Love Me? Like You Do.

Chapter 33

Brielle had been running nonstop through the streets for over fifteen minutes. She could barely think properly. Sitting beside Jack the night before, she had realised too many things at once. Tears blurred her eyes as she precariously crossed the busy street, angering other commuters. Several cars almost hit her as she scrambled to get to the other side. The drivers honked and yelled obscenities at her, but she wasn't listening.

Cut it out Brielle, she chastised herself as she rested her back against a building wall. Her legs ached as she finally rested them. You almost died back there.

After all the effort Axky, Paula and even Jack, whether intentionally or not, had put in to rescue her, she couldn't afford to get herself killed so easily. She was safe, unhurt and until moments before had been the fiance of one of the richest men in the planet. So what was her problem?

"To put it simply I'm bloody pissed and I'm not even on my period." concluded Brielle finally embracing the truth. "I love him and he doesn't love me back. I can't be all selfless and understanding about being used. I was just a pawn in a bigger game he's playing."

She was startled out of her reverie when a rather large dog that had appeared in front of her barked loudly. It was a majestic black and white Great Dane. It must have been at least 80 centimetres tall and had a collar around its neck. No owner, however, was in sight. Brielle looked at the dog flabbergasted as it promptly sat down at her feet and wagged its tail.

 "Princess" read the dog's collar as Brielle bent down to see it.

"So you're a girl too." said Brielle affectionately. She had always loved having pets, but had never been able to afford looking after one, not when she was juggling several jobs and college all at once. Princess was looking at her intuitively.

"Your owner must be looking for you." said Brielle patting her head gently. Princess thumped her bushy tail on the ground happily. "Maybe we should wait here. I don't know my way around this place and we'll both probably get lost. I'll take you back to the hospital, the reception can contact the police to check if anyone's searching for you."

Princess seemed to agree as she licked Brielle's hand. Brielle was forced to wipe away the tears that had gathered at the corner of her eyes.

"Oh Princess who was I kidding, thinking that Jack actually loves me?" she said aloud as she hugged herself to keep warm. It was a chilly morning and the sun was nowhere to be seen. Brielle shrugged and sat down on the pavement beside Princess. She was full of troubled thoughts and had no one else to share them with. Princess was a wonderful counsellor as she sat and listened to Brielle pour her heart out as she sobbed. 

I always wondered why he even fancied me. I'm nothing like the girls he dated previously, and there is so much that is unfitting if he stays with me. I don't have a family or a house or money for college. Why would someone like him even want to socialise with a nobody like me unless he had something to gain? He said it himself hadn't he? You're too naive Brielle. Too damn naive.