Page 85 of Conflagration
Oh God. “And that’s the truth.”
“I’m sure it is. When I asked you what you’d overheard, what did you tell me?”
I swallow hard as I remember our conversation. “I said it wasn’t important.”
He snaps his fingers. “Exactly! And those documents, as well as what that asshole told me, lets me know just how unimportant it was. Now I get why you didn’t tell me. You couldn’t exactly let me know your fiancé—and your family—was going broke and that’s why you left. What would I have thought?” he asks in a mocking tone.
“That’s not—” I begin to protest, but he quickly cuts me off.
“You know, if you’d have just told me from the beginning what your angle was, perhaps we could’ve come to some sort of agreement. After all, before you, I wasn’t looking for a wife. You just so happened to conveniently tell the hospital staff we were engaged. You want to be a trophy wife, Ariana? Is that was this has been? An audition? Because I’ve gotta tell you, baby. You’ve done a damn good job of it. All those times you swallowed? Nice touch. The last bitch that blew me wouldn’t even let me come in her mouth, so you already have one up on her already.”
The force of his words slams me backwards almost as if he’d physically slapped me. Although this hurts so much worse than any physical pain ever could. I bite the inside of my cheeks to keep the tears from welling up, unable to comprehend where the man who left my bed this morning went. His gaze is cold as he watches me, no vestiges of the caring, warm, loving man I fell in love with remaining.
“You’re lucky you’re behind that desk or else my fist would be in your face for that,” I say as calmly as I can, a swirling mixture of anger and hurt filling my heart.
“Oh, come on, Ariana. Don’t look so surprised. And calm down. You know you have to wait until after the wedding for the claws to come out. After all, if you’re going to be the CEO’s wife, you’re going to have to keep up appearances, and giving your soon-to-be husband to be a black eye just wouldn’t be sending the right image, now would it?”
I gape at him. “How can you say that to me? Do you even hear yourself?”
Almost as if he doesn’t even hear me, he continues. “I can’t completely hold you at fault. I’m getting just as much out of this as you are. Thanks to you, Dad’s announcing his retirement soon and tapping me in. Your audition was clearly convincing enough not only to me, but to the rest of the board members. They’re all too pleased to make me CEO now that you’re with me. I guess I should be thanking you.” He pauses, something clouding his eyes. “And what was that between your parents? Orchestrated for my benefit? I have to say, the fake phone call your dad made to Ben? Very clever. Perhaps he’ll be happy to have me as a son-in-law after all. But with his financial woes, I assume I won’t be getting that dowry.” He laughs as if he hasn’t just broken me or created a monumental shift in our relationship. “But hey, who really cares, right? We’re both getting what we want. Now we can drop all the other bullshit pretenses.”
As each cruel blows hits me square in the chest, I’m all too aware that I’m now face to face with who he used to be. It’s unnerving how easily a man like him was manipulated by the lies of others. How quickly he reverted his demeanor to his former self. How, with the snap of a finger, the man I love disappeared.
“Are you so blind by your position at Wellington Enterprises that you can’t see what’s right in front of you? You truly believe I’m with you because of your name? Your title? Your bank account?” I’m trying to maintain my composure, but the blank look on his face nearly sends me over the edge. Throwing the file on his desk, I steady myself and look directly into his eyes. “I don’t give a shit about your name, your money, or your job. You could be CEO or you could work in the mailroom for all I care. I didn’t need Ben’s money or my fathers, and I certainly don’t need yours. I just need you. I love you, Branson. You. The man you are, not the position you hold.”
He has the decency to give me a rueful smile, and my heart leaps, hoping I’ve gotten through to him. And then his expression turns to disbelief, and I know that nothing I say will be enough. His mind’s made up.
With a nod, I stand, willing the tears to stay hidden for just a little while longer. “Well, it’s clear you don’t want to hear what I have to say, and we’re just wasting our time here. Just let me remind you of one thing, Branson. You think this was all too coincidental?Youwere the one who had me move in when I was ready to walk away.”
“Yeah, well, Dad said he liked us together and gave me the ring. After all, the wife of the Wellington CEO should have the Wellington family ring.”
I take a step back, shaking my head, not wanting to believe him. “What? You mean this whole thing? You asking me to stay, giving me the ring—it’s all been about your stupid job?”
He doesn’t respond, and I know there’s nothing left for me to stay. A part of me knows he’s just saying it to save face. To hurt me like he thinks I’ve hurt him. I want him to take it back. I could beg. I could tell him over and over that he’s wrong. That I didn’t know. But my dignity won’t allow it. Even though I want to linger, I take one last look and walk out of Branson’s office.
I walk out of Branson’s life.
And he doesn’t stop me.
Just like that, the bright future I thought I had planned is snuffed out. The fiery passion of our love is extinguished, and I’m not sure I’ll ever recover.
No, that’s not true. I may be broken. My heart may shatter. The shock will wear off and the pain I’m currently experiencing will grow exponentially, until it’s nearly unbearable. I’ll wonder how I can go on without him, and I’ll cry until there are no tears left. And then I’ll probably cry some more.
But once the ashes settle, I will be okay. I have to be. I just hope that, in the end, he will be, too.
MY HEART aches. It hurts to look at her and believe what I do, but the proof is right in front of me. If she’d have just told me the truth when I first asked her, maybe we could’ve worked it out. Gotten past it. Because I love her. I love her with all my goddamn soul, and the thought of losing her is unbearable. But the thought of being played for a fool for a second time is overwhelming, and I lash out, surprising even myself with the venom coming out of my mouth. Yet I’m unable to stop it.
The entire time, she takes it, angering me even further. Shouldn’t she be telling me I’m wrong? Crying, screaming, protesting? Something? Instead, all I get is one small whisper telling me that she didn’t know, and I have to say that it’s not quite convincing, causing me to go on a tirade. When I’m done, I think she’s finally going to give me some emotion, but she doesn’t. All she does is give me some bullshit line and then she leaves. She fucking leaves.
My mug shatters on the door as I hurl it as hard as I can. I lean my head back against my chair, wondering how in the fuck everything went from goddamn perfect to a goddamn nightmare. Closing my eyes, I work on my breathing as I try to calm my racing heart, but it’s no fucking use. Everything from the board meeting to Ariana walking out continues to flash in my mind intermixed with memories of her and our time together. It’s a jumbled mess, a reminder that I have no idea what’s truth and what’s a lie.
Letting out a curse, I sit up and focus on my computer, getting lost in my work to keep the unease at bay. This is me. This is my element. Or at least it used to be. But since her, everything’s changed. This is no longer fulfilling, and right now, all I feel is empty. As I bury myself in writing up a new acquisition proposal, I try to keep my mind off Ariana, but even after hours of intense research, it’s no fucking use.
I can’t stop thinking about the things I said to her. With a cooler head, I realize that I didn’t give her much room to explain. And even though all signs point to the truth, my heart’s screaming at me that I’m missing something, but it’s drowned out by the remnants of my anger.
Glancing at the clock, I see that it’s almost nine p.m., and I mutter a curse under my breath, pissed that I let time run away from me. I haven’t stayed at work past five since I came back from disability, and I know I need to get home so we can talk things out.
The entire drive home, I practice my speech, but nothing sounds right. I’m still pissed but I’m willing to hear her out. Hell, even if she tells me that everything Benjamin said was the truth, I’m ready to look past it. She may have started our relationship out that way, but I know she loves me. I just wonder if that will be enough.
