AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter one
Roger
“No.”
I blinked, trying to understand what she had just said. I had difficulty comprehending how this perfect plan was going south.
I was kneeling on the floor, engagement in the box open in my hand, and my smile instantly snatched away. It was replaced by the sting of humiliation and dismay of rejection.
“Holy shit!” I heard the scream of an excited fan, “Roger Day just got rejected!”
“Please, Roger, stand up. You’re embarrassing yourself,” Jessica finally said.
I blinked again, then stood up, smiling bravely, “You don’t mean that, right? I’m sorry I took you by surprise. I know you don’t like public attention.”
She shook her head. “No.”
“What is with you and that word!” I exclaimed, trying to keep my cool as I grabbed her hand, “Come, can we please go somewhere and talk about this.”
“I don’t want to marry you, Roger. Stop forcing me!” She suddenly snapped at me as she struggled to free her hand.
My eyes flew open at the accusation. “I’m not forcing you, Jessica…”
“Yes, you are!” She exclaimed, interrupting and backing away from me immediately.
“Stop trying to hurt me!” Jessica screamed again.
“What the hell, Jess?” I asked, surprised.
I saw the media coverage, and a news reporter shoved a microphone in my face.
“How do you justify, Mr. Day, of charges for trapping your girlfriend into an unwanted marriage?” the reporter asked.
I blinked, still trying to understand how the issue had escalated so quickly, “What?”
“He hurt me because I just rejected his marriage proposal,” Jessica said, sobbing.
“What the fuck is going on right now?” I asked, confused as the media turned to me.
“We could ask you the same question, Mr. Day,” the reporter said.
“Mr. Day! Roger! For fuck sake, Roger, get your head in the game!”
My assistant’s voice pulled me from reminiscing. It’s been three weeks since my perfectly planned public engagement turned disastrous. Jessia publicly embarrassed and devastated me. I still replay every cringeworthy moment - the night that ruined everything. “I’m sorry, Leonard, I’m here,” I finally replied.
Leonard and the rest of the board members gave me a look of despair and sad faces. They knew how my coping with the situation was complicated.
“I still can’t believe she did that to you.” Adam, one of the board members, finally said.
Leonard scoffed, “She went for the ‘bigger’ fish. She and Jamie were trying to sink you, Roger. If you keep crying like a baby, you’re going to drown, achieving their goal.”
I took a deep breath while running a hand through my hair. My attention drifted back to the muted television. I was news headlines and wasn’t surprised. I’ve been trending in the headline for three weeks.
What surprised me was that a news reporter was interviewing Jessica—her arm candy, Jamie, by her side as if there was more to their ‘plan’ than I even considered.
“Turn that up, please,” I said to Jonah, my PA.
He increased the television volume, and I quickly heard the reporter’s question.
