Before Me

Chapter 18

I really needed fresh air. Everyone pretending everything was okay was so overwhelming.

I stare at the beautiful city view from the balcony,in all honesty I missed LA so much. It reminds me of my teenage years. Riding around the city, going to all types of concerts. Things were fine until she came along and ruin me and my brother, destroying my family all together. Everything was good Before Her

"I knew I'd find you here"I hear someone say behind me startling me a bit.

I turned to see Harriet standing there looking as pretty as ever.

It has been years but she still amazes me with her beauty. No one will compare to her in my eyes, Ireal is beautiful but she isn't as matured as her.

"Well I like the view from here"I tell before looking back.

It feels really weird talking to her again after everything that went down two years ago.

She comes to stand behind me and there was total silence for a while,both of us just enjoying the view.

"Can we talk and have a closure"she says after a while.

"I don't think I want a closure but we can talk. I have alot of questions"I tell her.

She looks up at me and then gently takes my hands,the sparks was still there.

"I am sorry for everything that happened. I wish there was a way to change everything but there isn't. I didn't mean to hurt you that way,you didn't deserve any of it"she says.

"My question is why? Why did you accept to marry him if you loved him? Why did you cheat on me with him if you didn't want to hurt me"I  asked desperately.

"I did love you and I still do but you know I didn't have a choice. My dad wanted that alliance so bad and I didn't want to let him down. I never cheated on you Blake,Blaze said that so you could back off. I don't love him,I love you,I still do so much"she confesses.

"If you loved me,why didn't you run away with like I said. We could have gone away and be happy together"I tell him

"Where could we have gone to? My dad would have found us within hours and what money could we have fend off"she says

"You are thinking about money? I thought I was enough and money wouldn't have been a problem because my mother left me most of her fortune. I could have taken care of you. You left me for money,I can't believe you"I say throwing my hands in the air.

I begun pacing back and forth trying to get my emotions under control.

She grabbed my arms and stopped me,she dragged me closer and lean her forehead against mine,her sweet vanilla scent filled my nostrils, it so different from Ireal's banana strawberry sent.

I gaze into her beautiful blue eyes,they aren't as beautiful and deep as Ireal's but they are beautiful.

Why the heck am I thinking of Ireal right now?

"I love you Blake Harrison,I didn't leave you for money. You are my heart, always has been and always will be. The question right now is do you love me?"she asks with so much hope in her eyes.

"To be honest I tried so hard to get over you but I was just kidding myself. You are the one I love, always has been and always will be"I tell her the truth.

"So why can't we be together then?"she asks

"Because you married my brother"

"We don't even act like married couples,I don't love Blaze,we even sleep in separate rooms. We can be together secretly,no one would know,it will be our little secret"she tells and I looked at her in shock.

She tried to kiss me but I pulled away from her.

"No Harriet,I can't do that to my brother no matter how hard he hurt me. I know he loves you so much. Our relationship is already strained because of you and I don't want it more destroyed by a secret affair"I tell her

"Then you don't love me enough Blake,if you did,you'd consider it. Is it because of your student"she asks and I looked at her confused.

"What are you talking about?"I asked.

"Your student,the blonde with blue eyes,the one in the blue dress"she says and realization dawn onto me.

She was talking about Ireal.

"Why would you say something like that? She is a child for crying out loud. You think I would have an affair with a child. I can't believe you"I lied to her. I did like Ireal but I am still not sure of things right now.

"I am going to give you time to think about this Blake.I still love you and I hope you chose the right thing. We will be coming to San Francisco in a few days and I hope by then you'll make up your mind. I have to go before anyone suspects any,I'll be waiting for you"she tells me and kisses my cheeks before walking away.

Fuck! This so messed up.

Call me dumb but she was mine first. I met Harriet in college and we fell in love,we were even engaged but three months before our wedding I found out she cheated on me with my brother.

Later it was announced they were getting married, I knew my brother loved her ever since I introduced her to the family,the night we had a big fight, physical fight which landed both of us in the hospital,it broke the relationship between my brother and I.

It destroyed our family,they later got engaged and then got married within a month's time. I wasn't at the wedding,I moved to San Francisco the moment they announced their engagement.

I cut ties off with my family for years until my dad called two months ago.

I still love Harriet.