Bound To Fall

You Need To Let Me Go

Sterling

"What can I get you guys started with?" The waitress politely asked after we were seated at the table.

"I'll just have a glass of water please." I responded. I had no intention of being here long enough for a meal.

"Oh come on, you should eat something." Elise's tone was filled with concern but I knew it was fake.

"I'm not hungry." I sternly shut her down. "I came here for a meeting, not for a meal. I have things I need to attend to."

It wasn't really a lie. With my father's absence I was taking care of everything. While it was a tedious task taking care of Tipton Enterprises it still was better than dealing with her.

"Fine." I sensed she was annoyed that I was standing my ground. "Just two waters then."

"I'll be right back with those." The waitress spoke before turning around and walking away from the table.

Elise straightened up her posture. "How have you been?"

"Pretty good actually." I could see some disappointment in her face by my answer. She was hoping that I would be miserable. "What about you?"

"I'm well." She answered. "Things have been going well. I've had a few modeling gigs here and there the past few weeks. How are things at work?"

"That's good." She gave me a small smile.

"Let's get to the point." I really just wanted to get this done and over with. "What do you want, Elise? What's the purpose for this little meeting you scheduled?"

"I wanted to talk about us, of course." She responded. "I've been missing you Sterling. Don't you miss me?"

"No." There's no reason for me to lie to her. I needed to be straight to the point so that she'll actually understand I have no desire to get back together with her.

"Look, I've had some time to think." She spoke softly. "Maybe there are things I could and should have done differently. Sterling I'm sorry. I love you and I really don't want to throw away the time we've spent together."

"Oh really?" I scoffed.

I could tell she was putting on the same act she had when we first got together. I refused to let her think she could fool me twice. I may have fallen prey to her once but I refused to let myself get so low again.

"Yes really." She batted her eyelashes. "Without all of the fighting and everything we're actually really good together Sterling."

"Elise, you must have confused me with someone else." At this point watching her put on this act was just becoming pathetic. "We have never been good together. I'm actually the happiest I've ever been since we've broken up. Why would I give that up just to go back to a manipulator? It's not worth it."

I could tell I had struck a nerve. There seemed to be a hint of anger in her eyes. Fortunately the conversation was put on a pause as the waitress returned with the water we had ordered.

"Here you are." She looked between the two of us after setting down the glasses. "Please let me know if I can get you anything else."

"Thank you." I gave her a small smile. The growing tension at the table was obvious so the poor girl must've felt at least a little uncomfortable.

Elise waited for the waitress to walk away before she said anything. "I can change." She mumbled as she looked down.

"We both know you can't. You're too set in your ways Elise." Besides I have Isabelle now who treats me a million times better than Elise ever did. "We're over. For good Elise. There's no getting back together for us, you need to let me go."

Her fake act immediately dropped at my words. "I'll ruin her life." She threatened. "Your little assistant will be a wreck by the time my fanbase gets done with her."

"Do it." I responded as a mocking smile crossed my lips.

My father took the steps needed to make sure Isabelle is protected. Anything Elise could gather on her was fake. She could release all the information she wanted. But it wouldn't harm Isabelle at all.

I could see her search in her mind for a new threat since this one didn't work on me. Of course the next thing out of her mouth I expected. "You really want this to become a war between our families don't you? Either get back together with me or we'll have to take each of you Tipton's down one by one."

"Is that so?" I wasn't threatened.

The Tunt family was a well known family around here. Her father had his own business but it didn't even come close to Tipton Enterprises. Her father was known to be a generous man while my father could make someone shit their pants with one look. The Tunt's really were no match for us.

"Yes." She seemed to stand by her words.

"Elise I'm going to warn you right now, taking on my family isn't something you want to do." This would be the only warning she would receive from me personally.

I had learned what my father, and even my mother, were capable of. If it came down to the Tunt's meeting the same fate as the Bushemp's then so be it. I wasn't afraid to do what needed to be done if it went that far.

"I don't need your warning." She scoffed in disgust. "Hell, maybe it's about time someone knocked your family off their high horse anyway. You Tipton's think you're superior when you're far from it."

This meeting was no longer going to get us anywhere. Not that I had expected it to. The time I spent here though had to have been enough to give Isabelle the chance to have a one on one with Alexandra.

"You're wrong, we don't think we're superior." I corrected her. "My family has been through some shit that makes us well aware we're far from perfect. You on the other hand, your family always puts on this show like everything is fine. But it's not, anyone who's spent five minutes with your family knows everything is beginning to crumble. Not necessarily monetary wise, but the relationship you all have is weak. Which may explain why you're so hell bent on trying to keep me, maybe you feel like if you married someone like me your parents would finally be proud of you. That's not my problem to fix, that's yours. This meeting is over."

I got up before she had the chance to respond and headed for the exit.