Married But Single

Chapter 39

Did she just hear that? No she definitely heard wrong!

"What did you just say?" She asked again.

He ruffled his hair. "I must be going mad."

He stood up and walked to the wine bar, poured some liquid into a glass, gulped some, then slowly walked back to her.
He picked her nightwear off the floor and handed it to her then sat facing her. She grabbed it and covered herself.

Staring into her eyes, he repeated.
"Marry me again."

He had really said that.

"I...I...I..."

"For the kids' sake." He said quickly.

Right. This was what this was about. The kids.

"We don't have to get married again because of the kids." She said drily, clutching the dress tighter to her chest. "We could raise them well without having to marry."

"I don't think that's what they would want." He said. "We have to put their feelings into consideration. And I also would not have my own children growing up in another man's house."

"You are just been downright selfish because of your jealousy over Dominic." She snapped to rile him up.

His face contorted with anger. "This is not about jealousy or selfishness! It's about being reasonable and doing what's best for the kids!"

"I raised the kids alone to who they are today without help from nobody! I love them more than anything and they love me and we've always been perfectly fine and contented with each other." She raged. "I do not have to marry you because of your own selfishness."

"Annabelle..."

"I am not going through with it! I am done with letting people walk all over me. I am done with people including you dictating to me on how to live my life..."

"Belle..."

"Must it always be about you?" She wailed angrily as tears threatened to spill. "Must it always be about others? Why are my own feelings never taken into consideration!?..."

"Belle stop!..."

"I am done with all these!" She made to get up still clutching the nightie around her with one hand but he stopped her from leaving, gently pulling her down again. "Let go of me!"

"Calm down Belle!" He tried but she wouldn't have it.

"Besides you even have a fiancée you're marrying soon yet you have the nerve to propose marriage to me, you bas..."

"I broke it off with Chanel last night!" He said desperately as she refused to listen.

That seemed to shut her up.

She froze. "You did what?" 

"I ended things with her." He said gently this time. "I called off the engagement last night."

She was rendered speechless for a moment, then...
"I will not sit here and listen to your lies."

"Have I ever lied to you before?" He looked at her intensely. "Why would I lie with something as sensitive as this?"

She looked at him and saw the honesty in his eyes. She was quiet for a moment then finally relaxed.

"But...why?"

He sighed.  "I...after spending these past hours with you and the kids, I realized that...I couldn't bear to watch the kids...to watch you walk away from me again. I would never have forgiven myself if I had let you walk through that exit door without telling you how I feel."