Page 54 of Falling for the Wife

“I honestly don’t know.” I understood Vivienne’s argument. It wasn’t unfounded. Truth be told, I, too, had the same reasons, but tonight had changed it all. He only needed to touch me, and I was his again. Sadly, it seemed Jared knew it, too. Based on his ardent lovemaking earlier, he couldn’t get enough of me. But this was Jared, after all. Mercurial as ever. He could very well change his tune any time of the week, depending on his ever-shifting mood. “He wants me, but he doesn’t want to want me. It’s the same spiel since we got married. Nothing’s changed…on his part, still.”

“Fucking hell, Gisele. You’re hopeless as hopeless gets.” Vivienne wrapped her arms around me before kissing the side of my head. “You’re the ultimate package—hot as fuck, models envy you, you’ve got the brains to back it up, and not to mention you’re mega rich—and even with all that, you’re not rich where it counts most.” She sighed, her arms winding around me more tightly. “If all else fails, you have Blair and me to distract you for the rest of your life. So fear not, my dearest babe, we got you.”

After she released me, Blair shoved a newly filled champagne glass at me before she granted me an appeasing gaze. “Sooner or later, you have to decide, Gi,” she succinctly pointed out. “You can’t go on for another year living in this hell. Waiting on a man who doesn’t see your worth only leads to devastation—your very own destruction. Next time he fucks up, just let it go. If he comes back, then renegotiate terms, but if he doesn’t, just forget you’re married to him. You keep forgettingthisis a business deal. Jared sure hasn’t. If you want to stay afloat and not drown, you’ve got to think like him. Think like a man. Fight fire with fire. I’m sorry, but sometimes, being a pseudo-doormat isn’t all that appealing. Not even to me. Most especially with his kind of breed. They thrive on the chase, but you’ve never ever let him chase you because you’re already laid out like a six-course meal, ready whenever he comes knocking on your doorstep. Seriously, Gisele, get a fucking grip! I love you, but this is beyond pathetic. He’s supposed to be eating out of the palm of your hand. The only sure thing he’s eating is your fucking confidence. You’ve got to get back on the saddle, or you’re going to be left behind, Gi. It’s time to take the blindfold off, babe.”

“Amen to that,” Vivienne readily agreed. “We all adore Jared, but he’s been leading you nowhere. If he doesn’t come crawling back to you after you guys tangoed, it’s time to ditch your heart and move on.”

Tentatively, I smiled without it reaching my eyes. “Of course, I totally agree. Just give me time. I’ll eventually get there,” I murmured, knowing full well they were speaking with sense. They only wanted me happy…

They’d supported me since, but I knew this one-way love made me pitiful in their eyes somehow. Maybe that was why Blair seemed surprisingly obliging towards my revelation of Wyatt. She knew where my heart belonged. She also knew I wasn’t going into a relationship with Wyatt knowing such a fact. I was stuck in a rut, but I was giving Jared one last chance. Japan should be a game changer. Good or bad, a decision had to be made.

While Blair and Vivienne continued discussing other matters, arguing about gatecrashers and what not, I spotted someone familiar.

“Ginny! You came!” I greeted my research partner for Robotics, whom I invited at the last minute since the woman had hardly warmed to me.

She seemed hesitant as she cautiously eyed the themed surroundings, unmistakably uncomfortable. When her light blue eyes found me, she appeared confused for a moment. “Oh, my gosh! Gisele?” She blew out a breath. “Wowzers, you were pretty before, but gosh! You totally could pass as a supermodel. Who thought you were hiding such big tits underneath the sweaters?”

Our class started super early. Sweater and jeans were the accommodating wear that could match my unpleasant mood. Early riser, I sure wasn’t, but it was the last slot available, so I was left functioning like a retarded robot until caffeine kicked in, which unfortunately tended to take effect half an hour after boosting. Ginny had learned to cope on her own until then.

I beamed before throwing her a massive heartwarming hug. “You mean a super hooker, right? Thank you for coming. Most of the people here are from school, but I hardly know any of them. You’re the first friendly face I know.”

She pushed her thick black-rimmed glasses back, prickly as she warily glanced towards Blair and Vivienne hovering behind me. “I’m kind of obligated to drop by since you’re, like, the only friend I have in school.” She awkwardly grinned. “Sorry I didn’t come dressed as something or someone. It’s hard to dress a two-hundred-pound beluga and pass it off as something non-humiliating.”

My face contorted at the sound of her criticizing herself. She did this, quite often, too. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling yourself that, Ginny? Berating yourself won’t make you feel any better. As for dressing up, don’t worry about it. It’s Blair’s idea, not mine.”

Vivienne and Blair came over to greet Ginny. They’d met a few days ago at the coffee shop where Ginny works right outside the school. Ginny was still hesitant to warm to the girls she categorized as “superficial Barbies.” She cataloged me in the same category up until two weeks ago when she and I became research partners. She’d had to live with bullying from the likes of us, and I couldn’t truly blame her for it. Blair sure did give off the vibe, so it was truly understandable. Hopefully, the more she and I got to know one another, the more she’d see that not all privileged kids were a hateful bunch. My friends and I most of the time took things for granted, but we weren’t unkind. True, Blair had the tendency to go off screeching like a banshee, but she was good where it counted the most.

At first, Ginny appeared critical as she eyed my friends, but the more Vivienne cajoled her to try little sips of different alcoholic beverages, the more they bonded. We knew that if one of us befriended someone, we’d automatically welcome them with open arms. So, after an hour of her arrival, Ginny began to loosen up and warm to them. Her smiles became genuine, and she even laughed at Blair’s usual flair for sarcastic puns. Therefore, when Wyatt and Ethan came round to join us at one of the cozy sectional outdoor settees, we were all enjoying the party. Wyatt sat on the sofa’s armrest right next to me. He kept his distance but remained close to me for the rest of the evening.

Blair, drunk as she was, even had the audacity to get on top of a table and scream her heart out, halting the entire party before ordering everyone to sing a happy birthday to me.

It was heartwarming to feel loved by the people closest to me. After all, they were all I had. With my father’s passing, everything had been a blur. However, my friends had kept me grounded, always reminding me that I wasn’t alone. That no matter what happened in the future, I could always count on them for love and support. Little did they realize, but I sort of teared up a bit. It wasn’t a major ugly crying moment or anything, but my eyes glassed with moisture, beyond appreciative to have them at the most delicate time in my life, when I was in dire need of warmth and affection.

Right around one in the morning, after seeing Ginny off, Wyatt quietly followed behind, ready to take me back to my house.

“Let’s go for a walk.” It had been ages since I felt bubbly, and I wanted to savor it with each passing second.

Wyatt cocked his head before pasting an amused smile on. “It’s your birthday, so your wish is my command.”

Three inches of heels didn’t deter me from walking a long stretch since most of the homes around here were estates. The air was crisp, the world asleep, and the comfortable silence of the night assuaged my troubled mind. Tall and willowy trees ensconced our well-lit path. I wasn’t sure what came over me, but all of a sudden, I overwhelmingly began to brazenly strut as if I were on a runway before pivoting on my heels and sashaying back towards Wyatt while he applauded, hooting his approval.

We were laughing when he suddenly pulled me into his arms, stopping us both, as we stared into each other’s eyes. My throat ran dry seeing what I found in his depths. I barely managed to take a sharp breath before his lips dove to capture mine.

It was possibly the idea of being wanted after enduring the lectures tonight, the mere fact that I was inebriated, or also how I felt quite happy after weeks of mourning. Whatever my reason was, I kissed Wyatt back with the same hungry, debilitating force. In the back of my mind, Jared’s words echoed deafeningly, but I couldn’t resist Wyatt’s kiss. He was here. He wasn’t fighting his desire for me. Surely, that counted for something, right?

As our kiss deepened, we forgot we were in the middle of the road in the wee hours of the morning.I can learn to love him, my mind jolted me awake, shocking me with its unconscious thoughts.

“Can I stay with you tonight?” Wyatt paused, our lips barely touching as he cradled my cheek. His body possessively held me. His desire heavily pressed against my stomach.

“I don’t know…Will you be able to behave?” I’d promised Jared no more men…and yet, I was beyond tempted to say yes. The thought of going back home to an empty house, a dark bedroom, and a cold bed felt anticlimactic for such a lovely evening.

A teasing smile stretched his lips. “I can try, but no promises.”

“Maybe next time, then,” I said hesitantly.

The wicked smile merely deepened. “Let’s get you home first and decide from there.”

My mind ran all sorts of scenarios as I complacently let him lead the way back to my home. His arm was secured around my hips as we trotted along the road. While he happily whistled, I weighed my options. Although sleeping with Wyatt was absolutely out of the question, indulging in a night filled with cuddling wasn’t a crime, either. Had Jared not emotionally pushed me away, confusion wouldn’t rule my brain. But alas, the man crisply stated he was keeping his distance, even though he acted rather jealous about Wyatt having his wicked way with me.

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