Marriage of convenience

Chapter 47

Shamelessly putting it, I made a mad dash out of the elevator once it reached the ground floor, leaving Ray behind because I was in no state to maintain my composure after what he said.

I love you.

This was a sentence which sounded like atom bomb blasting when heard at a wrong time, but sounded like sweet melody when heard right.

I heard it at a very wrong time. Just when I was willing Ray to go away from my life, he barged back in, and with full force to boot. Now I was a blithering and blubbering mess, with a tomato in place of a face and cables for legs.

Once I reached the restroom, I locked myself in a stall, trying to compose myself. What in the hell was I supposed to do about Ray?

I looked at my phone ringing and saw that it was Hunter.

"What's up? Where are you?" he asked.

"There was an emergency I needed to attend, I don't think I can meet you right now," I lied on the phone, unable to look Hunter in the eyes. I could never keep something so big from him without looking embarrassed.

"Is everything okay? Are you alright?" He asked, sounding worried.

"I am fine. It is just something about work," I lied once again. "Listen, I will see you later, okay? Bye!" I said and hung up immediately. Just how many times was I going to lie to him?

I came out from the restroom, solely focused on getting back to my room. I didn't feel like I had enough energy or patience to entertain more people. But as soon as I almost was outside the lobby, Ray had caught hold of me.

"Trying to avoid me again?" he asked.

"Trying to go home," I said.

"But you said you had to meet Hunter?"

"How does that bother you?" I asked. "I don't know what you're playing at, Ray. We've even signed our divorce papers. You didn't like me back then and you have no right to be coming at me this way. I've already felt my heart break once and I can't let it happen all over again. We are done, Raymond Kingsley. I hope you get it to your thick head!" I sneered at him, and turned around to go away. But the person in front of me made it a little difficult for me to do so.

"Hunter?"

"You were married?" he asked, disbelief evident in his face.

"Hunter, wait I can explain!" I said, but he didn't hear me.

"Ray, I thought we were best friends. Couldn't you tell me something like this?"

"We did not get married on purpose. It happened by mistake," Ray tried to explain.

Mistake.

He still thinks it was a mistake.

"Yes, it was a mistake and we tried fixing it by getting a divorce. We no longer are in any sort of relationship, except in a professional sense. I hope this is clear to you," I glared at Ray. This entire thing was a mistake, and Ray put it so aptly. Falling for him despite our circumstances was a mistake of mine, and all the emotional baggage I carried around for him was also a mistake. But I was not going to do the same thing again. I didn't want to get involved with Ray.

Ray sighed as I walked away from them, but Hunter was by my side in no time.

"I promise that I'll take you to a nice place, far from here," he said, and I wordlessly followed. Our secret that we tried to keep safe all these years was finally out. I did not know what kind of explanation I was going to give Hunter, but somewhere deep in my heart, there was a relief. It was as if a heavy load was lifted from my shoulders after so many years. I would not have to lie anymore and live my life freely, even if it means the freedom is limited only to one person.