by S. G. Sonysa
“Oh really, it’s not my concern. Noah’s safety and your safety is my concern. I know you and Noah for three years, Hailey. Do you know anything about him? I suggest you read about him in the last month’s Boston magazine. They’ll give you a pretty good idea of that manipulative ex-husband of yours.” Ethan left the house after saying those things.
I was angry, hurt, and confused. I might have no idea how Chase spent his last three years, but we were trying to get to know each other again. His confession last night revealed all the secrets of the past. I knew he wasn’t a manipulator. I couldn’t understand why Ethan called him that.
I never judged people based on what magazines say about them.
Mom came and hugged me.
I said, “Hey Mom. How are you?”
“I’m fine, Hailey. I was in your room with Noah and Sammy watching them play when I saw Ethan storming out and driving away. Did you guys have a fight?”
“No Mom. He remembered that he had again forgotten to lock his apartment door,” I said, laughing lightly, but in my mind, I was cursing Ethan. That bitch forgot that he came here with Sammy.
Now, who would drop him off?
My mind sarcastically reminded me, “Duh… you.”
[Next morning]
After breakfast, I left Noah in the living room to play with his toys. Obviously under my mom’s care. I locked myself in the room and spent my day working on my thesis.
My eyes caught the time on the wall clock, and I hurriedly ended my work. I moved towards my closet and rampaged through my closet for a few minutes then finally my hand landed on my black high waist jeans and peach off-shoulder top.
I showered and blow-dried my hair then changed into my jeans and top. I applied minimal makeup. My eyes were looking dull, so I lined them with jet black liner and applied mascara to make my eyelashes look longer.
I took a look at my appearance in the mirror and felt satisfied with my work. Then I went down while trying to put my feet in my black wedges.
I reached down, and mother looked at me from head to toe for a good two minutes.
Then she asked, “Where are you going, getting all dolled up?”
“I… uh I’m just going out with Chase.” I felt shy.
“Oh… so I guess Noah is staying with me?” Mom asked me.
“Yup. Can you take care of him for me?” I gave her my best puppy dog look.
“You know, I love my grandson. That’s why I am going to take care of him, but you’ve to promise to tell me what’s cooking between you and him,” she said, and I groaned.
Noah was really engrossed in watching his favorite cartoon. I kissed his cute cheeks telling him sternly to sleep on his bedtime.
Chase’s car appeared outside my house. I ran out saying a final bye to my mom. Chase opened the door for me, and I buckled up myself for the ride.
“Chase, where are we going?” I asked him.
“Nah… That’s a surprise. You have to wait to find out.” Chase glanced at me amused while driving.
I knew my curiosity was clear on my face.
Chase was looking ahead on the road, and I decided to take advantage of that. I stared at him. He was wearing black jeans and grey button-up shirt. His face was unshaven, making him look older. I used to think he was handsome, but now I found him way sexier than any other man.
I started feeling a little uncomfortable with my own thoughts and glanced out of the window at the passing scenery. We entered in a posh area where large mansion-like houses were built.
Chase stopped outside the white painted big double story stylish house. A man came running out and opened the gate for our car to enter.
Then he opened the door for me and said, “Welcome ma’am.”
I nodded my head with a small smile on my face.
“Chase, are you staying here?” I asked him confused.
“Come with me inside, Hailey.”
He didn’t answer my question. Instead, he took my hand in his, lacing our fingers together.
Chase pushed open the door, and we went inside.
When the lights were switched on, I was beyond shocked. The house was more beautiful inside than it was from the outside. The shining white marbles and long stairs in the middle were making it look like some palace.
Chase dragged me inside with him, showing me the whole house. It was perfect, decorated with extremely expensive and delicate furniture. The house looked like it belonged to some celebrity.
There were two chairs and a table placed on the balcony. The rose petals were spread on the floor. I glanced at Chase and then again at the table.
“I… I know I have never done anything romantic, and it’s my first time, so I hope you like it,” Chase said to me with hope in his grey eyes.
“Chase, I love it. It’s beautiful. Thanks.” I smiled broadly at him.
He led me to the table and pulled out a chair for me. I settled down on it. He sat across me.
“Everything is prepared by best chefs. I didn’t cook anything myself so you wouldn’t get food poison after dinner,” he said to me.
I laughed, and a light blush appeared on his cheeks.
“Oh. It’s fine. What counts is your effort,” I said, looking at the dishes filled with different cuisines.
There was cheesy white pasta, steak, salads, fried chicken, and rice.
“Wow… Everything looks delicious, Chase,” I said, filling my plate.
Chase gave me his dazzling smile.
I studied whole day locked in your room and didn’t have the time to eat, so I was starving.
We enjoyed dinner in peace with the beautiful view of the evening in front of our eyes.
After we were done with dinner, I asked, “So what did you want to tell me?”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Telling Her the Whole Truth
Chase
When I went back to the hotel from Hailey’s place, I was fuming in anger at what Ethan said. My blood was boiling. How dare he claim what was mine? I would do anything to make sure Ethan would go to hell before he could manipulate my woman and destroy our relationship.
I was pacing in my room and thinking what I should do to get rid of Ethan. I heard the ringing of my cell phone and picked it up.
“Hello, Chase Edwards speaking,” I said.
“Hi, Chase. It’s Daniel Adam. The house you requested us to decorate is ready.”
“That’s the best news you have just given me. Thanks, man.” I thanked him for decorating the house on such short notice.
“Don’t mention it. You’re our business partner and a very good friend. There is no reason I wouldn’t do it,” Daniel replied with politeness.
We talked for a while about the business then ended the call.
Daniel Adam was a very famous businessman in England, running an interior designing company and five-star restaurants, which he inherited from his father. We had been business partners for a few years now and became very good friends in a very short time.
Suddenly, something clicked in my mind, and I looked for my laptop. I picked it up and placed it on my lap. I opened Google and searched Daniel Adam. His pictures appeared on the screen, shocking me with the similarities between them. Wikipedia showed that he had a sibling. I searched his sibling, but no picture appeared. One article caught my eyes, and I clicked on it.
Ethan Adam, the son of multi-millionaire, Michael Adam, and brother of a famous interior design company holder, Daniel Adam once again stars in another scandal. Lindsay, a former model claims Ethan is the father of her child. She also claims he ran away from his home because his dad wants him to marry her. She said police and private investigators have been searching for him for months, but there is still no news about where he is hiding. She appealed us to help her in finding Ethan Adam. If you know where he is, please call the number mentioned. Hopefully, we will find him and get our answers soon.
The article was one week old. It meant Ethan must be hiding here for the last three years.
Now his secret was out. I thought with an evil smile on my face.
After reading the whole article, I was beyond shocked. I couldn’t believe he was claiming that he didn’t want me to hurt Hailey when he was the one hurting her by lying and manipulating her. I wouldn’t let him fool her.
He was so going to regret challenging me. I called Daniel, and he picked up.
“Hey, is there something you didn’t like in the house?” he asked me.
“No… I haven’t called to talk about that. I know where Ethan is hiding.”
“What? Chase, are you sure?” he asked me, sounding unsure himself.
“Yeah, I’m sure. He is in Oakland.”
“Oh… Chase, thank you so much man for telling me this. We have been searching for him in England, but he has been hiding in the US all this time,” Daniel said angrily.
“What are you going to do now?”
“I’m going to pay him a visit and force him to come with me to England because Dad really wants to meet him, and he needs to clean the mess he left,” Daniel told me his plan.
“I am here if you need my help,” I said and ended the call.
Then I went to see the house and started to work on my plan for tomorrow.
***
The next day, I went to pick her from her house at exactly seven. She came out dressed in black jeans and peach off-shoulder top and looked gorgeous. I could clearly see the swell of her breast and her perfectly fitted jeans was not helping much to hide her curves.
I opened the door for her, and when she was inside the car, my senses were filled with the subtle fragrance of her jasmine and vanilla perfume. I started to drive towards the house. All the way to the house she kept asking me where we were going, but I didn’t tell her anything. I wanted to surprise her.
When we arrived there, I took her hand in mine and dragged her with me inside to show her the whole house. She was shocked at first, but then she looked at everything with a dreamy look on her face.
After giving her a tour of the house, I took her in the balcony where I arranged dinner.
She smiled broadly when she saw the arrangements.
After we were done with dinner, she asked, “So what did you want to tell me?”
“Can we go to the living room? It’s getting pretty cold here,” I said to her and stood up.
I took her hand in mine and walked in the direction of the living room.
“Hailey, I don’t know how to say this,” I said then stopped, still contemplating my decision in my mind.
She got settled on the couch and placed a cushion on her lap. She looked at me, waiting for me to say something.
“Chase, you’re making me nervous. Just tell me already,” Hailey said to me with an exasperated sigh.
I sighed and said, “I have been living in Boston for the last three years. After I completed my internship with Carrington Enterprises, I started a new office in Boston. And in the past few years, I have become a very well-known businessman.”
“That’s wonderful, Chase.” Hailey looked at me with a smile.
“But it also made my life a little complicated, Hailey. One night, when I was coming out of the restaurant after having dinner with Clara, the paparazzi took our photographs and next day, the news about us getting engaged spread,” I said then waited for Hailey to say something.
But she was just staring at me, so I continued.
“I don’t want you to find this out from any other source. Clara and I are just friends, nothing more than that. I swear. You… you were the only woman in my mind all these years,” I said to her, desperately trying to prove my innocence.
“Chase, I think it’s too much for me to take in. I’m not saying that I don’t trust you, but Clara told me that she was your fiancée. Then you told me she was just joking and now this.” She looked a little jealous.
“I don’t know why she did that, but it was a lie. There is nothing between her and me,” I said, trying to explain.
“Chase, I think she likes you. Maybe that’s why she lied to me.”
My heart stopped beating.
Silence fell in the room. I didn’t know what I could say to stop her from thinking that she wasn’t wrong. In fact, she was right about Clara. She liked me, but my heart belonged to Hailey.
I cut all ties with Clara when I left New York. But one day, we coincidentally met at a charity gala in Boston, and she kind of clung to me and rekindled our friendship again, putting the past behind us. I always saw her as a friend and nothing more.
“Chase, I think I should go. You need time to think about all this. Maybe you feel something for her too,” she said and started to get up from the couch.
I gripped her hand and pulled her towards my chest. I placed my other hand on her waist and held her there in my arms.
“Hailey, please don’t go yet. I had three years to think, and I don’t want more time. I love you, Hailey. I have always loved you. I know we had a very unusual relationship, but we cannot change our destiny. Yes, I know I committed a lot of mistakes, and I have hurt you many times. But with every tear you shed, my heart bleeds. With your smile, my heart beat accelerates. My heart belongs to you,” I told her while we were lost in each other’s eyes.
“Please, believe me. I only want you. There is no other girl for me. You are my first love, my wife and that’s how it is going to stay as long as I am breathing,” I said, kissing her forehead lightly.
“Chase, I’m not your wife. We have been divorced for last three years, and you keep forgetting that.” She looked down.
Her eyes were brimming with unshed tears.
“Hailey, you’re my wife. I… I never signed those papers.” Finally, I was able to tell her.
“What… what do you mean?” she asked me with raised eyebrows, looking confused.
“It means we are still legally very much wedded. You are still my wife.”
Her cute mouth fell wide open.
“Oh, God. Chase! You mean you never divorced me. We are still married,” she said, looking wide-eyed.
“Yes, I never wanted a divorce in the first place. It was just an act to make my mother believe. I did that to make you leave.”
She pushed me away harshly. I was in shock. What had I done to make her this angry?
“How could you, Chase? How can you do this to me? All these years, I thought I was worthless, ugly, and unattractive, and that’s why you divorced me. I was in love with you, and your rejection broke me. I was depressed. I wished to die because I was hurt. You… you could have told me this before. I hate you… you made me doubt myself. You ruined three years of my life,” she said.
Tears were running down from her eyes.
“I’m so sorry.”
“You are sorry? Your sorry won’t make me forget all those nights when I cried myself to sleep. There were days when I didn’t want to wake up. I was tired, sad, and sick. My mind constantly reminded me of all the things those bullies used to say to me. I started believing them. You didn’t think about it, did you? Your lie pushed me into a dark cave. And my son brought me back from it. His small cries for my attention brought me back. He saved me from ending myself, and he gave me hope for a future.” She was breathing hard.
Tears were rolling from her eyes. I wanted to die at the moment because I was the reason for her pain.
“I thought you were better without me. I thought I was not worthy of your love. I thought I have hurt you enough already and that you wouldn’t give me another chance again. I thought I was letting you live your life the way you wanted. I didn’t say anything because I thought confessing will make you more confused and depressed. I didn’t know I was hurting you more by hiding the truth,” I said, trying to explain to her.
She didn’t say anything and just stared at me.
“I’m sorry, Hailey. I’m so sorry. I never wanted you to feel that much pain,” I said, moving towards her.
I hugged her while she cried, hiding her face in my chest.
Tha
t day, I realized that we were both broken and I took an oath to mend our hearts.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
It Felt Like a Dream
Hailey
After crying my eyes out, I moved my face away from his warm, hard chest then looked up at him with my now swollen eyes and runny nose.
“I’m sorry for ruining your shirt,” I said, still looking at him and sniffing.
“I don’t care about the shirt. I care about you.” He caressed my cheek.
“I… uh… I’m just too emotional nowadays,” I said, feeling embarrassed.
“I… can understand. I shouldn’t have dumped all of this on you today.” He looked down.
“Chase I. . .” I started to say, but he interrupted me.
“Hailey… I love you. I really do. But I… uh… I can understand if you don’t believe me and want a divorce.”
Before he could say something else, I slapped my hand on his mouth to shut him up.
“Mr. Chase Edwards, I will beat the hell out of you if you say another word. I’m still angry with you.” I glared at him and removed my hand.
He stared at me with his mouth agape.
“I used to admire you. I used to think you were perfect and very intelligent. Now I think I was wrong. You are the dumbest man alive. If I wanted a divorce, I would’ve asked you about it a long time ago,” I said every word clearly.
“You… you mean you don’t want to leave me. You don’t want a divorce. You are giving us another chance.”
“I’m not giving you a chance, Chase. You have to work hard to get the chance and your time starts now,” I said to him, hiding the grin that was threatening to appear on my face.
I was enjoying the way his face turned white like paper. Every trace of a smile vanished.
“Now be a good husband and drop me back to my house,” I said to him.
But again he gripped my hand and pulled me towards his chest.
“What?” I asked him irritatingly.
“This is your house.” He was staring intensely at my face.
