Perfection Isn't Ours

Chapter Eleven

Mason tapped his fingers on the table while biting his bottom lip. He ignored Harry when he came back from paying for the damage they made few minutes ago.

"What's wrong? Look, I'm sure she's fine. I've known Jerome for three years now and I know he isn't one to get ballistic over little things. Besides, the way he talks about Ciara, it's obvious he actually loves her too much to hurt her," Harry reassured, and took a large gulp from his bottled water.

Mason scoffed. "I don't think so, Harry. What kind of a man doesn't trust his fiancée if he loves her? Did you see the fear in Ciara's body? And the look of death in that guy's face."

"Mason, trust me. Jerome is a good guy," Harry said, waving his hand towards his friend.

"I'm going home, I also need to check up on her. Something is telling me that there's a problem. I'm feeling unease right now," Mason said, picking up his phone and wallet.

Harry held his hand, stopping him. Mason glared at the hand and Harry let go off his hand at his expression.

"You should probably let them handle their own situation. Besides you're the cause, so let them argue it out," Harry said and Mason just scoffed and left the busy restaurant.

•••

Mason drove to a stop in front of the neighborhood gates. He nodded at the gate keeper who waved at him before he opened the silver gates. He drove in and his mind drifted off.

Why do I feel like Ciara is in danger?

Why would you feel that way? I think it's guilt not worry.

No, I'm serious. I feel off. Unease And really disturbed. Don't you get it? I feel so close to her like I've known her for long. How can I not b-

He stopped the car with force, when another car almost ran into his. He shook his head when he had slightly bumped his head on the steering wheel and stared up to look at the driver. It was Jerome.

Jerome had his car window wound down and was glaring at him in rage. He narrowed eyes at Mason before driving off after a small drift.

Mason exhaled and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He picked up his phone and dialed Ciara's number. It rang for a while before the call was answered.

"Ci-"

"Ah, I knew you'd call," Jerome's voice echoed from the other end.

Mason frowned. "Jerome? Why would you-"

"Ssh, lover boy. You will in no way communicate with my woman. I have her phone and just as I've taken this out of her hands, I expect you to leave her life for good. The same way you walked in, get out!"

Mason clenched the steering wheel hard to the point his fists were turning pale. He hissed.

"Listen to me, Jerome. You have no right to control her life because-"

"Why don't you get it, Miranda?"

"It's Mason you asshole!" Mason barked. "And why should I be listening to you?!"

He ended the call and threw the phone on the passenger seat in the back. He banged his hand on the steering wheel and cursed under his breath.

Mason drove after ten minutes to a stop at Ciara and Jerome's house. He stared at it for a moment before he drove off. He got to the front of his mansion and parked his car. He got off the vehicle and shut his door harshly.

Mason was about walking into his mansion when someone gripped his arm. He turned around, Nora.

"Some intel told me what happened at the Kitchen Hatch restaurant, what happened to Ciara?" She asked, her green eyes holding enough anger.

Mason took her hand away from his arm and sighed.

"I don't know, Nora. Jerome left with her angrily after he created a scene," he replied and Nora shook her head.

"No, this is bad. Jerome has a terrible anger issue. Who knows what he's done to Ciara," She said in a distant tone.

"What'd you mean?"

She shrugged. "I also don't know. But have you spoken to her?" It sounded like a lie to him.

"No. The bastard took her phone away from her. Just what kind of a man is he?" He asked, running his fingers through his hair in exasperation.

"I've told that girl to break every ties she has with him off. But she keeps saying she loves him too much to let him go. But all I feel is that she's afraid to leave him," Nora added and bit her lip.

"I don't want to go see her. Because she might be hurt the more if Jerome finds out I was there. Could you go see her?" He asked and she smiled slightly, then gave him a brief wink.

"Of course. Just don't think so much into it. It's a usual thing," she stated and left.

Mason watched the red haired walk to her house in sadness. He rubbed his face in tiredness and walked in.

•••

Ciara wrapped her body in a yellow towel and walked to the mirror. She grimaced when she saw the finger marks around her neck and red irritated lines on her cheek. She sighed and walked out of the bathroom to the bed room.

Ciara checked the time, it was 9:57pm and Jerome had not come home. She sat on the bed and later lay on it. Her heart began to beat fast as her mind went back to what happened hours ago.

She blinked and tears rolled down her cheeks, then shut her eye tight, prying the hurt away.

Ciara opened her eyes and looked around in confusion. She raised her head and stared at the wall clock, the time was 6:32am.

Huh?

She sat up and ran her fingers through her hair as she looked around the room. She sneezed and goosebumps rose on her skin. That was when she remembered she slept in her towel.

Just then, the room door opened, revealing Jerome who had a smirk on his face. She swallowed and hugged her legs.

"You're awake," he said and approached her, but he sat at the other end of the bed. "I went out partying with some friends. And I must say, I'm pissed that you haven't cooked breakfast."

She gasped and rose from the bed. She rushed to the walk-in closet and picked out a sweat suit. She wore it in front of him timidly before leaving the room to the kitchen.

She hurriedly began to prepare some eggs and bacon for him before she got him vexed.

After few minutes, she set the table and called him down. The blonde haired man, walked down the steps all dressed up for work and glanced at Ciara who was playing with the rope of her sweatpants. He glanced casually at the table and scoffed.

"I'm not hungry. I'm still mad at you and you expect me to eat your meal?" He said, leaning towards Ciara who backed away on instinct.

She flinched when he began to trace her face with the pads of his fingers. He stopped at the side of her lips and smiled.

"Now, be a good girl and don't make daddy angry, okay?" He said in a whisper before leaving the house.

Ciara let out an air of relief. She walked to the dinning table and pulled out a seat. She sat on it and rested her head on the table.

"I'll call the office and tell them that I'm sick and can't come to work today. Yes, that's what I'll do," she said and paused. "Oh, Jerome took my phone-The landline."

She rose and jogged to the landline on the coffee table in the living room. But before she could start to make a call, the door bell rang. She rolled her eyes and rushed to it. She didn't look who it was and opened it up, there stood Nora clad in a black pencil dress.

"Ciara, hi. Oh, my God! What did he do to you?!" Nora asked, pushing Ciara inside the house after carelessly dumping her work bag on the floor.

Ciara moved away from Nora and backed her.

"No-No he didn't. I-I fell- Yes, I fell that's why," she stuttered and swallowed, her eyes blinking severally to hold back the tears threatening to spill.

"Since when does the floor have hands, Ciara? And I know you're lying and you're going to talk to me!" Nora said spinning Ciara around to face her. Nora made a choking sound as she took in her friend's red face and red clawed neck.

"How could he do this to you?" Nora asked in an almost whisper.

Ciara immediately broke the dam. She began to cry hard as she dropped to the floor. Nora followed suit, not minding that her dress would get dirty or dusty.

"I don't know, Nora. He S-Said that I-I cheated on him. B-But I didn't. I told him so many times that I didn't! He hit me and tried to strangle me to death," Ciara stuttered, her shoulders shaking with every word.

Nora growled. "And why are you still in this house?"

Ciara sniffed. "What'd you mean? He's the man I'm marrying soon, why should I-"

"I swear to God, I will add to what he did to you if you stop referring to him as that! He is a monster! Open your bloody eyes! Argh!" Nora rose up and tossed her phone she held across the room, causing Ciara to flinch.

"Nor-"

"Shut up, Ciara. You're the cause of what's happened to you not him! How can you still look at a man such as Jerome?! Are you out of your mind?!" She barked, breathing hard. "Do you know how worried I am? Do you-Do you even know how it's driving Mason crazy that he hasn't spoken to you since yesterday? And you have the bloody audacity to still live under the same roof as he does? Jesus Christ!"

Ciara stood up and approached Nora, she inhaled convulsively then swallowed and sniffed.

"Jerome's all I have as a chance to have a life, a family of my own, Nora."

Nora screamed in annoyance while clutching her hair that flowed down her shoulders in agony.

"Why are you talking like it's the end of the world and there's not much men in the world?! Wow! Just amazing. If only you've known who you think you live with!"

Ciara blinked at her words. She saw Nora's expression change to the one of sorrow and hurt.

"What'd you mean, Nora?"

"Nothing. It won't matter to you if I told you. You'll just respond In your usual way," Nora replied and began to walk to the door.

Ciara followed her and held her arm.

"Tell me what you're thinking, Nora?" She demanded with a hiss. "If you don't tell me right this moment, you'll hate me more than you already do."

Nora sighed and began to weep. She turned around and Ciara gasped at the fact that tears were running down her cheeks. Nora looked up into Ciara's green eyes.

"Jerome raped me once," Nora said with a choke.