Page 91 of Devotion: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 1)

He wouldn’t even look at me. “There is nothing to forgive, Eve.” His voice was cold.

“I’m sorry,” I pleaded. “Lachlan, please let me explain.”

He lifted his head and his beautiful cold eyes held no emotions. “There is nothing to explain,” he said calmly. “It is obvious I can’t compete.”

He glanced at my old necklace back around my neck decorated with mine and Hunter’s wedding rings.

“Such devotion,” he uttered completely detached, like we were strangers.

“It’s not,” I whispered.

“We are barely back from our honeymoon and you couldn’t bear not to have a reminder,” he glanced back at the necklace around my neck. “I warned you there was no room for ghosts. I hoped that your devotion would ease off and transfer to me.”

“What about you and Layla?” I railed, resorting to defense. "She called yesterday and left a voicemail about meeting you. You told me you had work, not meeting her."

“There is nothing with me and Layla,” he replied calmly, and in my state of mind, I believed him. “And I certainly don’t cling to any memory of her.”

“Lachlan,” I whimpered, scared to death of losing him. “Please…”

He cut me off. “Stay here. We’ll figure out living arrangements later.”

He closed his suitcase and started for the door.

“What happened to being ready for both of us?” I whispered, now desperate to keep him. Last night I was saying goodbye to him in my mind but now I wasn’t ready. I’d never be ready. My world was shattering. He stopped in his tracks but didn’t look back at me.

“Seems I was wrong,” he replied. “It is all or nothing at this point.”

I remained numb, words trapped behind my lips as my heart screamed ‘I’m all yours.’ I was shaking on the inside, by blood alternating from hot to cold as I watched him leave me without a backward glance.

I slammed the door on our forever,I thought desperately.

I wasn’t sure how long I stood there, watching the empty space where he stood last.

I went back downstairs when I ran into Elise coming up the stairs.

“Eve,” she was worried. “What happened? I saw Lachlan leave.”

I ignored her question and kept on walking to the drawing room where I left my mother.

I entered the room and she was blabbing happily like nothing had happened at all, flirting with Colin who looked uncomfortable and stiff, Margaret sitting next to her brother with an appalled expression on her face.

“I want you out,” I strained through my teeth, trying to hold on to my sanity.

My mother’s head whipped around and gave me a hateful glare. “Darling, you can’t blame everybody for your problems.”

“I want you out,” I snapped. “You are the worst mother. I tolerated you till that night, now I despise you. You are dead to me!”

“And you think I am proud of you, Eve?” she spat out.

“Get out!” I shouted this time. “I never want to see you again!”

Elise hugged me. “Please, Eve. Everything will be fine. Just calm down.”

No wonder my sister was panicking. It is how I lost my shit last time. Except I tried to take it out on myself versus the woman that destroyed me.

“And you think I enjoy seeing you?” My mother turned on me, hate in her eyes. “I couldn’t stand you from the moment I saw you.”

I stood there looking at a complete stranger. I knew her all my life but she was a complete stranger. She hated me, and I certainly hated her. Ever since I caught her in bed with Hunter. My fucking mother!

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