Chapter 22
ANNA.
I get out of the car, gasping as I see the damage I have caused on the black Bentley. The scratch is nothing small, and there’s a dent.
How will I pay for the damages? I’ve spent most of my savings on the house. Sean doesn’t even bring home much anymore.
The glass is tinted, so I can’t see inside. A crowd has started to form around us and I really don’t want this to become a big deal. The more the audience, the higher the charge I’ll be asked to pay. People take advantage of scenarios like this to make others pay for even the underlying issues in their vehicles.
I walk around and knock on the glass. “Hello? Are you alright? I’m so sorry I-”
The glass comes down and the first thing I notice is the cologne. It’s so nice, it instantly makes me think of food. It doesn’t smell like food but…there are scents that make you feel… hungry immediately. Yeah, I know. That doesn’t make sense.
Stern blue eyes meet mine and hold. “Miss.”
“Mrs.,” I correct. “I’ve…uh… I’m really sorry for the damage. I promise, I’ll pay the charge to get it fixed. I’m so sorry.”
His eyes drop to the wedding band around my finger. A washed grey that once used to be gold. It didn’t matter that it no longer looked presentable to most. It is the most valuable thing I own because Sean gave it to me.
Those eyes drop to my slacks and shirt as if trying to determine if I could indeed pay for the damage to his car.
My insurance company will probably raise my rates past what I can afford, or else I break the bank paying out of pocket, but he doesn’t need to know that. He, whoever he is.
The car door opens and a man steps out of it. He has a frown on his face that mars his appearance. If the frown wasn’t so nasty, I’d call him handsome. He doesn’t speak to me. He only walks around, brushing off specks of dirt from his designer shirt, and assesses the damage with nothing but an arch to his brow.
“And how do you intend to pay for that, Mrs…?”
His voice is as deep and arrogant as he looks. I already don’t like him.
But then, it doesn’t matter if I do or don’t. I smile at him sheepishly. “You can have my car if it’d please you.”
His lips pull in a deep frown as he notes the sarcasm in my voice. I must really be at the end of
Chapter 22
my patience. This is very unlike me.
“It’s fine,” he mutters mostly to himself, glancing at his watch. “I’ll take care of it.”
2/4
My lips part and I block his path before he can get into his car. “You’re not going to ask me to pay for anything?”
He looks annoyed. “I can take care of it myself, lady. Do excuse me. I’m running late for a–”
“I’m sorry if my response put you off. I’m just…having a bad day. Let me pay for what I can. It’s not fair that you have to fix it,” I say, voice cracking, and I am unable to meet his gaze.
“There’s no need to. If you haven’t noticed, I wasn’t particularly in my lane. I was in yours. It’s a minor dent anyway, I will fix my car.” His words are sharp and cold, and I hate the way they make me want to tear up.
It’s not that his words are too harsh. I’m just frustrated and tired. I haven’t slept or eaten well in days. My appetite is nonexistent and everything has been without color. And now I’m arguing with a man I don’t know over damages I can’t even afford.
Pitiful.
“I should have-”
The man groans and throws up his hands with an exasperated sigh. He then pulls out a card from his pocket, handing it to me. “Call me later. I’ll send you the repair bill.”
I take it from him and he walks around me in swift, graceful steps, getting back behind the steering wheel and shutting the door after him. “I’ll need you to move, Mrs. I’m in a hurry.”
Stunned, I do, and he drives off, leaving with his door looking like he’d barely survived a crash.
I stare at the card.
Mr. O’Connor. Managing Director of Spears Inc.
My eyes widen with shock.
He is Sean’s new boss. I had visited yesterday, but the man hadn’t been in. I had only conversed with the secretary who told me the new boss would be resuming the next day, which happens to be today, but she had been kind enough to tell me about Sean’s leave.
Right! Sean!
I get into the car and rev the engine, stepping on the gas as I speed down the road, checking the map every now and then to ensure I am on the right path to the address Sean had sent to
- me.
Shortly, I arrive and my gaze flits across the building. It’s a hotel.
I swallow, hating the punch in my gut. I get out of the car, holding Finn to my hip and then I trudge across the parking lot, heading inside to see my husband.
Chapter 22
The elevator dings, and I peer at the busy floor, a deer in headlights look flickering across my face. He said he was seated across the room, by the wall to the left.
My feet carry me, and I pat Finn’s lower back slowly as he coos, touching my hair and my face. “Dada,” he suddenly says, pointing across the room.
I wipe the snot off his nose. He’s been awfully quiet since he fell ill, less playful and sleepy as well. All he does when he wakes is ask for his father, and all I say to him is, “He’ll be home
soon.”
Even now, he points again, “Dada. There!” His excited squeal carries across the floor and I follow his gaze to a group of men seated by the wall.
I let out a sigh of relief. He’s in a meeting, truly. He’s talking to suited men, one of whom I recognize from my visit to the company yesterday. There’s a woman beside him. I know her. Sarah. She’s his secretary. She’s sharing files and documents with them and it really doesn’t
matter.
May was wrong. I know Sean. He’d never cheat on me.
****
MAY.
I slam the door shut behind me, wiping the tears off my cheek.
“May, there’s…” Ethan stops talking when he sees my face. “What’s wrong?”
I walk past him. I don’t want him comforting me right now, or putting his arms around me again or holding me or wiping the tears from my cheeks. I’ll be fine. Right after I bawl and
take some ice cream.
Ethan follows me up to my room door. “May–”
I whirl. “Shouldn’t you be at work or something? I just need a minute. I’ll be fine.”
Ethan looks down, scratching the back of his head. “I took a couple of days off. I was hoping I could…” A pause, and the tips of his ears redden….take you somewhere. For coffee. Or… wherever you want to go.”
I pause in my sobbing. “You want to go…on a date with me?”
He shrugs. “If you want a date, that’s fine.”
I look down at myself, and I start sobbing again. “I’m not dressed for a date. Are you trying to
mock me?”
Ethan’s expression would be priceless if I wasn’t the reason for it. I cried the entire way here on my bike, wiping snot from my nose. Anna and I haven’t fought since we were children, and that was before our parents died.
Chapter 22
And now, she calls me an outsider when I try to tell her the truth. I don’t think even Ethan’s date or ice cream can fix the hurt in my chest.
“N–no. I just… Does the idea of going out with me bring tears to your eyes? I’ll cancel if—”
“No no,” I cut in sharply. “I’ll come. Just give me a minute to change,” I tell him, sniffing.” Where are we going?”
He smiles softly. “Wherever you want, M.”
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