Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 28374 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 142(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 95(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 28374 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 142(@200wpm)___ 113(@250wpm)___ 95(@300wpm)
“Well then, what is it? Did I do something wrong?”
He lets out an annoyed sigh.
“Kelsey, I’m the CEO of a billion-dollar corporation. I have a life full of complications. My world doesn’t revolve around you, okay?”
I feel like I’ve been slapped and literally jerk back as if I’ve been struck. Tears come to my eyes, but I won’t let him see me cry. Instead, I stand up and head towards the bedroom, keeping my shoulders straight and my voice steady.
“Understood,” I call over my shoulder. “I’m going to get some sleep. Please have Gabriel wake me before we land.”
However, after many hours of tossing and turning, I hear a knock on the door.
“I’m awake, Gabriel. Thank you, I’ll be right out,” I call.
There’s a pause and then a low voice.
“It’s me, Kelsey. I need to talk to you.”
It’s Keith and I’m not sure I want to talk to him right now so the new, confident me tells him just that.
“I’m busy.”
“Look Kelsey, just open the door. I didn’t mean to snap at you.”
My jaw tightens.
“I said I don’t want to talk right now.”
There’s another silence and then a low growl.
“Kelsey. Open the damn door. This is my plane!”
But he doesn’t scare me.
“Oh, I know very well this is your plane and I know perfectly well that your world doesn’t revolve around me. I never expected it to. However, I did think I was more than just a vacation lay. Clearly, my mistake was in thinking we formed some sort of connection, and I apologize for the overstep.”
“Kelsey—” he says from the other side, but I ignore him and continue talking.
“As a result, I think transferring to the PR department is something that needs to be done sooner rather than later. I’m qualified and I deserve it. But you should stop sleeping with your personal assistants, Mr. Commons, because we’ll all quit and then you’ll have to start doing things for yourself.”
He’s silent for a moment, and then I hear footsteps walking away. That does it. I break down and cry softly, knowing that he can’t hear. I spoke my mind, and evidently, it was too much. He doesn’t care about me, and now that our magical vacation is over, it’s going to be a rough landing.
But I won’t let him see me suffer. Instead, I get dressed and put on my make-up with care. Then I sashay back into the main cabin and take a seat, my head held high. Keith shoots me a long look, but doesn’t say anything. My heart’s breaking because his dark form is so close, and yet so far now. The chasm between us feels huge and endless.
I look out the window as we taxi down the runway and see two cars waiting on the tarmac. He wasn’t even going to ride home with me. But I make myself swallow my tears, and put on my sunglasses so he can’t see.
Keith speaks to the pilot after we land, and I use the chance to swiftly disembark without a confrontation. I’m halfway across the tarmac when I hear Keith’s footsteps not far behind me. I stare straight ahead, determined to make him chase me, when the door to one of the town cars opens and an elegantly-clad foot steps out. Then a scene follows that’s straight out of movie.
A woman emerges from the car. Or rather, not a woman but a raven-haired goddess with big boobs, a tiny waist, and perfectly curved hips. Even worse, she greets Keith with adoration.
“Keith, sweetheart! I’ve missed you so much,” she coos as my lover approaches her. To my horror, she slips her arms around Keith’s neck and plants her lips on his. It’s like a car accident in slow motion. I can’t look away, my heart dropping in horror as they French kiss, clearly enjoying one another’s company. Who is this woman? Then, realization hits me like punch in the gut. She must be Keith’s girlfriend. All this time, he’s had another woman.
My desire for dignity evaporates and I race to the second car, slamming the vehicle door shut behind me. Fortunately, the driver is the same as before, and the elderly man looks at me with kindly eyes.
“Miss Laine, we’ll get your bags later,” Cornie says. “It’s no trouble.”
“Yes, just go!” I gasp. “Please take me home.”
As we leave the airport tarmac, my eyes water and my face crumples into a mass of pain. After all, I’ve been betrayed by the man who means more to me than anyone in the world. And yet, what did I expect? The CEO never promised me anything, and now, I need to return to the real world.
11
Kelsey
I’ve spent two weeks in my crappy New York apartment bingeing on Chinese food, donuts, and ice cream. The virus has us on lockdown working from home, and it should feel good, but I haven’t actually done any work. Yet, I’m still getting paid. It must be a glitch in their system. Or maybe, Keith’s letting me stay on payroll because I provided certain other services to him. As a result, I feel trashy and dirty, contributing to my depression.