Marriage with 'The Beast'

Chapter 34 - I'm better off myself.

"Excuse me?" I yelled shooting out of my seat. 

He stood as well, giving me a sympathetic look, and taking a step towards me. I definitely did not need his sympathy. 

He continued to rest his hand on my shoulder, "it's okay." He sighed, "I've been wanting to tell you that I don't care that you have his baby. It's okay. But he's not worth your time. Or anyone's time. We can get through this together. We'll get married and have the entire pregnancy done secretly at home. Then we'll hide the baby for a couple of months and then announce him or her as if it's mine and not a bastard." 

I winced, I was shocked and confused at first. But now I just felt hurt. It was encasing my body. A bastard child? He would take it as if it's his? It sounded like he would be doing me a favor. 

I felt disgusted, even though I wasn't pregnant. How could he even think that I was pregnant in the first place? I opened my heart to him and told him how strongly I felt about sex before marriage, and he just assumes that I... and with Scott?! 

I'd never felt so horrible and repulsive before, and let's be honest, there have been quite a lot of times where I've felt like trash. How could he think of me like that? 

I was sure that Scott must've spun a lie and told him that somehow, but I'd hoped that our relationship and connection was strong enough for him to realize that I would never do something like that.

I'd known that Mason had a past with many flings, but I must've underestimated his cheap thoughts because only someone like that would think that a woman like me would give into that kind of "temptation" that fast. 

I grit my teeth and fisted my hands, causing my nails to dig into the soft skin of my hand. Instead of acting as aggressively as I felt, I pushed his hand off of my shoulder. 

I turned around, so I wouldn't face his pitiful face. "I can't believe you," I spat. "I don't need your help. I'm better off myself," I retaliated, trying to hold myself together. He looked baffled. As if he hadn't expected me to decline his proposal. Hah, who asks to marry someone like that?! Actually, he didn't even ask me! He just told me! I'm not a puppet in some skit that'll just follow his instructions. Does he not know me yet? Well, he obviously doesn't! 

Just then, my eyes caught onto the glass door. There was a large mass of people outside chatting amongst themselves. I didn't let Mason say anything, "you need to leave. I don't care how. But you have to." I ordered, before opening the door. I wished I looked better. "Hello, is something the matter?" I asked a larger gentleman standing directly in front of me.

"Well, all of us folks here were woken up by the car crashing out there." He jerked his thumb behind him, not looking too impressed. 

"Yes, I'd like to personally apologize for that inconvenience. The man in there is the one who was involved in the crash, he's not in his senses and is in emotional trauma." That's right. Most definitely not in his senses. I cleared my throat, "I am doing my best to resolve this issue and get everything cleaned up before the check out time."

He rubbed his chin before staring at Mason sitting a few feet behind me. He shrugged before a woman poked her head from behind him. She looked a lot like him, "I know you didn't have control over what happened. But it was still an awful inconvenience to us sleeping folk with children and such who paid money to get a peaceful night's sleep." 

I smiled, man, I hope they don't write bad reviews online. "Of course Ma'am, I completely understand. Even though we couldn't have known this was going to happen, I want to see all of you happy and satisfied. So, I will include breakfast at the Mcdonald's across the street, on us. Along with an extended checkout, to noon rather than 10 am." 

She grinned, looking pleased with my offer. The group started to murmur amongst themselves. "Yes, that'll do just fine. Thank you. Now we better head back to our rooms." She yawned before the entire group dispersed rapidly behind the doors of their rooms. 

I breathed a sigh of relief, "oh yeah that's on you. I'll send you the bill for their breakfast and also the cleaner's rush fee. That's the least you could do." I directed toward Mason in a sour tone, before tucking myself behind the main desk. 

Mason eyed me curiously with one eyebrow propped up. 

"Now leave." I motioned with my hand for him to head out the door. 

"What's happening?" He finally muttered.

I rubbed my hands over my eyes. "Honestly, I'm tired. I don't have time to deal with you. I need to talk to the Mcdonald's across the street, and get your hunk of metal off of my parent's property-" I started explaining when I was interrupted by him shaking his head.

"No, I know, but what about us?" 

 "Oh, did you not hear? I'm better off myself." I repeated confidently. 

"But...I... What about our marriage?" He stammered looking at different directions.

"Yeah, I don't accept your proposal." 

"I don't understand. We are basically married." 

"Uh uh, no I never signed the papers. I might've signed the binding contact before, but no, it's not applicable now. Our wedding is off. I don't need your charity." 

He was trying to come up with something else to say, but I just didn't have the energy to deal with any more of his drama. He started it, now I was going to play with it until he finds out the truth. What did I have to lose now? Nothing. I'd apparently already lost my respect and morals. Now there are only things I can gain now. 

"I'm closing the office for the night. Since you're not leaving. I'll leave. You can sleep there." I finally concluded, already getting up and leaving. 

I let out a large breath I'd been holding in when I closed the door behind me. I walked across the street to the open 24/7 Mcdonald's and handed them a couple of hundreds. "This is the advance, I'll get you the rest after you get me the bill. Thanks, man." I shook the young owner's hand as he nodded, "no big deal." 

On the walk back I called four towing services. The lucky fourth one agreed to come around at 8 am and move the cube-shaped car out of the entrance and parking area and move it aside. 

My eyelids were heavy with exhaustion when I instinctively looked through the large window of the main office. My heart squeezed in my chest as I noticed Mason sitting hunched uncomfortably on one of the chairs with his head resting on the hard arm and his leg twisted oddly. It looked uncomfortable and painful. 

I tried to stop myself.

But I'm a human, a caring human. A human that loved and cared for that hurting human in there.

So... I opened the door and pulled Mason to his feet. He was still half asleep and barely noticed me pulling most of his weight, as his head rested on my shoulder and his arm sprawled across my back. His legs wobbled as I guided him to my room, which thankfully wasn't far. 

I pushed him onto the bed and pulled off his shoes before pulling the blanket over his unusually cold body. I set my hand on his forehead and hoped that he wasn't going to get sick again.

There was no sign of a fever, so I started to move off the bed but found my hand captured with his. 

My body craved to be next to his under those sheets but I wouldn't. I couldn't. However the truth was that I hadn't been able to sleep without him recently. I hated it more now. 

I hurriedly and carefully fidgetted with his fingers, trying to wriggle them away from mine, but I stopped at the ring finger. My eyes teared up slightly when I noticed that he still had two rings on, one from our engagement and the other from our "marriage". My emotions got the best of me as I slid the wedding band off slightly for it to reveal my name imprinted in his skin. 

Why are there so many mixed emotions? Why is everything so confusing in my life? 

I slowly peeled away the ring finger along with the pinky before running out of the room. I couldn't stand being there any longer. 

I shut the door and returned to the main lobby where I set an alarm on for 7 am and struggled to fall asleep on the chair.