Bestfriend or Best Lover

FIFTY NINE: ACCIDENT

Belle's POV

When I exit, the hallway is completely clear. I walk to his office, bypassing the empty secretary desk, and pull open the heavy door.

The sight that greets me almost brings me to my knees, and it would have if I hadn't had my hand still on the door to brace me.

There, in the middle of Arden's office, completely naked, is Dominique. The secretary. Arden is on the sofa, his face turned away, but I can see his tie is undone and his shoes are off. His suit looks worn and wrinkled. Dominique just stares at me in shock.

"You can have him." I'm not even sure how I get the words out. I turn, fleeing the office. I hit the elevator button and luckily it slides open immediately. I take it all the way down in a trance, trying to hold myself together. You will not break like this. I suck in a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

"Mrs. Langley, Ma'am," Glenn calls after me, seeing the tears running down my face. I grab the first taxi I see and head straight home. I don't stop to think about what I'm doing. It feels like I'm in shock. I pack a bag in record time, scribble a note, and shoot a quick text to Lizzie on the kitchen counter. I didn't even bother checking on the twins. I can't right now, I felt like I'll burst into tears.

"God, you're so naïve," I whisper to myself.

I'm thinking of taking the subway to the train station, to buy a ticket on my credit card, and pull out as much cash as my cards will allow. I want to get away for a little while and get my head on straight before I face him. I know he'll track me down and find me if I don't cover my tracks well enough.

I then grab a cab to the bus station. Arriving at the bus station, I paid the cab driver and open the door to get out. I barely hear the sound of the car before I feel someone grab me, falling down on the concrete, and everything goes black.

***

Arden's POV

I wake up with a start, looking at my watch and seeing I overslept. I stretch my neck, trying to work out the kink from sleeping on this damn couch. I just meant to lie here for a few minutes before I left to go home. I've been sleeping so poorly lately that I needed just a quick nap to try to catch up.

The merger went smoothly, but this week have been hell. I've been working myself to the bone every night. I never get to see Belle more often as I want, even our lunch date I needed to cancel, so at night when I go home, all I want to do is make love to her, needing a taste of her to hold me over, hoping it would be enough not to missed her much and the kids.

Then, when she passes out, I spend the rest of the night just holding her and watching her sleep. I can't help it. I'm obsessively in love with her. It can't be healthy, but I gave that fight up a long time ago. It is what it is. There's no fighting this need I have for her.

I'd learned that early on. She's my addiction. In my every thought and every action. Making me want and crave things I never thought I wanted. I don't want to waste a minute when I'm with her, least of all waste it sleeping. I keep telling myself I'll sleep when I'm dead, but it's starting to catch up to me.

I've got a big weekend planned, though, and if I can just make it through until then, it will all be perfect. I've been training my replacement the past four months, getting him in here and showing him all that I do, he's one of the VP and share holders that need to step up as acting CEO. It's taken us long hours. Planning everything down to the last detail, all while wrapping up work. For good.

I didn't want her to wilt and resent me for isolating her or the kids. So I worked hard and tried to hold myself back, telling myself that it was for her and our kids so that she could be happy. No woman wants her husband to suffocate her, right?. If it was up to me, it would be the two of us with the kids in our own home away from the city. I selfishly want her all to myself. The thought of being locked up with her in a house by the ocean and never leaving sounds like a dream come true.