Page 59 of The Wrong One

Cam stepped forward. I looked at him and shook my head. “Don’t.” I turned back to Patrick. “No, I don’t want you. I don’t want to marry you. This is all on you. You are the one who cheated. If you really wanted to marry me, you wouldn’t have cheated. You wouldn’t have done what you did.”

“Please,” he pled. “You’re making such a big deal out of nothing.”

“It is a big deal to me.” I nodded. “I deserve better than you. I deserve better than what you did. You didn’t even have the decency to cheat on me with a grown woman. You’ve been sleeping with your students. Gross.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he scoffed.

“I saw what I saw, Patrick.”

“You know you want me back,” he deflected. “It was a silly mistake. It’s not like you haven’t made plenty.”

“I’ve never cheated on you!”

“You’re the one who wanted to rush into marriage,” he shot back.

“I wanted to be married to a man who loved me,” I said. “I thought you did.”

He shrugged. “I did.”

“No, you didn’t.” I shook my head. “If you loved me, you never would have done what you did. I deserve better. I demand better from my husband and the future father of my children. I settled with you. I can do better.”

Patrick turned to look at Cam again. I really wished he would stop doing that. Ramsey wasn’t saying anything yet, but I saw the look in his eyes. He knew. He heard every word Patrick was saying.

“I don’t think you can.” Patrick smirked. “You know you’re going to come crawling back.”

Two weeks ago, I might have begged him to take me back. I would have cried and told him I forgave him. But I was no longer swayed by his attempts to manipulate me. I had endured the pain and betrayal, and now it was time to prioritize my own happiness.

“I don’t want to hear any apologies or explanations,” I asserted, my voice firm. “They mean nothing to me now. You had your chance, and you lost it. I deserve someone who respects and values me, someone who will never betray my trust.”

“I never fucking apologized,” Patrick hissed.

“Good, because it wouldn’t have meant anything. Leave, Patrick. Go. Don’t call me. Don’t text me. Disappear.”

I raised my chin, feeling like a Viking shieldmaiden. Nothing he said could hurt me. Never again. It felt like I had just stitched a wound closed. Now, it was time for real healing. I finally had closure. I looked over at Cam, who grinned back at me. I threw my shoulders back and stared Patrick down. I was the one in control now. He didn’t have shit on me.

“I suggest you go, or I will call Security,” I told him calmly.

Patrick laughed. “Really? Do you honestly think I came here to grovel and beg for you to take me back? Who the hell do you think you are? Do you think you’re such a catch that you can’t show me a little bit of grace for one tiny mistake?”

“No,” I said. “You don’t deserve grace or sympathy. You did this. You created this horrible mess. I think this is one of those times when I can say you made your bed, now you get to lie in it. I’m sure it won’t be empty. Maybe you can sleepover with one of your little girlfriends.”

“Don’t act like you’re better than I am,” Patrick hissed. “I took pity on you. I dragged you out of that shitty life you were living and made you something. You never would have got to do the stuff you did without me. I made you.”

“My parents made me,” I shot back. “Get out.”

“You’re not worth the cost of the plane ticket out here,” he said.

Cam stepped forward. “She told you to leave. Do it on your own or we’ll do it for you.”

“Yes, please,” Ramsey said. “I’ve been looking for a reason to wipe that smug smirk off your face from the first moment I met you. You don’t deserve the air you breathe. Give me a fucking reason. Please.”

Patrick was digging in. The damn fool acted like he had a chance against Ramsey and Cam. Things were not going to end well for him. “Patrick, stop it,” I scolded. “Just go.”

Ramsey stepped in front of Cam. I was surprised to see Cam kind of step back. He was giving Ramsey first dibs, which would have been cute if the situation wasn’t so dire.

“I’m calling Security,” I said. “Patrick, it would be better if you just left.”

“I’m not running,” he said, puffing out his chest like he actually stood a chance against Ramsey.

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