Loving Mr. CEO

33

"To apologize."

Her eyes widened at this, surprise shining through them, but she quickly masked it with irritation.

"I'm sorry, the last time we talked, I went out of line. I deserve every bit of what you said, and I shouldn't have insulted you the way I did... I should never have brought up your Mom—"

"I'll stop you right there, Mabel Holland." She seethed, her eyes going over me from head to toe, power inching up her shoulders as she raised her chin, her pride showing.

She was ready to attack.

"Who do you think I am? A fool?" she gave a fake chuckle. "You think I don't know what this is?"

"I'm only trying to apologize, Rhea. I regret ever saying those things to you." I sighed. "Truth is," my heart hammered, it was taking a lot from me to admit this. It was almost like seeing your favorite celebrity in real time and telling them how much you admire them. "I only got all defensive because, honestly, that's all I've done all my life... defending myself and it sort of, made me feel terrible that you hated me."

She stared at me for a full-blown minute, before she busted out laughing. "Oh my God, this is just epic." She managed to let out, wiping an invisible tear from the corner of her eye. "You almost had me right there."

"I wasn't—"

"Oh please," she glared now, taking a step closer to me. "You've survived the streets by lying your way through it. Only a fool would believe anything that comes out of your mouth."

"Why would I come here to lie to you?"

"I don't know... you're probably trying to get on my good graces. Trying to squeeze your way into my family, just like the greedy gold-digger you are, it could be many reasons."

I let out a breath. "I am trying to make you see that I do not have any ill intensions towards Cade."

"Says the bloody thief who left him at the altar, eloping with a load of cash, I bet you're trying to find a way to extract more that you did last time."

"I am not, Rhea. I love Cade. And yes, I made a mistake, and I'm paying heavily for that mistake... I would do anything to change everything if I could. I—"

Her eyes flared as she cut me off. "You listen here, and listen very good. You might have managed to fool everyone, but you will never succeed in fooling me, do you get it? Now I'll give you a little advice, one you should carry with you till you end up in a fucking ditch somewhere." I swallowed. "You will never, ever be like me. You will never have the glamorous life you have clouding your weak brain, you will never understand what love truly means, because you don't even know the word. People like me, we were born with all the comfort in the world, all the love and care, and we are separated from the likes of you who only exists to drag us down. This world you're striving to be in, you will never fit in... you do not belong here, and you cannot be more than what you are now."

As much as I tried to swallow it, I could already feel tears building up in my eyes.

"The best thing you can do for yourself now, is to run... go back to the filth you crawled out of, and leave my brother alone... He's better off without," her eyes shone with disgust. "Someone like you."

Suddenly, the door pushed open. "Rhea, I got the burrito, I have to phone Ma—" Diane stopped when she spotted me. "Oh, Mabel, I literally was just about to call you." She chirped.

It's either she didn't notice the atmosphere in the office, or she was just pretending not to notice. Either way, I was thankful because the distraction made it possible for me to swallow the tears. "You were?" I asked, my voice wavering.