She Said I Do (But She Don't) ✔

Chapter 15

Ryan choked on the first bit of his chicken. He was thankful he hadn't left the juice packet in the fridge as he drained his glass and poured another one.

At seeing Ryan's reaction, Owen pushed away his place grimly. "I guess we should have ordered Chinese or something."

"We should have before you even thawed the chicken." Ryan laughed at Owen's poor cooking skills. Since Ryan moved in with him, Owen had decided to be the boy's missing piece in his life: someone to take care of him. Part of this new role, Owen thought it included being his chef. But seeing the boy's red face from coughing up, he realized he would most probably end up killing him rather that sustaining him.

They had ordered Chinese takeaway and returned to Ryan's lesson as they waited. Owen kept the slight promise he made to himself to go home early after work. This time, the reason was to teach Ryan. Every Saturday Owen would tutor Ryan about programming for most of the morning till their late lunch. The teen had proved to be an excellent student and eager to learn. Owen came to like him more and more and was even considering in paying for Ryan's studies. Though Ryan still called him 'boss', they were more like brothers. Owen learned a lot about the boy's story too. Ryan had confessed he got into programming because his father had been one before he became an alcoholic and he was the one who taught him the basics.

When the doorbell rang Ryan was more expecting to see the delivery man with their food rather than Alice frozen still like she wasn't sure she should be there.

"Boss?" Ryan called not knowing how to greet Alice when neither did she.

"What Ryan? Just bring over the food and we'll eat when you finish this exercise."

"I haven't brought any food with me."

Owen's head swivelled at Alice's quiet voice from the study's doorway. She looked haggard and tired and completely uncertain how to act.

"You look sober."

Alice tried not to let him break her poise. "I am. Have been for weeks."

"Good for you." He voiced expressionless.

"I..." Alice began and trailed off, looked at the ground. "I got to tell you something before I leave... Permanently."

Owen stood up from his seat. "You're...? To St. John's?"

Alice merely nodded. "In seven hours."

The ex-husband stared at his ex-wife expressionless. When he saw her there, he thought she came with news about her baby and he feared asking. He surely didn't expect her to come with news of her leaving town.

"Um... Let's talk in my room. Would you mind?" Owen shouldn't have invited her to his room when Alice hadn't even been in there during their marriage.

Alice shrugged. She followed him out in the large living room to his bedroom to the eyes of Ryan as he cleared the dining table.

Owen shut the door behind them and seated himself on the bed. Alice remained standing.

"I thought I owe you a confession why I became a slut."

"Alice, I never meant to say th-"

She shook her head, cutting him. "You weren't wrong." Alice paced along the length of the room several time before she stopped in front of Owen and began. "When I was thirteen, I was abused. No, let me finish." She stopped Owen's startled gape with a hand. "They were two boys. I met one of them again at St. John's a few days after I escaped from here. I was in a bar and when he came to me, I didn't want to be weak to him so I braved myself. Then he challenged me. I couldn't say no, I-I couldn't show fear to him. So I had to relive the moment when he took my innocence so vehemently again in the back of his truck." Alice's breath shivered, her hand trembled. "The bastard he was, the ten minutes in his backseat, he treated me much like he did the first time. Impossibly violent. And brutal. He-he said Ethan wouldn't come to protect me now." Alice began pacing again. "When he finished with me, he just opened the door for me before he had his zipper up. So, my next visit to the bar was... unforgettable. Men surrounded me like magnets, all wanting to spend their dollars on me. The owner of the bar had even told me I had a free pass to all the drinks if I keep my 'business' in his bar. I figured that while I walked to my place from the middle of nowhere, he had gone back to the bar and proclaimed me as a slut. Of course they believed him. Most of them saw us exiting together, his hand constantly groping me and I not once stopped him. Plus they knew who my mother was. The Grace Tanner who died in a bar and whose autopsy revealed binge drinking, overdose and traces of being with three different men in her last hours. Who wouldn't believe him her daughter was like her? I had no choice but to live the name I got. My reputation got even bigger than the one I had as a doctor here. Probably it was why Smithy had found me. I told myself it was the path I was born to walk in and it's one of the reasons why I didn't want anyone close to me. Because they might tell me it's not and I'd begin doubting myself again." Alice inhaled deeply. "And that's the story how I become a slut."