Chapter 477 - Another attack (1)

25 May, Matthew's Villa, City K

As she awoke, Lexi observed Matthew on his side carefully watching her. "Do you ever sleep?"

Chuckling Matthew said, "I do, but watching you and knowing that you are safe and here by my side is the best way to start my day."

While she could tell that Matthew was sincere in his words, she gently threw a punch towards his shoulder before saying "I wonder…"

"Why I am like I am with you?"

Lexi nodded, before quietly adding "I do not deserve it."

Gently moving Lexi into a sitting position like the nurses showed him. Matthew made sure she was comfortable before joining her back in bed, sitting looking at her. He reached over and gently took her chin in his hands before moving her head so that she was looking directly at him. 

"I think you have forgotten what I told you when you were seventeen before proposing to you. I told you then, that you were the love of my life and that I knew that we would have ups and downs in our life together. But I was willing to ride that out because I knew that simple truth."

"But I…"

"Deep down, the truth about Dominic shocked me."

Matthew paused, and reached over picking up her iPad from beside the bed, and quickly opened it. Lexi could see him searching for something. Matthew looked at her and said "Something John actually said made me think about some overseas training exercise with Australian, British and American special forces. After the de-briefing sessions, we all headed to a base bar, and one of the British soldiers was sitting in the corner, before one of the Australians decided to corner him. They talked about something called the Ashes [1], and who would win the upcoming series. Everything passed over me, but after that the Australian asked the English soldier what was wrong. He talked about trouble in his relationship with his girlfriend and something struck a chord with me at the time. The Australian said that whenever he was feeling down, he would listen to a song by an Australian Country Music Artist named Adam Brand, and it reminded him of what was important. I listened to the song at the time and looked it up. The words hit home, then as they did in the aftermath of you revealing the truth. Have a listen."

With that Matthew tapped on the iPad, and the music started, and out came the words:

Sometimes I get all caught up in these frustrations

No my mamma's good raising just disappears

I forget how far and deep a careless word can fly

I hurt the ones I hold so dear…

After listening to the song, Lexi said "What is it called?"

"I was here [2]. I may have taken it different to the Australia and British soldiers, but there is something in re-listening to the song made me realise that I hurt you, not only with my actions but what I said and did not say throughout our relationship. But its lyrics that said talked about the most important thing in life may not be things at all, made me stop and think. What that was when I first heard the song to now has changed. Now the most important things are you, Dominic, and our wider family and friends. It may sound stupid, given how they currently treat me, but that would even include my parents. I can not replace you in my life, and I would not want to."

Hearing Matthew's words, Lexi could not hold back all the tears, that the imagery the words of the song had given her, and let the tears run. Placing the iPad down, Matthew reached over and wiped the tears away saying, "I did not mean to upset you."

Shaking her head Lexi between sobs said, "You did not. Those words hit home. I had only been thinking about myself and not realising the hurt my words could cause…"

Matthew moved over and as best as he could he gathered Lexi into his arms before kissing the top of her head and saying "You do not need to. We were both young and made mistakes, but your parents have most of the responsibility. We just must focus on the future, not only as a couple but as a family with Dominic and any other children we are lucky to have. To slightly alter those words, all those years ago you changed my life and touched my heart when we were younger and that has not changed through to today. We just have to stay committed and ride out those challenges."

Lexi gently laughed before responding "That sounds for corny."

"It is the truth. We just must focus on what is important to us, and I know that we can deal with any challenge that we face."

Lexi paused and said "Matthew, I know you have read what I put in my court material about what Richard did to me. It was horrific. You know Rachael has dragged me to the women's shelter she founded?"

Matthew nodded, before adding "She has followed in her mother's footsteps in founding a charitable service well needed. Her family can well afford to support that."

"Those few discussions I have had there, has made me look at things slightly differently and realise that even in the proceedings I could not talk about everything. He was horrific, but you know the worst thing was not the physical, s*xual or mental abuse that he put me through. It was the simple realisation that I was only a means to an end for him and his parents. Everything was about money and assets. Even now, his parents are still carrying on for that simple reason."

"You know that will stop. Bronwyn informed me, the military courts will issue the formal ruling and orders about what we did and Dominic early next week. While Chester and Andrew still want to kill me, they listened to me for long enough to inform me as soon as that ruling is issued they intend to have the civilian courts invalidate the asset transfer of your parents to Richard and the transfer under his will to his parents."

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