Errand Girl

Chapter 44

"A dating contract?" His puzzled eyes create a pang of guilt in my chest.

With a slightly quivering voice, I try rationalising my extreme decision. "I can't let things continue the way they are and you're too prone to doing things however you want. With a new contract, at least I'll have some assurance."

"Brie, I won't be that awful of a boyfriend," he said with a sigh, bemused that we're even having this conversation.

"No Edward, that's where you're wrong. You'll be too good to me." I can't help but smile, I wasn't actually going to be a callous bitch and put him through something like that, but I needed to make a few things clear; even Edward Bradford needs boundaries.

"Meaning?"

Sighing, I look at his wounded face with my own pained expression. "I can't stay in this new apartment and I won't accept a new wardrobe or getaways to private islands. It only makes me feel indebted to you."

"That's the last thing I want you to feel, other than pain of course."

"That's why I'm going to finish this Errand Girl contract before writing up a new one."

"And you won't believe me, if I say I'll promise not to be so impulsive and prevent you from writing this contract?"

Now that I've gotten the gritty emotions out of the way, there was something else still present that kept this wall between us. It's something I've known for a long time but never admitted to. I wanted to bring it up plenty of times but didn't, since it's something that I've wanted him to confess to. "You can if you admit to something," I added lightly, my voice low.

"What?"

"Admit you set up this whole thing so I'd fail Yamato-San's event, in order to get me to be your Errand Girl," I declared coolly, amusement bubbling within me as I look up to see shock written all over him from head to toe.

"...How did you...when did you...there's no way for you to..."

"Honestly, Yamato-San told me everything himself and I kept it a secret this whole time. You cheated and thought I'd never know."

Frowning, he looks at me sheepishly. You'd think the man would feel guilty for what he did but he's recovered from the shock, curiosity replacing it. "Then why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I wanted to know why you cheated. I was going to rat you out and cry to Nick, spilling everything, but I didn't expect to fall for you." Shrugging, my lips form into a hard line. It was nice to have the upper hand for once, seeing Edward this frazzled and annoyed gives me a morbid kind of pleasure.

Part of me hates myself for holding back the truth while the other half of me doesn't feel remorse for my actions; running errands, sleepless nights, and fighting like cats and dogs has done enough damage to last me a lifetime.

"Yeah, I admit it. I did cheat, but I had good reasons."

Scoffing, my mouth hangs open in disbelief, the power I thought I wielded vanishing already. "Right..."

"I wasn't going to let the girl I've always liked walk out of my life for the millionth time." Spreading out his hands in a dramatic motion, he simply nods and gives me a sorrowful look, expecting me to understand.

"So your idea to make me stay was to torture me further into a form of modern slavery?" I asked acidly, my eyes narrowing.

Laughing shakily, Edward throws an arm around my shoulder, dragging me towards a cab. "Not one of my brightest ideas, but I couldn't resist. It sounded really fun."

"That's just sick, wait till your mother hears about this," I hissed threateningly, my mind already picturing the shock on the poor woman's face.

Screeching to a halt, he gives me a horrified look. "WHAT? You can't tell on me!"