Abigail

I glanced around the parking lot, trying to find whoever it was that was watching me, eyes skimming over the sleek cars and the security men patrolling the place.

The doors to the building behind me opened, and Finnegan walked out, his brows furrowed deep in thought. I immediately rushed to the car where James stood waiting and slipped into the front seat.

The drive to the Dorian building was quite short, but it felt like an eternity because I kept counting my breath and fighting the tears. It didn’t help that the whole car reeked of his cologne.

The meeting with Dorian’s COO, Some Mr. Prescott, was in their conference room, and while Prescott racked up excuses for why the company was terminating the contract, my head kept replaying yesterday in my head.

...We have been married for many years, and the world never knows anything about us...

I knew he was a private man, but did he hide his wife and child from the world on purpose?

"...Sorry, Mr. Wolfe, but the trajectory of the partnership isn’t aligning with our own projections," Prescott was saying, his hands folded on the table, "The engine development timeline has proven to be more complex than we anticipated, and our board feels that the resource allocation would be best."

"The resource allocation was agreed upon and signed with all this in mind," I replied, my face turning red when his eyes fell on me.

"Clause seven of the partnership agreement specifically covers the development timeline, and it is flexible. There’s no need to terminate the contract if that is truly the reason why you’re terminating it." Prescott blinked rapidly in surprise at me.

"That’s...uhm... correct," he cleared his throat. "However, the board’s position is that- "

"Which members of the board?" Finnegan questioned, and the man stiffened.

"That’s our company business, sir."

He leaned forward and murmured. "It’s my mother, isn’t it?"

His mother? Was his mother behind Dorian dropping out of the partnership? How and why? Was this also part of her schemes to get rid of him?

Was his wife also in on it?

I shook my head at the ridiculous thought, tuning back into the conversation.

"How much did she pay you? Or was it a promise of something else? Maybe a contract with Wolfe Corp on terms that suit her rather than me?"

"That’s-that’s—"Prescott blubbered, his face taking a very deep shade of red.

My god, who made this guy COO?

He could hardly hide his emotions. The blush on his face and his obvious stutter was enough proof that Finnegan was spot on. "That’s an insult, sir. I don’t know what you’re implying, but this is a business decision."

Finnegan rose from his seat. "I would like to speak with Dorian himself, if he’s done avoiding me like a coward. In the meantime," he buttoned his jacket with one hand, "...if your company intends to terminate this contract, you will be liable for the full settlement fee as outlined in clause nineteen. My lawyer will be in contact."

With that, he glided out of the conference room, and I closed my tablet, picked up my bag, and followed him out.

***

The car park under the Dorian building was cool and dim. James had the car running already as we approached, the air tense and suffocating between us.

"James." Finnegan stopped a few meters from the car. "Give us a few minutes, please."

Hell no, I didn’t want to hear a thing. Not this again.

James nodded without a word and sauntered away while I kept walking toward the car.

"My marriage to Victoria is on paper." He called out, stopping me in my tracks. "It has been for two years. I haven’t touched her since then." 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

I glanced over my shoulder at him. "You can’t seriously expect me to believe that."

"I would never lie to you," He whispered, emerald eyes softening as the gap between us rapidly disappeared into nothing.

I took a step back because the full force of his heat and scent wrapped around me, and it was overwhelming. "I would not lie to you, Abigail."

"But you withheld that important piece of information from me. I think we are past the stage of you sugarcoating your deeds." I retorted.

His face squeezed in anguish. "Because it’s complicated. Victoria is... My marriage is complicated. I should have told you."

"And I’m telling you now that it is over; it has been over. I had asked for a month because I was going to finalize the divorce and come to you without any strings attached. She was cheating on me, Abigail."

"That doesn’t make it okay to cheat back," I cried, barely able to keep the sob back from spilling.

"T-To bring someone else into it. To bring me into it. For god’s sake, Finnegan, you made me a home wrecker!" I pressed my lips together.

"I’m done. I don’t want to hear any more of this. James?! James, please come back, or Mr. Wolfe will be late for his twelve pm seminars."

James appeared from wherever he had been standing while I got into the car, refusing to look at the man who had held my heart in his hands, and I didn’t even fucking know it.

By 12:15 pm, we arrived at the seminar. It was held in a gigantic hall in the middle of town. A crowd of folks in the automobile industry filled the main hall- engineers, investors, executives.

He took the stage at 12:45 pm to give his speech, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. He was a good speaker. He was a good everything.

Except for being faithful.

Was I overacting? The Finnegan Wolfe I knew was too virtuous to be a heartless cheater and a father. Well, maybe I didn’t know him then.

Unable to fight back the tears anymore, I dove for the bathroom at the end of a corridor off the main hall. Thank the stars that it was quiet. I rushed to the tap and turned on the cold water over my wrists while gazing at myself in the mirror.

I breathed in, out, and sank my teeth into my bottom lip to hold back the tears. A knock on the door interrupted my sob fest.

I straightened and cleared my throat. "Occupied."

The knock came again. The universe just loved fucking with me, didn’t it? I crossed to the door and yanked it open, ready to tear whoever it was a new one, when the words died on my lips.

A hand closed around my throat before I could make a sound.