The One She Needed

Chapter 14

RAQUEL

Blood

So much crimson

Seeping from my nose making a trail down to my chin staining Derek's office floor in my agony.

He didn't mean it.

At least that's what he claimed. However, that still won't reduce the embarrassment and pain I felt when I saw him bury himself deeply in Serena on his own desk.

Out of all the women in the world, he just had to go for her.

When I walked in on them tonight, I wanted to discuss something important with him only to find him hitting his peak in my mortal enemy.

I expected him to seem a bit apologetic for being so sloppy, I at least thought us getting married will cause him to refrain from his habits. What I hadn't anticipated as I yelled my lungs out at him, calling him and her names was the large fist to collide with my face accompanied by some more punches and kicks.

He loves me

He loves me... not

I rip each petal on the limp flower between my fingers hoping to land luck to my side-

I still fall short

I now wonder to no one in particular how I allowed myself here, to accept a man wrapped in shards of thorns whom each time I hug, I wound up pricked on some part of my soul. I work on emotions, from the time I had sex with Alex it was all on emotion. Somehow after that happened I switched off said emotions and worked with the logical side to things. Even though I still yearned for him, even more considering what I found out recently.

It had only been days ago, yet I will never forget the fresh image in my mind upon seeing pictures of Alex and I together at the ball and some more pictures of us leaving the restaurant we hung out at displayed across gossip sites. With the success came prying eyes, watching your every move and I received looks from people in my office who whispered delicately.

What is she doing with someone like him?

Yet she has one of the most eligible bachelors in her corner.

More friends gave me funny looks, silently judging me for being so insane in choosing him of all people as my friend

"He wasn't two-faced or shallow like you all," I had once wanted to say when they asked me if what the tabloids were saying was true.

My publicist, Janine had been in panic mode, afraid some scandal was about to inflame the scope of killing the brand I had built. My mother had been rather colourful in her vocabulary when more information had been uncovered about Alex. The icing on the cake came when it was revealed just who he was and how old he was.

My father had been trying to call me, I'm sure he was just as curious to hear if the tantrum I know mother threw was just her being dramatic or true. And I had yet to return any of his calls, still scared to face my father's judgement. I felt I had to mentally prepare myself before I went to see him.

Derek had been livid and in as much as I tried to downplay the nature of my relationship with his assistant, he had me cornered when he asked if I still loved him. But after being in Alex's arms...

I should have told him I never did.

Nor should I have lied that I still do, in order to prove it, he asked me to marry him. Maybe it had been the looks I got and the pitiful glares I attained along with the sudden pressure to gain peoples approval, to everyone Derek and I was a perfect match. A perfect couple. We made sense together.