With an innocent face and a hint of sarcasm, I replied, “Shouldn’t I be the one asking why you’re here, Mr. Charles?”
Ignoring my question, he fired back, “What do you mean by leaving the Penthouse? And why did you take off our engagement ring?”
He must have gone back to the Penthouse that morning, found it empty, and then tracked me down.
Before I could respond, he continued, “If you don’t like the ring, just tell me. I’ll replace it with a more expensive one. And who said you could come back to your apartment?”
This was his way, always imposing his will. If I didn’t accept his gifts, he would claim they were too cheap, or not good enough, and insisted on getting something better.
But he never asked what I liked, what my preferences were, or what made me happy. Everything was filtered through his perspective.
I remembered why I had moved to his Penthouse in the first place.
After a year of dating, he found it too difficult for us to meet, especially since our relationship was a secret. He wanted me closer, but moving to the Manor was out of the question, given the number of eyes there.
“I want to be near you every day, Rhe,” he had said. “But it would be too much to move to the Manor. If you move to my Penthouse, we can be alone together whenever we want. No need for appointments.”
I had tried to suggest an alternative. “You could move to my apartment. The security here is great, and it’s close to the agency.”
“No,” he insisted. “The Penthouse is safer. I have guards, a private elevator, everything we need.
“I’ve arranged everything too. A maid comes in the morning and leaves in the afternoon, meals are handled by a chef, and there’s a driver at your disposal. Just inform your manager. This way, we don’t have to find a place to meet anymore.”
He was adamant, and I had eventually given in, moving in with him. But ironically, living together only made me more aware of how often he was with Darla.
It made me question the point of being in the same space if his heart wasn’t there.
Suddenly, Rheymond’s hand on mine jolted me from my thoughts. “Anyways, where are you going? Let me take you.”
I pulled away, my voice cold. “No need. I can drive myself. If you don’t mind, could you step aside so I can open the car door?”