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“And they bought it?” I’m trying to struggle with myself to not lose my temper, to not shout at her for not calling me, for not trusting me.
“Mother wanted to come herself but I told her Brad had already left. Sophie will be safe with them.”
I catch her strange tone. “What do you mean?”
Elise shakes her head. “Nothing. But I won’t be coming back to work. I can’t do this anymore.”
“Do what anymore?” I ask, sharply.
She ignores me, continuing, “I’m going to look for an apartment near my parents and a job close there. Me working at Starr Industries will only put both me and Sophie at risk.”
My blood runs cold. “Was it Darren who attacked you?”
“I don’t know. But the man continuously called me a whore. So, I have a feeling that this whole mess is linked together.” She shakes her head, repeating like a mantra, “I can’t do this anymore. I can’t.”
Then I notice, her hands are trembling. And she’s barely holding it together.
I step towards her and crouch down until we’re eye level. “And what about us?”
She stares at me blankly, before asking, softly, “Is there even an, us, Lucas?”
For the first time since I’ve known her, she’d wearing a defeated expression.
She continues, “You thought I was agreeing to marry you because of your status and your wealth. That’s what you thought of me. Through all our friendship, that’s the opinion you held about me? While I was busy falling in love with you, you saw me as a gold digger.” Her lips are pressed together into a thin line. “I don’t think I can be with someone who has such a low opinion of me. I wouldn’t even do you that discourtesy.”
She’s so calm and yet when I grasp her uninjured hand, it feels so cold.
I have to push past the wrath that is building inside of me over this incident and focus on mending this relationship. “I never thought you were a gold digger, Elise. I just I’ve loved you for so long that I was desperate to have you even if you didn’t love me. I never thought about the whys of it, just that I had to have you.”
Elise sighs.
It’s the dull acceptance in her eyes that alarms me.
“I’m not going to fight with you on this, Lucas. I’m telling you how it is. If I don’t stand up for myself, then no one will.” She pulls her hand away from me.
My anger stirs, anger at myself for messing this up so royally, and anger at her for not caring enough and fighting for us. “So, you’re just going to run away?” My tone is cold.
She meets my gaze. “Yes.”
I grit my teeth as I repl
y, “You’re not even going to give me a chance? After everything, I deserve that much at least.” She looks uneasy at that and I grab at that opportunity, “Look, Elise, you and I, we’ve been through a lot together. I fucked up, I get it, but I never once thought you were a gold digger. I swear to you. You and Sophie mean the world to me. Both of you have become my family. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
I see the resistance in her eyes.
I also see the yearning to believe me.
My hands cup her face, and I let her see the despair in my eyes. “I’ll go on my knees if you want me to.”
Alarm flickers on her face now, the first animated expression she’s worn. “D-don’t do that!”
“I have no pride when it comes to you,” The words are harsh.
Her eyes widen, fractionally.
“I have nothing but respect for you, Elise.” My mind is jumbled, anger at what has happened to Elise, a strong desire to extract painful vengeance, guilt that I made her feel so small, and pain that despite it all she didn’t feel secure enough to come to me for help.
I made her feel this way.
