Cheated (Mr. Control Freak)

XLVII. A PRETTY PENNY

TRISTAN'S POV

My heart was racing a million and my palms were getting damp with perspiration. I had already decided to speak, so I couldn't back out now, not with Valentina for sure.

"Please, enlighten me then." She replied to me, there was a noticeable edge to her voice.

"Valentina, I really, really like you." I said.

I mentally cringed, I sounded like a seventh grader confessing his "love" for his crush.

"It didn't seem like it in the Hamptons, Tristan. You rejected me, and it hurt. " She said softly, not making eye contact with me.

I felt guilty as hell; I did hurt her, knowingly too. My only hope is that she forgives me and move on from all of this and onto something better.

"I know I did and I'm sorry. I was just scared."

"Scared of what?"

"I was afraid that I'd just be a distraction for you until you got over Alec, eventually, you'd leave and I'd be too emotionally invested to not be affected and I didn't want to let it happen when I knew I'd be leaving in a couple weeks, that wouldn't be fair to either of us."

She didn't say anything for awhile, Valentina sat there thinking for a long moment before sighing and shaking her head.

"You can't just do this!" She said gripping her head in frustration, "You said you were a point in your life where you needed to focus on you and your money, you even said you'd probably wake up full of contempt for me; why now? Why the sudden change in perspective?"

"It wasn't sudden, I began thinking about you and my future a lot while I was in Dubai, and it looked bleak without you in it. I know I said that I might wake up one morning hating you, but after we left the Hamptons, I woke up hating myself for being stupid enough to let you go."

I was pouring my heart out to her and really hoped her feelings were reciprocated. I was not trying to find out how I'll react if she says no or she doesn't feel anything for me anymore.

"Tristan you're coming from left field with all of this. You really can't expect me to believe all of what you're saying when last year-"

"For God's sake Val, that was last year, things have changed since then, I've changed since then. I know you've been lied to constantly, you don't what and what not to believe anymore, I get it, but every word I'm telling you is the truth."

"I-I need some time to myself right now Tristan." She told me grabbing her cell phone and purse and headed for her door.

I stood and pursued her, "Val wait." I called out, just as her hand gripped the doorknob.

She turned to face me, waiting expectantly for me to say something, instead I took a step forward and caressed her soft cheek. Before I could talk myself out of it, I lowered my lips onto hers in a slow, tender kiss. Her lips were softer and sweeter than I had recalled; she was addicting, I realized I didn't want this to be the last kiss we shared.

Valentina pushed on my chest, and I reluctantly drew back, she looked more conflicted than ever, "Tristan, I-I really need some time to think. I'm sorry." She said, and walked out of her apartment door, leaving me to try to comprehend what had transpired.

Where did I go wrong? I thought I said all the right words; it wasn't as if I lied to her like Alec did. He did her so wrong and for awhile after she found out, she was still completely into him, that is something I'll never understand.

***

Four hours had passed and Valentina still wasn't home. Either I'd seriously freaked her out and she ran, never to return, or something happened. I was really only worried because she hasn't returned any of my many calls and texts. It's not like there was the option to go out and look for her, there was a possibility that I'd get seriously injured or murdered. There was no way I was dying just months after reaching a billion, I haven't even purchased a luxury jet and yacht branded with my name, what kind of billionaire doesn't have his own yacht. Suddenly, I was possessed with the idea to look for a yacht to buy, no longer was I worried about the wellbeing of Valentina.

Around thirty minutes later, Max walked through the door, and not Valentina, like I was expecting.

"Hey, where's Val?" Max asked.

I knew Max was going to stuck around, once he found out she wasn't here, and wait for her. It's not that I didn't like him, but the only thing we had in common was Val and I really wanted to be alone with her when she returned.

"Uh, she went out. Come look at this yacht." I said excitedly.

Max walked behind me and bent over to see the mega boat better. "Whoa, two helicopter pads? This shit is nice. How much?" He inquired.

"One hundred fourteen million."

He whistled lowly, "that's a pretty penny."

"A pretty penny indeed. I think I might buy it though." I was seriously contemplating buying the yacht and stealing Val away, she'd never be able to leave me as long as we were out at sea. No, that sounds like something Alec would do, I have to be the exact opposite of him.

The last thing I wanted was for Valentina to believe I'd hurt her like her did.

"When you do, let me live on it when you're not using it. I'd get so much more pûśsÿ with that." Max requested, giving me a toothy grin, obviously thinking of the women he'd pull.

"Yeah sure, just get me Val."

"I knew you felt a type of way about her! Just don't think that you can hit it and quit it, Val deserves more and frankly, you'd be stupid as hell letting her go."

He needn't worry about me just using her for sex, that's for certain. There was a lot he and Valentina didn't know about me.

"Trust me, I won't. She already knows how I feel."

"Really? How'd she reply?"

"Uh, right now, my future with her doesn't look so bright. She ran outta here four hours and still isn't back." I explain. It was actually quite humiliating admitting my defeat to Max.

"Well damn, let's hope she comes around, you know. She hasn't been truly happy in awhile, maybe you can change that. As her best friend, you have my blessing."

It felt reassuring to have his blessing, but it honestly wouldn't have stopped me.

I was going to reply when the door creaked open and Valentina Morales ambled in. Everything I prepared to say to her left me as she entered the room.

"What's up, I was just leaving." Max said, trying to rush out of the still open door.

"No, wait!" Val called out to him, just as the door shut. He was gone, leaving Val and I alone.

My heartbeat picked up and I'm almost certain she could hear it through the tense silence. I was afraid of her response, she was going to reject me, I could feel it. My only hope now was that we could still be friends, I could take rejection, I've been dealing with it all my life.

"Hi." I finally said, staring into her beautiful electric blue eyes.

"Hi." She replied with a faint smile.

There was a pregnant pause before she sighed and dropped her purse.

"Tristan, I'm sorry." She told me regretfully.

My heart dropped.

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Heyyyyy thanks for making it this far!!! Haha I know, another cliff hanger, shoot me. I couldn't give it all away yet, I had to keep you all guessing 🙂🙃

Poor Tristan! Is Valentina really rejecting him?

Was Max being sincere about his blessings or does he want her as much as Tristan does?

What should happen next?

Please vote and comment, ily so much my gorgeous readers

-Jay