Page 14 of The Accidental Wife

Shayla

‘God? What the hell did I do in my past life for you to be punishing me like this?’

Looking at Coles father, I stand there—utterly humiliated—might I add while he’s just staring back at me confused. “Your wife?” He repeats, averting his gaze to his son. “I don’t understand.”

I open my mouth to speak but Cole pipes in, “We’re married. What’s not to understand.” I look up at him, and he pulls me closer against him, and I have the sudden urge to punch the kid in his throat.

“I should give you both some privacy,” I say and turn to leave the room.

“Stay right there, young lady!” He shouts, and I jump, startled at his sudden outburst. I nod and hang my head in silence, shrinking back beside Cole. “Tristan, I hired this girl a few days ago to be your assistant. What do you mean you’re married?” He questions, his green eyes, identical to Coles, darting between us, waiting for an answer. “What? Did it just slip your mind that you’re married to the CEO of the company?” He asks me, and I gape at him, my mouth opening and closing, probably resembling a fish out of water.

“I, uh, we—” I stammer pathetically, looking up at Cole, who stares back at me.

“I told her not to say anything.” He answers for me. “She didn’t want anyone to think she got the job because she was married to me. She wanted to earn it herself.” I stare at the floor. I can feel my cheeks burning with embarrassment. I’m going to kill him, revive him, and kill him again!

“Is that true?” I lift my gaze and after a glance at Cole, his eyes pleading with mine, I sigh and nod.

“Y-yes, sir,” I answer nervously. I feel Cole's fingers lace with mine, and I dig my nails into his skin. He flinches, squeezing my hand tighter in return.

“We’re not done discussing this. I have a meeting I must attend right now. You’re both coming to dinner this evening. You’ve got some serious explaining to do!” He glares at us both before he storms out of the office.

I let out a breath I hadn’t even noticed I was holding. Ripping my hand out of Cole’s, I look up at him. “What the hell did you just do?”

Cole shrugs sheepishly, “I’m so sorry. I panicked when he asked what we were doing here. I just blurted it out.” I turn to face him while I watch his father walk away, and when see’s the rage in my eyes, he takes a step back as I walk toward him.

“You panicked?” I utter through clenched teeth as I advance toward him. I lift my arms and hit him anywhere I can reach.

“Ouch, hey! Stop hitting me!” Cole says, grabbing my arms. “I’m sorry, okay. He was about to find out we were getting a divorce. If I hadn’t distracted him, he would have found out anyway.” I glower at him and shake my head in disbelief.

“Oh, bull! You saw an opportunity, and you jumped at it. I can’t believe you. I told you I didn’t want any part of your stupid ploy to trick your family, but you completely disregarded my wishes and did what you wanted anyway.” I argue and we glare at each other heatedly, so much so that I didn’t even notice he was still holding my arms with me pressed against his hard chest. My senses come hurrying back to me, and I shove him away from me, grab my bag and storm out.

“Shayla, wait,” I hear Cole call out as he follows me out of the office. “Shayla, will you just stop and listen to me? I’m telling you I didn’t mean to just blurt it out like that.” He explains, but I ignore him and continue walking, rather briskly toward the exit, trying to convince myself my feet aren’t throbbing in these stupid stilettos I decided to wear. Just as I reach the rotating doors, Cole slides in with me, pushes his foot against the side of the door, and it stops spinning, trapping me with him.

Clever bastard.

I spin, not realising how confined the space between the doors were and our faces are mere inches apart. Usually, I’m about a good seven inches shorter than Cole, but I was wearing heels, and we were practically nose to nose— well, nose to lips, he’s still taller.

“What are you doing? Move your foot.” I demand, and he shakes his head.

“No, not until you listen to what I have to say.” I sigh, roll my eyes just as an alarm starts ringing.

“Cole, people are looking at us,” I say, looking around at the people waiting to either enter or exit the building.

“I don’t give a fuck, let them look.” He bites out, his eyes never leaving mine. I peer up at him, growing more and more annoyed by the second. Cole breaks eye contact when a security guard knocks on the door and asks if we were okay and Cole glares at him and gestures to him with his head, the security guard nods in response, and people begin dispersing.

“Wow. You see, this is your problem. You’re so used to having control over everything and everyone around you that you seem to think it's acceptable behaviour to act out when you don’t get your way. I have news for you; you can’t control me, Cole, you can’t buy me.”

“You know what. You’re right. I am used to getting my way, and to this day, no one, not one person has ever challenged me and said no to me. Nobody but you. Do you have any idea how suffocating it is to have people around you that are constantly expecting something from you?” I watch him closely as he speaks, his gaze locked on mine. “Do you know how many times I have asked someone for help in my life?” He questions, and when I only blink up at him, he snorts and shakes his head. “Zero.” He finishes. “When I say I trust you, know that I mean it because I don’t trust people easily, and I’ve never met anyone like you, Shayla. You’re so unfazed by my lifestyle, the money, the cars, all of it. That’s why I asked you, not because I’m trying to buy you off, but because I can’t imagine a person more deserving of a break than you. And I know you won’t try and screw me over.”

I stare up at him, completely stunned. I had no idea what to say back to him after that. I’ve known this man for less than a week. “Now we can go.” He says and removes his foot from the door. The alarm stops, and the doors start moving again. We walk to his car in silence. Once we get in, we drive back to the office. I couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d just said.

I sigh and watch him as he drives, eyes fixed on the road, a frown on his handsome face causing a deep vee to form between his brows. He looks so unhappy and stressed. I felt a pang in my chest. Goddamn it. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

Cole looks over at me briefly and back at the road again. “You will?” He replies, surprised. I nod and stare at the road ahead.

“Yes.” I sigh and look at him. “I don’t like it, but you did make up that whole spiel about trusting me, so…” He smiles brightly and shakes his head.

“That was all true.” He assures.

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