When Bexley's editor Eva Mellon tries to dig up secrets on an impromptu 'Office Romeo', whose oblivious 'Juliet' stands in the way of 'her forever' with fellow colleague Josh, she finds herself eerily attracted to the no-nonsense, intimidating (but...
My eyes open to find Will, sleeping soundly. The scar on his right eyebrow stared at me as I nearly brushed his hair, risking him awake. I cautiously pull my hand back and then stare at him a little longer. As he lay on his flat stomach, his hair buried into the pillow, his hand lying sideways. A snore escaped him. I got on my feet and felt a little sore between my thighs. Look at the beast sleeping like a baby! I pulled the duvet on him as I moved out of the room.
I can never get used to Will's maze of a penthouse. Maybe, someday I will put up the signboards around this place myself. The walls, the corridors, the stairs, and the turns all look the same. Where was the freaking bathroom again? I had this irresistible urge to pee, and I didn't know which door to open. I paced down the hallway to the nearest room, turned the knob, and luckily, found an attached bath. Sweet Jesus! Have I ever felt so relieved in my life before?
As I washed my hands, I looked into the mirror. I wore the just-fucked hair. Literally speaking, it's more like a-few-hours-before-fucked hair, but that's alright. Four hickeys sat on my neck. I patronized myself in Will's shirt. It reeked of his cologne, and I could remember the bare hints of his fingers touching me everywhere.
When I exited the bath, I stopped for a moment, taking in the details of the room. It had baby-pink walls, and a pastel blue ceiling with a four-poster bed lying in the center. A portrait of Jane Austen hung on the wall, and on the opposite end was an attached bookshelf. I walked to the bookshelf and skimmed past the spines. Arthur Conan Doyle, Dickens, Rowling, Rick Riordan, Enid Blyton, Hemingway, J.D.S Salinger, Oscar Wilde, and another set of authors from random periods were all bucked on the shelf. A thought crept into my head, what if this was my room?
I clapped my hands with joy and pulled the paperback of Vernon God Little. Who reads a sad story about a boy wronged by everyone he knows (after lovemaking)? I do! I turned the pages, sitting on the bed and reading through them. Some papers fell off the shelf. Putting the book aside, I leaned in to get them.
The papers were crinkled and yellow, and it looked like they were forcefully crumbled and shoved together. I straightened the sheets, and their texture seemed familiar. The handwriting! It was mine.
Fear struck me, and I found myself in a cold sweat as I read from the paper.
December 10, 2017
Will's giving me a cold shoulder, and can't stand my bringing up Josh. All I told him was that I found Josh better than most other employees at Bexley's. We haven't talked properly since the last feud. Every night, since the last few days he has been coming home hammered and all he ever does is yell at me. I have tried talking it out with him but he won't say a thing about what I did wrong! He just shakes it off like I don't matter. I am afraid Will isn't the same person anymore.
December 15, 2017
Will talked. Fucking finally, after all these shitty days, we talked! I fixed him a cup of tea this morning. He tells me he isn't much of a tea person but it helped him talk. He apologized for being a 'shitty husband'. I think the marriage is a little rough on him. Maybe it's because we are both so young, and he is feeling pressured by grandpa to take over the Chair by next year. I hope I can support him with everything he does. Things will get better, they always do.
December 25, 2017
He lied to me! He has not been home and it's Christmas. I know he is cheating on me. I should've believed Josh when he told me that Will was cheating on me with someone else. I am going to file for a divorce and head back to Seattle. I can't stand Fordshire and its people anymore.
My heart stopped throbbing. The ache rooted in my head, and I found hot tears rolling down my cheeks. Did he lie to me the whole damn time? He was cheating on me, and Josh knew. That's why he hates Josh. No, wait. That's why Josh hates him. His 'I love you ' and 'I will wait for you, were all lies! I found a lump forming in my throat. My palms furiously wipe off the tears as they keep on coming. I should have known. There had to be a big reason for me to run away from him. I can't believe I trusted him twice to be played by him.
"Queen, I told you not to wander around the place..." The voice neared as the door creaked open.
Will stood at the door, rubbing his eyes, a little moody from getting up early, till his eyes fell on the bed. The color drained from his face. His eyes turned dark, and his jaw clenched. I couldn't help but stare at him.
"Eva, I can explain." He said, and I felt my eyes bursting into more tears.
"Explain, what?" I said, and his lips fell open to say something before I cut him off again.
"Don't utter a word!" I said, seething at him as he inched closer.
"Eva, stay!" He said, with his eyes deprived of shine as I walked to the door.
"For what? More lies? I am tired of this!
I don't want to hear about how you didn't intentionally tear those pages of my diary or how everything written there is a lie!"
I yelled, without realizing my eyes hurt, and I was still crying. My chest felt heavy, and my breathing escalated.
"I did tear off the pages, but- " He stopped mid-sentence.
"But what? Cat got your tongue?" I mocked, turning the knob to when his arm pulled on me.
Taking me by force, he pinned me to the wall, my hand sideways, my head facing the pink exterior as he breathed into my neck. No, I am not doing this with him. I moved my legs between his crotch and kicked him as he set me free, and I landed with a thud on the bed.
"I need to talk this out without your Taekwondo moves." He said, his fingers brushing the back of his head.
"I am done talking with you, Will!" I said, rising from the bed when he blocked my way, putting his weight on me as we rolled over the bed.
"I am this close to kicking you in your cojones!" I said, and he pressed my hand to my sides.
"Don't. We'll never have babies then." He smirked. Bastard!
"Fine. Keep dreaming, then." I said, and no sooner than I moved my legs than I found him on top of me.
"Listen to me. It's not true." Will said, his eyes glued to mine as he moved between my legs. Shit. No, he needs to get the hell out of here.
"What's not true?" I asked. I was asking dumb questions now. I couldn't focus on staying mad when he moved between my legs.
"I never cheated on you with a woman," Will said, his lips touching the nape of my neck.
"This is called sexual molestation! Fuck off, Turner!" I said, and he let me go.
"Let's do this talk some other time when you don't want to get in my pants! And when you have an ounce of shame left!" I said, and he looked like someone stabbed him in the stomach.
"If you leave, I won't stop you, but nothing will ever be the same, Eva!" Will said, and I felt myself shudder, stopping in my way.
Tears rushed down my cheeks, and I walked till I could make it to the living room, changed into my spoiled clothes, and hit the road. It didn't strike me until midway through Fifth Street that the chilly winds had hit Fordshire hard. Winter isn't far away. I should have always known that. The winter was coming.
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