From Her Perspective (BWWM)

XIX

William Devereaux

Two years ago

I sipped the Mezcal as I felt my grandfather's eyes burn into my forehead.

"Something on your mind?" I asked.

"You have nothing to say for yourself? You were caught with your pants down with the governor's wife. Did you even think about the company?"

"Did I think about the company while I was sleeping with her? No, of course not. I've already apologized. What more can I do?"

"How can I trust you in our business when I retire when you can't conduct yourself properly now?!" he exclaimed as he threw his napkin over his barely touched Peking duck.

"I made a mistake. I didn't realize who she was. What can I do?"

"I am giving you a chance to redeem yourself. You need to fix your reputation,"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm retiring. It's about time I step down. I want your father to take over for me, and you'll take your father's position. You are to clean up your act before that happens,"

"And how do you expect me to do that, Grandfather?"

"I'm giving you a year to find a wife. You need to show the public that you are a changed man. A man who can run this business while also being a loving family man,"

"That's not how it works. You cannot seriously believe that I can find the love of my life in a year,"

"I found your Nana after two months, and it was the best thing that has ever happened to me. It's time to grow up, William," he said as he stood from the table.

Present

I smiled as I picked up the mug from the box. It was one that Ella made for me. I flipped it around to see the note she always left on the bottom of the mugs she gave me.

Made with love and clay, but mostly love.

I have dreaded unpacking this box since moving into my new house. It contains every single gift Ella has made for me. Over the years, they became a painful reminder of how badly I fucked up, but now they are a reminder of the short time I had with the love of my life. I've accepted that there will never be anyone else for me.

I don't know what I was thinking when I thought I could just get into another contractual marriage. I never want to give my name to anyone other than Ella. It already hurts that she's planning on changing her name back to Bradford.

We haven't spoken in almost three months. Not since the morning after the fundraiser when she practically kicked me out of her bed. She didn't even hug me goodbye. We awkwardly shook hands.

A knock at my door pulled me away from my thoughts. My heart raced at the thought of Ella standing behind the door. To my dismay, it was only my pesky, overbearing father.

"Can I help you?" I asked as I folded my arms. He rolled his eyes as if I asked him to come over.

"You aren't going to invite me in?"

"Why are you here?"

"I stopped by your soon-to-be ex-wife's house and wanted to deliver these," he said as he handed me a file. I clenched my jaw as I realized it was our divorce papers.

"Why would you have her sign already? We were going to sign everything together. I'm not even officially filing for another couple of weeks.

"Excuse me for trying to speed up this process. The sooner she's gone, the better," he said. I bit the inside of my cheek before stepping back and slamming the door in his face. I opened the file to see her handwriting over the dotted line. I pulled out my phone and dialed her number.

"Billy?"

"Ella, I didn't send him there. You know I wanted us to do this together, right?"

"It's fine. At least it's done, right? Your father says since it is an uncontested divorce, it'll be finalized within a couple of months,"

"And this is what you want?" I almost whispered, preparing her to break my heart with only one word.

"Yes. This is what we agreed on. This is for the best," she said. I could hear her walking down the stairs.

"So, we just move on with our lives?" I asked with a chuckle as I sat down on the couch.

"We can still be friends. Hey, my brother's here. We'll talk soon, okay?"

"Of course,"

I traced over the words' MARITAL SEPARATION AGREEMENT' with my finger. How is it that I'm the one who put this arrangement together, yet I'm not ready for it to end? I thought Ella and I would be happy together by the end. I never thought I would have to move on with my life without her. I sighed before grabbing a pen from the coffee table and signing my name on the dotted line.

"I'm sorry I wasn't better, Ella,"