Love Is A Battle Field (Fourth Part of "Love In The Spotlight") MJ Fantasy

Chapter 17: Flashback Part 2

Zoe's POV

I shuffled through the drawers frantically, like I have been for the past 30 minutes. "Where the fuck is it?" I worried. I need it. I'll never forgive myself if I don't find it.

I closed the drawers and moved my search to the nightstand, scattering things around.

I heard Michael's voice from outside of the room and panicked. I began looking around the room for somewhere to hide, but quickly realized that if I hid I would probably have to stay there for a while. Shit.

I'll just slide out of the room and hide in a hall closet until he comes in here, I decided. With no other choice, I scrambled to the door and pulled it open quietly.

"Oh, I didn't know you were here..." Michael said, his hand outstretched as if he were about to open the door.

Dammit. Great plan, Zoe. "Well, um-
I..." I stuttered. I can't believe I got caught in here.

He scrunched his eyebrows. "What are you doing here, exactly?"

"Uh..." I trailed off, trying to find a reasonable answer. I could just tell him the truth, but for some reason I feel the need to lie. Maybe because I feel like I got busted.

He looked past me and to the nightstand, which was wrecked, and to the dresser, which had clothes sprawled all over it.

"Are you... looking for something?" He asked, moving past me and into the room.

I sighed and gave up on lying. "Yes..."

"For what?"

"My grandmother's ring. I can't find it anywhere..."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well it's not here."

My face twisted in confusion. "How do you know?"

"Because I would've seen it..."

I rolled my eyes. "But it could be under the bed, in a drawer, anywhere. I doubt you would've seen it."

He started readjusting his clothes that I had thrown out of the dresser drawers. "I'll keep an eye out for it, alright?"

I shook my head. "I can't leave here without it."

He sighed. "I don't know what to tell you, then..."

I scoffed. Why is he dismissing this like it's not a big deal? He knows how much that ring means to me. It's like my good luck charm. My grandmother would be so disappointed if she knew I lost it.

"I need the ring, Michael."

He turned to me with a slightly frustrated look on his face. "I have not seen the ring. If I see it, I will let you know. I can't make it appear out of thin air."

Realizing he was right, I became discouraged. I fought back tears. "I can't believe I lost it..."

His expression softened a little. "How about you just stay and look for it? I don't mind..."

I sniffled. "I can't. I have an audition in two hours.... I've never gone to an audition without it...."

He nodded in understanding, walking towards me. "Well you can always use your wedding ring as a temporary replacement. That way you'll at least feel like you have it."

I looked away from quickly, hiding my left hand behind my back. "Uh, sure I guess...."

He noticed my reaction and reached for my left hand, holding it up in front of him. He gasped quietly when he saw my bare ring finger.

"You took it off..."

Well this is awkward. "I... Um-"

"You must be with him, then." He said, dropping my hand. "I can't believe it... Barely two weeks and you're already with him?"

I took a deep breath, hating the uncomfortable position that I was in. "That's not why I don't have it on..."

"But you're with him, right?" He questioned.

Hell, what's the point in lying? "Yes."

He clenched his jaw. "We're still married, Zoe..." He said softly.

I gulped. "I know that. Brandon and I aren't even in a serious relationship."

"You're seeing him, though. Two weeks and you've moved on. This must've been your plan all along."

I scoffed. "There was no plan, Michael. I told you about him before..."

He raised an eyebrow. "You say that as if I should've seen it coming... As if I should be okay with my WIFE taking off her wedding ring and being with another man..."

I looked at my feet. "I guess... I mean... I'm sorry, okay?"

He snorted. "Sorry..."

I sighed. "This would be a lot different if you would just sign the papers..."

He gave me a disgusted look. "I'm not signing divorce papers when we haven't even been separated for a whole month."

I rolled my eyes. "The time has nothing to do with it. We've already split up, I've already left, I've already taken my things, so just sign the fucking papers..."

He seemed taken aback. "I come home and find you going through my things, find out that you're not wearing my ring, and that you've moved on, yet I haven't cursed at you once. You have no right to speak to me that way."

My mouth hung slightly open. That caught me off guard.

"What'd you do with the wedding ring, Zoe?" He asked.

I almost stopped breathing. Oh shit. "Why?"

"I'd like to have it, since it doesn't mean anything to you..."

I swallowed a lump in my throat. "I'm not exactly sure where it is..."

His face fell. "You got rid of it, didn't you?"

Dammit, he knows me too well. I shook my head in shame. "I'm sorry... I didn't know you'd want it..."

He rolled his eyes. "Well maybe we can still get it back... Unless you flushed it or something..."

I cast my eyes to the ground. I am a major asshole. Usually Michael is the asshole of our arguments, but this time it's definitely me. God, I screwed up this time.

His eyes widened. "Zoe, you flushed it?!"

"I'm sorry-"

"What the fuck? That's so childish of you..."

I remained silent.

He stared me down for a few more seconds before smacking his lips. "Can you leave now? You have an audition, right?"

"Well, yeah..."

"Okay, you should get going."

I nodded and turned to leave. Well this is strange. This is the first time Michael actually asked me to leave. Usually he's begging me to stay.

"Oh, one more thing!" He called after me. "I'll look for your grandmother's ring, and if I find it..."

I turned to face him with hope in my eyes.

"I'll be sure to flush it..."