The Beast And His Belle

Chapter 30

"Well, you've managed to once again fuck things up, Jackson?" Marcel paced back and forth in his office as Jackson sat on the leather couch holding his throbbing head from another night of drinking until he was numb.
"Are you even listening?" Marcel halted his pacing right in front of Jackson.
"It doesn't matter what I do, does it? You have never and will never think I have what it takes," Jackson grunted.
Marcel huffed a laugh making Jackson feel even lower than life.
"No, son. Not when you come to work still drunk from the night before, wearing the same suit as yesterday! Who's bed did you find yourself in this morning, huh?"
"NO ONE'S!" Jackson shouted with his jaw locked stiff and Marcel just rolled his eyes.
"Say what you want. Do what you want. I've cleaned up your mess yet again. You're welcome." Marcel moved around his desk and sat at his chair seeming to get back to work.
"What mess? I didn't do anything but simply walk in a bar ordering a drink."
"I told you to lay low! And go out in public! Right away everyone is wondering why you seem to be drinking your sorrows away!"
Jackson's heart sank being reminded again he was alone, left by Belle for reasons unknown. Every night his mind would race, questioning what he did wrong? What didn't he do? Or was he just not lovable enough to the degree that was worth staying?
"I've taken care of it."
"What did you do?" Jackson's eyes narrowed at Marcel.
"The media surely would've found out sooner or later by doing some digging so I gave them something to feed on, being one step ahead." Marcel never raised his head from his work as he spoke.
"What did you say?" Jackson asked again slower with a ferocious tone.
"That you had your marriage annulled because Belle was not who you thought and had alterer motives." Jackson instantly rose from the couch to his feet and slammed his fists onto Marcel's desk in anger.
"YOU CAN'T SAY THAT!"
"Get a hold of yourself!" Marcel scoffed.
"NO! Belle did no such thing! You can't accuse her of something like that and throw her to the wolves!"
"It's already done! I told...whatever the hell her name is, to fax them my statement." Marcel waved his hand not giving a damn and Jackson stormed out of his office.

Margaret, the new assistant for Marcel sat at her desk diligently working when Jackson stormed over to her.
"Did you fax my uncle's statement already?" He spoke so quickly in a fury Margaret just sat there with wide eyes.
"DID YOU OR DID YOU NOT ALREADY SEND THE FAX OF THE STATEMENT?" Jackson shouted getting the attention of the entire floor of employees.
"N-no, not yet," she hesitantly mumbled.
"Thank fucking christ. Let me have it!" Her feeble shaky hands gave him the document and he ripped them from her grip and stormed back into Marcel's office.

Seeing the documents in Jackson's hand, Marcel rolled his eyes in dissatisfaction that his demands weren't already met. Jackson walked over to his desk, glaring at his uncle with fire in his eyes, and slowly ripped the document in half before throwing it at Marcel's face.
"What we're you saying?" Jackson asked calmly now igniting the fire in Marcel.
"Fine! What would you have me say then? You two were bound by a contractual marriage arrangement and once it was complete, she left you like she was supposed to do! You want to look like a weak and pitiful billionaire? The owner of Mason Enterprises! This company would go down in flames if things were left up to you!"
"Then throw me in the fire. Say what you want about me but leave Belle out of this!"
Marcel arched his back from laughter.
"Then that would bring us back to square one, Jackson. You'd be seen as the cheating playboy who can't be tied down and tamed."
Jackson hated that reputation. It was so far-fetched and the opposite of who he really was.
"Then so be it. As long as Belle's reputation and name isn't burned."
"Is that really what you want? Marcel questioned again. "Everything from the last six months with her would've been for nothing!" He only cared about the company; seeing everything in tunnel vision as the end result and reputation of the Mason Enterprises.
"Not to me," Jackson whispered inaudibly to anyone but himself.
"Fine!" Marcel scowls. "But this will cause damage to the company and bring us back to where we all started. I'm sick and tired of cleaning up your messes. I'll agree to run the story your way on one condition! To save this company I think it's finally time you step down. Leave the company to me and just go on doing whatever it is you want to do with your life!" Jackson weakly raised his head looking at Marcel as he spoke his proposal.
"We'll run the stories together so the media gets sidetracked and off your back once and for all!"

Jackson was tired too. Tired of worrying about the media, tired of having to convince the world he wasn't what they presumed him to be. Tired of fighting with Marcel and proving his capableness and worth when he knew it was all for nothing. Marcel has never and will never think he has what it takes. At the end of the day, the last bit of good he could do for Belle was keep her purity and goodness alive. He never wanted to hurt her, which was why he never went after her. If she wanted her life back and didn't want him, he'd let her live and hoped she was happy.

"Fine. Mason Enterprises is yours. I'm fucking done!"
He grabbed his suit jacket off the couch and didn't bother with anyone or anything before taking off and walking out of the office. He had given up on everything in his life and was officially left with nothing.
He decided to walk the city streets on his way home; meandering through the park contemplating his life. He has nothing left to live for, no company to run, no family left, no one who cares for him.

"Jackson!" he heard her voice from afar and he turned around to see who it was.
"Fauna," he answered her weakly and she could already see his pain written on his face.
"What's wrong, honey? Talk to me." She linked her arm around his and he gushed out everything to her as they spent the afternoon slowly walking through the park together.
"You can't give up hope, Jackson. She had to have a reason."
"What was Charlotte's reason then, huh?" he turned to her stopped their steps back at the entrance of the park as they fully walked the grounds and back.
"I can't answer that for you dear. But Belle is not Charlotte. I know she loves you. I saw it that day in my shop."
Fauna gazed into Jackson's hurt eyes and saw the doubt begin to peek through like a rainbow after the storm.
"You need to go to her, Jackson. Why haven't you?"
He looked down to the ground with a heavy sigh. He wanted to go to her every second of every day that had passed in the last two weeks but there was only one thing that always stopped him.
"I just want her to be happy. And if it's not with me...then...it's not and I'll live with it."
Fauna took her arm from his and lifted his sorrowful chin.
"Jack, honey. You know your mother and I were best friends since we were little girls." Jackson nodded. "She might not have ever told you this but when she met your father, it wasn't an easy road for them. His parents didn't approve of her at first, your father had to work so hard to build the company into what it is today. There were so many opportunities that would've easily torn them apart for good."
"Why are you telling me all this now?" Jackson said weakly with the ache in his heart for the loss of his parents.
"Because your parents were meant to be together. And so are you and Belle. I just know it!" Fauna grazes his cheek lovingly before taking his hands and squeezing them.
"Couples that are meant to be together are the ones who go through every challenge to tear them apart and come out stronger than ever before!" Her radiant smile made his heart warm and he let out a smile that reminded Fauna of his mother.
"Thank you, Fauna." Jackson pulled her in for a hug; feeling better about everything with the simple kindness and love she shared with him.
He walked Fauna back to her dress shop and thanked her once more before taking off. Jack hailed a cab so he could quickly make it home. His mind had been racing since he left Fauna with plans to try and win Belle back.

Once he arrived home, Jackson burst through the doors and straight out back to the greenhouse. Walking in, he felt sad seeing all once lush roses now wilted and practically dead from no tender loving care over the past few weeks. He clipped the few remaining beautiful ones and rushed back in the house, grabbing the necklace he planned to give Belle before heading to the front door to leave again. Just as he swung the door open and before the doorbell could chime, Jack locked eyes on the one thing he'd been dreaming of.
"Belle!"