I went out of my way to make it to her liking?" her inquiry attracted Mayla's attention. No one informed her that the new Mrs was supposed to stay in the guest room.

Since she was Joem's wife, Mayla assumed that her place was in the master bedroom and took her there. "I took her to the master bedroom," Mayla admitted terrified.

"You took her to Beabianca's room. Are you insane?" the head maid questioned. "Go, get her out of there before..."

Before the head maid could complete her statement, Beabianca walked into the room. The two of them went pale. Speak of the devil and she click clacks into the room in designer shoes that costs more than their lives earnings.

Beabianca didn't bother to pay them any attention and went ahead to head to her room. Mayla gulped. She feared she had unknowingly dug a grave for Avia.

"What are you waiting for, I'll distract her. Go get Miss out of there," the head maid whispered to her. "Ma'am," she called out to Beabianca. "Can I get your opinion on something?" she asked getting Beabianca to glance in her direction.