by Ebony Olson
"You want helpful? Forget about her, Dare. Mora will turn up in a few days. You may hear about it, you may not. Nothing much you can do about it now. You wanted her gone, she's gone," Tracey answered flatly. "Be grateful."
I took a deep breath. "Bex said I need to know she is safe before I start working past this."
"Why?" Tracey asked curiously. Tracey and Rebecca had gone to school together and were friends.
"I know why it needed to end, but Mora doesn't. As far as she is concerned, I found out who her dad was, he told me to end it, and I did."
"You didn't explain it?"
"No. I lost my temper."
Tracey was very quiet for a solid minute. "When she comes back, she is going to want that explanation, Dare."
"I will not be strong enough to throw her away a second time," I explained. "I have already instructed my people I do not want to see or hear from her. She will need to get the explanation from her father."
"Then I hope you never want her back," Tracey replied sadly. "If you can't at least apologize for what has gone down between you, she is never going to want to see your face ever again." There was a noise in the background, and Tracey covered the mouthpiece while she replied. "Look, Dare, I have to go deal with an issue. I am sorry for what has happened. Come and see me when you get back, and we can talk some more."
Tracey hung up the phone, but my head was still spinning from Tracey's words. I knew she was right, but I knew facing off with Mora was not going to lead anywhere good for either of us. Mora was a true romantic. Love came before everything else. Love of your partner and especially the love of your children. I knew better, but I couldn't resist Mora, so being in the same room as her while she begged me to choose her was not an option. I put my phone down and decided I wouldn't ask Zander or Warren about Mora again.
***
I stayed away for a week and flew back early on the Monday morning, a week after I lost the woman I loved. Clark collected me from the airport, professional as always, and drove me straight to the office so I could get started and catch up on what I had missed. I was going to be in concept meetings for most of the day, plus Warren had two interviews with potential new personal assistants scheduled in.
I walked into my office and headed straight for the shower. I stopped dead in the wardrobe. There, beside my clean suits, hung Mora's crumpled wedding dress. The image of her walking down the aisle in the silver and ivory silk, the brightest smile I'd ever seen on her beautiful face, was quickly chased away by the memory of that raw vulnerability in her eyes just before she ran out of the door.
I showered and dressed and then went to the office to get what work done that I could before my first meeting at nine o'clock.
"Welcome back," Warren greeted when he came in at ten to nine. He held a pile of papers in his hand. "Here is a summary for all your meetings today." He placed them on my desk. "The resumés of the two candidates being interviewed today." That formed another pile on the front of my desk. "The annulment forms arrived last week as requested. All the areas you need to sign are indicated. John Hicks asked if you could get to those sometime this week. The sooner they are lodged, the more likely an annulment will be granted." Warren placed that down next, tapping the top of it.
"You have an objection to voice?"
"If you sign these, with what is written in here, you will perjure yourself," Warren informed me steadily.
I did not need to read the papers to know what he was referring to. The memory of unzipping Mora's wedding dress, of laying her beneath me and making her my wife had been plaguing my dreams all week. I looked at the papers and then raised my eyes to Warren. "Anything else?"
Warren placed a slip of paper in front of me. "The photographer said your wedding photos are ready. You can log on with this password and select which photos you would like printed."
I took the slip of paper and placed it above my keyboard. "Thank you." I took the pile of reports for the meetings today and started going through them, highlighting key items for the first meeting.
"Are you even going to ask about her?" Warren demanded, frustrated.
"No."
Warren thumped the desk. "Three days she was missing. Since then, she has only crawled from her bed to play her cello. The whole of Flood Street is currently suffering from major depression because of the haunting music Mora is playing."
I knew that Mora's music was felt deep in your soul. I could empathize.
"You need to talk to her, Dare. You need to explain why to her," Warren demanded.
"Has Marshall explained?"
"Yes, but..."
"Has Mora asked to see me?"
"No."
"Then she knows nothing I say will change the circumstances, therefore, my orders stand."
Warren slammed his hands on the desk. "She is not eating, and she has not left her room since she returned. She is lying down to die and you are the one killing her, Dare."
I stood up, collecting what I needed for the meeting. I walked around the desk and stopped in front of Warren, meeting his eyes evenly. "Mora Ellis is no longer our concern. She is neither an employee of Lynwood, nor a resident in my home. Her health and welfare are of no concern to us. Am I understood?"
Warren gave me the filthiest look I think he'd ever given me. "Yes, boss."
"Good. Get rid of that dress. I do not care what happens to it, but I want it gone before I get back."
Warren squared his shoulders. "I will find a bed for it to waste away and die in like the jilted bride who wore it."
Before I could respond, Warren turned his back and marched into the wardrobe. Grinding my teeth, I made my way to the first meeting.
***
If I thought I'd run the gamut of awkwardness with my two best friends, I was wrong. On Wednesday night, when I was getting ready to head home, I turned off the office light and was just grabbing my gym bag from the wardrobe when Mora's voice floated into my office.
"I'm here to return what doesn't belong to me."
I held my breath and moved quietly back into my office. She stood by Warren's desk in a pair of jeans and a winter jacket, her hair shoved up under a beanie. Warren was right, she'd lost weight. She looked quite ill, and her beautiful blue eyes seemed to lack any luster. I heard every word, but the word coward was like cymbals being played right next to me. My ears rang and my head hurt at the viciousness in her tone.
Her voice changed. It quavered under the weight of her hurt, and all I wanted to do was fall at her feet and beg forgiveness; to kiss her and make love to her until she smiled for me again.
"The biggest thing he gave me, I mean the lasting thing that is going to stay with me for life, I can't give back," Mora mourned.
"I am sorry, Mora. I know your father explained the situation. You must understand, Dare never meant to hurt you like this." It was the first bit of sympathy to my side of this that Warren had shown.
Mora's anger overtook the pain and her words pierced my heart. Not because they were mean and unwarranted, but because she spoke the truth. I handled it so badly.
"Yeah, Marshall explained. That is the problem, Warren. It's not what happened; it’s how it happened. Darius should have been the one to explain it to me. He should have taken me back to the room where my stuff was at The Mill, sat me down, and explained why he was about to break every promise he made me. Instead, he threw me out. He couldn't even look me in the eye and tell me goodbye. He still won't. He's a coward."
When Warren picked up the envelope with the annulment papers, I almost walked out to take them back. I didn't want to see the hurt this was going to cause her. I was already haunted enough with the memory of our wedding day.
I could see Mora's hands shaking as she held the envelope. "He signed them?" Mora whispered. "So, I'm unattached, single, and never been married? It was all a dream that never really happened?" Every one of those words was a dagger to the stomach.
"Once you sign the papers and lodge them, you will be free t
o marry someone else; to the church and the government, you will have never been married," Warren explained.
"Just another of his lies." Mora was on the edge of tears. I could hear it in her voice.
"Mora," Warren pleaded.
She held up the envelope. "You and I both know this is a lie, Warren, and you know why it is a lie."
"It is a lie that will allow you to move on with your life, Mora. You will both be free to build the future you had planned with each other, just with someone else." Warren encouraged.
Mora lifted her glistening eyes to the ceiling and nodded as if something had just dawned on her. "So he can find someone else and pretend I never existed is what you mean, Warren."
I wanted to march out there and tell her that was not what I wanted, but what good would it do for her to know the truth? Maybe it would be easier for her to move on if she hated me.
"Mora, do not think for a second it is any easier on him." Warren grabbed her arm to turn her back to him. "You are not the only one hurting in this."
"No," Mora snapped, pulling her arm free of his grasp. "I am, however, the only one who lost everything, aren't I? I gave up my career for him. I broke my rules for him. He took everything from me, Warren, and he gave me my worst nightmare. He made me my mother, and I will hate him for an eternity for doing that to me."
I sat back on my desk, shocked, feeling like I'd been punched in the gut and stabbed in the heart in unison. Mora was gone, but I felt the ghost of her pain like she stood in front of me.
"Still think you made the right choice?" Warren asked as he walked into my office. He didn't sound angry like I expected; he sounded heartbroken.
"No," I answered honestly. "But it is too late now. The damage is done."
"Yes, it is." Warren held a small black box out to me. "This was in the case with the clothes."
I cracked it open as Warren turned to leave. I frowned. "Only the wedding band," I muttered, surprised.
"The bad memory." Warren spoke over his shoulder. "The diamond is on the long chain around her neck. She's taking the good memory with her."
***
I heard the door open behind me, but I couldn't take my eyes away from Mora's back, walking away from me for good.
"She's an amazing girl," Jeremy stated as he came to stand next to me. "You'll never find one like her again."
"I know," I mourned, watching Mora slip into the taxi. "She said she'll come back one day."
"Eventually, but by then, it will be too late for you," Jeremy stated plainly.
"It already is," I acknowledged as the taxi pulled away from the curb.
Jeremy's hand fell on my shoulder. "Yes, it is," he confirmed. "It was the moment you signed the annulment."
I looked at Jeremy. "You know I had no choice."
Jeremy looked at me through his brows. "There is always a choice, Dare. She'd have forgiven you, but the annulment broke her."
"She told you that?" I asked, realizing Jeremy had stuck by Mora's side up there with the brothers tonight.
"Mora could handle talking about the two of you up there tonight, right up until they asked her for proof of the annulment," Jeremy informed me. "I thought she was going to dissolve into a crying mess on the floor when Brooks asked her if you had consummated your marriage."
"That's what set her off?" I asked, closing my eyes, understanding.
"That's what cracked that fragile mask she's wearing," Jeremy agreed. "You should have divorced her. Expecting her to lie about something like that was asking too much."
"I gave her up for my business," I muttered. "It didn't matter how I ended it, Jeremy. In Mora's eyes, I gave her up for money, and she would never forgive that."
Jeremy shrugged. "A double whammy for Mora, considering her father did the same."
I looked at Jeremy, confused. Jeremy sighed. "Marshall just announced his successor. He could have saved you both this heartache and retired back to a silent partner in his company, effectively resigning from the brotherhood. That would have allowed you and Mora to be together, Dare. You both chose your business over her."
"We both lost her," I murmured, understanding.
Jeremy studied me. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Say Marshall didn't find out about the wedding until after the honeymoon and you got Mora pregnant before you discovered who her father was. Would you still have chosen Lynwood over her?"
I met Jeremy's eyes, curiosity bright in them. I swallowed. "Yes," I admitted, a sharp pain lancing through my chest. "I'd have still divorced Mora and applied for shared custody of our child."
Jeremy nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Let's go back in. The brothers will be wondering where we ran off to."
"You think I made the wrong choice, don't you?" I asked, sensing Jeremy's disappointment in my answer.
Jeremy opened the door and looked back at me. "I think one day, years from now, you are going to run into Mora somewhere, and you are going to seriously regret having signed those annulment papers," Jeremy walked back inside.
I had no doubt that one day, I would have to watch another man wrap her in his arms, see her belly swollen with another man’s child, and that would break my heart anew. Stepping back inside long enough to grab my jacket, I left, and walked towards where Clark was parked.
"Rafal," a voice called behind me. I turned around to see Alex coming out of the house and moving towards me. I stopped, waiting to see if he was going to take another swing at me. He walked quickly to catch up. It was early spring, but the nights were still very cold.
"What can I do for you, Mr. Hark?" I asked as he stopped in front of me.
Alex blew out a breath. "Do you know the story behind my mom and Marshall?"
I frowned. "I do. Although where you fit in that picture has only become recent knowledge."
Alex nodded. "Did you know they are still lovers?"
I raised a brow at Alex. "You shouldn't tell me that."
"Because you have a responsibility to report it?" Alex asked. I nodded. Alex smiled. "She is another man’s wife, Rafal; your brotherhood can't touch her."
I considered that information and acceded. "Very true. Is there a reason you're telling me this, Mr. Hark?"
Alex smiled. "Do you know how long it took me to realize?'
"No."
"Until I graduated university and started spending more time with my father, as that was when I realized how often his business trips abroad occurred simultaneously with my mother’s weekends away." Alex smiled at me. "I guess the brotherhood only take notice of the affairs you have here at home."
I took a deep breath, wishing that even that would be possible for Mora and I, but I knew she was never going to forgive me for the way I hurt her. The damage was done.
"You idolize my father, so I want to make this clear," Alex continued. "What happened between my parents is nothing like what you have done to Mora. Do not even entertain the idea of making the same arrangement. Stay away from my sister, she's been through enough." Without another word, Alex continued past me to his car.
Sliding into the back of the Town Car, I waited until Clark got back behind the wheel to decide on where I needed to go next.
"Take me to Nahum, Clark."
"Yes, boss." Clark turned the car over and pulled away from the curb.
It was time that I had that talk with Tracey, but not before I fucked her so hard she'd be feeling it every time she sat down for the next couple of days.
***
"Jeremy Green is on the line for you," Wendall Boson, my new personal assistant, informed me. He was a recent graduate from the Cambridge Music program. A composition major, just like Mora suggested. This was his fourth week on the job and he was working out well. He wasn't as good as Mora in his dedication to the job, but at least I wasn't fantasizing about having sex with him every time he was in the same room as me. That allowed me to stay focused on my work. My productivity had nearly doubled over the last five weeks s
ince Mora left the country, and so had my consumption of alcohol.
"Thank you. Put him through."
"Dare, what are your plans tonight?" Jeremy asked happily.
"Gym and home. Why?"
"Well, remember how you were hounding me to take you to see Denial so you could meet the band? I'm flying up to Glasgow tonight to deal with one of the supporting acts. I thought if you want to come, we can stick around for the Denial concert and you can meet the band there."
I smiled. I'd started listening to Denial as Mora kept playing their songs when she was living with me. Now, I played them when I was in my study at night. I'd gotten used to listening to Mora play every night, and the house just seemed too quiet without her. I frowned and inhaled deeply. "Sounds good. What time?"
"I'll meet you at my jet at five o'clock," Jeremy sounded overly happy as he hung up the phone.
We'd caught up last week for drinks and talked. He was the only one I could talk to about Mora who didn't judge me. Zander and Warren couldn't bear to hear her name cross my lips, and talking to Marshall about her was definitely out. Jesus, of all the girls in the world, but I'd loved her since that first dance. I'd loved her before she was a black mark, but that counted for nothing.
I shook my head and picked up the phone. "Wendall, cancel my afternoon meetings. Let Clark know I'll need him to pick me up for the airport at four this afternoon."
"Yes, Mr. Rafal."
"Tell Warren I'm heading up to Glasgow for the evening and ask him to let Steffen know for me too, please."
"Yes, Mr. Rafal."
I hung up the phone and sat back in my chair. I opened my top drawer and took out one of the two photos I'd ordered from the photographer for the wedding. Mora was so happy in this photo. No one knew I had it. I'd ordered them already framed, and I kept one in my drawer here at work and one in my study drawer at home. I hoped, wherever she was, she was happy. I was still taking the photo out several times a day, and it wasn't anywhere near as often as I thought of her. Putting the photo away, I got stuck back into my work.
By nine o'clock that evening, I was following Jeremy through the backstage area of the concert venue in Glasgow. We were standing by the stage while the small string accompaniment for the band played an emotional opening piece. The strings were based on the far side of the stage from us, and all I could make out in the dim lighting was a cellist and two violinists.
