Chapter 107
NATHAN
It was nearly two in the afternoon, and still no sign of her. Calls and messages, but no response. What the hell could she be doing? Her phone indicated she was at home. So, I decided to go to her place. I knocked on the door, and her friend, the personification of sympathy, answered. Hypocrisy, Nathan?
"Hey?" she said, wearing her usual stern expression. Why did she hate me? Kate must have told her something terrible about me.
"Can I talk to Kate?"
"She's not here."
"Are you sure?" This woman wouldn't lie to me. Collins' phone could confirm she was there.
"If you want to check." She opened the door.
"Do you know where she is?"
"She told me she was going to handle a problem and forgot her phone. Maybe she'll get in touch soon."
"Do you know where?"
"No." She was definitely lying.
"Thanks." An insufferable woman. Where the hell could she be?
By evening, I was on the verge of going crazy. It had been almost twenty-four hours without a single response from her, no notice. I couldn't do anything. I had already asked my people to check for any bookings or credit card usage in her name, but there was nothing. I couldn't do a damn thing except wait, and I hated waiting. I only managed to fall asleep after drinking. But at least I was certain I would see her the next morning.
The next morning, I found Megan at Kate's desk. It almost made me freak out.
"Where's Collins?" I asked, approaching her.
"Good morning, Mr. Ryan! I received a message from her saying she couldn't come in today."
"She didn't say why?"
"No, sir." What the hell is going on? How come she didn't speak to me directly?
"Mr. Ryan?" Megan called me, causing me to stop at the door of my office.
"Yes?"
"The dean of Columbia University called this morning to schedule a meeting. You had the first part of the morning free, so I booked it for nine."
"Alright. He probably wants to know about Miss Collins' progress. Maybe she's having some issues, starting with not showing up for work."
It was nearly nine. As soon as I entered my office, I tried calling Kate, but to my frustration, the call went straight to voicemail again. I'm starting to think she's avoiding me. As soon as I sit down, Megan informs me that Mr. Spencer has arrived. I ask her to let him in.
"Good morning, Mr. Spencer!"
"Morning, Ryan!" I shake hands with the tall, slender man before we both sit down.
"So, what brings you here?"
"I think we can get straight to the point." Mr. Spencer seemed slightly hesitant before responding, carefully choosing his words. "One of our brightest students, Miss Collins, has come to me to inform me that she wishes to terminate the contract involving our university and her company."
"What?" What the hell?
After convincing the dean to give me until the following morning to talk to Kate and persuade her to give up on this crazy idea, I drive to her house. I have no idea what's going on with her. As I approach her apartment, she's coming out of the building. I park haphazardly and rush out. She crosses the street and opens the door to her car.
"Kate!" I shout. She turns to face me and then ignores me. I run and reach for her arm before she gets into the car.
"No," she says with a cold expression, showing no anger or any other emotion.
"What are you doing?"
"What do you want here?"
"What do you mean, what do I want? Maybe to know what the hell is going on?" She stares at me before pulling away and crossing the street again. I follow her.
"Where are you going?" She climbs the stairs and takes her key out of her bag to open the door. I grab her arm again. "I'm talking to you."
"This time, I really have nothing to say to you."
"Are you crazy?"
"Men always say women are crazy, so they don't have to admit their own mistakes," she sarcastically smiles.
"Could you be clearer and tell me what I did?"
"I won't waste another second of my time on you."
"You're not going anywhere without explaining to me what's happening."
"Go away, it's the best thing you can do. It's over. It's over, Ryan."
"Damn it, Kate, tell me why you're doing this? I deserve an explanation, fuck!"
"You don't deserve a damn thing. Go away!" She looks at my hand on her wrist. I can see the contained anger.
"No."
"Please, just go away and never come back here." She inhales and exhales forcefully, swallowing hard, on the verge of exploding. Damn it, say it, Collins.
"No. Damn it. Say it!"
"You're a fucking lying son of a bitch. Why don't you disappear?" There's the anger. She breaks free from me, pulling her arm away sharply. Turning the key, she enters, and I do the same, holding the door before she can close it.
"You're acting like a child, Collins."
"Get out of my house and screw yourself, you asshole!"
"Are you going insane?"
"Fine... fine. Do you want me to keep playing the fool? Okay." I don't understand. She walks over to the table next to the couch and picks up an iPad. Then she types something and stares at me, laughing. "Maybe you really haven't seen it yet, because you're just an asshole." She hands me the iPad. "I don't want to hear anything, I just want you to never contact me again."
I swipe the screen, scrolling further down the gossip website, and there are two more photos. Three in total. The first one is me leaning in to greet Mia, in the second she has her arm on the table, touching my hand, and in the third, we're toasting.
Moments that seemed insignificant hours ago now appear romantic to anyone seeing the photos. But I knew it was nothing. I simply innocently greeted her when I arrived at the restaurant and cut off any affection when she tried to get closer. The damn toast meant nothing, just something she suggested about our friendship, just friendship. But how was I going to convince Kate of that? She was furious. She didn't even want to see me. Damn it.
"I can't mean anything," I blurted out without thinking.
"The conqueror Ryan on a romantic dinner with his ex? Or is it current? Don't you think it's a good headline?" She gestured with her hands in the air and smiled sarcastically.
"It doesn't mean anything at all."
"Don't worry, the photos didn't surprise me."
"What?"
"I knew you were having dinner with her. Amazing, isn't it? She told me herself."
"What are you saying?"
"It doesn't matter. You lied. You chose to be with her. You'll never change. I'm an idiot for believing in any chance of you actually being... What am I saying? Forget it. It doesn't matter."
"I've already said it! It meant nothing! I just wanted to end it all once and for all."
"Oh, really? It seems like you succeeded."
"Don't be childish and listen!"
"You listen! This is final... I don't want any more contact with you. No words. Nothing."
"Don't be stubborn and immature. Did you forget everything from yesterday to today? Everything I said and what we experienced?"
"No. I just added another lie to your long list."
"Kate, you know how I feel."
"No, I thought I did. But now I see who you are, who you've always been."
"Oh, really? Who am I?"
"You are the kind of guy who is only good for fuck. Goodbye, Ryan." She looked deep into my eyes before walking out the door, leaving me alone in her apartment. It hit me like a direct shot to the chest.
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