Page 2 of Great Pretender
“There’s nothing to take care of,” Heath says, inclining his head to the side.“You and I both know you have no say here.This is my house.”
The reminder shuts me down. I hate that he’s right, and I’m so very wrong.
The truth of the matter is, I shouldn’t still be here.Here in this house, which belongs to him.Definitely not after the way we broke up.
Last month, I caught him in the act of cheating on me with Sheila, his secretary.I wasn’t surprised because I suspected it had been going on for some time even though he denied it.It didn’t hurt any less to see him live and in living color, and I felt like a fool for not being the one to bail the moment my gut told me he was no longer mine.
He moved out the same day, and I had a few weeks of reprieve only because he was working in Hong Kong.I didn’t know when he’d be back, but I planned to leave.I just didn’t have the money.Unknown to most, I’m practically broke.
In addition to that, moving in the middle of your third year of residency after you’ve spent your last dime bailing your alcoholic father out of debt and sending him to rehab is the worst idea ever, and bad timing.
I’ve had a bad spell of shit that’s kept coming for me culminating in tonight’s events.
“I live here. You moved out weeks ago, and I’ve been paying the bills,” I mutter.
He raises his wide shoulders into a shrug. “Bills for your use of my property.Did you seriously believe I was going to allow you to stay here?”
“No, but I never expected this.You could have given me a chance.”
He pulls an envelope from his pocket and hands it to me.
“What is this?”
“Consider it your chance. You have two weeks.”
I open my mouth to argue, but the words don’t come.Instead, I open the envelope, and my throat closes up when I see it’s an eviction notice.
When my gaze climbs back up to meet his, that mocking smirk returns, sliding across his lips as if he’s enjoying the front row seat to my downfall.
“Two weeks, Heath?”
“Two weeks. I’m selling the place, and I don’t want you or your shit here.Cross me, and I’ll get the police to move you.”
I don’t get to say another word.He walks out, and I watch the men continue in their pursuit to take the furniture that isn’t mine.
The letter in my hand feels more like a death sentence, getting heavier by the second. So much so I can no longer tell which items are mine and which are his.
I don’t even notice Elodie returning to the room until she rests a hand on my shoulder.
Turning to face her, I take in the worry in her eyes. She opens her mouth to say something but stops herself. I’m not sure what she’d say to me. I’m not sure what anyone could. I’ve been on one hell of a roller coaster ride for the last few years, and all I wanted was to be a doctor. I’ve accomplished fragments of the dream, but everything else seems to exist to take what little joy I have away.
I lift the letter up and wave it.
“He wants me gone in two weeks,” I announce.
“Oh, Piper… I’m so sorry.” I know she is. It was her I ran to that day when I caught Heath cheating.
Having gone through a similar experience with her first husband, she could relate.
During our years of friendship, I discovered she could relate to a number ofmajorthings that have happened to me in my life. Some of the things have been so freakishly similar, it was like looking at a slightly older alternate version of myself. We even look similar with the same platinum colored hair. Our differences are in eye color: hers are blue, and mine are green. And, in common sense because I can honestly say that she wouldn’t have been foolish enough to stay in a home that didn’t belong to her. It would have been her who moved out first. She would have been the one to leave that day, and she would have had a backup plan.
“Thank you for coming.”
“Of course, sweetie, is there anything I can do?”
“No, there’s nothing.” I do my best to hold back the tears that sting my eyes, but I can feel them coming.
“Surely, he can’t get away with this. Hollis and I know some great lawyers. We can recommend someone.” She nods enthusiastically.
