Trapped In His Love

5 - Mr. Paynes' Breakfast

I knew that Simone was offended by what I had said, because her eyes darkened in a manner that could only imply that she felt insulted. And then of course, there was the way that she had turned to look at Austin, like she was waiting for him to jump in and take the situation into his own hands. Personally, I failed to see why she would do that. Was she too weak-willed to stand up for herself?

"Austin... Do you think Laela is upset with me for coming here last night? Do you think that you could tell her to stay and have breakfast with us? That way, I'll have the opportunity to apologize to her."

Manipulative.

That was the only word that came to mind as I restrained my anger. Every ounce of my being wanted to lash out at her. Not only had she stolen my husband and the favor of his family, but now she was trying to get him to think that I was the one who was being rude to her? What game was she playing at? She was the one overstepping boundaries into my home.

I was starting to realize that it was true that some people did not need to try very hard to wrap those around them around their pinky fingers. I was watching Simone do it, in person. And even though Austin had been indifferent to my presence since I had come in here, now that Simone had drawn attention to me, he seemed to be more than interested in what was going on.

"Laela. Sit down. I believe that it has been quite some time since we have all sat down and had a meal together."

I clenched my jaw, knowing that no matter how much I wanted to rebel and disagree with what he wanted me to do, I couldn't. I simply couldn't. Austin was someone who I just couldn't say no to, no matter how much I wanted to.

Even though every ounce of my being resented my for it, I sat down on one of the empty chairs, and Colin followed my lead, taking the seat beside me. I was placed in the uncomfortable position where I needed to sit next to Simone—as if sitting at the same table as her wasn't already more than enough to overwhelm me.

"Laela. You should have some eggs."

As soon as she had finished speaking to me, Simone turned back to Austin, capturing his attention immediately. Never in a million years, could I even dare to hope to have a similar effect on him. I could not help but wonder what it would feel like to be loved to whole-ly by a man...

"You promised me that we would spend some time together today, and I have decided what I want to do! Berry Picking! Can you imagine how much fun that is going to be?"

My heart went to stand completely still. Had he somehow managed to forget that he had his grandfather's funeral? Everything suddenly started to fall into place as I came to the realization that this was why Austin had been so willing to skip the funeral. It was because he had already made other plans with Simone, and now he didn't want to cancel it. I mean, look at them!

Colin was watching the scene with as much disdain as I was, and I felt like it was safe for me to assume that he had had the same conclusion as I did, and he realized that his brother was going to skip this funeral.

I didn't even have it in me to stay down here and put up with all of this.

After everything that his grandfather had done for him, Austin was literally about to skip the funeral, simply to spend time with his mistress. How was that fair and right? It wasn't. And no matter what he tried to say or do, I wasn't going to accept it.

In the bedroom

Austin knew that I was walking behind him—I knew that he knew, because I could see the way that he was looking over his shoulder, trying to see what I was doing. It was only when I sat down on the edge of the bed that he turned his attention to me.

"Is there something wrong? A reason why you're following me like a lost bitch?"

Doing my best to overlook his crude choice of words, I squared my shoulders and looked up at him, knowing that he wasn't just going to accept what I had to say without giving me some problems. After all, what reason would be possibly have to listen to me when I was telling him not to do what the woman that he loved, wanted him to do?

"Just in case you're forgetting, you have your grandfather's funeral today. You can't go and pick berries, on a day like this."

He started to fiddle with the zipper of his pants, and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck raise on edge. I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing. I just hoped that he wasn't going to do what I thought he was going to do.

"Since you're so caught up with the funeral, you're welcome to attend it by yourself."

I shook my head, standing up and closing some of the distance between the two of us. He couldn't be saying what I thought he was saying. I refused to believe that he could be so self-centered and caught up in his relationship with Simone. But I was starting to think that he was just going to prove me wrong...

"No. He is your grandfather, Austin. Yours. You need to be the one attending this funeral."

"You will be attending the funeral, representing both of us. And if you plan to skip on it, I will simply send my assistant."

My blood was boiling.

He was talking in a manner that suggested that he was as concerned with this matter as he was with the price of milk—and I could tell you now, that that was not a lot. He didn't even buy milk, so why would he be concerned with it? This was the exact same situation, and I wished for nothing more than the ability to talk some sense into him. I didn't feel that it was right.

"This is what I hate about you! You behave in a manner that implies that everyone is replaceable! Everyone other than your beloved Simone!"

The fact that I was screaming did not bother me at all. He needed to realize how upset I was by all of this. And the fact that he had narrowed his eyes at me, looking like he was fully prepared for this challenge, did not phase me. I was prepared for it too, so I hoped that he was ready for that.

"You are in no position to be giving me summaries on my behavior, Laela. In case you have forgotten, you are my wife. Not my therapist."

Whatever he had been planning to do in the room, must have slipped his mind—or I had just managed to upset him enough in order to get him to decide against doing it. I could do no more than watch the back of his head as he left.

Two years.

Two years and I still couldn't even do so much as convince him to go to a funeral.

Deciding that I had to be the one who had the last say, I squared my shoulders, making sure that I raised my voice enough for him to hear me before he went out of earshot.

"I had to admit that my opinion of you was quite low to begin with, but I never would have guessed that you would drop it even further."

Except, my words didn't have the effect that I had initially hoped for them to have. No. Instead, they seemed to bounce in the space between us, going unheard—unheard by everyone other than the beloved Simone, who had managed to involve herself here as well. She was leaning against the doorframe, watching the retreating figure down the staircase. There was a wicked smile on her face and I could tell that she received immense satisfaction from what was going on?