Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 65429 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65429 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 262(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
“What about what I want?”
“Isn’t that what you want?”
“No, you’ve never asked me. Nobody’s ever asked me except for Ethan.”
“So what? He gets a medal for asking you a question?”
“At least he’s interested in my answer.”
“It doesn’t matter!” he roared, getting in my face. “I’m the one who’s been here for the past ten years. I’m the one who’s been fucking you, feeding you, and soon, I’ll be financing you. I’ve always had you. I’m the one who’s marrying you. You’ll be my wife. Mrs. Hunter. His asking you meaningless questions doesn’t change anything. You’re mine. At the end of the day, I have you, and all he has is your pitiful friendship.”
I jerked back, blurting, “The wedding. I’m not marrying you, Beau.”
“What?”
“You heard me. I’m sorry, but I’m not marrying you. I should have never said yes.”
He reached for me. “You don’t mean that.”
I stepped back. “I do. I’ve never meant anything more in my life. You don’t love me, Beau. You just love the way we look together. You love the attention that we gather. You love the idea of me. You’re not in love with me. You have no loyalty to me. It’s my status that you’re after.”
“What the fuck?” he deeply roared again, hovering above me.
At that moment, Ethan slammed the door open. I blinked, and he stood in front of me, placing me behind him.
“You want to try that again?” Ethan threatened with a menacing regard.
“Oh…” Beau nodded with a frenzied expression. “I get it now… you found out, didn’t you?”
I opened my mouth to ask him what he was talking about, but Ethan held his hand out behind him, silencing me. Ethan could always read people, and it was as if he expected Beau would play right into his hands. I guess that was what made him such a great businessman. He knew how to call your bluff.
In one stride, Ethan stepped up to him. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”
“You son of a bitch,” Beau bit, fisting his hands.
Ethan didn’t back down, remaining calm. Almost like a snake about to attack its prey.
“How long have you known? You must have just found out, or she would have already confronted me. How did you do it? Huh? Hire someone to watch me?”
“That’s just the tip of the iceberg.”
“What proof do you have?”
“All the proof I need.”
Beau’s panicked expression shifted back to me. “Elizabeth, let me explain.”
I swallowed hard, playing along like I knew what he was going to confess.
“They mean nothing to me.” He rushed over to me before the last word left his mouth. “Do you understand me? I love you.”
I lifted my eyebrows.
Is he saying what I think he is?
“A man of my caliber is put in situations where it’s expected of him, but, sweetheart, they’re just a fuck.” He grabbed my face. “I come home to you. You’re the one I want to be my wife, my partner, the mother of my children. You’re Mrs. Hunter.”
My mouth dropped open, yanking my face away from his grasp. “You piece of shit! You’ve been cheating on me?”
“Elizabeth, Ethan doesn’t know all the facts—”
“You’re right, you fucking asshole! He doesn’t know shit! You’re the one who just told on yourself!”
Beau’s face immediately paled. “What?”
“I can’t believe you! You were going to marry me after sleeping with other women? Oh my God! While you’re still sleeping with me?!”
Beau glared at Ethan. “You fucking played me?”
“Like a fiddle,” he replied.
“You motherfucker!” He went for Ethan, but I jumped in front of him.
“That’s what you care about? That’s who you’re going to fight with? I just found out you’ve been sleeping around behind my back, and you want to battle it out with Ethan instead of with me? You’re a shameless piece of shit!” I pushed him as hard as I could. “How dare you use me?”
“Use you?! You really want to play that card? We’ve been using each other!”
“Screw you! I may not be in love with you, but I still love you, Beau! I respect you, while you obviously have none for me.”
“Elizabeth, you need to understand. It’s just the way it is. You think your father has been faithful to your mother all these years? Every man at our status fucks around. It’s nothing. It’s just sex. There’re things I won’t ask of you because I respect you, so there’s that.”
“Oh…” I faintly nodded. “It’s my virtue you respect. How ironic. What? Do you want me to thank you? You’re unbelievable if you think that you deserve that. And just for the record.” I pushed him again. “I know in my heart my father would never cheat on my mother! I don’t care what sick and twisted things you’ve conjured up to excuse your infidelity, but if you think for one second that I’m going to accept your ridiculous excuse and actually marry you, then you’re a bigger asshole than I think you are!”