CHAPTER 006: RESOLUTIONS
1118 Words
~~ELLIE~~
Getting rejected by your hot boss had to be the most mortifying thing ever—aside from hooking up with him through a freaky app. I couldn't eat dinner; I would definitely throw up. I'd never been so humiliated in my life.
Did I seriously beg him to go down on me again?
God, I must have seemed so pathetic.
Was I really that desperate to feel wanted?
I should’ve been fixing my life. Getting my s**t together. Not begging to sleeping with my emotionally unavailable boss.
It was unavoidable now. I had to look for a new job. I couldn't live with getting all horny just because my boss had a sexy stubble I'd sell one of my sisters to have a chance at shaving while wearing sexy lingerie.
So here I was, sitting in my room, sending a bunch of emails to some neighboring companies, hoping to get a good position like my present job.
A knock came on my door. I looked up from my laptop to see Nolan's shaggy blonde hair peeping in.
"Hey..." He waved like a total stranger—he was. I slid my glasses up, watching him with a frown as he carefully stepped in.
He hadn't been in my room for about a month now.
"You didn't come downstairs for movie night," he muttered, looking around like he was searching for something.
Really? Movie night? We hadn't done movie night in almost six months.
"I'm busy, Nolan," I sighed, fixing my glasses. I returned my eyes to my computer.
He gave out a long sigh, like I used to whenever he'd tell me he was busy. How the tables had turned.
"Ellie, when are you going to let go of the past? It's been more than a week already."
I blinked, trying not to look surprised that he actually just said that.
"Let go of the past? Can you hear yourself, Nolan?" I scoffed, putting away my laptop. "Do you think that I can just get over it and we're back to being Jack and Rose?"
"Yeah, if you'd just put it behind you." He shrugged, like forgetting your husband cheated was the easiest thing ever.
How wrong he was.
There was no coming back from this.
What’s worse? I’d crossed a line with another man—my boss. And the problem? I wanted to do it again.
I was quiet for long seconds, my tongue heavy with the words I was about to say.
"I want a divorce, Nolan."
It surprised the both of us. Never in my life would I have thought of saying that to my husband, but suddenly, it was a statement I could repeat over and over.
Nolan staggered toward the bed, looking like he'd just been declared guilty of murder.
"Don't say that. You can't say that. You can't say the D word..." He tried to grab me by the shoulders, but I ducked, jumping down from the bed.
"Don't you dare touch me, Nolan!" I snapped at him.
"Ellie..." he choked, breathing loudly through his mouth. He looked so terrified, like his whole life was going down the drain.
Why are men like this?
Why cheat on someone you're afraid to lose—with someone you barely know?
"You know I love you. I've loved you for eight years. From the day I saw you in the denim pinafores, stacking up books in my mother's library. I've loved you since you read Pride and Prejudice to me—"
"Then why did you do it, Nolan? If you love me so much, why did you cheat on me with your secretary?"
"It won't happen again. I swear on my life. It won't happen again. In fact, I can book us a reconciliation trip to Ibiza right now. We can start over—hell, we can move to another state. We can have kids like you've always wanted."
Three good years, I'd waited because Nolan didn't want kids. Now, he was handing it to me on a platter of gold.
That should’ve been enough to forgive him. Enough to run into his arms, kiss him, and pretend none of it ever happened.
But it wasn’t. Not even close.
Strangely, I didn't want kids anymore—at least not with him.
"We're getting divorced, Nolan. It's what I want."
"Ellie—"
"I can't continue like this! I grew up with seven sisters, no mom, and I've always been overlooked, not good enough, and last to finish!" I spluttered, overwhelmed with emotions. "I promised myself never to be in a situation where I'm not first. Where I'm not the only option." I sobbed, my lips quivering.
"You were a lie I wanted to believe. A fairy tale I made up just to be happy. But now, all I see when I look at you is my awful childhood."
I'd promised myself not to cry for him anymore, but it hurt too much to be betrayed after being so faithful.
Nolan watched me with tears brimming in his eyes. He clasped his hands together and slowly, he went on his knees.
That surprised me.
"Give me one month," he muttered, his expression pitiful. "Just give me one month to make things right."
"Nolan—"
"Just one month, please." He crawled to me. "If nothing changes then, I'll agree to your demand. I'll sign the divorce papers. But please, give me another chance."
I loved Nolan. He was my first love. I'd been crushing on him for months before he asked me out. And when he did, It was the happiest day of my life.
Why couldn’t I feel that same love anymore?
Why did I suddenly just feel... hollow?
"I—"
My phone beeped then, cutting me off. I sniffled, wiping off my tears as I picked it up from the bed.
It was an email. From my boss!
marcus_ashworth_A&T: If we're going to do this, we do it my way, my rules. If you're still up for it, send a reply and from there on, it's my show. And don't forget. You play by Master's rule.
"Ellie? Is everything okay?" Nolan stood up, eyeing me suspiciously.
"Yes," I answered quickly, locking my phone and tossing it back on the bed.
It felt unreal, reading that text, and the moment suddenly felt like realizing I was dreaming. But I wasn't.
I looked at Nolan, but I had absolutely no thought of him. I was thinking of one man only—Marcus Ashworth.
He wanted me.
"Ellie?" Nolan called again.
"Huh?" I muttered, trembling a little.
"So, what do you say? Will you give me a second chance to prove how sorry I am?"
- Writer
