The Addiction

The Addiction - Chapter 3 Pt 2

Present

Amanda POV:

I don't know how long I stayed in that room for, but I felt like punching Elize's face when he opened the door. Just giving him a full knuckle sandwich to the jaw. Throwing him out the window or through the roof; just anything to show him how annoyed I felt. However, I quickly calmed myself down because thinking that way is sinful, but I still was so unwittingly upset; not even so much at Elize anymore, but at that girl. 

I don't know what it is, but every time I picture them together a combination of bitterness and pain erupts in my head and I can't get it to go away.

So when I am standing face to face with him near the entrance of the room door, I can't stand to even look him in the eye. 

What I do notice is his posture. Elize looks disheveled, as if his witty personality has completely left his body. 

"My grandma has left. I am sorry about that but she had... important business to take care of. Uh, we still have company though. Like to come back out?" I nod my head, faking nonchalance. 

I know what company he meant. That girl, Chloe. Even though I'm gravely upset, I still feel anxiety with having to meet her. 

This is my situation, I'm LIVING with Elize. A few months ago he had found me in a church where I was residing thanks to Pastor Jim.  I only had a few hundred dollars left from flying all the way to Los Angeles and gaining a very small studio apartment, so the church was my only option.  I'll get into that more later though. 

Right now, if Chloe is really pregnant with Elize's baby, he might kick me out. His family has always pressurized him to find a woman with abundant amounts of money to marry and help take care of their business.

Since Chloe's currently holding his child, there isn't much of a choice for him. My heart squeezes at rapid images of Elize and Chloe together, and I find myself having a wrenching longing as Elize leads me through his long ivory/crimson hallway.

I have a urge to tell him what I know, but I instead keep it to myself since he would probably see it as a breach of privacy. 

"Chloe...?" Elize questions.  As we walk into the living room my mouth plummets to the floor. Chloe is in the see in kitchen with a bottle of champagne in her hand and a cork in the other.  She turns around in surprise when she senses us there, her red painted duck lips forming a naive oh.

"What are you doing?" I ask rapidly, my eyes not detaching from the alcohol in her hand.

"Chloe, put it down. You know you're not supposed to be drinking." Elize walks into the kitchen and gently seizes it from her grip while she pouts. 

"Oh come on. One little cup isn't going to hurt." I stare at her makeup smeared face in exasperation and disbelief. I've never seen or even heard of a pregnant woman drinking, especially since my parents have barred me from even taking a sip more than the recommended for church.

"I'm not doing this with you." Elize growls, forcefully putting the bottle back into his fridge. 

I feel so out of place again. I look between them, waiting for them to even partially acknowledge my present. Elize finally turns towards me and sighs, clearly agitated with the situation. He brushes his robust hand through his dark hair, his shoulders slump. 

"Amanda, sorry. This is Chloe. We were good friends before." I'm sure you were.

She flashes a artificial smile as she extends her olive hand loosely.

"Hello, nice to meet you Amanda. Sorry, but I don't know much about you." I grind my teeth silently as I mirror her smile and shake her hand.

"I can say the same for you." I respond. She cocks her head to the side and gives a small belittling chuckle. I feel like telling her that Elize had kissed me about 5 times and me and him are practically a thing, but I don't know how to phrase it without it coming out as discourteous. 

Instead I break eye contact and stare carelessly at the television program showing a episode of Jewelry Finders. Elize notices this and claps his hands together awkwardly, grabbing back both our attention. 

"Why don't we go and sit down. We can relax and watch some tv or something." I nod my head reluctantly as he walks over to his living room lucent white sofa, but instead of joining him, Chloe stares at me in a challenging tone which causes me heart to beat faster. What can I do when a pregnant lady is watching me down? 

"Wait, me and Amanda here aren't done getting to know each other." She says, folding her arms over her bulging stomach. My shoulders tense involuntarily at the mention of my name. 

"I just have a few questions. Like how did you get know Elize? Are you a close friend of his?" 

My mouth feels as dry as sandpaper as I scratch my brain for a response. I find myself stuttering as my cheeks and ears gather a crimson hue. Despite my clear uneasiness, Chloe stands patiently still, as if she was drinking every drop of my anxiety with callous in her eyes. I was expecting cold stone daggers to burst from her stare and impale me in the heart, as overblown as it sounds. 

Instead Elize voice jumps in from the middle of the room, where his luxurious couch lay with him in it. 

"Its non of your business Chloe." He sighs, adjusting his crossed leg to the other. 

Silence envelopes us for a second as her dark eyes wander over my frame with mirth. 

She's enjoying messing with me. I believe she already knows. I look down timidly, guilt spreading across my chest like a burn. My entire life I was conditioned to not get close to men that would want to do anything other then prayer. In my head, I am breaking the most important rule that my parents had established in that household, and I felt the crashing realization strike me from just one devilish look from Chloe's eyes. 

"Alright." She finally says, a smile hiding the acid in her voice. 

"Well I suppose I should introduce myself as well. I'm Chloe Renegal, the daughter of the man who created Renegal jeans and jackets. I was given my father's company at the age of 19..." She waddles out the kitchen while both her hands lay securely over her stomach. She then precedes to sit down on a skinny chair set close to the entrance. Wait, the daughter of Renegal Jeans and  Jackets? She must have millions? I shrink into myself, realizing that I really wasn't matched with her. 

"And been doing well every since. Welp, except for you know." She points to her bulbous stomach which makes me want to steal a look at Elize, but I swiftly stop myself. 

"This I didn't plan for, but well, god probably intended for this to happen so, I just keep thanking my lucky stars everyday. " She suddenly turns and flashes her  pearly whites at Elize much to my dismay. 

So she's rich and pregnant with Elize's baby... I count the hours I have left before I'm thrown on the street with bitter tears streaming down my face. I can already imagine it; Elize with his  strapping arm around Chloe's waist, her smirk belittling me into utter humiliation . 

I breath in deeply and ask to be excused to the bathroom. 

"Oh sure no problem." She smirks, taking the time to savor that she's won. 

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