And We'll Live Happily Whatever After

And We'll Live Happily Whatever After[10]

10

A portly maid led me to the St. Clair's salon.

I was finally here. I can now confront them about the company. I'm tired of seeing my grandfather's harassed face and waiting for Alessio to come home late at night. Especially now that I know I'm pregnant, I want him to be with me during my pregnancy.

I looked around the spacious room. I've been here a couple of times and I can say that nothing has changed. It still looks fashionable... and cold. Like the family who's living here.

"Ah, Sophia!" I turned around and saw Brayden coming towards me. I took a little step backwards but he suddenly caught me to him and kissed me hard. For a second, I was paralyzed. Then good sense kicked in and I pushed him hard from me. He laughed. The jerk. "Drop the pretenses, babe. I know why you're here."

I glared at him. "But maybe you don't know what I'm not here for!"

Brayden brushed my cheek with the back of his hand. "Soph, being defiant won't help you at all. I think it would be best if you start apologizing now for leaving me." He said. "After all, it wasn't you who endured all the pitying looks from our wedding guests."

I flushed and felt a little guilty. "Look, Brayden, I'm sorry. I didn't know about Alessio. I didn't even know him back then!"

Brayden nodded and made me sit down on one of the chaise loungers. "Hmm, yes. That bastard."

I seethed at that. "No, he's not a bastard. He's a great-"

"Don't try to defend him, Sophia. He stole you from me. I won't let him get away with that."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, bewildered.

He now had this determined, angry expression on his face. "I'm going to make him pay for taking you away from me. I would like to see him falling to his knees with pain..."

I imagined the man I love doing just that and felt a searing pain in my chest. "No, Brayden, don't do that. You can't do that." Even I could hear the hysteria in my voice.

The bastard took my face between his hands again. "Why do you care so much, Sophia?" He growled. I've never seen him growled. Usually he's just on his sly jerk demeanor. "Did you take him as your lover? Did you let him touch you the way I want to? Did you let him share your bed?"

He took my shoulders in a hard grip and shook me once. "Did you, Sophia? Did you? Answer me!"

"Yes!" I shouted. I tried to pry his hands away from me but he was too strong. He was unexpectedly still and when I looked up, there was a deadly glint in his eye. "Brayden?"

He suddenly stood up and moved away from me. He dragged a hand through his hair and looked at me with wild eyes. "Sophia, Sophia, Sophia..." He kept on chanting my name while he paced the room.

I was very confused and a little alarmed by what he is doing. I straightened up and tried to put a hand on his arm but he yanked it back.

"Don't touch me. You're a slut!"

Tears sprang to my eyes.

Brayden held up a hand as if in apology. "Oh, no, Sophia. I didn't mean what I said. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, baby." He murmured soothingly and hugged me to his chest. "I only said that because I love you and you hurt me. You know that, right, baby?" His lips brushed my temple.

I gently pushed him at arm's length. I didn't want him to touch me but I didn't want him to have those crazy eyes again. "Yes, I do. I know that." I said quietly. "But I'm sorry too, Brayden. I shouldn't have married Alessio without telling you first-"

"Married Alessio?" Brayden growled. Twice.

Oh, no. The wild glint in his eyes is back. "Yes," I know I should tread carefully. Brayden does not seem to know that I'm a married woman now. "Married Alessio. I married Alessio."

The look in his face was indescribable. Anger mixed with something else I can't put a name on. "When? When did you marry him?" He shouted. "You're really a slut, aren't you? Maybe you and that whoreson are even laughing at me while you two are in bed! Did you get a kick out of it, Sophia?" He was stalking my every move.

"Brayden, please calm down," I tried to put some strength to my plea but in truth, my knees are shaking. "We can talk about this like grownups."

"Grownups?" His dry chuckle sent a cold shiver down my spine. "You want to be a grownup, Sophia? Do you know how I treat grownup women?" He dragged me to him.

I twisted to shake off his hand on my arm but he's quite strong. "Look, I came here today to talk to you and your father. I just want you to give back Grandpa's company. There's no need for this... this..."

"Give back your grandfather's company? You must be joking!" His right hand snaked down to the curve of my bottom and pushed me closer to him. "I thought you were here because you finally realized you can't live without me. When that maid called me, I thought, 'Oh, she's here now. Maybe I should let her beg and grovel for me to take her back.'" He tucked the stray hair behind my ear. "But then I was just so happy you're here now that I didn't make you do that. I thought you finally saw some sense!"

"You're the one who needs to see some sense!" I struggled in his arms. "Let go of me, you jerk!"

Instead of listening to me, he kissed me again. Harder this time. It was a angry, insane kiss coming from an angry, insane man. I turned my head to the side but that did not stop him from kissing me. "Leave him, baby. Leave him. We can run away together. He won't ever find us." He panted on my ears. "I can take care of you. You'd be happier with me, Sophia. Leave him. I'll love you better. Leave him."

I went rigid in his arms. Love. With a sick realization, I saw that Brayden was not in love with me. He's obsessed with me, with the thought of us being together. Oh. My. God.

I started to cry and he stopped kissing me to press a finger on my mouth. "Shh, baby. Don't cry. Please don't cry. It won't be hard getting away. That Alessio won't ever find us."

I had to tell him. I had to risk it. "I'm really sorry, Brayden. Maybe you don't know how much." I inhaled sharply and let it all out. "I don't want to leave Alessio. I love him. So much. And we're having a baby."

The arms around me went limp when what I said registered in his brain. I took that opportunity to escape and leave the mansion.

--

Sandro didn't say anything when I got into the limo but I'm pretty sure he has some idea what happened inside the St. Clairs' mansion.

The drive back to our house was short but it gave me enough time to gather my composure. When the car stopped in front of the house, Sandro opened the door for me and give me an almost-guilty smile. Why would he look almost-guilty?

The came to me quickly because just then the front doors opened to reveal a glowering six foot, two inches, Italian male.

"I think we need to talk, wife." Alessio said in low, dangerous voice.