Page 36 of Bittersweet Legacy

“What do you mean, No?” I asked Caleb.

“No means no. You’re not touching another guy.”

Ben chuckled. “Umm yeah, just calm down here dude. I’m not sure what’s your deal but I’m a friend and –”

“No.” Caleb interrupted him again. He turned to me. “Get into the car, Esmeralda.” He continued, ignoring Ben.

I looked around and my eyes locked on his dark blue Aston Martin DB11. Did he expect me to get into a confined space with him? Especially when he looked ready to murder me at any minute?

“I don’t think so.”

I thought he looked angry before, but the look he gave me now made me recoil.

“You need to chill, dude.” Ben took a tentative step toward him. “Esme’s my friend and-”

“You’re not her friend, you’re nothing. You’re going to get on your little bike and never come back.”

“Uh yeah, I don’t think so,” Ben laughed looking at me, probably thinking it was some kind of joke.

And yet Caleb had the power to make it happen, he just didn’t know that.

“You won’t like what happens if I see you speak with her again.”

“Is that a threat?” Ben asked, his brow furrowed. I couldn’t blame him; we were not used to such an insane reaction.

“A threat?” Caleb shook his head, pulling me against him. “No, it’s a promise.”

“Caleb, please stop.” I rested my hand on his arm, trying to soothe the volcano in him, but I knew it was pointless, Caleb didn’t care what could happen to me, why would he care about me asking him to stop? “It’s just my friend Ben,”

“I said no, Esmeralda! You’re to be my bride. I don’t want you to go around making a fool of me.”

Ben's smile faded. “Bride?”

“Ah she didn’t tell you, did she?” he chuckled. “Yes, I asked her to marry me and she said yes. We’re to be married after graduation.”

“Esme, you’re going to marry… him?”

“Him?” Caleb sneered. “How dare you talk about me in that tone?” Caleb barked, pulling me tighter against him. “Do you know who I am?”

“I don’t give a fuck, rich boy.”

“Ben, it’s a long story, it’s not really what it looks like.”

“Not what it looks like?” Caleb asked tightening his hold on my hip. To outsiders it would look like two lovers cuddling but it was all appearances, the tension of his body, the hard grip on my hip – There was no love there, only hate and resentment. “I beg to differ Esmeralda. I asked you to marry me and you said yes. I’m not sure how the story could be clearer than that.”

“It’s…” I let out a weary sigh. “Just… Ben.”

“Esme, I’m sorry to have barged into your life like this,” Ben said, visibly crestfallen. “I thought, I thought-”

“I don’t know what you thought,” Caleb shot back before gesturing to the bike dismissively. “But I’ll say it again, leave and never come back.”

Ben turned toward me. “Esme?” He said and his eyes conveyed his questions. Was everything true? Was I okay with the situation?

I looked upward, feeling the tears at the back of my eyes. It was better for him to leave and never come back. I was doing this to protect him, to keep him safe, but he couldn’t know that. Now he would hate me, hate me for what I was doing, hate me for turning my back on everything I used to be. If only he knew, if only I could explain why I’d made these choices. But he would know one day, I would tell him even if it was the last thing I did. Why I was going to marry a hateful boy who hated me, maybe even more than I hated him. But today I had to keep him safe, make him go away.

“Yes, Ben please, just go. I’m with Caleb and we’re going to get married. I think it’d be for the best if we cut ties now.”

“Esme, you can’t mean that.”

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