Page 39 of Contract Of Shame

Richard went with them to his apartment. He ignored them and went straight for his strongest whisky. He pouted himself a generous glass and slung the whole shot to the back of his throat, the burn a welcome pain. He poured another glass and took it back.

“You got me back to my place. I suggest you leave,” he said.

“We’re not leaving,” they both said in unison.

“Why? I’m a fucking bastard who fucked up. You know,” he turned to Wayne. “I criticised you for pulling that pre-nup on Lily? I pulled a contract of my own out of the bag.” The strong drink was going straight to his head. “I forced her to sign a contract, so I could fuck her. How shit is that.”

“Richard, I don’t think you should be drinking.”

“You don’t know what I need. Do you have any idea what it’s like to be me? My dad reckons the woman you want is for mistress material while the woman you hate is wife material. Shall I get Scarlet to be my mistress?”

Wayne went over to him and grabbed the lapels of his jacket. “Listen, you’re a better man that your father. You always have been and always will be. So you fucked up. Either dwell on it and deal with the fact you’ve lost Scarlet, or you get up and you fight for the woman you love.”

Tears fell from his eyes, Richard never cried, but he felt them cascading down his cheeks, evidence of his weakened state of mind.

“Do you love her?” Tony asked.

“With my whole heart.” Richard broke down in front of his friends, the sobs shaking his whole body. He cried for the woman he loved and for the unfairness of life. The way his parents had controlled him to care what society thought of him.

After some time he saw his friends out with the promise they kept his emotions a secret. They did this. He recalled opening his door to a young Wayne as he’d taken a beating from his father and holding him while he cried to sleep. Richard had run to Tony when his parents wanted to send him to boarding school. The three friends who refused to allow the burdens of their parents to drive them apart.

So much had gone on among them. He loved them like brothers. When he was once again alone in his apartment he went to his safe and stared at the diamond encrusted dolphin. His heart and his life were laid in the woman who’d wear this ring. Richard picked it up and phoned the estate agent. He wanted to take charge of his own life. For the first time he was going to live it the way he wanted. The penthouse was going.

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