The Girl that Fled (Bliss Book 3)

by Veronica Soliman

  "What's going on Mags?" Adam asked, standing from his seat and loosening the tie around his neck a bit, he had on a blue button-down shirt with a black tie that matched his freshly ironed pants.

  "I just think we need a break Adam. I don't know if we were clear with each other- the other day but I don't understand why you keep putting off our wedding! Maybe it shouldn't happen! Maybe it's too soon, we should wait don't you think." Eleanor's mouth fell wide open- had Magdalene actually just said those hurtful words to her husband?!

  Adam looked flustered- embarrassed even as Magdalene proceeded to leave her engagement ring right beside Eleanor and began her storm of terror out of his home.

  "And by the way- call me when you're ready to be mature and actually marry me..." she shouted, giving everyone a sickening taste of the poison inside her. Eleanor couldn't hide the scowl she gave her as the tiny little bitch left Adam's house. The damage was just completed and there was no going back for her and Adam. Another idea came to mind for Eleanor- maybe she could get Adam to fall in love with her all over again. And not break up with him ever- now that Mr. Hank Carnegie was completely and utterly gone. She was going to do it. Be selfish for once- or for the billionth time.

  As soon as the door shut, silence filled the room and Eleanor cleared her throat.

  "I'm sorry about that Allison," Adam's face was stone cold. "Maybe you should get going..." He wouldn't meet eyes with her, he just stared at the ring beside her. Eleanor wondered if he had done anything about the wedding ring that Magdalene had carelessly tossed down her sink drain, but she didn't dare ask. She felt like she had gone back into his life to ruin it again for old times’ sake and she hated it.

  "Uh..." Eleanor began, "Mr. Carnegie, I really don't think you should be alone- especially not now. I mean the last time something like this happened, you spiraled into a pit of self-hatred and I..." she paused, she was saying too much.

  "I thought you didn't know who I was." He raised a full brow.

  "I did some research." She blushes casually as she continued her monologue. Allison didn't know Adam and she had to be better at not knowing him. She had to not know about every nook and cranny of Adam Carnegie, she had to not know about what really happened with Eleanor Carnegie. She had to act like a stranger, something she had thought she was finally accustomed to. "Hey, how about we go somewhere. As friends if I can be so lucky to call you that Mr. Carnegie." She stood up and placed a hand on his arm. She felt his muscle tense then release.

  "Allison- what?" He smirked now, his eyes shifting from hers to the spot on his arm she was still touching. He refused to allow himself to realize that it burned- that it felt like heaven to have the tender touch on his bicep.

  "Am I not being forward enough Mr. Carnegie?"

  "Call me Adam." He breathed now, standing a little too close for a causal friend. He didn't know this girl that looked like Eleanor- but he had every intention of finding out who she was- especially now that Magdalene had decided to take a temporary break to their relationship and left a powerful signifier of their engagement ring on his countertop. Eleanor's fingers ran down his arm and she placed his hand into his.

  "Call me Ally." Eleanor smiled at him with pearly white teeth. Maybe he was easily seduced, but he had never been before- or maybe he was just heartbroken. Had he actually loved Magdalene?

  Chapter 25: Hot in Here

  She had done the worst thing imaginable and slept with Adam Carnegie. She was so angry at herself that she refused to let herself talk to him for a full day.

  After three weeks of adventuring with him- following him around, him visiting her at work- leaving secret notes and so on, Eleanor was in love all over again- it wasn't like she'd ever stopped. The time they spent getting to know each other felt like they were both new to a relationship and in need of excitement. It was liberating. Her suggestive behavior prior to Magdalene's storm had led her to take him to coffee, they hit it off and decided to hang out at one of Adam's gala meeting where he had invited a bunch of people and used those terms for networking. One thing led to another, and now here they were, lying side by side once more in Adam's bed.

  But she couldn't help the sickening feeling that welled up inside her when she woke up this morning with his arm sprawled over her bare waist, she stared at him for the longest amount of time, a feeling of comfort familiarity that was quickly washed down by the feeling of guilt. She had completely destroyed whatever remnants of a relationship he had with Magdalene, she had started unofficially dating the handsome billionaire right under the nose of Magdalene and now she had slept with him.

  But holy hell, a girl has needs. And Adam could fulfill them on a whim.

  Her mind wandered to reminders of last night which sent her heart spiraling into a series of quick beats. She calmed her breathing as she continued to stare- the face she loved to look at so much. The face she missed being so close to- her celebrity crush as Josiah would've called it. She continued to glance at him and then quickly looked away when his mouth twitched into a smile. Caught.

  She shut her eyes and pretended to be asleep as Adam turned on his side, hovering slightly above her before pulling his arm away.

  "Eleanor," he whispered before turning once again and letting out a few quiet snores. He was dreaming, she let out a sigh of relief before quietly getting out of bed and putting some clothes on. She knew where everything was in this particular room, so she quickly reached for her old toothbrush and brushed her teeth over her old sink. He hadn't moved a single thing around. She smiled stupidly.

  "Morning," Adam stood by the bathroom door, a mischievous look crafted on his face. He leaned against its frame and crossed his arms. It had been the first time that he had been intimate with Eleanor as Ally and he didn't seem fazed. Did he become some sort of sex addict after she died?

  "Morning." Every bone in her body was screaming at her to get out before they both fell too deep, before she can't let go of him when Magdalene forces her to. It was hard enough the first time, even on impulse it was difficult, but revenge was so worth it. And now she felt like she was standing at the edge of a cliff waiting to be pushed. She decided to take matters into her own hands,

  "About last night, Adam," she sighed, "it shouldn't have happened. You're engaged to be married to Magdalene— regardless of a break, I shouldn't be interfering- even if for some meaningless sex." She said, his face showed nothing. Was meaningless sex part of his vocabulary now? She was expecting his face to drop, but he instead crossed his arms, his muscles busting out as she touched the side of her mouth to make sure she wasn't drooling. It seemed for the first time since she had met him, he was a mystery she wanted to unfold.

  "I see," he finally said, a smirk forming. When had Adam become such a tease?

  "Okay, then. I guess it's settled- we can remain friends and..."

  Adam shook his head, looking at her legs as a smile formed. He did a once over of her body before looking into the bathroom mirror. His eyes looked mischievous as his warm brown ones met hers and her heart seemed to respond by pounding like a ticking clock. Her heart beat rapidly as he moved closer.

  "You know something Ally. I haven't had sex that good since Eleanor was alive." He shared, she knew he was referencing what they both already knew, but she wasn't willing to admit. She didn't know how to react, simply staring at his chiseled jaw as she watched him approach. She wanted to kiss his neck until it went red.

  They stood facing each other, the mirror judging them as he moved his hand from her face, down to her arms and around her waist, pulling her to him. His eyes boring holes into hers with the intensity of his gaze.

  "And I would really love it if it happened again..." the thoughts made her dizzy, "and again... and again." He whispered, his eyes darkening and his voice getting deeper. He stepped closer and lifted her up onto the large area beside the sink and fitting himself between her legs. She gasped at the sudden movement, his quick hands kept her seated by the bathroom sink, his body pressed up agains
t hers as she wrapped her arms around his strong shoulders.

  Eleanor's breath hitched when his fingers trailed from around her waist up her breasts and to push a hair behind her ear.

  "I... " Her heart was racing. She wanted everything he was giving her, but didn't trust herself, "We can't Adam." She blurted, as his mouth hovered above hers. His eyes met hers as he scrunched his brows in confusion. "Because I made a deal with Magdalene and I don't think I can hold my end of the bargain. I don't want to hurt you more than I already have. I love you Adam."

  At those words he released her from his grasp like he has been hit by a fire truck and stepped back. It was as if some force of nature had pushed him apart and punched him square in the gut.

  "Maybe this was a bad idea," he whispered, stepping back far enough to land against a wall and slide to a seat on the floor.

  "I'm so sorry." Eleanor whispered, a few tears running down her face. She didn't know what to do with herself as she looked at him below her. She felt embarrassed as he said nothing more. He looked so meek and innocent. "I didn't mean to fall in love with you Adam!" She blurted, meaning that in so many more ways than one. "But I did... and it was a bad idea for me to..."

  "Ally. Can you be honest with me for a second-" he said, she took the words to another level wondering what she had done to lose his trust to begin with.

  Eleanor nodded.

  He stood up and placed his hand around hers, his face close and his breath capturing. She stared at their entangled fingers, his big firm hands holding her dainty unpolished nails. A weird tension filled the air as absolute silence filled the minute. Without further delay, he pulled his hand from hers and met eyes.

  "Are you Eleanor?" He whispered, the bathroom light flickered a bit, disguising the shocked look that instantly disappeared from her face. She couldn't understand why he couldn't get over that, he had asked her before, and she had said no. What made this time any different? Oh wait, the wild sex they had had last night.

  She didn't want to do it anymore. What was the point of hiding when all you wanted to do was actually die. She couldn't live this life anymore and she knew it was a matter of time before he found out as she stupidly kept putting herself in front of his clever eyes. She took a deep breath.

  "Because only Eleanor knows how to..." his voice trailed off as his lips sweetly pressed onto hers. The sweet synchronization of their lips slowly moving against each other brought sweet tears to her eyes as his tongue entered her mouth and the both pulled away. "be with me... like that."

  Her breath caught in her throat as their eyes locked.

  She was going to do it. She was going to be honest with him and see what he would do- would he toss her out? Send her on a one-way ticket to a jail cell.

  "Adam," she said, quickly stealing another kiss, "I love you." She kissed him again, "and I would never want to hurt you."

  "Ally- you've known me for two weeks." He said, a sad smile forming. "You can't love me..."

  "No- Adam, I've known you for over a year." She whispered, pulling her eyes away from him. "I was stupid and please just hear out." Both were too afraid to move- the fear of losing the perfect vibes between them threatening.

  He couldn't put the pieces of the puzzle together- he refused to no matter how much he actually wanted it to be true. He was in disbelief as Eleanor began belting out the truth.

  "Adam, I love you- I've always loved you..."'she whispered, her cheeks now wet from tears as he stood so close yet so far. He seemed to have distanced himself. "So yes, Adam- I faked my death," she felt stupid even saying those words. "I did something very bad and I didn't want to go to jail for it."

  "You did something bad? We all do bad things Eleanor. You don't see me moving to another state and pretending to be someone else for it!" He was breathless and choked up as he continued to stare at her beautiful face, he couldn't comprehend how someone was so beautiful yet so good at being other people.

  Adam nodded, encouraging her to go on, "Adam I love you." She repeated. He refused to meet eyes now. "I thought it was the only way to escape- I couldn't stay, my baby, my family, my life was threatened. I was so stupid and every single day I've regretted my decision." Adam's mouth hung wide open as recognition continued to beam in and out of his eyes.

  "We could've worked it out Eleanor." Adam finally croaked, his throat dry and his words hoarse, he didn't know how to feel. His sad eyes looked at her with an unforgivable pain. Relived, excited, angry? But all of that seemed to be melded into a rapid fire of emotions as he struggled to hold back tears. "Eleanor, I loved you, you... you broke my heart and tore it to pieces. And I don't want to sound like a sappy love-struck man, but I spent months wondering what the hell I did wrong and why my wife would hate me so much as to kill herself!" His voice rose as the room became humid. They were both in tears as Adam fell into a pile of nothing, staring at the cabinet from his seat on the bathroom floor. "And I wanted to cover for you, to tell everyone it wasn't suicide, but rather an accident when you were going on a nightly jog. But the damn truck driver cemented that story with the authorities, and it was out of my hands." He was no longer trying to push away the familiarity of being around this girl- because truth was, she was as familiar to him as the back of his hand. He had gotten the vibe from her but attempted as best he could to treat her like someone he had never met before.

  "Adam, I'm so sorry." She choked out as she sat directly in front of him. The room was too bright for their moods. Rain would've suited the day better.

  "The ring...you were Bree? And Elena?" He said, leaving no room for an answer, "you hurt me so much Eleanor. So damn much." Eleanor wrapped her arms around him as they sat hugging. Eleanor nodded, holding back tears.

  "Why now? Why not when I came to Demeter Modeling Co."

  "Adam- I'm trusting you with my biggest secret right now- please I can't have the world know I never actually died."

  "What? Why? I wouldn't have to marry Magdalene if you..." he realized he should've been angrier, but he knew the entire time that she hadn't died- that she hadn't left him alone to face the world while she fell privy to the world outside Earth. It was his choice to get remarried, a way to make sure his colleagues didn't think less of him being a widower-bachelor.

  "Adam listen." She grasped his face, "you may never forgive me, but please don't tell anyone- actually you know what- I deserve to rot in jail for everything I've done..."

  "Did you know Josiah?" He interrupted.

  "How do you know about him?"

  "He was with Bree- you- I met with him, he never betrayed your secret. You went to Oklahoma- and tried to start a new life without me. What made you come back?" He interrogated; his face blank as he looked up at her.

  "I love you so much Adam, my heart legitimately hurts to think of leaving you again. It was so hard, and I needed to come clean, I'm sorry our lives have gotten so warped, but I want things to go back to three months into marriage, I love you Adam Carnegie." She whispered quietly now. Wanting so much to have things go back to the way they were. "Which is why I'm going to be completely honest with you." She sat up, placing a hand on his thigh and another lifting his chiseled chin to look at her. The biggest secret of all- you can't arrest a dead woman, but love and trust were extremely important. Adam would understand, right?

  "Your dad... he didn't die of a heart attack..."she whispered as the intensity grew, "I snuck into his home and I... I poisoned his drink while he was happily staring at the news of my death on TV." Eleanor said, giving Adam time to let the words sink in. "I wanted revenge so badly- he destroyed our life- I should've let karma get him back, but instead, I took matters into my own hands." She shook as Adam stood up and she followed suit, he walked back into the bedroom, leaving her alone in the bathroom as the silence overwhelmed her and she actually wished the earth would swallow her whole.

  So much for being honest.

  Chapter 26: Insanely in Love

  Desperately, she followed after him. Her eyes wild and her
heart racing like a fire.

  "Adam! Say something, please." He just sat on their bed, staring through the glass ceiling. It was covered in bird poop because nobody had cleaned it in months. She was shaking when she reached for his hand, wondering if he would turn her into the authorities and have her arrested. Any sane person would. At the slightest touch, he flinched, his eyes unfeeling as he kept staring ahead.

  "Eleanor- you didn't kill my father... you may be smart, but that man had it coming." Adam sighed, turning to face her now. He sat up in bed, his face a mixture of unspoken emotions that melded well with her proper look of confusion.

  "I don't understand." She furrowed her eyebrows, reaching for his hand again. This time he didn't flinch, merely stared at her hand on his.

  "It wasn't your poison that killed him. I had some men look into the case and it was actually a heart attack- it was his time to go Eleanor, I guess karma had it coming for him." Eleanor wanted to suggest that her poison caused his heart to spasm, but refrained- she knew that it was powerful, she'd purchased it with intent to kill. He was giving her an escape and she would gladly take it. The guilt seared through her and with a simple look from Adam it all faded away. She would let him win this battle for her, let her get away for murder- but how long until the rest of the world finds out? How long until people start realizing she was the real Eleanor and that she was just in hiding and would probably be wanted for murder. Her anxiety levels skyrocketed as she stared at him.

  She took a deep breath, calming herself.

  "Wh...what?" She has seen him sip her drink and then fall to the ground. She had believed it was her who caused all of this. She knew it was her.

  "Your poison couldn't have hurt a fly Eleanor. And he would've smelled it in his drink..." Adam said as he finally met eyes with her, she couldn't tell if he was lying. The room was spinning. " I had some guys look into the case." He repeated. "You're innocent."