Love and Obsession

A Mistake

Alexander and I are standing with his sister, and a man of about 5'8'' walks up. I don't remember meeting him before, but I assume he's a friend of Alexander's from his university days. 

"Alexander, are you going to introduce me?" he says.

"Kyle, this is my fiance, Savannah. Savannah, this was my roommate in college, Kyle."

I stretch my hand out to shake his and say, "Nice to meet you."

"How'd this guy con you into marrying him? I mean, other than his billions," he says with a chuckle.

I smile and take Alexander's hand in mine, saying, "No cons just charm."

Laughing, he replies, "That's a con in itself." Then he turns to Alexander and says, "When are you tying the knot? You want me to be your best man, but it's not easy for me to fly across the country in an instant, you know."

Kyle looks at me and says, "Have you set a date?"

I shake my head. "No."

"Family intimidates you, huh?"

I bite my lower lip and shake my head but secretly want to scream "Yes!"

"It's okay, Savannah. I've known this guy for a long time and his family still intimidates me. Plus, you're marrying him. They should intimidate you."

"Have I thanked you for coming, Kyle?" Alexander says with a slap on Kyle's back.

Laughing, Kyle says, "Man, you know how overbearing your family is. There's no denying it. Besides, she's got to know what she's getting herself into."

"Oh, I know," I say.

I spot Jenna walking in the doors across the room, and I kiss Alexander's cheek and say, "Enjoy. I'm gonna go see Jenna."

"Alright."

Waving at her in the bright blue strapless dress she has on, I say, "I'm so glad you're here!"

"Girl..." she says, looking around us at the Plaza ballroom. "What have you gotten yourself into?"

I sigh and say, "I don't even know."

Jenna grabs my hand and says, "Meanwhile, who is that girl Alexander is talking to?"

"Girl?" I ask, thinking he's still talking to Kyle. I turn and look in his direction and realize... "Oh, uh, I'm not sure," I say, looking at the beautiful blond-haired woman chatting up my future husband. Normally, I'm not concerned about beautiful women fawning all over him because, well, that's become a normal thing for us. But there's something about the way she leans closer and runs her perfectly manicured French tips up his jacket sleeve as she whispers very closely to his ear and I watch him smile. My heart starts pounding in my chest and I begin to hyperventilate. 

"What do I do? What do I do?" I say as my panic deepens and I fan my face with my hand.

"Calm down," Jenna says. "I didn't mean to send you into a panic attack."

Glaring at her, I say, "Oh, really?"

"You don't know who she is?"

I narrow my eyes and say, "Does this look like the face of a woman who knows who that is?!"

Jenna smiles and says, "Excuse me a moment. Maid of honor duties call."

Then she walks away and over to where my fiance is standing. I grab a glass of white wine from a waiter walking by with a tray and sip slowly from the champagne glass as I watch her smile, nod, and speak to them for a few moments. She then glances at me, then to Alexander, grabs his tuxedo sleeve in her fingers, and yanks him across the ballroom and to the side door. Her glance at me tells me to quickly follow. 

When I get out there, I see Alexander with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall, looking very upset.

"What's going on?" I say.

He looks at Jenna and then at me, and snaps, "You tell me."

"Excuse me? Don't get all snippy with me, Mister. You are the one letting that woman get handsy with you at our engagement party!"

"I...what?"

Jenna backs away, whispering, "I'm gonna leave you to it." She walks back into the ballroom and I say to Alexander, "Don't pretend to be innocent. I saw her running her perfectly manicured fingers up your arm!"

He sighs and moves closer. "Savannah, she was being friendly. She wants to make a business deal with me. That's all."

I back away and snatch my arm from his grasp, saying, "I'm sure she does. And will that business deal consist of contracts and all of that?"

"Of course. Why are you so upset?"

"If you can't see why I'm so upset, Alexander, then we have problems that are too big for marriage to handle at the moment," I say and walk away. He says my name a few times, but I continue on and to the bathroom. When I get there I stop in the powder room and slump down onto a chair, crying for a few minutes until I hear someone walk in. I wipe my eyes and sniffle to hide my tears.

"Savannah?" Jocelyn says. "Are you okay?"

I sniffle and wipe my eyes, thanking myself for wearing waterproof mascara. "No."

"What's wrong?"

"I think I've made a mistake."