His Appointed Wife

35. You, me and everyone else

It was demeaning and painful. Distressing.

"Please, Eliza, I need to go. I don't-I can't-" She said as she looked at Eliza.

"I am so sorry, baby, I am so sorry I did this to you." Her eyes were sad as she looked at Alex.

"Stop. You didn't. You didn't do anything. I wanted to stay. I wanted, I needed to try once more. Now I won't ever have to wonder, ever have to think about what if I have tried again. Now I can actually-" Alex wiped her eyes and shook her head. '"I need to go. Please."

"Let me drive you, Alex. You are in no condition to drive alone and I can-"

"No, no." Alex said almost vehemently. "I need to be alone." Alex said as she pulled her gown up and stepped out into the cold and freezing night.

The chilly air swept past her skin, leaving cold burns on its trail. She had forgotten her coat inside and she didn't want to go back in and face all those faces.

She looked around for the valet.

The whole place looked like fairytale, with all those small golden lights strung to the tree, but it almost felt like a nightmare. Her nightmare.

"Here is your key, ma'am. Do you want me to call someone?" The kindly valet asked as he looked at her.

"I am really not drunk. Don't worry." Alex said with a small smile.

This kind of kindness, the small act of generosity towards a stranger, maybe that was what kept the world from actual destruction.

"Are you alright ma'am? Did anyone hurt you?"

"No, at least not in the way you are concerned about. My husband and I, we broke up." She didn't know why she was talking to a stranger, but she felt like she would explode if she left her words and feelings bottled up. "He didn't love me and I am irrecoverably in love. You know, fate, it is kind of a bitch."

"Pardon me, ma'am, but your husband is a bastard."

Alex chuckled at him as she stepped inside her car with a wave to the man. "Yeah, he is." She said as she drove away.

Her car. It was the one Logan had bought for her. He had said she could have it as a part of her payment or something, but she had said that she would pay for it in installment, when they had agreed to stay friends.

Friends. Psh! Now we are nothing.

She thought as she drove and drove and she realized...

She had nowhere else to go.

***

(Logan)

After ten minutes, Logan could finally breathe properly and think.

God. What did I do?

He could now clearly think without anger pumping through him. Or pushing him. His anger had always been his downfall. And this time wasn't the first time. Beth had always, always asked him to check his anger and keep his words inside when he was angry. And he didn't.

And now Alex was hurt because of him. God. Her eyes filled with tears, it still sawed on his heart. He was the reason for her tears. He had never wanted to be the reason for that.

Once he had prayed that she would always smile and here he was, the sole reason for her pain.

You are a bastard. His voice scorned. You saw her cry and you didn't stop her. You just let her walk away. You watched her walk away.

He stood up from the couch and rushed out. Maybe she was still here. Maybe they could talk like sensible adults, instead of hurting each other.

I hurt her more than she hurt me. He thought and the voice in his head readily agreed.