TWENTY-NINE.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE - Reese .


I entered Luther's penthouse with a worn outlook. I had enough of the short time I spent with my parents. It was a lot to process—all these years, my mother had gone through the anguish, lost a child before I was born and then she had me and never showed me an iota of love. We were never in a good relationship because she never gave us the chance to. Her bombarding me with the news about the child she had before me broke my heart. It was truly disheartening that none of my parents told me this but I had to be the one who suffered the pain my mother carried after the death of her child.

Anyway, I was welcomed by the greetings from one of Luther's bodyguards who had bowed his head in a sign of polite greeting. I smiled at him as he helped with opening the door. The living room smelled of its usual vanilla mixed with another exotic scent. I had thought it was strange that I didn't hear of Luther, he was usually around during the weekends. I thought of him to have probably been busy at his home office like he was, during weekends.

I walked further towards our bedroom, I knocked and there was no response. I concluded that he probably wasn't home then. I twisted the doorknob only to meet with a shirtless Luther who had fallen asleep with both his arms spread over his head. I noticed a note beside him on the bed, so I moved forward to pick it up. Luther did not sleep alone in this house.

‘Morning handsome, I hope you woke up on the bright side of the morning. Yesterday night was a lot of fun, you were good. Hoping we could try this another time.


- Petra.’


I couldn't believe my eyes, my instinct was right. Luther had slept with Petra while I was away. I felt like a fool, I was the one who led him on. Why was I hurt by this? We had nothing going on between us after all. I blamed myself for having to have been vulnerable in front of him. I was never the one to trust my heart but with Luther, I felt something different—different from the feelings I had for other men and the worst part was feeling downhearted for this.

God, I was a wreck!

I trusted him, it was my fault that I had let this man into my life, somehow. The heartbreak followed suit with a disappointed look. I couldn't believe I trusted him, I brought this upon myself. Tears stung my face on seeing the note, I wiped the tears that rolled down my cheeks immediately. I was going to leave even if it meant not collecting the money he had offered me. I wasn't interested any longer. Suddenly, I heard a loud groan. It was Luther, he woke up with a confused look on his face. He scratched through his already ruffled hair. “How did I get here?”

“Good morning to you too, Haastrup.” I voiced sarcastically.

He growled loudly, his hands placed on his temple. “Miss Quinn?”

“I see you had so much fun last night.”

“Fun? But you were here.”

“Were you drunk?”

“Was I drunk?” I watched as he asked no one in particular. “I was drunk.”

“That explains the note from Petra, then. It was obvious you both had a good night, last night.” Morbidness and anger were laced in my voice.

“That meant, whoever came last night wasn't you. It wasn't you?”

“Quit the act, Luther! You had sex with her! You know what? I'm done with this.” I lift my arms in the air as a sign of surrender.

He won.

There was no way Luther would convince me into believing him.

“I can't remember. I. . . I. . .” He reeked of alcohol when he stuttered.

“Save it! Do whatever you want anyway, it is your life. This is just a contract, remember?” I frowned at him.

He rose from his bed, trying to get a hold of me. I moved away from him, avoiding his hands on me. “Never! Miss Quinn, I had no idea it wasn't you who came.”

“You mean you have no idea who Petra is?”

“Petra came?” His questions made me angrier, I scowled at him not wanting to hear what he had left to say. “Petra came? I don't remember anything.”

“What is this note then!?” I threw the little note at him while I snarled.

I was about to leave the bedroom but I felt his handheld me back. “Believe me, Petra did something. I had no idea how she got here again. You have to trust me on this.”

I threw a disgusting look at him, he was nothing but a lying jerk! He was no better than the rest of the horrible men I have been with.

“Trust you? You are not to be trusted! What hurts is that I let you in when I shouldn't have! All I know is. . .” I pointed at him. “This is wrong, all from the beginning.”

“Em. . . Reese .” He called.

“You want to know the truth? I can't help but think how much of a fool I was,” I scoffed. “I believed you yet, here I am.”

“I swear, this isn't how it looks. Trust me, there's a misunderstanding here—”

“There's no misunderstanding! I want out!” I cut in.

“No, you are not. You can't walk out, hear me out.” He sounded dominant but I wasn't having it.

“Yes, I am out! And you will not tell me what to do.” I snapped.

“Reese , this isn't how you think it is. I was drunk and Petra must have taken advantage of that but I swear, I will never go back to Petra. Ever!” He said with a look of pleading in his eyes.

“I can't do this.”

“I have nothing to do with Petra, this is a setup.”

“Give me time to think it through.”

“Please do. . .”

“I need to go.”

“Do you mean out of here?”

“No. I just need some alone time for myself.” I replied to him firmly.




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The next morning had come and I wasn't feeling any better. My throat was sore, and my eyes burned from crying last night. I wasn't able to get off my bed. Lately, I have been having the urge to vomit and the thought of that was cloying. I rushed into the bathroom, to puke out what I ate last night. This was odd and had never happened.


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