I stare at Beau and watch as he listens to one of my employees explain why we had to put a hold on the projects his investment had funded. I'm still as confused as I was yesterday. He says he remembers me, but then says he doesn't know why I put the projects on hold. It doesn't make any sense.
I tried speaking to him again yesterday after he left to ask what was going on, but he refused to allow me to see him at his office or give me his new number. My new plan is to try and talk to him today once the meeting is over. I want to apologize and fix things between us. I believe I made a mistake that day in the hospital. At the time, I had thought I was doing us both a favor, but I know now that I should have never broken up with him.
I continue to stare at him and take in his appearance. He looks as he did yesterday—healthy. I'm thrilled to see him well. It warms my heart to know he's fully recovered and free of any wounds or scars that might have damaged his handsome face. Beau stands, and I snap out of my thoughts. Is the meeting over?
"You have convinced me that you didn't misuse the funds I gave you," Beau says, matter-of-factly.
I raise a brow. "I'm happy you see it that way."
"Since my business here is done," he begins, buttoning his suit jacket and picking up his phone from the table. "I'll take my leave. Goodbye." He starts to walk out of the boardroom, his associates following him.
I run out behind them and try to get to him before he makes it to the elevator. Reaching out, I grab his arm to stop him, but Beau aggressively pulls out of my hold. I almost lose my balance and fall but manage to steady myself. Something tugs in my heart as tears sting the back of my eyes.
"Beau, please, can we talk? You have a lot you need to explain to me."
"I have nothing to explain to you, Miss Stephen." He turns to face the elevator, ignoring me.
"I believe you do; you push me away when I touch you. You claim I am not the love of your life. If I didn't know any better, I would assume you think I'm someone else."
"I know who you are." He turns away from the elevator and faces me, moving closer until he is only a breath away.
The scent of his intoxicating cologne drifts through my nose. My eyes momentarily close as memories of how I would smell like him for days after we had sex fill my head. I have missed him so much. I wish he'd never leave my side again.
"Then why are you acting like you don't?" My head is aching from trying to figure out what's going on.
"Even if I wanted to forget you, I couldn't." He stares deeply into my eyes, and I can tell he's not lying. He knows who I am, so something else must be behind his strange behavior. The Beau I know wouldn't push me away or speak to me in such a harsh tone.
"Are you angry about what happened in the hospital?" I can understand if he's upset with me for breaking his heart. That could maybe explain why he's been acting the way he has.
I haven't had the chance to tell him yet, but I realized I made a mistake breaking up with him the day he was rescued. Seeing him lying on that bed, barely alive, made me realize a world without him is a world not worth living in. Despite the danger us being together would mean, he is the love of my life, and I want to spend the rest of my days with him.
"If anything," Beau says. "I'm glad about what happened in the hospital. It really opened my eyes to the kind of woman you are."
"The kind of woman I am? What are you talking about?" My brows pull together in confusion.
"Yes, now I know you for the gold digger you are."
"Gold digger?" I'm taken aback by his insult. "What the hell are you talking about?" How does breaking his heart make me a gold digger? I'm beginning to think we're not talking about the same thing.
Beau sighs. "I don't have time for your stupid games, Miss Stephen. Goodbye, and don't call my office looking for me. I have nothing to say to you." He walks into the elevator while I stand frozen in place, even more confused than I was before.
***
The rest of the week is spent thinking about Beau and how he came to the absurd conclusion that I'm a gold digger. I haven't figured it out yet, but I'm sure I will soon. I even contacted Harvey to find out if he knows what's going on. Unfortunately, he doesn't, but he agreed to help me find out.
Now, I'm in my room trying to focus on getting ready for a dinner party I'm attending with Dad. He said it would be a good distraction for me, and I agree. Lately, I've been spending all my free time thinking about Beau. A party will be good for me after all the heartbreak I've dealt with this week. A knock sounds on my door and I go to answer it.
"Why aren't you dressed?" I ask Camila once I open the door and see her. She's supposed to be attending the party with us.
"I'm not going."
"Why?"
She blushes. "Axel just flew into Texas and is on his way here now."
He and Camila had made things official a few weeks ago, which was great. But unfortunately, around the same time Axel also took a position in his dad's company that required him to go back to Chicago.
I can't blame her for wanting to spend time with him. I'm happy they have each other. "Oh, okay," I say, letting the subject drop. "Do you know if Dad is ready to go?"
"Yes, he is, but I wanted to speak to you before you leave."
Nodding, I open the door wider, and she comes inside. "About what?" I gesture to the bed and we both sit.
"How are you doing?"
"I'm fine; why are you asking?"
"I know I haven't been there for you as much as I should have been this week, but I'm here for whenever you need me."
"I'm fine, Camila; you don't have to worry about me." Standing, I walk to my vanity and pick up my earrings before putting them on.
Camila won't relent so easily; she knows me too well. "I know it must be hard for you to see Beau again after your breakup, but trust me, it will get easier with time."
"Or," I counter. "In time, he will remember how much he loves me, and we can be together again."
"Is that what you really want?"
"Yes, why would you ask me that?" I lock eyes with her through the mirror and arch my brow.
"You broke up with him because you believed it would be better to be apart. Maybe you should be grateful that he doesn't love you anymore. It makes the situation easier."
"I actually thought about that, but anytime I think of Beau in that hospital a month ago on the brink of death, only one thing comes to mind."
"What's that?"
"That I need to spend every waking moment with him. I know being together is dangerous, but I'm willing to take the risk now. Death is inevitable in this world. Spending the rest of my days without Beau scares me more than anything else ever could. I want to be with him. I need him."
"That's amazing," Camila says. "When did you realize this?"
"The day he was rescued. I'd never felt more scared in my life than I did then. I couldn't believe that if I lost him, all I would have had left to remember him by were fights and us having sex. Don't get me wrong, the sex is great, but I believe I can have more than that with him. That man owns my heart and soul."
"Oh, Delilah," Camila sniffles. "I didn't know you loved him so much."
"I didn't either." I chuckle at my lack of self-awareness.
"It might seem hard to get him back now, but I believe you can. I don't know why he would accuse you of being a gold digger, but I'm sure you guys will work things out and be together again." She gives me an encouraging smile.
I smile back, talking to myself as much as her. "I hope so."
***
It's been about an hour since Dad and I arrived at the party. But my heels are already killing me, so I decide to take a break from socializing. Finding a spot away from everyone, I sit and rest my feet on the seat across from mine. Wiggling my toes, I admire my well-manicured nails. To be honest, I'm a little bored. I take a sip of the wine I brought with me, but begin to choke on my drink once I see someone on the other end of the hall.
Memories of what happened the last time I left a party to rest my feet flood my mind. I wonder if seeing me here will make him remember what he did to me that night or what happened the next day. That was probably the day we created our child. Tears sting the back of my eyes at the thought.
Beau has his back to me, so he hasn't seen me yet. But I know it's him because of the number of times I've dug my nails into that back. Just thinking about it has me feeling hot. If that wasn't enough, I also recognize his voice as he speaks to someone on the phone. He ends the call and turns around, his eyes widening once they land on me. Rage builds in his gaze as he stares at my feet. His jaw clenches as he grits his teeth and pulls his hands into tight fists. Why is he angry? Did I do something wrong? I drop my feet to the ground, walking over to him without bothering to put on my shoes.
"Beau..." I'm happy to see him after days apart, but I'm not sure how to approach him after the way he's been acting.
"What do you want, Miss Stephen?"
"Nothing; how are you doing?" I try to place my hand on his face, but he moves away before I can touch him. This hurts me just as much as the first time he did it, but I don't show it.
"That is none of your concern."
Ignoring his nasty attitude, I try to change the topic. "Do you remember the last time we were both away from a party? We created our baby the next day." It's cruel of me to remind him of the child we lost, but I want him to remember how much he loved me, and how he did everything in his power for us to be together.
Beau's voice is like ice. "I don't know what you're talking about. I would never create a baby with you."
I look at him, confused and at a loss for words. Why would he deny that our baby existed? Is this his way of coping with what happened? By pretending it never did? But Beau wouldn't do that. He would never deny that we had a baby, no matter how much the loss hurt. Something isn't right.
"Aren't you tired of playing these games, Miss Stephen? I know who you are. And you can't deceive me anymore. I won't fall for your lies twice," Beau says, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"What are you talking about? What games and lies are you referring to?"
He laughs dryly before speaking, "Still holding the act, are we? No problem. You can continue to play your games if you want, but you'll have to do it alone. My fiancée is waiting for me." Without another word, Beau walks away.
I freeze and try to process his last words. Did I just hear him correctly? Fiancée? Who the hell is he talking about? Is he still marrying Hannah? Is that possible?
No, Beau wouldn't do that. Even if we don't end up together, he wouldn't hurt me by marrying her. The woman invited me to their engagement party just to throw it in my face that she was marrying him. Beau knows how much it would hurt me if he marries her.
I force my feet to move and run after Beau. I have to know for sure. I'm praying I heard wrong, because I don't know what I'll do otherwise.