Genre: Romance
Rating: NC 17
Disclaimer : Standard disclaimers apply. The characters belong to Shalz R.
Prologue: The Perfect Life : Part 6
He broke off pushing her away, “I don’t want any explanations. You are marrying him! I thought you said he was just for publicity and you were breaking up with him anyway!”
“Mark, listen to me please. I didn’t lie to you. I love you. Ian is not at all my type of person. But see you are still a budding actor and Ian is well established. All I’m after is his money and fame. Being in public eye with him has already worked well for me. My contacts have improved immensely because of him. We shall launch you with his money. Don’t you see, he is a money minting machine!”
“What do you mean?”
“Mark, honey, sweetie, listen. Once I marry him, I use him and his money to launch you. Then when you are a hit, I divorce him. Divorcing a man like Ian is like ... just think of this as a lottery ticket, a check I’ve waited to cash for more than three years now! We can’t throw it down the drain now!”
“Miss. Samantha Burton, you are a genius!” he pulled her to him and kissed her.
The flowers fell to the ground. Samantha turned around with a jerk. Ian was standing with a look of disbelief on his face, his eyes gazing her, then him and then her again.
“Ian dear, you are back!” then realizing that he saw him kissing her “Oh don’t misunderstand. I can explain this. This means nothing to me. It was just… uh...” Then trailed off not knowing what to say.
Ian turned around and walked away. He didn’t speak a word. Samantha ran after him trying to give off vague explanations.
Ian was lost, he could think no more. He just walked on as if in a trance. He still did not understand what he saw, what he heard. He only understood that he shouldn’t be here. Samantha, panicking that her moneybag was going, held his arm and tried to explain once more.
Ian looked at her, no expression on his face, pushed her hand off his arm and walked out to his car. Samantha knew that if she could explain it, it would have to be at another time. He started the car and drove away. It was all over in less than ten minutes!
The voices still going on in his head. He drove on.
Trying to comprehend what happened. All events of the past years flashed before his eyes. Her love, her concern, her planning for their wedding. For money? Is it possible? He drove on.
Suddenly he heard a scream and jolted out of his trance. He saw a wall just ahead of him and he was going to drive straight into it. He did not know how, but he applied brakes, his head hit the wheel and the car stopped just inches away from the wall. He sat stunned for a few minutes as crowd gathered around his car. He became aware of this and then a terrifying thought struck him, “that scream, have I run over someone?”
He jumped out of his car and looked around. This was near about the same place he had bought the flowers from! Apparently no one was hurt. He sighed relief. Drove home.
Tyler and Adrian were still partying. They both saw the bruise on his forehead and asked him about it. He went straight to his room. Something was wrong. They followed. The lost look on his face had them both concerned. They brought him drinks and a bandage for his bruise. Over the next few hours he told them all. All without any trace of emotion in his voice, as if he was simply reading it out to them. Then being so drunk, he slept. They sat up with him all night. Not a word was spoken between them, as they watched Ian sleeping. In the morning, Ian was a changed man. He wished them good morning and said that they could now go and rest. He was all right. They went reluctantly, feeling he needed to be alone for.
Alone was what he remained. He went to work. Came back. Ate. Slept.
This was 2 weeks back. The only time he smiled after then was when Kevin visited him with kids. Dianne could not come. She did not know all. Only Kevin had been told all. And the senior Maxwells, of course. Mrs. Maxwell had taken ill after hearing the news. Dianne was too sensitive to know this. All she knew was that it was off. She was instead trying to fix things up again. Kevin had deliberately left her behind with her parents. He brought the kids along for he knew if anything could make Ian smile again it was his babies!
*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~*
Carlton saw the clock. 4:30. He went to collect the tea tray.
The tea tray was lying as he had left it, untouched. As usual, ever since …
He took it away.