[Previously titled 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲]
❝No, Ace. I can't do it," I sob.
"I know you can take more than that, sunshine, come on," he encourages, pummeling into me in fervent motions. "One more for daddy, yeah?" He coaxes in a gruffly voice...
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O L I V I A
As Ace and I work together, the sound of dishes and running water fills the room with a steady rhythm. The silence around us feels heavy, but after what feels like an eternity, Ace finds his voice.
"Olivia," he begins, his tone a mix of uncertainty and sincerity.
I turn my attention to him, my eyes meeting his as I wait for him to speak. Despite our physical closeness, an invisible barrier separates us, making our conversation feel like a daunting challenge. I can't hold back the question any longer.
"Why isn't your wife here?" I blurt out, the words escaping my lips before I can think twice.
Ace's exhale is heavy, his gaze momentarily dropping to the dishes he's holding.
"I didn't ask her to come with me," he admits, sounding resigned.
"Congratulations on the baby," I blurt out and Ace looks at me with despair and vulnerability.
"Please, Olivia, don't make this even more painful for me," he pleads and his words strikes a nerve, triggering frustration within me.
I turn toward him, my eyebrows knitted together, feeling a surge of emotions.
"Painful for you?" I retort, my disbelief clear in my voice. "You stand there with your secrets and lies, and you're worried about your fucking pain?"
As Ace attempts to bridge the emotional gap between us, taking a step closer, I instinctively back away, tears welling up in my eyes. The mix of anger, hurt, and confusion overwhelm me, and I need space to process it all.
"Olivia, please," he implores softly, his expression a mirror of his regret.
Tears threatened to spill over, and I shake my head, my voice unsteady as I speak.
"Don't come near me. Not after everything,"
"Look, sunshine, I—" he tries to speak but I cut him off, my voice edged with anger.
"Don't call me like that. I trusted you, trusted you like I never did with anyone else. But you lied to me, kept me in the dark about your life,"
He reaches out as if to touch my arm, but I quickly step back, the chasm between us feeling insurmountable.
"Don't," I warn, my tone sharp and my eyes stinging with unshed tears. "I don't want to hear anything right now,"
A mixture of regret and urgency flicker in his eyes as he tries to reach out again.
"Olivia, please, let me explain,"
The frustration I feel turns into a burning anger, and I shake my head, my voice cracking as I speak.
"Explain? You want to explain why you kept me in the dark while you had your own life? Why you let me believe there was something between us when you were just lying to my freaking face?"
