a sneer as he looks me up and down like I’m a chip in comparison to a steak. “Aisha is a woman of… class.” Ouch. I’m guessing she’s the steak then. “It wouldn’t suit us to have another woman around, especially my brother’s fiancée and his...” He hesitates for a moment, his eyes straying from mine. “Bastard child.” I heave at his words, a fierce pain tearing through me.
He’s doing it on purpose but that doesn’t make it sting any less.
But what if he’s being serious? What if I’m wrong?
No. I’m not wrong. I can see it in his eyes, he’s playing me. He’s forcing me out.
Why though?
“It’s not going to work,” I whisper angrily, my fists clenching by my sides. “I get what you’re doing and I’m telling you now. It’s not going to work.”
“I’m not playing a game, Guinevere!” Nathan shouts and carefully puts the papers in a folder. I see that they’re just pictures of his jewellery, nothing important. I’m guessing he’s using them as a diversion to limit eye contact with me, another reason I know he’s lying. “Accept it and be on your way. Be grateful I’m not charging you for the amount of money you’ve spent since arriving.”
My temper spikes, my chest tingling and my stomach twisting as I wrap my head around whatever the fuck this is.
“How dare you!” I spit. “I never asked for anything from you; you offered everything willingly. Stop doing this. I’m not leaving. You’re just causing me unnecessary hurt!”
“As you wish,” he laughs cockily. “But when you meet Aisha, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
My head shakes back and forth angrily. “If she even exists.”
His eyes darken. “She does.”
“Then I’ll calmly explain to her that I don’t believe a word you’re saying!”
“Believe it.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I cry, my eyes burning. “I’m going back to bed.”
He shrugs and places the folder in the drawer. Now he has to look at me and I hate the cold stare aimed my way. “I’m not being cruel. I’m being honest.”
“Yet another lie. I won’t accept it. I don’t accept any of the crap you’ve just said.”
“Then don’t accept it,” he shouts, his face turning red with anger. “But if you know what’s good for you and Dillan, you will.”
“Fuck you, Nathan.”
“Language.”
“You can’t tell me what to do anymore,” I laugh incredulously. “You’ve just lost that right. And if you honestly think I’ll be pushed out of my home because of some stupid secret, then you’re wrong. Don’t you think this is all a bit backwards? You’re pushing me away when that’s the thing you’re trying to prevent?”
Nathan lets out an exasperated breath. “Now you’re being ridiculous. Listen to what you just said. Why would I push you away to protect myself from your hate?” He has a point. Is he being serious about all of this? I can’t tell anymore.
No. I won’t talk myself into believing him.
Not unless he’s being a martyr and forcing me to hate him so that I escape some other kind of hurt. What though? I need to know.
Just leave the room, Gwen, just leave it and speak to him tomorrow.
“I don’t want to listen to this anymore.” I wipe the tears from under my eyes with the back of my hand. “I’m going back to bed.”
“I don’t want you here anymore, Guinevere.” His voice sounds hoarse, dare I say pained? “Take the car and I’ll even pay for Dillan’s private schooling when he’s older.”
I laugh humourlessly and walk to the door. “No thanks.”
“Guinevere…”
“What?” I sigh, my exhaustion sinking into every cell of my body. I no longer have the strength for this. “What do you want now?”
“Don’t fight me on this. Everything I’m saying is the truth.”
“I won’t argue with you on anything anymore.” I look at him straight in the eye. “But I’m not leaving.”
Nothing, not even a flash of emotion. The only thing he does is clench his jaw and his fists.
A sob tears through me as I push the door open and close it gently behind me. Sure, I’d love to slam it but that would be childish. Nathan didn’t abandon me when I needed someone. He stuck by me. I can’t leave him now, not when he clearly needs me.
This is stupid. What is he playing at? This makes no sense.
Nathan doesn’t come after me and I won’t lie, half of me expected him to. The other half wanted him to.