by Lym Cruz
“Melissa please go home and he’ll explain everything to you.”
Without acknowledging him, I scanned the room until I spotted Mendez talking to one of the waitresses. I practically ran to him. I was sure he knew where the royal family was.
“Is everything okay?” Mendez said when I approached.
“Yes, where’s Andrew?”
“Last I saw…” He hesitated. “They were going to the office upstairs but I don’t think you should go there.”
Then you shouldn’t have told me where to find them. I nodded and ran back towards the entrance where I saw the staircase. Taking two steps at a time, I rushed up and met Ashlyn on my way.
“Don’t,” I warned before she could even open her mouth. “I’m not here for you.”
“I know.” Ashlyn smirked. “They are on the third door down the corridor. I’m sure you’ll find it.”
Once I reached the top, I heard loud voices coming from down the hall. It was Andrew, and whatever was happening he sounded furious but I couldn’t make out exactly what he was saying.
As I moved closer, I heard his mother’s voice spit, “She’s a prostitute, Andrew.” The harshness of my steps unnerved and I was rooted to the spot. I should have known that sooner or later they would have found out.
“She’s trash and a prostitute,” Jennifer said, harsher and louder.
“She may be all that but I’ll gladly have trash worth as much as she is in my house.” That was definitely Ronald speaking. “Leave the girl alone, Jenny. She’ll be good for business and it was a long time ago, no one cares anymore. That girl is probably worth more than all of us in this house, combined. You should have brought her tonight, Andrew.”
The world seemed to have momentarily stopped breathing with me. My heart thudded in my chest with all kinds of emotions vibrating through me. Pain. Disbelief. Anger. Shame. But most of all I felt betrayed.
“Thank God, he didn’t,” Jennifer sneered. “How on earth would I introduced a prostitute as my future daughter-in-law.”
“Just, please. Stop,” Andrew said in a low voice that I almost didn’t hear.
“It’s the truth!” Jennifer went on shaming me.
I expected that from her, I even anticipated that would be her reaction once she found out. What devastated me was that Andrew didn’t say any more. He was there listening to his mother and didn’t defend me. He was embarrassed by me or maybe like his father, he thought I was good for business. Was that the reason he was still with me? For money?
Andrew’s silence made my flesh prickle with rage as more questions swam through my mind, and at the same time, it shredded me in half. I held my stomach as it tied up, sickening me.
“Oh Jenny, stop it,” Ronald said, “imagine what we could do once Andrew marries her and takes over her finances and all the shares she has in her father’s company …”
I’d heard enough and I ran back down the stairs. I wanted to disappear, to never see these people again.
“Mel,” Erica called. “Wait up!”
I briefly looked at her and Dave before continuing for the main door. As soon as I was outside, I leaped onto the grass, dropped to my knees, and threw up on a beautiful rose arrangement with loud, long retches. The most painful part about throwing up was the gas reflux that followed. When your stomach told your neurons, it was empty but your brain suddenly mistrusted that information. I kept on retching but nothing came out.
“Oh God,” I breathed, crawling away from the awful reek. My legs were shaky and my body too weak to stand. I sat on my ass, dragged my legs up and folded my arms around them. I couldn’t hold back the tears. A wrenched sob poured free; I clenched my eyes lightly shaking to push back the tears. I hated crying in public.
I felt a hand wave through my hair and a comforting arm draped over my shoulder. I leaned into Erica and sobbed even harder.
“It’s okay. I’ve got you,” Erica whispered again and again.
I wanted badly to tell her what was going on but how could I? I hadn’t been honest with them from the beginning.
“Get me out of here,” I begged. “I wanna go home.”
“Okay.” Erica stood and helped me up. “Dave and I will take you home.”
I wiped my tears with the back of my hand and glared at Dave. “You knew, didn’t you?” Dave didn’t answer. I didn’t need an answer anyway.
“What’s going on?” Erica asked.
“Nothing.” I sniffed and squared my shoulders. “I’m not going with him.”
“Okay.” Erica didn’t push. “We’ll call a cab.”
“Let Mendez take you,” Dave said softly, almost as if he was afraid of me.
I lifted my chin and spotted Mendez close behind him. I glanced over my shoulder, the security who was at the gate was far but close enough to assess the situation. I realized I put on a show. I blinked back a set of new tears now a little embarrassed.
“Fine.” All I wanted to do was get out of there. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” I said to Erica and removed her hand from my shoulder.
“But—” she began to protest but I cut her off.
“I need to be alone. I promise we’ll talk in the morning.” Erica nodded and then I looked at Dave. “Tell him to stay the fuck away from me.”
Mendez brought the car around while Erica and I crossed the lawn towards the driveway. She opened the door and helped me in.
“Call me if you need anything,” Erica said before closing the door.
Mendez wisely kept his mouth sealed while he drove. Even if he had spoken, I didn’t hear, my mind was racing. Everything I heard made no sense, it wasn’t in line with the Andrew I’d grown to love. The Andrew I knew wasn’t devious or ambitious—not to that point. It couldn’t all have been a game, could it? Worst of all, how did I fall for it?
Jennifer Malcolm could relax, she wanted me gone from her son’s life then I’d do her the favor.
Chapter 19
Andrew
One month, two weeks, five days, six hours, forty minutes, and twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three … seconds.
Was the exact amount of time that had passed since I had last spoken to Melissa. The amount of time since she stopped returning my calls. Every day I attempted to talk to her but she was stubborn and obstinate refusing to talk to me.
One step at a time, I climbed the stairs towards my father’s office. I knocked and after his response entered. Ronald Malcolm was sitting at his throne, behind his desk, reading what I presumed to be a document. He fit into the ambiance as if he was born for this place.
A transparent nameplate with his name engraved in gold shone at the top of his desk. My father was a proud man and much prouder of his accomplishments. They were all plastered on the walls of his office, certificates and newspaper articles. My father might not have been the best role model. But I couldn’t deny that he was excellent at his job, something I wasn’t and would never be.
“What is it?” He asked, removing his glasses and carelessly tossing them on the desk.
“I came to give you this,” I slid an envelope across the desk to him. He didn’t pick it up, instead, he held my gaze almost as if he were trying to read my mind. I didn’t discourage and stared right back at him.
“What’s that?”
“Read.”
My father took his eyes from me and with skepticism looked at the envelope. Yet he made no attempt to pick it up or showed any reaction. “Are you sure about this?” He reached for the envelope and lifted it. “I had a feeling you were going to do something stupid like this. I’ve been observing you, Andrew. I know all about your little business venture. So, I’ll ask this again: are you sure about this?”
I nodded once firmly. I’d procrastinated long enough. It was time to leave.
“That’s not a confirmation,” he muttered, casting the envelope back on the desk.
“My resignation should be confirmation enough.” I upheld my tone as even and unattached as his.
For a spl
it second his mask stumbled—he was affected. His eyes glinted with anger and disappointment. But just as fast, he blinked and was roleplaying again. All emotions were gone from his eyes.
“If you walk out that door,” he said calmly, betraying the disapproval I was sure he felt. “There’s no turning back, Andrew. I will not take you back ever again. You ought to think thoroughly before I open this envelope because if I do, you’re finished. And when you’re done playing with your toys there will be no room for you here. Do you understand?”
“I do. I’ll have my office cleared by the end of the week.”
He sat bolt upright. “Leave, you ungrateful bastard,” bellowed my father, his fists clenching. “Get out of my office. Get out!”
I did. I left without a glint of regret and it felt good. I sighed and felt a weight evaporate from my shoulders. I was free. It was a lightness I hadn’t ever felt before as though the leash around my neck was cut loose.
Dalia was shutting down her computer when I passed by the reception. I continued without acknowledging her. I wasn’t in a talking mood and hadn’t been for a while; my days were melancholic and joyless. Melissa was the spark of my life. I lived, I moved, I breathed but I didn’t feel alive.
“Andrew,” Dalia called, stopping me in my tracks. I exhaled without making a sound, my shoulders remained tense. I didn’t want to talk to her or anybody for the matter but because it was Dalia, I turned around.
She leaped her petite figure out of her chair and ran towards me. “I’m sorry, but it’s for the best,” she said, smiling with sympathy. “You don’t belong here, you’re not like them.”
I offered a closed-lipped smile that I knew held no sincerity and turned to leave but she held on to my arm.
“Andrew, I also need a favor.” I nodded, encouraging her to continue. “I have a niece, Sabrina, she’s had a tough life and desperately needs a job. She dropped out of high school in the ninth grade and only managed to get her GED last year. She has a son and things are complicated for her. I know you’re only starting and she’s not much of a computer whizz but she’ll do anything. Take calls, file papers, anything. So…”
There was no need for her to continue, I stopped her. “Send me her details. I’m sure I can find something for her to do.” I was unable to say no to Dalia. She had been a true friend for years. It was the least I could do for her.
Her eyes glowed through the frame of her glasses and her lips took the shape of her signature broad, warm smile. It was once infectious but right now even that couldn’t shake my disposition.
“Thank you, Andrew,” she hailed enthusiastically. “You won’t be disappointed. She is hardworking.”
“I’m sure she is.” I leaned forward and kissed her cheek, then glanced at my wristwatch. “I really have to get going.”
“Okay. Bye, Andrew.”
Dalia made it seem as though we wouldn’t see each other again. This wasn’t a goodbye it was a so long.
“Goodnight, Dalia.”
∞∞∞
“Melissa.” I knocked on her door. “Mel, I know you’re in there. Open up, please, we need to talk.”
I pressed my ear against the door. Although it was quiet, I was certain that she was home. I ran my hands up my face to my nape. I wasn’t sure what or how much she heard that night, still, I blamed myself for letting things get that far. I should’ve told her what was going on.
But if she was that upset then I was sure she heard my mother’s thoughts about her. Melissa had a rough past, well so what? We all did things at some point in our lives that we’re not proud of. Simply because no one knows about it doesn’t make us any better than anyone else.
I knocked once more and waited … and waited. She didn’t open, not that I expected her to. Like I’d done every day for the past month, I leaned against the wall, slipped to the floor and sat in silence. After a while, I saw a shadow from the thin gap underneath the door. Immediately, my lips curved up. She moved slowly, silently and her shadow became wider as she sat by the door.
Melissa was so close yet so far. A door physically separated us, but it was her pain or maybe fury that truly disconnected us. I’d tried all possible ways to talk to her but all my attempts were unsuccessful, therefore, I’d accepted that she needed time and space to think. But she was taking way too long. Even with that understanding, I couldn’t stay away from her.
“Mel,” I said. She didn’t answer but I was sure she was listening. “I sold my apartment and I’m staying with Rob. I also quit my job today and will focus solemnly on Malcolm Technology. The app is doing well…” I raised my voice slightly making sure she could hear me. “Ricky has been doing great he told me he hired a programmer. He joined us yesterday and the office space is coming along well. We haven’t got a lot of clients yet, actually, we only had an old lady call us to fix her computer because she forgot the password.”
I wasn’t around much. It was Ricky who did most of the groundwork and kept me in the loop. He’d been great and I couldn’t have done it without him.
Even though I had Melissa’s money I was unable to use it, not while we were like this. I sold my apartment—as was my initial plan—and used all the money to finance Malcolm Technology.
The Social Media App we’d developed was doing great. Lots of downloads but what we truly wanted was for someone, anyone, to take notice and buy it off us. That way we could have enough capital to acquire what we were lacking to turn ourselves into a proper company. The goal was to design custom software applications, but to get there we did anything from helping old ladies with their passwords to setting up printing machines simply to get our name out there.
The next half hour, I spent blabbering until I reached a point where there was nothing more to say. I rested my head on the door and hoped to feel her. I couldn’t.
“Mel, I miss you.” I exhaled sharply. “Can we please talk?”
Silence.
Following my routine, I struggled to my feet and dawdled to the elevators. I’d return the next day.
Chapter 20
Melissa
“Don’t leave, Mel, at least not without talking to him first,” Erica said sadly. “This is your home now. Brazil sucks. You don’t even have friends there.”
“I can’t stay,” I whispered, looking down.
It tore me apart to be leaving my friends but the true source of the emptiness in my chest was the absence of Andrew. He loved me. I knew it. I felt it. The problem was that I couldn’t trust myself anymore. Was there ever any truth to him or was all of it an act? Or perhaps everything we lived was planned out. I wasn’t sure who Andrew was or what to believe anymore. I couldn’t trust myself. I was no longer reliable.
“I hate Andrew even though you won’t tell us what he did,” Christina said, throwing a pillow at me. “But what you’re doing isn’t right.”
I caught the pillow and threw it back at her. “I’ve made up my mind and as much as it hurts, I know it’s the right thing to do.” As I was saying the words, I felt how weak they were. There was zero conviction in what I was saying. Sincerely, I had no idea what I was doing.
Erica climbed on the bed and sat on my right side. Christina did the same and rested on my left. They wrapped their hands around me. I could barely breathe and a giggle escaped me. I would miss these girls.
“Stop.” I laughed, struggling to catch a breath.
Christina said, “You’re awesome.”
“Like, totally awesome,” Erica added, taking my hands in hers, and Christina put hers on top of ours.
The love we had for each other surpassed all of that and our differences brought us closer. The bond we had was not created by blood; it was by choice. I chose them and they chose me. In some ways we were different but, in many others, we were alike.
“Don’t go,” Christina murmured. “Please don’t leave us.”
“We’ll keep in touch and visit each other regularly.”
Christina shook her head. “It won’t be the same.
”
I removed my hand from theirs. “I, um, have something to tell you guys.”
Erica sat up straight with a slight frown. “Go on.”
I’d thought about how I would tell them about my past and came to the conclusion that there was no easy way.
“When I was younger, I did some things that I’m not proud of. I’ve never told you about it because I’m ashamed of what I did. And I didn’t want you to ever think any less of me.”
I took in a deep breath, but before I could continue Christina interjected, “Are you talking about the pictures in that magazine you keep at the back of your closet?”
My jaw dropped open. “You saw them?”
Christina snorted. “Seriously? Of course, we saw it. We also Googled you since we couldn’t understand what they were saying about you in the magazine. But the pictures spoke for themselves. We never said anything because you never brought it up.”
“Oh God,” I said, covering my face. Regretful for not having told them earlier and relieved that they knew, also ashamed. I should have trusted them and told them from the beginning. They were my sisters. “One day I’ll tell you everything.”
“Hey,” Erica passed a hand through my hair. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. We know you had a reason for doing what you did. And it’s not like you can go back and change it. Don’t worry, we love you just the same and I wouldn’t change anything about you. Maybe except changing your mind about leaving.”
I chuckled. “I can’t, Erica. I have to get away from An—from everything.”
“You didn’t let him explain, Melissa. David won’t tell me what happened but he said you got it all wrong.”
“I really don’t want to hear it, Erica.” My tone was defensive and Erica held her hands up in her own defense. “I really don’t care for David’s opinion. Drop it.”
“Let’s talk about me then.” Christina wrinkled her nose. “Rob has been avoiding me.” She laid back on my bed and used her arms as pillows as she looked up at the ceiling. “He doesn’t want to hang out anymore. He doesn’t return my calls, doesn’t text back. I even stalk him on Andrew’s app—which isn’t healthy but I still do it—to see if he has anyone else or why he doesn’t want me. He says we’re cool but I know we’re not.”