Entangled With A Hernandez

(Going back to hell)

Maria’s POv

“Everything done in the shadows has a way of crawling into the light, “I know what you have been up to, Maria,” said Diego in a tone mixed with menace and amusement as he strolled into our bedroom.

His words sliced through the tense air like a blade as he tossed these riddles casually, but I knew better because Diego never talked in circles.

‘’I don’t get Diego,’’ I responded, trying to figure out what he meant.

“Club Encore’s Cave”

“Does that ring a bell?” he asked with a smirk, which made my stomach twist.

Trying to sound convincing, I stammered, “I….I don't,” but before my words came out of my mouth, he snatched my wrist as his fierce eyes glowered into my soul.

With disgust and anger etched on his face, he yelled, "Don't you dare lie to me!”

His jaw tightened, his fist clenching into knuckles as his gaze pierced into my skin. Sweat trickled down his forehead. His eyes, which once contained warmth and love, were replaced by rage.

He found out. Heck, I knew the shadows of my past would come hunting. The life I struggled to hold together was crumbling right before my eyes like a fragile house of cards.

At this moment, my heart raced faster than it should. The sound of the wall clock suddenly drew deafening, with each tick drilling into my mind like a hammer drill. I suddenly began to hear the ticking of the wall clock.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

As I stood rooted to the spot, my breath was shallow and unsteady. Each tick echoed in my ears, reverberating as though the clock was synced with my pulse. The air around me felt heavier, with each second passing a suffocating weight against my chest.

‘‘I gave you everything, I loved you more than life itself,” said Diego in a tone laced with rage as his voice broke out with a seething fury, making the air vibrate with rage.

WHY!!!

‘’Why did you do it ?’’

Answer me!!

Diego screamed red-faced, ready to stamp out anything that dared to stand in his way. Hearing his booming voice, I quickly dropped to my knees, my hand folded towards my face as I begged for mercy.

“I...I'm so sorry,” I whispered, my voice barely audible, my voice cracking.

For a moment, just a little moment, I thought I saw the man I love, but he vanished in a flash, replaced almost immediately by a man who despised me.

Without attempting to speak a word, Diego punched the wall beside him, his fist crashing into the wall, every word dripping with intensity as he erupted,

Bravo!

“I fell in love with my father's service girl, a fucking stripper!”

The accusation hit me like a punch in my gut. Stunned by the weight of the words, my throat tightened, and my breath hitched as I tried to defend myself.

“Diego, no... that’s not true….. I was only a stripper. That’s all. Just a stripper!”

I pleaded in my moment of vulnerability as tears raced down my cheeks.

Extending my hand towards Diego, a wave of uncertainty washed over me as his fierce gaze and tightened fist suggested he would break me into a thousand pieces if I dared to get closer.

“Just a stripper?” he snapped bitterly, slowly shaking his head. He searched through his bedside drawer, reaching for a gun. For a moment, my heart stopped beating. I couldn’t breathe, I felt like my world was crashing down as walls seemed to close in around me, stealing away my breath and leaving me gasping for air.

The gun glinted under the rays of the chandelier as he raised it, pressing it against my forehead. I shut my eyes, letting the tears which I had fought hard to restrain roll down my red cheeks.

Tears blurred my vision, and my knees buckled beneath me, threatening to give up.

“Diego, please,” I whispered, staring into his eyes, searching for a glimpse of the man I knew, the man who taught me how to love and how to be loved.

“I didn’t choose this life. You know me.”

“Do I?” he snapped, his voice cracking. His hand was trembling, and for a second, I wondered if he hated me or hated himself more.

“All this time, I thought you were different. But you were just like the rest of them, weren’t you?”

“I’m not! I fought to survive. You have to believe me. I didn’t want any of this!” I cried, my voice breaking as I bit my lips bitterly, cursing the day I was born.

At that moment, he lowered the gun slightly, just enough to give me the impression that he understood me. Before I could alter another word, he punched the vase of flowers on the table, shattering it into different fragments around the bedroom.

Blood trickled from his hand, and the crimson liquid cascaded on the white pieces of the vase flowers.

“Diego, please, you’re hurting yourself,” I said, my heart shattered seeing my husband in a devastating state. I took a step forward to comfort him, but he held out his hand to stop me.

“Don’t come close,” he said, his voice low and dangerous.

“I don’t want to hurt you. But if you make me look at you one more second... I can’t promise anything.”

I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling the coldness sink into my bones.

“Diego, I love you. I always have. Please, don’t let this destroy us,” I begged, my voice quivering as I lowered my head in shame.

Immediately, a mocking, bitter laughter escaped his lips.

“Us?” he questioned, shaking his head. “There is no us, Maria. Not anymore”.

Leave!

Leave my house!

“Leave my life! And don’t come back.”

My chest tightened as I mumbled, “This was it? I will walk away from the man who made me feel loved”

I tried so hard to tell him I did it for Mother, but he just can’t seem to take my word for it.

“Please, Diego,” I begged again, but rather, he turned away, a silent rejection hanging in the air as he yelled.

“Get out! Before I do something we'll both regret”.

I wanted to fight, to make him see the reasons why I did what I did, but I knew there was no winning in this battle. Not now. Maybe not ever.

With my head bowed and my shoulders shrugged as I walked to the door, my tears mixing with the rain as it soaked my hair and clothes.

Outside, the rain-drenched me, cold and relentless. I stopped, wrapping my arms around myself as my body trembled, the tears coming down relentlessly.

I let the tears fall freely, mixing with the rain as my mind wandered to when it all started a years ago.

**********

The bus halted in front of the house I never truly called home.

It was a holiday; I was back to my mom, who always made me feel unwanted.

Ever since I came into her life, I had always been reminded that I was an unwanted mistake that she tried to abort twice over 2 decades ago.

I don’t know why I kept hoping. Maybe it was the child in me, desperate for her mother’s arms, longing for her approval.

Taking a deep breath, I walked to the door, my knuckles shaking slightly as it rasped against the wooden frame.

“Come on in,” a feminine voice called from inside.

The door creaked open, revealing the one person I wished loved me. My mother. Paloma Garcià.

Her face was as cold as I remembered, her lips folded into a thin line.

I tried. God, I tried to force a smile on my lips, even though I felt the fakeness tearing my skin apart.

“Hi, Mom,” I said softly, my voice low.

She didn't even try to smile. Her gaze bored into my skin, her eyes raking my body as if she were scrutinizing my features.

“Look who finally decided to show up,” she hissed coldly, her brow furrowed slightly as she stepped back.

“I… I thought I’d come home since school’s on holiday,” I replied weakly, hoping she’d see the effort I was making. Hoping she’d care.

She turned her back to me, already walking toward the kitchen.

“You should’ve stayed where you were,” she muttered under her breath, though I heard every word.

My eyes trailed behind her as she disappeared into the kitchen. I took a deep breath and walked to my room. It was a little bit dusty, just the way I had left it before going to college.

I disgusted her; my mom would do everything within her power to avoid seeing my face.

Well, no matter how hard she tried to push me away, I wasn't going to give up…so I thought.

Little did I know that my life was going to take a darker turn.