I placed my hands in my pockets as I glanced over to the door.
“Not that she’d want to disclose this information, but it’s... complicated.”
“The fact that her husband isn’t here says plenty,” Helen remarked, and my eyes snapped over to her as she shrugged innocently while she stepped behind the desk. “As a woman who escaped a previous marriage to be with the love of my life today... there are a few tell-tale signs of a woman in an unhappy marriage.”
I leaned against the counter, intrigued. “Since you’ve been in her position before… I’m sure you can offer a few words of wisdom on how to approach our delicate situation.”
“No... none at all, actually. Before it gets any better, believe things will getmuchworse.”
“You think so?” I asked.
She nodded. “Well, they’re bound to. Especially when dealing with stubborn men like you and her husband. No offense.”
“None taken.”
“And regardless of the outcome,someone’s heart is bound to break.”
I sighed internally.Someone’s heart was bound to break…Oddly enough, I wasn’t interested in envisioning the possible outcomes that could result from Gavin finding out about me and Rosenna.
Though I didn’t care much about how Gavin would feel, I knew my flower would continue to harbor the guilt of being unfaithful, possibly for the rest of her life.
On the off chance that he could see past the affair, where would that leave me? If she was given the ultimatum after everything was revealed, would she choose him in the end?
Someone’s heart is bound to break.
Wasmyheart bound to break if it got to that point? Had we reached that stage of our “relationship?”
“In the end... there’s no real guarantee whose heart it will be, is there?” I muttered.
“Life is full of uncertainties, Mr. Garcia… why do you think art is so captivating? It’s complex, unpredictable…much like love.”
My jaw clenched.
“What’s your selling price?” I asked
Helen paused momentarily. “I’m sorry?”
“What’s your asking price for the property? How much would you have sold it to Rosenna for?”
“...Well, for Rosenna, if she’s truly interested, I’m willing to negotiate any fair price that would put her in a good financial situation and return our investment for retirement—”
“Tell her it’s off the market,” I cut her off.
Helen gazed at me, baffled. “I-I don’t think I understand…”
I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my wallet. Handing her one of the business cards my father often forced into my hand, I continued, “If she asks, tell her you found a buyer. In the meantime, you’ll be receiving a call soon for an offer on the place.”
She grabbed the card with almost shaky hands, and I walked away wordlessly, heading for the exit.
You told me yourself, Beckham. You don’t love, and you don’t know how to feel.
What is it that you think you’re going to accomplish? Why are you prying after a married woman?
Beckham. You need to stop.
The sadistic part of me found her words rather amusing.Almost like she was playing hard to get.The more rational, humanistic side found some truth within them, knowing that we were already underwater and I was pulling her deeper with me.
My end goal with Rosenna was ultimately undetermined and unknown, but her ending up with Gavin couldn’t have been any better…or that’s what I’ve convinced myself of to lessen the potential guilt that may try to seep in for actively trying to ruin their marriage even more than it already is.
