Page 101 of The Husband Contract
She screeches. “What are you saying?”
“Look, I don’t know what Sebastian thinks he knows, or what Sergio told him, but I’m absolutely disgusted at what is going on. I saw Sergio’s photo online and he’s not Clark Kent. He’s not the man that I met.” My mind is reeling and I want to scream.
“So wait....what? This isn’t a case of Clark Kent lying about you?”
“No. This is a case of some random man lying about me and saying he gave me money. It makes absolutely no sense.”
“Oh my gosh. This is scary. What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know how I’m going to figure out why Sergio did what he did. But the fact of the matter is, Sebastian is the one who knows me—and I’m disgusted with him. I only wish I could break him in the way that he’s broken me.”
“Have you thought of any ideas?”
“No. I don’t know. The only time I feel like we ever really connected was when we were... together sexually...” I let my voice trail off.
“I get it, girl. He’s an asshole.”
“I know. And he’s not even worthy of my time, nor my heartbreak. I don’t even want to think about it. Get here, and I’ll see how I can sneak out. I just want to leave. I’m done with this bullshit.”
“We’re on the way. We should leave in about ten minutes, okay?”
“Drive safely. I’m sharing my location now.” I press the button, and we hang up.
I should get ready. I also need to figure out a way to get out of here, how to get the door open. I wonder if I speak to Janice, if she’ll help me. We’ve become friendly the past couple of days.
As I sit there thinking, my door opens and Sebastianwalks in. His eyes are bloodshot. He stares at me and it’s like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. I almost feel sorry for him.
“Willow,” he says softly. “Oh, Willow.” His voice sounds broken, and I notice he has a bouquet of flowers in his hands. “These are for you.”
I eye the flowers but don’t take them. “I don’t want your flowers.”
He hangs his head. “Please, take them.”
I grab them and throw them to the ground. “I don’t want your flowers. Why are you here?”
“I need to…” He pauses. “Fuck, Willow. I’ve been…”
“If you think you’re here so we can sleep together again…” I shake my head. “It’s not going to happen.”
He grabs his phone, his face bleak. “I need to make a call.”
I stare at him in confusion as he presses some numbers, then steps back beside me.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
He shakes his head in response and points at the phone. A guy answers and pops up on the screen. Immediately I recognize Sergio’s face. Sebastian looks over at me as if searching for my reaction.
Sergio is grinning on the screen. “Hey, bro, what’s going on? What are you doing?”
He’s sitting in a café somewhere. I can see a bottle of wine on the table and a baguette with brie and strawberries. My stomach growls at the sight. I’m hungry.
“Sergio, I have a question for you,” Sebastian says tightly. “I need you to focus, okay?”
“What’s going on?” Sergio pops a grape into his mouth and turns to someone next to him. My eyes narrow. Was that Louisa? Didn’t I just see her a few days ago?
“I want you to tell me something.” Sebastian puts thephone in front of my face and leaves it there. I remain frozen, unsure what this is all leading up to.
Sergio starts laughing. “Who’s that? Dude, your new female friend? Hey, what’s up? My name’s Sergio—Sebastian’s brother.” He grins. “You dating my brother? Sebastian never introduces me to the women he’s sleeping with.”
