Page 52 of The Accidental Wife

Shayla

I stareat my reflection in the bathroom mirror as I wash my hands and couldn’t help but feel giddy. Our moment in the kitchen last night keeps replaying in my mind. I’m trying so hard to keep things professional between us, but it doesn’t seem to work. I mean, let's be honest, if you were in my shoes, would you be able to resist him? I think not.

I feel the butterflies explode in my stomach just at the thought of seeing him. I fluff up my hair and freshen my makeup before I leave the bathroom. He should be finished by now. I’m freaking starving, and the office is near enough, empty other than the cleaners. I walk through the office toward my desk. I can hear voices coming from Cole’s office. I stop in my tracks when I see Sophie in there with him. They’re arguing heatedly about something.

The light on my intercom is flashing, which means the button was pressed. I reach over, push the button, and hear Sophie's voice.

“Your wife?” She says, standing up and walking over to Cole. “Give me a break, Tris. I know you too well. Why don’t you just admit that you married her to spite me? You cannot honestly stand there and tell me you’re really into this girl.”

I frown, “Why do you even care, Soph? You’re the one that walked out on me, remember?!” Cole shouts, getting up to his feet from his chair.

“Yes, because you wouldn’t commit! You wouldn’t marry me, but you’ll go and marry a worthless nobody who you wouldn’t look at twice if she walked past you on the street! I spent three years of my life with you. I know you well enough to know you couldn’t possibly be interested in a girl like that. You’re using her to hurt me, aren’t you?!”

Cole laughs angrily and steps closer to her. “Hurt you? You mean the way you hurt me when you just up and took off because you didn’t get your fucking way?! I loved you!” He shouts angrily.

“No! You loved your work. I gave you a choice, Tristan! You chose your work over me every time. Your life is all about your job; that’s how it’s always been. Ever since you took over the company, you made me less of a priority in your life. You didn’t see how much you hurt me by pushing me aside like I didn’t matter. I didn’t want to be second best—not to you!” She shouts, pushing at his chest.

“Do you have any idea how I felt when I saw those pictures of you in the papers with that girl? Or the ones all over the internet this morning. That guy is not the Tristan I know. You hate public displays of affection. You wouldn’t even hold my hand, but with her, you’ll do this.” She says, tossing her phone at him. Cole catches it and looks at it before he looks at Sophie again. What photos is she talking about? I press myself behind the wall so they couldn’t see me watching them.

Cole sighs when he sees Sophie angrily brush a tear away, “Sophie I—”

She shakes her head, “Three years, and all I ever wanted was for you to look at me like that. So, tell me, either you never really loved me, or that in that photo and all the rest of it is nothing but a show.”

Cole hands her phone back to her, a sullen look on his face. “Of course I loved you, Sophie, a part of me, will always love you.” He tells her earnestly, and I watch as they stare at each other for a long moment before Sophie steps closer, cups his face, and kisses him.

I couldn’t breathe. The enormous lump forming in my throat felt like it was choking me. I feel hot tears burn the back of my eyelids. I grab my handbag and jacket and run out of there as fast as my trembling legs would take me. My entire body was shaking as I stood waiting for the elevator. I was angry and hurt that he would use me like that. But then, what the fuck did I expect? She was right. If he weren’t drunk that night, a guy like Tristan Cole Hoult would never notice me. He’s been lying to me from the beginning, using me to make his ex-girlfriend jealous. God, I feel like such an idiot for thinking he could like me.

I stare at my reflection in the mirror of the elevator. You’re a damn fool, Shayla. I hastily wipe away the tears and bite my lip hard. At least now I see him for who he really is…a liar, just like the rest of them. After my ex wrecked me, I made a promise that I would never let another man make me feel worthless ever again. I walk out of the building and jump into a cab. There’s only one place I need to be right now. I need to clear my head and avoid seeing him for a couple of days—at least till I can see him again without having the urge to rip his stupid face off. To think I was going to sleep with him again.

As I sat in the back of the taxi, I scroll through my phone and find the photos Sophie was talking about. It’s all over Twitter and Instagram. A picture of us from last night while we were standing outside. The caption at the top,

Love is in the air – Newlyweds Tristan & Shayla can’t keep their hands off one another.

He almost had me. Hot tears roll down my cheeks as I stare at the photo. I hate him for lying to me and breaking my trust. But most of all, I hate him for toying with my emotions. Why couldn’t he just tell me what his agenda was from the beginning? Why did he have to use me like that?

As I stare out of the window, I feel my phone vibrate. Cole’s calling me. Probably noticed I had left. Surprised, he came up for air long enough while kissing Sophie to even notice I was gone. Bastard. I decline the call, and a few seconds later, he calls again. I stare at his name flashing on my screen, and a part of me just wants to answer it and tell him to go fuck himself, but the other side of me, the proud part, doesn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he could hurt me. I won’t give him that power over me.

Cole sends a text when I don’t answer the three times he called.

Cole:

“Where are you? Have you gone home?”

Me:

“No. I’m spending a couple of nights with the girls.

Cole:

“Oh. Okay, why aren’t you answering my calls? What’s wrong?”

Me:

“Nothing. I just miss my girls. I need to spend time with them. I’ll see you Monday.”

I ignore the rest of the texts he sends me as I walk up to my apartment. I unlock the door and walk-in. As soon as the door clicks shut, Jo and Aimee come running over to me.

“Shay Shay!” Aimee squeals hurling herself at me. I wrap my arms around her and blink back the tears that gather in my eyes. “We missed you so much.”

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