Page 40 of Love Me Again

"Tell me you love me, baby,"I stare at Cole motionless when he presses his forehead to mine and whispers those words to me. I fought the tears that were threatening to fall when he slowly opens his eyes and looks at me.

"What?" I whisper, watching him as he gazes at me, his eyes searching mine for something. He said the words, but the look in his eyes wasn't the same as that night. The love wasn't there, and it pained me deeply that he remembers the night he told me he loves me for the first time, but there's no emotion behind his words. Cole pulls back and looks at me,bewildered.

"Uh, was that a... memory of ours?" He questions, and I nod silently, stepping away from him. Cole stands and takes hold of my arm and pulls me back to him again. I look up at him questioningly.

"Fill in the blanks. Please?" He says pleadingly, and I blink, my eyes already welling up.

I shake my head.

"I can't," I answer, and he looks at me beseechingly. "You can't ask that of me, Cole. You can't ask me to relive that moment while you're looking at me like you don't even know me. I can't." I take a step away from him, but he tightens his hold on me and draws me closer, looking down into my face.

Cole presses his forehead to mine, his eyes shut.

"Tell me you love me, baby," Cole whispers again. My heart aches, and I wince when those very words scald me from the inside out.

I close my eyes, "I love you, Cole," I whisper back, unable to stop the tears that flow down my face before I pull away and hurry out of his office. I run into the bathroom and press myself against the door, sobbing quietly into my hand.

What the hell is he trying to do to me?

I move over to the sink and stare at myself in the mirror for a moment. "He doesn't love you, Shayla. Stop holding on and let go. That’s not Cole. He’s gone." I run the water and splash some cold water on my face. After I get a grip on my emotions, I walk out of the bathroom to my office, where I pick up my jacket and bag, so I could get out of there before he catches me again.

"Well, I'll be damned. I didn't expect to see you here again." I still and close my eyes when I hear her voice behind me. I suck in a deep breath before I turn and face her.

"Right back at you, Sophie." I hiss, glaring at her hard as she walks into my office with a rather smug look on her face. "I would ask what you're doing here, but I honestly don't care," I sigh, looking for my keys in my purse.

"I'm here to see my boyfriend." She replies, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder.

The term boyfriend made my insides clench tight.

"Of course you are," I tell her with an exasperated roll of my eyes. "Well, don't let me keep you. You know where his office is," I add, gesturing to the door. Sophie smirks, her icy blue eyes rake over me, and stop at my stomach. I see the sadness in her eyes and figured she must be reliving the moment she lost her baby.

I instinctively place my hand on my tummy and look at her. As much as I hate her, I sympathize with her situation. A mother losing her baby is tough for anyone. I sigh and walk past her out of my office.

"You know, Shayla, I thought you were apridefulwoman. I'm curious as to why you're still here, buzzing around Tristan after he left you?" I stop walking, close my eyes to control the rage, and bite my lip before I turn to face her again.

I laugh bitterly and take a step toward her. "You want to talk to me about pride, Sophie? You? I know Cole has forgotten, but did you happen to forget that he left yourdeceitfularse in your wedding dress and came looking for me?" I sneer, shaking my head. "Not that it's any of your business, but I am proud and fiercely loyal to my job and my clients," I tell her and let my eyes rake over her. "Not that I'd expect you to know a damn thing about loyalty. I'm not here for Cole. I'm here for my job and my future." I utter scathingly and turn to leave again.

"But he left you too, though, didn't he, Shayla? He left you for me. Tristan didn't want you or your baby. Guess you're not that special after all. He forgot all about you like you never existed to him, but he still remembers me. Tristan still remembers the love we had for one another." She retorts taciturnly, and I force myself to smile and take a step closer to her as I look her firmly in the eyes.

"God, you really are pathetic. He left you by choice Sophie," I reply, "Cole didn't leave me—he suffered a traumatic head injury and lost his memory--that wasn't his choice. Only you would use this as an advantage to worm your way back into his life again, which doesn't surprise me one bit, given the lies you've told him to keep your hooks in him. But guess what, you can have him." I tell her and lick my lips. "You know, I honestly feel sorry for you."

"You feel sorry for me?" Sophie laughsbitingly, and I smile, nodding in response. "Oh, this I have to hear." She grins, crossing her arms over her chest and watching me expectantly.

"I do because I will eventually get over him, but you're on limited time, babe. You will go to bed with him every night, and every morning you will wake up terrified, wondering if that will be the day he will remember that he absolutely despises you and drops you like he did last time." I tell her with a smirk. "You will live in my shadow every single moment you're with him, just like before. He's already starting to remember things, so I suggest you get in there and enjoy what little time you have with him, sweetie." I declare with a shake of my head.

"Well then, I'll be sure to erase every single memory he has of you when I'm fucking his brains out and getting pregnant while you're home playing mummy to your brat." She utters grimly, and I fist my hand tightly at my side. I had the strongest urge to slap the bitch, but I wouldn't dream of putting my baby in harm's way.

"Listen to me, you delusional bitch. I'd watch myself if I were you because I can and will take Cole back from you whenever I feel like it, and you better believe I will do it just to spite you." I hiss snidely, narrowing my eyes at her.

"Every second of every day, you'll wonder if he's really where he says he is or if he's balls deep inside me somewhere in this office... or in our bed." I grin and wink at her. "Sooner or later, Cole will remember, despite your best effort to keep us apart. His mind may have forgotten, but his heart will always remember me and the love we had. Remember that, when you're sitting all alone, crying over your pathetic attempts to manipulate him." I smirk and walk off toward the elevator. "Adiós puta!"

Shove that in your pipe and smoke it, you crazy bitch!

I feel so much better after that. It was high time I put that skank in her place. Oh, if I weren't pregnant, I would have rearranged her face ten times over by now.

* * *

"You did what?!"Aimee shouts, her blue eyes wide like saucers as she shoves popcorn in her mouth and chews excitedly like you do when you're watching a fascinating part in a film. "Tell me again...tell me again. I need to hear this word for word...slowly."

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