His Fairy

8

Chapter Eight - Lilies

I wake up feeling like there's a weight on my heart that's heavier than usual. Releasing a deep sigh, I turn to lie on my back and stare at the ceiling as I allow a tear to escape the corner of my eye. My bottom lip quivers as a wedge of emotion blocks my throat and makes it harder to breathe. I wish I didn't wake up and slept the entire day away instead.

Today is the day I lost my mom. The day I should've died instead of her.

My phone buzzing distracts me and I pat around blindly to find it, accepting the call when I pull it out from under the covers. "Hey Abel. What's up?"

"The ceiling in my case." He replies causing a smile to quirk my lips.

"You're so funny." I roll my eyes as I sit up a little.

"I'm glad you've realized who the comedian of our family is." He retorts sarcastically before sighing. "How are you doing?"

"The usual...but I'm okay. Honest." I blink back the tears even though he can't see me. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just wish we weren't so far away you know. Going to see her would really help." He mutters and my heart goes out to him. "Or that we were at least together going for our usual drive."

"I know but we'll be okay."

"Have you and dad talked?" He asks eliciting a scoff out of me.

"You know we don't speak much let alone on today of all days."

"It wasn't your fault Faye." He murmurs gently and it makes me want to cry all over again. "How many times do I need to say it for you to believe it?"

"I'd believe it more if it came from dad." He remains silent for a moment before sighing softly and I change the subject. "Listen, I was thinking about that partnership between me and the Ohlsens and I...I'm going to reject it."

Soon after mom had passed away my dad approached me about an offer from Ohlsen Pharmaceuticals who want to partner with West Medical which is our company. Oliver Ohlsen, the current CEO, has a son my age called Ryan and the agreement was to have us married after college to strengthen and grow the businesses. I had been asked to consider it and I said I would, purely because I was hurting and thought that perhaps throwing all my effort into making mom's company bigger and better would do...something.

Ryan attends MIT too but we couldn't care less about each other as this is a business transaction after all, nothing more. The second first semester hit and he wasn't under his parent's roof anymore he started spending more time in between women's legs instead of classes. Rumors tend to spread like wildfire and he's becoming more and more shameless to the point where I have mountains of evidence.

Dad's been pressuring me day in day out and I've had a hard time considering the partnership with Ryan's antics, wondering if I should or shouldn't agree. The most logical part of me knows I shouldn't go through with it but I can't deny that I'm terrified about disappointing my father...yet again. Is this what it's really going to come down to though? I ask myself. Sacrificing my own happiness to please yet another person who doesn't give a damn about me?

Now Noah's in the mix and I like how he makes me feel. How he makes me nervous and my heart race, how he consumes my thoughts and I want to spend all my time with him. Even if there's no chance with him he's opened my eyes to how it should feel to like someone. Happiness, excitement, and giddy anticipation. That's what it should be like yet all I'd be signing up to is an unfaithful man and...money?