Total pages in book: 18
Estimated words: 17662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 88(@200wpm)___ 71(@250wpm)___ 59(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 17662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 88(@200wpm)___ 71(@250wpm)___ 59(@300wpm)
"I'm done with this madness."
But the coldness of my husband's tone tells me it's too late.
"And I don't give a fuck about what I have to lose. My lawyer will give you a call tomorrow."
I already know what he's about to do when I see him throw the door open.
"But for now---"
I already know how he's going to hurt me, but the words he snarls out still ends up destroying me.
"Get the fuck out of my house."
Jacques
I've lost all my will to live, and I fucking hate it.
And myself.
Because even though I know Riri's lied to me---
She's young.
She thought she was in love, but she was only infatuated.
I shouldn't have told her to get out of my house, dammit.
I call my chauffeur and give out instructions as soon as he answers.
"My wife's on the way down. Offer to drive her," I say curtly, "and don't take no for an answer. Keep an eye on her, and ask George to assign additional security for her."
"Yes, boss."
I've made sure she's safe at least, but it doesn't feel enough.
I still think I've made the biggest mistake in my life.
But isn't that just more proof that Eva was telling the truth?
That I'm the one who's foolishly and blindly in love?
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
The night is endless.
I can't fucking sleep.
All I can see in my mind is how my wife's face crumples.
Get the fuck out of my house.
I can't believe I said those words to her.
And even now---
Even when I know it's only right to end things early between us---
All I want to do is get down on my fucking knees and beg for her forgiveness.
You really have fucking lost it, Jacques.
Morning finally comes, but all I do is call my secretary and let her know I'm coming in for work.
Is it going to be like this for the rest of my life?
Just finding the energy to get out of bed and have a shower feels like I had to climb Mt. Fucking Everest.
I step out of my bedroom, and I see it right away.
What the fuck?
It's finally dawned on me just how out of my mind I was last night, to not have noticed the rose petals scattered all over the floor.
Why, Riri?
Why did she have to be so damn young that she could only be infatuated with me?
I have the craziest urge to start punching walls and smashing everything I see.
I love her, God.
There's no use denying it.
I love her, but she's only infatuated with me.
Time seems to drag endlessly, but a look at my phone tells me it's only been a few hours.
At about ten in the morning, I get a call from Dean Garrison, and I answer it reluctantly.
I already know this has to do with my wife, and I'm right.
"Your secretary says you've called in sick."
"What can I say? I'm just as human as everyone else."
"And possibly just as foolish as some of us, would you say?"
"Just get to the point, Dean."
"She submitted her letter of withdrawal this morning."
"I see."
"That's truly all you have to say?"
"She's old enough to make her own decisions."
"But she clearly made the wrong one when she married you."
Fuck.
There clearly isn't a need for a press release about my marriage, with how fast news of it has already spread.
"You're not the type to make rash decisions, son," Dean Garrison says quietly. "So what happened?"
"Broderick Sterne."
"What about him?"
"My wife and Broderick. You don't know about them?"
"What's there to know?"
A humorless smile twists over my lips. "I guess that answers my question."
Dean Garrison, however, immediately takes exception to this. "I know everything that goes on in my department, Jacques. Everything," the older man stresses. "And that's why I know nothing has ever gone on between those two."
"You may think you know everything, but I trust the person who told me this---"
"Even when it causes you to lose trust in your own wife?"
My jaw clenches at the note of disapproval in his tone.
"We all know Riri was in love with you from the start, Jacques. But we pretended not to because we knew it would make you uncomfortable."
Dean Garrison's words are completely unexpected, and unease stirs inside of me. Everything that used to be completely clear started getting murky.
"We knew you were likely to stay away if you realized we were aware of what was unfolding before us. So we pretended. And when we found out that the two of you got married, we were all overjoyed. We were even planning to surprise both of you with a celebration, but Riri ended up surprising us instead."
Silence stretches between us, and Dean Garrison lets out a heavy sigh.
"At least tell me why, son. Why do you insist on seeing Riri in a bad light, Jacques?"
"I am not insisting on anything," I say tautly. "I just don't care to live a lie any longer. Riri and Broderick---"