AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Guilt etches into his eyes, and his Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows.
“Three months ago.”
“How long are you going to be there?”
He folds his arms across his chest. “I’m not planning on coming back.”
I’m trying to keep my anger at bay, stopping myself from saying mean shit, so instead I bawl up my fists, digging my nails into my palms.
“Let me get this straight. You knew you were leaving, and you led me to believe you wanted to be in a relationship with me. You got your cake and you ate it too.”
“You were a fling to me, Lake. Nothing more. Nothing less. You were fun, like the other women I have fun with.”
I study his face to see if he’s lying to me, but he has no reason to lie. He has always been honest with me about the way he feels. Tears sting in the backs of my eyes, and I shut them tight before opening them, trying my best to keep them from flowing.
“I’ve never been good with commitment, and you know my career will always come before a relationship. I’ve told you from the jump when I pursued you.”
“You used me,” I snap.
“No, I didn’t. Business is business. I have to do what’s best for me. I wish you the best of luck in your career and life.”
The knife in my back is getting deeper and deeper. How did I let my guard down, thinking I’m the one for him? I risked my career because of him. Other fashion companies have been blowing up my phone, asking to hire me because of the runway, and now he’s breaking up with me it’s going to look as if I dated him because of who he is. The exact shit I didn’t want to happen, happened. I should have known not to trust him and to avoid him at all costs. And now, my heart feels as if it’s been through a grinder. He’s like Carter and my father. Selfish, cold hearted. I suspect all men are egotistic beings.
I’m not going to beg him to stay with me and I’m not going to beg him to love me. My mother always told me never to let a man tell me more than once he doesn’t want me. And he’s shown me for the last week he doesn’t want me. When he canceled on me and gave me only a few-worded answers, and when he avoided me at all costs as much as possible.
He will not see me sweat. I straighten my back and hold my head high as if I rule the world.
“Okay, Atlas.”
Here I thought I was going to tell him how I feel, and I was about to pour my heart out onto his Italian loafers, but it seems I don’t need to do that. He’s already stomped on my heart.
Something flickers in his eyes but I can’t read it. Maybe it’s hurt or anger. It doesn’t matter. I made my bed now, I must lie in it.
“Your new boss will be here in the morning, and you’ve been offered a position on the creative team. I put in the contract for you to keep your salary payments.”
“Gee… thanks for looking out for me,” I say before I head to my office. I can’t stop crying, no matter what I do. He cut me so deep that I feel numb. I knew he was going to leave me, and he did. I knew he was going to break my heart. I should have stayed away, I knew better than to trust him. To think I have a chance with love. He made me believe I was special, that he wanted me for me, but obviously I’m not. I can’t stay here any longer, so I grab my purse from the side of my desk and leave the building. I don’t want to be around him any more than I have to be and if it costs me my job, I don’t care. I’m not going to be around someone who thinks they can dump me like I’m trash.
When I’m home, I hide under my blankets in my bedroom and those same thoughts burn deep in my brain.
You’re unlovable.
You don’t deserve love.
Don’t love again.
I lounge on the couch as I click through Netflix, trying to figure out what to watch. I’m not in the mood for anything romance, but maybe a psychological thriller. My chest hurts, and it’s only a matter of time before I start up the waterworks again.
Poppy sits next to me with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. It’s been a few days since my breakup with Atlas, and I’ve been cooped up in my condo, avoiding the world as much as possible. Our breakup is now public, thanks to TMZ. I don’t know how they got the story, but someone in the office must have told them. The bellboy tells me that reporters have been by the building asking for me. “I’m sorry about the breakup.”
Tears burn in my eyes, and they slide down my cheeks like a waterfall. I wipe my face with the back of my hand.
“I knew this was going to happen, so I don’t have anyone to blame but myself.”
“It isn’t your fault. I swear, every male is born an asshole, no matter how nice they appear to be.”
“You know what the gossip blogs are saying? I slept my way up to the position I got. and I used Atlas to get my position.” My words are like acid on my tongue. “It’s more. Someone dug up pictures of my scar and questioned the reason why he dated me, because I’m so ugly.”
I’m not loveable as I thought I was. For a second, I thought I finally found someone who understood me. All of the time, we were together. Flashes of images pop in my mind of Atlas comforting me when my mother died and how he took the time to read the book I recommend and believed in my work and dreams. My mind plays images of when he stood up for me against Conner, and how we ate burgers, and how he soothed me when I was having an anxiety attack from the rain. He was there for me when I hit rock bottom. I should have known he was going to leave me. It was bound to happen. Men like him don’t love easily. It was my fault for falling for someone who is gorgeous, wealthy, and who has everything at his fingertips. Just like I thought he would do, he tossed me away once he was done playing me like a toy.
