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46
BRYNN
Sometime later, Aaron moved, waking her from her peaceful slumber.
“Sorry, baby. I gotta change the sheets. You stay here and I’ll take care of it and bring you a washcloth,” Aaron whispered.
She blinked her eyes open. Her heavy limbs protested her movement as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. “No, it’s okay. I need to get a drink before bed.”
Brynn stood while he stripped the mattress. She grabbed his robe, tying it around herself. She went to the bathroom and relieved herself, cleaning up the semen dripping down her thighs. She flushed and washed her hands.
On her way out of the room, he grabbed fresh linens from the closet. Lifting the dirty ones, she carried them down to the laundry room. She started the washer before heading towards the kitchen, but then stopped. Aaron’s office light was on. She walked inside, reaching for the switch when her gaze snagged on the blue velvet box on his desk. She must have accidentally left her gift from him in there when she grabbed a deck of cards.
Brynn grabbed it and turned to go as a flutter of paper had her stopping. She spun back around and picked up the item that had fallen. Her eyes caught on the name of the bridal boutique she’d gotten her and Dani’s dresses from. She brought it closer and studied the letterhead. It was a credit card statement. There was no way his suit cost seven thousand dollars, was there? Not when they were having such a big sale there—
Brynn scanned the other charges. Sure enough, the car dealership had also issued a charge for ten thousand dollars.
She dug through the pile of papers, finding a receipt for the bridal store. Her wedding dress and Dani’s hadn’t been quite the deal she’d been led to believe. Her hands trembled as her eyes raced over the two papers. But how?
Charli had mentioned to the boutique owner that she was the future Mrs. Ridley, and they’d shared a look. Was Charli in on this too? And the car—another sale—another lie. He’d gone and made the extra effort to let her think she was paying the full price for the car, but it turned out it was all a ruse. Aaron, the same man who’d had the opportunity to read evidence of her past in a file but didn’t, wouldn’t possibly lie to her. Would he? This had to be a mistake. Surely there was an explanation for this. But what? The record was in her hands in black and white. He’d promised she would be able to pay for the dresses, and then he’d gone behind her back and included one of her few friends in on the deceit.
Her stomach clenched and turned to stone as tears burned her eyes. Aaron had lied to her. She’d told him she wanted to do these things on her own and he’d agreed to let her. Only he’d manipulated her.
Bile rose in her throat as her knees gave out. Her back thudded against the desk as she clamped a hand over her mouth to quiet the sob that was wrenched from her body.
He lied to me. Over something as trivial as a dress and a car. Was his dad right? Did Aaron see me as a project? He barely knew me when he proposed, but he was willing to spend thousands of dollars on a wedding dress for a fake event. He kept buying me clothes after too—did I escape one controlling man for another? The glint of her ring caught her eye. He’s been manipulating me from the beginning. No. That didn’t add up with the man he was. He’d been so patient, so giving. He respected her boundaries . . . except when it came to money.
She shook her head. She’d been naive enough to believe in happily ever afters. Brynn should have known better than to trust someone who seemed so perfect. No one is perfect.
His betrayal cut deep. She closed her eyes, curling her body and clenching her muscles tight as confusion and hurt raged within her.
Brynn’s eyes shot open, determination rising. She swiped her tears away. She needed to go back upstairs and go to bed, pretending for a little longer that everything was okay. And when his parents left, she’d confront him.
Maybe this doesn’t have to be the end. She clung to the ember of hope like a life raft.
