Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 94436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 472(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94436 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 472(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“Anyway,” I paused, taking a long breath, waving my hand. “It’s not a big deal that you’re here. In fact, I’m glad you are. We never met properly.” My smile was so tight it felt like my face might split open.
I was determined not to spew any of my toxic thoughts on to this woman. None of this was her fault. She didn’t have obligations, commitments to me. She wasn’t the one keeping secrets. She was just a woman who had fallen in love with the wrong man. The one who she hungered for. Starved for. And was living off the crumbs he had continued to give her. I shuddered to think how easily I could’ve become this woman.
“Me too,” she smiled with uncertainty. “I know Mr. Helmick would’ve preferred to ... coordinate our meeting himself, but I am so glad you’re back.” Her eyes twinkled with warmth.
Sincerity? Surely not. It had been as plain as day that night at the benefit that she was in love with Jay. No woman who fell in love with Jay was pure and kind enough to be genuinely happy to see him doing the one thing he’d promised he’d never do: love someone else.
But I couldn’t find anything dark or ugly on her face. Perhaps she was just a great actress. Or a better woman than me.
“I’m glad I’m back too,” I gushed, injecting faux cheer into my voice like I was being graded for it. “For good, I’m back for good.” I didn’t know why I added that. It was catty and unnecessary, but I couldn’t help myself. “You don’t have to do that anymore either,” I continued, hating myself, nodding to the fridge. “I can buy groceries. I know what Jay likes.” There was no bite to my voice. There didn’t need to be. What I was saying was as plain as day.
Jay is mine.
I never thought I’d be this woman. This petty, territorial woman, rubbing her victory in the face of the wounded, like salt in a wound. But here I was.
Felicity flinched. I hated myself some more for being responsible. Another sick, ugly part of me was satisfied, happy for causing that flinch, for hitting that mark.
She pursed her lips and nodded. “Of course,” she replied in a small voice.
It was then that she moved her hand up to push her hair behind her ears, the sunlight streaming through the windows reflecting off her bracelet. Her diamond bracelet. Identical to the one that I wore on my wrist.
My heart thundered in my chest, and bile crawled up my throat. I did my best to swallow it. Did my best to keep that false smile on my face.
“You know, I completely forgot about an appointment I had downtown,” I mused, snatching my purse from where I’d dropped it on the counter. “It’s urgent, and the sooner I get there the better. It really was lovely to finally meet you, Felicity.”
And then I ran out of the house.
Jay’s house.
Because it certainly wasn’t ours.
It struck me, right as I was storming past Jay’s assistant and into his office, that I’d never been to Jay’s offices downtown. The sleek, expensively appointed offices that likely housed all of his legitimate businesses. I hadn’t met him here for lunch, hadn’t met his assistants, had no clue about the specifics that went on here.
Jay had never even told me the location of this place.
His eyes widened ever so slightly when I stormed through the door. “Stella,” he greeted, putting down the stack of papers he had been holding.
“Did you know that I had to Google the location of your offices?” I barked, storming forward.
He blinked once, face blank.
I didn’t let him answer. “Yeah, I had to Google the location of my fiancé’s place of work because he’s never fucking told me about it!” I scolded, my voice raising to a shout. I had been planning on sitting in front of him at his desk, speaking calmly, eloquently, letting him explain.
Now that I was here, looking at his beautifully blank face, overcome with the feeling I had whenever Jay was near, fury was the only option. So I paced. And shouted.
“Another thing you didn’t tell me about,” I grated out. “Felicity. Sure, I knew of her existence, but I never knew her identity. But that was rectified today. When I went to your place—”
“Our home,” Jay interrupted, voice cold.
I stopped in my tracks, narrowing my eyes at him. “No,” I hissed. “Our home is a shared place. Somewhere free of secrets. With a fridge full of food that we buy together at fucking Whole Foods, not what your ex fucking mistress buys, stocks and cooks for you!”
I was aware that I was all but screaming in a very quiet, very upscale office, but I quite frankly did not give a shit about that right now. What made it even worse was Jay sitting there, calmly, with that perfect fucking face and that fucking twinkle in his eye. He did not seem rattled, pissed that I was pacing in his very fancy office causing a scene. He did not seem bothered by my obvious emotion, the emotion that was hiding beneath my fury. Jay was emotionally intelligent enough to know how much hurt was laying underneath all the yelling.