“Howard, get in here and talk to this girl.” She snickers and I wince, knowing that her next comment is going to be just as nasty. “Well, I guess girl is relative. She’s really too old to be a girl,” she chuckles.
“Marian. I don’t think she’s the maid. My cousin said he was getting married and I think this is the girl.” He wanders in and my back stiffens when I watch how he runs his hands lovingly across the beautiful wood table in the foyer.
Then he turns to smile at me. “I assume you’re the bride to be.”
I flush again and twist my fingers in my sweater. “I’m the bride. We got married yesterday.”
“Oh my god!” Marian screams. She swats Howard. “I told you that we should have come up here sooner. Now he’s married and he’ll be popping out babies in no time.” She eyes me coldly, her gray eyes drifting across my hips, her lips curling. “Look at those hips. She’ll be pregnant in no time. And then you won’t have a prayer of getting the company.”
“What are you talking about?” I mutter, my head spinning from the insults and comments.
Howard smiles grimly. “I take it he didn’t tell you why he needed to get married.”
I can feel that sinking sensation in my belly. Like getting to the top of a roller coaster and looking down. “He told me he wants kids.”
He snorts. “Yeah. He needs kids. My uncle’s will left everything to me with his company if he doesn’t get married and have a kid within the first year after his death. Or at least get pregnant. The brat doesn’t have to be born within that first year. He just has to prove he’s trying.”
He smirks again and his eyes rove over my bed head and bare feet. “I’m gonna guess that he’s already well on his way to getting all that taken care of.”
“Ugh! I can’t believe this. You know your uncle wanted you to have that company. He was quite explicit about that in his will. And now because of that little out for Ronan, it’s all gone to shit! Dammit!” She stalks off and flounces on the couch, throwing her hand dramatically on her forehead.
“Can you get me some tea? I really need something to relax me.”
I stiffen my spine. “Maybe you shouldn’t be here. I don’t know if Ronan would want me to let you in let alone feed you.”
She throws her hand off and glares at me. “Oh for heaven’s sake. I’m sure he couldn’t care less. After all, he’s going to win. Again.”
I stalk out of the room like a scalded cat. But as soon as I clear the doorway, I lean over and wrap my arms around myself, fighting to stifle the pain. I trusted him. I believed him when he said all those sweet things. But he’s just like John. Willing to lie to get whatever he wants. Straightening up, my body struggling not to feel the sharp jabs of hurt hitting me from left and right. The betrayal that stings like a mother fucker in my gut.
I walk out the side door and down the driveway, unable to really consider what I’m doing. It hurts too much. I just want to get away from the source of the pain. My eyes close and I lean against a tree, tears trickling out of my lashes, dripping down my face.
I drop to the ground and wrap my arms around my middle, shaking with sobs as I lose myself to the loss. The loss of Ronan.
It feels like the whole world shakes with me. With the force of my anger and hurt.
And I don’t think I’m ever going to recover from it this time.