Just a quick AN Burn will come in a separate chapter 😉

Also this is in modern times. And also this will not be historically or musically accurate. I wanna happy ending!

Still... Alexander was a jerk.

I picked up the daily newspaper from the mailbox. I usually never read the paper myself, just brought it in for Alexander to read.

I scanned the paper. On the front cover was something that read The Reynolds Pamphlet by Alexander Hamilton.

I frowned and flipped it open after retreating to my room.

I couldn't believe what I read.

My husband wrote about an affair that he had with one Maria Reynolds while the children and I were visiting my father upstate.

He described where they met, and he published the emails and the notes that she had written him.

Tears fell down my cheeks, but I wiped them away and went downstairs to prepare dinner, keeping the newspaper in my bedroom.

"Take a break!" I called up to Alexander, like I always did.

After a quiet dinner, Philip volunteered to take his siblings on a walk. I agreed, but told him to keep his phone on him.

After they had left, I ran back upstairs, grabbed the paper, and made my way to Alexander's office.

He was sitting at his desk as he always was, laptop open and pen in his hand.

I knelt next to him and tapped his shoulder, hiding the paper behind my back.

He looked up, smiled, and went to kiss me, but I shoved him away, stood up abruptly, and thrust the paper to his chest.

"How could you?" I screamed.

He looked momentarily confused.

I stamped my foot on the floor.

"You. Had. An. Affair." I said.

Alexander's eyes fell to the floor, instead of focusing on me.

"Eliza, I'm-" he stuttered.

"No!" I shouted. "You're not sorry! You are a lying, unfaithful jerk! You're who your mother was! A-"

I couldn't bring myself to say the last word about my late mother-in-law.

A few worse words of choice popped into my head, but I refrained from speaking my mind. Even in the worst situation, I could never bring myself to curse.

At the last comment Alexander shuddered a little, but my heart was stone.

"Why?" I shouted, and stormed out of the room, tears streaming down my face. I tried to dry my face, but they kept coming.

I locked the door to the bedroom and flung myself onto the floor.

A knock sounded on the door.

"Eliza?" Alexander called, but I could barely hear him over my own sobbing.

I glanced up at the locked handle, briefly considering unlocking it and screaming at him again, but I decided against it.

I heard footsteps going away from the door.

What the heck was Alexander doing?

A few seconds later, the door opened and Alexander stepped inside.

"How-" I asked.

He sat next to me after putting a screwdriver onto the nightstand.

Dang it. There was a screwdriver that unlocked all the doors to the house, and I'd forgotten to hide it.

I turned my back to him, pushing back my instinct to shove him out the door and lock it again so he wouldn't have the screwdriver.

But I didn't. I huddled with my knees to my chest and started crying again.

Alexander put a gentle hand on my waist. I didn't bring myself to move. I only cried harder.

"Eliza..." Alexander murmured gently, enveloping me in his arms.

I tried to shove him away, but he hugged me tighter.

"I'm so sorry," he said.

I tried to say something, but I choked on my own words before they could come out of my mouth.

Finally I managed to say something.

"You remember Hercules Mulligan?" I whispered.

"Yeah," Alexander responded, definitely more then a little confused. "Why?"

"Think of the worst thing he's ever said to somebody," I said. "Now imagine me saying that to you. That's not even one millionth of how I feel right now."

He winced a little, and I took the opportunity to stand up and walk away, grabbing the screwdriver from the nightstand.

I ran down the hallway, but Alexander grabbed my hand with the screwdriver in it.

I twisted my wrist and pointed the screwdriver at his face.

"Don't you dare," I threatened.

He took his other hand and removed the screwdriver from my hand, tossing it behind him. He then grabbed my other hand so I was trapped.

I tried to yank my hands away, but he was stronger then me.

"Let me go." I ordered.

"No." Alexander said, firmly pressing my chest to his.

I kneed him in the stomach.

He gasped and let go, and I ran past him back into the bedroom and slammed the door, not bothering to lock it.

"Eliza, I have the screwdriver," he said.

"I don't care!" I yelled. "If you love me, which you obviously do not, leave me alone and let me suffer by myself!"

The door opened again.

Alexander smirked. "You didn't even lock it. And I do love you."

I sighed in surrender and sat down in the bed, burying my head in my hands and sobbing again.

Alexander sat next to me and held me close, kissing me on the head.

My tears slowly faded, him holding me the whole time. I felt like I wanted to stay there in his embrace forever.

Alexander raised my head to look him in the eye.

"I'm sorry," he muttered.

I looked down at my lap, where my hands were laying next to his.

Something came over me and thawed my heart.

I drew in a shaky breath and moved my hands so they were resting in his.

A tear landed on our intertwined hands, but it wasn't mine. It was Alexander's.

I looked up at him and saw he was crying silently as well.

There's a grace too powerful to name.

I let out a little sob and buried my head in his neck. He transferred one of my hands to the other and hugged me using his free arm.

I kissed his neck gently.

He removed his hand from my back and held my face.

"I forgive you," I said clearly.

"But..." he said, "why would you? You're too good for me. You deserved to marry a rich man, but you chose me instead. And look what that's gotten you."

I lifted my head up. "My love for you is never in doubt. We'll figure it out."

He smiled at the same words he had said to me after our engagement.

"Look around, Alexander. You asked what marrying you has gotten me. I've got children now. And I have you." I said.

Alexander hugged me even tighter. After a while, he pulled away and kissed me.

He quickly retreated before I could kiss him back and gave me a sheepish smile.

"Sorry," he said. "Too soon?"

I gave a tiny laugh.

"Never, my love." I said.

He kissed me, and I was Helpless again.

Soon after, Philip and his siblings came home. It had been about fifteen minutes, and I was starting to get worried, though I was glad for the quiet time alone with Alexander.

When Philip stepped in the door, I sprang up from the couch, where I was nestled comfortably against Alexander.

"Where were you?" I asked.

Philip kicked the rug a bit. "Just got lost. But we're fine. Didn't you see my texts?"

I checked my phone and saw five messages from Philip.

[Philip: Mom, I'm on Carnation Street. Do I take a left or a right?]

[Philip: Mom?]

[Philip: Hello?]

[Philip: I took a left. Is that the right way?]

[Philip: Ok, nope. I'm taking a right now.]

I looked up at my son and blushed a little.

"Sorry," I said. "I was busy."

Philip raised an eyebrow. "Doing what?"

"Nothing," I said quickly.

Philip crossed his arms. "Something with Daddy?"

I shrugged and sent him and his siblings up to bed.

After I'd finished putting the children to sleep, I returned downstairs, where Alexander was still waiting.

I smiled and pecked him on the cheek before nestling into him again.

He squeezed my shoulder.

"I love you, Eliza," he said quietly.

"I love you too, Alexander," I said.

I kissed him again until I had to stop for air.

I stood up and went to bed, Alexander right behind me.

I'm Helpless