Thank you so much for all the reviews. You didn't really think I would end it there did you? I am not that mean.
Alexia's reign of terror is not over quite yet.
Christine stayed where she was, her back against the door, and her head in her arms for a very long time. Could it really be true? Could she have been seeing someone ugly rather than the gorgeous man she had fallen so deeply in love with? Her first instinct had been to deny everything that Meg said. After all hadn't she always been jealous of her. In school, Christine had always been the most popular and Meg had always been the sidekick, and consequently always second best, always looked over and ignored. Surely Meg was lying in order to destroy her happiness with Erik. She told herself this, desperately trying to deny what was happening. If that was true however, then surely she could come up with a better lie than hypnotism? All it would take would be for Christine to see Erik for her to realise Meg had been lying. It was this which gave her doubts, and made her inclined to believe her.
If it was all a lie, then why was she still sitting on the floor of her flat, crying like a baby? No matter how hard she tried to deny it, she knew deep down that it was true. Christine had always been a believer in all things magical, and other worldly. She read her horoscope everyday, and she believed in ghosts, and the paranormal. Hypnotism was something she believed equally in. People could be taught to act in certain ways, and someone's mind could be warped to see what wasn't really there. After she had met Cynthia Hudson, she had almost forgotten about their encounter until this moment. Now that she remembered, everything that Meg said seemed so obvious, and she was left in no doubt that she had told the truth.
She had no idea what to do. On the one hand, she wanted to go to Erik, and see for herself what he looked like. If Meg was lying, then he would look just the same, and everything would go back to the way it was. If Meg was telling the truth....She didn't want to think about that. Surely it couldn't be that bad? Meg had never actually told her what he looked like. Having some idea would be a definite advantage when preparing herself to see him. On the other hand, she was afraid. Afraid that she wouldn't be able to accept it. Then she would end up destroying him, and that was the last thing she wanted to do. She loved Erik more than anyone else in the world, but could she love him with a different face to the one she had grown used to? That was the question she had no idea how to answer. She had never felt so lost and in need of guidance in all her life. If her father was still alive, he would know what she should do. Fresh tears began falling down her cheeks.
Eventually, she decided that no matter what she was going to do, staying on the floor was not going to help matters in the slightest. She stood up, rather shakily, and walked into the living room. The half tidied mess of her flat mocked her. Just a few minutes ago, she was happy, feeling excited over the possibility of clearing out her cluttered flat. Now, she felt as if an iron weight had settled its self in her stomach, and she knew not how to remove it.
She wished that there was someone she could call for help. Someone completely impartial, who could give her advice. Perhaps someone who knew her well, and would know exactly what she should do. Then she realised that there was someone like that. Someone who had known her since she was a child, and so she felt she could trust. Feeling excited, she began searching for her mobile phone. Finding it inside her bag, she turned it on, and ignoring the missed calls from Meg, began to dial Robbie's number. She only hoped that Raoul was still staying with Robbie, and had not left already.
She phoned Robbie, and asked to speak to Raoul. When he spoke to her he sounded surprised, but agreed to meet with her in town for a coffee. No doubt he though it strange that she was calling him. They hadn't spoken properly in over eleven years. She only hoped that this was the right thing to do, and that he would be able to help her.
..............
Erik shook hands with the two men he had been meeting with, and they left. He sighed, and glanced out of the window. It was dark outside, and the clouds were looking ominous. It looked as if a storm was coming. Hopefully it would clear before he had to leave. He glanced at his watch, and saw that it was still early. Christine was most likely still at her flat. Before she left that morning, he had almost told her about her eminent eviction from her flat, but stopped himself at the last minute. He was not afraid of her being mad, as he had been before. In fact, he was certain that she would be thrilled, if only slightly irritated. No, he wanted to wait until tonight. Tonight was when he was going to ask her to marry him. It was this thought which now filled him with terror. He knew it was soon, but he didn't care. He loved her, and she loved him. There was no sense in waiting. He would take her back to Maria's restaurant, where they had had their first date. When they had finished dessert, he would casually slip out the ring, go down on one knee, and propose. It was simple. Why then, did the thought fill him with terror?
A knock at his office door, distracted him from such thoughts.
"Come in." He answered gruffly.
Anne, his secretary poked her head around the door. "Mr Caveliere, there is a woman here to see you. She says her name is Christine."
Erik smiled. She must have finished cleaning her flat early. "Thank you Anne, send her in."
Anne disappeared, and a few minutes later the door reopened. Erik looked up smiling. He hated being apart from his Christine for any length of time, and he had missed her. Perhaps they would be able to spend the rest of the day together after all, maybe return to bed? He had left so early this morning, that he had had no time to make love to her, and he was feeling the withdrawal. He needed Christine like he needed air, and being without her for any amount of time was painful. The woman who entered his office however was not his Christine.
"What do you want?" He growled. "How did you get in here?"
"It is very easy when you know what you want." Said Alexia, smiling sweetly. "I had to tell them I was Christine, so they would let me in."
"You haven't answered my question. What do you want?"
"Erik my dear, it wouldn't do to talk to me like that now would it."
"I will talk to you however I feel like it. Will you please leave? I am very busy."
Alexia ignored him, and sat down in one of the leather chairs facing his desk. "I think you will be talking differently when you hear what I have to say."
"I don't want to hear anything you have to say, thank you very much." Erik said, feeling very irritable. The last person he wanted to see was Alexia, especially when he had been expecting to see Christine. He had never liked the woman. She was the epitome of a spoiled brat, and everything else he hated in the opposite sex.
"It's about Christine." She said meekly. "I have something to tell you about her which you may not like to hear."
Erik was starting to get angry. "Look Alexia, I have no time for your lies. I made it quite plain three years ago that I am not attracted to you in the slightest. Now will you please leave?" He kept his voice quiet, but it was inflicted with the kind of power which made grown men quake in their boots. It seemed to have no effect on Alexia whatsoever.
Alexia merely smiled her charming smile, and glanced idly down at her nails, ignoring him totally. Her mission was only half over. What mattered now was making sure that he knew full well everything about Christine's hypnosis. Once she had destroyed both Erik and that little bitch, then she would be happy. She had considered not telling him about the hypnosis, and simply allowing nature to take its course. When Christine saw him, she would scream, and flee, leaving him confused and heartbroken. However appealing this was however, it left her open to errors. She could not guarantee that Meg wouldn't go after her friend to warn her. In fact, she was positive that she would do just that. By now, Christine would know exactly what had happened to her, and that the man she had been sleeping with was in fact a monster. The woman would be horrified, and do anything to avoid seeing the real Erik, and then she would break off their relationship, once and for all. Of this, Alexia was positive. After all what woman could possibly love someone so hideous? After a great deal of thought therefore, she had decided on a different path. She would tell Erik everything. When she left, he would know all about Christine's hypnosis, and there would be no doubt in Alexia's mind that their little love affair was well and truly over. This also gave her a good chance of finally making Erik hers. In telling him, she could convince him that she was actually helping him. It was a perfect plan. Utterly fool proof. She laughed inside her head. She truly surprised herself with her own cunning sometimes.
"I found out something very interesting about your girlfriend last night." Alexia smiled, her long nailed hand resting on the desk, so that she could move in closer. She was acting as if she had just heard a juicy piece of gossip which she had to tell immediately.
"Whatever you may have heard, you can rest assured is a lie Alexia. Christine and I are very happy together." He said, stiffly. Perhaps she really had heard something about Christine, and thought it was true. Erik swore he would find out whoever it was who had spread lies about his beloved and kill them! "What did you hear, and who was if from, Alexia?"
"It was Christine's friend Meg who told me. It was her who broke it" Alexia answered, her voice soft, and wary. "I...I really don't know how to tell you this." She murmured, looking shy and concerned.
"Tell me what?!" Erik bellowed, suddenly forgetting his earlier plan of acting calm. "Meg broke what?"
"The hypnotism." Said Alexia, sounding as if it should have been obvious. Erik said nothing, so Alexia continued speaking. "Your precious little Christine has been under the impression that she has been dating her perfect man. I think we both know that you are hardly that." She simpered.
Such words had long since lost their ability to hurt him, especially coming from someone like Alexia. He knew that she was trying to split him and Christine up. Well, it would take a lot more than a few minor insults to do that.
"I suppose you are going to tell me that Christine is a gold digger?" Erik said, sounding almost bored by their conversation. "You can save your breath Alexia. I know my Christine, and she is no gold digger." Christine is not like you! He thought to himself.
Alexia's smile did not falter one bit. "Oh I don't doubt that for a second. I do really think she thought herself in love with you. Not anymore though. That, I can guarantee for sure."
Erik did not want to listen to Alexia's evil attempts to sabotage his life any longer. "Listen to me." He hissed through gritted teeth. "If you do not leave now, I will make you. You are not the boss here, Alexia. I am, and I will not hesitate to have you thrown out." He made to stand up, but stopped when Alexia spoke again.
"She was hypnotised. She has always been hypnotised, ever since the moment she met you. Surely you have heard of the great hypnotist, Cynthia Hudson? Let's just say that she fiddled with her sight a bit. Your beloved little song bird hasn't been seeing the real you all this time." Alexia's eyes never wavered from his, as she spoke. "Stunningly handsome she called you." She laughed harshly.
"I do not believe this rubbish. You have reached a new low Alexia. Get out now." Erik stood up. He was beyond angry now.
Alexia stood up too, her voice getting slightly louder, yet still controlled. It was obvious she wanted to say whatever it was she was trying to, and wouldn't go until she had said it. "Didn't you ever find it strange? How she never mentioned it. Never once in your relationship has she asked you how you came by your scars. I'll bet everything I own that she called you good looking on many occasions too." She smiled broadly at the look on Erik's face. "You know how hypnotism works. You know full well that this is possible. How else do you think you could have won someone as beautiful as her?" She snarled her calm tone from before disappearing.
"It isn't true." He said, almost in a whisper. It couldn't be true. It just couldn't. Christine loved him. She had been able to get past his face, and love him for him. It was a miracle for sure, but it had happened.
But that isn't strictly true. Said a nasty voice at the back of his head. Alexia was right. Not once had Christine mentioned his face, or showed any form of fear or horror, or even a casual interest as to what had happened to him. Even when they had very first met, she hadn't stared at all. She had acted towards him as if he was just like everybody else, but to her he was just like everybody else. She hadn't needed to get past his face, because there had been nothing to get past.
It was almost as if he had known that something like this was going to happen, and it had only been a matter of time before it did. He had been living in a dream world, and it was finally time to wake up and face reality.
"She isn't worth it, Erik. Let me be there for you." She simpered, touching his arm with a long nailed hand. "I have always wanted you, and my eyesight is perfect."
"Erik wrenched his arm away. "You! Do you honestly think I don't know what your game is? I don't believe a word you are saying Alexia. You will not get your way in this matter. Christine and I are together, and there is nothing you can possibly do about it."
"Call her then. Call your precious Christine. I will guarantee that she will not answer. Then go and find her. Her reaction will confirm everything I have told you. Then she will leave you. Believe what I am saying Erik, and you could be the one to end it. Surely dumping is better than being dumped." She sniggered.
Alexia felt the triumph built inside her. It was only a matter of time before he realised that she was telling the truth. Even if he didn't believe her right away, he would realise the truth in the end. Alexia could read the look in his eyes. She could read doubt there, to be replaced finally by realisation. Even if he didn't fully believe her yet, he was well on the way.
"Awww." Alexia cooed, "You didn't really think that she loved you as you are did you?" She covered her mouth with her hands, and mock gasped. "Oh, you did. That is so sweet." Her face morphed into a pathetic excuse for sympathy, her lips pouting. She then began to walk towards him, her hips swaying, and her high heel shoes clicking on the wooden floor. "I can make you forget about her, Erik. That little bitch doesn't deserve you."
Erik stepped away from her, disgusted. Insulting him was one thing, but insulting Christine, he would not tolerate "Get. Out!" He bellowed. "Now!" Even Alexia looked fearful of the look in his eyes at the moment. He looked murderous, and she wasted no more time in scrambling backwards, and out of the door, running away as fast as her stiletto heels would take her.
Erik sat back down, staring at the door where Alexia had left. She was lying. She had to be lying. To acknowledge it as truth was far too painful to contemplate. However, much as he hated to admit it, all the evidence pointed to it being the truth. Christine's immediate acceptance of him, and her constant claiming that he was handsome, and beautiful. After a while, he had merely accepted her compliments, thinking that it was her love for him that made her see him that way. Oh Erik, you fool, he told himself. Of course it is true. She could never have accepted you. No one can accept you. Even your own mother hates you. He knew a great deal about hypnotism, having seen it in practice during his travels of the world. What Alexia described happening to Christine was entirely possible.
Erik picked up phone, and began to ring Christine. He had to speak to her, and see if Alexia was anywhere near to the truth. He prayed that she would answer quickly, and disclaim the story, but as the phone rang and rang with no answer, his heart sank. Alexia had said that she would not answer. Erik felt hot tears began to form in his eyes. It was over. His beloved Christine would now leave him, and he would never see her again, and if he ever did see her, he would see nothing but disgust in her eyes. He had been an idiot to believe that she actually wanted him for who he was, an idiot for thinking that someone could love him. It was over.
......
Christine stared at the ringing phone on the table. She wanted to answer more than anything, and talk to him, but she couldn't. She wasn't ready, and she didn't know if she ever would be. Oh Erik, she wailed inside her head. You do not deserve me. You deserve someone so much better. Someone who can give you everything they are and love all of you.
Raoul gave her an enquiring look over his coffee mug. "Christine, I don't know if I can help you."
She had just spent the last ten minutes telling him everything. The other customers sitting outside the coffee shop must think that she was deranged, sat there, crying her eyes out, but she didn't care.
"Please Raoul; I don't know what to do. I love him so much." She sniffed loudly, and blew her nose with a tissue.
"I think you have your answer there, Christine. You love him, so I think you should see him. It really isn't that bad."
"Oh, I forgot, you have already seen him. What does he look like? I should be prepared."
Raoul smiled grimly. "It shouldn't matter, Christine. If you love him like you say you do, then it should not matter in the slightest."
"I suppose." She whispered.
"Raoul placed his mug back on the table, and looked at her thinking hard. "Christine, do you remember school?"
Christine looked up, startled. "School? What are you talking about Raoul? What has school got to do with anything?"
"Possibly everything." Raoul sighed. "Do you have any idea how shocked I was to see you last night?"
"Probably about as shocked as I was."
Raoul laughed. "When I saw you yesterday I really did think that you had changed, but today, I am not sure you have changed in the slightest."
Christine looked affronted. "What do you mean by that?"
"When I saw you with Erik, I thought you had finally come over you shallowness in dating someone like him. I was shocked, I'll tell you that, but I knew you were happy, and that was what was important."
"Raoul will you please explain what the hell..."
"I hated school, did you know that." Raoul interrupted her. "Do you know why?"
"No, why?" Christine asked feeling slightly annoyed. He had better be going somewhere with this erratic changing of subjects.
"You." He answered simply.
"Me? What did I do?" Christine cried.
"We were best friends, and then you ditched me like I was nothing to you. Do you have any idea what that is like?"
Christine could not believe what he was saying. She wanted help, and he had to go dragging up old school history. "We grew apart, Raoul. That is what happens."
"Not like that it doesn't. You treated me like dirt, and you did the same with a lot of other people."
Christine felt like crying again. "I know I was a cow in school Raoul! Being popular was bad for me, and I know it. I regret how I treated you, and all the others." She was crying now, a fresh batch of tears rolling down her cheeks. "Why are you doing this?"
Raoul actually smiled then, what looked like triumph on his face. "There, I knew you had changed. The old Christine would not have cried over her actions." Raoul handed her a fresh tissue. "Look, Christine, I am going to tell you something which you may find upsetting, but it is for the best. It may just help you realise what you have to do about Erik."
Christine wiped her eyes, and sniffed. "Alright then. Tell me."
"Christine, you were never popular." Raoul said, grimacing slightly as if telling her was incredibly painful. "In fact everyone hated you, and I don't just mean the loser crowd. Everyone did. The only friends you had were Meg and Carlotta. There was even an "I hate Christine Denton club." I didn't join it!" Raoul said, sounding scared at the look of anger on her face. "Believe it or not, but I was one of the few who didn't mind you. I guess I saw something in you that wasn't that bad."
"Well that's comforting!" Christine cried. "Oh, so I'm not all bad am I? Can you tell me one of my few redeeming qualities?"
"Well there's your sense of humour for one." Raoul laughed. "Christine I am so sorry." Raoul patted her arm, gently squeezing it. "If it's any consolation, you really have changed a lot. You are nowhere near as bitchy." He smiled at her, and she couldn't help but give a tiny smile in return. "I am not telling you this to upset you, but to try to make you realise something. You were unhappy as you were before you met Erik, and sometimes not a nice person. This was when you were still shallow. If you really are the person I believe you have become, then you will still love him. Do looks really matter that much? Isn't he still the same person?"
Christine looked at him, thinking hard. "Of course he is. Oh Raoul, I have been such an idiot! How could I have ever thought I couldn't accept him? I love him!"
Never had Christine been bombarded with so many different thoughts. She was still getting over the shock of Raoul's revelation. She had never been popular in school. It had all been in her mind, and the reality was that everyone had hated her. As much as this pained her, it hurt nowhere near as it should have done, as much as it would have done a few years ago. Instead she felt almost free. The iron weight that was in her stomach finally seemed to lift. She was not that person anymore. Popularity no longer mattered to her. Looking good and having the most handsome man on her arm no longer mattered either. She was beyond such shallowness now. All that mattered was Erik, and how much she loved him. Meg had been right, and so was Raoul. He was still the man that she fell in love with, and nothing had changed, at least nothing of any importance. After all, hadn't she been with many handsome men before, and those relationships had gone nowhere. Outward beauty was only skin deep, but inner beauty went all the way through, and her Erik had it in abundance. She knew it then as surely as she knew her own name. No matter what Erik's outer appearance looked like, she could accept it, because inside, he was so beautiful.
She stood up, her chair scraping on the concrete pavement. "Thank you so much Raoul. I knew you would help me." She smiled at him, waterily. "You were always so clever."
"You didn't need me Christine. You could have figured this out for yourself."
"Perhaps, but you helped me get there faster." She beamed. "I have to go. I have to find him now!"
Christine stood up, and began to run away from the cafe, towards the road. There was no time to waste. She had to get to Erik as quickly as possible. She didn't hear Raoul screaming at her in terror until it was too late . She didn't hear the horn blearing at her until it was too late. She didn't see the car flying at her until it was too late. She screamed. She fell. It was too late.
Eeekk!! Bet that was a surprise! Review again, and her survival chances increase. :D
I am sorry to say that this will be the last update for about a week. I knocked this chapter out early so I didn't keep you waiting. Aren't I good to you all! I am off on holiday tomorrow, and so may not get to anywhere with internet. I am hoping that I do though as I should get loads of writing done. In that case there may be an update. I shall look forward to reading your reviews in a sunny internet cafe. (: