Page 56 of The Accidental Wife

“I already told you. Nothing.”

“I’m not going to argue with you in the middle of the fucking street!” He shouts angrily.

“Then don’t!” I shout back. “Go bother Sophie and leave me the fuck alone!” I add, pushing him away and walking off down the street. I regretted it the minute I said it, but it just flew right out of my mouth.

Cole walks after me, grabs my arm, and pulls me into a dark alleyway hidden from prying eyes. He presses me up against a wall and cages me in so I couldn’t walk off. “What the hell are you talking about?”

I heave a sigh to try and calm down, “What do you want from me, Cole?”

He looks at me, “I want to know what your problem is.”

“You want to know what my problem is? All right. I want to know why you lied to me?” I question, and Cole frowns, confused.

“When did I lie to you? About what?”

“The real reason you’re pretending to be ‘happily married’ to me. It’s not entirely about wanting your father and grandfathers’ shares, is it? It’s about Sophie. You’re still hurt that she left you, so you’re using me to get her back because you’re still in love with her.” Cole blinks and shakes his head.

“Shayla, what on earth are you talking about? Using you? I would never do that. Where are you getting all this from?”

I look away from his gaze and bite the inside of my cheek to keep the tears at bay. I will not cry. “Don’t stand there and lie to my face. I heard you arguing in your office earlier.”

Cole sighs, closing his eyes, “Christ. Shayla, listen—”

“I did, Cole. I listened to your ex go on and on about me being a worthless nobody who you wouldn’t look at twice. But you know what, that’s not what hurt me, because I couldn’t give a toss about her opinions of me.” I sigh and shake my head. “I trusted you and chose to help you because you seemed so genuine to me. Little did I know, you were lying to my face the whole time about your real agenda.”

Cole licks his lips, “Shayla, I didn’t lie to you! Sophie has nothing to do with any of this, I swear to you.”

“You’re still lying! I heard you, Cole, you stood there and told her you love her, and you kissed.”

“Shayla, you’ve got this all wrong.” He says, trying to touch my face, but I push him away from me.

“Don’t touch me. The only thing I got all wrong was you. But you know what, it’s my fault. I was an idiot for trusting you in the first place. I’m done.” I say and brush past him, but he pulls me back.

“Shayla, listen to me,” He looks down into my face. “She kissed me, and it was only for a second.”

I roll my eyes and glare up at him, “Did you kiss her back?” I question, and he stares at me for a second and drops his gaze, his jaw set tight.

I shake my head. “I’m done. Screw you and your fucking arrangement.” I push past him to walk off, but he catches me by the wrist again.

“The hell you are!” He glares at me. “Even if this had something to do with Sophie— which it doesn’t, what difference would it make to you? What we have isn’t real, right?” He probes, looking into my eyes. “Right?!”

“Right!” I shout back.

“Then why do you care if Sophie and I kissed? Were you or were you not the one who stood in my office yesterday telling me you wouldn't care if I fucked her on my desk?” He asks, taking hold of my shoulders and staring into my eyes furiously. I stare up at him, shaking my head. “Were you just full of it?”

I shove him away from me, “This has nothing to do with jealousy and everything to do with you using me to hurt your ex-girlfriend! I’m not your fucking toy!” I argue while Cole glowers at me, his eyes narrowed while he watches me.

“My toy?! I didn’t use you, Shayla!” He declares frantically. “If I wanted Sophie back, I would have gone after her a long time ago! Why the hell would I need you?”

I cross my arms over my chest and shrug. “I don’t know, Cole. Maybe your ego was bruised that she left you, and you wanted to hurt her back!” Cole pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. “It doesn’t even matter anymore because I’m done with you and this whole fucking arrangement,” I tell him before I turn to walk away, but Cole steps in front of me, blocking my path.

“You can’t just walk away!”

I stare up at him, and he stares back heatedly. “Watch me!”

“What the fuck do you want, Shayla?! Tell me, so I know, because I’m tired of spinning in circles around you!”

“You know what I want, Cole? I just want to be myself again because this entire time, I have never been made to feel so worthless in my life than I do when I’m with you!” I declare hotly. We stare at each other for a long moment before I brush past him and walk away.

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