Wife's Bitter Revenge Against Neglectful CEO Husband-Chapter 103: Home with Alec

I flipped over the card and saw where Ash had left his phone number. Good. That was one more element I could use in building a connection from Bea’s accident to the person who paid Paz to cause the accident.

It was a long, tense night, but successful. I had several leads to follow. I didn’t get myself killed, molested, or kidnapped. On the downside, I may have lost a boyfriend. Alec appeared pretty done with my antics, whether they were justified or not.

By the time Jake dropped me off at Alec’s place and I dragged my tired ass upstairs, Alec was waiting for me. He must have raced from the club to the apartment, considering we had left before him. He was sitting on the couch, drinking water and checking his phone.

I slipped off my shoes at the door and carried them through the living room to the bedroom only I didn’t make it all the way to my room before Alec stopped me.

"What did you learn?"

"Ash gave me a business card for Mrs. H."

Alec nodded. "Was it worth it?"

"Was what worth it?"

"Letting that guy put his hands on you."

"Yeah, it was."

"Even if I said it that after the hell I went through tonight, I’m done?"

My heart dropped into my bare feet. I didn’t know how I felt about Alec, but I wasn’t ready to walk away. I especially didn’t want to walk away if it was his choice and not mine. It would be another failure to pile on top of my failed marriage with King. That would be two strikes in a three-strike world.

At this rate, I’d end up an old spinster who never experienced a healthy romantic relationship in an entire lifetime. I might as well move to a cabin in the woods with excellent satellite internet service, where I only go into town once a month for supplies. Better yet, I’d have supplies delivered to me. Less chance of finding another man to let me down.

"Is that what you’re saying? Are we over?"

Alec sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I don’t know, Teela. The night started out great. We were going to spend time together, and then you waited until I was away from the table to sneak off to be with another man."

"It wasn’t like that. I came up with the idea when you were gone. Not before. It wasn’t premeditated, and I wasn’t with Ash for a good time. It was part of the investigation. That’s all."

"But you sat there with him, smiling and flirting and he was touching you like you belonged to him when I felt like you belonged to me. Every instinct in my body was torn between telling me to kick his ass or to walk out and change my phone number and address so I never had to see you again."

"You could have left. I told you to leave if it was too tough."

"Yeah, but that was also a problem, Teela. I couldn’t walk out and leave you in danger." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"I wasn’t in danger. I had—"

"You had a half dozen other guys who would lay down their lives for you just waiting for a chance to play hero. I got it. And that pissed me off too. I should be your hero, Teela. Me. The guy who wanted to spend a lifetime getting to know you."

I took a moment to think about the best way to respond while sitting in the chair across from Alec. I set the beautiful heels that Alec bought me on the floor next to me.

"Alec, I don’t think of those guys the way I do you. I have relationships with some of them, like Jake and Stiff, but I’m not physically attracted to them the way I am to you. I don’t spend my off time wondering when I will see them again, or what they will look like in twenty years, or what they are thinking. I trust them, sure, but I trust you as well. But what I feel about you goes beyond trust.

"I don’t want to give up on the idea of us, but if that is what you need, I won’t intrude on your life anymore. I can’t. I don’t have the right. You have to follow the path that is right for you, and I have to follow my path. Right now, my path says I owe it to my best friend to find out who wanted her hurt, especially if the reason has anything to do with her association with me."

"I don’t think I can accompany you on your path. Not right now. Not after tonight, knowing there might be other nights when you do the same thing."

I pushed back the urge to cry. I couldn’t cry in front of him. Only what I really wanted to do was to kneel in front of him and hold him tight while I begged him to stay with me.

I’d cry later. I promised myself a good cry as soon as I returned to the church or the hospital or a dark, deep hole in the ground where I could hide from the ache inside me. Anywhere but in front of this man that I admired so much.

His words shouldn’t have hurt me this much. I wasn’t in love—it was too soon. I was attracted to him, and I wanted his touch and the comfort he had to offer.

Alec was in pain, too. It showed in his eyes, in his posture, and in the way he couldn’t meet my gaze. He kept looking away as if he gave me his full attention he would learn too much—or I would.

I nodded and picked up the shoes before setting them back down. If I wasn’t staying with Alec, I had no right to such an expensive gift. "Alright. I’ll go pack my things."

"No. It’s late. Stay the night. I’ll be in my room anyway."

Alec left the room before me. I waited for the click of his bedroom door shut before I made my way to my room. It was the longest walk on earth, possibly because it would be the last time I made it.

As soon as I was in my room, I stripped, leaving my clothes where they landed. I left the bracelet on the dresser. I’d leave it behind as well. Along with a piece of my heart.

The tears rolled down my cheeks as I entered the bathroom and crossed to the shower. I held back the sobs until the sound of the shower muffled the noise. I didn’t want to make it any tougher than I already had on Alec. I’d already made him miserable. I shouldn’t add a healthy dose of guilt over my tears on top of it.

I cried out the pain and the tension of keeping Ash in check, and then I cried some more. It seemed like all I did anymore was cry. What was worse? Living the life of a zombie under Lettie’s thumb or experiencing the pain of a new love loss before it ever truly began? At least the pain made me feel alive, as if I’d tried. Even if I failed, I’d made an attempt at finding happiness. And I was standing up for someone I love. Bea was worth everything.

I’m not sure how long I stayed in the shower. Long enough that I must have worried Alec. I vaguely heard the knock on the door, but I didn’t answer. What was the point?

So Alec could give me more bad news? No, thank you. I’d rather prune up in the shower.

I slid down to the floor under the spray. My hand pressed over my mouth to muffle the sobs. As long as I had the white noise of the shower to keep me company, I could get through this and come out on the other side. And tomorrow, I would start all over.

I would start all over. For every bad night I had, I would always start all over the next day.

Alec tapped on the shower door. "Teela, are you okay?"

I uncovered my mouth just enough to respond. "Yes."

"Are you sure? You’ve been in there an hour."

"Yes. I’ll be out soon." I stuttered.

Alec didn’t leave. I could see his silhouette through the frosted glass door. He stood there and waited. His mere presence forced me to get control of my pity party and prepare to reenter the world.

I could do this, but it was both easier and harder with him standing there. It was harder because I didn’t want to face him. It was easier because I wasn’t alone. Because being a wreck in front of Alec was the last thing I wanted.

But Alec took the decision out of my hands. I watched as he stripped off his shirt and pants, the frosted glass blurring the vision but not so much that I couldn’t tell what he was doing.

I wiped the wet hair back from my face and tried to compose myself. He didn’t need to see the weak me. I had to be strong, and now.

And then the door opened.