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“Madison, please let me explain—”
“No,” she cuts me off, while she’s wiping her face with my mother’s napkin. “I don’t want to hear it. I can’t do this, Chase. You’ll hear from my lawyer.”
“Lawyer? But…”
“You asked for it!” Madison cries out. “You have gone too far, Chase. This is not only cruel but borderline defamatory. I will not talk to you again. Ever.”
And with that, she turns on her heels and starts to stalk away in long, hurried steps.
“Mad—”
“Leave her be,” my mother says, holding me by the arm, when I try to go after Madison. “Respect her wish, for now. She needs some time.”
My mother’s voice is soft as she speaks, unlike the grip on my arm, that’s almost tight enough to hurt.
“Now,” she says then, meeting my eyes with an unyielding gaze. “You’ll tell me what you did to that poor girl, son.”
Oh, shit. I know to tread carefully, when my mother calls me ‘son’. She’s only ever done that when she caught me doing something wrong, and I was about to receive a lecture.
This time, however, I may very well deserve it.
Chapter 42
Madison
Max and I are lounging on my couch in my bright and airy living room. I like it clean and simple, and only added a few pastel accents here and there, like the pale blue throw pillows and the soft pink vase on the coffee table. Max has always loved those flowery cushions on the sofa, and they add a touch of warmth to my minimalist decor.
Tonight, the room is transformed into a temporary mayhem of indulgence. Empty pizza boxes and various snacks are scattered haphazardly around us. We’ve traded our usual glasses of wine for champagne, a nod to a night of cathartic wallowing.
I take another deep gulp of champagne and let out a sob, my emotions bubbling over.
“I can’t believe how stupid I was,” I mutter between choked sobs, my voice tinged with bitterness.
Max puts a comforting arm around my shoulders, and I lean into him, tears streaming down my face.
“You’re not stupid,” he murmurs, his voice full of sympathy, while I feel the weight of my own foolishness pressing on me.
“I knew he couldn’t be trusted… or, I should have known,” I whisper, my words trembling with pain. “I was falling for him, Max. I really thought he was serious, when he said he liked me… But he went behind my back, and now I just… I can’t believe I let myself get hurt like this.”
Max squeezes my shoulder gently.
“It’s not your fault, Madison,” he says softly. “I was the one who practically pushed you into his arms, remember? I’m so sorry for that, I really am. I had no idea he could do this to you. He seemed so genuine and nice during our brief conversation at the gala.”
I sniffle and wipe away my tears.
“No, Max, don’t blame yourself,” I reply, my voice wavering but determined. “I was the stupid one. You only told me to have some fun with him, you never told me to fall in love with him.”
Max inhales audibly, and stares at me with his mouth formed to a perfect O and his eyes wide.
“In love?” he repeats. “You fell in love with him?”
I shovel another bite of pizza into my face instead of answering him, while another crest of tears swells from my eyes. I’m so pathetic, sitting here with my goddamn pizza, looking like an ugly ghoul while I cry about a man who doesn’t deserve it.
“Maybe,” I utter, still chewing.
“Holy shit, Madison!” Max rejoices, much to my annoyance. “Ten years, I’ve known you, but I have never—and I repeat, never—heard you say that! You’ve never fallen for anyone before! This is huge!”
Max’s weird excitement comes to a halt when he notices the way I frown at him through reddened eyes.
