When she was finished, she straightened so she could turn to face him. Now she could see the sternness in his expression.
"Regina, this is madness; you have to leave him, you have to leave here."
"Once this is all over I'm filing for divorce." She nodded. That divorce was long overdue. So long overdue. She was so happy a few weeks ago when she realized that everything was finally coming together and she could leave Ben.
Fear had always stalled her. Fear of what he might do to her, but she wasn't afraid of him anymore. Unknown to her, she didn't realize that Fashion Week was her ticket out. All these years she knew it would take money to overpower Ben if she left him. Serious money, status, and friends in high places. Securing the contract to host this year's Fashion Week did all of that for her and brought in an influx of unimaginable revenue.
But this psycho who was watching them and messing with her head had changed the game. Her association with Ben had put a target on her back, and her children. That scared her worse than when she just had Ben and his evil ways to worry about.
"Regina, someone was in your room last night. Someone has been watching you, Taylor, and Wade, and sending these notes. You have to leave now," he begged.
She wished she could.
For her, leaving wouldn't mean getting out of the house and going somewhere she felt safe. Leaving meant going with Brian. Going wherever he took her and catching up on the life they should have had.
But she couldn't do that. She had to stay to protect Taylor and Wade. Whoever was sending them the notes didn't need to send everyone a note. Just the relevant people. They started with Ben, and she guessed they knew she found out about it so included her too.
What a disaster. What a damn disaster.
"Wade is looking into the security system," she managed against the quiver in her voice.
Brian looked uneasy and troubled. "Regina, I have stood by for far too long, watching. Watching you place yourself in one disastrous situation after another. I can't do it anymore."
"I know, and I don't blame you if you stop. I don't blame you if you move on." She would never blame him for anything.
She'd never met anyone like him. He was the kind of man you dreamed of, with a heart filled with the purest love. He'd waited all these years for her, without hope or a promise.
Brian had taken it upon himself to watch over her, like an angel.
"You know I can't do that. And that isn't what I meant." He held her gaze.
"Why did you stay away so long?" She had to ask.
He looked down at the pattern on the lounge chair then back to her. "I was around. You just didn't see me." Her heart warmed at the declaration.
"I'm always around, Regina. It's just hard sometimes to see you like this. A broken version of the woman I've loved my whole life." His eyes filled with a sadness that tugged on her heart. She'd put him through too much, and he deserved better.
Brian was one of those men who would always be true. She would never have to worry about lies or deceit with him. He would always be true. True to her.
He reached out and touched her cheek. "Nothing will stop me from coming, and definitely not when I know you aren't safe."
"Brian," she whispered his name as he cupped her face and she rested her head against his hand. Only he got to see her in this weakened state. "Thank you. You have been my everything. And I have been nothing for you."
He shook his head. "I love you." It was always so easy for him to say, and just as easy for her too.
"I love you too, but I don't deserve you."
"It's never been about who deserves whom, or what. We just got… I don't know. We just haven't had our time yet."
"How can you say that after all these years?" They weren't getting any younger. Life had gone by, and there were so many changes. What time did they have?
"I just told you. Regina, I love you. I always have, from the first time I saw you. You are my everything, and I won't give up, bellezza."
Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. As she looked at him, she wondered how life could have been so cruel to her. She could have been so happy with him. She would have had a better life where she would have felt loved every day, and she would have loved him too.
She loved her kids to no end, and Runway had become her life. But this man would have given everything he had to make her happy. He'd walk through hell and back to save her.
Instead, she'd ended up with Ben, that beast of a man that had ruined her. That beast of a man that had been vile and despicable in every way. She cursed the day that she met him.
But…she was afraid she'd become hardly much different from Ben because she'd kept a terrible secret from Brian that killed her every day. It worked its way into her and darkened her heart from the lies she'd told to keep it. It was fear that made her keep it from him.
As she looked at him and saw the love in his eyes, and felt the everlasting energy from his feelings for her, she didn't think she could keep it any longer.
He should know.
"Brian I have to tell you something."
He shook his head. "No. Not today." His response surprised her. She didn't expect him to say that. Brian gazed deeply into her eyes and gave her that look she'd grown accustomed to. It told her that there was a chance he already knew her secret, she wouldn't know how. And if he knew then she would feel very ashamed that she hadn't told him herself.
"I have to tell you. It's very important."
"It is. It is extremely important, and a treasure to me, but you cannot tell me today." His eyes never left hers and bored into her, displaying the wealth of his seriousness.
A chill ran down her spine. He did know. But how?
How would he know that he was Taylor's real father?
"I'm so sorry," she breathed, breaking down again.
"There isn't anything I don't know, Regina. I may not have been around, but I know everything." A wealth of sadness filled his eyes that made her feel worse than she already did. "It was hard watching Taylor grow up not knowing me. But I understand."
Her hands shook and a bout of grief washed over her that she couldn't endure. Regina didn't just mess up her own life by marrying Ben, she messed up Brian's too, and she hoped that one day she could fix things. She didn't know where she'd begin, but she hoped that she could make up for everything.
"Please." Brian stroked her cheek. "Don't feel bad. I do understand and I want you to tell me properly, in a happier time. Then we can celebrate as we should have."
"God. Brian, how can you be so nice to me? I'm just as despicable as Ben."
"Don't say such things." He smiled. "I know you were only doing what you thought was best. Right now, we need to think about how we can manage this situation." He took both her hands into his. "I've been thinking of moving back to LA."
Regina pulled in a sharp breath. "Really?"
"No more lurking in the shadows. I need to be here for you. When you file for divorce things will definitely get ugly. I'll come and get you the minute you serve him the papers."
"Thank you." She couldn't wait. She drew in a steady breath and felt a small bubble of hope seep into her. It felt good to have hope. Hope was something she hadn't felt in a long time.
"Please come with me now, though, for safety's sake. Just for the weekend, until Wade checks out the security. Ben isn't here. You have the perfect excuse, and you shouldn't be alone."
Regina was already nodding agreement before he could finish. She could leave her life for the weekend. She could step away from the disaster that her life was for a day and a half and gain new strength from the love of her life.
"Okay." She reached out to touch his face when he released her, then she moved forward and kissed him. He kissed her too, filling her with more hope.
Wade
Wade didn't know where Chloe was, but he'd wait, and when she came home he planned to take her back to his place where he could keep her safe.
He'd been waiting at her house now for
over an hour. No one else was here, and when he arrived the door was still unlocked and all the windows open.
It was the perfect house to burgle. It was beyond him, and he didn't understand how three women could live here together and not one nor the other could think about their safety.
Taylor was the worst one of the three. She had all her jewels on display on these stupid stands that looked like miniature mannequins. She also had things like her laptop and reading devices laid out on her bed. What infuriated Wade further was the wad of money he saw rolled up on her dressing table just waiting for someone to take. There must have been a couple of hundred dollars in there.
Sure, they may live in a nice area, but so did his parents and look what happened to them. The more he thought about what happened to his mother the more freaked out he got and he wished Chloe would come back. The longer he waited, the more he worried, and what was worse was she wasn't answering his calls.
What if something happened to her? What if when he left last night someone had taken her?
He tried to calm his mind and not think the worst. To distract himself he used the time to pack Chloe's suitcase. When she got back, he literally planned to just grab her and go. He'd then set up security here, too, for Taylor and Kelly.
Just as it started to turn dark, the front door opened and Chloe came in. But she wasn't alone. Wesley was with her.
Wade knew they were apparently just friends, but it didn't stop the resentful feeling that loomed over him every time he saw Wesley.
"I'll get started on the popcorn while you set up the films," Wesley said as they came in. He wore an orange T-shirt that made the freckles on his nose stand out even more.
Chloe was about to answer him but her words faded when she saw Wade. Her eyes looked red and swollen, worse than last night, and her skin that usually looked so golden and vibrant was now blotchy.
He did that to her.
"What are you doing here?" she asked with a shaken voice. "And with my suitcase?" Her brows lowered in confusion.
"You have to come with me," Wade replied.
"What?" She pressed down on her lips and her cheeks reddened. "Wade, please tell me my suitcase isn't packed."
"Yes, it is. Come on, let's go." He'd explain later. He didn't know what he'd say because he didn't want to alarm her, but he'd tell her something. His mother was worried about Taylor freaking out, but in comparison to Taylor, Chloe was worse. She'd fall apart with worry and fear.
Wesley stepped back looking from Wade to Chloe. "I'm gonna allow you guys to sort this out."
"No Wes. I need you, stay with me."
Wade never thought he'd live to see the day when he got jealous of Wesley. But just hearing his Chloe say those words, hearing her say she needed him, enraged Wade.
He wanted Chloe to need him. Wade was supposed to be the one who stayed with her, not damn Wesley.
"Alright then," Wes replied with caution.
"Wade, you're welcome of course to come here and see Taylor. And you may wait for her in the living room. But please don't ever go into my room again, or through my things." She looked at him as if the last few weeks hadn't happened. That spark that usually flickered for him had left her eyes. That spark and the excitement to see him were gone. "Come on, Wes."
She made a move to go, but Wade caught her arm. "Something is going on, Chloe. Come with me. You guys have this house on display for anyone to walk in. You have the windows open, and you might as well open the door too."
"Let go of me. I don't know what your problem is." She shook her arm free of his grasp.
"It's not safe for you to be here by yourself."
"I'm with Wes. I'm not by myself. He'll stay as long as I need him to."
"He's not staying the night," Wade retorted. Her eyes blazed and her mouth dropped.
"You can't tell me what to do, or who I can see."
"So that's it? You're seeing Wesley?" He was losing his cool again. Just like last night. Except that, unlike last night, he was fueled by fear for her safety and jealousy over Wesley.
"What? Jealous?" She bore into him with her gaze and folded her arms under her breasts.
"Yes, congratulations. I'm jealous, now let's go."
Wesley started to laugh. When Wade shot a piercing glare over at him, he tried to compose himself and stop but seemed to struggle.
"I'm not going anywhere with you Wade. I think we said enough to each other last night. Now if you aren't here to see Taylor, please leave."
He couldn't believe it. Here he was showing her that he cared about her and she was throwing him out.
She turned to Wesley and said, "You coming?"
Wesley at least looked uncomfortable as he walked past.
Wade turned and watched them go into the kitchen. He pulled in a breath to calm himself, to calm his overactive brain that wanted to do nothing more than grab Chloe and go so he could protect her. He stood there for a few seconds before he left. Once again with a heavy heart.
Chloe
Monday morning finally made its appearance.
She made it. Chloe made it to through the insane weekend with all its pain and distress. Now it was Monday and the day that she'd been waiting for for the last month. It was amazing what could happen in a month. Amazing what could happen from one week to the next. It felt like it was only yesterday that she'd submitted the application for the job she'd wanted all her life. Then Wade came back and turned her life upside down and inside out with their whirlwind romance that was always destined for destruction.
She broke down the minute he left on Saturday. It was good Wes was there because she didn't know how she could have managed.
Chloe considered herself to be a well-rounded, intelligent woman who thought she knew a thing or two about people in general. Wade was, however, a mystery to her. She'd known him for a long time—a very long time—and yet she didn't understand him. She didn't understand how he could tell her that he didn't want her love one minute, and then the next he was acting like he cared about her. Packing her things and telling her to come with him because he thought she wasn't safe.
It was very confusing for her and unfair to her heart. Her stupid heart that still longed for him, had rejoiced at the sight of him.
Her heart would have led her straight into his arms if she didn't take a firm stand.
It was too much for her, and she didn't know what to do. It took great strength to separate the events of the weekend from her mind and to focus.
She was still trying to focus and maintain the balance she achieved as she sat behind her desk in the closet. The office was full as everyone was basically waiting to see Regina. She kept her eyes on her computer and went over the designs from the show that she wanted to be featured in the magazine.
She'd opted for simplicity today, so pulled her hair back in a ponytail and wore a black business dress. Chloe looked professional and like all was well in her life. All she had to do was carry on the pretense for a few more hours. She'd get through her meeting with Regina and take it from there.
Thankfully she was first. Regina wanted to see Chloe at ten a.m. It was nine thirty now.
"Here, have this." Lisa came up to her with a steaming mug of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and marshmallows. Chloe looked up at her and offered a smile. It was good that they could be so amicable in a time like this, when they were basically being pitted against each other for this job.
"Thank you." Chloe took the cup when Lisa placed it on her desk.
"You look really nervous," Lisa said, shaking her head. She rolled up the sleeves of her cerise blouse. The color was vibrant against her glowing dark brown skin. She'd worn the same coloring in her eye makeup and outlined her large chestnut brown eyes with a smoky black liner flicking the ends up at the corner for effect.
With her pixie cut hair that enunciated her heart-shaped face and chic clothes, Lisa looked every bit the part of creative director.
"I am," Chloe confessed.
; "You shouldn't be," Lisa assured her. "The show was sensational. Trust me when I say you got the job. Of course, I want the job for myself, but Chloe, I'd be lying if I said I could do the things you do."
That made her feel really good, and Chloe respected her for being so honest and open with her. Lisa was amazing at her job, and often times Chloe didn't think she could compare.
"Thank you. That means a lot to me." Chloe felt her eyes fill with tears. "I think you deserve the job too. Lisa, your work is amazing."
"Thanks, but I seriously believe you got this." Lisa lowered her voice and looked over at Bridgette with her Morticia Adams black hair and gothic makeup. "I just hope that our luck doesn't turn over and Bridgette gets it." She laughed.
Bridgette was horrible to everyone. Chloe felt for sure that if she had magical powers she'd transform them all into toads, or worse, blow them all up.
"Me too." Chloe grimaced and started drinking her chocolate.
"I don't think she will." Lisa smiled. "But I think you will." Lisa raised her brows.
"Thanks Lisa. I believe in you too."
"I know, that's why it'll be a pleasure to be part of your team." Lisa laughed again and sauntered away.
Chloe watched her, feeling grateful for the boost. It helped a lot in light of the inner turmoil that boiled within her. She finished the hot chocolate and closed the file on her computer. She then made her way to Regina's office.
Wes caught up to her when she was halfway there.
"Hey there," he said with a smile. "Thought I'd walk you to the principal's office."
She chuckled at that. "Thanks Wes."
He stuck both his hands in his pockets as he walked beside her. "How are you feeling?"
"Like the time when we crashed my dad's car in the lake, but not as bad as the time when we set the frogs free from the school lab."
Wes started to laugh. She did too. Laughing eased her nerves.
"Okay, but you don't have to feel as bad as either of those times."
"You think I have a shot at this?"
"Yes." He nodded. "You always did, and I shouldn't have filled your head with nonsense about Wade. Has there been any sign of him?" He lowered his glasses and stared at her.
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