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"I don't care."
"I do. Ella does."
He sighs and rests his face in the crook of my neck. He kisses my neck, biting it softly and sucking it before claiming my lips again, but I refuse to return his deep, wet kiss.
"Chloe. Please. Open for me," he murmurs so softly that it sounds more like a plea than a demand. I shake my head, but he whispers my name against the side of my neck, inhaling my scent. My insides liquefy at the untamed passion and unapologetic vigor with which he embraces me.
He kisses me like he wants to worship my body. He kisses me like it's the last time. I hear his silent words in his kisses.
I close my eyes as his tongue toys with mine, licks it, and renders it completely helpless. A moan reverberates, and I’m unsure if it’s his or mine.
I can't believe I'm doing this in a parking lot. Is there anything else won’t do with him?
Hearing steps on the stairs of the hotel, I freeze. Turning around, I see him and feel like my entire world has just been turned upside down. My dream bubble immediately bursts.
Anthony.
Oh no…
"I have to go." I straighten my shorts and dash towards my best friend’s boyfriend.
I reach him just in time, grateful that there's no one in sight.
"Anthony, I can explain." My insides are shaking so hard that tears are blurring my vision.
"I’m not the one who deserves an explanation. I think you know who does," he spits back at me.
I shake my head furiously at him. "You can’t tell Ella about this! I swear I didn't mean for any of this to happen!"
"But it did happen," he says casually. Surprisingly, he doesn’t sound condescending. It’s worse than that. He is devoid of any emotion. He is blank. I can't read him.
"This all started before I knew who he was. I swear I tried so hard to stop it once I found out he was her dad, but..."
"But you didn’t." He seems so composed, but his calmness is unnerving.
"Please don't tell Ella. I'm going to end this. I'll quit my job and find another apartment or even move back home. But please don't tell Ella, it will break her." He looks at me without saying a word. He starts to walk away but I call after him. "Anthony!"
"Look, I don't care what you do with her father, but I don't want to see Ella hurt. You know how much she’s been through with him, because of him. I won’t stand to hurt her even more."
"I'll fix it. Somehow, I will!"
"You’d better. And while you are at it, wipe your eyes. Ella’s coming." I immediately reach up and swipe at my eyes, but they are already puffy. Ella notices it and rushes over.
"Chloe? Oh my gosh, what's wrong?" I shake my head, but she doesn't buy it. She keeps pressing me for answers. I don't know what to say, so I cry, not intentionally but out of guilt.
"Is this about your mom?" I nod, and she hugs me. "That bitch!"
Anthony stares at me without a word. I cry so hard that I can't control it. I cry out of guilt. For the love I have to let go. For my short-lived happiness. I cry for my twisted fate.
I resignedthe day after we came back from the resort, claiming that I needed time to rethink my professional life. Anthony has been very helpful in helping me look for another job, somehow. Must be out of love for Ella, and wanting to fix this crappy situation before she finds out.
Jeremy, on the other hand, won’t let me go. He threatens to tell Ella about us whenever I refuse to be with him. He calls and texts relentlessly, clearly going out of his mind with my resisting him.
At the moment, I don’t know what to do with my life. As if the stress of having just enough savings to pay rent for another month was not enough, I just figured out that I’m pregnant. I still feel so stupid. So much for being the brainy valedictorian…
In one of our recent conversations, I had off-handedly brought up the topic of having children with Jeremy, and he said he doesn’t need nor want more of them. He told me plainly that Ella was his only mistake. I made up my mind then and there to keep this baby away from him. The message was more than clear. I already didn’t see much of a future with him, so now our fate was pretty much sealed.
For now, I don’t know where I’ll end up. Anthony got me an interview for a promising job just over the border, in Canada. I haven’t agreed to move, but I don’t have a lot of other options. Jeremy has been hounding all of his contacts to make sure no one hires me here, just wanting me back to work for him.
