chapter 22

"Yea, and it looks like you were not missing me at all," Tay says with venom in his voice.

"It's not what you think, I can explain." He pours himself another drink.

"There's no need to explain, I get it," Tay says.

"You do?" Somehow, I calm down but no, Satan is out to get me and Tay's words are like poison that is slowly killing me.

"Yep, you are giving it to everyone since I didn't satisfy your needs at the farmhouse." I felt like air got knocked out of my lungs.

My chest tightened.

"I guess that douche didn't do a good job since you go around kissing and God knows what, with other men who are not your husband," Tay continues to dig in the knife to my already wounded heart.

"To think you were always on my mind whereas you were.... busy being a slut." tears fall down my cheeks.

"You are drunk, you mean nothing you are saying," I say, and he lets out a laugh.

This is not the Tay I know.

The Tay I know would never, never insult me like that.

The Tay I know is gentle, loving, and caring.

He is just drunk. He doesn't mean it.

"Trust me, I know exactly what I'm saying. Alcohol doesn't affect me at all and unlike you, I don't portray myself as someone else." I tighten my grip on the desk.

To say my heart is shattered into million pieces is an understatement.

"You portrayed yourself as this helpless girl trying to get me to feel sorry for, playing the victim, knowing fully well that you are an attention seeker. Shame on you," I still can't believe that the man who has been invading my thoughts for the past 5 days is saying these things to me.

He has been my pillar. He helped me to come out of my shell.

I refuse to believe he meant what said right now.

He makes me to feel good about myself and someone like that can't be bad, right?

He is just angry and hurt, and once he gets in his right senses, he will apologize.

I wipe my cheekbones and compose myself.

"You are drunk, come on let's go to bed," I say and pull his hand, but he yanks it away.

"Don't touch me!" Tay booms.

"You kissed Ria!" I fired back.

"Wow, so this is what? Revenge?" he asks and I feel terrible for saying that to him because I forgave him.

"Bringing Ria into this won't change the fact that you kissed another man."

"Is that why you refused to come with me to Scotland? So that you can enjoy your office romance with my ex-friend, huh?" My heart can't take it anymore.

How did we get here?

The pain gets deeper, and I can't seem to control the tears.

When did I become so emotionally invested?

When did I become so weak to just allow a man to insult me?

"Get out," Tay says, standing at the bay window.

"I mean it, Olivia. I don't want to see you right now." I know he meant it since he called me by my name and not love. I walk out and hasten down the stairs to the garage.

The drive to Future's apartment seemed like an eternity, and by the time I arrived there, I was emotionally drained.

I knock on the door non-stop.

Future was about to give the person who was banging on her door an earful, but her face softened when she saw me.

"What did that douche bag do this time?" Future asks and I hug her like my life depends on her.

"There, there honey... It's okay," Future coos as she pats my head.

****

"Here." Future hands me a glass of water. I gulp down the water and place the glass on the kitchen island.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Future asks. I haven't uttered a word since I arrived and she allowed me to sob on her shirt. It hurts too much to repeat the words Tay said to me.

"Okay, you must be tired. Come on, let's put you to bed," Future says and helps me up from the barstool at the same time the front door opens.

"Olivia?" Tay says in a soft voice.

"Go home, Tay," I say softly, not wanting to cause drama in the middle of the night. I'm tired and just want to sleep and forget tonight ever happened.

"Home is where the heart is and you have my heart. Wherever you go, I will always follow you," Tay says, and my heart pounds against my chest.

He looks vulnerable and handsome at the same time. His hair is wet, so I'm guessing he took a shower.

He walks towards us and before I can stop Future, she is already in front of him, daring him to take another step.

"Future, step aside. I need to talk to Olivia," Tay says.

"Will you ever stop hurting her? Olivia is like a sister to me, and seeing you hurt her makes my blood boil. You more than anyone knows how it feels to be hurt by the one you love yet, you do it to another person. Will you stop living in the past, for heaven's sake, and look at your present? You have a wife now and if you don't open your fucking eyes, you will die alone. No one wants an obnoxious husband who also ignores his wife's calls."

I couldn't see her face but the way her shoulders were raising showed that she is beyond angry.

"How...how do you know about the calls?" Tay asked.

"Great! Out of all the things I said to you, you heard that part?"

"Unbelievable!" Future exclaims.

"No, I heard you, it's just…" Future cuts him off.

"Andrew told me everything. It seems like you had time for your brother, but not for your wife." Future says.

Here I thought he was busy, but no, he was ignoring my calls. The kiss didn't even mean anything, and not that long.

"I take it as you didn't let her explain herself since she came running to my house with puffy eyes?" Future asks a rhetorical question.

"Future, I need to talk to Olivia, please? Your lecture can wait for another hour. It's enough for now," Tay pleads with Future.

She stays quiet for seconds, then sighs.

"Fine,"

"Shout if you need an assistant in burying the body or choking the air out of this douche you call husband, I will be here in a minute." Future ignores the glare Tay is sending her away and walks to her room.

We walk to the small living room; I sit on the opposite couch. We stay quiet for a few minutes, none of us having the intention of breaking it. Tay sighs and runs his hand through his hair.

"I have trust issues," Tay says and waits for a reaction but doesn't get one.

"When I saw the pictures, many scenarios ran through my mind. Emily ran in my mind and I thought you were going to leave me for him. I thought history was oppositely repeating itself," Tay continues.

"I know I messed up and jumped to a conclusion. I know it will take more of this for you to forgive me."

"You have the power and control over my heart. I don't care that you were molested. I love all of you. I didn't mean to say those things to you, knowing what it did to you," Tay says, and rushes to me and grabs my hands in his.

"I will accept any punishment you give me. You are in control; the wheel is yours. All I ask of you is please don't file for divorce," Tay pleads, and his words ring in my mind.

'If I fuck up again, file for divorce '.

"You are the only good thing I have ever done in this nightmare world of mine, and I don't want to lose you. I got all I need when you are by my side, and I don't want anyone else but you." my heart aches with happiness. I place my hands on his face, and he closes his eyes. Tingles run down my spine.

"Please don't leave me." Tay pleas, tears slowly falling from his eyes.