(The Virtuous Husband) In the name of Love

Chapter 21

Noel

"Go on a date." I just stared at her as if I hadn't heard what she had said.

" You will go on a date. I have a perfect person who would accompany you on this date. It is just a positive publicity stunt because thanks to you, the negative aspects you have been throwing at me for so long have me thinking of resigning." I just gave her a sideways glance as she sat in front of me as if it was just normal.

"This doesn't seem like your idea," staring right at her I saw her giving me a somber expression.

"It is of my staff because I had asked them to give me something or the whole team was going to be fired. This is the best they all could come up with." She sat straighter confident in her team.

"It doesn't seem promising." I didn't want to be in the proximity of another human being and another woman was a big no. After what had happened with Allison, I needed a break to stop judging people. Going on a date under the public eye was a big no. Not when I didn't trust anyone any longer.

"Neither has been your behavior from last two years but did you see me complaining." She took out her phone and pushed it towards me.

"Lauren Johns. She is a corporate lawyer. Next in line to inherit her father's law firm. We have used their services and they come from old money. The icing on the cake is that she is hard-working, ambitious, and passionate about her job. I talked with her last evening and she understands that it is just a blind date. Just like you, her priority is her work but unlike you know how important public appearances her." I looked at her trying to come up with something negative to say but in reality, I couldn't. How could I blame someone for being wrong when the only wrong was inside of my mind and heart because it wanted someone who no longer wanted me and belonged to me. She seemed to be a strong person too.

Would be it be that wrong to give it try? How hard can it be?

Her face flashed behind my eyes making me remember how I still wasn't over the woman.

" Can't you come up with some idea? Some charity stuff for pets, cancer, or children?" The doubt inside of me that I couldn't do this only made it harder for me.

"We need to address the pink elephant now, Noel. It's time to tell them you have moved past even if you hadn't. Nothing is going to change and you need to get used to it." Dolores sighed as she took out a cigarette. That was her tell sign that she was tired and frustrated with this.

"If there was any other way I would have opted out for it but you need to stop all this bullshit and we all need to concentrate on the growth of this firm rather than chasing competition because we are the better than them. Maybe it's time we stop letting them having them power over us by getting our own back." she walked towards the door. The unlit cigarette between her lips as she turned back towards me.

"I have set it up for tomorrow. A heads up has already been given to some of the reporters so I hope you show up or else I might have to fire people and resign myself," she said with a sigh. Giving me the last ultimatum. Either it was this or I was going to lose the only support I had for years.

She didn't wait for an answer but rather walked out of there without a word. While I stared at the place where she stood. Was it all worth it? There was no going back to Cheryl. I had tried for years to get her back but she had moved on in her life while I was still in the same spot she had left me.

How hard I try I couldn't prove my innocence to her anyway? She didn't believe me then why would she now? I still have no proof and even if I did I don't think that it would be the same. We couldn't magically turn into those people before the incident. All pillars of have trust had been shattered in a snap of a finger. The problem was she had stopped trusting me. She was the one who hadn't trusted me, who had left me, and still, I was the one who was pinning for someone who had already moved on. She was pregnant and starting a life with someone she loved. Maybe it was time to move forward.