I Wasn't Her

Part 3

Alaire~

"He made you upset? How dare he?! That no good, crusty, dried out, bald headed-" I cut him off. "Dad! Calm down, I just wanted to come see you." He shook his head. "I know when my baby is upset. What did he do?"

I feel like a kid running to my dad with my problems. I shouldn't be doing this. "Tell me, or I'll go to him myself." He threatened. "It's not that serious, I just feel like- dad, have you ever went to these business parties with Westly?" His eyes squinted.

"Well of course I have." So Verna wasn't just making this up. "I always ask Westly why you're never there but he brings up some excuse about you not being comfortable around all those people."

That was news to me. "He said that?"

He nodded his head. "He said that he didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable about around all those men-"

"Uncomfortable?"

"Yeah, he didn't want to leave you in an unfamiliar place while he makes deals with other people at the party." My heart sank a little because at this assumption. "He brings his secretary Alissa Benjamin. Sweet young woman, she really works for her money." Alissa? I've only seen her a few times around him but she was really professional.

"Why are you asking all these questions? Was he lying? Do I have to make someone disappear again?" He glared at me with rage in his eyes. 

What does he mean again?

"God no, please just calm down, you might spike your blood pressure again. I was just asking because- because I told him to keep it a secret but he obviously didn't want my father to worry too much about me."

He frowned a little but let it go. "If you say so." I touched his shoulder. "But I feel a little better about it now." Dad nodded his head. "Well, I'm glad you are. There's one coming up to celebrate Appius Domain Enterprises. Luca handed his son the business almost a year ago and stocks are through the roof, it doubled in eight months than it did in the last year."

I forced a smile, praying he didn't see it. "Thank you for telling me, daddy." I kissed his cheek before he stood up. "Absolutely no problem, my everything." He took me to my car. "Well be safe, I'm going out with Luca and a few others, we're going golfing in Iceland. We'll be back in time for the celebration."

"Be safe and don't let that anger of yours get the best of you. I love you." He blew me a kiss before heading back inside. Why did he have to lie like that? What was the meaning behind that whole story?

~

~

"That's what he said?" Verna gasped at me, leaning over the table as she set up for our board meeting. "I don't know what to do, Verna. Why would he make up something like that? I never said any of that before."

I stacked my papers at the podium as she placed the water bottles out. "What do you think he's hiding?" She grinned evilly but I was already on the verge of tears because of this. Was there a reason he didn't want me coming? Did I embarrass him in some sort of way?

Veena realized and gave me a big hug. "I'm sorry, I should have realized how much this was bothering you. I should have been more sensitive to the situation." She soothed me. Her hand rubbed my bac gently, handing me a water. 

"I know that we have to get through this but it's not the time. I need strong business woman, Alaire right now. You have to pitch this idea and it has to be flawless." She encouraged me while rubbing my shoulders aggressively. I slapped her hand away and she quickly apologized. 

"You're right. This can wait for later but right now, my job comes first." Verna cheered quietly before opening the door for my clients.

~

~

When I arrived home, I saw Westly's car in the garage. Excitement ran through me but it died when I remembered I was angry at him for lying. I marched at the car, heading instead to see a candle lit dinner, soft music playing in the background, red roses on the counter. What's all this?

I placed my bag down to feel his arms wrap around me, his scent filled my nostrils as I leaned into him. "I'm sorry for running out on you that night. Let me make it up to you." I was angry about something, I knew I was angry, but for what?

He guided me up the rose filled steps, into the bathroom, where warm, bubbly water waited for me. He stripped me naked, his eyes never left mine, as he rubbed his rough hands all over me. "Feeling relaxed?" I lazily nodded my head.

"Good."

Once he was finished, he took me downstairs, where we sat and had a meal together. "So you got him to sign?" He nodded, sipping his wine. "It was the fastest deal I've made in a long time." He grinned.

"I also got a de-" He cut me off. "Oh there's this restaurant that we have to visit when we go there next year, the food there is amazing."

"Uh, what do you mean next year?" He looked at me like I lost my mind. "For our anniversary. I said I wanted to go Paris for our ninth year." He cut his stake, chuckling. "But we've been there so many times, I wanted to visit Trinidad and Tobago or maybe Jamaica." He blew a sigh before shrugging.

"We'll see when the time comes." Was all he said and the room went quiet. I bounced my leg, contemplating whether I should bring it up or not. 

"Why did you lie?" Was the first thing that came out my mouth. Westly choked on his stake, his eyes glancing at me. "W-What?" He wiped his mouth with his napkin before looking at me fully. "What did I lie about?" He rushed out.

"I was talking to my friend Veena and she brought up a point to me abou-" He rolled his eyes leaning back. "We were having such a good time and you bring up the woman that's jealous of you?" I frowned at him. "She's not jealous of me, she's looking out for me."

He rolled his eyes at me. "Right and I'm the tooth fairy." I crossed my arms at him. "Would you just listen to me?" He shook his head. "Absolutely not, I refuse to listen to anything you heard from that woman who can't even keep a man."

I gasped at him. "She has nothing to do with this! Stop insulting her!" I never raised my voice at him before but he crossed the line. 

"I went to see daddy today and h-" He cut me off once more. "Did he knock some sense into you?"

I blinked at his words. "Chose what you say to me next very carefully, Westly Bennet Knight." I was livid to the point where I was shaking. I rarely get angry and he was pushing all the wrong buttons at this point. His shoulders tensed up before raising his hands in surrender.

"Fine, I'm sorr-"

"Daddy told me about your business parties that they hold." I cut him off and his jaw clenched as I spoke. "He said that I told you that I was uncomfortable around those men. I don't even remember telling you anything at all since I have never even heard of these events you go to."

He sat there quietly. "I lied to dad about knowing everything because he was this close to killing you." I placed my thumb and index close together as an example. "So you better tell me why that you have been lying to me all this time and you better tell me now."

He looked at me dead in my eyes. "Fine."