Past midnight, Madeline stayed awake waiting for Wren's return. Wren hadn't come home since their argument and Madeline got more concerned and worried about her absence. She tried dialing her on the phone several times but Wren's phone was off.
She started biting her fingernails nervously and got up from the couch to her bedroom but stopped in the middle of her track when she heard the door being opened and the keys rattling.
Madeline turned around and spotted Wren having a hard time walking inside the house with Elise's arm wrapped around her to aid her. She marched over to them and Elise smiled sadly at her.
"What happened?" asked Madeline, calmly, holding up Wren's drunk face. A small crease formed between her eyebrows.
"Uh, it's kind of my fault. She, uh, needed a drink so..."
"Okay, help me carry her to the bedroom."
They grabbed Wren's arms and wrapped them around their shoulders and headed to the bedroom cautiously.
They placed her body on the mattress. Elise went to the edge of the bed and took off Wren's shoes. She looked at Madeline with her hands on her hips as Madeline was pulling the blanket over Wren and caressed her hair softly, staring down sadly at the drunk woman with eyes full of sympathy.
"Mind explaining to me what's going on between you two?"
Madeline turned to Elise sadly. "I wish I knew." She looked again at Wren. "She doesn't tell me anything. Did she talk to you about anything? Like why has she been acting weird towards me?"
"Umm, no. But, uh, there's something you two should talk about." Elise looked at Wren's sleeping form. "Maybe when she's sober, she seemed hurt when she came to the bar. She needed a drink so I gave her one and you know how she is when she's upset about something... but Madeline?"
"Yeah?"
"She loves you... and you should hear her out when she's ready to talk. Just be patient with her, okay?"
Madeline nodded. "Okay."
"I'm going now. If you needed anything just give me a call."
"Yeah, thanks, Elise."
Elise was about to turn around to leave but then she remembered something, so she faced Madeline. "One more thing.." Madeline gave her a nod to speak. "You should... trust two things. Your heart and Wren. Ignore anything else that could be said to you. You're the only one who knows her the most. She has her flaws and you're familiar with them. She could be naïve and innocent sometimes but hurting you was never her intention." Madeline frowned at her words but gave Elise a small smile in return.
After Elise left the house, Madeline sat next to Wren's sleeping form and held her hand, running her thumb over her knuckles, letting a few tears drop from her eyes.
.........................................
Madeline woke up early, took her shower and got dressed while Wren was still sleeping from her hangover. Madeline went to Wren's side, placing a painkiller and a glass of water beside her on the nightstand, feeling the Déjà vu of the situation as she sighed to herself.
Three hours later, Madeline received a phone call from Nate, telling her that he wants to meet up with her at lunch time urgently and she agreed but after hesitation.
Wren grimaced as she stirred a little on the bed and the sunlight hit her face directly. She held up her hand, blocking the rays and sat on the bed, feeling the headache.
She looked at her side, finding the glass of water and the painkiller. She swallowed the painkiller and after it the water then swung her feet over the side as she got up and headed for the shower.
Wren grabbed her dress shirt and started buttoning it up then she remembered Elise's words about telling Madeline the truth and her doubts about what happened that very night. She pulled out her blazer from the wardrobe and took back her keys and left the house ready to do the one thing that scared her the most.
..............................................
Madeline entered the café and looked around for Nate but someone tapped her shoulder and she turned to the source and smiled when she saw Nate flashing her his smile.
"Looking for me already?" She chuckled and opened her arms for him as they hugged.
They headed to the empty table near the window and sat across from each other. Madeline placed her bag on the ground and he pulled out his phone and placed it beside him on the table.
"So..." started Madeline. "What's so urgent? You got me a tad worried."
His wide smile shrunk a little but it remained on his face. "Let's order something first and I'll tell you."
She grinned at him and softly replied. "Sure."
"What would you like to have? It's still sunny though."
"Are you implying to have a heavy drink at this hour?" She joked and he smirked.
"Heavy drink? Me? Nah. I'm a lawyer, I should be sober."
"You better be."
He chuckled at her warning tone. "So you're having...?"
"Mmmm, I'm having a regular coffee. I still have work to do, so I for sure gonna need the caffeine."
"Then coffee it is and... I'll have the same."
He called the waiter and he came to take their orders then left. Nate turned to Madeline as she stared out the window sadly.
"Madeline, are you okay?"
"Hmm?"
"I said are you okay?"
"Yeah... yeah, yeah, I'm fine." She plastered a fake smile on her face.
He sighed internally. "Madeline, how long have I known you?"
"Three years."
"And three years are enough for me to know when you're lying about something. I know there's something going in that head of yours."
She sighed and leaned back against the chair. "I had a fight with Wren last night. We aren't doing great right now."
"Do you know why?"
"No." She stared at the table. "But I know when there's something upsetting her, she shuts herself out from the people who care about her and every time I try to talk with her, she just... leaves."
"Sorry to hear that."
"Can we change the topic please? I don't want to talk about her now."
"Yeah, as you wish, but can I tell you something... about Wren?"
She met his eyes and nodded slowly as he smiled.
...............................................
In the meantime, Wren was walking to Madeline's office and she reached it, opened the door but found no sight of her. She entered the office and looked around for Madeline's stuff but her desk was empty.
"Hey." said Antony holding his tablet.
Wren turned around to Antony and gave him a small smile. "Hey, Antony. Where's Madeline?"
"Oh, she went out to have lunch with an old friend."
"When's she coming back?"
"She said in like an hour or something like that. She's meeting with her friend from high school so she might get back late." He shrugged.
Her face grew pale. "... Nate?"
"Yes, that's his name."
"Where are they? Do you know where they went to?"
"The restaurant around the block. Why do you ask?"
"No time to chat, I have to go but thanks for the info."
She walked past him fast and he frowned.
"Yeah, no problem!"
............................................
"What do you wanna say about Wren?"
"Well, it's kind of hard for me to say but it's the right thing to do." He sighed and held his coffee. "Just don't get the wrong idea about me, okay? You know I care about you since you're my friend and also an ex-girlfriend of mine." He cleared his throat. "I'm gonna be honest with you about something... I know who Wren is and what she's capable of and for some time I didn't like her because she's arrogant. I thought she was heartless and greedy since she's rich, very rich and I think you know her history of her being a womanizer and the list goes on... but I was wrong about her."
Madeline's facial expression softened when he smiled at her. "Wren is one of the most hard working women I've ever seen and I admire her for that and the fact that she's giving you a hard time now, is making me a bit mad, but for some reason I'm sure she doesn't mean to hurt you, Madeline. When I met you at the party I saw the way she looks at you. She has this look that I never gave to you when we were together and I'm sure she gives you all what you want and need. Her love for you... is priceless... All I'm saying is..." He took a deep breath. "She's lucky to have you, Madeline. Of all the women she dated or slept with, she made the right choice by having you and calling you her fiancée."
His hand reached across the table for her hand and he held it tightly, giving it a light squeeze and they both smiled.
Wren entered the café and searched for Madeline. She walked inside, looking around and saw Madeline smiling at Nate, holding his hand.
Her heart got tightened inside her chest as she started walking to their table.
"Madeline..." said Wren softly.
Madeline looked at her side and saw Wren approaching their table. As soon as she caught Wren's eyes wander on her hand that was linked to Nate's, she pulled back her hand and looked down at the table for a second then met Wren's eyes that seemed tired from her hangover.
"I need to talk to you." said Wren.
"Hey, Wren. We were just talking about you. Come join us." said Nate sincerely but Wren ignored him.
"I need to talk with Madeline... privately."
Her voice was filled with bitterness and harshness. Madeline glanced at Nate and turned her sight back on Wren, seeing that Wren was giving Nate venomous looks.
"Wren." said Madeline sternly.
"Come on." Wren grabbed Madeline's hand but for some reason Madeline took back her hand angrily at Wren's attitude and Nate noticed.
"What's wrong with you?" asked Wren furiously.
"That's not how you should speak to her." said Nate interfering as he stood up.
"Stay out of this, Nate! This isn't your business!"
"Well, she's my friend and you have an attitude, so it is my business!"
Wren clenched her jaw and swung her fist across Nate's face, leading him to hit his body against the glass window and bleed from his lower lip as it got split. Eyes started watching them everywhere and some people even stood up to go and help in case it got serious.
Madeline stood up abruptly and ran after Wren as she held Nate from his jacket collar and was ready to punch him again but she quickly grabbed Wren's arm, pulling her back.
"Are you crazy?!" yelled Madeline. "Why did you do that?! What's your problem?!" Madeline went to Nate, helping him stand up on his feet and Wren turned around to walk away.
"Go after her." said Nate, checking his lip and he saw the hesitation in Madeline's eyes. "Go, Madeline, I'm fine. Just follow her, please."
"I'm sorry." She apologized and left him, got outside the restaurant and found Wren walking.
"Hey! Wren, stop!" Madeline quickened her pace to catch up with Wren. "Don't run away from me when I'm talking to you!"
Wren turned around and yelled at Madeline. "What?!"
"You've been doing this for days! Leaving me hanging! I try to talk with you but you push me away! And you came home last night... drunk! Do you know how much I was worried about you? Did you count how many times I tried calling you last night?! For once tell me what is it with you? Stop hiding from me, Wren! And why did you punch Nate?"
"He's trouble!"
"Are you kidding me?! He's trouble, really?! Wren, you're the one who is causing trouble! Did you just see what you did inside?! This isn't you! You've changed!" Madeline put her hands on her hips and blinked back her tears. "I don't know who you are anymore..." She sniffled and Wren calmed down a little and walked closer to her. "You aren't the same person who I feel in love with."
Wren tried to touch Madeline's elbow but Madeline took a step backwards and looked away.
"Just leave. You've done enough today. Don't wait for me tonight."
She turned on her heel and entered the café as Wren stood in the street with glassy eyes but decided to walk away to home with an angry heart.
..........................................
At Mirabel at 8:30 PM, Georgina stood up, adjusted her formal clothes and collected her stuff, putting them inside her bag and avoided Emily as she was doing the same. Emily and Georgina stood in front of the elevator waiting for it to ascend.
"Do you know why Wren couldn't come today?" asked Emily and Georgina shook her head.
"I tried calling her but her phone was off."
The elevator chimed and they both entered together at the same time.
None of them dared to say another word about Wren but their minds went roaming about where she could be and why she was absent today.
Emily's phone rang and she pulled it outside her bag and smiled.
"Hey babe?"
"Hey, where are you?"
"I'm just walking outside... wait... yeah, I can see you."
He chuckled. "Okay, waiting for you."
Emily made her way to Dave's car and Georgina looked at them as they shared a sweet kiss then drove off afterwards.
She stepped inside her car, started the engine and pulled off the garage, going somewhere that could be risky for her but she was willing to take that risk.
...........................................
Wren was in the bedroom, sitting on the side of the bed, holding her bitter liquid in her hand. The whiskey bottle was half empty, placed on the nightstand. She rubbed her tired eyes and took her last sip then went for another.
The front door got opened but Wren was distant to hear the sound of footsteps approaching the bedroom. Georgina entered the room and saw Wren in one of her worst states. Drunk and sorrowful.
She went over to her and Wren frowned a little. "What are you doing here? Or should I say how did you get in here?"
"I, uh, know where you hide your spare key." Wren nodded as a response and continued her drinking nonchalantly. "So, why didn't you come to work today?"
"Why do you care?" she asked with bitterness in her voice and Georgina sighed.
"Wren..." Georgina placed her bag on the ground and moved to sit next to her. "Why are you drinking this? You said that drinking won't solve anything, remember?"
Wren pursed her lips as she went silent not in the mood to answer Georgina at the moment but the rage inside her exploded with a question.
"Did you sleep with Dave when we were together?"
Georgina's eyes grew wide and she turned her face away, slightly opening her lips in astonishment.
"Why wou-"
"Did you?!" She raised her voice a little, startling her.
Georgina collected herself, sighing internally. "Yes."
"Why? I wasn't enough for you too or what?! I loved you, Georgina! I thought you felt the same about me as well! Until the day..." Wren shut her eyes and rubbed her forehead.
"I know you're angry with me right now but you have to know what really happened that night."
"I don't wanna hear about it. My eyes saw everything and that was enough."
"You don't know the whole story..." Georgina's eyes were filled with tears as she recalled the night she hurt Wren's feelings. "I was drunk that night and your friends drugged me at their party. Sam carried me to his room and I don't know how the rest happened. That's why I couldn't follow you that night to explain it. I was drugged!" Wren looked at Georgina and noticed her watery eyes. "The next morning, I woke up tired and was shocked to see two naked men beside me. You don't know how bad I felt that day and when I came to your room, you weren't there. Emily told me that you went to San Francisco for some time and you'll return next week, but some stuff happened at my home that forced me to leave college. That's why I disappeared from your life."
"... That doesn't justify why you cheated on me with my brother."
"I won't deny I did sleep with Dave multiple times but it's because I thought you cheated on me and we had many fights back then."
"Bullshit! I never did that. I was loyal to you; I was there for you when your best friend was in the hospital. I was with you when you nailed your first project. You were the first person to hear the 'I love you' from me. You were my first love, Georgina."
A tear rolled down Georgina's cheek and she reached over to hold Wren's arm and Wren let her. Georgina's other hand cupped Wren cheek, turning Wren's face to meet her gaze.
"I still love you, Wren. I'm crazy in love with you. You're my obsession."
As Wren's eyes wandered at Georgina's sad eyes, Georgina's gaze was starving for Wren's lips. Georgina inched closer enough to feel Wren's ragged breath leaving trails over her lips. Turning her face away, Wren set her gaze on the ground, avoiding Georgina's eyes but then Georgina planted her lips on her cheek and Wren frowned.
"Stop" said Wren with a mumble.
Georgina pulled back for a second then stared at Wren's state. Knowing how weak and vulnerable she is now, she slid on her lap, placed her hands on your shoulders
"Georgina, stop it." Wren stared up at her with a deep frown and placed her hands on her waist to push her off of her but her body was weak to resist any attempts.
Georgina flipped her hair to the side and her lips met Wren's neck and kissed it slowly till she reached the collarbone and went up again grazing Wren's cheek. "I can't live without you, Wren. You want me but you keep denying it."
Shivering badly, Wren's eyes grew wide when she realized that she fell victim for the alcohol and Georgina. Georgina's words ticked her off and alarmed her of what was happening, so she decided to put an end to it once and for all before she could hurt the one she loves the most.
"Wait! ... fucking stop!" She finally pushed her away with an angry look across her face. "What you're doing is wrong! Enough! I won't fall for that again!" said Wren.
"It sure does feel like it, doesn't it?"
Wren and Georgina turned to the source of the voice and Wren's heart raced inside her chest when she saw Madeline standing by the door, with tears in her eyes.
Madeline met Wren's eyes and let those eyes spill the hurtful tears before she stormed out the room.
Georgina felt worried as her plan failed once again. Wren pushed Georgina away from her. Her eyes turned glassy instantly and she got up in a jiffy to catch up with Madeline to explain everything from the start before it's too late, but she felt a hand grip her arm.
"She doesn't love you, Wren! I do! She never did! If she really did she would have never made you upset!"
Clenching her jaw, Wren stared at the hand that was gripping her arm then stared at Georgina with furious eyes. "You don't know what you're talking about! You're the one who never loved me in the first place!"
She tried to walk away but Georgina pulled her again and Wren gritted her teeth.
"Wren... please, don't leave me. You know how much I love you. You know I could do anything for you. Just don't leave. Madeline isn't good for you!"
Wren turned to her with wet cheeks and an angry expression. "I want you to leave. I don't want to see your face ever again! Do you hear me?! Out of my company and out of my life!"
Wren pulled back her arm strongly from the tight grip stormed out of the house, quickening her pace.
Madeline got in her car, tears streaming down her face. Right before she could pull off, she took off her engagement ring and threw it out of the window then drove off right before Wren could reach her.
"Madeline!"