Business Contract (Bliss Series) - Veronica Soliman(ang.)

Business Contract Veronica Soliman

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. Copyright © 2017 Veronica Soliman Book 2 Bliss Series All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other

noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Table of Contents Prologue Chapter 1: Flowing Rivers Chapter 2: Meeting Carnegie Chapter 3: The Proposal Chapter 4: Noticed Chapter 5: Lost and Found Chapter 6: Wedding Flowers Chapter 7: The Sleeping Pact Chapter 8: Devils in Disguise Chapter 9: Green Tomatoes Chapter 10: Guilt Chapter 11: Fortune Telling Chapter 12: Understanding Boundaries Chapter 13: Temptation Chapter 14: Far from Alone Chapter 15: Lost Chapter 16: Invective Chapter 17: Carnegie’s Girl Chapter 18: Shadows Chapter 19: Only the Dead that Can Live Chapter 20: Misunderstood Chapter 21: Shallow Chapter 22: Empty Dreams Chapter 23: Flaky Feelings Chapter 24: Truth Be Told Chapter 25: Sleepless Chapter 27: Yours and Mine Chapter 28: Emotional Being

Chapter 29: Absolutely Uncertain Chapter 30: The Poison Inside Me Chapter 31: Strong Words Chapter 32: Carnegie’s Smile Chapter 33: Hallucinations Chapter 34: Mad World Chapter 35: Disorganized Chapter 36: Facade Chapter 37: Disrespect Chapter 38: Under the Weather Chapter 39: Chains Chapter 40: Torn Chapter 41: Discovering Shame Chapter 42: Criminal Lies Chapter 43: Shapeless Chapter 44: Exits Chapter 45: What Eleanor Wants Chapter 46: Baby Blues Chapter 47: A First for Everything Chapter 48: When Nature Runs Its Course Chapter 49: Heinous Chapter 50: Darkness Within Chapter 51: His Lies Chapter 52: Hatred Epilogue

Prologue My blonde hair flew in the breeze as I stood beside my graduating class. We wore our red graduation caps, awaiting our names to be called. I smiled proudly; I'd finally done it: completed my business degree and went through hell for four years. And I was ultimately prepared to take over my family's business, of course with the help of my older brother. I sighed eagerly, watching everyone get called up one by one. "Pure Bliss." The speaker called as the brunette made her way to the stand, a wide smile on her soft features. That girl had been through a lot and it's a miracle that she is still smiling. We'd graduated together as good friends and have become better friends since high school. I watched her as she shook hands with the president of our class at Stanford and several other people and walked over to her seat; her fiancé walked up beside her, planting a kiss on her lips. She smiled, blushing as though it were their first kiss once again. They were super cute, but I never understood why Noah, one of the hottest, but ultimately shy guys, went for her when girls like me existed. They were barely in the last name letter B's

and each person was painfully slow as they walked up to the stage to get their bachelor's degrees. This was going to take forever. I felt shaky and nervous as I spotted sharp brown eyes staring at me. My boyfriend, Christian Anderson. We had a history. A long painful and somewhat tragic history; one that Pure Bliss had gotten involved in, but in the end he chose me. Sort of. I watched as my classmate's names were being called and each one made their way to the stand. The sun warmly looked down on us as the wind left soft kisses all over; everything seemed so perfect for a graduation ceremony outdoors. Especially with the small birds silently chirping and the cotton candy clouds floating away slowly. "Eleanor Hays." The speaker finally announced my name. I stood up, running eagerly to the podium smiling brightly as I shook the speaker’s hand, along with the other people on stage, and walked to my seat. If only Christian would come up to me and kiss me like Noah did with Pure. I felt somewhat envious. They'd only dated the last few weeks of senior year and went off to separate colleges, he'd come by on the weekends. Seven months ago, he proposed finally after three years of them dating. It was adorable. The cutest thing ever. Pure told me he took her to the bar where

they had first met and he had had it decorated fantastically. His family was there and so was hers and after a couple hours, they all drove to the beach where he proposed in the sweetest manner possible- but that’s a story for another time. It was cute and I've been envious since. "We will now congratulate our graduating class of 2015!" The speaker yelled as we all stood up and threw our caps into the air. "WE'VE DONE IT," our valedictorian yelled into the microphone, going wild as he tossed his hat into the crowd. Everyone gathered in their groups of friends and family and began taking pictures. I solemnly wondered what they would’ve done if technology didn’t exist. My older brother Jason walked up to me with mom, dad, and Christian. "My little sister is all grown up," Jason laughed, hugging me and messing up my hair as mom and dad took pictures. Everyone seemed overwhelmingly happy and I loved this calming happy mood sparingly spreading through the perfect air. "I can't wait for you to run our law firm!" Dad announced, hugging me tightly as he tried to disguise his tears. My dad owned Hay’s Law firm, a billion dollar company that I didn't really care to own. I never wanted to be a lawyer. I've always wanted to be a chef, but I can't cook to save my life- so I

guess this is the next best option. I smiled at the camera as Christian stood beside me. "Let's get out of here." He whispered dangerously as he held my hand. In freshman year of highschool, I'd lost my virginity to him. He then spent the next three years with me in an on and off relationship or spent it trying to make me jealous, all the same, I had gotten back with him weeks before college graduation. "Congratulations!" Pure walked up to me with her little brother, Luke in her arms and Noah holding her waist. They were cute together. She handed Luke to Noah. Noah was stunningly gorgeous, I must admit. He could've been a model if he set his mind to it. He had the most beautiful gray eyes that anyone had ever seen and stunning light hair surrounding smooth skin so much so that he resembled a god. I smiled at their happy faces as they walked away. Her little brother bouncing around. He was four years old now. I remember in highschool he'd just been a fetus. "You can now work for me." Dad said, "Remember Eleanor, it's not just because you're family that I give you this position, if you don't do your best, I will fire you." Dad warned as I brushed it away. Empty threats. I smiled mischievously as Christian grabbed

my wrist and pulled me aside. He had this thing against public displays of affection. I never understood why because four years ago he'd tied Pure up to the bleachers and forced her to kiss him if she wanted to be set free. It was a sick joke. We stood beside the Stanford library wall as he pushed me up against it. Ravaging me as though I were a toy he wanted to explore. And he did, many times actually. But what I felt for him now was nothing. In highschool I recall him always trying to make me jealous by going after the next prettiest girl. I hated him for it. But he was a classy guy and I fought for our relationship long and hard. He pressed his lips on mine as his hands began unzipping my graduation gown. I pulled away immediately. I don’t know what came over me but an overwhelming feeling told me to stop, told me that I don't want this. None of this. I began walking away, I had no feelings for him anymore. He'd cheated on me, broken my heart more times than I could count and I stayed with him because I felt comfortable in his strong arms. But those arms felt like serpents around me, strangling me. "Eleanor!" He shouted, jogging up beside me and reaching for my wrist. I must be on my period because I normally do not undergo this many mood-swings in one day. I felt anger fueling my emotions as I turned around sharply to be met with his calm brown eyes.

"Look Christian, we've had our fun. But this relationship is going nowhere. You're not the type of guy to commit to one girl. I love you but I'm not in love with you. At least not anymore." Some may call me a bitch. I say that I have a strong opinion and know what I want. And Christian Anderson is not what I want. Noah was who'd I'd wanted in sophomore year of highschool but nobody knew because I'd kept it a secret. There always comes a point when every girl had a crush on the hot guy who never talked to them. Until lucky little Pure got him. Nevertheless, I will be twenty one years old in a few weeks and when I turn twenty-one, I'll be hitting a bar trying to forget the last eight years of my life. That was until my father hit me with the biggest baddest news a twenty-year-old girl could ever hear. Within the hour and after I'd gone home, my parents took me aside, and away from Jason's prying ears to explain to me a stupid, stupid business contract they'd made exactly five months ago. Apparently they were going bankrupt because some idiot decided to sue our law firm and it cost us twelve-million-dollars which we would not, and could not afford to pay. We may have been rich, but not that rich. Apparently, my dad has

friends in high places and arranged a secret contract with the Carnegie family. They were the country's fourth richest family and under these circumstances, my father, without consulting me first, sold my soul to the damn devil. Carnegie Hall, the Carnegie family business name, made a deal with my father under the understanding that I would be wed to the eldest son in the Carnegie household hoping that I could produce an heir to all the Carnegie riches. And my parents hadn't felt the need to inform me. Until the happiest day of my life, my graduation- which they completely and utterly ruined. "Are you serious?!" I yelled, "Why didn't you tell me about this before deciding to throw me under the bus?! I've never even met the guy, he could end up being an old Troll or worse," I gasped, "what if he looks like the hunchback of notre dame?! What if he’s mean to me?! Did you even think to ask me?!" Apparently, my mom thought this was amusing and my dad as began laughing as well. "Look Eleanor, we had to do what was best for the company, our company sweetheart. You'll learn soon that sometimes you have to make sacrifices. And after the debt is payed off, you can divorce the guy for all we care and the heir part is totally optional," Mom winked then her face became more serious as she processed what I’d

said. "Who cares how he looks? He's rich! And their family is helping us with a silly little string attached. I don't even know why Mr. Carnegie picked you to marry his son, but we sure are lucky he did. Otherwise, we’d have to declare bankruptcy!" My mom scoffed. Picked me? What's so wrong with me that my mom had to scoff when she said he chose me? "So a stupid company is more important than your only daughter?!" I shouted in anguish. I wanted to punch a wall or better yet, my parent’s smug grins. "Now listen here young lady, that company is the reason we are living under this roof and getting food to eat every day. The company is what pays our bills! Do. Not. Disrespect. It." Dad yelled back as I stormed out of the house. I hopped into my car and sat in there for a while. I hadn't chosen it. None of it. I moved from Florida to California to go to Stanford to get away from my parents. Instead, they followed me, deciding it would be best if they bought a house beside the school, declaring I move in with them. I understand it's for the good of the family. But marriage is a holy ceremony and vows are made. I can't do this. I won't do this. A knock on my window broke my train of thought as Jason's familiar face appeared. I opened my window enough to see his face, but not far enough for him

to reach inside and unlock the door. "El, I know what they did was wrong, but it was a private business contract without government authorization and you may as well know that Carnegie Hall has very powerful people. After you left I overheard them saying that if you don't go through with it, they will demolish our family name, our company and send us to live on the streets. And they'll be sending mom and dad to prison for the rest of their lives. Is that what you want? Rich people in high places can make false claims and make false evidence if anything Eleanor." Jason seemed worried as I stared at him in disbelief. Was he serious? "Good, they deserve it." I mumbled, crossing my arms like a child who didn't get her way. "El, you don't understand, it's not going to be in America either, the Carnegie's aren't the kindest people, I wouldn't doubt they would send them to a concentration camp in North Korea or somewhere like that. And what's going to be so bad about marrying a guy, paying off our debt and then divorcing him? Be rational about this. Don't go straight to your foolish godly stuff." I hadn't believed in anything until years ago when one of my good friends, Brad, took me to his church and showed me a whole new side of life. A side I enjoyed very much. "Til death do us part." I stated as Jason gave

me a confused look, "It's part of the vows, and I keep my word. I am not marrying a stranger. And I don't care what happens to this stupid family. Who the hell is dumb enough to make a deal with a Carnegie anyway? It’s worse than making a deal with the devil himself!" "Well, just meet the guy first. If you hate him, then I'll stop bothering you. I don't agree with this either, but it's for the best. And after your breakup with Christian today, I think… " He began but I paused him. How did he know about that? "Go away. I'm leaving." I announced, unable to stand the pain of hearing Christian's loveless name. "Eleanor, just think about it please, I don't want to lose our parents." Jason's voice cracked, he turned round to sneeze as I started the engine, shutting the window before he could get another word out. I couldn't bear to see Jason, above anyone else, in any sort of pain. He was my only brother, he'd stood up for me and backed off when I needed him to. "Fine," I mumbled to myself. "I'll do it," I said. But I have no intention of fulfilling this. Sure I'll meet the guy for Jason's sake, but after that, I'm moving far, far away.

Chapter 1: Flowing Rivers I glared at the street ahead as I drove furiously. How dare they?! Why would they? How could they even do this to me? The only person I could think to go to was Christian. Too bad I'd broken up with him, but I know Christian, he'd take me back as though I were oxygen to his very own lungs. I pushed my feet onto the gas pedal, going as fast as my car would let me. I felt like if I turned the steering wheel, even slightly, I might crash at this speed. That's what I want to do: crash and burn. But after four long years at college, it would be like the tip of a broken pencil, pointless. My phone buzzed. I can't look at it I'm driving. I annoyingly thought to myself feeling rebellious as I grabbed my phone and parked on the curb. Semi-rebel. Brad. I'll go to Brad. Brad was one of the greatest people I've ever met. We met in high school and he was super friendly and adoring toward everyone. Hey, sorry I couldn't be there to see you graduate! Congratulations! So happy for you. He'd texted me so cheerfully as he'd been stuck in Florida. I smiled widely. I missed Brad, he was an amazing friend. A small smile formed on my face and I felt as though the only person I could speak to about this

was Christian. I made a U-turn and began my drive to Christian's. I knew he wouldn't care that I was here. I parked outside and took a calming breath. It was strange how all of us, well most of us, had applied and gotten accepted to a school in California. I took a deep breath, awaiting telling him exactly what happened, and hoping he would offer me a shoulder to cry on. I looked reluctantly at my car door as I pulled the handle, pushing the door open and walking out into the cold air. It was strange to have cold weather in California, especially in the spring. I took a deep breath as I walked to his door and knocked. No answer. I turned on my heel, ready to walk away, until the door flew open. "Eleanor. What're you doing here?" Christian smirked, breathing heavily, as he opened the door. I turned to look at him, his hair was a mess and his bare chest showed the small trickles of sweat, a clear sheen of it laced his forehead. My heart suddenly fell. It may have not been evident to anyone else, but I could tell he had his sweatpants on backwards. Was he just with someone? I stumbled backwards, the thought officially registering in my mind as I saw blonde hair pop up on his couch. Has he been cheating on me this whole time? Again? I felt tears stinging my eyes as I

wiped away aggressively. "Eleanor,” he said, no remorse in his voice, “it was bound to happen eventually, better you find out now. What the hell are you doing here anyway?" He asked, running his fingers through his hair. My jaw trembled, my eyes watering as I began speaking and only two words in my mind could be processed. My quivering lip began moving, but I couldn't make out what words were being said. I glared at him, feeling my heart tearing to pieces and thrown onto mud. "Fuck you." I said through quivering lips as I realized he'd never, never actually wanted me. He'd just wanted the sex that came with me. I felt so used as I began walking away. "Been there, done that." I heard him chuckle as I felt him take my heart’s broken pieces and slowly tear into each piece separately. I hopped back into my car and let the tears flood my face. I winced at the thought of him with some other girl. He'd done this before, and I'd forgiven him, multiple times. But now it just didn't seem right, I couldn’t bring myself to forgive. The most basic statement ran through my mind: forgive and forget, but I can only forgive so much. Time after time, I would run back into his arms, completely forgiving him. And time and time

again, he would find another girl to cheat on me with. Ring. Ring. Ring. My phone began buzzing. I wanted to throw it out the window. Why was I still parked in front of this cheating asshole’s apartment? I know we're over, but he had cheated more than twice. I was just a sap. A sap looking for some fun. And tonight, I was going to get it, with whoever came my way first. ¤¤¤ "What do you want." I angrily asked, not looking at the caller ID. "Where the hell did you go? One second you're here and I turn around for five seconds and you're gone!" Jason's concerned voice came into context as I felt shame fill me up and contaminate my every being. A new round of tears stung my eyes, remaining strong, I held them back. I'm Eleanor Hays, I'm strong, I don't cry over a silly guy. I backed out of the apartment rushing quickly back home to run to my brothers arms and cry to my heart’s content. He wouldn't judge me, I was sure of that and I loved Jase for that. The sun had gone down long ago and I was driving like a maniac, running all the red lights I

could. I felt like a rebel, until bright red and blue lights flashed behind me and a police siren turned on. Damn it. Could today get any worse? I pulled over, awaiting my punishment. Like I give a crap. I crossed my arms over my chest, ready to fight with whoever was trying to give me a ticket. As soon as I heard a knock on my window, I turned my angry tear-stained eyes to the cause of this nuisance. "Ma'am I'd like to see your license and registration." The policeman stated, bored as he stared into my ocean blue eyes. I must admit, I'm quite a catch, so why the hell would Christian do that so often? I thought he loved me, whatever that means. I handed the old man my papers and license for the car, annoyed and bored and tired; I just wanted to curl up in my bed and cry. I'd never actually seen him cheat until now. I did have my suspicions and sometimes did suspect it happened, but I had faith and trust in him. Usually, there would just be rumors around the school. And I'd ignore them because I was too damn trusting. "Well, Miss Hays, you will be charged a four-hundred dollar fine for running two stop lights and an extra two-hundred and fifty for speeding." He stated as I glared at him angrily. "Look, here take the money now, I've been

through such a rough day, I don't need this." I dug my hands through my purse pulling out a couple hundred. He stared wide-eyed at me. "Ma'am, please be rational," He seemed flabbergasted, a worried look on his face as though to ask if I was okay, "Look,” he cleared his throat, trying to sound professional, “I'll let you off the hook with a warning for now. Just drive safe please." He handed me my license and as soon as he made it to his car, I zoomed off, not heeding the warning. I drove up to the driveway and allowed myself to cry, my head falling onto the steering wheel. I saw Jason looking at me from the front door, waiting for me to enter. I didn't say anything. He gave me a hug but I pulled away. I rushed up the stairs, avoiding eye contact with both of my parents. As soon as I walked into my room, my head hit the pillows. I dozed off, tears drying on my face.

Chapter 2: Meeting Carnegie My eyes fluttered open as I heard a knock on my door. A few moments later, the door burst open and my mother barged in, destroying whatever privacy I had left. "Eleanor, sweetheart, we're really sorry about all of this.” She began, sitting on my bed and running a hand through my knotted hair. “What we did was wrong sweetheart, but all we ask of you now is to meet him tonight." I scoffed, rolling my eyes and turning away from her. "Get out," I said in a low growl, dangerous to my own ears. It seemed to trigger her as the serenity that had been established suddenly disappeared. "You will meet him tonight. He is a nice young man and you will eat dinner with him." My mother stood up, "he will pick you up tonight at a quarter before seven. I have already brought you the dress you will wear tonight. And listen here, Eleanor Hays. You will go through with this wedding." "And if I don't?" I challenged, "who's going to stop me. When the hell is the wedding anyway?" I glared at her. She’s so annoying! So demanding! "Watch your language young woman. " Mom scolded as she stood up and fixed her dress, "your wedding is tomorrow night."

"You've known about this for almost half a year now and you tell me now NOW!?" I yelled angrily, "A day before the wedding?! Even if I were to go through with this, how would I invite the rest of my family and friends, how am I supposed to choose the cake, the dress, the food?! This is my wedding for crying out loud!" I screamed. I had too little time to plan my escape. How would I get through this? How can I possibly leave the country, or even just the state, in just one night when the postal service doesn't even deliver that quickly? Where will my parents end up going? "Enough of your whiny ignorance Eleanor! Get up, it's already two in the afternoon. I don't understand why you're still sleeping, but you better get up, be dressed and ready before six. Your dress is on your couch." Mom grunted angrily as she pursed her lips and walked out of my room. I felt anger boil in my blood and burn to the core of my bones. I turned to face my pillow and muffled the scream that escaped my lips. Who the hell does that? I stared at the ceiling pattern until it all became a blur, I stood up and decided to get ready to meet the asshole who I'm supposed to marry. And did I mention? Tomorrow Night. I wore the hideous white dress that mom had placed on my desk. It was not the kind of dress I would have ever worn, it looked like something a

friend of mine from highschool would've worn. Thinking of Pure and my best friend, Ashley, made me want to run to them and see how well their lives were going. I had no friends now. After high school, although I'd been super popular, my popularity had all dissipated. Fake friends, hundreds of them, were all I managed to make. I glared at my phone as I lay down on the bed in the ugly white dress, my eyes feeling hazy as memories of high school flooded back in. They were horrible at first, all full of Christian trying to make me jealous while he flaunted the next girl to the crowd. It was sickening. Then the end of high school, my graduation, probably the happiest day of my life once I realized that I could be independent, that I didn’t need to rely on other people to make myself look good. I yawned, about to stand up as my mom walked into my room. "You look awful!" She announced, "he will be here any minute, what have you done to your hair?!" She gasped, rushing toward me with disgust written all over her face. "I left it, natural is beautiful mom," I said nonchalantly as she began glaring at me. I waved it off and yawned, stuffing my face into a pillow, but she persisted. "We'll have to work on that then." She grinned evilly, leading me to the bathroom and

pulling out a bunch of equipment that I only used on special occasions. Hair spray, curling iron, argan oil, a hair brush all lay on the counter in front of me. She also took out a large bag filled the brim with different makeup products. Yay me… I stared at her. Unbelievable, she might as well marry the guy if she cares so much. Why should it matter how I look anyway? He's going to be stuck marrying me either way unless I could find a way to make him hate me. Then he would have to cancel the wedding, but what if he is also being forced into this. It didn't matter, I would be awful to him either way. I already hated him and I haven't even met the idiot yet. I winced as the hot curling iron touched my scalp. "MOM!" I shrieked frilly as she gave me an apologetic look in the mirror and continued to curl my hair. I glared at her half heartedly. I was in no mood for this. I glared grumpily at my reflection as I put foundation on my face. I stared at myself in the mirror, my ocean blue eyes swimming with anger. I was angry at everyone. Why did I end up living this crappy kind of life? "All done! Now just put on some mascara and you be a good girl tonight, unless you want to be bad, I won't stop you and your future husband." She snarkily remarked, winking as she walked out of the bathroom. I rolled my eyes, a half smile on

my face as my crazy mom left the room. At least she could find ways to slip in a joke every once in awhile. Well, I did say I would meet him. And then I'd run. Far away. ¤¤¤ A knock on the door startled me. It was probably him. The renowned Adam Carnegie, son of the most feared man in America. I already despised him. As soon as I opened the door, my eyes melted into his warm brown eyes, my knees buckled slightly. I was a sucker for brown eyes. He stood tall in front of me wearing an expensive suit. He was of a semi-muscular build with broad shoulders and somehow looked a bit like Noah, Pure's fiancé. I felt my cheeks heat up at the intensity of the situation as we stood staring at each other. Remember Eleanor, I had to remind myself, you hate this guy's guts. But maybe playing around with him would be okay, he does have a nice body and probably a nice set of abs under that suit jacket. Honestly, I was expecting a hideous troll to come strolling into my house, I released a breath that I hadn’t realized wasn’t being held: a sigh of relief. How would I ever survive tonight now,

knowing this beautiful man would be my date? “Like what you see?" His silky voice brought me out of my haze as I stared at him some more. Of course, I did. But I wasn't about to say that out loud. He clearly noticed me checking him out and decided to point it out, quite unprofessional if I may add. And with his arrogant personality, I may as well get this meeting over with. Sure he was handsome, but looks can only go so far. "Let's get this over with. Where are you taking me?" I asked, as though we were business partners talking in a conference rather than two people who were to be wed. "A little place I like to call, Paradox." He grinned. "I beg my pardon, I forgot to introduce myself, I'm… " He began trying to be friendly as I cut him off. "Adam Carnegie, I know. The whole world knows you," I unintentionally had reached for his arm, about to pat it sarcastically, pulling my hand away quickly. He might take my touching him as a sign of flirtation. "And you must be Miss Hays." He said, his eyes boring into mine. I was annoyed by this guy already. He may be smoking hot, but that won't last forever, and as far as I'm concerned, his forever, was not going to be with me.

I would make sure of it. ¤¤¤ He stepped out of the limousine and walked around to open my door for me. He held his hand out for me to hold. Over the twenty or so minutes, he seemed to be a pretty decent guy, but I ignored his gesture and his hand as I stepped out of the limousine myself. "How long have you known about it?" I asked accusingly as soon as he stood beside me. I crossed my arms, avoiding any physical touch from this unbelievably beautiful man. "Eleanor." He said, his voice low, sending shivers down my spine. That was the first time he’d ever said my name and I could already feel strange things beginning to brew inside me. "Well." I stood, staring at him and demanding an answer. I was dumbfounded when my gaze shifted to the hundreds of cameras around us. I gulped audibly as eyes and whispers erupted all around. Holy Mother of Jesus Christ.

Chapter 3: The Proposal I stared wide eyed at the giant crowd. Does he always get followed by paparazzi or was it just this one night? He was a pretty famous guy, but only because he was the heir to a trillion dollar company. I wanted to fall and break every bone in my body. This was humiliating as cameras began flashing. I looked like trash in this dress and felt like it too in comparison to Adam Carnegie. Does this happen on a regular basis for this crazy guy? "Shall we?" He whispered harmlessly as he reached for my hand. His touched burned me, I quickly pulled away as a smirk appeared on his too handsome face, instead he snaked his arm around my waist. I felt utterly disgusted at myself for feeling something when he touched me. I stifled my thoughts as the hundreds of people holding cameras stepped aside to take pictures. Why did he want to marry me? What the hell? I'm not a commitment type of person. He seemed ruthless, unwavered by the uninterested responses I gave. I stared at the ground, unwilling to embarrass my family name by trying to run as he led me inside the giant fancy restaurant. People who ate at Paradox usually had to schedule months in advance, or they could be extremely rich and get in whenever they

liked. I stepped in line with Adam as people began to stare at us, there were chandeliers made of diamonds everywhere, I wouldn’t have been surprised if they were real. I was impressed, staring in wonder at how such a fancy place existed and how I’d never come here before. I looked up into his glimmering brown eyes, he looked so handsome in this light. I should not think these thoughts. He's a monster to be WED to me tomorrow night. A manipulative monster who took away my free rights! I grimaced as the waiter led us to a seat, isolated by glass and away from all others. It was a bit too fancy for my taste. I preferred more classic dinners, at the beach maybe and going for a swim after. His arm was still wrapped around my waist, as though to prevent me from running away, and seemed to tighten as the waiter began checking me out. I wanted to pry his hands away, to tell him to back off. I smiled at the tall waiter, he looked around my age, he had a deep scar on the side of his left brow that looked as though it was out of place. I smiled at him. "Mr. Carnegie, a pleasure to see you again, what would you and your… ." He paused, waiting for my response. "Acquaintance," I interjected as a devious

smile appeared on Adam Carnegie's lips. He looked like he was scheming in his mind and only let small parts of his plan show every once in awhile. "This is Eleanor, my girlfriend, pay no attention to her, she likes to make jokes." He gave the waiter a half smile, an evil glint was in his eyes, "we'd like two glasses of champagne." "Okay, sir." The waiter said as he jotted down the orders and walked away. "I'm not legally allowed to drink," I stated, annoyed by this man already. "Yes, I know Eleanor, but since when have you let rules stand in your way?" He smirked as I felt my cheeks heat up, I wondered how he knew that, but didn't press any further. "What do you want with me? You can have whoever you want, someone who actually… " I began, attempting to squirm my way out of this arrangement, but was cut short as he reached for my hand and whispered dangerously. "Eleanor, you will go through with this. If not, you know the consequences.” I glared at him, definitely a Carnegie. Who gave him the right to tell me what to do, to threaten me like this. Yes, I knew the consequences, but who was he to annoyingly keep bringing it up? "You have no right to call me by my name. It is Miss Hays to you." I replied, acting unaffected by his threats. Hopefully empty threats upon what I

will do tonight. The waiter walked past us and placed our drinks down, handing us the menu as he ventured away silently. I turned my attention back to the unfairly handsome man forcing things upon me, he laughed at my statement as though it were the funniest thing he'd ever heard. I glared at him as cameras began flashing. Suddenly, he stood up, the evil glint in his eyes was replaced with a shine that I couldn’t decipher. "Eleanor Hays," he began, walking over to my side of the table as he smiled warmly, all thoughts forgotten. His eyes met mine as he proceeded to get down on one knee, I felt my heart do somersaults, I wanted to run away, to escape as I knew what was about to happen next. "No, please don't do this to me, please!" I whispered in fear, my shaky breath illuminating me as he gave me an apologetic look. "I can't, I'm sorry." He stated as I felt tears about to sting my eyes, they began to water. My attention was shifted when I saw cameras began flashing outside the glass windows, so much for privacy. Adam pulled a small velvet box out of his suit pocket. "Do this and I will never forgive you," I muttered through clenched teeth. Tears beginning to stream down my ocean blue eyes. "You don't have to forgive me, just marry

me." He whispered back, the velvet box still in his hands. Those simple words made me want to run then and there as fear filled me. This controlling idiot! I huffed in frustration as he looked at me. "Eleanor,” he began as tears were threatening to escape my eyes, “I promise to stay with you, protect you, trust you, and love you from the rising of the sun till the end of my life. I can't imagine growing old with anyone else, nor would I want to. I know my life will never be complete without you beside me to share it with. When I look into my heart, I only see you. I want to give you my heart, and share our love. Every beat is for you and I can’t explain how much love I have in my heart. I want us to trust each other and be vulnerable together. I promise you, no one will work harder to make you happy or cherish you more than me, Eleanor Hays," He took a short pause as his eyes seemed to gloss over as though this was a real proposal that he had actually planned. Then came the big question. The question that made me regret not trying to run away sooner. "Will you do me the honor of becoming Mrs. Carnegie? Will you marry me?" He said as I felt tears sting my eyes, he seemed so genuine, so hopeful. All I could think about was the fact that the cameras were glued to the glass outside, photographing us and taking videos. I couldn’t go through with this. This would totally ruin my life,

my plans would never work out. I had to say no. I felt a surge of anxiety overwhelm me and I forced a smile through my tears to please the paparazzi. But who cares about them now. All that matters is me and the decisions I need to make about my life. I nodded, a small forced smile on my face. Nobody had ever asked me something like this in this way, not even in high school when going to dances. For prom, Christian had only created a poster with a bunch of pictures of me on it. His words seemed carefully chosen and smoothly left his lips one by one. As soon as that small gesture of a nod registered in his mind, he immediately placed the giant diamond ring on my finger, and wrapped his arms around me, hugging me. This felt so unfamiliar, I wanted to break free, but I knew there were thousands of cameras on us that I knew I could not. For the sake of my family name, I couldn't embarrass myself in this way. "Thank you." I thought I heard him whisper ever so softly as shivers ran down my spine. He was still on one knee with his arms wrapped around me and his face buried beside my neck. I thought I might faint, he smelled amazing. He released me from his warm broad-shouldered hug and stood up, "so what would you like to eat?" He gave me a half-smile, as though nothing

had happened, as though I hadn’t just gotten engaged to a total stranger. I wanted to scream but kept my emotions at bay. May as well fake it until the cameras are gone. When I didn't answer, he scooted closer to me and reached for my hand. "Tomorrow, you will be heading out to New Jersey to get your dress. Your family, as well as friends, will be there also. Our wedding is tomorrow night, my mother has already gotten your dress and you will be left with my elder sister to do all else you need. It is precisely at five. I will see you then my beautiful fiance." He stated, leaving no room for argument. He was intolerable! "There's no escaping this. For both of us." His whispered, his lips beside my ear as he pressed his lips to my cheek. Shivers ran down my spine and my heart rate went on overload. I could feel my cheeks turning red as I looked at my lap. The silky white dress was a bit crumpled and had slid up to reveal my perfectly tanned thighs. I would have to run away tonight, I could not ever picture myself with a man like this one. I would not allow myself to. I felt the plan brewing in my mind. This is going to be good. I just knew it, I'd make a fake name and go live on a remote island by myself. It would be better than spending my days under the control of this demanding, uncaring man who only cared about a silly deal than my actual

feelings.

Chapter 4: Noticed I sat in the living room staring at my phone, his words burned in my brain. You can't escape this. Says who? He had no right to touch me, or tell me what to do. Or kiss my cheek and make my heart go into overdrive. I thought to myself, feeling like my mind would blow up from all these thoughts of him. He wasn't even worth my time. I angrily scrolled through my social media as Jason walked into the room. "Hey El, how was your date?" He asked, sitting beside me, a small smile on his face. They hadn't even given me time to mourn the end of my relationship with Christian before tossing me in with Adam Carnegie. I put my phone on my lap and looked up at him, emotionless as I began pursing my lips. He began laughing as though his life depended on it, he literally fell on the floor, making me laugh in the process. "Your face." He said between laughs as I smiled along. "It was awful. And he proposed, and there were cameras. Like, everywhere." I said blowing out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. “He is so freaking intolerable! Honestly, I couldn’t get a word in with him pushing me around the whole time! And then he tell me ‘you can’t escape this’, what

the hell is that supposed to mean?!” “So I’m guessing you’re already in love?” Jase chuckled, wiggling his eyebrows as I tossed a pillow at him. “Yeah, so excited…” I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes. "What'd you say? When he asked you to marry him?" He asked seriously, sitting back on our black leather couches. "What else could I say?" I sighed as his eyes landed on my hand, more specifically, the ring that lay between my pinky and middle finger. "Well, technically I just nodded… " "El?" He seemed frustrated as though he was trying to figure something out, placing his fingers on his forehead in frustration, isn't this what he wanted? What my whole family wanted. "Look Jase, it's over with, done, ditto. There's nothing I can do to change this. I'm marrying him tomorrow and there's nothing that can be done to fix that, I have no choice and it’s too late." I said, looking at his wounded face. It felt weird to lie right to the face of my older brother, but it needed to be told because when I ran away, I didn't want him to get in trouble for covering for me. "But, you… " He began, seemingly frustrated, "something's changed about you El, I can't put my finger on it just yet, but something has

changed for sure." He said, placing his hand on his chin thoughtfully. “Maybe he’ll be good for you… better than Christian’s cheating ass- at least.” "Look Jase, I'm tired. It's been a really long night. I need to get some sleep. Especially since his royal bossiness expects me to be in New Jersey tomorrow to wear a dress I never chose." I said, walking upstairs to my room and locking the door. I turned the lights off, taking out my flashlight, turning off my phone, and tossing it under the bed. This way I won't be tracked. I grabbed my bag, it was light, with only my necessities and a few pairs of clothes. A knock on my door startled me, I immediately shut off the flashlight and hopped into bed. More delays. Great. I placed my bag under the blanket as I hid under the blanket. I unlocked the door and pretended to be asleep as footsteps entered my room. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart, I shouldn't have done this to you." My dad said, sitting beside me on the bed and placing a kiss on my forehead. "Sleep well, I hope you have a wonderful wedding tomorrow dear." He stood up and shut the door behind him as I immediately stood up and grabbed my bag. No time, I was running out of time. I hopped out of the window quietly, making sure to shut it after I left and crept toward my car. I

sat in the driver's seat, tossing my bag onto the passenger seat. I tried to calm my breathing; this was the first time I’d done something so extreme. I dimmed my car lights as the quiet engine drove out of the driveway and onto the main street. I turned up the light and began driving toward the train station, there I would get picked up by a train and to the airport by morning. I would fly to Hawaii and change my name and everything about me to the point where I'd never be found again. I parked my car at the station, jogging swiftly into the ticket area and paying with cash for a ticket. I wasn't stupid enough to pay with credit and get my location traced. Leaving my car here showed that I went this way, but I would not let my track lead any further. If someone were to attempt to find me. Their search would end here. "Yes, to the airport please," I said staring cautiously at the short woman selling tickets. "Yes, ma'am. Wait a second, hey, you're Eleanor Hays! Aren't you Adam Carnegie's fiancé? I saw the whole thing on live television. It was so cute how you were crying and so speechless when he asked you to marry him. How long were you two dating?" "No I'm not Eleanor, I must look like her I guess." I lied, trying to get her off my back. "Oh, wow, can I get a picture with you though?"

"Actually I'm kind of in a rush to meet my... sister in Colorado, she's giving birth in a few hours and I need to be there to witness it all and help her out for a few months." I lied casually and smiled politely, handing the lady a fifty and taking the overpriced ticket as I made my way to the train just as it was arriving. I walked in, pretending to blend in, but was caught in the act. "Hey, aren't you Carnegie's fiancé?" A stranger asked, speaking what was on the minds of the thirty other people who were seated and waiting for the train to move. "No, but, it's nice to look like a celebrity I guess." I smiled as the strangers stopped caring, I had just gotten engaged merely hours ago and it seemed like the whole world knew. "All aboard, this train leaves the station in ten minutes, we are a bit behind schedule." A man yelled through a speaker as I grabbed my hoodie and wrapped it around my head. No need to get noticed anymore. I attempted to stuff all my blond locks inside, but was stopped when someone took off my hoodie cap. Beside me sat a little girl who appeared to be about five years old. She reached for my hair as I pulled away from her quickly. "Hi!" She said enthusiastically. "Hi," I said, staring at the wall across from

me. There was a small television plastered every few seats down. I silently watched the commercial as the little girl beside me talked up a storm. "Are you Eleanor? Because my mom was watching TV and she said that you were very pretty. But she said that Adam deserved better. My mom says you're a gold digger and Adam is too good for you." My jaw almost dropped. People were too quick to judge and it was scary crazy how quickly I went from being unknown to being famous. I guess that’s what happens when a Carnegie proposes. "No, sorry kid. My name is Riley Pierce. " I replied, growing annoyed of our conversation and putting my cap back on. "But you look just like her." The kid pushed as I smiled slightly and ignored her. "Yeah? And you look like Beyoncé." I stated, somewhat nervous that she'd reveal my identity to the fifty strangers boarding the train station. The commercial changed into the video of me in my short white princess dress from earlier, my makeup perfectly done and my hair in beautiful curls. I wanted to puke as I watched the angle switch from the tears streaming down my eyes to Adam's glossy eyes. We looked like a young couple in love, even though I could feel disgusted radiating off of my current appearance. "I don't know who that is." The annoying

brat next to me announced, how could she not know who Beyoncé is?!. "Don't you have a mom or dad to go talk to?" I erupted, my patience had worn off completely. Same old Eleanor. "My… " She began as tears began rolling down her eyes, I merely stared at her, uncaring, heartless, "parents died." She said. My heart froze, my eyes widened and I had no clue what to do. What do you do when someone tells you they have no parents anymore. I remained silent, wishing I had brought my phone so I could pretend to be busy. "I’d say that’s a new record for you; you made the poor girl cry within five minutes, I'd say that's some sort of achievement." A familiar voice said as I turned to face him. "Jase! What the hell are you doing here?" I asked, fear surging through me, "did you bring your phone?" I asked. "I was in the backseat of your car, you were just too busy trying to breathe to realize that I hid there. I knew you were up to something, and I was right.” He said proudly, then pulled his phone out and turned to me, “And yeah why?" "Can I see it?" "Yeah sure, why didn't you bring yours?" I grabbed his phone and in that instant I had smashed it on the floor of the train just as the door shut. I

didn't want to destroy an expensive iPhone, I really didn't, but it would be the possible demise of my already vague plan. "What the hell El?" He shouted. "It could lead them to us, sorry Jase, I couldn't risk it, I'll buy you a new one, did you pay with cash or credit." "You're supposed to pay?" He asked legitimately. I stifled a laugh. "Nevermind then. Why are you here? If you get caught then… " "I knew it!!" The devious little girl shouted as she stood up and did a little victory dance. "You are Eleanor Hays." She announced excitedly. "No kid, my name is Riley Pierce, get it through your thick skull," I said as she began laughing deviously and walking away. She followed, but before I could turn to yell at her, an announcement came on. "One hour until we arrive at the LAX airport, thank you for using Metro.” I turned toward Jase. "You need to leave if you get caught… " I began but couldn't get the words out. "I won't, El, honestly, do you think I'm naive enough to think that you weren't planning to escape?" He smirked as the train began moving. "I just thought you wouldn't be dumb enough to follow me." I shot back, but he seemed

unbothered, probably used to my insults by now. "So you're calling me dumb now?" He laughed, raising an eyebrow. "Oh my goodness, Jase, you're not just dumb, you’re crazy, and… " "Stop worrying. El, I knew you were going to leave because neither of us agree with what mom and dad are doing. Sure, I may have encouraged you to go on the date with that guy or to meet him, but it was only because mom and dad wanted to give him a chance, they have good intentions, even in their own twisted ways, but I knew you wouldn't stay." He said genuinely. "AH-HAH!" The obnoxious little girl shouted and I could basically see the lightbulb turn on in her mind. "I knew it! You are Eleanor Hays!!" She squealed devilishly as though she had just won the lottery. My face turned a million shades of red, I was speechless, and for me, that never happens. "No. You've got it all messed up kid," Jase interjected, " this is Riley Pierce, she's not even related to Eleanor Hays, nor would she want to be, that spoiled little brat gets everything she wants," Jase said as I nodded in agreement. "She could pass as her doppelganger, don't you think?" I nudged him as a small smile twitched on the corners of his lips. "You should be ashamed of yourself for making assumptions like these, your parents would

not be proud." "No. We would not." That lying little brat! I stared at her parents and I just knew that this little kid would become a great actress someday. An hour later, we'd arrived at the LAX airport. Jason had fallen asleep on my shoulder, snoring to his heart's content. "Jase, wake up, we're almost there." I pushed his heavy head off my shoulder as he began yawning. "Are we there yet?" He stood up, stretching as heads turned their attention toward him. "Almost, the airport is five minutes from here, we can walk." "Can't we get a cab?" "No, come on Jase, hurry up, my flight leaves in thirty minutes." "And where will I go? It's probably fully booked." He said, walking out of the train and grabbing my bag. "Home." I said, " you shouldn't even be here and I don't want you to get in trouble for this." "No." He said as I kept walking. "Uh. Yeah. Look Jase, thanks for coming, you had a nice nap and all but that's it, you can't come." "Then I'm not letting you go either." "It's not your choice!" I scoffed, irritation seeping through my voice.

"If you go, I go, end of story." He said almost dangerously. I hated when Jase turned protective, especially at a moment like this when it was completely uncalled for. "Jase." I trudged after him as we entered the airport. He ignored me, walking to the lady at the help desk. "Hi, how can I help you?" She asked. "I need a ticket for the next flight, any flight, but preferably the one in thirty minutes." "Hmm... it looks like we're booked," She began, staring at the screen as relief filled me entirely. "Wait, we have two openings since I believe they were cancellations, would you two like to purchase?" She asked, staring at Jase like he was a turkey meal she was excited to eat. I wanted to tell her to stop looking at my brother like that, but in a few moments, we would never see this woman again anyway. "I already bought my ticket he needs to buy his. Look Jase, I'll meet you in the waiting area." I said, walking to security as I watched Jase buy his ticket. "We have got to stop meeting like this." I was met with dark eyes before it registered in my mind that this was Brad. He was here, exiting the security check like it was nobody’s business. "BRAD!!" I squealed, "What're you doing here?" I smiled brightly, jumping into his arms as he

took a step back from the impact. "I was going to come visit you and Pure and congratulate you on graduating. What're you doing here?" He raised an eyebrow. "It's a long story." I smiled, tears of joy leaking from my eyes. “Actually not that long, it’ll probably show up on some news station soon anyway.” I rolled my eyes. I was officially annoyed at Adam Carnegie for broadcasting our proposal. But come to think of it, I never would have said yes otherwise. "I have time." He smiled warmly as he took a seat and I sat beside him. I missed Brad, truly I did, but I was in an even bigger rush to escape the bondage of my freedom.

Chapter 5: Lost and Found We smiled and laughed until he talked me out of my trip. He would drive me to Pure's house where I'd be able to hide. He was on his way to visiting her anyway, and the random change of my location would surely confuse anyone who came searching for me. "Hey, Brad?" Jase walked up to us, a warm smile on his face as he sat beside me and man hugged Brad. "Long time no see bro, how is everything?" They talked for a while, but I decided to intercept the conversation and change its direction. "Jase, I've decided to stay in California, because so far all we've done, if they do track us down, is expect us to go somewhere else and where Adam is concerned, he would think I'm in Hawaii so if I stay here, he'll be on a wild goose chase for a while." "But I just… " Jase glared at me in disbelief, "you just made me spend a two hundred dollars for nothing?" "You can return your ticket but I'm keeping mine because it'll be a good cover-up plan. It has my name on it and everything so maybe I can enter the plane, check in, then make an excuse to leave." "Who's crazy now?” Jase smirked, standing up and tossing my bag at me as he turned on his

heel to walk back to the help desk, "But I'm getting something out of this trip." Jase winked as he walked toward the girl there. I rolled my eyes, laughing at his idiocy. "Let's go?" Brad stood up and offered to take my bag. So sweet of him. I had missed him so very much. We walked to Jase who was flirting it up with the girl at the help desk, Brad grabbed the back of his shirt collar and dragged him along. "Come on lover boy. We've got a trip to be getting to." Brad laughed as we walked out of the airport. "You could've given me five more seconds. I was about to get her number." Jase laughed. But all laughter died down as soon as we stepped out; thousands of cameras were staring at us. Fear filled every part of me as I leaned into Brad's side. The last trace of me was at the metro so for them to find me at the airport is unbelievable. I guess that's what happens when you get engaged to a trillion dollar man and the heir to a huge company. It hadn't occurred to me what the Carnegie's would get out of this marriage until I realized they would need an heir to their selfcreated throne. I gulped audibly at the thought. Marriage was definitely not a one-nightstand. Once you do it, whether it was good or bad, there was no way to hide or escape the person. I looked at my shaking hands as Brad snapped me

out of my daydream. "Come on Eleanor, we've got to get going." Brad placed his hand on my back and led me away from the paparazzi. "What the f… " Jase began, rethinking what word would be best to use, "How the heck did they find us?" He signaled for a cab and hopped in taking my bag and making room for Brad and me. "Where to?" The cab driver asked, turning toward us. "7345 Mobile Road, " Brad said as the driver began the route to whatever that place was. "You couldn't have said no to the asshole, honestly El! He's more trouble than he's worth." Jase announced, frustrated and finally sharing what he felt. "How the hell did they even find us here?" He glared at the window, taking deep calming breaths. A few minutes of silence fell upon us as the cab driver pulled into a neighborhood that seemed evidently fancy. "Crap, I forgot my bags," Brad laughed a bit, "I'll get them later, thanks, Mr. cab-driver." He got out of the car and held the door open for me. "Where the hell are we now?" Jase walked up to the front door, running his fingers through his hair and knocked as Brad paid the driver and the cab drove away. The door opened and a blushing brunette

with deep blue eyes stood there in a cute top and jeans. "Pure!!" I rushed up to her, hugging her, I hadn't talked to her much since yesterday's graduation, but the relief I felt seeing her now made me so happy. She seemed utterly shocked as her fiancé walked to the door. Noah was hot as hell. He wore a black shirt and sweatpants, his hair was messily placed and his gray eyes turned toward me. My heart skipped a beat. "Pure soon-to-be Williamson! How've you been?" Brad stepped in front of us to hug Pure as well. "Brad, what an amazing surprise," She smiled widely as she stepped aside for us to enter. "You guys are living together?" I asked bluntly. "No," She blushed as Noah placed his hand on the small of her back, "We were just about to go buy some onions." She laughed as I noticed Jase looking her up and down. Was going out to buy onions a code for something? "You guys don't mind if I go buy some stuff real quick?" Noah's silky voice had my heart melting, but I couldn't show it. My jealousy of everything Pure had had to be stifled. "No, I'll come with you," Brad said, standing up as Noah kissed Pure's cheek and walked out

with Brad. "So, you guys thirsty?" She asked before we began talking about our little issue involving Adam Carnegie. Pure's home felt so cozy. "No thanks." I smiled politely. "I'm Jason, but you can call me Jase." Jase winked at her as she gestured toward her ring. Her ring was far more simple than mine, but it was Noah who'd given it to her. which made her’s way more special. "So I heard about your engagement to America's most eligible bachelor, I didn't know you two were dating." Pure smiled as she took a seat on her tan couches. "We weren't," I said, bringing my hand up to my furrowed brows. "Actually I think I'd like a cup of coffee please." I smiled, "Jase, I think they're still outside if you want to go talk to them." My big brother always knew what I meant, especially at moments like this when it felt uncomfortable to spill out my feelings, especially since he’s always known how I felt even before I did. "Yeah, bye." He jogged out of the house, shutting the door behind him. "The thing is, I barely met him last night, and I know it's too early to wake you and Noah up but I was planning on running away, but Brad made me change my mind at the airport and I need some place to hide."

"You can stay with me if you want, when's your wedding anyhow?" "Today," I gulped, staring at the counter with a fear stricken expression. "Eleanor," Pure began, a worried look on her face, "I think it's getting moved." She gestured to the TV as I stared at the screen. I hated how public my life had become in just a matter of hours and how conspiracy theories and rumors had already begun. "It appears that Eleanor Hays, Adam Carnegie's fiancé has been spotted outside the LAX airport with another man." The reporter said as a picture of Brad, Jase, and I was on the screen heading toward the cab. Jase's frustrated face, glaring at the camera men and Brad had his arm around my shoulder as I had a worried expression on my face. I had no doubt that Adam has already seen this. But why would I care what Adam thinks? My plan had been completely ruined by the single fact that I had been seen leaving the airport, rather than entering. "Oh god, this can't be good." Worry filled my face as I turned toward Pure. Her eyes were wide as well as a soft knock embraced her front door. She gestured that she was going to go get the door as I sat on her kitchen island taking a sip of the black coffee she had made for me. The bitter

taste soothed me as I realized that I couldn't have been in a worse situation. Maybe I was on some sick reality TV show and this was all a joke, or maybe this was just a nightmare- but all those thoughts faded as his voice rung in my ears. "Hi, is Eleanor here?" A worried voice sounded. "Who?" Pure asked, sounding completely innocent. "My fiance, Eleanor? She… can I come in?" He finally said as footsteps came into the kitchen as Adam's handsome face was in front of me. He barged right into her home, how much worse can this man get?! "Uh… I'm sorry." Pure said, a sad look deepening on her face as she followed behind him. "Are you ok?" He rushed up to hug me as though we actually knew each other. I sat crosslegged. Unmoving as I stared ahead with his arms wrapped around me. I was seconds away from pouring all the hot coffee on him. "How did you find me?" I sat motionless, clenching my fists and grinding my teeth. I was trying to escape this guy yet he found me so easily. "Well Eleanor, you're not that hard to track, I figured something like this would happen. You had me worried," he whispered in my ear as his warm embrace filled me entirely. Shivers- unwanted shivers- rushed down my spinal cord and jumped

into my stomach, creating butterflies all around. I remained emotionless as Pure stood there, looking absolutely ashamed. She gave me an apologetic look. "You've got a flight to New Jersey in a few hours, I hope you can come with me. Now." To others, it would've looked like he was being sweet, but to me, it wasn't a request, it was a command. I frowned at the ground as my eyes met with Pure's blue ones. This lucky bitch. I walk ed out of her house and into the limousine he'd come in which was parked outside her house. I felt tears sting my eyes. I'd lost, now I'd have to marry this beast: this controlling manipulative monster! "We'll be on our way to the airport." I glared at him, avoiding eye contact as he told his driver where to go. His eyes turned to me and my knees locked. I began feeling numb in ways I couldn't fathom was possible. I felt like goo under his stare. He looked at me, a hardened look in his eyes showing his anger at my revolt before he turned away; he really was a beast. "Adam." I spoke softly, this was the first time I'd ever said his name genuinely, "I can't marry you," I began as he shifted his gaze back to me, no emotions were decipherable on his face, "But… " I took a deep breath, "I will and after my debt is paid… “

"Eleanor," he whispered, his face inches from mine as I shut my eyes. "I don't plan on ever divorcing, and don't bring silly thoughts to your mind." He whispered dangerously as I felt my heart rate quicken at his closeness. "Asshole," I muttered, turning my face away from him. I could see a smile forming on his face now, amused that I’d insulted him. I let out a breath as his words registered in my head. I looked up at his hazel brown eyes, I hadn't noticed the small green specks in his eyes earlier. He turned his attention away from me as the limousine driver parked in an empty lot. This is where I'm getting murdered tonight. "Come on, it's a three-hour flight, we should arrive by nine a.m. and I will introduce you to my mom and older sister, they'll get you in your dress and prepare you for the wedding." I walked beside him silently, anger swelling inside me. We turned a corner and suddenly the lot seemed like a tiny speck compared to the giant jet parked and waiting for him to enter. "What gave you the right to run my life?" I asked, but the answer was obvious. My parents were the ones that had sold my soul to the devil for a couple million dollars. "Eleanor, now is not the time for this conversation." He gestured to the prying ears of the pilot.

"Then when is the time? After I'm hitched up with you, forced to spend the rest of my life with a man I don't even know, much less love?" I shouted loudly as the people walking behind us fell silent and stepped ahead politely, creating their own conversations further away. Suddenly I was jerked against a wall, his hands on my waist as fear filled my eyes. He moved closer, his eyes glued to mine as I struggled to look away from the intensity of his look. "You will do well to watch what you say, Eleanor. Especially since this isn't a one sided marriage. It takes two and my family needs you. I’m sure you get something out of this little contract as well." He whispered dangerously close, his breath fanning my face as he removed his hand. I quietly stepped ahead of him walking faster to the private jet. I was not going to be some puppet for him to manipulate. I walked into the private jet and sat in a random seat. "Hi, I'm Elijah. That idiot's brother," a boy, about fifteen years old said as he sat beside me, gesturing to Adam. "I'm Eleanor," I said, ignoring whatever else he said. Otherwise, I would have been in tears explaining my forced fiancé. I felt this resistance to Adam was a waste, the resistance was surrounded by an unwanted tension that was barely hanging by a thread. The Carnegie's always get what they want

from what I've learned so far. "Eleanor, he’s not that bad honestly." Elijah said as he slightly touched my elbow, sitting beside me now. "Don't touch me," I hissed sharply, getting up to walk out of the jet. He threw his hands up as though he hadn't done anything wrong. I wanted to scoff, everything about the Carnegie’s was wrong. I took the small staircase off the jet as a hand was held out for me to hold my bags. My father stood below, his arm outstretched to help me out. I contemplated getting the help but decided against it. It felt like if I did take his hand, I'd be accepting the contract he’d made with the Carnegie family. I glared at his hand for a bit before deciding to take the step down the stairs. Clumsily, I missed the next step and began tumbling toward my death. I shut my eyes, waiting for the impact of the ground to my register. It never came. I opened one eye slightly and then the next as I realized I was being carried by none other than Adam Carnegie. My heart was pounding rapidly in my chest as his warmth engulfed me. I was numb and sick of everything. I wished he'd just have let me fall to my doom. Does he not know how to take a hint and leave me alone? "My hero," I muttered sarcastically, too

afraid to look at the fall I was about to have. "That's what I do, rescue damsels in distress." He said, sarcastically as well. I groaned, although he was partly correct, he was also the one causing the distress. "Put me down," I demanded, placing my hand on his rock solid chest and wanting nothing more than to feel him. But I pushed the thoughts away. He was not Christian Anderson, I couldn’t think like this around him. "Just a few more minutes, princess. We need you in your seat first." He smirked just as the door moved to close itself and the flight would start soon. Princess. That's what Christian called me, it was like a lemon had been squeezed into the damn open wound that everyone just loved gashing back open. "Adam. Put me the hell down." I said, feeling shaky. I didn't know what I wanted, as a matter of fact, all I knew was that I'd failed. My escape plan had failed. "As you wish Eleanor." He gave me a half smile as he helped me to my feet. My knees locked and I felt as though I could fall head over heels. I grabbed onto his arms to steady myself as flashing lights appeared out of nowhere and again he pulled me into his arms. I felt sick to my stomach, nauseated even and the flight hadn’t even begun.

He walked me over to the seats and sat beside me, holding my hand and drawing patterns with his thumb. This felt too intimate, honestly more intimate than sex with my ex-boyfriend, Christian. I sat silently beside him for a while before realizing I wouldn't be able to do this forever, I didn't have it in me. I glared at my hand, which he was still holding, for what felt like an hour before deciding that there was officially nothing I could do now. After my failed getaway stunt, there was no way I would be alone, or be trusted. I had fallen asleep on this short airplane ride and rested my head on his shoulder. I woke up an hour later with Adam's face so close that I could see every little feature. "Wake up Eleanor." He whispered, unbuckling his seatbelt. My dad and his younger brother, Elijah, had already left. I stepped out slowly, sleepily and walked beside him to a beautiful black car. "Almost there." He said, seating me in the passenger seat of an expensive looking black Bentley and buckling my seatbelt. He sat in the driver's seat moments later. I didn't know rich people drove themselves places. So far all he's shown me were limousines. I placed my head on the door as the engine roared to life and I was hours away from my doom. I shut my

eyes, I felt jet lagged, and disgusting as I fell asleep once again. I couldn't put my finger on it quite yet, but something about Adam made me feel like I could trust him. I would soon find out.

Chapter 6: Wedding Flowers I stood beside the tall woman who claimed to be Adam's mom, she looked like she could be at most thirty years old. "You look absolutely gorgeous." She grinned widely as she stepped aside to let me look at myself in the mirror. I looked like a bride. My blonde hair giving the effect of innocence: a new look for me. "Wow, Eleanor looks like Adam knows how to pick 'em." His older sister grinned at me. I couldn’t help but wonder if that reference was regarding the contract. Was the rest of his family aware that he had actually picked me. I smiled in return, unwilling to show my true feelings toward this idea of an arranged marriage. But deep down, I felt angry that all my options had been taken away from me, leaving me with no other choice. "You look gorgeous," his mom interjected, why couldn't he be as kind as these two? I stepped away from the mirror, unable to speak another word, my eyes resting on the ground. What happened to me? What happened to the Eleanor who went after what she wanted and spoke her mind when she felt like it? She was gone, along with her asshole of an ex-boyfriend, Christian Anderson. "Well the wedding ceremony starts in twenty minutes, it's best if we get you in the limousine

now." I nodded at his mom's request as I quietly began walking down the stairs. "He's a great guy Eleanor, and I'm glad he's marrying you," His sister said as we reached the end of the staircases of his multi-story house.My eyes landed on a familiar figure standing beside the door of the mansion, tears crept into my eyes as I ran into Jase's arms. "Woah there, don't want to crumple that dress now do you?" Jase said, kissing my cheek, "good luck today kid." He laughed, knowing I hated it when he made me feel inferior. I gave him a worried look, I can't. I thought as he began patting my back. "Sometimes we just have to do stuff for others whether we like it or not, that's how life works El, it's not fair most of the time. But give him a chance, you deserve happiness and he could be yours." Jase whispered rubbing my back like when we were kids. "Besides, I read somewhere that arranged marriages last longer than regular ones." My brother hugged me tightly. He was always such a great guy who would hopefully find the girl of his dreams someday. "I love you Jase, thanks for being here today." I smiled against his shirt, holding back tears as to not ruin the makeup that took them hours to apply, I shouldn’t have cared this much, but I was trapped now with no way to escape. It would be

pointless to waste more time having them re-apply the makeup. "Love you too El,” he hugged me loosely as to not crumple the expensive dress fabric, “and your fiancé invited us here, Pure and Noah and mom and dad and Brad are here too." I smiled a bit, backing away from Jason and I turned my attention back to Adam's mom. She pulled me away and led me out and into the large ride waiting to take me to wherever I would be getting married, hopefully at a church at least. But I knew none of this wedding was under my wishes or plans so it truly didn't matter where I wed since I would divorce the man soon after anyway. "Sweetheart! I'm so proud of you. I wish you and Adam Carnegie the best." Dad emphasized the Carnegie name, giving me a warning look, sure to keep up appearances. What appearances would even need to be kept inside a limousine with all my friends inside? Maybe he thought I hadn't told them. I sat quietly avoiding looking at my parents as we arrived. I was surprised and delighted at the same time. It was beautiful, flowers surrounding the door frame of the giant wooden double doors. The church was huge, and thankfully a church. I wondered what it looked like inside. I had a new plan brewing. I would say no when the priest gave us the ‘I dos’, that would be

embarrassing, but I was all out of ideas for avoiding this wedding. I couldn’t avoid it anymore. But deep, deep down I was kind of excited to get married. Kind of. "Eleanor, are you ready?" My dad stepped out of the limousine as Adam's mom and sister stepped out as well. It felt so traditional and beautiful that I couldn't help but smile and feel joyful at the beautiful sight in front of me. The music began playing as the bridesmaids and groomsmen began walking in until it was my turn to enter. This scene felt too official, I couldn't deal with the sudden pressure to go through with the plan. It felt like a fairytale come to life with the bright lights illuminating the church. "Ready?" Dad asked, his heartless eyes filling with emotion as I saw them water up. He put me hand around his arm, preparing to enter. "No, dad. Of course not. I'm about to spend the rest of my life with an absolute stranger while you and mom… " I began my rant but was cut short. We'd take a few minutes longer to walk in, so what? The longer it took for me to enter, the better. But I knew there was no way I could run out in these four-inch heels and with my father at my side. "He is not a stranger anymore, you’ve already met him. And Eleanor you will go through with this or so help me God…” he was about to lecture me again, and possibly threaten me, but

decided against it, let’s just walk." Dad proclaimed, ignoring my rant as he began dragging me along. I was wearing four-inch heels but was still shorter than my husband to be. It was insane how much he looked like a model that belonged on the cover of a magazine. The music kept playing as my eyes scanned the crowd. Brad's warm smile set me aflame as I continued to walk. The reality of the moment began to pulse through my veins. My eyes then landed on Pure and Noah. I froze when they smiled at me, encouraging me to go on. I wanted to explode. I stopped for a second longer than I’d intended as my eyes landed on Christian and my heart turned rock solid and cold. Who invited him here? "Eleanor, sweetheart, keep walking." Dad scolded quietly as I turned my eyes finally to the brown eyes of the man I was about to marry. There was a frog in my throat, I was speechless. He was handsome as hell in his tuxedo, which was perfectly ironed, and his hair perfectly trimmed. If he were a fairy tale prince he'd be the hottest of them all. Prince Adam. I froze, stopping dead in my tracks as I realized that I'd have to kiss him to seal the deal. I had never been so repulsed to kiss anyone since my breakup with Christian, and I suddenly felt nauseous as dad dragged me along and handed me

over to Adam. They shook hands at the altar and my dad took a seat in the front row. He had done it, handed me off like I was a possession and not a person to someone who I considered an enemy. Adam's warm hands grabbed mine as I stared at him like he was some sort of achievement; I couldn’t help it. His chiseled face resembled that of a greek god. It was as though when he was being created, god added a bit extra time to sculpt his ever part. I flushed at the thought. God, what is wrong with me? I stared into his eyes, feeling myself melt as the priest began the ceremony. "We are gathered here today to watch the union of Adam Carnegie and Eleanor Hays. They have you come here freely and without reservation to give themselves to each other in marriage? Will you honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives? Will you accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church? Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church. Now the groom will repeat after me.” He paused for a moment, taking his eyes off of the sheet of paper he’d been reading, “I, Adam Carnegie, take you Eleanor Hays to be my lawfully wedded wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. As

long as we both shall live." The priest declared as Adam’s fingers laced between my own and he squeezed my hand. “I, Adam Carnegie, take you Eleanor Hays to be my lawfully wedded wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. As long as we both shall live." Adam repeated. My heart was running out of my chest now, pounding so quickly that I felt like it might explode. His eyes were so intense on mine; I quickly looked away. "Now the bride must say her vows, please repeat after me. I, Eleanor Hays, take you Adam Carnegie to be my lawfully wedded husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life." "I, Eleanor Hays, take you Adam Carnegie to be my lawfully wedded husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life." I repeated anxiously. I wanted to get out of everyone's sight. I didn't want anyone to see me. "If anyone here objects with the union between Eleanor Hays and Adam Carnegie, speak now or forever hold your peace." I turned my eyes to Brad who was busy

talking to my brother. They both betrayed me. I looked at Christian who was staring right at me, mentally urging him to say something. He did not, how expected of him to not help me in my time of need. My mind began to wander to the thought of Christian Anderson. I couldn’t figure out how he knew when the wedding was ad who had invited him. But then again, since my life was now publicised, I assumed everything about me, down to the moment I tripped at school when I was ten, was probably now on the news. I groaned silently. An awkward silence filled the church as I pleaded with my eyes. Everyone’s betrayal stung. "Adam Carnegie, do you take Eleanor Hays as you wife as long as you both shall live?" "I do," Adam said without a second thought. He was staring right at me as though I was the last cookie in the jar. As though I were a pearl in a container of marbles, as though I were the most beautiful human being on Earth. I felt my body heat up as I became distracted in his eyes. "And do you Eleanor Hays take Adam Carnegie as your husband as long as you both shall live?" The priest asked. This is it, my last chance. I remained silent as worry began creeping onto Adam's handsome face as he squeezed my hand, gesturing toward the audience and the consequences of saying no. I felt bad for only a second before realizing what I should do. What I

knew would be the best thing for everyone’s sake. "I… " I said, a tear loosely slipped out of my eye and down my cheek. There was a long pause and it seemed like gasps seemed to erupt around the church. I knew our wedding was being broadcasted on a lot of television stations at this moment. Maybe I should tell them all this was a fake arrangement that had real consequences. I looked into the audience; I didn't even know the majority of these people. My eyes landed on Jase who was giving me a stern look of disapproval, urging me to stop embarrassing myself. I wanted to cry, my heart rate was skyrocketing and my wish for a mass murderer to enter the church and shoot me dissipated quickly. I had no more time left to run away, to reject him, to do anything. I took a shallow breath, my throat suddenly felt parched as I croaked the words that everyone was waiting for. " I do." Adam showed no emotion at my hesitancy and looked at me with blank eyes. The wedding bands began getting exchanged and vows of "with this ring, I wed thee" were spoken. I felt numb now. "I now declare you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride." The priest chuckled as a sudden tension filled the room. I'd have to kiss him, like, on the lips. I wouldn't mind those scrumptious lips.

Adam removed the small veil from my face that did nothing to cover my face and began leaning closer, on last second I looked down, forcing him for kiss my forehead. My heart was beating insanely fast and there was no way to control it or slow it down. My breath hitched as he placed his finger on my chin and tilted my head to meet his eyes. I felt my heart do somersaults as his flawless hazel brown eyes began swimming with unfamiliar emotions. I felt trapped and lost and safe all at the same time. My heart rate was speeding a million times a second and my lungs wouldn't allow oxygen to enter. His lips slightly brushed mine as they tingled in lust, he was teasing me. I knew how to play this game and play it well at that. I immediately shut my eyes, moving a bit closer and our lips brushed again, shivers ran down my spine and butterflies raped my stomach. What the heck is wrong with me? I'd never felt anything like this before; I decided to blame it on the nerves. He closed the distance slowly, our lips moving in synch as his hands trailed along the small of my back, a smile was on his lips, I could feel it as the sweet kiss ended and a round of applause exploded across the room. "Give it up for Mr. And Mrs. Carnegie!" The priest declared as Adam placed his hand on my bare midriff and led me out the church door. We

began heading outside, feeling dazed as Adam led us to a limousine for the after party. Great, hours of dancing in these heels. We drove to a tall building and went up to the twelfth floor, you could see all of New Jersey from up here. I stared out the open glass walls as people began filing in. The thousands from the wedding had dissipated to only a couple hundred, making the large room seem fuller I spent the night dancing with Adam's dad, my dad, Adam himself, Elijah, Brad, and my last dance was with Christian before my feet hurt too much to walk. Pure sat at one of the tables urging Noah to do something. I just didn't know what. "Adam, can I go home now?" I asked as my eyes traced Noah's body before looking away. He had gotten up now. "We can" He smirked cockily as he and I began approaching the elevator. "Eleanor." Noah's silky voice made my knees go weak. I was a married woman who fell for another woman's man so damn easily. Adam stood beside me. From the corner of my eye I could see him glaring at Noah. "Pure wanted me to ask you to dance, if I may?" He asked Adam as I looked up to be met with furious brown eyes. "We were actually just leaving." I smiled politely, annoyed at myself. Noah nodded in

understanding and walked away. I felt bad, but couldn't stand to wear these heels a moment longer. The blisters that were now on my feet brought unimaginable pain with them. The limousine drove us to the house where I had gotten dressed up earlier, Adam's house was giant. It probably only had three rooms but each room could fit its own house in there. I gazed in astonishment as the annoying camera men were lined outside his house taking pictures of the newly wed couple. They all knew they couldn't enter through the gates of his mansion, that'd be illegal. And he could easily send them to jail for trespassing. Oh, the power of a Carnegie. I looked in wonder and amazement at his, well I guess it was our, house. "What do you think?" Adam's limousine driver parked in front of the mansion and waited for us to get out before parking elsewhere. I didn't have to play nice anymore, there was no getting out of this. I nodded slightly acting indifferent. He wanted me to live in New Jersey with him now, I couldn’t go home or visit my family. I glared at the glass double doors. "I really don't know much about you," he began, but I ignored him. I walked right past him as though he didn't exist.

"Well, you should've thought about that before deciding to marry me." I abruptly said, taking a step into the giant mansion. A glass chandelier was held above me that could reach the second-floor ceiling. Surrounding the glimmering tile flooring was a hallway to the kitchen and opposite the hallway was a giant carpeted staircase, on the wall of the staircase was a picture of Adam with his family. There was too much to see. Farther up the stairs was a giant picture of Adam and I in the restaurant where he was on one knee while I sat in my white dress with a surprised look on my face as I was staring at the ring. It was a few minutes after midnight, Adam walked in behind me and shut the door. I was his wife now. Fear absorbed me as I realized that he was the only one I could do now. That I must be loyal. That's not going to be easy, especially for someone like me.

Chapter 7: The Sleeping Pact "Um… Adam, where do I sleep?" I asked, walking into the master bedroom. There were red roses placed across the bed and I wasn't willing to ask what he'd expected tonight. I felt dizzy, I had drank a lot more than I’d anticipated. He walked into the room, still handsome as ever in his tuxedo. As soon as his eyes landed on the rose petals, he placed two fingers on his forehead in frustration. "Damn it, Elijah must have been here, I'm so sorry about this." He said as he began picking up rose petals. "You can change if you like." He gestured to the closet as I walked in to be met with rows upon rows of clothes that I'd never seen before. I blushed, he’d bought all of this for me, all the clothes still had price tags attached. Yeah, buy your way into my already rich heart. I stared in amazement at the closet as I felt a hand touch my shoulder softly. Shivers ran down my spine, I wanted to push his hand away, but my body had other plans. "I hope you like it." Adam's silky voice spoke sweetly, butterflies began bubbling in my stomach and with them the spawn of toads. I turned around to be met with his beautiful brown eyes. I shouldn't be feeling this, any of this. I should hate him more than the caterpillars that eat

my precious plants, but I couldn't because like the luxurious green caterpillars, he was beautiful and precious in my eyes, especially when he was being tender in a moment like this. "I should change," I whispered, having trouble speaking. He cleared his throat and gave me a look that read ‘victory’. I would make him pay for this. If this is a game, then I want to win. I put on short velvet shorts and a red tank top that was almost completely see-through material. A temptress, that's how I'll win this game. I stepped back into the room, staring at his back as he began unbuttoning his shirt. My breath caught in my throat. I was physically attracted to this man, I must admit. But the emotional attachment didn't exist, it never did or had to. For me, any sex was just sex and I think that's why Christian Anderson thought it was okay to cheat on me. He looked at me through the mirror, a smirk on his handsome face. "So Mrs. Carnegie," he turned toward me, taking his shirt off, "where would you like to have our honeymoon?" He took a few steps closer to me until his skin was all my vision could see. It suddenly felt really hot in here. "I... uh," I stuttered, unwilling to let myself have these emotions, especially not toward this scoundrel. "Do you have air conditioning in here?"

I asked taking a step back, trying to catch my breath. He was breathtaking and I couldn't escape it. I couldn't have tried harder to leave, but divorce was still an option, an option I wouldn't want to go through, but I needed my freedom. I was only twenty for God's sake! Who gets married this early? I haven't had a chance to explore the world and whatnot. "Eleanor." His smooth voice pulled me away from my thoughts. I looked up to be met with his intense brown eyes. I felt the temperature rising; I looked away again quickly. Do my parents even care about me, this man could be a rapist or even a murderer for all they knew and now they left me with him. "Where do I sleep? I'm exhausted." I said, taking another step back as he took a step forward. My back hit the wall and I now realized there was no chance I could win this imaginary game I was playing. "On our bed." His breath fanned my face. I don't think he even realized that if he leaned in a couple more inches, we would completely lip lock. He was so incredibly beautiful, I couldn't get over it. "You know, maybe I could just sleep on the floor or maybe in the tub or something." I stuttered, sneaking out from under his arms as I made my

way to the bathroom and sat in the tub. "I assume this isn't an invitation to join you?" He laughed, leaning on the door with his arms crossed. "No," I said quickly as I tried to make myself comfortable. I wanted to feel disgusted or even repulsed toward him, but I couldn’t because that’s not the vibe he was giving me. "Well, I think you want to sleep on the bed tonight." He smirked, an amused glint in his eye as he turned the water on. "Adam!" I screamed, hopping out of the tub, my hair soaked as he picked me up and tossed me over his shoulder. "I'm getting you wet," I whined as he continued carrying me around the room while my clothing soaked his bare top. "You're wet already?" He laughed as I slapped his back. "Sicko." I laughed, unable to hide my amusement at our stupidity as he tossed me into the bed. I hopped off the bed and began running around the room. I felt like a child being chased, but I liked the chase. "Okay, I think that’s enough." He chuckled, grabbing my waist and pulling me to him. I couldn't stop laughing as he turned looked at me, the same amused look on his chiseled features. "Hawaii." I randomly said as we sat on the now-wet carpet, small bursts of laughter still

erupting from my mouth. "What?" He gave me a confused look. "Earlier you asked me about where I wanted our honeymoon," I shyly said, an odd emotion; Adam made me feel this way. He made me feel like a child about to meet the president. I coughed. Perhaps the alcohol had made me slightly dizzy. His eyes had a tinted brown to them now, darkening slowly. "Eleanor, love, you should get some sleep." He said. "I'm not sleeping on the bed." "And why not?" "Because I don't want to." I grinned immaturely. I had drunk way too much clearly. I was acting so weird, or maybe it was the charm of Adam Carnegie that made me feel like I just wanted to joke around with him. But, he wasn’t charming. "That's not an answer." He stood up and offered me his hand. "We should probably dry you off." He looked at me, concern in his eyes. "I don't want you getting sick Eleanor." "I'm fine, silly." I giggled laying my head down on the carpeted floor and crossing and uncrossing my legs in the air. He came back and tossed a towel at me. It landed on my face and I left it there as I felt his hand on my waist. "This isn't a game, come on Eleanor." He

carried me up as I mumbled random words. "Make me." I giggled, feeling light headed, "make me like you made me marry you." We were married for crying out loud and we weren't even willing to discuss it. He was intolerable! "Maybe you shouldn't have drunk anything tonight. It's almost two a.m. and you need some sleep." I felt my body numb as he wrapped me in his arms and placed me on to bed. I had hoped that the alcohol would make me forget about him, but it wasn't working. I felt my head hit the pillow as the small light in the corner of the room shut off. "Good night Eleanor." He said as he landed beside me and kissed my forehead. In my stupid attempt of trying to keep up this game, I fell off the bed and onto the floor, bumping my arm on the dresser. "Oww." I placed my hand on my arm. "Eleanor!" He was immediately beside me, having hopped out of bed to make sure I was fine. I felt confused, annoyed. "Are you okay?" "Why can't you just leave me alone?" My blurred vision didn't hide his hands going up in defense and him rolling his eyes, a warm smile on his face. "Make love to me," I whispered, leaning forward and wrapping my arms around his bare neck. My fingers traced down his bare chest and onto his abs as I felt him shiver under my touch. He

stopped momentarily and took a deep breath, unwrapping my arms from around him. "Eleanor, I'm not going to take advantage of you." He said, again putting me on the bed. "Christian would have, I guess you're not as good as he is. He took me every time I asked… " I muttered, slurring my words. "Who the hell is Christian?" He asked, I looked at his creased eyebrows, he looked so handsome, and he definitely wore jealousy well. Sleep began to take over my body as my eyes had trouble staying open. "I am, I went to church," I whispered seductively, although I probably looked really stupid. "I think you should probably go to sleep, goodnight." He whispered, wrapping his arm around my waist so I don't fall again. "But, I'm not tired." I dragged, yawning as I turned to the warmth of his bare chest, pressing my head on his chest. "Good night Eleanor." I felt a grin on his lips as he kissed my forehead. "Adam." I muttered, shutting my eyes. I would regret this, I just knew it

Chapter 8: Devils in Disguise I looked at my surroundings, a headache shaking my view as I opened my eyes. The room smelled of flowers and a natural scent of an unfamiliar cologne. I turned my head to be met with the most handsome face I had ever seen, his eyes were shut. One night stand? I thought to myself as I began to get up and leave to head home. "Five more minutes." He mumbled, a half smile on his face as he slowly opened his eyes. My breathing stopped as my eyes landed on his bare chest. I suddenly felt extremely self-conscious, which was an unwelcome feeling for me. Did we do anything last night? I immediately looked at my skimpy outfit. I was wearing basically a red bra with lace seethrough material coming off of it and shorts that were short enough to be underwear. A shock ran through me as I froze in my place. I wouldn't have minded doing anything with a man that looked like that, but still, I would have liked to remember. "We didn't do anything if that's what you're wondering." He said watching my eyes, "But you are quite the temptress. If you're going to dress like that every night, I may as well sleep downstairs" He said, getting up and taking his warmth with him. I

suddenly felt extremely cold as he entered the bathroom. Husband. The word rung in my ears as a headache pounded inside my head as the events of yesterday played in my mind. I was married now. To this man who I didn't even know. "Yeah, you should." I yawned, stretching my sore limbs. There was a bruise on my arm, had he done that? It took me a few minutes to recall that I had basically thrown myself off the bed last night when keeping up with my drunken charade. After a couple moments of staring at the ceiling trying to remember what had happened last night, I stood up. He walked out of the bathroom in a freshly ironed tuxedo. I couldn't help my eyes as they trailed across his body, my stomach churning as they met his laughing eyes. He realized I was checking him out, yet he chose to ignore it. "I actually have a few meetings today, but I promise Eleanor, we will have our honeymoon in two days or less, I just have to finish some things up at the office and then we can go to Hawaii." "Hawaii?" I asked. "You told me that's where you'd want to go last night." "Oh." I moved to the edge of the bed, my fingers running through my messy hair as my legs dangled below. "If you want to go anywhere else, just let me

know. " He grabbed the suitcase that he kept beside the door and walked over to me, kissing my cheek. I was too sleepy to be bothered by the emotions that were rumbling inside now. I walked into the bathroom and brushed my teeth, not bothering about showering or changing until later. I wanted to be repulsive. I walked out and hopped downstairs to be met with a delicious scent. "You made this?" I asked, astonished. He stood by the stove, scrambling eggs in his suit. He looked completely out of his element. "Yeah, want some?" He turned toward me a warm grin on his face. Jerk, I totally got his little message across with that want some line. "I'm actually not a breakfast kind of girl," I said, taking a seat on the kitchen island as I watched him cook. "Maybe some coffee?" I suggested. "You mean a breakfast kind of wife?" He grinned cheekily as I suppressed a laugh at his stupid joke before catching myself and giving him a monotonous look. "Don't you have some work to do?" I said, getting off the stool and instead sitting on the living-room couch. "Don't you?" If he was referring to me working for my dad, he should know that I have no intention of doing that.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, confused and defensive. "Nothing." He smirked as I narrowed my eyes at him. If he had any expectations of me being a good wife to him, he’d better erase them now. "Well then, just leave me alone in this giant mansion, all. By. My. Self." I sighed, looking at him for no apparent reason. "Your brother and that girl and her fiancé, you know the one who's house you were at, I invited them here today." "What about Brad?" "Oh that other guy, right, if he's available, he's not allowed." He laughed, walking toward me and handing me a plate with two pancakes and syrup. "Thanks." I murmured, why do I even try. "Of course, I'll see you tonight at seven." He gave me a heart stopping smile that would have girls melting under his feet. That smile should have been on the front page of a magazine. I had to clutch my heart to stop myself from toppling over. I took the plate from his hands as he leaned down to kiss my forehead. He has got to stop doing that. It drove me crazy. "I'll see you tonight, bye Mrs. Carnegie." He walked to the garage and then the house was silent. I moved around on the soft brown couch that was located in a separate living room. It was crazy how

his home seemed to have two of everything, and I assumed one living-room was for guests while the other was for him. It was far more comfortable. I stood up and made some coffee before sitting down and realizing I was completely alone. Just me, my four wasted years of college, and a business degree with nothing to do with it. I groaned. "Mrs. Carnegie, there is a man here to see you. His name is Jason Hays." The buzzer beside the front door spoke. I stood up and walked through the giant magnificent space and pressed the buzzer to speak. "Let him in, he's my brother" I quickly ran up the stairs and put on sweatpants and a more appropriate shirt, I don't want Jase to think anything went on and my husband, the husband that had been forced upon me. "Okay, ma'am. I have unlocked the gate." The speaker said again. I ran back downstairs, almost tripping on the cold tile flooring in my socks. "Thanks for letting me in." The person who stood in front of my door was not certainly not my brother. It was Christian Anderson.

Chapter 9: Green Tomatoes "What the hell are you doing here?" I yelled as he began walking closer. "I will call security!" "But you won't Eleanor." He pushed me up against the wall beside the stairs as fear filled my eyes. “I know you won’t.” "What the hell do you want?!" I screamed as his hands removed the shirt I had on to reveal the lingerie I had under. "Looks like you two had some fun last night." My eyes widened. My naked body was almost completely visible through the thin fabric. It wasn't anything new for Christian to see, but it felt different. It felt slimy and wrong of him to do that. "What the hell do you want?" I asked sharply once again as his hands trailed into my sweatpants. I held my breath, gasping as I slapped his hand away. "So we break up and you get married? Not even two days after?" He groped my hips, reaching for the hem of my sweats. "It's none of your concern." I pushed him but that only made him rub against me closer. I could feel his hand on my thigh. I tried to push him away again. Even though I technically didn’t honor the fake marriage, the rest of the world did, and I deserved some respect for that. "Oh, but it is, what… " He tried to reach for

my lips, but I turned a cheek away from his groping hands. He reeked of alcohol. "Get off," I said half-heartedly, discomfort written all over my face. "Eleanor? What the hell man, get a life!" Jase's voice zoomed in as Christian landed on the floor in front of me. "We finally thought we were finished with you and then you come back?" Jase chuckled. “Get the hell out of here." Jase glared at Christian but turned his attention back to me, pointing at my choice of clothing, "You've got some explaining to do. Security!" Jase shouted just as a man in a yellow suit ran in, "See to it that this man is not allowed in this home ever again, he was trying to sexually harass Mrs. Carnegie." Jase said, pointing at Christian who now stood up with an angry look, running out by himself. My brother, my hero. Pure and Noah never came, maybe they were too busy in California to visit me in New Jersey, assuming they had already gone home after my wedding last night, or maybe they were too exhausted to get up. "We didn't do anything," I said, pulling my tshirt back over my head and pulling my sweatpants up a little further. "Nice house, is he treating you well?" Jase asked with a concerned look on his face, ignoring

my statement of innocence. I gave him a sly look. "Well," I looked anywhere but his eyes, "I was sort of drunk last night so I wouldn't know. But I'll bet, he's just great." I muttered sourly. His eyes landed on the bruise that had formed on my arm. “Did he do this?!” He glared at me, grabbing my arm. “No,” I laughed, Adam didn’t seem capable of even hurting a fly contrary to his demanding personality, “he wouldn’t even touch me! I fell off the bed last night, I was drunk. We didn’t even consummate our marriage!” I said defensively as Jase backed away, embarrassment on his face. I’m sure he didn’t need to know that Adam and I didn’t have sex. His disgusted expression faded and a light laugh escaped him. "Eleanor, I know it's hard for you now and that you'd rather be a free woman again, but we're working hard on collecting the twelve million and we should have the entire debt paid by the end of next year. These Carnegie’s run a hard bargain,” Jase bit his lip, unsure of whether he should have told me the news. “We should be glad that the Carnegie's paid the rest of our money, but now we owe it to them, without having to go bankrupt. Dad said it might take a year or more to get the money in line…” “You mean, I have to stay married to that guy?!" I over reacted, angrily throwing my arms up

in frustration. This has got to be some sick joke. To take my future away from me just because my idiot parents decided it would be best for the business to have me marry one of the most powerful men in America. I guess it's something to cross off my bucket list. "Eleanor, calm down, look it's almost three and I should get going, and here, you left your phone at home before all this happened, I thought you might want it back. You know, to give your number to your husband." Jase teased, handed me my phone, getting up and walking toward the door. "Man, this guy is obsessed." He gestured to the pictures above the staircase as I laughed. "Well, I am pretty great." I laughed as Jase walked to the front door. "Hey," Noah stood in front of the door just as Jase opened it. Noah had his hand ready to knock. "Pure couldn't make it, she's planning for our wedding and all and she told me to come check on you. Can I come in?" Does he do everything she asks? To my surprise, I stepped aside, allowing Noah to enter my house. "Bye El." Jase hugged me as he made his way to his car. I shut the door, walking with Noah to the living room. "So, uh, you know you didn't have to come." I laughed, trying to make small talk.

"What's it like being married?" Noah cut in, trying desperately to avoid the small talk. He would never have talked to me on his own. I guess in high school, everyone I assumed I was the class slut, even though I only ever had Christian Anderson, but our off-and-on relationship was highly publicized and drew the attention away from the real whores. "I…well, honestly I don't know, it's only been a day, and he's been at work most of it so..." I smiled, taking a seat beside him, contemplating whether or not to tell him about the contract. We weren't that close, but a girl could only dream of the day when Noah Williamson would open his mouth and talk to her. "Yeah of course." He chuckled, "You've changed Eleanor. " "Have I?" "Yeah, I remember in sophomore year in highschool, you'd been that… " He paused, the engine turning in his mind, probably trying to say something that wouldn’t offend me. "That what?" He gave me an unsure look, wondering whether he should change his words. "Popular girl." "And I'm not popular now?" I raised an eyebrow jokingly. I'd never had a full on conversation with Noah. "No, I meant, you had a different personality

back then." He looked like I'd just thrown dog crap on his face. "Is that a good thing or bad?" "It's a good thing, I assure you." He chuckled, his cute laugh making my heart do small flutters and somersaults. Maybe I just wanted his attention. Any attention was welcome. "So, how are you and Pure? Ready for the big day?" I smiled politely suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "I guess, it's a privilege to marry Pure after four years of dating. How long were you with, Adam is it?" "Um," I bit my lip, the contract had been in place for five months but I'd only known him one day before yesterday, the wedding, “a few months.” I couldn’t figure out why I kept defending him, I shut my eyes. "Your pictures are all over the tabloids. It must've been hard to keep it a secret, especially with someone like him." Noah seemed thunderstruck by the thought of Adam Carnegie, a hero in his eyes apparently. "But I just can't wait to go to your wedding, so, personal question, but have you and Pure had sex yet? Because if you haven't by now, some may think you're impotent." His eyes widened as he stared at me, I had my hand on his knee. "Yeah, actually,” he blushed, “but I don't

know, I feel like I'm somewhat inexperienced. I know she was with Christian and I don't know if they'd done it…” He began as a devious scheme began playing in my mind. "It's too personal to ask her." He cleared his throat, obviously uncomfortable. “Maybe,” I cut him off, “I could give you a lesson on how to have some good sex, I mean absolutely professional of course.” I whispered slightly afraid that he'd deny me. But Noah was a nice guy, he'd have trouble saying no. “I mean, you'll totally impress Pure when you come home with some tricks up your sleeve, trust me, I've done this a lot. I know what a girl wants.” I smiled, all I knew was that I wanted Noah at this very moment. He seemed so innocent as his eyes widened. “Are you sure about this Eleanor?” “Yup, purely professional. See what I did there?” I laughed. "But what will Pure think?" "She'll think that you'd make her the happiest man alive." I smiled, feeling a part of the old me returning, the one that used to stomp all over everyone. "And it's just one lesson." I smiled. "What do you say?" "As long as it makes Pure happy. " He said. Boy oh boy was Noah gullible. I rubbed his knee and stood up. "Great, come on then." I seductively began

walking up the stairs to the bedroom, just because I'm legally married doesn't mean I'm not still single at heart. "Take off your clothes," I said as he hesitantly looked at me. "Come on Noah, it's not like people have sex while dressed." I began stripping out of my clothing as he stared at me, he looked slightly uncomfortable. Maybe he had come here today thinking I had changed, thinking that now because I was tied down, that I didn't like casual sex. "Are you sure about this Eleanor?" He asked again. "Don't be silly, come on Noah, I'm doing this for you." I stared at him as he began reaching for the hem of his shirt and walking to the bed where I lay. He sat on Adam’s side of the bed. "Step one, you've gotta warm her up so just start kissing her. I’d say foreplay is the most important part," I said as Noah turned on top of me. "Like this?" He asked as I felt my heart rate accelerate. Why the hell am I doing this to Pure? To myself? She was one of my best friends, but I enjoyed the feeling far too much. "Yeah, just like that." I whispered as he began tracing kisses down my neck and stopped at my collarbone, "what?" I asked, "is that as low as you're willing to go?" I challenged. His lips went down to my breasts, covered in a bra as his unslick

fingers began trying to unhook it. "You've got to start getting good at that." I said, "How about for your first lesson, instead of hopping right into it, we'll take it slow, you're going to practice unhooking bras." I sat back up, I couldn't handle doing this to Pure. If I wanted to have sex, I'll do it with Christian, but Noah was too innocent and gullible to be taken advantage of. I sat up and turned my back to him. "You want me to unhook it?" He asked. "Of course, nothing is more annoying than when a guy takes too long to unhook the bra." "I uh… need to be home before five." Noah said, biting his lip as I turned toward him. "Aw, but you just got here." I giggled, turning the hook of my bra and taking it off. He stared at me for a second longer at my bare chest and stood up. "I should probably get going." He looked at the floor, "and I take back what I said earlier. Eleanor Hays, or Carnegie, you haven't changed one bit! You're the same low life who still tries to get at her friend's boyfriends. Thanks for proving the point." Noah rushed down the stairs, I grabbed a random shirt and placed it over my head. "Noah." My cold words froze him as he turned toward me, "if you say a word of this to anyone, I will ruin you." I threatened as he began

walking again and stepped out the door. "Same old Eleanor." I heard him say, shaking his head and rushing outside. I pursed my lips. That didn't quite work out as planned. I shut the door after him and headed onto the patio. I haven't had sex in three whole damn days. The prospect of calling Christian had occurred to me. I walked past the organized garden, my eyes landing on a particularly green tomato. I stared at it for a couple minutes, wondering how long it would take to change colors, then turned to walk back into the house. "Eleanor I'm home!" A loud voice boomed throughout the house as a small smirk played on my lips. Adam’s home.

Chapter 10: Guilt "Hey." Adam stepped into the living room, a warm smile on his devilishly handsome face. I grinned deviously. Pretending that nothing had happened while he was away. "Adam." I acknowledged his existence and began walking upstairs to our bedroom. "Eleanor, wait," he reached for my wrist, "if I've wronged you in any way then please allow me to apologize and…look I know the wedding was sudden and…” "I want a divorce," I cut him off. "No." His voice hardened and so did his eyes as he stared at me in confusion. He began walking up stairs and I followed cautiously. I felt like I was walking on hot lava. "Did something happen in here? While I was gone?" He looked at the crumpled bed sheets and my bra lying on the floor. "Yeah, I almost had sex with my friend's fiancé," I shrugged, but it sounded too absurd to be true so he wouldn't believe it. "Eleanor, I trust you. I know you wouldn't do that." "Trust is a strong word to use there, big boy." I laughed, lying casually on the bed as he stared at me in confusion and complete exhaustion. "I'll be right back." He said, walking into the bathroom. In the meantime, I pulled out my phone,

staring at pictures of me and Christian. I missed those days when sex was available at the touch of a button. I know what I did with Noah was wrong. But never in my life have I had a shot at the kind of love my parents have and that is all I've ever wanted. Ever since my baby sister died when she was two, I'd been trying to find someone, anyone to fill that gaping hole in my heart. I'd taken advantage of plenty of guys in my lifetime, especially in college but not so much in high school, and now that I'm married, who's to say I will ever stop. Adam stepped out in a black shirt and sweatpants. He looked delicious. "I know what you did. Or tried to do.” He began, crossing his arms and taking a step toward me, “This house has ears. And I want you to know that I forgive you. But if it ever happens again… " "You'll what?" I was asking for a fight, tweaking the little buttons until he would start yelling."Divorce me? That's what I want." I muttered. "You know what Eleanor when I first met you, you were nothing like this!" There it was, the delicate anger that I adored so much. "We... we've met before?" I furrowed my brows, staring at his handsome brown eyes. I would’ve remembered a face like that. "Yeah." He paused, furrowing his eyebrows,

"Did you actually think I'd let my dad choose some random girl for me to marry? No, I chose you. For a reason." "Right… a reason. Must've been a pretty good one for you to want to be stuck with me forever." He laughed, “you know, this front you have right now, it won’t last long. You might think you’re bad Eleanor, but I see right through your act.” He chuckled, still standing with his arms crossed. “When did we meet?” I asked, avoiding his philosophical observation. "A month before your high school graduation," he began, "I remember seeing you sitting on the outside of that church back when my dad had a meeting in Florida, and you were crying. I asked you why and you told me it was nothing to be bothering me about. But I knew it was hurting you. It took me a while to pry it out of you, but you ended up telling me that life will always get better and I believed you because I was going through a pretty rough patch as well at the time. We'd talked through everything, you helped me realize there was hope from the dark place I had buried myself in. But Eleanor, the girl I met then has been the one I'd been searching for until I found you a month later. I was the guy standing beside the president of your class at graduation, but I wouldn't

interfere because you were with that other guy and I didn't want to ruin it for you." "Even though you already knew the wedding was set to a certain date? What did you think I would do? What if Christian and I had still been dating, would you still have married me?" I replied, feeling guilt overwhelm me as he sat on the bed. "I wanted to make sure your parents waited to tell you after you graduated, so it wouldn't distract you from finals. I would've probably delayed it. This marriage benefits both our families and I need you, Eleanor." "Touching," I said, emotionless, feeling water leak out of one eye. "I better get to sleep." I breathed loudly, feeling an anxiety attack coming on, "thank you for telling me, Adam." I placed my head on the pillow and dozed off, not even considering a shower. I am filthy, and filthy I will stay. ¤¤¤ "Rise and Shine sleeping beauty, we've got a long day ahead of us!" Adam's silky voice boomed into my ears as the room suddenly became extremely bright. If the skylight hadn’t been bringing in loads of sunlight already, the open window was. I groaned in annoyance, covering my head with a pillow. "Go away." I groaned. I heard a small chuckle escape his lips as the blanket flew off my

body. "Adam!" I complained. "If only you'd say that under different circumstances." I sat up, staring at his amazing brown eyes, a small twinkle present. I don't think he understands that his innuendos were unnecessary. He could just ask. "You know we could, under whatever circumstances you like." I crossed my legs, sitting up now as he walked up to me. "You know, Eleanor," he whispered, his lips centimeters away as I felt my body freeze under his touch, "I don't think now is the time for that." He backed away. I let out a breath and began staring aimlessly at the ground. "So where are we going?" "On our honeymoon, my beautiful wife." He said, feeling the need to put me in my place. I glared at him. "And where would that be?" I rolled my eyes, feeling the need to shower overwhelm me, I hadn’t showered in what felt like forever. "It's a surprise." He grabbed both our suitcases and handed them to Max, his driver. "Or we could stay in," I added suggestively, feeling like I would explode if I couldn't get what I want. "Eleanor, it's quite evident that you're not looking for a relationship. But that is what I'm giving you and… "

"We could divorce… " I suggested again, his eyes landing on me, fury very evident in them as I felt fear grab me and send shivers down my spine. "I didn't ask for this. I want to be single and explore my options… . not tied down." "Don't say that ever again." He spoke angrily, fiery words escaped his lips as his deep soulful brown eyes stared into mine. "Then give me what I want. What I need!" I hissed back, "when Christian and I used to date, he gave me whatever I wanted whenever." I spat, glaring at him, moving closer to threaten him as he had done to me. "And what is it you want Eleanor? Meaningless Sex! Because I can assure you that time will come, but for now, enjoy what you have. " He had me pushed up on the bed, his face centimeters from mine for the second time today. I stood up angrily, crossing my arms and silently walking into the bathroom. I showered quickly, stepping out completely naked and watching his eyes follow me to the closet where I put clothing on and walked out. "You can not be serious. How could you not want… " I glared at him frustrated, stepping out in jeans and a plain shirt. "Eleanor, sex isn't everything." His eyes seemed to calm as he still remained seated on the bed. I wished the ground would just pull me in and

make me disappear. How dare he! I felt embarrassed. He has no right to treat me like this. "You're the worst fucking husband ever!" I yelled, running down the stairs and hopping into his car. I waited patiently for him to come, a growl furrowing inside me as the need to go wild continued to grow. I watched him walking toward the car with two suitcases in his arms. He silently put them in the trunk and sat beside me. He sat in the driver's seat for a few minutes staring at me, "How do you think I feel right now? I come home and find out my wife was cheating on me with some other girls fiancé, Eleanor, why would you do that to me?" He looked absolutely pained, destroyed, "The first day of our new life together. I was trying to be nice and allow you to have friends for company, but that won't be allowed anymore." Anger boiled inside me, who was he to tell me who I could and couldn't speak to. I could do what I want, I may be tied down, but I still had my freedom! "Listen here Adam Carnegie, whatever illusion you had when you decided to marry me better be gone by now because I don't even know you, we don't know each other, and a marriage is based on actually knowing the other person, so forgive me if I treat you like a stranger. Because

that's all you are to me. A name on the damn marriage papers." I pursed my lips glaring at him, crossing my arms and looking straight ahead. "Okay." He whispered silently after a long silence. Everything I'd just said came crashing down on me, I'd upset him very much and normally I wouldn't feel guilty over upsetting someone, but seeing Adam sad made me feel like someone threw a million metal bars on me and crushed my soul. I remained silent as he quietly started the engine and began driving to wherever the hell we were going. He killed the engine, hopping out of the car and opening my door for me. Ahead of us was what appeared to be a private jet. I glanced at him. His kindness, his maturity was too much for me to handle. If I'd said one of those harsh words to Christian he'd have broken up with me and fucked some other girl until I apologized. I guess the reason I'm such a bitch to everyone is because of how Christian treated me like I was just a sex toy to him, and he'd throw it away if it decided to talk. I'd wasted eight years of my life trying to be good enough for that jerk, never knowing anything better. But I can't say I was the victim because I threw myself at him every chance he gave me. I wanted what he had to offer and by doing so I destroyed myself. I looked silently ahead, then turned my gaze toward a silent Adam. "Listen, Adam, I’m s… " I began but was cut

off. I felt a mixture of guilt and sadness pool inside me, I wanted to apologize. He had tried so hard to make me feel comfortable, he had tried so damn hard to show me kindness. "Eleanor, I understand. Maybe we can get to know each other in these next two weeks." He gave me a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes but sent my heart racing a million times a minute. He looked so betrayed although we hardly even knew each other, I knew I felt some sort of a connection and it would be hard to hide any emotional attachment. And there certainly was one, clearing growing between us that I deliberately had to keep hiding. "I'm… Adam," I whispered, a small tear stroking my cheek, "please look at me," I cried, feeling completely awful, "I am really, really sorry. You didn’t deserve that…” I said ashamedly, “I don't want to ruin your time on our honeymoon and… " I paused, "I just never intended to hurt you and I should probably call Pure and tell her if Noah already hasn't I mean we didn't even do anything." I paused, "And Christian lied saying he was Jase, my brother, that's the only reason I let him in. I'm so sorry Adam." More tears streamed down my cheeks as he reached over to wipe them away. Guilt burst inside me and I felt the need to apologize a thousand more times. "It wasn't my intention to hurt you… " I bit my lip to prevent any more tears from escaping and wiped them on my own.

"Your intention." He stopped himself from getting mad, speaking the words with a calm anger, he was rather scary when he was angry. "Adam Carnegie. I'm your wife, and as hard as that is for me to accept, we made vows at the altar and til death do us part. I'm not going to… what I mean to say is that I just want us to get along until we can divorce from this until my family pays you back." It may have been my imagination, but it seemed as though his warm brown eyes turned into furious red ones in milliseconds. "Eleanor, I swear, if I hear you mention a divorce again, you will regret it." He threatened. Well at least I know one thing about the mysterious stranger that was my husband, Adam Carnegie, really doesn't want a divorce. We sat in silence for a few hours, the silence was killing me, I had never shut my mouth for over thirty minutes before. The jet flew into the air and was floating ever since to wherever we were headed- which seemed pretty damn far. The pain he felt was radiating off of him and even though I had apologized, well tried to. "So, are we going to Hawaii?" "Nope." "But you said we were." "Plans change." "Adam," I glared at him. "Mrs. Carnegie." I blushed at hearing this.

My cheeks were hot. "Where are we going." "Not Hawaii." He looked at me, amusement in his eyes. "Well duh! Can I guess?" I bit my lip, hoping this playful tone could stay. "Knock yourself out." He smirked, pulling his phone out. "So it's not anywhere in the US because it wouldn't take more than 10 hours to get to any state. And by the looks of it, we were heading west so I'm going to guess we're heading toward Europe?" "Clever girl Eleanor. " "What can I say, I'm a Stanford graduate." I joked, all negative thoughts seemed to be temporarily forgotten as he gave me a half grin that made me want to take him then and there. He had that bad boy, brooding mood around him, which contradicted his personality. All I want is attention, and sex is just an added bonus. He seemed like that shy type as well, those hot guys who won't give you the time of day and make you think it's your fault. Adam was a mix of all of those and more. "Well Mrs. Stanford graduate, I take it you run your family business now?" He raised an amused eyebrow. "Yeah, I guess. I've got a business degree… "

I gave him an indifferent look, "But in all honesty, I've always wanted to be a chef." He started laughing, laughing so hard I thought he might pee his pants. "You? A chef?" He laughed loudly. "Hey. It's not funny, I'd make a great chef." "Eleanor you don't even know how to microwave Ramen noodles, and you want to be a chef." He laughed as I glared at him, pursing my lips as he laughed harder. "And you know this how?" "Your dad was talking to me once about your uh," he cleared his throat, "cooking skills." I would have to talk to my dad about this later. I had microwaved a cup of ramen noodles once without putting in any water. I ended up with a really hot cup of Styrofoam and burnt noodles inside. But I was 11 back then. The whole house smelled like a fire had destroyed it for almost a full week. "Well, Mr. Carnegie I'd like to assure you that I'd make a great chef." "Sounds great then Mrs. Carnegie, so you wouldn't mind if I asked you to make a meal for us one day?" "Not at all," I said, pride consuming me. "Well great then love, can't wait to have dinner when we get there." "Yeah." I smiled half heartedly.

Only one problem with this situation, I couldn't actually cook to save my life.

Chapter 11: Fortune Telling We stood outside an ancient looking building. He took us to a strange remote island that I had never heard of before in Europe. I stared at the worn down building, wondering how it used to look before earth took its toll. "You know, it's not going to change the longer you look at it,” He laughed as I turned my attention to him. He looked very handsome, to say the least with only a tank on and some shorts. The hard remote man who wore a tuxedo almost completely gone, lost in the casual clothes but still very present in the uptight well-tamed hair. It was going to be impossible for me to get over how perfect he looked, he leaned down slightly to wrap his arms around me and rested his chin on my head. "I didn't think it would change, I was just wondering why we couldn't have gone to Hawaii or Vegas or something." "I just love how your mind works," Adam smirked sarcastically as he began following the tour guide. I took one last look at the ugly old building and followed closely behind. This town didn't look very populated and it didn't even look like part of Europe.I was annoyed that he'd wanted to go on a tour and watch people talk about old buildings. I mean, how boring. "I will hand each one of you a piece of this

dust. It is said… " The tour guide began handing us little plastic baggies of dirt. "That anyone to smell this dust shalt have never ending good luck." "Yeah, light up the joint and smoke it!" Some random guy laughed as the crowd chimed in. I held onto the plastic bag, maybe it was just a superstition, but it wouldn't hurt to try it out. Adam walked beside me and reached for my hand, wrapping his fingers around mine. "And it is said, if two people smell it at once, they will have never ending joy." I rolled my eyes as Adam gave the tour guide a crooked smile. "Alright, come along then." We followed the woman to the next artifact. I was so bored just standing there, I decided to flirt it up with some stranger, surely that'd be more fun than this. The only problem was that Adam was holding my hand. I looked at our intertwined fingers for a while as he led us behind the tour guide. She kept going on and on about the insignificant rock that was before us. I stared at the rock. If this was Adam's idea of a honeymoon, then I couldn’t wait until it was over. "Hey Adam, how about we get out of here?" I whined, trying to sound seductive. He looked at me, laughing as he shook his head. "Eleanor," he sighed, staring at my pouting lip, "fine."

"Great!" I hopped up and down excitedly. We began walking away from the group of tourists and toward the small shops all around. There was a place that seemed to really stand out. It was called: The Genie's Palace. I was really intrigued by the misfit color of Purple in the Sandy orange location. "Adam, can we go in?" I gestured to the place. It felt weird making a request when I still didn’t know if he had forgiven me or not. I was testing the waters. "On one condition." He smirked. "And that would be?" "Tonight there's a Greek party. It's like a ritual mostly, we're supposed to dress in gold and white and you're coming with me. It's going to be in the pool outside our hotel room.” I listened attentively, my eyes completely focusing on his moving lips, wanting to feel them press against my own like they’d been at our wedding. "Let's go in then." I giggled, I had a gold painted bathing suit, apparently, Adam had planned further and packed it for me, and I could wear a clear cover up. I smiled at him as he intertwined our fingers. If I'm going to be his wife, I may as well fake it until I make it. We walked into the Purple place as dark shadows played around us. Out of instinct, I moved

closer to Adam. A bit of fear flickering in my eyes. "Welcome!" Someone said in a strange accent, his voice echoing across the room. I had never heard anything like it before, it sounded like a mix of Dracula and Hindu. Indian Dracula. I choked on my own laugh as Adam glanced at me sideways, confusion sprawled on his face. “Hello sir, it's a pleasure to meet you.” Adam held out his hand for the oddly dressed man to shake. The guy was wearing a plain dirt covered loose, full-length gown with wide sleeves. “I see marriage! A white dress!” He shouted, hopping around the creepy room, “I see two babies. Elsa and Anna. My mistake, I've been watching too much Television," he laughed, running across the room and dropping beads and random things across the floor. "We should probably just get going… " Adam began, the thought of kids probably scared him and no kidding that it scared me too. "Nonsense! You will not because love is in your future! I see a yellow book with pages of pictures. Your two children." The man shouted. I stared at him in shock. I would never want to have children, I heard they give you stretch marks and excess fat. No thank you. "Thanks, sir, but… " Adam tried again, aiming to be polite but was harshly cut off, the old man ran to block our exit.

"Wealthy, the both of you. Adam and Eleanor Carnegie. I see a kiss, at a… arranged… wedding?" He chuckled. This crazy hag knew too much. I felt Adam snake his arm around my waist. Holding me possessively. "We really must be on our way. Goodbye." Adam announced, dragging me behind him. "You might not love him now, but you soon will! Eleanor Hays! Sex is not everything!" He shouted, as Adam and I walked out of that crazy man's place. I felt beads of sweat wiping down my brow as my mind began hovering around everything I’d just heard. "Adam, I don't want to stay here, please take me somewhere else," I said, biting the inside of my cheek. I wanted to run back in and hear more about my future. But I knew, I would never fall in love. Ever again. I made that promise to myself days ago. And I intend on keeping it.

Chapter 12: Understanding Boundaries Adam and I agreed that after tonight's ritual thing, we would go somewhere else, Hawaii maybe. But after that weird encounter with fate in the form of a fortune teller today, my mind had been going crazy. Two kids? Love? These are all figments of a fairy tale. I could never love someone who forced me into anything. "Ready?" He asked, walking out in nothing but shiny golden shorts, that looked like they'd been made of pure gold on his god-like body. My eyes went from his chiseled jaw down to his naked chest then to his abs, slowly simmering down even to his perfectly shaped feet. I had married this hunk. All mine. I smiled as our eyes met. If only he would let me be his. I groaned internally and stood up. "I see you're enjoying the view." He smirked, noticing my eyes. Ugh, he just had to ruin the moment. I was speechless, normally I wouldn't care getting caught checking out a guy, but this one time felt weird. I felt oddly shy, blushing wildly. "Not so bad yourself." He winked. When he wasn't wearing a tux, he turned into a completely different person. And I liked it. I hadn't yet put on my cover up. I was merely sitting on the hotel bed, trying to tighten my knee length

sandals that had a fancy Greek touch to them. I put on a golden head band that had beautiful leaves embroidered into it. I looked up at his brown intense gaze. My heart clogged my throat, blocking the air capacity to my brain. Words were a thing of the past. "Done." I quietly said, crossing my perfectly tanned legs. He walked up to me and placed the cover up over my head. "I don't want things getting out of hand." He smirked. "Speak for yourself, go put a shirt on." I laughed as he grabbed the hotel room key card with one hand and grabbed my hand with the other. I smiled at him, my eyes landing on our hands and then trailed up to his beautifully toned arms and his sexy jawline. I wanted to do so many things to him. "Let's go then before I end up doing something to be regretted." He laughed. "Having sex with your wife is not something to regret." I said, "We're married now, so I guess it's kind of more legal to have sex." I tossed the word around. I knew his family were strict Christians, but I wasn't sure if he had sex before or if I would end up being his first time. I hoped shortly that I could be his first time, but I pushed the thought away. Suddenly I was pushed up against the door, his burning eyes looked at me with a fiery intensity. I looked at him, biting my lip. His thumb traced my

lip as he leaned in dangerously. Now would usually be about the time I pulled him closer and kissed him, but I couldn't. "Don't tempt me,” He whispered, his minty breath brushing lightly against my lips. The tension surged inside me, I wanted so bad for him to close the distance between us, but instead, he pulled away completely. I stood by the door, dazed at what just almost happened. A guy has never been able to be so unpredictable around me before. I’m usually the one who is unpredictable. He held the door wide open for me. The freezing air hit me as soon as I stepped outside. He looked at me for a second, then rushed back inside. I wanted to walk back in with him, maybe this time I would pin him to the wall. I began taking a step forward when a sudden shake of the earth sent jolts across my heart. This freaking city was out to get me, I just knew it. I was suddenly thrown up into the air by strange men in golden skirts. They all had a golden band around their heads and around their right bicep. Fear filled my eyes. They were going to offer me as a sacrifice and kill me. Were there even laws against murder on this island? I opened my eyes as my butt landed on a soft cushion. "We have chosen our Queen for this day's holy ritual. What is your name your majesty?" They all seemed so serious, my eyes searched the crowd,

landing on Adam Carnegie's amused expression. Now I understood why he went back inside, so he could put me on the spot. "Eleanor." I croaked, shaking my head at Adam as he toppled over laughing. I glared at him through my own amused eyes; he was getting payback. "All hail Queen Eleanor!" They shouted loudly. I placed my hand on my forehead, my eyebrows furrowing as I watched Adam walk through the crowd and stand in front of my seat. "Can I please have my wife back now?" He laughed casually as the men stared at him. "Then catch." The men holding the chair up tilted it forward, I flew out, screaming my head off. "Adam!" I shouted nervously, landing in strong arms, having the air knocked out of me and my breathing became shallow. "I've got you." He whispered, holding me close against his bare chest as he lost balance and fell backward, protectively holding my body in his arms. I felt small bursts of emotion in my stomach and shivers miraculously running down my spine. "Let the festivities begin! Our Queen has found her mate!" The crazy men shouted as women in short gold dresses ran around with bottles of wine and cups. I grabbed a few cups, downing them and reaching for more,"Drink tonight! Celebrate tomorrow!" The man yelled as someone handed me

another cup. The crazy people of this island jumped around us in circles before dispersing and chanting incomprehensible words. Another person poured wine into my nowempty along with everyone else in the crowd. Instantaneously, the almost empty pool area turned into a wildly loud event. People dancing and throwing each other into the water. "Here is your wedding gift." The men said, walking past us with a giant cake. As soon as I reached for it, they tossed it in my face, getting cake all over my cover up. I triumphantly took it off, feeling eyes land on me and my skimpy golden swimsuit. "Wanna go for a swim?" Adam asked, turning his attention to the pool. What I really wanted was to go skinny dipping in that pool when nobody was around. Just me and Adam. I drunk the cup, feeling slightly lightheaded now as I reached for another. "I've got other things in mind." I winked seductively, running my hand through my hair as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders in the dead of night. His eyes locked with mine as they had hours earlier before the madness of a ritual. "Like what?" He smirked. I've decided that I really, really love it when he smirks. I took a couple gulps of the wine and began walking toward the pool. I jumped in, trying to refresh my mind.

It was odd how the air had become so thick all of the sudden, I felt like the air had gotten so thick that it could replace the blood in my body. Then I felt light headed as real air came into contact. His lips were on mine and the world seemed to be spinning. Until I began grossly spitting out water mixed with wine. "Eleanor, didn't anyone ever tell you not to swim while drunk?" "Kiss me again." I smiled, staring at him as his eyes darkened a bit. He stared at me for a while, contemplating, "I'm not going to take advantage of you." "Why not, it's not taking advantage, I want this. If you were me I'd do you. Wait that came out wrong. I mean if you were drunk and asked me to sex you up, I mean… ." I said, then I began hiccuping. It was the most annoying thing ever. "Eleanor I think you’ve had enough fun for tonight and might need a nap." He smirked, I felt my heart fluttering as he helped me stand up. Alcohol ruins everything. I hated being drunk. I purposely leaned into him, making sure my chest and legs scraped his every few seconds. "Eleanor, whatever you're doing, it's not working." He said, his voice a little shaky. His eyes were saying otherwise. Clearly, it was working. And I would keep it up. I mean, don't married couples have sex during their honeymoon?

Chapter 13: Temptation He placed me onto the bed and tossed me a blanket and a towel. It was weird how I was always the wrong kind of soaked around him. I stared at it for a while, then turned my attention to him as he walked into the bathroom. I sat up on the bed, my vision blocked and nystagmus occurred each time I looked to the side. I was undoubtedly drunk. I tried to unbuckle my restraining swim-suit top so I could change into my pajamas. Or at least a decent bra. Adam stepped out of the bathroom in his sweater and sweat pants. "Adam," I whined uncomfortably, having trouble undoing the straps. He stared at me again, like he's done three times already, probably thinking that I may as well be crazy. "This isn't one of your tricks again is it?" He laughed. I looked at the wall ahead, trying hard to take it off. "No Adam," I whined, " I need to change my clothes," I whispered, like a little kid telling someone their crush. "Okay." He whispered back, laughing a little. He walked toward my suitcase and pulled out a bra and a t-shirt and a sweatshirt. He began walking behind me and sat behind me on the bed. His fingers were on my back, sending spots of tingling everywhere he touched as he too

struggled with the strap. I looked at my feet, trying to ignore the feelings forming inside me as his fingers dragged across my back. "Got it." He whispered, untangling the confusing bikini top like he'd just won a million dollars. "That one was tricky." He smirked. I held my hands over my chest, trying to keep the bikini top from falling off. "Adam, can you get me my pajamas?" I asked, turning toward him. "It's in my suitcase." I stupidly pointed to the suitcase, the hand holding the small piece of clothing moved. The top fell into my lap. "Oops." He looked at me for a second before turning toward my suitcase. "I already got it." He said, his eyes looking anywhere but directly at me. How could he resist? Most of the times guys saw my shirt come off, they'd be all over me. But this freaking guy, my husband, saw my whole top half naked and walked away from it. Hell, he'd seen me fully undressed, yet still did and said nothing. What the hell is he even waiting for? I stared at him for a second and placed my head down on the bed. "Here." He tossed me a blue bra, shirt, and sweater, making sure it covered my nudity. I never had to work so hard to get a guy to have sex with me. "Adam. Good night." I yawned, tossing the

shirt aside and rested my head on the pillow. Hours later the light to the room turned off and the door opened and shut. I slowly opened my eyes, were we being robbed? But we had brought nothing to this hotel? I sat up. "Adam?" I asked, watching him quickly turn around like a deer caught in the headlights. Or a fish out of water. "Eleanor, you're still awake?" He whispered, walking beside me and placing his head on the bed. "My head hurts," I whispered, my hand immediately going on the painful spot on my head. "Here, I brought some pain relievers if you want." He whispered sweetly, a warm smile on his half lit face. The moonlight barely hitting his face through the blinds. I was too hazy to ask what he was doing so late at night and why he had brought pain relievers. "I want," I whispered, rubbing my head. I watched his eyes land on my bare chest as he quickly turned away. "Eleanor, you'll get sick, put on some thing." He said, walking up to me and avoiding my unintentional temptation. He grabbed my bra and put it on me and then helped me get my shirt over my arms. He put my sweater on and kissed my cheek. Warmth bubbled inside me, he was so gentle. So very gentle. "I’m fine," I said, taking the drink and pain

reliever out of his hand, throwing it down my cheeks. "Adam, tell me about you. How many girls have you fucked?" I giggled. "I don't fuck." He replied, "But I'd rather not tell you how many women I've made love to, don't want to make you jealous now do we?" He chuckled with a warm smile. "Then sit on the bed, remember a week ago when you told me a husband and wife sleep on the same bed, you'd be a hypocritical to not follow your own advice. I grinned, staring at him. He was stunning. Beautiful, perfect actually. "Eleanor." He said, "No funny business until you're ready." He whispered sitting beside me. "I'm ready now," I whispered, leaning into him. "Once this stops you'll be ready." I couldn’t decipher what he meant, but then again I could barely remember to breathe with my head throbbing like this. "Then how would you know when I want you if I don't tell you?" I smirked, staring at him. The childish conversations we had when I was half drunk and very tired had been some of the most down-to-earth I'd had with anyone in my life. "I'll just know, you are my wife after all." "Yeah, but I have needs." I pursed my lips, "Why don't you want to have sex with me? Am I too ugly?" I teased, knowing I wasn't nearly close

to being ugly. "Eleanor." He warned, raising an eyebrow with a concerned expression. "Adam, I'm serious. It's legal now for us to have sex if you're being religious!" I said this twice already yet both times he chose to ignore me. "Goodnight Eleanor." His tone was harsh, leaving no room for argument as he silently sat on the bed beside me and turned away from me. "Christian would've fucked me when I asked," I mumbled, huffing and turning around on the bed. "Christian doesn't understand what it means to love someone." He turned and looked at me, his intense brown eyes sending waves of shivers throughout my body. That simple sentence warmed my heart for some reason. "And do you love me?" I wiggled my eyebrows as he took a seat on the bed, I turned to him. "Would I have married you if I didn't?" he still hadn't answered my question. "Touché." I laughed silently, deciding to stop trying to get into his well sealed, locked in-a-damnsafe pants. He smiled, finally looking at me. "So, why do you love me? I mean, I know it was that contract and all but have we met before?" He took a long, deep breath and looked me directly in the eye.

"It's a long story." He laughed, pulling me into him. I rested my head on his shoulder. One that he had told me before but I chose not to care. "I've got all night." I laughed, feeling a bit more comfortable around him. All I want from him is sex. He's hot, I'm hot, we should just get it over with, but he wants to get to know me first. And this better be worth it. Because I'm through with love, with trusting anyone. Except for Jase, he's my awesome big brother, whom I trust with my life and I will always trust him. And if Adam planned on getting to know me, he should rethink it. Because this time, I'm not opening up so easily to anyone. His phone began ringing wildly and as did mine. Sorry. He mouthed, reaching for his phone. "Hello?" I grabbed my phone, it was a call from mom. The last person I wanted to talk to. I contemplated hanging up. "Eleanor!" Her voice sounded cracked and crying, I heard sirens in the distance, "Ja… .Jase, he… " She said between wild sobs. "Spit it out," I said, annoyed and wanting to hang up, the headache only growing heavier in my mind. "He fell off a bridge." She cried loudly. I felt my heart fall and shatter into a million pieces. Tears began streaming down my face. Did he kill himself? How the hell does someone just fall

off a bridge? I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. "W…what?" I whispered, "Is he okay?" "He's de… dead. He dr… drowned" She whispered, her voice shaking violently as she screamed in agony and crying. "My baby boy… he's gone!" She screamed into the phone, anguish becoming her. My heart stopped. I stared ahead, silent tears flowing down my face. I stood up and walked out the door of our hotel room, sitting by the pool side, loud sounds escaped my mouth. I couldn't hold back my tears. My brother drowned. The one person I utterly loved and trusted was gone. Just like that. Tears poured out of my eyes, agony filled my heart. He's gone.

Chapter 14: Far from Alone I sat on the airplane silently, staring out the window, a cloud of gloom looming overhead as silent tears fell down my cheeks and onto my lap. Memories of the times when Jase and I were kids roamed in my mind. The clouds below me seemed dull, horrifying even. The wide smile on his face just days ago when I'd tried to escape this marriage. The train station. It all came rushing into my mind. I blinked away angrily at the annoying tears. I wish I could have switched places with him, he doesn't deserve to die so young. He was the most amazing brother and so very kind and supportive of all I did. Tears began slicing quicker through my cheeks, like a fish through water. The oceans seemed to have left their location and instead decided to rummage to my eyes. He was gone. Gone. I remember all the times in highschool when he'd come home and bring ice cream, knowing Christian always did something to upset me. He was gone. Tears streamed down my face in mobs of horror as I held back a waterfall from escaping. The window seemed to blur in a whirl of water. Nothing seemed good anymore. "Hey," a slick voice whispered beside me, "you're gonna be okay." Adam was sitting beside

me, hugging me closely. I wiped my eyes from the tears drooling out of my eyes. "N… no, I won't! He… He's dead." I cried loudly, my face soaked. It's a good thing skin is waterproof. "Eleanor, we'll get through this." Adam's encouraging words rung through my ears. I quietly buried myself in his chest. He tightened his warm embrace around my shoulder, placing a soft kiss on my forehead. The small spot he'd kissed still burned like fire, tingling in strange ways it's never done before. As soon as he heard the news from his dad, who was told by my dad, he decided to pause our honeymoon and get back to it after Jase's funeral. Funeral. My brother is dead. I began crying harder. Maybe they made a mistake, maybe he's still alive. I shut my eyes, staring out the window once again. Adam remained silent as he released me and began typing something on his iPad. I didn't want to live anymore. Life seemed so pointless without my brother, my one trusted and kindest…I tried not to dwell too much. But, now he's gone. ¤¤¤ "Eleanor, wake up." A warm breath ushered beside my cheeks, it had a strange scent of mints and watermelon.

"Jase?" I asked, hoping so badly it was him. I slowly opened my swollen eyes. Small soft lumps beneath each. It took me a minute to figure out where I was, who I was with, and why I my eyes hurt. But as soon as those questions ran through my mind, I wanted them to leave. These things have destroyed every part of me. "Adam," I said, staring into his warm, inviting brown eyes. I wanted to get lost in them and cry forever. I stood up, wrapping my arms around his neck and hugging him closely. "Are we here?" "Yeah, we're almost to California, are you hungry?" He smiled slightly. "You woke me up to ask if I was hungry?" I smiled, rolling my seawater blue eyes. "And I also wanted to see how you were doing, with our honeymoon interrupted and all." "I don't really know how to respond to that." I looked at his shiny black shoes. My eyes grazed the length of his dress pants and shirt. His tie was now perfectly wrapped around his strong neck. "Mr. Carnegie!" A frantically alarmed lady walked into the room, tossing herself all over my husband. I stared at her for a bit, not like I care, I didn’t want to marry him in the first place. But when her hands grazed his arms, I felt a tinge of jealousy as I looked at the devilish twinkle in her

eyes that told me she liked him more than just her boss. Her short red skirt was utterly repulsive. But he seemed completely oblivious to this fact. "Susan?" He asked. "Well Mr. Carnegie, it appears we have a big problem with the exhaust system of this jet, we will be landing in Texas until we can get it fixed." She stared at him with a familiar want in her eyes. "Hope you don't mind?'" He stared at me for a second, waiting for my approval. I nodded slightly, turning my hurting neck. I had slept on it wrong. "We will be landing in a couple minutes to get it fixed, I'm so sorry sir." She breathed. "It's absolutely fine Susan, no need to fret." He smiled at her kindly as she walked away. I stared at him for a second. Adam Carnegie was a strange man with an amazing kindness to his otherwise rich tone. He may have been a billionaire but he didn't flaunt it, he seemed so innocent and kind. Like a cute puppy that I just want to grab and hug forever. But the fact that he had forced me into this and turned my life upside down in under a week was something that would be hard to forgive, and I guess I’d gotten payback, He didn't seem like the teasing type even though he was extremely handsome, but I doubt he even knew it. He treated me so well, way better

than Christian ever did or could, yet I still don't know why he won't have sex with me. "We will land in the next two minutes!" The flight attendant said as I felt the giant machine begin to reach for the ground. I grabbed onto the side of my seat, holding tightly. A trace of Jase popped in my head of the time he and Brad and I stepped out of the airport, the image that had been on the news replayed in mind. I missed him so much. "El, you okay?" Adam asked, noticing the tears roll out of my eyes. Jase used to call me El. I shut my eyes, wishing I was alone, in my room, so I could cry without the attention of people. "Adam, please just leave me alone, and please don't call me El. Jase used to call me that… it hurts." I said, barely above a whisper. "Eleanor, you're my wife, if you're hurting, then I'm hurting. I can't just leave you alone." He said calmly and ever so kindly. I wanted to grab him and throw him out of the jet and cry over him too. Why couldn't he be more like Christian, be annoyingly impulsive and leave me alone whenever an issue like this happened. I wasn't used to all the attention that I hadn’t realized I craved so much. I'd never had a friend who'd stood by me. I guess Adam was my friend now, my husband. "It hurts so bad." I cried loudly between

tears. "He didn't deserve to die, he was so young, he wanted to be a doctor and he was almost done with his degree. He had a girlfriend and he was always talking about how he would propose to her. He joked around with everyone, just to see them smile. Why did this happen to him?" I felt my lip quivering. A flood rushing out of my eyes. Adam immediately was at my side in the beige jet, wrapping his arms around me as I cried into his shoulder. "God, I wish I could make it all better Eleanor, you just have to have faith that everything will turn out alright." He whispered. I stared at the wall of the jet, looking up to where our hug was. That sounded so much like something Brad would say. My thoughts shifted to Brad, he had been a best friend to Jase, it would crush him if he found out. "Sir we're going to need you and your wife to leave right now and come back in a few hours while we fix the plane. I couldn't figure out why she had that air to her, maybe she was like that around everyone, but no, as we were walking out, I saw her rub her hand on Adam's back, reassuring him. "Of course Susan, we'll be right out." I could picture his smiling face at her. Her heels clicking on the ground as she walked away. I pulled away from his comforting hug. He treated his employees so kindly and respected them as though they were his

bosses. Maybe this Carnegie wasn’t so bad. "Adam, thank you." I found myself saying. He gave me a warm smile, a confused look rung on his face. But nevertheless, he nodded in acknowledgment and stood up. He held his hand out for me, a cute gesture as I held it. His hand wrapped around mine and blazed every time our arms grazed. We walked out of the jet. My phone began annoyingly buzzing then ringing loudly. I pulled it out of my pocket as Adam faced me. I stared at the caller ID in pure disbelief. It seemed stupid of me to have hope, but hope was there. It was a call from Jase.

Chapter 15: Lost I frantically picked up the phone, hoping so badly he'd tell me in his voice that he wasn't dead, that he was still alive. "Hey, hot stuff." A repulsive voice rang through my ears as anger began boiling in my bones. I pulled away from the phone for a second, feeling a hand touch my back. I turned to Adam, and then back to the phone. "What do you want Christian. Why do you have Jase's phone?!" I shouted, biting the inside of my cheek as Adam stared at me wide-eyed. His hand trailed lower down my back in an attempt to steady me. "Look, he and I were driving, and there was a dog in the middle of the road so we swerved to the side and fell into a bridge. It's a good thing I'm okay because they could only save one person. I'm glad it was me." I could feel the words oozing out of him. I wanted to tear his ear out through the phone and tear him to pieces. How dare he say that about my brother. "You fucking asshole!" I shouted, screaming at the top of my lungs and crying loudly, "you should've been the one who died!! What the heck! Why are you calling me!?" I yelled, a newfound hatred for Christian Anderson. My breath caught in my throat and for a minute, I thought I could just

have a heart attack from all the anger I felt toward this stupid, immature boy. "Calm down damn, I was just calling to tell you that I got his phone out of the water, it's fine now." I stared at the screen of my phone for what seemed like an hour. Was this jerk serious? He called to tell me my brother's phone is okay? I hung up. Christian Anderson wasn't worth my time. I frantically began running my hands through my hair, a bad habit I'd developed from too much stress. I began walking back and forth pacing toward an empty parking lot. Maybe a car could come and run me over. Then I could join Jase in heaven. I bit my cheek, biting back tears until the taste of blood filled my mouth. The reality of it all struck me. I shut my eyes, letting out a soft whimper as my knees buckled and I fell to the pavement. Adam's arms were immediately around me, hugging me closely as he too sat on the ground beside me. I shut my eyes, crying without a chance of stopping. Adam held me close, enveloping me in a shell of warmth as he whispered sweet nothings in my ear. "He's dead." I loudly proclaimed. I stood up, pushing away from Adam's arms as a newfound determination struck me. I began rushing to the road when I heard soft footsteps behind me. "Hey, Eleanor wait, chill!" Adam's arm was

immediately around my waist. I turned to him, unable to control my impulses. I was just born a bad girl. "Chill?" I repeated. A small smile on my face, "your new slang?" I stepped closer, rubbing my body onto his. It seemed to have no effect on him. So I snuggled closer. There was maybe an inch of space between us. And I desperately needed to get my mind off of my brother. "We need to get you to California." He whispered, his breathing sounded unsteady. I felt my heart rate accelerate. I suddenly felt shy. "Maybe we should get you inside me first." I breathed a devilish smile on my face, trying hard to keep my composure. "Yeah, maybe." He whispered. My heart began racing faster- if that was even possible. I felt like I might just have a heart attack. I leaned in, expecting him to kiss me. For once. After the kiss at the wedding, I don't think we've kissed since. "No, " He breathed. I grumpily stared at him. Our lips were centimeters apart but still, he wouldn't kiss me. What is wrong with this guy?! "Kiss me," I commanded vehemently. I leaned in even further as we stood in the middle of the parking lot. I felt his arms wrap around my back and for once felt his heart racing. He was too cute. Too perfect as a matter of fact. "No." He smirked, but his eyes showed

concern. He leaned forward and kissed my cheek. Humor swam in his eyes as I shut my eyes. The spot he'd just kissed still burned. I could tell that he was trying to take my mind off of Jase, and it was barely working. He threw his arms up in defense, a wide smirk on his face as he began walking backward. I stared at him, wanting so badly to jump him. I ran up to him, a weak attempt at tackling him was failed when he caught me mid-tackle. I looked at his intense brown eyes, serious emotions swimming in them. Too serious. I couldn't look at him. The emotion was unrecognizable and although I thought I knew what it was, I didn't want it to be for me. We’d barely met for crying out loud. Maybe I was just seeing things. He deserves better. His hands groped my thigh as I felt him against me. I pulled away immediately, gasping and overcome by foreign emotions. We stood in the empty parking lot, his arms now around my waist and my feet planted on the ground. His finger pushed up my chin so my eyes met his. I hated this emotion. These flutters in my stomach and trouble breathing because I'm busy watching my breaths. I felt my heart rate acclimate when he leaned in and traced his thumb over my lower lip. He traced my lip to my jaw as he

replaced his thumb with his lips. His breath was shallow as he leaned in as his lips brushed mine. I couldn't move. His mouth was hovering over mine and I felt like I was floating on a cloud, waiting for him to seal the small pocket of air between us. "Sir?" Susan's voice rang in my ears, I suddenly hated that woman, she annoyed me to the core. Adam and I were literally just about to kiss and she had to ruin it. But I didn't let that stop us. I put my hand on his sculpted jaw, trailing my fingers back toward his hair and wrapping it around his neck. I closed the space between us, the air was intoxicating and I couldn't get enough of Adam Carnegie. I don't think he even noticed she was there. Good. "Sir." She repeated once again. His grasp on my waist seemed to loosen as he moved away slowly, his face went from the admirable glint in his eye to a strange look of boredom. She was blushing as he glanced over at her. "Yes, Susan?" His smooth voice said kindly as he cleared his throat. "You're going to need to call another private jet because this one's exhaust system is completely tarnished and won't be able to be fixed until next week." She said shakily. I glared at her, knowing it wasn't her fault. I

guess I'd have a few days to get my mind off the simple thought of bridges and Jason. I hate bridges, they are so unnatural anyway. I felt tears again brim my eyes. I missed him so much. I sighed, looking curiously at Adam to see what his response would be. "I guess we can continue our honeymoon here?" He shrugged, smiling as I felt my heart melt once again. My phone buzzed once indicating a text message. I need your help, Eleanor.

Chapter 16: Invective I sat on the bed of our new hotel room, admiring all the windows and the balcony whose scenery stretched out for miles. Adam was in the shower. After many phone calls, he'd been able to get us a flight to California within the next two days. Hopefully, there won't be any more rituals. I laughed at my own thoughts. I looked again at the odd message I'd gotten earlier requesting my help and pressed call. "He. . .hello." someone said, the voice sounded familiar. "Hi, who's this?" I wanted to be straightforward with all of this. "Hey Eleanor, it's Noah." I could practically feel the nervousness beaming in his voice. ¤¤¤ I bit my lip, staring at the television in our hotel room as Adam lay asleep beside me in our dark room. I had my hand in his hair, playing with it silently as I stared ahead of me. I couldn’t sleep. At all. I stood up and began walking back and forth in the hotel room. I held the phone beside the bed tightly, scanning the digits, the nine was worn out and so was the four. My eyes shot to a small piece of paper that was taped to the dresser beside the phone. There

were codes written on it. For 24-hour food services dial 494. That's probably why those numbers were worn out. I dialed the number, listening to the slow buzzing sound of the other line until someone picked up. "Hi, thank you for calling Hotel Room Service. What would you like to order?" I looked at the dark shutters of the window beside a large air vent. Cool air flew through it. I didn't really like to eat when I was stressed, but there was one food I could eat all day every day. Buffalo wings. But considering it was midnight and I might get heartburn from it, I chose the next best thing, ice cream. "Icecream, please? Do you guys make caramel sundaes?" I asked, "and do you have any pain relievers?" I added, rubbing my forehead. "Actually we ran out of ice cream yesterday, we were going to buy more. Seems like heartbreak is in season." The woman on the line laughed. I glared at the shutters once again, feeling the cool breeze from the air vent and rubbing the spot on my forehead. I slammed the old phone back into its slot and opted for trying to sleep instead. I set my head back down on the pillow turning away from Adam. I shut my eyes then reopened them and tried again. I suddenly felt strong arms embrace around my stomach, pulling me to him. I turned around to be met with the

beautiful brown eyes of Adam Carnegie. "Can't sleep?" He whispered as shivers ran down my spine. "No," I replied in his same tone, now completely turning to him, facing him completely. "Me neither." He laughed silently, "are you cold?" His head gestured to the giant vent beside me as his warm hand landed on my freezing arm, I could feel the goosebumps rising on my arm. "No," I said. Trying to breathe normally. "Oh, okay." He smirked, knowing I was lying as he pulled me closer, his warmth engulfing me. Millions of thoughts ran through my head, especially of Noah's call. His words kept running in my mind, being changed and altered in strange ways. "I need your help." He'd said, " I want to satisfy Pure." He'd said. And I didn't reply. I merely ended the call. I had a new urge to stay faithful. And how dare he call me at a time like this while I'm stuck in freaking Texas with my husband and have to wait two days to find out about my dead brother and I just can't handle anything right now. I feel like a flower petal in a cold lake, floating aimlessly and fragile through the water. "I could really use some air right now," I whispered as I felt Adam chuckle a bit. "Of course." He smiled as I met his soft brown eyes and wanted to shatter into a million

pieces. How could someone so perfect exist? And why would he choose me? I'm annoying and needy, and rude, and a total bitch who makes innocent guys like freaking Noah Williamson want to cheat on his girlfriend. I shook my head in frustration, suddenly feeling tears brim my eyes. My life's a mess, I should just end it and join my brother. The horrid thoughts bursting in my mind sent tears down my eyes and Adam just seemed to know. He remained quiet, hugging me and occasionally placing a kiss into my hair. "You're going to be okay. " He whispered, as we lay in the bed, I looked up at him wanting so badly to kiss those pink lips. His eyes landed on mine and deeper shades of brown filed in. A look of desire filled his face as he leaned in closer. My heart felt like it might just plunge out of my chest and fly across the room, I cursed the butterflies in my belly for all that they were doing. I leaned in as close as I dared, fearing his rejection as his lips brushed over mine and closed the small distance between us. I felt waves of electricity flow through my body, feeling as though this may just be a dream. The kiss was short and sweet but long enough for feelings to erupt and all evil thoughts to dissipate. Adam was so. . . perfect. I looked at him for a second, the butterflies not yet gone as my shallow breathing picked up its pace. He gave me a half grin

as our foreheads touched. There was not more than an inch of space between any part of us. I had never felt this way before. And I was craving more. I wanted to spend the rest of the night kissing Adam and nothing more. I leaned in a bit but Adam pulled back. "The guy is supposed to initiate the kisses. " He smirked, laughing. "You're so old-school." I giggled, his lips hovered beside mine as I stared at them, willing them to join mine. "Sometimes old school is good." He said, kissing me once again. I faintly smiled. Adam would take away the pain, the loss. If only for just a second.

Chapter 17: Carnegie’s Girl A dim light coming in from the blinds landed on my eyes. My lashes fluttered open as the faint smell of eggs stung me. I sat up in bed, my fingers tracing my swollen bottom lip from Adam and I's makeout session last night. I smiled at the memory, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. "Morning beautiful." Adam smiled, turning toward me on the bed. I suddenly felt my stomach churning and causing cramps to form. The pain was so unimaginable, I rushed to the bathroom, pushing past him. I needed a pad. There were none to be found. I looked around the bathroom. "Eleanor are you okay?" Adam asked, standing beside the unlocked bathroom door. The pain in my stomach was too much, I was unable to utter a word. I shut my eyes, this tension must've been caused by stress, my period wasn't due for another week. "Eleanor?" He asked again. "Eleanor I'm coming in." He said. "N. . .no I'm fine." I breathed strenuously, suddenly feeling the urge to puke. I turned toward the toilet, waiting for the contents of my stomach to pour out. I heard the weird choking sound of barf coming up my throat as I grasped my stomach.

Today would be a horrible day, I just knew it. "Eleanor!" I heard him urgently say as he rushed into the bathroom and stared at me from across the bathroom. "I'm f. . .fine." I said, having trouble speaking with the immense pain in my stomach. "Don't look fine to me." He said a small smirk on his face with a look that contradicted it in his eye. "Well I am, Adam get out!" I said turning my attention to the toilet and feeling the vile taste of barf in my mouth. Suddenly he was by my side, the warm fabric of his sweatpants brushing the revealed skin on my back. "Do you need to go to a doctor?" He asked curiously. "No." I breathed heavily, trying to hold down the puke, "I'm on my period." I gasped, another round of barf rushed into the toilet. "Oh." He said in astonishment, sitting beside me on the floor and holding my hair away from the toilet. He grabbed some toilet paper and tied it around my hair. Such a guy thing to do. "Please leave Adam." "No, Eleanor, you're my wife and we stick with each other, you know, to help each other out." I felt butterflies in my belly, pushing the pain to surge forward as he placed a kiss on the side of my head. He stood up and dialed a number.

I couldn't hear what he was saying through the hushed tones, but I couldn't help but focus on anything other than the nasty puke currently filling the hotel toilet. I turned my attention to the door of the bathroom, wondering how much it would hurt to get up and shut it. I changed my mind as soon as he sent me a breathtaking smile and headed back my way. I scooted toward the corner of the bathroom, clutching my stomach. "They should be here any minute." He smiled adorably, a small pink blush to his meldedto-perfection chiseled cheeks. "Who should?" I spoke until mid-sentence as the barf erupted up my throat. I quickly rushed back to the toilet and let it out, my head throbbing from the lack of oxygen. I felt dehydrated and in desperate need of water. The makeshift toilet paper hair tie was still around my hair as Adam sat beside me and began rubbing my back ever-so-softly. Someone began knocking on the door as Adam stood up and walked over to it. "Hello, Mr. Carnegie." The lady from the flight, Susan, said, looking at him with that same lust in her eye. It seemed to me that she had a crush on him, or maybe it was something more. "Thank you very much, Susan." I saw her smile at him as her eyes shifted to me in the

bathroom, "Get well soon Mrs. Carnegie." Susan said politely, sounded utterly repulsed by calling me that. I didn't reply as I saw Adam shut the door as she turned on her heel. I wanted to stick my head in the toilet and drown. That's gross, that's about the worst place to drown. Well maybe drowning in the middle of the ocean would be worse. Or a river under a bridge. I shut my eyes, trying to concentrate on my breathing as I felt warm lips connect with mine suddenly. Shivers and butterflies and everything ran across my body quickly. I opened my eyes to be met with Adam's perfect face. My lips tingled from the mere touch and I felt my body turn to goo. No guy had ever made me feel like this. And I don't like it one bit. It's sickening how he is still willing to kiss me even after I puked, but I guess being married meant sharing bodily fluids anyway, given that it was all water since I hadn't really eaten anything. But still, it meant a lot. "I. . . got something for you." Adam smiled, a genuinely warm yet shy smile ran across his face as he held up a small gift basket. I looked at it in utter astonishment as I saw a small pack of pain relievers and pads. He freaking brought me pads. I stared at him in disbelief. Then my eyes shifted to the chocolates and flowers and the world just seemed perfect.

I was speechless. Completely and utterly speechless. "Why?" I asked, gesturing to the basket. "What do you mean?" He asked, confused by my rude question. "Why'd you do this?" "Do what?" He asked, seeming completely confused. "This!" I erupted, "all of this? Why are you being nice to me? Why did you ever even want to marry me!?! I'm a freaking slut who cheated on you in the first freaking week, not even week, day!? Why?!" My erratic behavior was unnecessary, but I felt angry at myself for taking my odd anger out on him. I felt tears sting my eyes furiously. I attempted standing up, tripping over my leg and falling back onto the floor. Adam quickly rushed beside me and scooped me into his arms as he shouted my name, I think I may have hit my head, but for now, a little head pain was much better than my painful uterus shedding down below. He had been sitting on the ground beside me with his elbow resting on his knee. Now my back was in his arms and I sat on his knee. He shifted us so I sat between his legs and allowed my head to rest on his chest as he rubbed my arms kindly and repeatedly kissed my hair. "Are you okay?" He asked. He was like prince charming, treating me like a fucking queen,

while I was actually a total bitch. "Stop it," I said, frustrated as I tried to push myself off of him on the ground, his strong grip tightened. I hadn't realized that I'd voiced my thoughts until he spoke. "Eleanor. You're not any of that," he clenched his jaw, "my wife is nothing like that. You're perfect and beautiful, and a genius! Maybe a little devious and manipulative, but everyone is like that." He laughed, his arm lazily resting over my belly as he chuckled and let me lay down on him. I felt tired. Too tired to keep thinking dirty like I have been for the past eight years of my life. "Can you please give me a painkiller, actually two, I just need some time alone?" I whispered, unable to breathe by the amount of unexpected affection he was giving me. If he was Christian Anderson, he would've shouted at me and left the room. But I guess not all guys are like Christian Anderson. I was beginning to learn that. "Of course." I looked at his warm brown eyes and he looked at my blue ones and smiled. His arm moved from my belly to my back and his other arm was under my knee as he pulled me off the ground. He didn't know how wild this made me feel, he didn't know how fast my heart raced when he touched me. And I would keep it that way. He set me onto the ground and walked, backwards and slowly, out of the bathroom. I

laughed slightly. He was such a caring, sweet guy. He deserved better than me. I shook away those thoughts and quickly swallowed two pain killers. If I took any more, I'd have no more pain, permanently. But that would be dumb. Actually, I would have a ton more pain since the acid would tear through my stomach. I took a few moments to myself, cleaning myself off and brushing my teeth. "Eleanor!" I heard him say urgently, "Eleanor!" He said again as I quickly rushed out of the bathroom after putting on a pad. "What?" I asked, scanning his face for a second. "Nothing," he smirked, "We can head to California tonight if you like, but for now, I was wondering if. . ." He paused for a second, his confident attitude shifting to one of nervousness. I smiled at him reassuringly, the pain and discomfort fading away slowly. "If you'd like to go out to breakfast with me?" He asked cutely. I stared at him for a second. "Or we could stay in?" I suggested a small hopeful smirk on my face and a glint in my eye without even considering that my uterus was shedding. "Eleanor." He scoffed slightly, bewildered by my request. "No." "Then I'm not going," I replied, clutching my

churning stomach as he took a step closer. "Okay then." He whispered dangerously. ¤¤¤ He placed a table between the door and stepped outside with a chair. I was sitting inside and he was sitting outside. How comical. The rows of other hotel rooms were shut as the air conditioned hallway was silent. The red carpet and golden lights gave the impression that it wasn't day, but rather night. "So tell me a bit more about you?" He asked, taking a bite of the cooked lobster in front of him. Breakfast my butt, this was more like dinner or breakfast for a king. "Like what?" I asked, staring at his jaw as it moved with every bite he took. "Like your craziest childhood memory." "Hm. . .well once in seventh grade, I. . ." I paused, wondering if I should tell him about the time I kissed a random guy in a cave made of mud and it was raining so we got muddy and I never told anyone. That's dumb. I shook my head. "What happened?" "I'll tell you if you come inside?" I teased, standing up and dragging the table inside. I looked at Adam's cute suit jacket and his perfect button down shirt. He took off his jacket suddenly, my heart raced as I stared at the shirt tighten around his muscles. I felt my heart rate skyrocket as he carried

his chair inside and shut the door. I did something nobody would've thought I would, especially not to a billionaire like Adam Carnegie whose reputation was completely different from the real him. He was said to be a hard-headed, old fashioned, stubborn man, who had no heart. Obviously, that was not true, but his father did have that reputation and I could easily see it being true. "Eleanor?" He asked, his voice cracked. A devious grin grew on my face that brought along a devious plan. I approached him slowly as he kept backing up until the bed hit the back of his knees and he fell backward. I slid on top of him, pulling his collar to me. "In seventh grade," I whispered as I felt him take a sharp breath in, "I did this." And with that courageous moment, I took control and pressed his lips to mine. My heart rate racing as adrenaline filled me up. He pushed me off of him, flipping us over and landing above me. "No." His voice was shaking as his eyes shifted to my lips and back to my eyes. His hands had me pinned to the bed, clutching tightly to my arms. I smirked at him. This guy had some serious self-control. I couldn’t figure him out. "Says who, I'm your girl, after all, take advantage of it." I laughed, leaning forward and reclining quickly. A sharp pain jolted up my throat

as I felt another wave of barf going on. I quickly slid away from under him and rushed to the bathroom as the thought of Jase's decomposing body under water filled my mind. I felt the sudden urge to cry and throw things. I silently walked out of the bathroom, disgusted by myself. "Can we go to California?" I asked innocently, as though the last ten minutes didn't just happen. He looked at me for a second, and then I knew exactly what he would say.

Chapter 18: Shadows I sat in the clouds, staring at the inside of the jet. And wondering how I would react when I got there. Would I cry, how much would I cry? I felt the seat move slightly as Adam sat beside me, moving the armrest. "Almost there." He said, I could imagine a warm, comforting smile plastered on his too handsome face as he said it. "Thank you, Adam," I whispered, the thought of Jase struck my mind and I felt my heart and body shatter all at once. My breathing slowed and my eyes filled with tears. After an hour or two of sitting in the jet, I got up and steadily walked out. I stumbled forward, Adam's hand immediately grabbed my wrist and pulled me back before I fell the two feet to my doom. My heart stuttered. "Thanks" I muttered, feeling worse than ever for ruining our honeymoon, even though technically it's paused for now. "You're welcome." He whispered beside my ear as shivers ran down my spine. We walked to a nearby limousine awaiting with the press around it for the Adam Carnegie and his wife to get inside. Pictures were snapped and I just knew my sad eyes and boring mood would be the headline of tomorrow's news.

We drove steadily along the coast of California, driving toward its center to arrive at Stanford and quietly drove past it to get to my house. As soon as the place shot into view I felt tears brim my eyes. I wanted to go back to Florida to remember all the memories I shared with Jase, but we had sold that home. I stepped out. More reporters surrounded us. How annoying could these people get? Adam's hand wrapped itself securely around my waist protectively and pulled me closer. He held me tightly in place as though I would fall and break apart if he didn't. It was cold here, oddly cold since California was rarely ever cold. I stared baffled at the giant wide doors of my house and wanted to drop dead. There was a giant poster with a picture of me at graduation. This was no time for that. "Eleanor you're home!" Mom rushed out the door and hugged me, and half of Adam as well since he was holding onto me. Reporters took more photos. Talk about annoying. "How is everyone?" I asked, feeling strange in my own home. I felt like I cared, something I hadn't felt in a long time especially toward my parents. "We are okay. Come in, Mr. Carnegie." Mom welcomed him in, a soft glint in her eye and not a penny to her name. Well not anymore.

"Thank you, Mrs. Hays. But please, call me Adam. How are you doing?" Adam politely asked with a strange glint in his eye as he looked like his heart was full of so much pain. "Would you two like a drink?" There it was. Mom wasn't treating me like anything more than a guest. I grimaced at this thought and smiled politely. "No thank you. We just came from a restaurant, we've eaten and had quite a bit to drink already." Adam easily lied as I stared him, we sat on our couches and Adam's hand slid onto my knee. "Okay." Mom smiled politely and sat opposite us, "the funeral is tomorrow." She breathed, her voice cracking all the while. "M. . .mom?" I asked, trying to mentally raise her head to look at me. "My baby boy is gone." She whimpered silently and grabbed a tissue out of the box on the table. My heart clenched in agony as I felt a tear trail down my own cheek. I had never seen my mom cry. Maybe once when my baby sister died years ago, but we hadn't been that attached to her as we were with Jase. I loved Jase, he was my always there when there was nobody else I could talk to. "Mom?" I said again, "Stop crying, you're making me cry." I whispered, trying to lighten the mood as I felt a heavy weight on my shoulder. "How are you and your husband?" She

asked, changing the subject, biting her quivering lip. "We're okay." A small smile curled onto the side of my lip. "If there is anything you need Mrs. Hays please let me know." Adam smiled as she made eye contact with him for the first time and seemed to gasp. I wondered what was going on in her mind but I knew exactly what she was thinking. Damn, he's even more gorgeous in person. Because I'd thought the same thing when I saw him along with how repulsed I was to marry him but in the end, life never ended up being fair and he won't have sex with me. "Adam Carnegie." She said as though she was finally opening her eyes to a whole new world. "How old are you?" She asked him. "I'm 23." He simply said as a small smile flipped the edges of his lips upward. "Oh yes, perfect for Eleanor. I'm glad you straightened her out." Mom said. "What?" I scoffed, looking at my mom, confused by what she meant. "Yes dear, you act like you don’t know yourself. You used to whore around with that Anderson kid and never did he seem like the kind of guy to settle down. Now you seem more reserved, less slutty and you even dress more appropriately too." Mom said. Oh for goodness sake! I did not sleep around

all the time. I slept around enough of the time. "Well, I'm glad." Adam simply replied as I blushed furiously. He looked at me, a smirk on his face as he grabbed my hand behind his back and held it. "I did not!" I announced loudly, not wanting to be humiliated, well our whole three days of honeymoon were humiliating beginning with the strange ritual thing, then starting my period, and so much other things. I smiled at the small thought trailing through my mind. "Well, anyway Jase was there to keep her in place too." Mom's eyes brimmed with tears as she took a long pause, "and now she has you." She stood up immediately and left the room as I saw her shaking. Jase's funeral was tomorrow. And I did not want to attend because I am so sick of crying all the time. I sat on the couch and leaned into Adam who held a sad smile on his face. I have Adam now. A husband. Not a replacement for Jase.

Chapter 19: Only the Dead that Can Live I stood in my black dress and six-inch heels, a black shawl covering my otherwise bare shoulders. I glared at the blue eyes staring at me in the mirror. They had lost their glimmer, their beautiful shine was gone. I was no longer a butterfly, but rather, I was a moth. I stood alone, staring at my closet mirror. Jase's familiar colored eyes looked back at me. But Jase was dead and I would never see his smiling eyes again. My gaze passed over picture that I had kept on the wall, a picture of us when we were younger in our tree house in Florida. I smiled then my mood shifted to one of anger as I tossed my shawl on the floor and took off my high heels off, tossing them aside as well. I pulled the dress over my head, sitting on the ground pained and crying. Life's not fair. The greatest people get the worst fates, meanwhile the awful people get a good life. I grabbed a bottle of wine that I secretly hid inside one of my shoe boxes and began trying to drink away the pain, the sorrow, the sadness. "Eleanor, are you done in there?" I heard a soft rap sounded on the closet door. I didn't reply, not trusting my voice right now.

After a few more minutes of drinking, the bottle was empty. I groaned, angry that I only kept one bottle in there and shut my eyes, staring back at myself in the mirror. In only my bra and underwear. I'm such a slut. I groaned once again, tossing myself loosely around and rolling onto the ground under my closet, almost completely hidden by my clothes. I heard the door open and a worried tension filled the air. "Eleanor, where are . . . are you okay?" Adam asked, kneeling down beside me and talking to my feet, which were the only things that could be seen. I tried to sit up but ended up bumping my head on the hanger. "I'm fine." I slurred, staring into Adam's sexy eyes. I was sick of being drunk. In fact, I was beginning to hate drinking. It was so easy for me to get drunk because I was such a light weight. There was no way I could drink an entire bottle in under ten minutes and not automatically feel the effects. He seemed to pause or something for a second and then picked up the bottle of strong wine that I'd downed in under ten minutes. That was really bad. "Did you drink all this?" He asked, staring at the label as I shook my head furiously, shaking the clothes that were over my head. "Nooo!" I elongated the 'o'.

"Well, who did then?" He seemed amused, I was such a child. "Not me obviously," I replied. Adam's lip twitched in a small smile as I groaned, kicking the clothes above me. "Come on Eleanor. It'll be over in an hour, we already missed most of it." "No. I'm done crying," I announced, crossing my arms, even though he couldn't see it. I felt the clothes shuffle above me as an arm pulled me out from my bare waist. Adam dragged me out from underneath the rows of clothes until he could see my eyes. He didn't seem bothered by seeing me half naked anymore. I guess we were comfortable with each other now. He was just used to it by now. "Eleanor, you'll regret it if you don't go," Adam whispered warmly, comforting me. He hugged me as we sat together on the carpeted floor, holding tightly to one another. "You care about how I feel now, where was this on our wedding day?" I asked barely audible. Adam remained silent, running his hands through my hair to calm me down. "I can't. . ." I took a deep breath and turned around to face him, landing on his lap as he sat on my carpeted closet floor with me. My eyes met his brown ones and I stood up then. "We can go visit your. . ." He cleared his

throat, "friends." He meant Noah and Pure. I didn't want to see them. I wanted to see Christian and I wanted him to fuck all the sadness away. It wasn't his fault that they rescued him first, he just might have conveyed the message across wrong, but it was thoughtful that he got Jase's phone. It was too late to help Jase anyway, and I understand that. Christian wouldn't care if I was too upset, he just wanted to get in my pants. No feelings. Just the way I liked it. A plan crept in my mind, but then I realized that Christian was still probably in New Jersey or something and groaned inwardly. But Jase had drowned here in California, so there was still hope that Christian was in California. "Fine." I finally said, standing up and grabbed the dress off the floor. "But I'm not wearing black. I'm not mourning his death, I'm celebrating. He's in a better place now." I said, crossing my arms. "If we leave now, we'll be right in time for the speeches," Adam whispered, leaning toward me, his hand twisting a loose blonde lock. "Adam, I don't want to sa. . ." I began but then thought against it. "I need help getting dressed," I said, watching his silent eyes scan me and I smirked internally. Finally, he acknowledged me. I just wish I could know what was going on in that handsome mind of his. "Eleanor. . ." He trailed, knowing exactly

what I meant. "Don't you want to try to make me happy?" I whined, a small smile playing on my lips. "Nope." He smirked, getting off the floor and holding my hand in his. He pulled me off the ground and grabbed a yellow dress from one of my hangers. A dress I’d worn once to spring formal the first year of college. The good old days. I stared at him, watching his muscles move through the sleeves of his suit jacket pulsing. I felt like drooling over his arms right now. He walked over to me, reaching for my leg as he placed some red high heels on my feet, making me still shorter than him. I probably looked like a prostitute right now, just missing the fishnet leggings. His mismatched decision of red heels and a yellow dress was adorable. I watched him, wishing I could just fuck him on the spot. His hands held the short yellow dress in his hands as I put my hands over my head. He gave me a smile that sent my heart jolting as he slid the dress down the length of my thin body. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he did that and pulled him to me, still having to look up a bit to meet his eyes. I inched closer, feeling his heartbeat against my own. Finally. Our lips were centimeters apart before a smirk made its say on Adam Carnegie's lips and he

backed up. Stupid rich jerk! I glared at his amused face. He was really hot close-up, his perfectly-defined muscles made me want to trace my tongue across his body. I traced my hand across his chest, content at the fact that he wasn't stepping away. In one quick movement, he had me pushed up against the door of the closet, my arms over my head and a smirk forming on his face. "Play nice." He whispered, kissing my cheek swiftly and walking out of the room, leaving me completely dazed. I thought I had won this. Clearly, I hadn't. I followed behind all six foot something of him, wondering what it would feel like if we. . . probably not something I should be thinking on my way to my brother’s funeral. He headed down the stairs and toward his car, he hadn't driven in a while, it was still odd to see him drive rather than be driven in a limousine. I stood frozen, staring at Adam holding the passenger door open for me as people had surrounded my house with cameras in hand. So damn annoying. Every time we went out, these damn paparazzi followed. I stared at them all, then my eyes landed on a smirking Adam. Seriously, since when did he start smirking so much?! What happened to the mature man I had. I smiled at the press, enjoying the attention

that I clearly wasn't receiving from my husband. People snapped pictures of me as I walked down the stairs and kissed Adam's cheek lovingly. He stifled a laugh, spinning me by my wrist to face him and holding my waist millimeters away before I had a chance to take a seat in the car. My heart began racing as a sparkle formed in his eyes and he pressed his lips to mine, leaving them there for a long moment as flashes went off all around us. Bolts of electricity flew through my body as I felt my knees buckle. I wanted more. I grinned at him, my hand reaching for the front his pants before he instead decided to sit on me in the passenger seat, out of sight from the paparazzi. "Eleanor, we can do this another time. Not in front of the press." He said, his mouth dangerously close as I smirked stupidly at him, satisfied at the reaction. "Oh come on, you're no fun," I whined, kissing his lips since he was already close enough. He got out of the car, pretending to zip up his pants and walked to the other side. I smirked, what a horrible actor. I could just picture the headlines, good guy gone bad. Hah! He started the engine and backed out of my houses parking lot. "You owe me big time." He smirked. "Why is that?" "Wait till you see the news tomorrow, or

tonight actually." He laughed a bit. "Yeah, just shows how much you love your wife." I joked, but he seemed to freeze, he didn't speak the rest of the car ride there and it made me wonder what I did or said that was so wrong. I kept replaying the entire scenario in my head. There was really no reason for him to act like that. We were playing around. I hated guys that were hard to get. Well not hated, I just hated the long, dull, process that it took to finally get them to open up. That's why I went for guys like Christian Anderson. "Hey, Chris!" I shouted grinning like an idiot as I watched him approaching me. He had just completed some sport he was doing. I couldn't keep up with all the sports he did, he was smart, hot, athletic. The perfect guy really. But he had a sex problem. . . mostly because of me a few years ago when we'd done it for the first time in a hotel suite that I recall had lots of windows. Ever since our little friends with benefits moment, he spent a lot of time bringing girls to the same suite and fucking them all. To make me jealous I had easily assumed, I mean why else. "Eleanor!" He laughed as he wrapped me up in his arms and twirled me around, kissing my neck repeatedly. "Christian. . . not here!" I giggled. Now that I think about it I was silly, stupid even back then.

I'd wasted eight years of my life chasing after that asshole. "Do you want to come inside then?" He wiggled his eyebrows and set me down, intertwining my fingers with his. He had ruined me. Ruined me for any guy I'd ever end up with. Made me his little bitch. His little clingy slut that couldn't be away from him without finding out he was with another girl. "I'd love to." I smiled sweetly, hoping I could get into his pants soon. My eyes landed on the house next door to him. The top of the for sale sign had said sold. For a minute I wondered who would be moving in there. In the middle of senior year nonetheless. Unless it was some old person then it wouldn't really matter. But what old person would buy a half a million dollar house by the beach, they're going to die soon anyway. I smiled widely as my attention turned to the hot guy in front of me. "So you wanna skip the foreplay and get to the good part?" He winked, taking off his belt. "Actually Chris, I was hoping we could just talk today." I smiled at him, he looked a bit disappointed. "What about?" He raised an eyebrow and sat beside me on his couch. "Well. . . what are we?" I finally asked after

a long pause, "like are we boyfriend/girlfriend, fuck buddies, just friends. . ." I continued but his emotionless stare told me everything I needed to know. I meant nothing to him. But I didn't want to believe it. "I love you, Eleanor." He finally said, sending my heart into jolts. He was surely a smooth talker who was willing to say or do anything to get what he wanted. I walked up to him, my oblivious seventeen-year-old self was easily falling for his charms. His attention was what I craved most. "Penny for your thoughts?" Adam suddenly asked, interrupting my train of thought. "I'd like a dollar actually," I said playfully. "What's on your mind, Eleanor?" He chuckled, taking one hand off the steering wheel and connecting it with mine. This felt weird. Strangely weird. Good weird. I'd never been in a relationship like this before. No casual sex, just warm cuddly interactions. I hate it. It seemed like our whole relationship was foreplay for sex that would never come. "Didn't know you felt that way, Eleanor. " He laughed. Had I just said that out loud? Crap. Better start watching what I say. "Felt what way?" I asked, trying to make sure what exactly he had heard.

"That you hated our cuddly interactions." He half smiled as I stared at him. Good thing he hadn't heard the last part. "I did not say that. I just think this relationship is going too slow." I admitted honestly. "We have eternity together Eleanor, I'd say we're moving pretty quickly." His voice was husky and hot. I couldn't help my snobby comments that came next. "Unless we divorce. . ." I muttered silently, barely above a whisper, knowing he hated it when I talked about that. But he had heard me, because the car suddenly swerved to the side of the road and he stopped quickly earning him a bunch of honks from cars behind us. "Oops," I mumbled, staring at the side of his face, his perfectly chiseled jawline muscle was popping, and his slender cheekbones, watching his jaw clench and unclench until he finally looked at me. Clearly, he was trying to control his temper. "Eleanor." He furrowed his eyebrows and brought a hand up to his temple, "why?" he asked, avoiding my eyes as his grasp on the steering wheel firmly tightened. When I didn't reply, he blew out a deep breath and started driving on the main road. I remained silent. Not knowing what to say as my heart tried to beat steadily.

The rest of the car ride was spent in a sort of tensed silence. It felt like there was an elephant in the room like we both wanted to bring the topic up but refrained ourselves from doing so. He parked in front of a large graveyard. In the distance I could see people standing around a tombstone, holding umbrellas and crying as small drops of rain began drizzling. We were late. We missed the speeches, and the entire prayer over his body. I would never get to see Jase again. And then I realized that wasn't Jase's grave. He would most likely be in a larger area with its own building above it. Adam and I stepped out of the car and shut the door. Silently walking side by side, no physical contact whatsoever. He didn't even try to hold my hand. I just wished we could go back to a few days ago when we were in a hotel room in a weird European nation and Adam was actually laughing at me as the weird men carried me in the fancy chair around the pool. We walked for a while until I saw the familiar face of my mother on a short stage, tears brimming her eyes. I was so damn sick of crying. Crying and drinking seemed to be the only things I ever did now. "Eleanor, you made it!" The corners of her lips turned up slightly as I took a seat. "Is there anything you'd like to say before

we. . ." She paused just as a girl made her way to the stage. "Jase was always a crazy, fun, loving, caring guy. He was the greatest friend I had during my first year of college. He had helped me find my way around and see things through different eyes. He and I had been friends ever since that first day and I admired his aspirations and I wanted to be as persistent as he was in attending medical school to help thousands of other lives. He had been my first boyfriend and I loved him. . ." The girl's voice cracked as she held back tears, "so much. . . I'm sorry." She said, hopping off the stage and walking back into the arms of her friend. I felt my eyes fill with water. I walked up on the stage, looking inside the open casket at Jase's face, his skin looked frozen, his lips were blue and his eyes were shut tightly. I knew everyone was watching me in my yellow dress, but I didn't care. I stared at his face, his peaceful expression aimed at the sky. I suddenly felt weak in the knees as reality struck me. He was really gone. Forever. My sweet, goto, fun-loving brother was gone. And I never got a chance to say goodbye. I fell beside his coffin, resting my arm on the side of it and crying in agony. Why couldn't it be me! I screamed in a pain, now completely lying on the floor with tears streaking down my cheeks.

"Eleanor, babe, please get up." I felt Adam's hand stroking my back as he pulled me off the ground. I stood up now finally. Wiping away the tears that wouldn't stop spilling. All eyes were on me as Adam grabbed my hand and lightly squeezed it. "We're here today to watch the most amazing, caring, and down to earth guy, get put into a freaking grave!" I began as I heard several people in the back crying, my eyes landed on his exgirlfriend, who had her face burrowed into the arms of another guy as he hugged her lovingly. Their relationship didn't end badly, Jase wouldn't have been able to stay mad at her for cheating on him, in fact, they had stayed good friends. "I remember one time when we were little, Jase and I would paint rocks and try to sell them at a lemonade stand," I smiled at the memory, "We ended up making no money and the policeman that stopped our operation woke up the next day with a broken down car." I smiled at the memory, my eyes scanning the sobbing crowd and then landing on Adams, "and Jase supported all my crazy plans and ideas. What can I say, he was my big brother, always taking care of me or going along with my insane ideas." I continued. The people were now silent, staring at me, "But I don't think Jase would want us to mourn over him. I wore yellow today. A

happy color. A color to celebrate Jase's going to a better place rather than the pain of this world. He was a son, a friend, a boyfriend, a brother," my voice cracked as I regained my composure, "to us all and he will be missed." I whispered the last part, turning back around to the open coffin and holding Jase's frozen hand, leaning down and kissing his forehead. "Rest in peace big bro," I whispered, tears slowly streaming down my face as I walked off the stage with my eyes drenched in water. I ran into the arms of Adam Carnegie, who would've thought, as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my head, whispering sweet nothings into my ears. Everyone was crying silently as they began to lower his coffin into a special grave. I cried, looking at the screen saver on my phone. A picture of me and Jase at my graduation. I bit my lip, restraining tears as I felt a comforting arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his chest so I could see my brother being placed into the Earth. "Thank you, Adam," I whispered, getting the black collar of his expensive suit jacket wet with tears, he kissed the top of my head comfortingly, resting his chin on my head. "You're welcome Eleanor." He whispered back. Everyone had left after that, leaving me and Adam as the only people besides his gravestone. He held my hand tightly as I moved my arms around

his neck as he hugged me close to his body. We stood for what felt like an hour as he patiently stroked my back. "Can we go home now?" I asked, staring into his enchanting brown eyes. He slid his hand from my shoulder, down my arm, until his hand reached mine. He intertwined our fingers together and led us back to his car. "Anything for you, Eleanor. I'm sorry I made you go, but it was necessary." I smiled at him, relieved and ecstatic that he had convinced me to go to my brother's funeral. He was right. I would have definitely have regretted not going. I needed closure and that's exactly what I got.

Chapter 20: Misunderstood The sun stroked my face, causing my eyes to fly open. I yawned, stretching my limbs and accidentally knocking my hand onto Adam's hard jaw. I wanted to feel the strong jawline which he held but stopped myself. "Sorry," I muttered as he reached for my hand. "Good morning to you too Eleanor." He yawned, stretching as well and turning toward me. He rested his hand on my cheek, his body turned toward me. He smiled slightly, the brown in his eyes looking slightly hazel with the sunlight glimmering inside them. "Hey." I smiled back, turning my body toward him. My heart lunged when I realized he was sleeping shirtless. He never slept shirtless. Or at least if he did, I never noticed as much as I did today. My eyes seemed to pop out of their sockets. A wallowing feeling registered at the pit of my stomach. Something must be wrong with me. "Have you seen the news yet?" He smirked. What was up with all these smirks lately? "I don't plan on it." I yawned again, turning my back toward him and leaning over to where I was sitting on the bed, my legs dangling inches from the floor. "Oh you should, it's great." He grabbed my

waist and spun me around to him. I felt butterflies fluttering in the pit of my stomach. I smiled as he held his phone above us. I leaned my head on his shoulder as we rested our backs on the soft cushions of the bed. I couldn't help but get a whiff of his scent. He chuckled, a childish smile to him. A happiness he'd concealed very well. On his phone screen was a picture of us kissing in front of my house and directly below it was a picture of his back, his arms placed in the front where yesterday he'd 'zipped' his pants. I stared at the headlines, my eyes widening in shock. There were multiple articles, but there was one that specifically caught my eye. HOME EARLY FROM ROMANTIC HONEYMOON, ELEANOR AND ADAM ON THEIR WAY TO MOURN JASON HAYS, BROTHER OF ELEANOR. QUICKIE IN THE CAR? ELEANOR AND ADAM CARNEGIE SEEM TO BE ENJOYING EACH OTHERS COMPANY! IS ELEANOR HAYS ACTUALLY GOOD FOR ADAM CARNEGIE? I stared at the last title, trying to decipher the article without drawing too much attention to it. Am I good for him? I didn't even know him before we

married. Was he different then? Is he different now? Thoughts ran through my mind. And landed once again on the words I dreaded most. Am I actually good for Adam? I am not good for him. I immediately turned away from him, preparing to stand up. I didn't know what we were doing today, but I was going to go down stairs, put on a smile and pretend to be okay. "Eleanor. . ." He trailed, hopping out of bed and reaching for my wrist. "Adam. I have to shower. . ." I said, avoiding his eyes. He could do so much better than me. Someone who actually loves him and is not a pain in the ass like me. Adam was a sweet guy, he deserved far better than me. "Eleanor." He breathed, I heard the bed moving and a hand touch my shoulder. "Why are you upset?" Adam's confusion only made me feel worse for what I was about to do. "I'm not upset," I said, eyeing his hand on my shoulder like it was ebola. "Yes, you are. Tell me. Eleanor, you're my wife, you can tell me anything please. . ." He said as I turned toward him. "I'm not your wife. Just because it's on paper does not mean it's legit. And once this hellhole of a deal is over, I'm leaving you." I whispered the last part. Knowing I was adding salt and lemon to a

wound I'd just created. "In two years my parents will have enough money to pay your family and I will be out of your life for good. I don't need the signals." At this, he looked really confused. He had merely opened the most recent news page which happened to be filled with photos of us. I stared at him, waiting for a response. He stood there, his expression stoic. None came. He took his hand off my shoulder and patiently stood there staring at me. "I need to shower. " I said again and stepped into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I wanted to cry. But I did not. I was done crying. "Please Eleanor, tell me why you’re upset. I can fix it." I heard him whisper beside the door a couple minutes later. I turned on the shower head and quickly walked in. He could use someone way better than me. Someone who loved him. Someone who had a heart. Someone who wasn't just interested in the sex. "Tu es ma femme, s'il vous plaît s'il vous plaît Eleanor." He repeated. You're my wife. Please, Eleanor. . . I translated what he'd just said in my mind, I felt like a piece of crap. And I didn't know he spoke French. There was a lot I didn’t know about him. I stepped out of the bathroom, looking at him

sitting on the wall beside the door. I've brought Mr. Goodguy-billionaire down to my level, on his knees, he was shaken. He could do so much better than me. I kept repeating in my mind, trying to plan an escape. I was done. So completely sick of wasting my time trying to go after the good guy. I need Christian. Now. I rushed into the bedroom, grabbing my phone when suddenly I felt a hand grasp my hips. Touchy lately, are we Adam, did I do that to him. Because he's the one who sex-deprived me. I felt a small shiver down my spine as he spun me quickly and pushed us down onto the bed. "Eleanor, please tell me why you're upset." He whispered, his face centimeters from mine as I felt like goo under him. I tilted my head up to look at him, wanting so badly to kiss him. Kiss me already you stupid rich jerk! Another thought struck my mind as my heart began aching angrily. "This is all your fault!" I shouted. "If it hadn't been for you. . . Jase wouldn't have died. If I hadn't married you then Jase would be alive. I. . ." I began ranting, trying to slip out of his firm grasp. One hand on my hip, the other holding my arms over my head and his legs tangled with mine on the bed as his soulful brown eyes gazed into mine. No escape.

I stared at him. "Why aren't you yelling at me!" I shouted as I saw his mouth twitch upwards into a small smile. "S'il vous plait arrêtez de parler. Calm down." He whispered, his nose touching mine as every part of my body ached for his touch. "I know you're angry, Eleanor tell me. I can fix it." His brown eyes filled with a shade of desperation. A shade of sadness. I tilted my head up, closing the distance between our lips. I felt him shiver a bit as we kissed. Butterflies filled my entire body, I felt like I was flying. Way up high, just me and him. But I knew he wouldn't let it go any further. No sex. . . I pulled away. Knowing if I left now, these feelings for him might stop. I stood up, maybe I should tell him why I'm upset. "The news article, did you pick that title?" I asked. "What title?" He cutely scrunched his eyebrow. Stop liking him, Eleanor. I scolded myself. "Is Eleanor Hays actually good for Adam Carnegie," I asked clenching my jaw. "What the he. . ." He said, staring at his phone on the bed. A small growl escaped his lips. The lips that you want to kiss. Stop it! "Eleanor a news article doesn't change the way I feel about you. " feel about you.

"You deserve so much better than me. Whereas I've brought Mr. Good-guy who is completely down to earth and the most caring person I have ever met down to my level. You could do so much better. You deserve someone who doesn't stomp on your feelings and keep ruining your life. I feel like I am the villain, the bad guy who is just slowly making you into a monster like me. I'm a slut, Adam. I have slept around with countless guys, I am not good for you. You deserve some good virgin Christian girl who isn't always asking for something you're not ready for. A girl that will actually be a wife to you. I'm not good for you Adam, I haven't done a single thing that could possibly be accounted for as good. God, I even blamed you for my brother's death, I. . . I just think we need a permanent break, I think we. . . I think you need to look for a girl that is wife material because clearly, that's not me." I said, the truth hurt to say and it must have hurt to hear as well. A long silence filled the room as his grasp on me weakened and I took the opportunity to escape and walk to the door. I stood beside the bedroom door, afraid that I had broken him.There was a long silent pause as my words registered in his brain. He took long strides toward me and placed his hand sweetly on my cheek, moving a stray hair

behind my ear. "Eleanor. I. Chose. You." He whispered, his eyes darkening and just then I wanted to know what he was thinking. He was a puzzle I wanted to solve. I knew nothing about him prior to marriage and I would find out soon. "You deserve better," I spat right back, mumbling the words under my breath, but he caught it and a small smile appeared on his face. "Why would I want better, when I have the best?" He whispered, leaning in slowly to kiss my forehead. He moved closer, his lips slowly syncing with mine. I froze, feeling a hardness he had so easily disguised. He looked away from me, his arms still on the wall beside my shoulders. He cleared his throat. "We need to start packing. I have another week off work and if I'm correct, we never finished our honeymoon." He said, holding me tightly. I felt my heart fill up with a strong feeling for him. Adam alone could make the ocean part with just a look, a strong desire engulfed me as I looked into his sly eyes. "Thank you, Adam," I whispered breathless, a warm smile on my tanned face. Adam and I felt like friends now. Not husband and wife just yet, but we would get there, we had a few years together after all.

Chapter 21: Shallow The air whooshed past me, my hair flying wildly in the wind. I smiled brightly, pushing further on the gas and listening to the engine roar. My smile grew wider as I neared a car and swerved into the next empty lane. I pushed the car further. Faster. A wide variety of emotions fluttered through me as a random car turned onto my lane, going at 80 mph. I immediately braked and turned back onto my original lane, I was growing frustrated. All these slow people going at 80 mph. I groaned, honking my horn in annoyance and began tailgating whoever was in front of me. They began speeding up, probably in fear that I would bump into them. Good. I grinned, passing the stupid car that had earlier hopped in front of me and resumed my 120 mph speed. I slowed down as soon as my eyes landed on the flashing red and blue lights behind me. A loud siren began ringing in my ears. Gross. Police. I sped up, pretending to not notice and began driving faster. I mean, what could they possibly ever do to the wife of Adam Carnegie? All four lanes of the freeway had been filled with slow drivers. I groaned, wishing I could drive through them and continue. I slowed down and

went past the yellow "Do Not Pass" lines. Maybe he'll give me a break if I stop now. "License and Registration." The officer said as I opened my window. "What did I do wrong officer?" I asked, faking a British accent and smiling innocently. He looked at me like I was stupid. "You were speeding." "Well sir, actually in Britain this was under speed…” I lied, having absolutely no idea what I was making up. He gave me a funny look. "Ma'am I don't think 120 miles per hour is below speed in any country." The officer said. "License and Registration." He repeated, his face turning into a smirk at his witty comeback. "How about we forget this whole ordeal and we go grab some lunch?" I asked, losing my fake British accent. "Look, I don't make the laws, I just enforce them. Do you have a license miss?" "Actually it's Mrs," I clarified, my electric blue eyes stared at him completely bored. "Ah, so you're married?" He smirked, leaning on the window. "Yeah, and my husband would be very upset to find out I'm with another man. Let me let you in on a little secret." I said as the police officer crossed his arm. "Would that happen to be your name?" He

laughed, buying into my flirtation. "Eleanor." I said, starting the engine, "Carnegie." I began driving away, a smirk on my face at his dumbfounded expression. I looked at the rearview mirror to his shocked, almost fearful face. How did Adam's name make this guy so afraid? I didn't care as I sped down the highway, a content smirk on my face. The Carnegie family sure had a reputation. ¤¤¤ "Had fun?" Austin, the doorman asked as we walked into the hotel. He took my car keys and put them in a slot. "Definitely. Where's Adam?" I asked, fluffing my fantastic blonde hair as I began walking to the elevator. "In the dining area Mademoiselle," Austin said, departing from me and continuing whatever he had priorly been doing. I watched as the glass doors shut and all the floor buttons began lighting up. Which one is the dining area? I wondered, clicking on all the buttons, one of them has to bring me there. The elevator went up slowly and stopped, the doors opened on an abandoned floor, maybe it went down because this floor looked like it belonged in the 1950s. The door opened and another floor appeared. I guess I was going down. I saw the dark

floor with the water pipes in front of me. Drip. Drop. Was all that could be heard on this floor. I was grateful when the door shut again and began going up. I think. I rested on the side of the elevator, holding onto the golden pole beside it, this would be a while. "Hello." Someone said as they got into the elevator with me. I smiled at them politely. Adam's idea of going back on honeymoon was to go on an emergency business trip to Paris and then go back to California for my friend's wedding. Pure and Noah's wedding. Soon her name wouldn't be Pure Bliss. It would be Pure Williamson. It lost its vibe if you ask me. Yup, folks, I got married before Pure. But everyone knew that I would happen anyway. I mean, I'm Eleanor. I'm perfect. Let's just hope she knows how insecure Noah is about all this. I smiled at the man and walked over to him. "So, what's your name?" I asked. "Mike. And you? "Eleanor. What do you do for a living Mike?" "Eleanor Carnegie?" He paused, "Eleanor Carnegie. . . it is you." He said. "I'm a reporter." He smirked cheekily, "and I've got a headline for tomorrow's story. I furrowed my brows, confused. I try to make small talk and this is what I get?!

"Eleanor Carnegie, the cheat. Or better yet, Eleanor Carnegie, the scoundrel. The unsanitary wife. Who knows, do you have an STD? Oh damn, it's you." He smirked. I glared at him, these idiots would say anything to make front page news. He would probably lie and say we did something in the elevator. "Yeah?" I asked, inching closer as he seemed to shake in nervousness, "well you know what I'd call you?" I whispered as his eyes widened at my closeness, "Mike, the asshole." I said seductively, hitting his head hard with my bracelet and onto the back of the elevator and knocking him out. Good, when he wakes up now, he probably won't remember anything. He'll think it was some sort of dream. The door opened and two older looking women walked in. "Oh, my. What happened to this young man." "What do you mean?" I asked, pretending I didn't notice, then turned around and faked a gasp. I knew I would never be found out, we had been standing at an angle that most elevators wouldn't recognize. "Oh my, must be a lack of water, it's best we leave him in here until his body heals itself." I made something up, yes I know dehydration means you need to go to a hospital. The elevator moved again as more people

filed in. As we approached maybe the 8th floor, I'd lost count, I spotted three golden glass chandeliers and a wide seating area. It looked like the dining area. I stepped past the seven other people in the elevator, smiling deviously, knowing they still had to go up all the other twenty floors. I grinned, my eyes landing on the pasty brown ones of Adam Carnegie, his face seemed hard and expressionless as he faced the large crowd of men at the table. "Hey, handsome," I smirked, sitting on his lap as his business partners began staring at us and ignored the man that had been talking. I looked at them and back at Adam. He had a playful look in his eye that others wouldn't have been able to recognize, but a serious look on his face. "Mr. Carnegie. I believe it is highly inappropriate to bring your wife to a conference." The French man said, a heavy accent evident, as a few other older looking men in suits nodded. "Stephen." Adam said after a pause, " Nobody wants to know what you believe. Pack your things and leave." Adam said, the playful look still in his eyes. "But Mr. Carnegie, I was only. . ." "One more word and you're fired." Adam hissed. I wanted to laugh, it looked like he was joking around and the other guy was scared shitless.

Powerful. The old man with the French accent nodded his head and left the room. "Anyone else likes to comment on my wife or shall we continue our discussion?" Adam said, and at the moment I couldn't help but feel happy he called me that. I mean, he freaking almost fired a guy because he said it was inappropriate to bring your wife to meetings. "No sir." I looked at the man who spoke, he had the same shocked appearance as the police officer from earlier. What the hell is wrong with these people? "Very well," Adam said as his hand slightly pushed me off his lap. I smirked, you want to play that game now? I scooted closer to him as he began full on glaring at me. He again pushed me away. "Eleanor. Not now." He whispered just as one of the suits began talking. I scooted even closer, practically sitting on his stomach when I felt a bulge hit my thigh and I then realized why he didn't want me here now. If he was so attracted to me why the hell wouldn't he have sex with me. I groaned, standing up with a 'you owe me' smirk and began walking to where the food was being served. I stared at the lobster. It's red tail glimmering off the light of the chandelier. It looked delicious as I grabbed a plate from the side bar and picked up

the lobster and placed it there. I wanted to laugh at the huge lobster, its claws were dangling off my plate. I took a seat at a small café table, bored as the men in the center of the room began arguing over something. "It's just you and me," I said to the lobster and pulled it's claws apart, revealing the delicious meat inside. I crossed my legs and stretched my arms as some girl sat beside me. "You're Carnegie's wife aren't you?" She asked, grabbing the other claw on my lobster and began eating it. Make yourself at home. I snorted at my thought sarcastically. "And if you're hungry, there's food over there," I replied, crossing my arms and eyeing the lobster in her hand. "So you are?" She laughed. "What is that supposed to mean?" "I'm Sandra, I'm the wife of that cute guy sitting next to Mr. Carnegie, well I will be soon." She introduced herself. I turned my attention to the table of the men, they all seemed young and aspiring. Of them stood out Adam Carnegie, his perfectly chiseled jaw and well-kept suit and his soulful eyes seemed to stand out of all of them. "Yeah," I said for no reason in particular as the girl turned to look back at me.

"It sucks how none of the other men brought their wives, we could've all planned their demise." She laughed, clearly meaning it was a joke. I raised an eyebrow. "It's a joke." She laughed and took another piece of my lobster. Invasive much… "I see," I replied. "So what's it like being married to the most eligible bachelor, well I mean he's not a bachelor anymore. It's weird how he and Rachel had. . ." She paused staring at me. I don't know what she was looking at but she wouldn't stop staring at me… maybe to see my reaction. "Who is Rachel?" I asked as her face seemed to relax and she continued chewing my lobster. "Oh, you didn't know? Well, she is just some girl, don't worry about it. Hey thanks for the lobster, I'd better head up to my room now." She stood up and began walking away. What. The. Hell. I stared at the now empty seat in front of me. I knew what I was feeling and I did not want to feel like this. Jealous. I was all too used to this emotion, especially when I had been with Christian, I felt useless. Who the hell was Rachel and how did I not know about it? I looked back at the large table as the men all stood up and began walking away from it. Adam stayed, talking with someone for a while longer as I

watched, wondering who Rachel was and what happened. I scanned the room again and instead decided to rest my head on the table and wait for him. "El?" My eyes shot up, my neck snapping upwards and off the table in an instant. That was Jase. There he stood in all his blond hair and blue eyed glory. "Eleanor," he said again, stepping closer. His blue eyes were blocking my vision. I was seeing things, I had to be. "Ja. . .Jase?" I whispered, my lip quivering slightly. "Eleanor, wake up." Adam's face blocked Jase's as Jase seemed to disappear and my eyes shot open. "Adam?" I asked, feeling wetness under my eyes. I think I fell asleep on the lobster. "Are you okay?" He asked as I looked at him, my eyes turning to the chandelier-less wall. Had he carried me to the room? There was no table below me and the water under my eyes were tears. I nodded, Jase's face popping back into my mind as Adam hugged me. I would be okay. Soon.

Chapter 22: Empty Dreams "I'm not going to marry someone against my will," I stated, crossing my arms and sitting in the car. "Eleanor, don't be selfish, this is for mom and dad," Jase said. "No!" I said stubbornly, backing out of the driveway and onto the grass of the front lawn. "El, wait," Jase said, rushing up to the car and sitting in the passenger seat. After a long pause, he finally spoke. "You want to go to the beach?" He asked smiling. "No," I repeated the word. "Then let me drive." "You're annoying." I laughed, backing out of the driveway and down the road toward the Santa Barbara beach. I drove on the highway as Jase began explaining why it would be a good idea for me to marry Adam. "No." I kept repeating. It seemed like the only word I know. "El, come on. If you don't do it, I might just die." I stared at him for a second as we both burst laughing and the next thing I knew, my car had driven off the cliff of the highway. Falling and flying. Falling and flying to our doom. A loud

sound came as electrical power shut off and the car began filling with dark colored water. "Jase?" I shouted as I looked over at him, pounding on the glass window of the car. I tore off my seat belt and watched his hand turn bloody as the window shattered and water rushed into the car. He signaled for me to get out, I shook my head viciously. Save yourself. I wanted to say as it began getting harder to breathe. He shook his head, grabbing my arm and knocking the door open as the car continued to sink lower and lower. I finally got out of the car and began swimming to the shore, desperately searching for air. My head broke the surface as I gasped the breath of life, water sputtering out of my mouth. I frantically searched the area for Jase. The vast ocean seemed to stare back at me with a knowing look, a look that slashed my heart into two pieces. "Jase!" I coughed, shouting. I took a calming breath, but my heart rate began rising. Panic attacked me swiftly, ripping me apart. Silence. "Jase!" I called again, sputtering lyrics wildly in the water. My arms flailed wildly in search of my big brother. "Jase where are you?' I shouted. "Eleanor! Eleanor! Eleanor, wake up!" A

strong arm shook my shoulders as the water all seemed to fade away into chocolate brown eyes. "It was Jase, where's Jase? He was just here, what happened to him?" I gasped, shuffling out of my bed and trying to get off. "Eleanor," Adam whispered, grabbing my waist and pulled me to him, kissing my neck softly, holding me so I couldn't move away from his warm grasp. "Adam, where's Jase." I cried, then it struck me. I know where Jase is. Dead. These nightmares have to stop. Please stop. I shut my eyes tightly, wishing the tears would stop. I turned around to look at Adam, his chocolate brown eyes warming as he pulled me closer, placing his chin in the crook of my neck. "It's okay." He whispered. Those two simple words seemed to put my pieces together, if only for a second. I tilted my head to where I was now facing him. His brown eyes were close and his breath brushing over me. I felt a sudden shiver run across my spine and I then realized something. I like Adam Carnegie. He is not that bad and he's pretty much been there for me since everything happened. My eyes glanced at his lips, his beautifully tanned skin shone in the night. And then I was kissing him. Kissing him with something I'd never felt before. Kissing him wildly, desperately

needing the comfort of his lips on mine. I needed him. "Eleanor." He whispered, pulling his lips away from mine as I stretched my neck to reach his lips again. "Please, Adam I need this," I whispered, my mind going crazy as my eyes grew glassy. I leaned into him, inhaling the scent of his natural cologne. His smell was all I would ever want to smell for ever. A smug grin appeared on his handsome face. I found myself staring at his perfect bone structure, the cheekbones, the perfect jaw, the intense eyes. "Or we could just talk." He suggested, placing his arm around my bare midriff and placing a sweet kiss on my forehead. "Who is Rachel?" I bluntly asked as his face seemed to pale and lose all colors. He seemed shocked and absolutely silent for several minutes. "I meant. Let's talk about you." He finally said, turning to face me as we lay face to face. "What about me?" I grimaced, my blonde hair straggling in the light wind of the air conditioner. "You already know stuff about me." "Eleanor, let's play a game." He grinned, intertwining our fingers. "20 Questions." He grinned cheekily, I wanted to kiss him, his face seemed to lighten up and a wide smile spread across my face. ¤¤¤

"Will you kiss me?" "No." "Will you kiss me now?" "No." "Adam!" I groaned, burying my face into his chest. We'd been going at it for almost an hour now, yet he wouldn't give in. "Ask a real question, Eleanor." he chuckled. "Fine." I pursed my lips, putting my thinking face on, "Why won't you kiss me?" "Goodnight Eleanor." he chuckled, turning around. "Adam. . ." Whining, I wrapped my arms around his muscular torso. Holy crap, that torso. I smoothed my hands across his chest, feeling him shiver under my touch. He wasn't telling me to stop. I grinned, leaning onto my elbow and scooting closer to him. I traced my lips on the curve of his neck. His breath hitched but yet he still wouldn't move. I kissed the spot behind his ear as he visibly shuddered. My mouth traced his cheek bones until he finally turned to face me. I sat on top of him, placing a leg on both sides of him as his arms wrapped around my waist, turning me on my back as he lay above me. My heart pounded loudly in my chest as he took control, bringing his lips to mine and sweetly kissing me, his body syncing with mine. My

breathing grew shallow as his mouth moved from my lips to my neck, placing messy kisses everywhere. I leaned into him, butterflies exploding in my stomach. My mind was going crazy, his mouth moving from my neck to everywhere but my lips. I grew wary, tension's rising as his hand steadied my jaw. I rapidly groped his abs, his chest, his back. Feeling every muscle tense under my touch. I pulled his lips to mine as he kissed me. And pulled away. "The answer was yes. Now it's my turn to ask questions." He breathed.

Chapter 23: Flaky Feelings We sat in his black gallardo, silently staring at the church. "You want to go inside?" Adam asked, clenching his jaw tightly as he stared ahead. The parking lot was an extremely crowded space of the church. Pure and Noah must have a lot of families. . . and friends. He wouldn't look at me. "No," I replied, turning my attention away from him to stare ahead. I pursed my lips and crossed my arms over my shimmering golden dress. I definitely outdid the bride, I was a million times prettier than Pure. "Eleanor, can we just talk about it?" I felt his brown gaze shift to me as I stared ahead. "No. I'll tell you when you tell me who Rachel is." He sighed, "That's not fair." I finally turned to look at him, his hard brown eyes. "Fine be honest with me and I'll be honest with you." I finally said, opening the door of his Lamborghini Gallardo and stepping out in my sparkling golden dress. It had diamond sparkles all across it and slimmed me very well. The back was wide open with a cute design on the back. Yup, I’d totally outdone Pure. That's what she gets for not asking me to be a bridesmaid. "Now you'll go inside?" He was at my side,

shutting off the car with a press of the keys and reached for my hand. "Nope." "Eleanor. . ." He had that playful look back in his eyes, a contagious smile spreading on his perfect features. "I'll tell you everything after your friend's wedding." "Promise?" I asked, pouting my lower lip slightly as he stared at my blue eyes. "I promise." He whispered, softly pressing his lips to mine, sending my heart insane. I felt my knees go weak as his hands naturally moved from mine to the small of my back. We walked into the church and took our assigned seats. Adam sat closely beside me and held tightly onto my hand. I looked at him but he just smirked and nodded. I remembered coming to church. But it was only a few times in high school. It was very traditional and oddly cute how Pure chose to have her wedding here. I'd over ever come here with Brad. Speaking of Brad, his soothing voice came into play as he sat beside me. "Eleanor!" He grinned, I felt my heart swell with joy as he hugged me. Adam's hand noticeably tightened around mine as I kissed Brad's cheek. "I haven't seen you in forever." I announced, unable to let go of him. In all honesty, Brad was one of the kindest good hearted people I have ever met. He reminded me of Jase, considering how

close of friends they had been anyway. "Yeah, me too. How've you been, you know, with. . ." I knew what he was referring to, sweet same old Brad unwilling to hurt my feelings or bring back bad memories. "I'm fine," we watched as Noah entered the church and stood at the front. "Dang. Noah looks good." I accidentally voice my thoughts as Adam stiffened beside me and his hand tightened even more if that was even possible. "Ow, Adam," I whispered as he quickly let go completely. "I'm sorry." He whispered rolling his eyes and clearly, he was not sorry. He then continued turning his attention back to whoever had sat beside him as they talked. I caught a glimpse of the guy beside him, they looked like absolute opposites with the other guy having blond hair and blue eyes. He was cute, but nobody can compare to Adam, not even Noah. I did not just think that. "Excuse me, mind if I sit here?" I looked up to be met with the very same face of the woman who’d stolen my lobster. Sandra. "Not at all, go ahead." Brad smiled, making room for the food-thief. How did she get invited? I am so confused. "Thank you. I'm Sandra by the way, a friend of Eleanor's." "I didn't know Eleanor had friends." Brad

laughed as I elbowed his side, he smirked in return. "Why are you here?" I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms over my golden chest. "A friend of a friend of a friend of the cousin of a friend of Noah invited us." She replied. "Great," I muttered just as the music began playing and bridesmaids and groomsmen began walking down the aisle. As soon as the fluff of the white dress could be seen, everyone had stood up, all holding their breaths as a smiling Pure -soon to be Williamsonbegan walking down the aisle. Noah's eyes were glued to her face. I felt a small tinge of jealousy that I had never had a wedding like this. Sure mine was more expensive and stunning, but it was loveless and it hurt to see them so happy together. "She's so pretty." Sandra chimed in as Pure reached the altar and everyone took their seats. I shut my eyes groaning. I shouldn't be feeling like this. I should be happy for them. Stop thinking Eleanor. Don't be a bitch on her wedding day. You and Pure are friends now. STOP IT ELEANOR. I took a deep huff and stood from my seat. I quickly walked out, the fresh evening air calming my senses. "Are you okay?" Those words seemed to be the only things Adam said to me now. Adam's hands were on the shoulders, spinning me to face

him. "Yeah, I just needed some air. I'll be back in a minute." I smiled and turned away from him. "If something is bothering you, you know you can tell me right? I mean, we should be able to tell each other everything." Adam whispered slowly as I felt his heat as he stood behind me and planted a soft kiss on the nape of my neck. I didn't want to be affected but I was. Shivers had run down my spine and I shrugged it away. Remember Eleanor. He's the bad guy. He forced you to wed him. "Come on Eleanor." He whispered, trailing his hand down my arm and grabbing my hand as we walked back inside to watch Noah and Pure kiss in front of the whole church. We had missed most of the ceremony, and only a select group forty people were going to the after party. Pure pulled away, a wide smile reaching ear to ear was plastered, probably permanently, as she and Noah began walking out the doors to quickly head to the after party. "Do you want to go?" Adam's voice played in my ears as he and I walked toward his car. We had completely left Brad behind. And Sandra, thank the good Lord. "Nope." I smiled, popping the P, "We have things to discuss, remember?" A devious smile grew.

Chapter 24: Truth Be Told "We dated, that's all it was." He laid down on the couch in his living room and rested his head on my lap. "Did you love her?" I raised an eyebrow and leaned down to rest my elbows on my lap and my face in my palms. We were sitting face to face now as his lips curled into a delicious smirk. "It's my turn to ask questions." He replied, "So you did." "Eleanor." "Adam," I smirked. "Why did you try to run away from me, and cheat on me after our wedding?" "Wow, I sound like such a horrible person." "Because you are." He smirked this time, lightly kissing the tip of my nose. "Funny." I playfully rolled my eyes and lean back on the couch. "What does she look like?" "Does it matter?" "I want to know." "I was in a bad place. Okay, Eleanor, it shouldn't really matter because we're married now and. . ." I immediately cut him off. "And if you still like her, we could divorce." "Eleanor!" He shouted loudly as he sat up and turned to face me. "What? It was only a suggestion." I bit my lip

consciously as his brown eyes flamed. "You're unbelievable! You. . ." He stopped himself and just stood up and walked out of the living room, heading upstairs. "Good talk," I mumbled and groaned as I leaned back on the couch. I sat there for hours just staring at the ceiling. He occasionally walked past me but never said a word. Maybe I had really done it this time. Now he sat on the opposite couch while he did stuff on his iPad. "Adam I'm sorry. "I said, waiting for his eyes to shift toward me. He didn't, but I continued anyway, "I shouldn't have said that. But I really don't understand why it makes you so angry when I bring it up, couples do it all the time and. . ." "And what? After we divorce will you be going back to casual sex with that asshole that cheated on you?" "Technically we were broken up but no why would I do that?" "At the church, I saw the way he was looking at you." He mumbled. "What? Adam, I didn't even know he was there!" I walked over to his side and sat. He seemed to stiffen up, but finally put the iPad away and wrapped me under his arms, he smelled amazing. He paused for a few seconds, contemplating what he would say and finally began talking again.

"I dated Rachel in college. The typical jock dating a cheerleader type thing right. And I knew she had a gambling problem, but I didn't know how to stop her. She was going through a lot and I just wanted her to be happy. And one day she told me there was a really important party I had to go to and I told her I had to go to visit my family. It was just some excuse because her terms for party usually meant gambling, smoking, and drugs. "I didn't go. But I got a call in the middle of the night from some creepy guy telling me if I didn't come and pick her up they would kill her. At first I thought it was some joke, but it wasn't. When I went to that party, it was like everyone was waiting for me to toss a million dollars in the air and save her. She had told all of them that she had a, and I quote ‘rich boyfriend who could pay all of you what you need.’They said all they wanted from me was four hundred dollars and then they'd give Rachel to me. So, my stupid seventeen year old self gave them the money and got Rachel back." I audibly gasped, but he seemed too focused on the story, staring straight ahead like the next part could almost hurt him. "I told her I couldn't be there for her every time she had a gambling problem. I told her I wasn't some bank she could use whenever. But she said she would pay me back for all of that but the damage was done. I was a pretty huge asshole back

then. And I haven't talked to her since then. I loved her, we had been dating for three years and time after time she would get herself in these kinds of situations and that was not healthy for anyone. I had to break it off, she had cost me almost twenty thousand dollars that I knew she couldn't pay back. And my dad was starting to wonder where the hell all our money was going. I…” "Adam, you don't have to explain it. I understand." I smiled, glad that he was finally opening up to me. "I was at your college graduation you know," a smile melded onto his lips as I raised an eyebrow. I'm pretty sure I would have remembered a hot hunk like him, he had told me before. But the full story, this open Adam is who I wanted to hear it from. "You shook my hand, but you wouldn't look at me. You looked like you'd rather have been anywhere but there." I smiled again recalling the horrible day when all the jealousy of Pure and Noah had engulfed me and the anger toward Christian. "How did I not remember you? You looked so familiar." "You wouldn't look at me, maybe that answers it." He laughed as I bit my lip. "Good point. So how did that lady, your employee's wife, you know that guy that sat next to

you at the conference." He nodded, "How did she know about Rachel." He froze. "Uh. Do you really want to hear this?" "Yes." "After we broke up, she started dating some news reporter guy and she twisted the truth to tell him that I proposed to her but she rejected me and I was still madly in love with her." He smirked. "Dang, what a psychotic bitch." I laughed as Adam laughs along. "She really was." He smirked finally. "My turn now that you know my deepest darkest secrets." "As if!" I laughed. "Yeah? Well, I have an extra toe, speaking of deepest darkest secrets." "Really?" I asked, curious turning my head to look at his foot. "No, I just wanted to see your face." He grinned. "Hilarious." I pushed his side jokingly and stood up. "Well, I have to go. I have a job interview in an hour and I need to get ready." I hadn't remembered until now that they had called me asking me to interview for a job in my dad's place. I mean seriously, why would I need to even be interviewed? "Do you want me to come with you?" He

asked, standing beside me and turning me to face him. "No." I said and began leaning forward to kiss him. I was really feeling things brewing inside me that I had never felt before. And Adam made the entire thing worthwhile. I pecked his lips one last time and pulled away. His hands still remained on my hips as he nodded slightly. "Have fun." He whispered and at that moment I was glad to be the woman married to Adam Carnegie. I was proud to have his trust and I think I love him. But I'm not saying anything until I'm sure. I felt frozen in place as his hands removed themselves from my hips and slide up to my waist. "But you know, I could just blow it off." I bit my lip seductively as he trained his eyes on mine. "If you give me a good enough reason," I whispered. "No, go." He pulled away, regaining his composure and walking into the kitchen. But today, I didn't feel like giving up without a fight. I groaned and stomped behind him. I fiercely grabbed his hand and waited for him to face me. "Adam can we talk?" "Haven't we done enough talking for a day?" He joked, but I would stand my ground. He had just begun to open up with me and joke around with me without my advances that it almost, actually it

really hurt, when he just shut down and walked away. "Why do you always do that?" "What do I always do?" He raised an eyebrow jokingly as his eyes filled with a comforting look. "This, one minute you're opening up to me and the next it's like we're complete strangers." I felt myself breathing heavily, hyperventilating almost. I had never yelled at someone in this way before and it was a rush. It was exhilarating. He didn't say anything, instead, he just stared at me for while. Suddenly, his hands were on my waist and lifting me onto the kitchen island. He pressed his lips against mine as his hands went inside my shirt and trailed along my stomach. I held in a gasp as he removed his lips from mine and began trailing them down my neck. My body was going insane. I didn't know how to react. He slowly replaced his hands with his mouth as I moaned against his hot touch. His mouth moved further up my body as he easily tossed my shirt over my head and began kissing me, his hand groping my thigh. I couldn't breathe for a moment as he brought his lips back to mine. And then he pulled away completely. "Like that?" He smirked, breathless as I hopped off the counter and marched away angrily.

I ran up the stairs quickly and into the hallway of our room. That was a sick joke. "Eleanor." I hadn't heard him walking up stairs but now he stood beside me. "I know that was immature of me and I'm sorry, but I want us to wait for the perfect time." "Then when will it be the perfect time?! Because we've been saying that for almost three months and I hate it!" I yelled as emotions overcome me. My eyes became blurry for no apparent reason as I wiped it all away. Hormones. His hands reached for mine as he pulled them to my side and rubbed my arms. His breathing became slightly shallow as emotions pooled in his deep brown eyes. For a moment, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven as his hands moved from mine to my waist. A nervous smile formed on his lips. "Eleanor. I love you.”

Chapter 25: Sleepless "Eleanor, I love you." His words hit me like a bus; they rang through my ears as I fell, dumbstruck. I continuously stared at him, unable to reply. His brown eyes held me still as I was expecting him to start laughing and telling me it was a joke. "Why?" I finally asked as he bursts into fits of laughter. "What's so funny?" "I tell you that I love you and you ask me why?" He clutched his stomach as he topples over in laughter. I stared at him for a second and couldn't help but smile. He is contagious. After a couple minutes, I grabbed his shoulders and turned him to face me, pleading him to take it back. I don't know how to react. He straightened up and looked directly at me, leaning in beside my ear. "I'm not going to give up until the moment you tell me you love me back." he whispered, his words sent shivers down my spine. Since when was Adam so sexy, so seductive? "Adam, we barely know each other and why the hell could or would anyone ever love me. I'm a freaking slut and you're an amazing guy who deserves so much better. I cheated on you when we first got married and you forgave me for it and I just wanted to say I'm really sorry about that and

you deserve. . ." He interrupted me with a kiss. His lips immediately press over my mouth, preventing me from saying anything else. My breathing became extremely shallow as the feelings attempt to register in my mind. He loves me. And I may be starting to crush on him, but love is too soon. "Eleanor, don't tell me what I deserve. But I don't want you to remember me as the guy who forced you to marry him because I don't want you to think of me that way. So, feelings aside, do you want to start over? All free of choice." His face was so close, his eyes full of so much hope as my heart began racing. I didn't know how to respond. I heaved and looked at our hands, his hand had slid down to my hip and my hands on his, shaking. "Adam. . . I, we, just. . ." I spoke incoherently. My voice sounding foreign to my own ears. "I'm Adam Carnegie. Nice to meet you." He smiled an unbelievably breathtaking smile that sent my heart roaring. "No. I'm not doing this." I was completely frozen with his brown gaze holding me. "Eleanor, " "Adam, after all that's happened, there is no way I could ever start over. And I do have some

degree of feelings for you, but I just don't know. I've been trying to get in your pants since we met," I laughed, sounding more like a choking hyena, "and I don't want to have anything change between us. But if that's what you want, then Hi, I'm Eleanor Carnegie-I mean Hays. Nice to meet you too." His face broke into a wide grin. "So Eleanor, how about I take you out to dinner first before you try getting in my pants again." What. Did. He. Just. Say. I froze now, my mouth moving but no words coming out. I had to think of something equally endearing. "As long as you don't propose," I whispered, my voice shaking as I felt heat explode in my face. What the hell is wrong with me? I'm Eleanor Hays. I don't stutter, I don't get shy, I don't get shaky, and I definitely don't blush. Unless it's in front of Adam. "I'll see you tonight then." He kissed me lightly and left me alone in the hallway. "Adam," I called out to him, but it felt like I was in one of those horrible nightmares where you can't say anything. ¤¤¤ I wore a black dress and a light lip gloss, I had skipped my dad's interview, knowing he would make me start the job next week anyway. Well, tomorrow. Adam and I had spent the whole day apart, and I was cracking by the second. You don't know what you have until it's

gone. And that's exactly how I felt at this moment. A knock on the front door startled me as Adam patiently waited for me to open the door. My heart fell to my feet once I saw him standing there, his arms crossed as he leaned on the wall, looking down. He was wearing nicely fitted jeans and a red sweater. He looked smoking hot, once his eyes landed on mine, a smile split onto his face, butterflies fluttered in my stomach and sent me haywire. I took in a deep breath and attempted to hold eye contact without the need to look away. "Hey." He smiled, reaching for my hand and brushing his lips over my knuckles. The spot tingled as I stepped outside, unable to speak. "Where were you? All day?" I confronted him as the smile never wavered, behind the car, I could see paparazzi lining up all around the gate of his house, seeking a chance to look at Mr. Billionaire Carnegie. "I thought we're acting like a new couple, first date. You know, I don't get the chance to see you until I pick you up." He grinned as we walked to the Lamborghini parked beside the gate. “Adam, this is ridiculous, this isn't what I do on my first dates," I muttered as he looked at me dangerously, his brown eyes darkening. "Then what do you do?" He whispered as flashes of light went off as paparazzi snapped photos of us. I felt flushed.

Without a second thought, I had wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed our lips together, mangling and wishing we could get even closer. His mouth moved from mine to my neck as I gasped. He pulled away, a huge smirk on his face as he held up a picture in the magazine of the first time the paparazzi snapped us in public. And a second. The first was his proposal and the second was on the day of Jase's funeral, my yellow dress, and his perfect face. I teared up a little but walked into the passenger seat anyway. "So, where are we going?" "It's a surprise." I turned his face toward mine before the car started. We kissed, kissed for almost twenty minutes while reporters and paparazzi snapped photos of us. ¤¤¤ Overwhelmed. I felt absolutely overwhelmed, these feelings, these thoughts, and most importantly, the annoying mariachi band following us around. Adam took us to an oddly small restaurant while I had been expecting some magnificently marvelous place with three chandeliers and glass walls everywhere, but I was thankfully mistaken. "I used to come here all the time before my dad got rich." He said, taking a sip from his orange Fanta soda. I eyed the disgusting drink but didn't

say anything about it. "What do you mean before your dad got rich? Weren't the Carnegie's always the wealthiest family?" I didn't know why he had taken us here, it looked like it belonged in the nineteenth century, but now that I think about it, there are no paparazzi here. Which is quite odd. And it's even better because it has sentimental value. "When my grandpa died, he gave the money to my uncle Marcus, that was just a thing, to keep passing the money to the oldest son, but uncle Marcus died when he was twenty-five and naturally the money got passed to the next Carnegie brother who happened to be my Dad." There were a lot of things I have yet to understand about Adam Carnegie. Like why the heck he drinks orange Fanta? "How did uncle Marcus die?" "He had some rare disease called akinetopsia where he saw things that would… I'm trying to think of the best way to tell you. Like he would see his hand pouring coffee into a mug and the next thing he would see is the mug being full and being burnt by coffee so he was kind of blind in a way because he would rather not see at all then see in shots. But I never found out the real reason he died, it could've been an aneurysm because he had a lot of problems with his brain." I was kind of speechless after he said that.

"For a business guy, you know a lot of science." "For a blond." He began, but quickly caught himself, "Beauty and brains, how did I get so lucky with you?" "Nice save," I smirked, slightly shaking my head as he laughed. "So are we doing the Eleanor tradition for our first date?" He winked and again his references sank my heart to my feet and right back up to my throat. "How about we keep it the Adam way?" "That-a-girl." He laughed, hugging me close and kissing my forehead. "Kidding, I'm so down. Right here. Right now." I whispered, listening to our hearts pound rapidly. "As you wish.”

Chapter 26: Eleanor’s Way He threw me onto the bed as we hungrily kissed. I leaned into him as he trailed his lips down my neck. I arched my back and wrapped my arms around his neck. Within seconds, his shirt was off and tossed randomly across the floor. I reached for the belt buckle on his pants, but he suddenly stopped, staring right in the eye with his brown ones and willing me to stop. When you want to say no, but your heart's saying yes. I immediately thought as I pulled him closer and began kissing him. "Okay." He breathed finally, tossing off his shoes and putting a knee between my legs. We were lying on the bed now, not even a centimeter of space between us and at the moment I thought he would finally give in; he stopped. I muttered curses under my breath as he stood up and walked away, without another word. Who the hell tells someone they love them and makes out with them and then just leaves them. I'll tell you who? The properly insane maniac I married. "Adam." I quietly say, following behind him. He walked down the stairs of his mansion silently and stiffened in place. What the hell? "Adam," I said again, cautiously stepping

towards him as he remained planted to the floor. "Shit." I heard him say. Did he just curse? Adam never curses? What the heck? Did some bug get into him and infect him. Maybe he is bipolar. Yup, that's it. He is definitely bipolar. "Adam. Talk to me." I murmured, placing a hand softly on his shoulder. He turned around slowly and met me with his beautiful warm brown eyes. Except, they were no longer warm. A darkness had surrounded his every feature as he seemed to be glaring at me now. "I have to go for a while. . . I won't be back until next month." He said with a mournful look in his eye," but that wasn't what I was going to say?" "What were you going to say then?" His face turned into a scowl, an angry glint in his eye. "We will talk later Eleanor. I have to leave tonight." "Just tell me!" I whined somewhat annoyed. He looked at me for a few seconds, his eyes unmoving from my face as he contemplated whether to tell me something or not. Just spit it out for goodness sake! I was so confused. I wish he would just tell me what he was feeling and why this randomly came up moments before we were finally going to do it. "I. . . Can I trust you, Eleanor? Because I feel like I truly can't. I feel like if I turn my back for a second then you will just go to your old habits of

finding some guy for something as stupid as sex. It's all about sex with you. It's like you're a fucking robot who doesn't take much persuasion to be controlled. It's fucking crazy and I have to put myself out there for you to actually pay attention to me when you're not around with some strangers who just so happen to be extremely into you. "You don't understand what you mean to me and how much it hurts to see you like this." He said, his tone slightly louder than normal. Since when did he start cussing? Most girls would just ignore what he'd said and be for his beautiful forgiveness, but not me. I went to Stanford to become a lawyer. My dad owns a law firm, there is no way in hell I could just stay silent. I crossed my arms tightly and pursed my lips. I did realize that all he was saying was because he cared about me. But he should have reworded it and said it nicer. I can't stay silent for another second as I stare at his chocolate pools for eyes. "See me like what Adam? Because last time I checked, I didn't ask to get married. I didn't even know you. Hell, I didn't even love you and why the hell would you marry me? Me of all people if you think I'm so bad then why do it!" I felt tears streak down my cheeks. "You wouldn't understand." His eyes grew sad and hesitant as he held back any more words. He shook his head and turned around to walk away.

But I wouldn't have it. How dare he think he can have the last word!? "Wouldn't understand what?!" I rushed in front of him, anger boiling inside me as I grabbed his arm and spun him to face me, "that you're some spoiled rich guy that just gets whatever the hell he wants. Oh, I'm Adam I want to marry Eleanor. Let's do it and I don't care what she thinks. You're a freaking hypocrite! Why marry me if you can't stand me? If I'm such a slut to you then what the heck is wrong with you!" I shouted at him as his expression grew bland and he held my gaze. I had walked in front of him now, blocking his way to the door. "This, Eleanor," He muttered harshly, stepping closer until I was pushed against the door, "is the only thing you want out of a relationship. It's not normal." He hissed, tilting his head down slightly and holding my gaze as his hand reached for the doorknob and unlocked the door. I stood there completely speechless as he walked out of his house and onto the beautiful world outside. What a horrible human being. It's like one minute he's good and the very next minute he's bad. Are all men like that? Where the hell was he keeping all these frustrations and emotions bottled inside him and why? I had spent the last three months with him. Sure I cheated on him maybe

once or twice but that was all in the past and I had just wanted to get back at him for all the horrible days he caused me. The wedding was beautiful though. I just don't recall any other details besides my scheming anger. I groaned loudly and fell onto the ground crying loudly. Why would he say that stuff to me? Why does it bother me so much? Everything was going well not even twenty minutes ago.That's it. I bet he is bipolar and he needs to see a doctor. I wiped away at the tears on my face and clasped the door handle rightly bringing myself up. I walked back to the messy bed where we had just been moments ago and walk into the bed frame, my face falling into the bedsheets. I cried for hours until my eyes hurt and I couldn't cry anymore. I sat up in bed and stared at my phone for a couple more hours, expecting the screen to actually change or do something. Most of all, I was hoping Adam would send me a long apology or maybe Pure and Noah would call. Nobody. I was all alone. And there was usually only one person I liked to talk to when I was all alone and upset but he was dead. ¤¤¤ "Take this oath and you'll become stronger than anything. So I will say clean and you rub a

dish. Understand? Then we can talk while we clean." "Mattea. I don't want to clean." I groaned, staring at the skinny young maid who was probably actually forty-five but didn't look a day older than twenty. Why would Adam marry me when he has maids that look like Mattea around. She rolled her eyes, she only came a few days out of the week and this week she would only be here today. I know I haven't talked much about her or to her. But that is because I am a selfish brat and I only talk to her when I have a problem. "Okay, no cleaning no advice." She smirked wickedly. Having clearly had experience with relationships that revolved around something stupid like love. Love is stupid. In Greek mythology, the god of love is named Eros. He is ugly and overused and usually, all his relationships end in failure. He's like the cupid of the Greeks. Eros is a piece of trash and I hate him. I glared at the wet plate that she had handed me and groaned as I rubbed a towel on it. I've never had to work a day in my life. My parents paid for everything and it was a gift and a curse. A gift that we had no financial problems but a curse because it made me greedy. I craved more and more and when it came to

no avail. I gave up. And decided that college was pointless but nevertheless did it. Why? Because I can. I glared at Mattea as we rubbed the dishes, well I did while she washed them. I silently stood beside her as she finished the last dish and handed it to me. "Just give him space Eleanor," She began but I cut her off immediately. "He doesn't want space! He wants me to not cheat on him and I haven't for over two months. I only did it because I was mad that he forced me into this forever sacred crap and right after I found out my boyfriend, well ex, had probably been cheating on me the entire time. I know I act like a. . . a whore, but it's not my fault that my parents were always working and I was always alone with my. . . brother." My voice cracked as I left the room immediately. I just needed to calm down, have another good cry, and get back on my feet to get Adam to trust me and not think of me as some sex addict. Yeah. That's what I will do.

Chapter 27: Yours and Mine I sat at the café staring into silent brown eyes. "Why did you bring me here?" Christian asked, crossing his arms impatiently. I pursed my lips, contemplating whether this was actually a good idea. Probably not. I stared at him silently as he looked right into my sparkling blue eyes. "I'm pregnant," I said at last as he began uncontrollably choking on his saliva. "What?" He asked, having almost fallen off his seat. "Is it mine?" He whispered cautiously as a wide smile spread across my face. "Could be." I grinned again, watching him squirm under my little white lie. At least now he was showing me some sort of emotion. His eyes flew to my flat stomach. "Come on, you're a freaking medical student, you would know a baby bump wouldn't be there just after two months." "Two months? That's when you married that… rich guy." He closed his mouth for a moment longer, silent. "It's not mine then." He whispered, almost to himself. "It is." I continued my cruel joke. "So you brought me here to tell me this because. . .?" He raised an eyebrow, crossing and uncrossing his arms uncomfortably over and over.

The silence was as thick as the elephant in the room. "Because I'm only joking. Look, I just need your help on something you probably know absolutely nothing about. . .which is why. Actually, I don't know why I'm even asking you for help. . ." I tapped my chin with my index finger as I could see the anger beginning to boil in his dark brown eyes. "What the hell. Eleanor, it's not funny." He yelled, having the people in the small coffee shop turn their heads to look. "I actually thought you were going to have my kid!" He shouted loudly, some people's heads turned. I hoped there weren't any news reporters here. "Look, you know Adam right?" "No. I don't know Adam." "Well, you've met him right?" I impatiently burst a bit then regained my composure. "Yes." He said through gritted teeth. I stared solemnly at him as his chair made a loud noise while he scooted backward and away from the small coffee table. He began to stand up and walk away, so I grabbed his hand and pulled him down. "Look, I really, really like Adam, and I just need some advice." I smiled kindly, waiting for him to start advising me on how to win Adam's heart. Instead, I got quite the opposite. I glanced once at his hopeful eyes and the next thing I knew, he was

storming out of the small café, steam blowing out of his ears. I rolled my eyes, groaning slightly and ran behind him. "What the hell are you doing?" I yelled at him as he quickly turned around. His brown eyes filled with a revolting expression. "Not you anymore." He waved me off and continued walking away. "Funny. . ." My voice shrunk as he approached his car. "Chris wait!" I rushed quickly behind him in my heels until he came to a stop, crossing his arms again. "What?" he furrowed his eyebrows and begins his search for his car key. Which was in his pocket. A devious smile spreads across my face as I realize my last resort plan would work effectively. I lightly tapped the keys in my back pocket and smirk dubiously. I cross my arms, smirking as I watched him dig through his pockets. At his final realization, I step forward and place my thumb on his chin, slowly pulling his face up to look at me. "I need your help," I said, leaning forward and emphasizing every word. He was the only one around. Noah and Pure were on their honeymoon and Brad had flown back to Florida and I couldn't tell my parents my marriage had started to be okay then turned into a total disaster with a very

confusing man that just left. "Why? So you can flaunt that you're happily married. To your ex-boyfriend? Because I would rather not help you get together with him." He spits out the word as though it were poison on his tongue. "Eleanor," his voice softens as he wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me closer than I have been with a guy in the past few weeks since Adam's sudden disappearance from my life. I'd hoped he would come back soon, but it no longer seemed like a possibility. I felt something hit my lower stomach and feel a huge gulp in my throat. "You feel that? It's for you." He whispers, leaning forward. Aw shit. "Stop. Okay, that might have worked on me before, but not anymore. I don't even know why I even came to you for help. You know nothing about relationships or love or anything for that matter!" I push off of him, feeling disgusted by his touch for the first time ever, "I hope you die alone." I mutter, stomping away, my high heels creating loud clanking sounds against the pavement. "Eleanor wait. . ." His voice could be heard from a few feet away, but I chose to ignore it. His hand grabs my shoulder and spins me around. "What? Christian, you should know that I'm married now and I don't have time to play games with you." I said at the same time he asked for his

keys. Oops. "You thought I was just playing games with you?" He raised a dark eyebrow as his eyes filled with concern. "Oh come on, don't play stupid with me. You literally spent all of high school trying to make me jealous especially our last year, when I thought you had matured: you spent your time playing around with Pure Bliss. Well, Pure Williamson now because you showed her that you were the lowest a man can sink and. . ." "I never!" He feigned pain as he clenched his fists and unclenched them over and over again. "You were playing me the whole time. On graduation, after we broke up, I was going to your apartment to try to apologize, take you back and tell you I needed your help. I needed you, but instead, as soon as I knocked on that door, I found you half naked with a slut sitting on the couch I bought you last year! You're a sad excuse for a man and I freaking hate you so much. When I actually try to be your friend again and ask for help you won't even do it. You told me that. . ." My words were cut short by the pressure of his lips on mine. My eyes widened immediately and I feel myself about to give in, to kiss him back. But I couldn't, Adam's pestering voice persisted in my mind. I bit Christian's lip, hard, and pulled away,

stumbling backward as his arm came around my waist to steady me. "That was hot." He whispered, pulling me into him, ignoring his bleeding lip. "I am married!" I hissed, slapping his hand away from me and walking away. I pushed him sharply and stomped on his foot. "Come on Eleanor, you can't say you didn't like it." He smirked casually and stepped backward, it's at that moment that I realize something that I should have realized sooner. Christian Anderson is a sex addict. How am I supposed to tell this to Adam? He already doesn't trust me. Oh dear. "Get the hell away from me!" I shouted, loud enough for the security guard outside to café to hear and approach us. I slapped him across the face, anger boiling inside me. "Doesn't make sense that you were going to apologize and then got married the very next day! Who was cheating on who now?!" He growled, holding his hand up to his cheek. "Maybe I made a rash decision, married the first man I met so I wouldn't have to deal with your problems!" I spat back. "Next time you need advice on your shit, don't ask me." He scoffed and snatched his car keys from the back pocket of my jeans. I thought he could be a halfway decent person if we could be

friends. I guess I was wrong. Why didn't I just ask Brad for advice? Because he has never been in a relationship and Pure and Noah are busy on their honeymoon. I groaned, wiping angrily at my lips and heading towards my car. More things I have to tell Adam. I need to see him. I needed him to trust me, but after today, I realize that I have nobody and that I really, really need Adam. Guilt consumed me and I, again, wished I could go the six feet under with my brother. ¤¤¤ "Thank you for calling Carnegie Hall. Our lines are busy at this time and we will return your call as soon as we can. Please leave your name and phone number as well as the reason for your call after the beep." The voice said as I groaned inwardly, lying deeper into the bed sheets. I shut my eyes as the beep rung and I remained silent. I hung up. "Mrs. Carnegie, I don't believe this is good for your health, you've called them over fifteen times, have you considered that they may be closed?" Mattea walks into the bedroom with her apron on and a bowl of soup in her hand. "It's only midnight," I muttered as Mattea began to laugh. "Only." she scoffed gently, "I only stayed tonight for you, I'm going to need tomorrow off."

Mattea pointed out, "I hope you're feeling better but I have to get home now." She puts the bowl of soup onto the table beside the bed and left, shutting the door after her. I was alone. Completely alone. I groaned loudly, jumping up and down on the bed, wishing Adam could be here. I begin trying to do flips and for the next thirty minutes, it's all that I did, my mind was empty. After I'm all gross and sweaty from all the jumping, I sunk into Adam's side of the bed, taking in the all too familiar scent. It has only been a couple weeks, but I missed him already. Too much. He changed me. In the greatest way, a person can be changed. He made me realize that a relationship isn't just about sex and love, it is so much more. I like him, maybe borderline love him, but it's sad to say I don't know what love feels like. "So this is what you're going to do the whole time I'm gone?" He walked into the room, a tense smile on his face as my heart began to race. My eyes watered at the sight of him and even though I'm exhausted from all the jumping, I rushed toward him, hopping off the bed. "I missed you so much!" I jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly and never wanting to let go. "I'm sorry Eleanor." He whispered, kissing

the side of my head beside my ear. I shut my eyes, a feeling of happiness overwhelming me. "It's okay. It's okay." I whispered into his shoulder, tears brimming my eyes as I hug him tightly. Is this even real? Am I dreaming? I have never been so happy to see someone before, well until now.

Chapter 28: Emotional Being My eyes opened of their own accord as I felt around the empty bed. He was still gone. Probably for the next month whereas I have to start speaking with my dad about my business degree. My dream of being a chef was still very much alive, well slowly simmering down though. I braced myself for a day alone and slowly turned on my side. I didn't want to get up and meet my dad, but I had to. The mansion was empty. No chauffeurs, no maids, nobody but me and the giant rooms. I had sent them away because I truly needed space and absolute silence. The last two weeks were the toughest I've ever faced. I took it upon myself to explore the place when I get out of bed. I quickly showered and walked into the giant closet. It smelled like Adam. I put on the yellow dress, the one Adam had chosen, the one I had worn to Jase's funeral and smiled at my reflection before taking it off and wearing jeans and a sweater. By now it was probably mid- September. Three months after my wedding and our relationship was still very shaky. Our relationship. I think I've finally accepted the fact that we might be friends now. I decided not to wear any makeup. Who cares, who have I got to impress besides Adam. I grabbed my phone from off the bedside

table. The first thing I noticed were the messages from Brad and Pure. A dozen emails popped up on my screen. Check the news! I frantically searched my name on google. I wanted to tear down every news reporting company in town. What a load of assholes. There was a picture of me and Christian inside the café. Another of him kissing me and a final one of me slapping his hand away. The title was what got to me worst of all. Eleanor Carnegie: The Cheat I scrolled down to read whatever lie was written about me on the internet. I wasn't really sure if I even wanted to read this. I was so done with the fake news and news reporters anyway. While some of you may hate Eleanor Hays, we here at L&L publishing do not. Before this story gets twisted, we would like to let you all know that Eleanor was only out to see a friend. A very touchy friend who she didn't seem to mind kissing whereas poor old Adam was nowhere in sight. Have they divorced? Thank the lord, has he left her yet? We here at L&L publishing have come to the conclusion that she was out again living the single life without Adam. Sure, no problem when you're stinking rich. We just hope he comes to his senses and finds a girl who ISN'T

a prostitute. I tossed my phone aside angrily. I didn't care anymore. I didn't want to read the rest. Adam knew I was messed up and so did I, there was no point in trying to prove myself innocent when I was so clearly guilty. I sat on the bed once again, maybe I should stay in today too. Lay low from the paparazzi. I reached for my phone to call my dad and inform him of my revelation. But just as I was about to call, my screen flashed with the name of Adam Carnegie. I felt a sinking feeling before deciding to pick up and explain before he went wild. "Hey, babe." I heard him say, I was astonished at how calm he sounded. "Listen, Adam, if you haven't heard anything on the news yet, I would like you to hear from me first." "Eleanor, your excuses are making it really hard for me to trust you. I love you and you know that, but. . ." He began but I cut him off. "That's the thing! I had nobody to talk to and I needed some advice on how to have you trust me again. I couldn't talk to Pure and Noah because they are on their honeymoon and Brad is in another state. Mattea took a break today and I didn't even have you to talk to about how sorry I am. Please forgive me, Adam. I slapped him, I didn't kiss him

back. I just wanted you to know that. I can't even fathom the… where are you?" The line remained silent for a few minutes. I heard a couple murmurs in the background. "Eleanor, sweetheart, I have to go. I will call you in a few hours. Good luck with your first day of work. I love you." He hung up. I felt so… disgusting. I felt like I just didn't matter anymore. I felt like the clingy girlfriend. But I knew what I would do about it. I was going M.I.A for the next month and nobody could stop me. I called my dad and told him I was feeling sick and won't be going to work today. He asked me if I was pregnant. If only. Anything would be better than feeling like this. I said no and hung up. I decided on going to the spa. By myself. With nobody else. ¤¤¤ "I can't do this," I mumbled, drowning my sorrow in buffalo wings as the spa people were giving me a pedicure. "It's okay Mrs. Carnegie." The lady said, adding stuff to my feet. You've shown interest in Carnegie Google attached to a new news article for me to read. No thank you. "I just don't understand why he doesn't trust me. And he barely told me he loved me. And I keep thinking, why the hell would he love me. Everyone

keeps calling me a cheating slut, but I didn't choose to do anything. Maybe at first, but not anymore. I think I actually like him now." I ranted to the pedicurist if that's even what you call them. "It's okay." She said, clearly annoyed by my venting. Maybe I shouldn't be telling a total stranger about my problems, but it is highly unlikely that I will ever see her again. "I mean, maybe he is just busy and had some important business to do. But for a whole month, you would think he would at least say something. He should have at least told me what he was doing. Or where he is? It's not like I would have followed him. Maybe he needed space from me because I am too clingy. Am I too clingy? I never thought about myself that way. Oh gosh, do you think that he thinks I'm too clingy?" I felt like I was being torn a million ways apart. "It's okay." The girl said again, not even looking up to acknowledge me this time. "But, the last thing he said to me was that he didn't trust me. Maybe that means he is too clingy. And can you believe he won't even have sex with me? Like we have been married for over three months and all we have done is kiss. I am beginning to think he is impotent or something!" "Enough!" The girl said, "you are giving me a headache!" I raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'm not just

paying you to do my feet!" I complained, crossing my legs and splashing water all over her. "Look, you need to calm down. Your damn husband probably doesn't trust you cause all you fucking talk about it sex. He doesn't trust you cause you freaking cheated twice, Eleanor Carnegie. And you know what, I wanted to keep quiet but I thought he looked a million times happier with Rachel. She wasn't as big a drama queen as you!" She exclaimed, wiping the dirty water off of her shirt and huffing away. "At least finish!" I shouted as she disappeared behind a door. I sat impatiently waiting until another girl came up to me and asked me to leave. "Okay sure, but if you knew who I am then I would suggest you not ask again unless you want to be out of business." "I am asking you calmly, or I will get security." "You get security then, and we will see if this place stays in business." I threatened as a sort of fear filled her eyes. "Who do you think you are?" Her short Mexican self sassily stared at me with her arms crossed. "I think that I am Eleanor Carnegie. And I think I'm the wife of Adam Carnegie, the heir to Carnegie Hall, you know, a trillion-dollar law firm.

Oh, and I also think that if someone doesn't hurry up and wipe my damn feet you all will need to find some new damn jobs!" I announced as the girl quickly grabbed a towel. "I am sorry Mrs. Carnegie." She said, "Please, I need this job to feed my twelve children." "You can keep it if you fire the bitch that was working on me earlier." "That bitch is my daughter." Steam seemed to erupt from her ears as she finished wiping my feet and putting my socks on and shoes. "How cute, a family business. Well, you know what, if she isn't gone within a few minutes, you all will have a lawsuit to deal with." I snobbishly said. Empty threats, there was no way I could do half the things I said. But a prominent name and a whole lot of confidence will get them to believe anything. "Amy!" The lady yelled as her daughter walked out with a new shirt on. "You're fired." The mom said. I knew this wasn't legit, I knew she would rehire her daughter as soon as I left. It just felt right hurting people as much as I felt hurt. I'm a bully. "Farewell then." I smirked,"have a wonderful day, this was fun." I waved at them and left four-hundred dollars on their counter. Threehundred and sixty dollars more than they charged.

Hopefully, they aren't mad at me. Or they will think I'm a dumb blond that confuses forty dollars with four-hundred. Who cares. I walked out onto the cold New Jersey streets, in desperate need of a heavier sweater. I walked into the boutique beside the nail salon and purchased one. I then walked to the coffee shop across the street, the clouds allowed water to begin drizzling and I rushed inside the warmth of the coffee shop. I don't drink coffee. It makes my teeth yellow and fattens me up so I would really rather avoid it. I took a seat in one of the small cozy booths. It was blazing hot in here. "Hey, welcome to Stella Luna, do you want to order anything." Before meeting Adam, I would have made sure to not leave the coffee shop without this hot waiter's number, but now, I just wanted to sit here and wait till the rain dissipated. "No thanks." I looked up at his green eyes, he resembled Stephen Curry. He was cute. "Is something wrong?" He sat down beside me. I looked at him, he looked like he was still in high school. Was he trying to hit on me? I casually tossed my hand around, making sure he caught a glimpse of the giant shiny rock I was wearing. "Holy shit!" He shouted, "You're Eleanor Carnegie! I knew you looked familiar. Can I get

your autograph?" He seemed so excited, I had never been asked for an autograph before, this felt weird. "Um. Sure." I said, not making eye contact. I signed a napkin he tossed to me and went back to staring at my nails. He looked at me silently, probably in disbelief at what he was seeing. The Eleanor Carnegie, nothing special. "I don't understand why everyone is calling you all those names. . ." He continued. I didn't reply. "Look, if you want anything, it's on the house, also, where is your husband?" I couldn't answer that. I didn't know either. "I don't know." "Oh, I get it, it's a secret. Don't worry, I can keep secrets. " This kid seemed so optimistic about life. He was just so excited and happy that it made me wish I could feel that way. "How about I buy you a drink, considering how you've been working all day and I am not thirsty." "Wow. You're so beautiful too. Adam is so lucky." He voiced his thoughts, "I mean yes, that would be nice." He blushed. I smiled at the kid and handed him a fifty dollar bill. "Whoa, you can buy every drink on the menu with that." "Or you could keep it and have a great day

kid," I said, getting up to leave the coffee shop, making way to walk home. I looked outside the door just as I realized that there were cameras everywhere capturing the whole ordeal. Great. I could practically see tomorrow's headline: Eleanor Carnegie pays a teenager to keep quiet about sex. These people were sick, twisting things into lies and selling it for profit. Even though nothing of that sort happened, the news twists everything. "There's a back exit, I don't think they know you were here. Cover your hair and it's behind the frozen yogurt machine in the back. Take my apron and pretend you work here." The kid said, he handed me his apron with a wide smile on his face. "Thank you." I smiled, he reminded me of Jase. He was such a kind boy and so helpful and came up with plans almost instantly. Just like Jase. I snuck out into the back which happened to be a dark rainy alleyway. I didn't know my way home from here so I used the GPS on my phone. Adam Carnegie Spotted Outside of Hospital with Rachel Cunning The article popped up. My heart stopped, was this actually something I wanted to read. He left me, saying he couldn't trust me, to meet up with his ex-girlfriend in god knows where. I felt tears sting my eyes, melding with the cold rain. Maybe I shouldn't assume things. The

paparazzi always created lies and maybe this was one of them. There was no picture for proof and surely he might have gone to help her with something. Or maybe that was someone who looked like Adam. I quickly skimmed past the other news articles on the Carnegie family, which were mostly about me sadly, and changed the tab to my GPS home. To sleep. Tomorrow I would fly out to California to start my first day of work. Maybe I can just forget Adam and pretend he doesn't exist for the next two years. Well, one year and nine months now. We can live together but keep everyone platonic and who cares about sex anyway. I will just stay holy for the next two years.

Chapter 29: Absolutely Uncertain I have never liked working in business. But as soon as my flight landed in California and as soon as my cab driver arrived to pick me up, I was gone. Hopefully to be gone missing for the next few days. I never had a chance to be alone. To explore. And maybe this time if I end up at Pure and Noah's home in some random act of nature, Adam will show up and take me away again like the moment before our wedding. "Hi dad." I said, "I can't come today either, but I promise I will actually come to work tomorrow or drop by later today." I said. "Eleanor, you can't keep being so irresponsible. I have given you your time after your wedding and it's been a whole month after Jase's death, I don't understand why you keep putting it off. Is anything going wrong with your relationship with Adam? Because if something is, I suggest you suck it up and deal with this matter because you have two years left with this man." "I'm fine." Biggest lie told in history. "And it's actually just a year and nine months." "Actually. . ." he paused, " I have this new plan set and if it works, you'll be out of these bounds in only eight months, but if it doesn't, you may be stuck for three more years." I hesitated. I

didn't care anymore. The only reason I wanted to be out of this marriage was because I needed something to talk about. My parents still think I'm mad at them for setting me up with Adam when in actuality he is the best thing to ever happen to me. And because I missed Adam so deeply that it actually hurt to think about him. "That's fine dad. See you tomorrow." I said. "That's suspicious, since when did. . ." He began but I cut him off, if he doesn't want me to be nice, I may as well be snarky and stuck-up like he raised me to be. "Did I not care about you interfering and messing up my life repeatedly? Well I guess you could say I am sick of it. And way over it actually. Bye dad." I hung up. What to do. What to do. I could call Adam. Or I could find something else to do. The latter sounds better than the former. I walked around the LAX airport for a couple minutes before getting into a cab. "Where to Miss?" "Surprise me." ¤¤¤ I ended up outside of a homeless shelter. The poor cab driver must have thought I was homeless. I paid him over seventy-five dollars over an hourlong ride. It was probably near his home too. "Miss, if you need a place to stay, I am sure

my family would be fine with it. But if you would rather stay here, that's fine as well." He smiled kindly. "Um. I think I will just go here. But that's a very sweet offer." I smiled, stepping out of the cab and walking toward the homeless shelter. I've decided to start calling the paparazzi Pops because they literally keep popping up out of nowhere. I had not seen them at first until I entered into the shelter and decided that I wanted to do something kind today. I walked in and immediately several of them seemed to recognize me. "Eleanor Carnegie. What are you doing here? The television says that you're in Jersey supposedly cheating on Adam Carnegie." One older woman said, a smile on her face. "I want to help out." I said, shaking her hand and handing her a twenty. I felt in the giving spirit today even though it was nowhere near Christmas. "Wow, thank you so much." She grinned, hugging me. I felt somewhat icky, I didn't know if there were showers at the homeless shelter. "Excuse me. Who are. . . Eleanor Carnegie! What on earth are you doing here?" With all these people recognizing me, you would have thought that I married a prince or something like that. Yeah, or something like that is right. "I actually wanted to help out, are you the

owner?" I asked, shaking his hand. "Yes actually, could I get a picture with you?" He asked. I felt resistant because if a picture of me got put online, I knew there would be reporters trying to hit their next big story on me. And there were already plenty. "Sure." I finally obliged, a warm smile on my face as he pulled out his smart phone and took our selfie. "Thank you so much!" He shook my hand, he was short, maybe five two' so I had to slightly bend down to shake his hand. "So what brought you here? I mean, you could be anywhere right now, you can go around and talk to people, maybe even help the kitchen staff. "Thanks." I smiled, walking around the area. Everyone seemed in need of some help. So why not give it to them. I went to a particular little girl who appeared to be eight and was sitting in a corner alone. I was confused at first because this place was for older homeless people, not a young girl who should be in foster care. "Hi." I smiled. "What the hell do you want?" She crossed her arms, she reminded me of myself in so many ways. "Are you hungry?" I smirked. "Who's asking?" She muttered, I wanted to laugh. "Stop smiling at me."

"I'm Eleanor. Nice to meet you too." Her eyes suddenly grew wide like she had just seen a ghost. "Eleanor Carnegie?" It looked so difficult for her to contain her excitement. Broke you. "Who's asking?" I smirked mimicking her. If my baby sister had lived all those years ago, I could picture her being like this. "Oh my gosh! It is you! You are so so lucky!" She squealed, "And you're so pretty too!" Aw, how sweet. Her hard exterior dissipated quickly. "Thank you." I smiled. "Mrs. Carnegie!" A voice yelled as I turned around to have a dozen flashing lights smack me in the face. "You should see tomorrow's paper, rich snob feeling guilty!" "Nice one Billy, I was thinking more of Spoiled Cheat gives back!" Another guy said. "Eleanor, what are you doing in California?" Other reporters asked as I stared blankly at the cameras. I felt somewhat light headed. I stared at them until everyone dropped their cameras. "What's wrong with her Matt?" Another guy asked in a heavy New Jersey accent. I continued to give them my blank look until it got awkward enough to where I could walk away. I walked right

between the hoards of people and just as I was about to reach the exit, a hand grabbed my arm. I turned around and slapped the face of whomever touched me. I don't want to be touched. I don't want to be near people. This was a stupid idea. I ignored the outrage that broke out almost instantly and continued to the front desk. I deposited a check for ten-thousand dollars, hopefully my small donation will help some of these people out. And began walking down the street with eyes staring at me from all corners. But I didn't care. ¤¤¤ "I know how to start a computer dad, I don't live in the middle ages." I groaned as he made it his duty to take over my work station. I walked in this morning after a lonely night at a motel and acknowledged my parents before walking straight to the elevator and heading to my work station. I knew where I was because they forced me into an internship in high school and some paid work during college. It really showed me how much I hated law and business and all those sorts of things and it definitely confirmed my fear of becoming a business owner. "Well, let me show you to how to connect to the printer then." Dad said. He just wouldn't go away, it was as though I were the prodigal daughter

who returned to serve them. I was their only living heir now that. . . I would really rather not think about it. I felt awful for even thinking about it. "Dad." I raised an eyebrow. "Fine. I will back off." he chuckled, "but just know, my office is down the hall so if you need anything. . ." "Yeah actually." I considered whether to tell him this or not, my father nor mother had ever seen me cry besides at Jase's funeral when the knell had rung so loudly that it startled me. And Adam. I hadn't spoken to him for over two weeks now which was strange and it felt so odd considering how we had been attached the hip for the last three months. And then he disappeared with the most recent trace of him being in a hospital with his money-craving, gambling-addicted, stupid exgirlfriend. Has he told her he has a wife? She should know though by now, the rest of the world does. "Nevermind." I smiled. Dad raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he left the cubicle and me to myself. I stared at the computer screen. It definitely needed an update. It was from the early 2000s and it had that fat screen that had a bubble and horrible quality picture. Puty vs. Lane I scanned the online file for anything

interesting. After a few moments, I got bored and walked out to my dad's office. "I am going to go buy some food, do you want anything." "But you just got here Eleanor?!" He seemed disappointed. But that's all that I am anyway. A disappointment. To everyone, even my own husband. He held the same look on his face as he had seven years ago, during my sophomore year of high school when he walked into my room to tell me that my family was going to the movie theater but instead found me in bed with Christian. "Please be back in under an hour or I will have to fire you. I know it's been a hard time and now that Adam has deserted you, but I think you should still be a responsible young lady and…” Before he could continue his long obnoxious lecture. I was already out of the office and into the elevator. Before I knew it, I was in a taxi going to some random nearby hotel with internet so I could buy an airplane ticket home. I actually wanted to try to pursue a job as a chef, not be bored all the time to please my parents. Jase could have been the one to be put under all this pressure of running Hays Law firm, even while he was in medical school, but he is in a way better place. I hoped. I stared out the window as tree after tree

passed by and I realized how boring my life was without Adam now. But do I really need a man to be happy? Can't I be an independent woman?

Chapter 30: The Poison Inside Me It has been two months, two damn months since I last saw Adam. Not just the one month Adam had promised me, but two. And we haven't talked at all since two weeks after the day he left. They do say distance makes the heart grow fonder. But this kind of distance felt horrible. I had been married for five months and haven't even begun to enjoy it. Up until now, I hadn't realized how perfect Adam actually was. Not just his body, but also his personality. He never makes mistakes, he never wrongs anyone. He never does anything bad. Which is why I am seriously reconsidering his perfection right now as I watch him pound his fist into Christian Anderson's face on national television. I was completely shocked. That was so out of character for him. He always seemed so calm and thought through everything before he made any rash decisions. But this one seemed so unplanned that it happened on T.V. I watched in fear, staring at his perfect body, wearing a fitted blue t-shirt and jeans and repeatedly punching bruises onto Christians face. "Fucking asshole!" He yelled as Christian lay on the ground, too beaten up to fight back. I stared in shock, my heart rate rising quickly as I stared at the body I had been so obsessed with for many

years lying unconscious on the ground. It hurt me. Just a little. If I must admit. I lived in Adam's bed. I haven't moved from this house in New Jersey since I was in California. I even began cooking, with the help of Mattea of course. I got so bored that I got into gardening, crocheting, and even reading. Something I had no interest in doing before I had all this free time. I stayed away from social media and the internet and any news article. I didn't care anymore. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep on the unmade bed I had just woken up from. ¤¤¤ "Eleanor. Eleanor. Eleanor! Wake up!" I slowly opened my eyes, one at a time. I couldn't believe my eyes. It must have been a dream. I shut them again and suddenly my eyes fluttered open. "Adam?" I asked sleepily, yawning while contemplating whether to go back to sleep or not. "Where were you?" I yawned again, covering my mouth. I stood up in my wide pajamas and sweater. The clothes seemed too comfortable for something I would wear on an everyday basis. "That doesn't matter right now baby, I need you to meet someone." He smiled, I smiled back, his grin was contagious and beautiful and his voice

was oh so sexy. I wiped my eyes, no longer caring if I was wearing no makeup in front of him or the fact that I hadn't washed my hair in almost two weeks. Nothing bothered me anymore. I probably smelled awful too. I kept rubbing my eyes yet my vision remained blurry. We walked down the spiral staircase that was attached to the wall of giant portraits of us before I stopped mid-way. Sitting right below the giant chandelier was a redhead who was curiously staring at Adam and me with fiery green eyes. "Who is she?" I whispered, turning my head to face Adam. I was so confused. Maybe this was a dream, a nightmare possible. I braced myself for the moment Adam would tell me he was leaving me for her. I wanted to ask him why he was fighting Christian earlier today, or yesterday, or even in my dreams. I had lost all track of time. "Eleanor, please don't be mad but. . ." When he started the sentence that way, there was no denying that I would definitely be infuriated. "Is she your girlfriend?" I blurted, staring at him from the steps behind me. We stood in the middle of the staircase, still on the second story and hidden from all eyes. He scoffed, laughed even. "What goes through your beautiful little

mind?" He laughed, kissing my cheek. Everything felt so foreign. He had grown more muscular, tanner, and he was now growing stubble. He even smelled different. "Please don't," I said, rubbing the kiss off with my shoulder. "Eleanor. Sweetheart, you know you're the only girl in my life." "Clearly not," I muttered. I yawned once again and decided I would rather sleep again. This was too much of a worry. I began walking up the stairs. "El. . ." Adam shook his head. I still didn't understand why he was laughing. "I need sleep," I mumbled and continued walking up the stairs to our room. Maybe I can set my head back down on the pillow, I will just wake up from this nightmare. "If you say so. I will be down stairs when you wake up baby." He smiled, kissing my hand instead this time and jogging down the stairs. "Yeah, you and that girl." I had this completely whimsical feeling today. Actually for the last two months. When he lied to me and told me he would only be gone for one month mysteriously and said he couldn't trust me. Relationships are too much work, I would rather sleep.

¤¤¤ "She’s waking up." Adam's' voice rang in my ears before I heard a heart beat monitor beeping ever so softly beside my ear. "It's okay Mr. Carnegie. Your wife was very dehydrated and it appears she hasn't eaten in the last week or so." Another male voice said as the heart beat monitor sped up its pace. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" I shouted, pulling out the strings attached to my body. "Wrong with me? Why haven't you eaten or drank anything for the last week." "I don't have to answer to you." I crossed my arms and stared into the beautiful brown eyes of Adam Carnegie, my friend. My husband. And now my worst enemy. "You seemed different, I took you to the doctor to make sure you were okay. After you went back upstairs, I thought you would wake up in a few hours, but you wouldn't wake up. So I called 911." He said. "I am not the one fighting people on TV," I said, tossing a flower at him from my bedside table. Who brought me flowers. "Talk about different now. . ." I muttered. "What?" He began laughing, "who has been fighting people on TV?" He had a hearty laugh that was like music to my ears.

"You! You fought Christian!" "I did no such thing." He was clearly messing with me. Or maybe I had dreamt up the whole fight. I shook my head and groggily looked away from him. I heard when you miss someone long enough you start dreaming of them. "Not drinking or eating for a week can lead to hallucinations," Adam concluded. "But I saw you. . ." “It’s nice to know you dream of me,” He stood in front of me blocking the exit. I looked at him like he was insane. Insanely beautiful. "I have to go to work," I said. Attempting to push past him before he caught my shoulders and pushed me back onto the pillow. How long had I even been in this damn hospital? I couldn't even control my own legs anymore. I slapped his hands away and sat up, I tossed my legs over the bed and attempted to walk out. I was trying to walk around him but instead fell right into him. "Is she okay?" The same red head from the last time I was awake appeared into the room. "Why I oughta!" I attempted fighting motions with my arms but Adam had them tightly held in his hands. I had my face resting on his chest and my feet sliding behind me. "I want to go home."

"Home is where the heart is, and baby, I am right here." He winked as I scowled at him. I didn't understand what was going on. Why was everyone being so different and weird around me? "So I heard you donated a whole bunch of money to ten different places…why?" Adam asked as he set me back down on the bed. "Because I can," I said. I felt sickly, to be completely honest. Now that he mentioned it, I was feeling kind of thirsty. Oh, and hungry too. He sat on the bed beside me, I was suddenly so nervous that he might kiss me that I scooted back farther into the bed. This is what he gets for ditching me for two months and sending me to a freaking hospital. And I've come up with a new idea and that is I will not, and I repeat, will not have sex with him until he explains everything. I mean not that he would want to. "Adam. . ." The redhead grabbed his arm. Who the hell does she think she is? I glared at her with such malice in my eyes. Get your dirty hands off my man! "Yeah?" He asked. "Can we go now?" My eyes seemed to pop out of their sockets. That was such a question I would ask. And go where? Who the hell is she and what is she doing interrupting my life.

"Calm down Eleanor." Adam remained on the bed beside me his hand playing with my hair as he leaned over me. "Hi." She pursed her lips and forced a smile. "I'm Rachel."

Chapter 31: Strong Words I hate him. How dare he. How the hell could he do this to me? What has he been doing these past two months? These were all a series of thoughts that ran through my mind as I had a heart attack. I wanted to literally attack her heart with the needles that had been in my arms moments ago. To strangle the living daylights out of her until all she was was darkness. She had only barely introduced herself but an instant jealousy filled my insides. I wanted to punch her until she cried. What. The. Hell?! He tells me that he will be gone for a month. Yet he is gone for two. And who the hell does he come back with? His freaking ex-girlfriend. I couldn't fathom any possible scenario in which this was even logical. What does she even want? He tells me he doesn't trust me. Right after he tells me he loves me. Talk about counter productive. I sat silently in the bed now, watching them watch me like I was some sort of zoo animal. "Eleanor. . ." Adam said, trying to explain but I would have none of it. "I don't want to talk to you. Take me home and let me sleep." I said sternly and shut my eyes. Maybe if I pretend I am asleep long enough, he will

go away and so will the she-wolf. "Listen, Eleanor, I probably should have told you, but my phone wouldn't work, the service wouldn't connect where I was." "Which was?" I kept my eyes shut and decided to start covering my ears. I heard muffled sounds and a weight lift off the bed. "If you want to be immature then we will talk later." Adam had the most frustrated expression I had ever seen plastered on his handsome features. He had definitely gotten way buffer. I wondered momentarily if it was because he was having sex with her, if he had ever sex with her before. But then I realized that I could care less and that he and I are fakes and our relationship will end in a matter of months, hopefully, if my dad's plan works. D.i.v.o.r.c.e. The most hated word in Adam's dictionary was slowly becoming part of my advanced vocabulary. I saw the glint in the red heads eyes before they walked out together. Leaving me alone, feeling like the third wheel even though I am the wife. "I hate Adam. Adam hates me. This relationship will end in d.I.v.o.r.c.e. With a great big court case and a whole lot of suing. He left a gaping hole in my heart." I mumbled to the anthem of Barney's "I love you" song, too lazy to rhyme.

"Wow. Didn't know you felt that way." A stuck up voice said with a slight tinge of a western accent. "I mean I would be grateful to have someone like Adam in my life." I pretended not to hear it. Stop being so immature. "You cheated on him three times right?" she asked. "What," I asked dumbfounded. "With that Christian guy and Noah and Christian again at the café and in Adam's house twice." I opened my eyes to glare at her. How the hell did she know? I stared at her. How did she know? "Nurse! Help! I am dying! Help me!" I shouted, grasping my shoulder as a nurse walked in and kicking violently. "Sorry, ma'am you're going to have to leave. We have to keep her here until tomorrow to make sure her body is stable and she isn't having any more hallucinations." An older woman said, kicking Rachel out of the room. I was just so damn confused. Why was she even here? With Adam. And where had he been these last two months? I don't care. He is not my real man, he is merely a fake married man, arranged to be mine temporarily. This would all blow over soon. I was way too tired to think of anything right now. So I went to sleep. ¤¤¤

"Roses are red, violets are blue, your breath stinks and so do you." Freaking Rachel sat in the seat beside me once again. This times Adam had joined her, sitting on my bed while she sat on the visitor's chair and harassed me. "What the hell is she even doing here?" I snapped, wide awake and alert. "I am not the one avoiding new friends." She crossed her arms, making herself appear to be the victim in whatever all this was. "What the hell?!" I grew even more frustrated and hopped off the hospital bed. I jumped out and was about to leave the room when a breeze flew past my bare back and stung my butt. I shuddered from the cold air and turned around to face the redhead and my husband. "My eyes are up here." I groaned, covering the thin material over my bare bottom and clasping it like a dress as I walked out and down the elevator. "I want to check out." "I think you might want to put some clothes on first." The man at the front desk smirked. "Ha. Very funny." I rolled my eyes and began heading toward the exit barefoot and looking like a hooligan. Everyone must have thought I belonged in a mental institute by now. "Eleanor, sorry everyone, my wife has had a. . . who am I kidding?" Adam rushed up behind me

and scooped me up in his arms like I was a little child. Jerk. “Adam. Can you explain this to me? Because I seriously think I might be dying of a heart attack." “If you're willing to listen." He laughed. After five long hours, I was finally released from the hospital and forced to drive home with Adam and the beast. "So how long have you known each other?" Rachel the redhead asked. I knew she was directing the question toward me but I merely smirked and ignored her. She remained quiet until we all arrived at Adam's mansion. I had gotten clothes from the gift shop at the hospital and wore that under my hospital gown. As soon as he parked the car, I rushed out and up the stairs to our bedroom to take a muchneeded shower. "Eleanor!" Adam marched into the bathroom with an angry look on his face. He froze when he realized I was naked and about to get into the shower. We stared at each other in silence for what seemed like forever. I could hear my heart beating loudly in my ear and a strangled tension filled the air. His eyes scanned over my bare body, sending electric bolts everywhere he looked. I have never been nervous in front of a guy.

I turned away from him and closed the shower curtain. He stood beside it for a moment contemplating something then decided against it clearly because he left. After my thirty minute shower, I walked down the stairs to an earth shattering image that I wished I didn't have to see. If I had not seen this, I wouldn't have yet another problem on my hands. On the couch there sat Adam and Rachel. She was in tears and he was hugging her and patting her back. She had her face buried in his arm. I walked extremely silently down the stairs, but Adam turned around and just knew I was there. He signaled something to me, a secret code that only he and I understood. Kidding, I had no idea what he was saying so I hopped right down the stairs with the widest smile on my face. As soon as I reached the living room, I couldn't keep my eyes off of Adam. What are you doing? I raised an eyebrow to ask as he had already told me to not say anything. "Why is she crying?" I finally asked, loud enough for the whole staff to hear. I glanced at Adam as he rolled his eyes with a smirk on his face. "I think that is something she will have to tell you herself," Adam said, standing up and kissing my cheek as he walked past me toward the kitchen. He was so affectionate, this felt so normal, it was like the last two months hadn't even happened. It

was like we had both woken up this morning and everything was normal. But I didn't feel normal anymore. Rachel had a certain hatred in her green eyes that made me uncertain of whether she actually like me or not. I felt that she hated my guts. "Do you want to tell me? Or do you want to use the couch cushions to cry on because I am done with you flirting with Adam all the time." "Me? Sweetheart, I'm already married." She laughed, her tear stained eyes avoiding whatever she had been crying about. "Then why the hell are you here? Go home to your damn husband." I crossed my arms and pursed my lips. She began laughing again, "I. . . uh. I can't. " She finally said with a sad smile. "Why not?" I raised my eyebrows and sat on the sofa facing her. "Because he will kill me if he found out what I did." I stared at her with no expression. Did she do something with Adam? I glared at her for a minute longer before she opened her mouth to speak again.

Chapter 32: Carnegie’s Smile "I had an abortion." She finally said, "I didn't tell him and he expects me to have the kid in five months." "Why did you do it then?" And why did you involve my husband? I wanted to add, the little green monster called jealousy escaping my flaring nostrils. "The doctor said that I would die while giving birth because my body is too weak and frail to support an eighteen-pound baby. I don't even know why it was so heavy. " She said, tears dripping from her eyes. I didn't understand why she was crying. So what she got rid of her kid, at least she would live and have more kids that won't harm her like that. "I don't understand your problem?" I stated. I was having trouble understanding what she was getting to, what her point was in all this. "My husband is super religious, in fact, his father is the preacher at my church and if he finds out then he will, in all honesty, kill me." She began bawling now, I didn't know what to do. Adam was the one who is good at consoling and comforting people. I am the one causing the hurt usually. Hurt people hurt people. I hadn't yet talked to Adam about why he

never called once in his two months away from me. But I would save that for later. "Well then if he kills you, you wouldn't have to worry about him being mad anymore. And I doubt it, murder is a sin." I whispered the last part as her worried face shifted into a scowl that made me want to laugh. "Adam!" She shouted, "I can not deal with her. She won't take me seriously." She shouted across Adam and I's house. I glowered at her for a minute, waiting until Adam walked toward us from his spot in the kitchen. "Me?!" I finally erupted. I couldn't contain my anger or confusion any longer. "You're a stranger. I don't know you or your intentions! You came into my damn life which was already messed up and took my husband from me for two months!? Excuse me if I am annoyed that he didn't even tell me we would be having guests." I glared at Adam this time before marching up the stairs and into my room. Yes, MY room. Adam was no longer allowed in here. I sat on the ground beside the door, anger welling up inside of me as I kept considering and scheming and making up stories of what they may have done together in the last two months and why the hell nobody will tell me anything about anything. They are leaving me in the dark and it's frustrating.

"Eleanor." A warm voice said as Adam attempted to open the door. He realized it was locked before knocking. "Go away. Like you've been doing the past two months. You promised me it would only be one month and then you come back two months later with your damn ex-girlfriend. I am confused and frustrated and need to be alone." I said thoughtfully, convincing myself not to let him in. "Eleanor, please open the door," Adam said softly. "No," I mumbled. Crossing my arms and shaking my head, even though he couldn't see it. "Quit being immature El." He whispered, barely audible through the door. His use of the nickname my brother had given me brought tears to my eyes. And now they weren't just tears for Jase, but also for Adam and for the carpet and some other random reason. I felt highly hormonal and should be left to myself until I get things under control. "You've been trying so damn hard to change me. To make me less of a damn slut and now I can't even look at a guy without thinking of you while you're off meandering with your ex-girlfriend!" I emphasized the word to express my dismay. "Can we talk Eleanor? Please open the door." He sighed, there was shifting on the other side of the door and suddenly the locked door

wasn't locked anymore. I stood up now to push against the door. This reminded me of when I would hit Jase or steal his things and go hide while he tried to get revenge by pushing against the door. "You're being immature Adam," I grunted, trying my hardest to push against the door, but clearly the muscles he had strengthened would beat my bedridden ones. "I wouldn't have to be if you weren't." He replied. His strength overpowered me and the door flew wide open as I fell on the carpeted floor with Adam landing on top of me. My heart skipped a beat at our closeness. I wanted to do so many things but he wanted me to be able to control myself. I don't feel like me anymore. I feel like some introverted shy girl who doesn't know what to do with herself anymore. His normally perfectly styled hair was messily out of place as though he had been running his hands through it these last twenty minutes. He looked hot. Smoking hot. "Get off," I mumbled, remembering that I was still mad at him. "That's new." He laughed as I slapped his arm. "Adam I don't have time for this," I muttered, having nothing to do now that I would

only show up to my dad's work when he needed someone. Adam raised a dark eyebrow at me, as dark as his brown hair and eyes. His brooding eyes turned a million shades darker, almost black, slightly for a second and I squirmed under him. "What the hell are you two. . . oh." The red headed she-devil walked into the room as I decided to do the next best thing. As soon as I saw her staring at Adam and me on the ground, I leaned forward and collided my lips with Adams. I began having trouble breathing almost instantaneously. My heart was beating faster than the speed of light and my mind was moving at a rate of a million times a minute. I wanted to stake my claim, and now I had. I felt different, normally when I kiss guys, I feel nothing, but clearly, with Adam, I had grown some sort of feelings. Especially that his plan of "time makes the heart grow fonder" began working. "Does this mean you forgive me?" He asked. "No," I smirked at him as we whispered silently making it appear we were whispering sweet nothings while Rachel stood by the door with a crushed look on her face. I feel like that is what confirms it. She likes Adam still even after all those years. She was gorgeous, way prettier than me if I must admit it. I could see her with Adam and them

living a happy life together and raising their children. And this only made me feel even worse. She cleared her throat and I pretended not to hear, Adam and I stared into each other's eyes like a love sick couple. She was glaring now and I could feel it yet as she cleared her throat again. "Um. Get a room." She said as Adam immediately hopped off of me and helped me up. "We are in a room, quit stalking us." I glared. The longer she stayed here, the more I hated her. "Adam, would you mind if I stayed with you and your. . ." she paused to clear her throat, "wife for the next few days. Jack knows I am here and he is fine with it." She said. Jack must be her husband. "Yes, I would mind actually," I said, preparing to fight her at the same time as Adam welcomed her with open arms. "Excuse me, Mr and Mrs. Carnegie. I hate to interrupt but there is someone here to see you. He says it is urgent." "Who is it?" I asked. "He has a contract for you, the man is Jase Hay."

Chapter 33: Hallucinations We slept on the same bed for the first time in two months. Married for months now and never actually slept together. I don't mind anymore. His presence is enough for now. He sat across from me on the bed with his eyes shut and light snores escaping him. I lay staring at the ceiling thinking of the fact that my dead brother is actually alive and hiding in one of the bedrooms down stairs and that my husband's ex-girlfriend is asleep in another room. More importantly, how many rooms does this house have? When did life get so complicated? I used to have no worries besides passing my next test and completing my degree. I turned around on my side to face him, one arm under a pillow. He was facing away from me. The smooth muscles of his bare back contracted slightly as he took each breath and his hair was all over the place. I bet you his flight attendant never saw him like this, maybe Rachel did but I never thought of caring about her. I didn't understand what all the fuss was about abortions. If there's any debate about it, then maybe it isn't the greatest thing. Like the presidential election of 2016 between Trump and Hillary.

I decided to turn away from him but didn't want to move in case it moved his side of the bed. He suddenly turned around to face me, his bare chest glistening with the sleekness of the moonlight from our skylight. I shut my eyes quickly pretending to be asleep. I think I have depression, to be honest. I haven't had the urge to have sex in over two months, ever since Jase 'died'. The damn liar. "Eleanor," Adam whispered into the moonlit room. I didn't know if he knew I was awake when he reached his hand over to stroke my cheek. "I'm so sorry Eleanor." He had scooted closer and it seemed the temperature of the room burned higher too. I was already too comfortable around him. Five months can feel like years if you let it. I slowly opened my eyes to be met with his intense stare. He had a sad look on his face and as soon as he noticed I was awake pulled me to hug him. My cheeks felt like they were flaming red and my entire body burned with desire. "For what?" I finally asked as he kissed my forehead. His lips so soft. We lay down on the bed our faces so close that whispering would sound like regular speech. He smelled so damn good. One arm was around my waist and the other was behind the pillow he was resting his head on. "I should have called, or at least told you

what I was doing. I am sorry that I said I couldn't trust you." He whispered, I was confused, but maybe it was just his sleepiness talking. "I have to tell you something. Something important." He whispered, I felt a tingling in my stomach and backed away slightly from him, I didn't know if I could control myself anymore. Especially not at this close proximity. "But please don't freak out Eleanor." He added as an afterthought. "Unless you tell me that baby was yours, I won't." I hadn't realized how big of a lie this actually was. I would get mad at whatever he said. He had left me alone for two damn months without a trace or a heads up to where he might be. He gulped and a strange tension filled the atmosphere. "Before I broke up with Rachel all those years ago." I rolled my eyes. I couldn't stand her or her name or anything about her. I was still confused as to why she was here and what her intentions were with my husband. "I had a kid with her." He continued and my damn heart stopped. I felt my breathing become shallow and I literally felt as though I couldn't move. I stared at his face, a worried expression on it as he stroked my cheek. I had a glazed look in my eye as I continued to stare, unable to speak or move. I felt like my heart's been ripped out and shattered. And I didn't know why I even felt that

way. "I was gone the first month to go to some business meetings. And on the day I was about to go on the airplane home, I got a call from her husband." His voice seemed to sound choked out and a small tear fell out pebble eyes." He said, Adam gulped audibly, this seemed so difficult for him, "my son, he was playing on his bike with his friend and someone came out of nowhere and hit him with their car. They needed me for the lawsuit so instead of coming home, I went to Indiana to go to his funeral." he said, his eyes glossing over with unfallen tears. "Luke was the reason I had stayed with her all those years ago even with her gambling addiction. I was trying to raise my child. And. . ." I couldn't hear any more of this. "I know I should have told you earlier but. . ." He had just answered the biggest question I had for him when we were on our honeymoon. He was definitely not a virgin. I didn't know what took over me, anger, or betrayal probably, and hopped out of the bed. I walked into the bathroom and locked the door so I could go puke in the toilet. That was disgusting. He had a kid before. He left his girlfriend at the time. And now she was back because she had an abortion with her husband's son. Poor girl must've experienced so much tragedy. I almost felt bad for her.

But mostly jealousy seemed to take over; he was willing to have sex with her and not me. And I was actually married to him. Adam opened the locked door, which I guess I had thought I locked but hadn't. He walked beside me and sat on the ground beside the toilet just like the hotel in Texas. I didn't know if I should believe it, but there was so much drama in my life and not enough romance going on that it made me want to believe it. I stood up, wiping my mouth. I pushed past him, bumping his arm with my shoulder purposely. "Eleanor please?" He reached for my wrist but I quickly pulled it away. "Don't touch me." I wanted to puke by just looking at him. How could he live with himself after creating a child and leaving it with the mother? He just walked out on her, even with her gambling addiction? And how had his son never popped up in any of my searches? I felt sick to my bones. I pushed past him and out the door. I walked down the hallway, staring over tube glass covering of the staircase that contained our living room in the center downstairs. If I fell from that, I definitely wouldn't live, even if I landed on the couch. I opened the door to the room beside us to my broken brother, he had kept his secrets hidden

for such a long time. It must have been so exhilarating to share them with me. The image of Jase's cold face and frozen fingers at his open casket funeral kept playing in my head as tears streamed in my eyes when I opened the door earlier today and my brother walked in. I felt like I was dreaming, the whole casket thing was so realistic that I couldn't contain myself when I immediately ran up to hug him. "Jase." Tears welled up in my eyes, tears of joy filled me with such raw emotion that it hurt to try to hold back the feelings. I wasn't just crying out of the excitement of seeing him. I was crying because my husband had lied to me those whole time. "I'm fine El." He grinned. He clearly was not fine. He had a broken arm, two broken ribs, and a broken ankle and he couldn't go to the doctor because he was already pronounced dead. It was all just a cover plan for him though and I didn't understand why he wouldn't tell me who he was hiding from. Or who hurt him so badly or even if he actually fell off the bridge and had Christian in on it with him. He must have had to make such a well thought out and thorough plan about how to fake his death. "Everyone is a liar." I decided, turning

around and walking out. I was sleeping outside for the rest of tonight. I quietly walked out the door into the cool midnight air, I felt overwhelmed and exhausted as I fell in tears outside the door, crying myself to sleep.

Chapter 34: Mad World "Aren't you cold? I get that you like to make sure we know what is your territory, but sleeping on the porch? Really Eleanor? That's too much." The snobby redhead who had born the now-dead child of my husband said. I opened my eyes slowly. Go away. Let me sleep. "What time is it?" I mumbled. I sat up now, glancing at her. "Time for you to get inside. Mattea made breakfast." Dang, it. She was already on a first name basis with the staff. I didn't know exactly how long she would be staying, but I hoped it wouldn't be too long. "I will get breakfast when I want," I said, crossing my arms like an immature child. I only have a small amount of joy in me and when that runs out, watch out because I become worse than the devil. And it ran out 2 months ago. "Suit yourself, more for me." She grinned, walking away from the front door and to the kitchen. I tilted my neck to the side, a stinging pain hit my body, I slept on it wrong and would deal with the consequences for the rest of the day. I got up and shut the door as I made my way to the couch. I immediately felt even worse when Adam walked down the stairs in his suit, already dressed

and ready for work. "Good morning." He said, walking over to me and kissing my cheek. I felt stiff. I wouldn't dare to move. Instead of walking to the kitchen, he sat beside me, waiting for me to say something. "You know you will be late if you don't go right now." I wouldn't look at him. I don't know what the hell was wrong with me. I felt hurt and jealous as hell. I couldn't even acknowledge his existence. “Then I'll be late." He said, still sitting next to me while I pondered life. "Okay," I mumbled. I stared at the vase on our, his, table. It was so shiny and had a diamond like structure to it. Almost as beautiful as my engagement ring that now rested on my left ring finger, the wedding band above it. I contemplated taking them off. After a few moments, he grew impatient with me and stood up. "Eleanor can we please just talk about it. I would never do anything to hurt you and I know it is bothering you, but she will be going home tomorrow anyway." I glanced at him, feeling my heart rip with so many unsaid words. I said nothing for a couple more minutes until he got sick of my silence and went into the kitchen. I followed a few minutes later, not because I was hungry, but because I needed to know if they still had any sort of connection. Did he still love

her? And I ask if he loves her because he did love her in the past, enough to make a baby with her. I sat silently beside Adam, eating the cereal that Mattea placed in front of me. "That's it," Adam muttered, clearly upset. He stood up and grabbed my arm, he didn't even glance at Rachel as he pulled me out of the dining room and once we were out of earshot and eye view he bent down and scooped me up and walked quickly up the stairs. "Adam! Put me down! What the hell are you doing?" I shouted, he didn't say anything as he walked into our bedroom and tossed me on the bed. He took off his tie and jacket and quickly grabbed me before I could run out. “We need to talk." He whispered dangerously. I felt my heart skip a beat. He let go of my waist this time and I quickly rushed to the door. I was not feeling well today, especially since he won't let me stay mad at him. He grabbed my right wrist this time with his right hand and grabbed my other hand with his. "Stop Eleanor. " He grunted as he quickly pinned me to the wall and pushed himself against me to prevent my escape. His hands had my arms pinned above my head. Aggressive. "Talk then! I'm not stopping you! I get you wanted to say you were sorry okay? But how do you think I feel when I find out you've been gone

for two damn months with your ex-girlfriend. Like I get you went to see your kid's funeral but that could have literally taken a day. I mean what the hell, you can say sorry anytime you want but it won't change anything. I am freaking pissed and jealous and mad and I just think we need space. Like why the hell couldn't you have told me that when you were telling me she was a gambling addict. I don't like her and I don't like you and I just want to divorce already. I am so done with this damn fake relationship and you never do anything I need you to do for me. You shouldn't have lied to me in the first place because that is something I hate the most about people, is when they lie. And the fact that you even had a kid and still decided to marry me is. . ." "This is why I didn't tell you! Eleanor, you overthink everything. I didn't want you to worry. And yeah I did have a kid, but when I was dating Rachel, I had planned on marrying her because I didn't want our son to grow without a dad." I could already tell that it pained him to talk about it. Good. "I want you to fucking feel as hurt as I do!" Hurt people hurt people. "You said you couldn't trust me, Adam, well guess what, I don't trust you. And I think we need some space." I shouted angrily as he backed away from me as though I had punched him in the gut. "I don't even know why you brought her here, and don't fucking say her

husband would get mad because that sounds like total bullshit." Adam let go of my arms as though I had scorched him with fire. And in a way, I had. I quickly took the rings off my finger and tossed them on the floor, the look he had on his face was of pure sadness, and it hurt to see him like this because of me. "You're right." He whispered which was extremely ambiguous because I didn't even understand what he was talking about. "She is here because she is trying to divorce. And I shouldn't tell you this because I know you don't like her but I do trust you Eleanor, he is abusive and drunk all the time. She may have told you that he would get mad that she had an abortion, but fact is he would probably try to kill her." Meanwhile he was talking, only one thing he had said stood out to me: the fact that he lied to me to protect her. I didn't want to care. This marriage was forced and I shouldn't have cared. But somehow Adam had sunk his way into the deepest pits of my heart and I felt like I invested too much for this relationship. I worried too much. Became jealous too much. Cared too much. "LIAR?! Why the hell did you even get involved? Why do you keep only giving me portions of what really is going on? And why did you have to get involved? You couldn't have left it

to some other lawyer?" A long pause filled my monologue, "I need some space." I yelled and slowly simmered down. He looked at me like he didn't believe I could be this angry or mean. "You know what Eleanor. I don't get you." "Yeah, you don't. This is off limits." I pointed to myself and walked out. I wanted to check on Jase. "Where are you going?" He was wearing his button down shirt and his pants. I wanted so badly to run my hands across his whole body, but I needed to remind myself that I was mad. Mad at the world, mad at myself. I don't know. Maybe it's just my hormones messing up again. "To see Jase," I replied. He shook his head. He didn't think my brother was in that room, but I did. I knew he was in there even if he didn't believe me. "Jase is dead Eleanor." Adam walked over to me. "No, he came by yesterday and he is staying with us because we have to take care of him." "Eleanor, there was no Jase yesterday. I think you're hallucinating." "No!" I refused to believe his idiotic beliefs, "Jase is in this room!" I pointed to the door at the end of the hallway. "Fine let's go see him then." He grabbed tightly onto my arm, dragging me.

"Why don't you believe me? He walked in here yesterday! He had a broken leg and rib and he is hiding from some bad guys because they're after him." "Eleanor you haven't been eating well recently and with all the stress going on, I think you are hallucinating. Did you take your medicine yet?" "I am not hallucinating!" I shouted, grabbing his hand and dragging him to the room. If he didn't believe me, then I should prove it. "Nobody came yesterday," Adam said. "Yeah, the maid said that a guy was at the door named Jase Hays. And I got it and Jase walked in!" "How did he walk in if his legs are broken?" Adam stopped mid way and I stopped with him. "My business partner Chase Mays came yesterday to discuss a contract." He said. "No. It was my brother. It was Jase." I pulled him now, having caught a tight grasp on his hand to the door. I took a deep breath and knocked. "Eleanor, there's nobody in there. I would know if there was someone in my house." Adam said as he let go of my hand to open the door. There now I could prove I was right. It was empty. A million thoughts scrambled through my head, could he have already left? But how with all his broken bones? Was he even here to

begin with? Is Adam right? Was I hallucinating this whole thing? But it's not easy to confuse the name Jase Hays with Chase Mays. Adam hugged me tightly, "It's okay, I know how much you miss him, it's normal to believe he is still with you." He pulled back slightly, wiping a stray tear from my face. I glanced over at the wellmade bed and the room that looked like it hadn't been touched in ages. But he was here. What the hell? "How old was he?" I suddenly asked biting my lip, knowing this little sign of encouragement had two meanings. "Luke was four." He whispered, "I wish I had had a chance to know him better. I only saw him once when he was born and another time when Rachel had her wedding." "I'm sorry," I whispered finally. "For everything I said. I don't know I think I was just. . . I don't know, jealous maybe? When I saw you with her, it hurt." I whispered. We stood in the empty bedroom that I still believed belonged to Jase with drying tears on my face. Both of Adam's arms were around my waist and a sad smile was on his handsome face. He quickly put his hand in his pocket and pulled out the rings I had tossed earlier. Shame filled me as he looked at me. "It's okay. I understand. Would you. . . put

this on please?" He whispered, leaning down slowly. I felt my heart hammering in my chest as he swiftly placed the rings on my finger. I met his eyes and suddenly felt so very secure. I forgave him in that moment, no matter how hard I had tried to stay mad.This was becoming a regular thing with Adam around. My breathing became shallow as his soft lips pressed on mine. Our lips moved in synch as his tongue entered my mouth. This felt so intimate and I loved every second. His hands slid under my shirt and immediately my eyes shot open. I looked at his heart broken smile as he closed the space once again. This kiss was rapid, desperate, needy. He kissed me so passionately that I was out of breath almost instantly. His hands groped me everywhere while my hands messed up his work-ready hair. Messy hair looked so good on him. His hand grazed the side of my breast as I hopped into his arms. "I love you." He whispered after we pulled apart. He hadn't said those words to me in over two months and I had the sudden urge to say them back. But I couldn't bring myself too. What if all this affection was just an in the moment thing. He lost someone, I lost someone, and we could drown out that losses by being together. I shut my eyes tightly and leaned into his bare chest, the shirt I had completely unbuttoned now

lay on the ground. I could hear his heart racing his chest. Did I love him too? Was this even part of our arrangement? To fall in love with each other. In that moment, standing there, I could feel a clean slate beginning to form and all I wanted was to meld with him in heavenly bliss. But I knew he wouldn't agree. Not yet anyway. So I wouldn't bring it up, I would be patient and affectionate. Like how my parents used to be before all of the drama happened in my family was before my sister died. I was the only one left. And they had basically sold me off. But this was a deal, I was kind of glad they made.

Chapter 35: Disorganized Christmas is the time of year when giving is everyone's main priority. Everyone but Rachel. Who, with my husbands help, divorced her abusive husband and is now staying with us for god know how long. I couldn't wait until she left, but lately, I realized I would miss her when she leaves. She had become the sister I never had. Well, I did have, but she, you know… died. She had a lot of things in common with Jase. And yes, he had been a figment of my imagination, according to doctor Chang. Who so kindly assumed I was an alcoholic and wanted to place me into rehab. Shortly after, she found a law suit against the doctor, it wasn't me. I promise. I didn't believe her at first, but I couldn't care less anymore. My main focus now is Adam Carnegie. The love of my life. But I wasn't ready to admit that to him. We sat side by side on the bed, him on his back with my body carved into his side. "So what do you think Mattea would want for Christmas?" "Maybe a mixer? I don't know if she has one at her house, but I love her cookies and once she said she wishes she had one like that at her home." "Okay, we can get her that and something else too? Do you know what else she likes?"

"I don't know, I've known her was less than you have." I laughed. His arm was around my shoulder, rubbing patterns into my arm. "Okay, how about Max?" "Who?" I asked. "The limousine driver." Adam's brown eyes glistened with such raw emotion when he looked at me. His passionate glance had my heart racing. "Um. . . I don't know? A key chain?" I laughed. "I don't know half your staff." "Do you think he would want a new car? I know he has six kids so maybe a van?" "How about something that doesn't cost fifty-thousand dollars." I laughed. "Like a new TV or something." "Yeah, that's good." He said, writing it down on his iPad. We had one through over twenty people, some of which I had never heard of before. And others were his employees. I think once he mentioned the flight attendant lady who so happened to not be a flight attendant, but his secretary. She and I need to have a chat. After he put his iPad onto the floor under us, he turned to me and quickly pecked my lips. "What was that for?" I asked, a non-dying smile on my lips. I couldn't force it away. "Because I love you." He grinned. "I have the most beautiful, smart, and amazing wife." I

wanted to point out that this wasn't real but there was no point in ruining the moment with my childlike attitude. "And I have the most. . ." I thought about it before smirking and laughing, "Intelligent forceful husband." He laughed. Lately, I had been thinking about our honeymoon all those months ago, when the crazy fortune teller told us our fate. Two kids and love. Did I even want kids? We never spoke of this sort of things, even the topic of sex never came up anymore. I hoped it would soon though because I have been deprived for almost half of a year now. But he loved me, and I sure as hell, try as I might, loved him too. I guess I am glad that he made me wait this long because I had been addicted to sex like Christian had taught me to be. I recall in junior year of high school before Pure moved into town, he and I would do it over and over almost every day for eight months straight. I thought that if I kept giving him what he wanted, he would love me and keep his attention on me alone. But I shouldn't have been so insecure, and I shouldn't have given him my virginity, to begin with, and I shouldn't have forced myself into his life and begged him to love me. It was so much better with Adam because Christian taught me what I didn't want in a guy and I was thankful that Adam was the complete

opposite. My phone began buzzing and I turned to look at it sitting on top of the dresser. It was my mom. I had forgotten about my parents making the most important decision of my life for me and was actually beginning to forgive them. Although I couldn't stand Adam at first, he had grown on me. Like mold. I laughed at my thoughts as I got out of bed and walked to the dresser. I hadn't realized how much I changed until I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I was wearing sweatpants and one of Adam's sweaters. That clearly wasn't normal for me considering how I would have worn basically nothing in front of Christian all the time. There was still so much I needed to address with Adam like how I had cheated on him while he was away with Christian, even though I didn't but I trusted him now. I grabbed my phone off the dresser as Adam grabbed his. The last time we got called at the exact same time did not end well. "Hello?" I asked as I heard Christmas music playing in the background. "Hey sweetheart, how are you?" Mom's happy voice asked from across the line. "Good," I said, wondering what was going on. "Well that's good, is there something you

want to talk to me about? Like how you're finally pregnant?" She asked excitedly. "But I'm not." I laughed. "Oh, well you better correct that misconception on the news. Anyway, I was calling to say congratulations but please call me if you ever need help with anything. I miss you baby girl." Mom said. I smiled at nothing in particular. "Okay. I miss you too mom. I love you." I said into the phone. And I forgive you for the beautiful mistake you made for me. "Love you too. Wait, Eleanor, are you going to the Christmas party this year? The one the Carnegie's always invited us to?" I laughed, Adam's family invited us every year ever since my dad began working the law firm when I was nine. Yet we never went to a single one. "That's cute mom. I don't think I will be. Well, I mean, maybe since it is Adam's." I concluded. "Okay let me know so we can make arrangements as well. And bye!" Mom said, I could feel the joy in her voice. "Bye!" I hung up. "Hey Adam are we going to. . ." I turned around and froze when I saw he had taken his pants off. He was still on the phone talking to someone and then he sat on the bed and began digging through his pants to find something.

"Okay, I will talk to you later." He said into the phone and hung up. I was still frozen staring at him in his boxers. "Like what you see?" He smirked, making me blush as I glanced up quickly. That was the first thing he said to me when we met. At the time I would have gladly said yes and joined him, but now I felt more mature. It surprised me how he was always still in shape even though he went to work almost every day. Maybe he had a gym at work or something. He struck a pose that had me cracking up as I joined him on the bed, now pretending I didn't notice he wasn't fully dressed. "That was my mom, she asked me the weirdest thing." I laughed. "That's odd, I was talking to my mom too." he grinned, he can't even fathom how beautiful he is. He makes me want to drool and I can't control the way he makes me feel. I would take him then and there if I could. "My mom thought I was pregnant because some news station said I was and she asked me if we were going to your family party this year." "You mean the one you guys never go to?" He laughed, " My parent’s think it saves them money to combine the Christmas party with my birthday.” He added then smirked, “Yeah I've been keeping track." I giggled along with him.

"So that's a yes?" I asked after I stopped laughing. December 28 was a date engraved in my mind. It was the day of the Carnegie Christmas party that we avoided every year. "If you want to? But I would really rather have you meet my dad first. He set up this whole arrangement, to begin with, yet you two never met." I felt my heart sink a little. The Mr. Carnegie wanted to meet me. Well, one of the Carnegie's did want to marry me, so I hoped it wouldn't be difficult to gain his admiration as well. "Yeah, we haven't done much together for a while and that would be fun," I replied, trying so damn hard to not stare at his boxers. "Have you ever thought about it?" He randomly asked after a short pause and a confused look from me, "Having kids?" He finished. I could hear myself gulp loud enough to be heard from down stairs. I had not actually thought of unprotected sex before. I always used a condom in the past which I find rather silly and a waste of money now that I know Christian can't have kids. It's a long story that kind of led his sex addiction to its peak. I took too long to reply before Adam spoke again, "I mean… " He looked so down on himself having suggested sex for the first time in ever. He had a dead four-year-old kid which means he must've had him when he was eighteen or older. He

must have been so immature and that's probably the main reason he matured so quickly. "I've never had unprotected sex," I whispered, feeling so revealed right now, so exposed. At least he knows I don't have an STD or anything like that considering condoms prevent that stuff and the only guy I ever did it with didn't have it. He chuckled cutely with a boyish grin on his face, "Well that's good to know." I could feel my face flush into a million shades of red and pink. I hadn't answered his question. "I've always wanted a baby girl," I admitted, I had never had this conversation with anyone before. It felt so foreign and I was oddly uncomfortable, a rare commodity for me considering Adam and I were comfortable on so many other levels. "I've always wanted twins." He shared in my discomfort so we could be uncomfortable together. My mind was going into overdrive thinking of how many ways I could react to this implied sex. Was he being serious? Or was he messing with me? I couldn't tell but I hoped it was the former not the latter. "Excuse me! Someone needs to turn on the heater because it is freaking cold in here!" Rachel yelled from downstairs. I heard her march up stairs

and barge into my room, "why are your faces so red?" She blurted. "Rachel get out!" I said, I wasn't wearing anything revealing but Adam was basically naked. It's funny how the tables have turned since we'd wed. "Ooh! Were you two getting frisky?" She winked at me and I wanted to sink into the carpet of our room. "No!" I defended quickly, earning a funny look from Adam. How could he not find this awkward? His ex was… she seemed to be comfortably enjoying herself by putting me on the spot. "Well good, now you can turn up the heat!" She announced, completely winning and walked out. "Why don't you ask Mattea?" I suggested. "She left early today." Rachel simply said and ran down the stairs. I hopped off the bed, glad to discontinue the conversation that shouldn't be awkward with Adam and rushed down the stairs to turn up the heater. I passed Rachel and quickly ran back upstairs as she gave me a wink at what she thought Adam and I were doing. If only. "Have fun, he's so good in bed." She said and I couldn't help but feel bothered by this. Because of the fact that she had had sex with him even though they were both so

young. Apparently, she is four years older than him so when he was eighteen she was twenty-two! How did she end up seducing him, and why would she even want to have sex with a younger guy? His money maybe? Probably considering she has a gambling addiction. Had. When I walked in, he had put on a pair of sweatpants and a calm expression filled his features. I wanted to kiss him badly at the moment. The light was still on but his eyes were shut. I turned the light off and walked over to him, I hadn't realized how cold this house actually was until Rachel said something about it. I pushed him slightly and took over his side of the bed leaving over three-quarters of the bed empty. I was cold. "What are you up to?" He asked, not asleep whatsoever as he noticed my not so smooth slip into his half of the bed. "I'm cold," I whispered, my teeth chattering. He scooted back slightly and pulled me into his warmth. I felt him engulf me, his scent, everything. My heart rate skyrocketed as soon as his hand traced my arm and held my hand. I turned around, feeling so revealed as I faced him with an open heart. It had hardly been half a year and I knew there would be no way I could want this contract to end. I wanted to be his wife forever.

"I. . ." I whispered, taking a deep breath as the room instantly heated up due to our proximity. There was no easy way for me to share my true desires and feelings anymore with him without feeling completely vulnerable. "You don't have to say it yet." He whispered, pressing his lips on mine as the sky light brought in the shine of the moon and stars. I felt like I would explode if I didn't. So instead, I decided to fall asleep, in his arms. The last thing I felt was his lips on mine in a kiss I wished would never end.

Chapter 36: Facade "How was it?" Rachel smirked as soon as I walked into the kitchen that morning. "How was what?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as she ate the last muffin. "Sex with Adam. He is literally like an animal in bed, did you two get your it on?" I used to be like her, so open with my words, now I blushed and remained reserved. I don't understand what the hell happened to me. Depression maybe. I don't know. And how the hell does she remember that it was years ago. "We didn't. We haven't. I mean. . ." I began but she stood up immediately, seemingly angry. "You mean to tell me that y'all have been married for over eight months and haven't had sex yet?!" "It hasn't even been eight months," I muttered bitterly. She was so right, what kind of couple is this. "Well it does make sense, he doesn't want to do something he will regret. That's how Adam is. He and I had sex one time and I found out I was pregnant and I don't think he's had sex ever again." "Um. . ." There wasn't a good way to tell her that this made me so jealous and uncomfortable to hear that my husband was with another woman. "Oh. I get it." She winked once again but I

didn't understand what she meant. A moment later an arm wrapped itself around my waist and a kiss was placed upon my cheek. "Good morning," Adam said, walking over to sit by Rachel as Mattea gave him some cereal. "Good morning," I whispered, the thought of sex with him erupting inside my dirty little mind. ¤¤¤ "Is this okay?" I asked, wearing a fancy red dress from our giant closet with a black coat over. Adam stepped out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel around his waist. His hair was soaked and I couldn't believe my eyes. He never walked out like this. He was always fully dressed. He hadn't noticed me staring or maybe he had, but nonetheless, he walked over to me and placed a soft hand on my cheek. "You're always beautiful." He kissed me and my heart almost exploded out of my chest at his close nude proximity. He then realized I was growing stiff and unable to reply. "Sorry, I grabbed your underwear by accident so I have to go find mine." He laughed holding some black underwear in his hand that had words in the top white streak written on it. "It's fine. It would be even better if you wanted to take off that towel. I mean, I wouldn't mind." I said suggestively, my eyes scanning him. He was so perfect. His arms were so perfectly toned and his abs were definitely a sight to behold.

His jaw was firm and everything about him seemed perfect in every way imaginable. "Why don't I then?" He whispered as I gasped, kissing my forehead before smirking and walking into our closet. He had no idea how excited that had made me and the wild explosions of contemplating what his question meant. The key to a forever relationship is to be friends first, best friends, then things will go smoothly from there. We were almost there, we were close and getting closer. I loved him, but I couldn't bring myself to admit it to his face. Even when I was brave enough to try, I couldn't. I didn't want my parents to know they had won this. I didn't want anyone to think that other people can ever make decisions for me and leave me happy with that. Especially not decisions as big as marriage. But maybe this one was okay. In all honesty, I couldn't have picked a better husband for myself. I could have gotten stuck with Christian Anderson for the rest of my life, what a disaster. My eyes widened at the realization that he had actually gone along with my sensual innuendos. He walked out moments later in some swimming shorts and a warm smile. "Why aren't you dressed? I thought we were going to meet your dad today." "We were, but I want to spend some time to get to know you better. Besides we kind of forced

our honeymoon." He stood tall as he walked closer and hovered over me. His broad shoulders. His everything. It all made my stomach churn and his untried-for charm was too evident. I wondered for a moment how many girls had fallen in love with his unavailable ass throughout the years. I love you. I love you. I love your smell. I love your smile. I love your laugh. I love your face. I love your eyes. I love your body. I love everything about you. I wanted to say but contained myself. It wasn't the appropriate time. "But I don't want to make a bad first impression." "But you've already met." "I've never actually had a full conversation with him. Can we go after? I'll bring my swimsuit and towel. Are we going to a pool or resort or something?" I couldn't recall any beaches or pools open in Jersey, especially not with the negative thirty-degree weather. "California is usually warm." He grinned, justifying that I would see my parents as well. "But if that's what you want. We will have dinner with my father and have a road trip to California." He seemed a bit too excited about our plans. He had a beautifully contagious smile on his face that made me want to kiss every part of him. "Okay." I grinned childishly at him, I

probably looked so stupid but I didn't care, he was my husband, after all, there was a sense of security in that. ¤¤¤ "You ready?" Adam seemed nervous for me, he took a deep breath in and held my hand tightly. We both knew that in a few short moments, there would be people arriving to take our picture. They always seemed to pop out of nowhere. The pops. Paparazzi. "Eleanor! Adam! Wow, I have hit the jackpot today!" I heard someone shout just as another person ran up to us with cameras in hand. "Smile." They shouted, hoping to take a good picture. I glanced at Adam who had a blank expression on his face. He then looked down at me, "Might as well give them what they want." He smirked as my heart skipped a beat when his lips crashed onto mine. In the middle of the street right in front of his father's company and the world's prying eyes. I usually didn't like public displays of affection, but this, I didn't mind at all. When we pulled away, there were about two dozen reporters there as opposed to the one when he had first initiated it. I wanted to tell him here and now. I love you. The words were on the tip of my tongue when instead of my confusion, he placed his arm on my

shoulder and I put mine around his muscular torso. We walked into Carnegie Hall, a massive ten story building with glass covering the majority of its walls. A lot of people greeted Adam, but he didn't seem to notice. Maybe he never greeted them back, I wouldn't know. One instant we were walking through a crowd of people and the very next, we were up an elevator and halfway down a hallway. I began feeling nervous and Adam seemed to sense it as he reached for my hand. "Good morning Mr. Carnegie." A lady said as we entered his father's office. She looked a lot like Susan, the flight attendant, but I couldn't remember her face. "Adam. What took you so long?" Behind the glass door was a tall man who looked a lot like Adam. He mainly reminded me of Tom from the Great Gatsby. He was slightly taller with broader shoulders and a beard. I hate it when men have facial hair. "Hi, Dad." He walked in, keeping his eyes locked with his father. His father reminded of a snake, I didn't know how or why, but he did. "Lovely. Hello, Eleanor." He smirked Adam's famous smirk. "I see you two are getting affectionate." He grinned sardonically and walked away from his desk. His gaze never flickered away from Adam and I's intertwined hands.

Something about him scared me, he had dark brooding eyes that, unlike Adam's, were not friendly whatsoever. He had a business like hardness to him that only a hard working man could achieve. He looked mean and dangerous. He glanced up at Adam now, his eyes hardening as Adam released my hand and walked to his father as they began speaking privately, "Yes, Dad." "And have you told her. . ." I glanced at Adam as a worried look filled his features. "Yes. She knows." He replied. The room was so quiet and full of tension. "Good." His attitude was like that of the evil stepmother in the 1950's version of Cinderella. He paraded around like he was the greatest thing in the world. He walked around us, seemingly inspecting everything. Adam's hand reached back for my own and his grip on my hand tightened and jolted my body with an electrifying touch. "Nice to meet you," I said while he slowly walked around us like a mystery he wanted to solve something. It reminded me of wolves circling around their next meal. "Well. Adam. I don't approve, by the looks of it, she is a sex addict." He said as I scoffed. How could he say that when I was right there and he had barely just met me? Okay maybe that's not true, we met at my wedding but never spoke and how the

hell did he know what I was. He can’t possibly assume that! "Father," Adam replied, giving him a deathly glare. "I am just saying, instead of some prostitute who can't stay away from a guy for an hour, you should have found yourself a nice Christian girl." "She is a nice Christian girl," Adam replied, clenching his jaw muscles. Tension filled the air and I held my breath. "I don't need your attitude." Mr. Carnegie said as Adam's protective hold on my hand tightened and he moved slightly in front of me to guard me against his father's serpent eyes. His insults didn't faze me, everything is always on the news anyway. "I don't want to see you with this… this slut!" I felt like I was frozen in a paradox of childhood bullying. "You shook her hand at our wedding, you let me choose her! We're already married for crying out loud!" Adam's voice cracked as shouted, his calm and contained exterior quickly disappeared as his temper rose exponentially. "Watch your tongue boy, that was before I did my research." He hissed, his large eyebrows furrowing in frustration and his fists clenching in anger. "Divorce her. Here. Take this. Sign it both of you." He shouted, "Sign it and your debt will be all paid off." He directed that at me. "If not. . ."

"No. Never. I would never!" Adam's temper only got louder at his father's suggestion. "Who the hell do you think I am? I don't believe in fucking divorce! I have more morals than you ever will. Especially not because you say so." Adam only ever cursed when he was angry, was I the influencing factor behind that. Was he spending too much time around me? Is divorce even an option anymore. I didn't want it to be. Adam's father looked dazed as if he had been hit with a verbal punch. "Eleanor is it?" He turned his devilish attention toward me and I felt like I could simmer and melt under his harsh gaze. He looked like he was about to kill me. "Yes, sir," I muttered, completely afraid. He was a powerful man after all. "Have you and my son had sex?" "No sir," I replied. "Have you and my employee ever had sex?" He smirked now, an evil chuckle on his face as he walked around his desk and called someone up. I stood dazed and confused. A few moments later, my stomach wanted to regurgitate everything it had eaten. I was sickened. Christian works for Carnegie Hall? How the hell did that even work out and why would the leader of all of this hire such an incompetent man to work for such a highly regarded business.

"That's not fair!" I shouted, "He is the only man I ever had sex with before I married Adam. Whatever lies he has told you, believe me he's told me, too and if you're wondering why I never got pregnant, it's because he can't have kids!" I shouted, revealing his secret to the two other men in the room just because I was sick of being stomped on and having my life controlled. "Is this true?" Mr. Carnegie asked him as Christian's face turned bright red, but that fury and confusion only lasted a moment as he grabbed the divorce papers and ripped them in half. "I believe it's fair game then. Adam and you both made the same mistake so I will not be harsh in my judgment of you. But just know. I am always watching." He said, now staring right at Christian with a very scary look. I was so glad he shifted the target away from me and to Christian. How bipolar. Adam had grabbed my hand and led us out before Mr. Carnegie even noticed he was gone. "Now that that's over with, shall we go now?" He seemed so relieved that I wanted to kiss him. So I did, the whole ten stories of an elevator ride. I love him.

Chapter 37: Disrespect "Keep up slow poke!" Adam chuckled as he ran around in the sand of the beach. We had driven for hours and finally decided to rest by going to a nearby beach. One that was nowhere near my parent's home. "Adam wait up!" I complained, my sandals filling up with sand and making it impossible to run with all the excess weight. “Catch up," He smirked, standing beside a small shack and smirking. The sun was so bright and it was already seven at night. "Adam," I whined. Standing in place. He chuckled and ran to me. I watched the muscles of his arms and his bare chest move in a strenuous way that looked too sexy for my eyes to see. I shut my eyes to prevent any sexual thoughts from entering. I heard his steps approaching quickly as sand hit my leg and I was suddenly up in the air. Laughing as though it were the only thing I knew how to do. I couldn't help but smile as he tossed me up and caught me like I weighed nothing. "Adam watch out." I laughed as his foot stumbled over one of the many tree roots that connected to the forest of palm trees near the small shack. We both screamed as we fell onto the soft sand,

laughing so hard it felt like there was gas in the air. My face was in the sand so I rolled over to realized he was trying to get up too. So I pulled him down. It went like this for several minutes before I realized what we were doing. We never played around like this, and I loved it. It showed me the sweeter side of Adam Carnegie. I watched his every move and desired him like the world desires sun light. "I love you." I blurted suddenly and all laughter went silent. He seemed to notice now that he was on top of me, so close that if he moved slightly, we would kiss. His eyes filled with the same desire I recognized in my own eyes. The thing that had been in there for over six months now. He took a deep breath before controlling himself and standing up. I didn't know what love felt like but I had a feeling that this was it. He was what I thought of every morning when I woke up and every night when I went to sleep. He was who I went to in times of sadness and I needed him. In a way, he was a part of me, my heart, and I knew it would kill me if I were to ever lose him. His frozen glance shifted into the greatest smile I had ever seen as he leaned a little further. "I love you too." And he sealed our lips together in a kiss of true bliss.

¤¤¤ It's not easy to lay your feelings down and not get something out of it. We loved each other. I loved him and he loved me. Which is why I don't understand why all I got was a kiss. The sun was too bright this early in the morning. Our little shack was filled with holes and light entered from every direction. We had stayed the night in here, barely shaded by the tall palm trees around us for most of the night. Today we would continue our road trip. I lay on the bed in my bathing suit annoyed of the hot weather. It was winter, I didn't understand why it was so hot in California. Adam had been gone for hours and I was lying wide awake since he left, waiting for his return. I felt like something was missing in me, my happiness maybe, but I was an independent woman who didn't need Adam for anything but reproduction and love. I love Adam. We need each other now, for everything and for nothing in particular. It sounds so odd to say that about anyone. I've never told anyone that I love them before. The blazing sun seemed to enter the shack as the day got hotter. I had left my phone in the car. The worst part about this shack was that it didn't have a shower, so I was wet, sticky, and covered in the sand since yesterday's reveal. My emotions

were all laid out there and in a way, it made me feel less like myself. "Hey Eleanor, would you rather a mango smoothie or sugar cane?" Adam walked in with two drinks in his hands. "Sorry, it took so long. I had to juice them myself." He grinned, making the juice less appealing. I had ever seen him cook anything but breakfast, or get his own glass of water for that matter. "What's sugarcane?" I asked. Taking the light colored drink from his hand. I took a sip of the sweet liquid, it was amazing. "You got something right there." He smirked, adoration in his eyes, "foam from the drink." He said, I licked my lips repeatedly, not knowing what he was talking about. "Right there." He whispered, wiping it with his thumb. His fingers brushing over my lips sent shivers of pleasure down my body. "I would've rather you. . ." I mumbled, he could basically read my mind now, I felt so connected to him emotionally after my little confession. He leaned down, putting both our drinks on the table and leaning down over me. Our lips moved in synchronization, slowly at first, then the rate grew quickly. His lips hungrily devoured mine as they moved on to my jaw, my chin, and my neck. My fingers tugged on the bottom of his shirt and he

quickly removed it. Pulling us apart for merely a second. My heart was pounding quickly in my chest. So quickly I thought I might have a heart attack. His fingers slid under my cover up and to my bikini. My breath hitched in my throat as his mouth went below my neck and to my chest. I could hardly feel myself breathe. My whole body was at an all time high. I had never felt this before. "Not here," I whispered, having not cared before about where I did it. Except for I didn't want my first time with Adam to be at a sandy beach where I would end up with particles of sand all over my body that it made everything uncomfortable. "Looks like the tables have turned." He chuckled lightly, moving off of me and to the empty spot beside me on the small bed. I was blushing wildly as we both lay there catching our breaths. "So. Are we going to visit my parents today?" I asked, barely breathing. I wanted him so badly. I feel like an idiot for stopping us. "Yeah." We drove quickly down the freeway and toward my home. "I'm sorry." Adam suddenly said. I was confused. What could he have to be possibly sorry for? "Why?" I voiced my thoughts, considering anything he might have that he would be sorry

about. Nothing came to mind. "I should've had more self-control," he muttered to himself, I could hardly hear him. He kept his hands on the steering wheel, his clothes sandy and his once tight shirt now loosely hanging on with the smell of salt water and blotches of sand everywhere. "What?" I asked, wanting him to clarify what he said. Self-control? He has plenty of that. How long he had kept it to himself was beyond my belief when he has such a good body and a wife that looks like me. "About my father." He completely changed his reply. His cheeks seemed to turn a light shade of pink, unnoticeable to the untrained eye. "You're too cute," I said, kissing his cheek as he exited the freeway. We stopped at a stoplight when suddenly hundreds of stalkers with cameras jumped out of nowhere and photographed a picture of me kissing him. I didn't care anymore, but they were getting obnoxious. We had our windows shut so we didn't have to hear anything from them. "The world's most eligible bachelor isn't a bachelor anymore," I said, leaning back into my seat as the light turned green and Adam slowly drove through the hoards of people that were trying to get his attention. I groaned and waited until there was room

for us to continue driving. We passed by my old college, a small smile filled my face at all the memories it held. And the useless degree I acquired. It was pointless to go to such a prestigious place especially since I will only ever be working for my dad. "We're here." Adam's hand had been on my thigh for most of the ride and now when he took it off, it felt like that spot on my leg was missing something. I turned my head to look at the large empty house. No children lived in there and it was just sad. "Eleanor! You never called and said you were coming." My mom walked out a few minutes after we parked in the driveway. I hadn't noticed it before, but my home was huge. It wasn't half as big as Adam's home that had like a billion mysterious rooms, but it was tall and quaint. I opened the window, "Can I take a shower?" I asked, laughing as Adam began chuckling behind me. "Well sure, why?" She asked, her thin fingers clutching the open window. "We were at the beach." I smiled somberly, love making me drunk, as stepped out of the car. Adam walked out moments later and started cleaning the sand out of his car. I walked up stairs to my room and

immediately tossed all my clothes into the hamper and stepped into the warm water. I immediately felt relaxed, the strange gurgling in my stomach having had cooled down a little. I watched as the sand fell off of my body and swirled down with the water into the drain. "Eleanor?" His voice sent me into all kinds of crazy feelings, the butterflies in my stomach croaked loudly like frogs eating the butterflies and hopping all around. I was going haywire just by hearing his voice. "Yeah?" I asked, my heart racing like wildfire going uphill. "Can I come in?" He asked. A million thoughts scattered my mind before I fell victim to the bubbly shower water. After all the sand drained. I turned on the faucet to keep filling up the tub with my bath bomb. It filled up almost immediately with green soap that smelled amazing. I rested my head on the wall behind my bath and stretched myself into the warm sullen water, my body was covered by the soapy bubbles. "Eleanor? I need to talk to you really quickly," He walked into the bathroom and sat on the toilet across from me. He seemed somewhat surprised that I was so calm about this. "Yeah?" I asked, having calmed down to the point of the bubbles being in my nose and me not caring.

"Rachel left today." He smiled, moving from sitting across from me to sitting on the floor beside the tub. He planted a kiss on my lips before backing away before things got too hectic. I didn't understand him and his obsession with having control over everything. "Eleanor. I honest to god want you so bad. But I can't. Not yet." He looked so conflicted, staring at me in the tub. Nothing was showing but my face and a whole lot of bubbles. My mother was downstairs and I didn't want things getting too out of hand. It was frustrating hearing this from him. It would've been better if he hadn't said it at all. "Why not?!" my calm mood was replaced by a confused angry monster, "I don't understand." I groaned, frustrated. I couldn't help but melt like milk chocolate looking into his eyes. Everything about him turned me on and I knew he knew that but didn't dare to acknowledge it. "Adam you keep doing this to me." I tossed bath water at him. "My father said. . ." He paused, acting like I wasn't just immature enough to toss water at him. "Your damn father doesn't run your life!" I crossed my arms, but he couldn't see it. "Actually, Eleanor, he does. That's why he asked if we had had sex yet. It's more complicated than you think." He furrowed his eyebrows in frustration and I furrowed mine in confusion. "Enlighten me then. Adam, we are freaking

married. I have never heard of a married couple not having sex after half a year of marriage. Look, I love you and I can wait but you've got to please tell me why the hell you can't." I spoke in frustration now. "Eleanor." He whispered, the mere tone of his voice paining me. “Please, Adam you don't have to do anything. Just tell me how you can act like you don't want this and I won't ever ask about it again." I stood up out of the water and faced him, revealed and trying hard not to blush. "Eleanor," he stood up in shock. "I can't." He muttered. I knew my mother was downstairs and I knew she could probably hear most of what we were saying. He kissed me suddenly, his shirt getting covered in soap but as soon as he gave in, it was gone as he began attempting to make me get hidden by the water again. "I shouldn't have even come in here." He muttered, walking out. I sat in the tub confused and ashamed before stepping out and drying myself with a towel. I needed a damn explanation. He can't keep doing this to me. He lay on my bed, lying on his back with his eyes shut and a painful look on his face. It looked like he had tried to get it down without touching it. I don't know if that hurts as much as he's making it seem. "Adam," I spoke calmly.

"Eleanor! I am going shopping right now! I will be back in a few hours!" I heard mom shout from downstairs and the door shut. I wanted to scream and cry and break down in frustration right now, but I composed myself. "Eleanor. Stop doing this to me." He said, his voice barely above a whisper as he kept his eyes shut. I stood still by the door. My arms crossed over my chest and a reticent smile on my face. "I can get rid of that for you. . ." I said suggestively, the towel seconds away from slipping off. "Babe, can we just talk. I don't want anything else right now. I just want us to talk about what's going on and where we are in this relationship." He seemed pained. He sat up, keeping his eyes shut and slowly opening them with his hair slightly messy. He still hadn't showered from our night at the beach and I stepped midway out of mine. "Before I married you. My father said that if I wanted to keep my wife for a year, I wouldn't be allowed to have sex with her until after our first anniversary. I have no idea why maybe he just wanted to see if I had self-control. Eleanor, I've tried so hard but you keep making it so much more difficult for me to control myself." He shook his head chuckling. "He said if I did, he would take my name off of his will for the

company. In all honesty, I had met you before but I didn't know you were Mr. Hays daughter. The first time I realized it was you was at your front door the night before I asked you to marry me. And I knew that it would be a million times harder for me to avoid you like that, I am. . ." He continued but all those beautiful words he spoke made me unable to listen any longer. I rushed over to his seated, sandy figure on the bed and desperately pressed my lips to his. I wanted him, but I needed to figure out a way in which Mr. Carnegie wouldn't find out. Why would it matter anyway? It doesn't affect him whatsoever. "Eleanor please." He covered his eyes, referring to the slipping towel. I winked and walked away. I would get him, even if it meant my parents go bankrupt.

Chapter 38: Under the Weather The house seems so empty now without Rachel here anymore. I sort of missed her now and her annoying advice. Adam had left for work this morning and I had decided to take up jogging. I guess besides knitting and reading while I was bored, running was the next best thing. I ran around the block but realized that I wasn't built for this and walked back home. However, one teensy little problem happened on my way home. I was stuck between a fence with a dog chasing me that was too big to fit through and it was viciously snarling at me. I didn't even have my phone with me so I climbed up the fence, scraping my hand at the top, but I continued on as the door forced itself between the two fences. I screamed, but nobody could hear me for miles. I slowly walked over the fences as though they were a high wire that I couldn't lose balance from or I would fall to my doom. The savage barked at me as though I were a demon in disguise. It jumped on the fence, shaking it. I was so close to home, now I was stuck on some random neighbors fence with a deadly animal trying to eat me. For a second I figured I would just fall to my

doom. Nobody would even notice. But that was before a black van parked in front of the gate. A tall man stepped out. Mr. Carnegie. I could recognize him anywhere, the stern angry look on his face. "Fido!" He called for his dog. I watched in fear as another man stepped out beside him. This man wasn't in a suit. He had a leash in his hand and a smug grin on his face. He grabbed the dog and put it in the van. "Eleanor." Mr. Carnegie chuckled, "what are you doing up there?" He laughed, signaling for me to come down. I smiled back. "Sorry, Mr. Carnegie. I was afraid of the dog." I laughed, slowly climbing down from the fence with the blood from my cut staining the fence. "Fido wouldn't hurt a fly." He smirked. For a moment I was confused how his dog had ended up at the exact place I was and why Mr. Carnegie was being so weird. "Where's Adam?" He asked casually, crossing his arms and looking sternly at my blue sweatpants and a gray sweatshirt. "He's at the office," I replied. "Oh, at what time will he return?" Mr. Carnegie seemed suspicious, maybe it was the black van or the creepy quiet guy beside him but something seemed off right now and my instincts

told me to run. But that would be rude, especially in front of my husband's father. "Um. . ." I replied. "You don't know anything do you?" Mr. Carnegie smirked, walking circles around me with his arms crossed and an evil smirk on his face. "Excuse me?" I asked, rather shocked, "He will be home tonight?" I replied, shocked by his open rudeness toward me. "That's right. You don't understand." He continued, speaking more to himself than to me. "He doesn't love you, it was an act. I told him that if he gets you to fall in love with him before six months, I would give him a new private jet." "That's not true. Adam isn't like that." "Quite the contrary Miss Hays." He emphasized, "it has always been a game. A plot in which I take pride in. Who would have ever thought you, a prostitute would ever love him back?" Mr. Carnegie's laugh sent a surge of fear right through me. He laughed heartily. His words weren't processing in my mind correctly. "You're lying," I shouted, biting back tears from his stinging words. "You'd like to believe that wouldn't you Eleanor?" He smirked. "Your family needed help. So I helped them, with the mere price of my amusement. I fear that stupid boy might actually

stop faking and by the way, the bull he told you about having to wait a year was completely of his own accord. He just doesn't want you. " "How the hell do you know what we said?!" "Silly, stupid, girl. You were too focused on trying to have sex with my son that you never noticed the small chip he had in his ears. That's how I knew everything silly child" He smirked. "Why are you telling me this?" I gave up, trying to stop myself from shaking due to the tears about to trail down my cheeks. "Because of this, dear Eleanor, I want you to separate from him. Your parents will be fine, you have my word, but if you stay with my son for a moment longer I will make it my aim to destroy you and your family. Time to cut your losses, the only two left." He snarled, referring to the only people left in my life. He had a smug smirk on his devious face. "N. . .no. I love him." I stuttered, tears dripping down my face. "Okay. You made your choice. I guess I will have to make mine. Clayton!" He shouted to the man with him as he quickly grabbed me and put a cloth coated in alcohol to my face. In seconds, I was out.

Chapter 39: Chains Adam parked his car in front of the mansion. Unable to wait to enter the home and see his beautiful wife waiting for him. Only, Eleanor wasn't even there. He searched and called for her several times, but nobody answered but Mattea and all the information she had for him consisted of the fact that Eleanor went for a run and never came back and that there was a possibility she was lost. Adam didn't know the half of it. He thought for a moment about whether to track her like he had before their wedding but thought against it. She deserved privacy and if she wanted to be away for a while that would be acceptable. He paced back and forth in the living room before finally deciding he should stop worrying and went upstairs. She would come home soon, he had nothing to worry about. He quickly changed and for the first time in all his life, he slept feeling like he had lost a limb. About halfway through the night, Adam awoke, rubbing his eyes. Eleanor was nowhere in sight and his heartbeat was racing rapidly. He was worried about her. He immediately ran jumped out of his bed and rushed down the stairs. Maybe she was downstairs safe and sound sleeping on the couch,

he hoped. "Eleanor!" He called again into the dark house. There was no reply. He grew frantic, calling his father. "Adam, why are you calling me at two in the morning!" His father shouted on the phone. "Dad. Eleanor is missing." He choked, his voice shaking as he imaged all of the possibilities. She could have been kidnapped or worse, she could have run away because she didn't love him anymore. Adam was torn. He didn't know what to do, nonetheless was he even able to control the rampage of emotions inside him. "No son, she is fine. She came by my office earlier today and said she wanted to have the divorce papers signed. " Mr. Carnegie replied, a wide smirk on his face as he lay in the bed alone. Mrs. Carnegie hated sleeping with him, she despised him actually. But she couldn't divorce a man like him. He was too powerful, she slept in a different room instead. "Wha. . . What? Why?" Adam asked on the phone, a single tear escaping his eye in the dead of night, his hand shook. Nobody was around to hear his heart break, to hear his heart shatter, to see his eyes leak. He was alone. Absolutely alone with the belief that Eleanor didn't love him. He hung up. It didn't make sense. She had told him she loved him. So why would she want to

divorce him? He knew he shouldn't have, but he decided to use the tracker that he had instilled in her engagement ring. He rushed upstairs and turned on the app on his iPad. It said she was only a block away from the house. Maybe she was walking home. Perhaps she had gone for a long jog to Carnegie Hall this morning and got lost on her way home. He had to have hope somehow, but he couldn't wait for her to get home. He missed her too much. He quickly put on a pair of shoes and rushed outside, following the path to the fence. He put his flashlight as bright as it would go. He stood in front of the same fence Eleanor had been at moments earlier. On the floor lay the ring, but Eleanor was nowhere in sight. It was too dark to see anything else, but Adam's sharp eyes led him to the blood on the fence and the crazy footsteps in the dirt. "What the hell happened?" He muttered to himself, looking at the footprints in the dirt between the fence. There was a piece of skin on the very top of the fence. He immediately called the cops. They must have thought he was crazy. "My wife has been abducted." ¤¤¤ Eleanor woke up, her arms and legs tied to a

chair in nothing but her bra and underwear. What the hell happened. All around her was silence and every minute or so a red light would beep. "You're awake." A voice croaked from the corner. She turned her head. There was a man tied to a separate chair. He had on nothing but a pair of boxers. Suddenly a loud screech came on and a voice was talking through a dark intercom. Eleanor could see nothing, nobody but the darkness that surrounded her. It looked as though it might have been an abandoned parking lot that was secluded. "Finally. Let the fun begin now then. In a couple seconds, the chains will be unlocked from your hands and feet. To stay alive, you can either slash each other's necks or Fuck. Make a smart choice. Either both of you are leaving alive or only one of you." A snarl came and disappeared. What the hell was going on. Eleanor glanced at the guy, she couldn't even see his face. "I. . . I am married." Eleanor said. "Who the hell are you?" She asked. "Why the hell would someone kidnap people for this?!" She demanded to know, feeling the need to puke. She couldn't recall anything after seeing Mr. Carnegie. Her mind was hazy regarding what she had gone to see him for though. "I'm not killing." The man replied.

Suddenly bright lights flashed on and the chains came loose. The room was bright and empty, give for the two knives in a corner on the floor. "Make your choice." The intercom came on again. Eleanor wanted to search for a door. "Who are you?" The man asked before fully turning around and realizing it was Eleanor Carnegie. And he was Vladimir Claiming, the world's new most eligible bachelor. How the hell did this happen, how did people capture them both and set up this sick joke? "Fuck it." He muttered, knowing she had a husband, a friend of his actually, and approached her. He moved closer as she pushed him away. "We need to work together." He whispered, "do whatever this creep wants and we can get out. This room doesn't have a door, I've been awake longer than you and I know for a fact. So just put on a damn show for this asshole and let's get the hell out. Clearly, someone was watching us, there were probably cameras everywhere. "Pretend you are enjoying it." The voice commanded and Eleanor grew stiff. The only guy that had crossed her mind of doing something like this with was her husband. "I can't." She whispered. "Please don't kill me." She whispered, hysterical tears streaming

down her face as she shook frantically. She was having a panic attack. Something that had not happened since she was in elementary school. She had learned to overcome everything. Now she was having a melt down in front of a stranger. "Hey, it's okay, we can get through this." He sat beside her on the floor. "I need Adam." She sobbed, hiccups now escaping all at once. Vladimir hugged her bare arms to his chest, placing a kiss on her forehead and comforting her. It was strange to her. She was in another man's arms yet all she could think about was Adam. The intercom came back on, "you're boring me. Have sex or kill each other. If nothing happens in the next two minutes, a bomb will go off, there are four in this particular room. " Fear struck her. Eleanor shook her head and new tears filled her eyes, " I don't want to die." She sobbed frantically, tears pooling on her chin and falling in little drops on her leg. Vladimir turned her on her back, "Is this what you want?!" He shouted in the nothingness of the bright room. Eleanor stared at him wide-eyed wishing she had a phone to call Adam with. But nothing. Vladimir’s lips came crashing onto her own and she could do nothing about it as tears streamed out of her eyes.

Chapter 40: Torn Adam glared at the cop, "Find my damn Eleanor!" He yelled, dark circles under his eyes from three days of no sleep. He couldn't handle it. It pained him too much to think of her now. Once a person has been missing for a day, it's likely they are dead, but three days makes it a 90% chance that his wife, his lovely Eleanor, was dead. "We are doing the best we can." The officer said. Adam had gotten sick of that phrase. They had done nothing but sat on their lazy asses and got paid for the last three days. He needed to raise the stakes. He needed to have people motivated. "Whoever finds my wife will be awarded a hundred thousand dollars!" He shouted, unable to think logically anymore. He was having trouble processing the fact that the love of his life was missing and probably dead. "Adam, son, don't you think you're being irrational?" Mr. Carnegie asked, he didn't know what real pain felt like. He never had the love of his life disappear without a trace and with only a signed document saying she wanted to leave him. Old Mr.Carnegie never loved, underneath that suit was a hole for a heart. Nothing added up. "Dad, please, I need to find her." Tired tears streaked out of his eyes, he had become so weak in

the last few days. He hadn't eaten or drank anything besides water. "But one-hundred thousand dollars takes us almost two whole weeks to make!" Mr. Carnegie argued. The news of Eleanor missing had shot its way up to every news channel in America and now the stakes were raised. Adam was angry and hurt and murderously dangerous. "Have you ever considered that she doesn't want to be found?" Mr. Carnegie suggested, crossing his thick arms. “That maybe this is her way of leaving you.” A call and message alert popped up on his phone screen and he immediately left. Adam stood frozen as news reporters and more cops tried to speak to him. "Adam Carnegie has officially lost it. Maybe Eleanor doesn't want to be found, maybe she needed to get away for a while. But nope, Mr. Carnegie will not have it. He has even raised the stakes far enough to pay one hundred Thousand dollars to whoever finds his wife. The search continues. This is posted on your website and I am Eli Harvey." The reporter recited. A few hours passed and nothing. "Two hundred thousand to the first person who finds her!" He shouted as he sat in the middle of the road beside the fence and the ring. He

watched as scientists and FBI agents took samples of the blood and the piece skin on the fence. "From the looks of it, it appears that a dog was chasing her and she climbed the fence to escape because we found prints from the ground here on the top of the fence. Something must have happened to let her take her guard down and my assumption and theory is that somebody she knew and trusted pulled the dog away, but I don't see any signs of struggle so maybe the owner of the dog came and took it. I am still not sure if this is the accurate prediction of what had happened but we will need to do more tests." The inspector said. Adam had no expression on his face, his sunken cheeks, his tired eyes. He couldn't handle it anymore. ¤¤¤ Eleanor lay naked on the floor. He legs sore and exhausted. The idiot behind all of this wouldn't release them. Vladimir and Eleanor lay side by side. She hadn't enjoyed anything she had done with him, but he wasn't Adam, not even close. She shut her eyes, not caring about her life anymore. "Vlad, please take that knife and kill me. I can't keep doing this, especially not to Adam." She cried finally. "Eleanor, your life is too valuable. I'm sure Adam will understand that some psycho made you

do it. I'm scared too." He whispered, turning on his side and glancing at Eleanor's naked figure. She didn't love him, she did not have any emotion toward him. She just wanted to go home and tell Adam she was okay and hear him tell her how much he loves her. "Again in the next two minutes or I will set the bombs off. And look like you’re enjoying it this time!" The voice spoke again. Who the hell had time to plan something like this? They hadn't eaten or drank anything in days, they had been lied to repeatedly. "Let me leave!" Eleanor shouted, standing up. Suddenly a wall moved slightly and a tall man walked forward. "My dear Eleanor, my son does not love you and after he sees all these videos, he will surely sign the divorce papers then. " Mr. Carnegie stood tall with a wicked smirk on his horrendous face. How could someone so evil be related to someone as beautiful and kind as Adam? Eleanor ran toward the door, trying to strangle Mr. Carnegie but before she could get any further, she clashed with a transparent wall and fell on her back with a bruise forming on her forehead now. "What the hell is wrong with you? You're a fucking animal! You're a heartless monster!" She shouted as the wall shifted to shut again. It could

easily be confirmed now that this was no parking lot, in fact, it was probably some super expensive hidden room run by old Mr. Carnegie himself. ¤¤¤ The video was out for the world to see. Eleanor and Vladimir. It seemed to be the only thing that every person in the world was talking about. "I told you she was no good!" Mr. Carnegie said, dropping by Adam's home one evening. In a word. Adam was crushed. He felt immobile and despised himself and his life. He had not believed his father when he told him about Eleanor signing the divorce papers. "Have you come here to gloat?" Adam asked. It had been two weeks and everyone had announced that Eleanor was dead. Until today. She was still missing, but now there was proof that she was still alive. "Shall we watch the video together?" Mr. Carnegie snickered with an 'I told you so' look on his face. Adam didn't need to be tortured any further, but he persisted. He said nothing as Mr. Carnegie turned the channel to one of most recent events. A censored video appeared on the screen with Eleanor's face buried in Vladimir's neck and her arms wrapped around his back and the only other thing you could see was her legs wrapped

around him. Most of it was blurred over. Adam was done with crying he was angry now. Yet not angry enough to realize that the white room they were in was not unfamiliar. In fact, it looked like the lab in which Carnegie Hall would test out dangerous chemicals or ingredients to prove a court case. And there was no way to get five different camera angles unless its the lab. Adam glanced skeptically at his father, he shut his eyes. He knew how cruel of a man his own damn dad could be, but he had never thought the man would stoop this low. All for what, to separate a bond that he had set up. How stupid. Adam would make sure this man would pay. That wouldn't be the first time he got screwed over.

Chapter 41: Discovering Shame "Hey Dad," Adam smiled walking into his father's office. "So you know that new employee you hired in Florida, well I heard he crashed the company car and he needs you to fly out there tonight." Adam said, he had never been good at lying but maybe he could have inherited that from his mom. Lying seemed to be built into his father whereas his mother could never tell a single lie. "I didn't hire anyone in Florida." Mr. Carnegie said, "someone is getting fired today. Susan set me a flight now!" He smirked cheerfully before speaking to Susan who just so happened to have been in the room and was always prepared for Adam. "Of course sir." she said, keeping her eyes trained curiously on Adam. She had a deep desire to be with Adam ever since he hired her five years ago. They never went on a date, never kissed, they were merely colleagues in the same line of work. Adam stayed in his father's office. Sure he was hurt, but he still needed to see his wife, to have her explain herself especially since she had gone randomly missing and ended up in a video with someone that Adam knew she had never met. Within a few minutes, Susan was in front of the door with a piece of paper, "Mr. Carnegie. Your

ride is ready." She was referring to Adam. But Adam was not going. He had remembered that test lab from once when he snuck in. He got in severe trouble, but he knew it was in this building somewhere. He had about three to six hours to find out before his father returned and locked him up too. "Adam son will you join me?" "No, I have to stay here and take care of everything. I am going to draft up my own divorce papers." Adam lied, he needed his father to believe that he was over Eleanor. That he didn't love her or even care that she had been forced into sex with a stranger. All the evidence from the FBI inspection had said that she was kidnapped on her way home from a run. They had somehow found the car wheels prom and traced it to one that works in the Carnegie Hall law's business. It belonged to someone named Clayton Jones. But that person would get his due diligence after Adam found his love. "Clever boy, we all knew Eleanor was bad for you. It was a matter of time before you found out yourself." Adam remained calm, wanting so badly to fight the bastard but couldn't blow his cover. "Yeah. You're right." Adam laughed as Mr. Carnegie walked out of the room and followed

behind Susan up the stairs and to the private jet. However, Mr. Carnegie wasn't stupid. If he wanted to separate them, he would make sure both parties hated each other. ¤¤¤ "I am going to draft up my own divorce papers," Adam said, his voice and his beautiful face projecting into the room. "Is that your husband?" A tired Vladimir asked, they hadn't touched each other for the past week since Mr. Carnegie had left them there to thirst and starve to death. It was evident that Eleanor had lost a whole lot of weight and so did Vladimir. Surely people knew they were still alive and probably didn't care anymore. Eleanor was cheating. Again. Vladimir was cheating on his girlfriend. The news was nothing new. "Yes." Eleanor mumbled, her eyes all dried from the salty tears that now stung her cheeks. She lay her head on the metal wall of the bright room. One light was slowly dimming. Or maybe that was her brain shutting down. "Adam son will you join me?" Mr. Carnegie, the devil, said. "No I have to stay here and take care of everything. I am going to draft up my own divorce papers." At this, her empty eyes began balling once again. Eleanor's stomach clenched in so many different ways that it began hurting to even breathe.

Vladimir scooted closer, the room was empty and their clothes had somehow been taken. This was such a pure moment, like the beginning of Adam and even. Nudity didn't faze either of them because the fact was, they both cheated, they both wronged their spouse. His pulled her bare back this bare chest and hugged her, "I'm sorry." He whispered, hugging her tightly as she shook. "Why would he say that?" She cried between tears. “I don't understand either." Vladimir whispered, kissing her shoulder. She felt her heart about to burst open. Adam had betrayed her. And she wanted nothing to do with him anymore. ¤¤¤ Adam searched for the part of the building that read "DO NOT ENTER" that was probably where the lab would be if he could remember correctly from all those years ago. Confusion boggled his head, the image of Eleanor with another man replaying in his mind and fueled his anger and need to discover where she was. He ran up to the roof after his father left, in search of a secret valve or anything that may have had even the slightest touch of being restricted. Nothing. He rushed down the stairs and searched

every one of the ten stories of the building. His normally calm and well-prepared self was frantic and a mess now. As soon as he reached the basement level, he was exhausted. The basement was dark, there was no way he could find a bright room in there. But nonetheless, he searched. Until he came upon a restricted area which he quickly entered. A strange gas went off. And he was out. Unable to breathe as the smell devoured him. He crawled away as quickly as he could, the light at the end of the tunnel pulling him in. He crawled quickly, his limbs beat and his legs exhausted. He was having trouble keeping his eyes open. The joy of seeing Eleanor was the reason he stayed awake long enough to press the red button on the door. He saw a glimpse of a naked Eleanor and Vladimir sitting on the cold dark ground. They looked like lab rats. "Adam!" Eleanor screamed, rushing up to him as he fell unconscious. "Vlad! Help me!" She screamed as they finally had a small taste of freedom. "Carbon Monoxide." Vlad said. "It odorless and tasteless but it kills so easily. We have to get him out of here." He shouted, his voice croaking. Eleanor and Vlad dragged Adam toward the door and up to the stairs. "Now. Well… Well… Well… Where do you

think you're going?"

Chapter 42: Criminal Lies "Let us go you damn criminal!" Eleanor shouted, her eyes grew wild. They were so close to escaping. "Adam inhaled Carbon monoxide, he will die if we don't get him to a doctor." "Let him die then." Mr. Carnegie snarled. "The stupid boy defied me, he thought he could lie to me and get away with no consequences." Rage filled Eleanor and she walked up to old Mr. Carnegie, grabbed his cane from his hand as he stumbled forward, she whacked the stick into his head. “Silly girl, you think I actually need that thing?” He laughed, making a lunge at them. Vladimir grabbed old Mr. Carnegie, tying his arms behind his back and painfully pressing several pressure points. And he was out. Quickly Eleanor and Vladimir dragged Adam up with whatever strength was left of their muscles. They ended up on the elevator and took it to the front entrance. Exhaustion overcame them as they stepped out of the elevator and fell onto the hardwood floor of the first level of Carnegie Hall. "Help us, Adam needs a doctor," Eleanor muttered as she fell onto the floor beside Adam. Exhausted and barely breathing. Only Vladimir remained awake as wandering eyes stared.

"Someone call a fucking ambulance!" He stood up, not realizing that he was naked. He had grown so comfortable with it that it felt like he had clothes on. People were staring at him, his private parts in particular. "What are you looking at?" He shouted, glaring at all of them, "He needs help!" He shouted just as the sirens began nearing them. Vladimir glanced one last time at the staring faces before feeling his knees buckle and his body fell onto the hard floor beside Eleanor. The PastImes Newspaper: Eleanor Carnegie and Vladimir Claiming Found on Floor of Carnegie Hall entrance Floor knocked out. The three most dramatic billionaires in America have held their reputation. After having gone missing for over two weeks, Eleanor Carnegie and Vladimir Claiming have finally turned up. But how this miraculous recovery has been found depends on the fact that Adam Carnegie, son of Hank Carnegie, was involved. Nobody has any knowledge of what went down. However, the sex tape between Eleanor and Vladimir is a pretty big hint. Inspectors are still investigating the odd lab underneath Carnegie Hall which is illegal. Hank Carnegie, the father of Adam Carnegie has

been charged with fraud and a planned murder, he will hopefully be behind bars very soon. Meanwhile, his son is stuck having trouble getting oxygen in the hospital. It is not known what will happen to Adam Carnegie but it is predicted that he has a 45% chance of staying alive. Almost 50 percent. Having turned up two days ago in a video that was far from being family friendly, Vladimir and Eleanor are both slowly recovering. Vladimir's unforgiving girlfriend has yet again made him the world's most eligible bachelor. In other news, Investigators are still trying to figure out why those specific two were chosen and what exactly happened. We will have more news when Eleanor or any of the three are conscious. I lay on the bed my head throbbing and my legs aching in pain. I had unprotected sex over ten times with a man that was very capable of having children. I slowly opened my eyes, the bright lights flashing in them. "You're awake now?" Vladimir's blue eyes waved at my own. He seemed healthy and alive. "How long have I been out?" I yawned, my arms unable to stretch. I had an IV needle in one arm and a cast around the other. It made me

wonder what happened because I couldn't recall anything past Adam saving us. I had never broken a bone before. "A few days since I woke up. So maybe a week or so." Vladimir kindly said. His eyes still contained dark circles, his stubble was gone and his voice was tired. "Where's Adam?" I asked, my heart racing at the mention of his name. "Eleanor. . ." Vladimir said, his saddening features worrying me. I held my breath, Adam had inhaled Carbon monoxide, a deadly chemical, on his way to rescue me. "Where's Adam?" I asked frantically again. A dark feeling filled me, I couldn't lose another person I love. I looked wide eyed at Vladimir, my breathing growing heavy. "Where is he?" I shouted. "Eleanor calm down..." Vladimir said. "Nurse!" He yelled as someone came. I stared at everyone, my heart rate rising and hyperventilating. "It's okay sweetheart." A nurse said as they inserted something into my IV bag. "Relax, everything will be fine." "You’re safe now," Vladimir said as my eyelids came together and consciousness left me.

Chapter 43: Shapeless "She's pregnant." I heard voices murmur amongst each other. I was having trouble opening my eyes. "How could she cheat on Adam like this?" Cheat? I did no such thing. I was trying to stay alive. "My poor baby is getting surgery while his slut of a wife is sleeping here letting another man's child grow inside her!" A woman said. "And my idiot husband can't come here because of this bitch that sent him to jail." My eyes flew open. "Oh Eleanor… you're awake." Adam's mother and sister and brother sat around me staring with furious looks. "Are you happy now?" Adams brother, Elijah, asked. "Why would I be happy?" I whispered, trying to find my voice. "My brother- your husband- has been in the emergency room. His freaking lungs are having trouble replacing the carbon monoxide with oxygen. If he doesn't do it soon, he could end up with fucking brain damage. It's all your damn fault. He had to go try and save your cheating ass--- and for what? To end up back in the hospital?" I was having trouble processing what he was saying. "Where is Adam?" I asked, unable to

comprehend his brother. "Barely holding on to his life you idiot!" Adam's brother exclaimed. "I have to see him!" I said and without thinking, I pushed myself out of bed and tore out the IV needle and probably injured the broken arm. I couldn't remember anything past sex with Vladimir. I recall Adam opening a door and then everything goes black. I hadn't noticed that the hospital bed showed my entire back side but I couldn't have cared less. The whole world had already seen me. "Should we stop her?" The sister mumbled. "She can't get very far." The brother said as I left the room and quickly hobbled down the empty white hallway. I had tunnel vision, seeking signs that led to the emergency room. I quickly turned the corner and fell backward. I bumped into an all-too-familiar warmth that scooped me up as soon as he saw me. "What are you doing?" Vladimir asked placing his arms on my bare back. "Vlad, I'm pregnant." I began crying as he carried me back to my room. "I know." He seemed to hug me closer. I looked at the signs that I had just passed moments ago. "Wait! I need to go see Adam. Please take me to him." I whined, kicking as I glared at his firm

jaw which seemed to tighten at the mention of Adam. "Eleanor, you need rest." He carried me back to the now empty room and placed me on the bed. He warmly pressed his lips against mine, I was shocked. We didn't have to do anything together anymore, I didn't understand why. He knew I was married. He stayed for a few hours before leaving me completely alone. ¤¤¤ Sometimes I wonder where Jase is. Is he in heaven? Does he miss me? I play back all the good times we had. Skating together, pranking mom and dad on Christmas, him beating up my bad boyfriends in high school when I wasn't dating Christian. I missed him. And he was my main thought as I lay wide awake in my hospital room at midnight. It was getting cold and I didn't know who to get or how I could turn on the heater. It was completely silent and that left so much room to clear my head. Adam. He popped up in my thoughts more than recently. His milky brown eyes, his always tidy brown hair, his amazing smile, his lips, his chest, his back, everything about him made my heart race a million times a minute even though he wasn't here. I stood up for the second time today and

tiptoed out of my room. I quickly followed the signs toward the emergency area and quietly rushed past doors. My arm didn't hurt at all so maybe I had somehow sprained it, but why would I need a cast. "Excuse me miss?" Someone said and I turned around quickly. He looked like a doctor. "Its Mrs. actually. And I snuck in here to see my husband and I borrowed some patients clothing. Is that believable?" I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow. He stood confused, "I'm sorry Mrs. but visitors aren't allowed past eight and you can't go inside the emergency rooms anyway." He scratched the back of his neck and began to reach for my arm. "Watch me." I quickly ran into the hallway and made a sharp turn. He hadn't followed me so I quietly peeked inside every room to find Adam. Maybe he wasn't in the emergency rooms anymore, perhaps they had moved him. I rushed further down the hallway, my body aching as I did so until I climbed the stairs and stopped momentarily to rest. I was exhausted, but I needed to find Adam. I was now on the third floor of the hospital, I had no idea what they kept up here, but continued on, looking inside every room. His brown eyes peeked out at the door once he saw me. He seemed alive. I quickly rushed inside and threw my arms around him, a sigh of

relief left my lungs as I felt a smile appear on my face. He was half awake but I knew he could hear me. I hugged him tightly, missing his smell, his eyes, his touch. Tears of joy leaked out of my eyes as I kissed him happily. "Eleanor." His voice sounded strained which strangled my heart painfully to know that to rescue me meant he had to deal with this outcome. I kissed every inch of his face, happiness overwhelming me when my heart dropped to my stomach as he began having trouble breathing. "I'm sorry," I whispered, backing away and not knowing what to do. He glanced at me wordlessly, scooting over and making room for me. I happily climbed onto the bed with him on the small bed. He put his arm around my shoulder, lining them with soft patterns that made my heart do flips every time his fingers touched me. "I love you, so much Adam, " I whispered, glancing up to meet with his paling expressing and dark eyes. My heart raced against my chest to admit my feelings. He looked at me, "that's all I ever wanted." His eyes sparkled with a sort of joy as he shut his eyes, kissing me one last time before we fell asleep in each other's arms. Once thing was for sure, I definitely wasn't cold anymore.

¤¤¤ I woke up to the most beautiful sight this morning,a sight I had missed so much: Adam Carnegie. There were a few nurses walking around but they said nothing to me. Maybe they were okay with it. The fact that I had snuck into the emergency room didn't surprise them, or had gone upstairs in pained limbs didn't either. I had done far worse things in life than this. Well, they were thunderstruck until they realized I belonged in a different room. They tried to move me but I refused. "Good news." Adam's doctor walked in, "Good morning. Mr. and Mrs. Carnegie." I recognized him from yesterday but remained silent. Maybe he wouldn't remember me. He glanced my way and gave me a knowing look before turning his attention to a sleepy Adam. Carbon Monoxide did that to him. "Hey, doc." Adam smiled, coughing. He seemed slightly more awake today, especially with the oxygen mask they had placed on him while we were asleep. He took it off again to speak with the doctor. "Adam, your carbon monoxide levels have decreased as your body reforms hemoglobin. You should be good to go home by tomorrow. And for you Eleanor, you need to be monitored for the next

few months but we won't make you stay, we can have regular checkups every month regarding your health and your child's health. You can leave this afternoon. I have already signed everything and we will remove the cast. It was a false alarm and a very minor fracture that could have healed itself without a cast." The doctor said. As soon as he spoke about my child's health, my stomach sank. I didn't want a kid with Vladimir. If anything, I wanted one with Adam. The love of my life. My fake husband who forced himself into the gaping hole in my heart and made everything so real. "I will check up on you, Adam, in three hours, but Eleanor, you need to return to your room. We have a few tests to run." I wanted to argue, but I decided to obey and kissed Adam once more. I had hoped that he hadn't heard anything about my child but I couldn't keep it from him forever. I met his questioning eyes with a small smile and hugged him. "I love you." He whispered and I returned the meaningful words. I quickly lurked out of the room and back into my own where an angry Mrs. Hays sat waiting for me. "Hey, mom." I smiled. I casually walked around with my entire backside showing and nobody caring. The whole world had already seen me naked anyway, this wouldn't have made a

difference. "Why didn't you tell me you were here? I had to find out by reading some newspaper article. And where have you been for the last two weeks?" "I'm fine mom," I said as she worriedly hugged me and walked me to the bed. "I can walk mom," I said as she sat in the seat beside me. "So I hear you're in the adult industry now." She laughed. "No," I said just as Vladimir walked in, I knew this was her attempt at joking with me, but it was too soon. I was forced, by choice, well not much of a choice, to become a porn star or die. The option was pretty clear at the time but now knowing how hurt Adam looked, no matter how he hid it in his eyes, I would have rather died than hurt him. "Right on time I see, how are you feeling Eleanor?" He kissed my cheek. I felt weird about this. We had to do everything then but now, there was no point in keeping up the charade for Hank Carnegie, so why was he still going along with it? "Vladimir, do you have feelings for me?" I have learned to be straight forward, I didn't want problems so I quickly let the cat out of the bag. I wanted him to realize that our relationship, which was solely based off of pleasuring a disgusting old man, was completely fake and I had zero feelings

for him. My mom sat there dumbfounded, she was probably wondering if this was the man I would date after I divorced Adam. Only, she didn't realize that Adam was the greatest joy of my life and I would never subject myself to leaving him. I love him more than anything. And I needed him more than a fish needs water. "Is this really the time to talk about this?" He asked, referring to my mom. He even went as far as tilting his head toward her, something she could obviously see yet she remained silent. Vladimir wasn't ugly. In fact, many may say he is downright gorgeous. But he isn't Adam, and that alone is the biggest turn-off. Simply put, I didn't and I couldn't love him, my heart belonged to another. "As good as any, because I would really like you to knows that I…” Before I could finish my sentence, his lips crashed onto mine. I squirmed away and slapped him. That was the second time in my life that I refused something as minuscule as a kiss. "What the hell?" He shouted, grabbing my arm before I could slap him again. The more I looked into his sea blue eyes, the more I wanted to barf. He gave me a sickeningly gross feeling that I had no admiration for. "I don't have feelings for you. Whatever

reason chose us and put us together to do those nasty things, you should know that not once did I actually have real feelings for you. I love Adam, he is the only man I can love and he has ruined me for other men. I'm sorry if this news upsets you Vladimir, but you still have that girlfriend that you dumped still waiting for you so you may as well go after her because you're not getting anything from me." I growled angrily at him, he seemed almost shocked and scared, but he didn't know the real me. He knew the fake me that was willing to do anything she had to to stay alive. "I know why. It was no accident that you and I ended up together." He explained, I stared at him wide eyed as he sighed loudly and took a seat on my bed. I wanted to slap him again, but I really wanted to know the reason behind Hank Carnegie's madness.

Chapter 44: Exits "I know it may be hard to believe, but Carnegie Hall's funds had begun to sink. More people were going else where or avoiding lawyers altogether. Hank Carnegie reached out to me and wanted to team up with my deceased father's company. ThitClaims is what we were called, it's a porn industry and we were making millions recently. Hank thought that if he could get you in one of our videos for me, it would benefit us both. He signed you up as his client and we agreed that then we will give him half of the profit from the videos you are in. And along the way, he also believed that it would end up splitting you and Adam from your happily ever after. He partnered with me and decided to use his experiment room at Carnegie Hall. We hadn't known it was illegal or whatnot but I thought we would make a few really sexy videos. But after a while, he stopped coming in to send the film from the cameras to my coworkers to put on our website and CDs. Somebody else, he had sent the videos to somebody else and rarely came in to check on us. So I turned against him. I told my people to get their hands on one of the videos from our competitor and delete the rest. Then we could use it to bargain for our money back

from Carnegie Hall. He had taken my money and left me trapped in his door-less experiment room with a beautiful girl who just so happened to be married. I didn't know how we were going to get out or if he would let us starve to death until your husband arrived to save you. I hadn't thought that he actually had a bomb attached or why he came up with the kill each other scenario but I honestly am so sorry Eleanor. I didn't mean for things to get this far, I really am sorry and I will pay you and Adam back full fold of what your video earned and all the losses it caused for you and your family. I also want you to know when you have this kid, I will take full responsibility for it and you don't have to spend your time taking care of it unless you choose to see it." He concluded with a loud sigh. I stared at him dumbfounded, my brain processing all that he had said. I wanted to puke. They used me on purpose. Vladimir deliberately put himself in the room with me, this was sick. I wanted so badly to blame him, but he hadn't known he was making "I am getting rid of this kid as soon as I get out of this place." I felt fury fill me up. I was about to get fat over this guy's kid. No chance in hell. "You can't." He automatically said, "It's wrong to kill such an innocent life, and having an

abortion will cause you to never be able to have kids again." Vladimir exclaimed. I wasn't listening anymore. I didn't even want to see him. He sickened me. Before I could speak again, I puked all over his pants as he hopped off the bed screaming about how they were a one-of-a-kind pair of pants that cost him over eight hundred dollars. Sucks to suck, asshole. He rushed out of the room. And that was the last time I ever saw Vladimir Claiming, I hoped. A doctor walked into my room a few moments later and before she could bring up her clipboard, I began heaving. "Eleanor?" She gasped, "Calm your breathing, this isn't good for the baby, high stress can lead to miscarriages." She exclaimed, rushing to me and trying to calm me down. "I don't care," I shouted, a strange pain filling the core of my stomach, "I don't want Vladimir's child!" I cried, I felt as though there was no hope. "Take a deep breath, Eleanor." The doctor said, quickly injecting my arm with a needle and putting me to sleep. ¤¤¤ I hate how everyone thinks they can shut me up with a stupid little needle. For the third time over however many days I had been at this hospital, I woke up confused and rather annoyed. I

had a desperate need to go home and I honestly really was sick of being here. I wanted to see Adam and tell him how much I missed him. "Okay sweetheart, you mother is here to pick you up. I already scheduled your appointment for two weeks in advance so please be there." A nurse said as she removed the cast from my arm and handed me clothes that my mother had brought for me. She had rummaged through the giant closet of clothes in my home with Carnegie and decided that a sweater and jeans were what would be best for me. I felt like a little kid again at the school nurse's office and my momma waiting to pick me up. I had loved this feeling when I was younger, especially because it meant I could leave early. The nurse had scanned my stomach a few moments ago and there was nothing to be seen. Apparently, it was too soon to tell. I walked into the bathroom and changed into the hideous clothing that my mom brought me. I glared at my stomach for a while. Kind of feeling reluctant to leave, I wouldn't be able to see Adam until tomorrow when they released him, he couldn't be straight removed from the part of the hospital he was at so they had to move him to a waiting room before allowing him to leave. I stepped outside of the hospital with my mother at my side. But now I had new plans.

I needed to find ways to remove the monster inside me without an abortion. If it meant I had to be in a high-stress situation to get rid of this baby. So be it.

Chapter 45: What Eleanor Wants "You can't put me in a one size fits all type of mold mom, I'm not like that. And while being your only living child, I would like to inform you that I had never originally wanted children, but after I met Adam, things changed. And now I can't get rid of Vlad's baby after being forced as a porn star for almost two weeks. I just can't." I sat on the couch, my legs crossed and a tea cup between my fingers. "But Eleanor, you may not have chosen to get pregnant, but you are. And there is really no way to get rid of it without hurting yourself in the process. I am sorry honey, but that's how it is." She sat patiently beside me, sipping coffee and eating a donut. "If you get an abortion, you can kill your chances of ever having another child again." "But I just-" "No buts, look dear, today Adam comes back and you can discuss it with him too, but I want you to know my stance on it. Have the kid and give it to Vladimir Claiming, He said he would take care of it and that's probably the only heir to his throne that he will get." Mom was laughing, she was lighthearted, taking this as a joke. "Although, he is quite a looker if you ask me." Mom grinned. "This is serious mom, I don't want him to have my kid! I want to keep my kid and I want the father to be Adam."

"Then have the kid and tell them their father is Adam." "You don't see my point," I began getting frustrated, "I don't want the kid realizing later that their father was Vlad. I actually. . ." A knock on the door startled us, I quickly ran to the door. My gut told me it was Adam, and it was usually right. I quickly opened the door when my eyes landed on my brown eyed wonder. I quickly jumped in his arms as a loud oomph escaped him, a wide smile spreading across my face as he held my weight. His suitcase had fallen to the ground as my legs wrapped around his waist. "I. . . I missed you. . .so much!" Tears of joy leaked out of my eyes, staining his shirt as he kissed my cheek. "I missed you too." He pulled away slightly so we could be face to face. "Before you kiss," My mother chimed in, " I would like you to consider the following. One. Get a room, two there are cameras hidden in the bushes right now and more paparazzi clearly followed Adam because there's a black van coming down the street. Three. . ." Before she said anything else, Adam and I had already sealed our lips together, the door was wide open and flashing lights were all around us. I didn't care. I would be honored to have this picture in a magazine. ¤¤¤

We took a plane home. I don't know if Adam knew I was pregnant, but I would tell him later. I didn't even know why I stopped using birth control. Maybe because I knew Adam wouldn't let anything happen. Or maybe I wanted to have his child. Adam's that is, if he would ever let that happen. He seemed exhausted the entire way there so I decided not to say anything. For a while before my personality leaked out again and I began talking. "Adam, there's something important I need to tell you." I began, his eyes were shut and his breathing was slow. He was in that deep sleep, the kind that only happens after a tiresome day. His arm was under his head, turned on his side to face me. It would make it easier for me definitely to tell him, and I could later tell him that I already told him. "So that day that I went for a walk, I got chased by a dog. I climbed up that fence and tried to get it to go away. . ." I was stalling, I didn't know why if was so hard to tell my husband that I was having another man's child. That simple fact is insane. I had never been so repulsed at sex before in my life. Even the thought of it made me want to puke, or maybe that was the baby. Was it too soon to start puking? I decided to mumble for a while knowing

that even if he were awake, he wouldn't be able to understand me. "I am pregnant. But I plan on getting rid of it but not through an abortion. I don't want Vlad's baby." I said, then whispered, "I want yours." I got no response which I was semi grateful for before realizing I would have to tell this to him all over again. It physically hurt me to tell this man, Adam Carnegie, my husband that I love, the man I married for almost a year now, that I had sex with another man. He turned on his side and my heart began racing at the mere closeness. Maybe he had heard me. "Eleanor, I love you no matter what you do with it. And I understand why you did what you did. If I were put in that position, I would have done this same." He whispered. My heart skipped a beat and got caught in my throat. I stared at him dumbfounded. I never understood the unconditional love he gave me. He was so perfect in all the right ways. "Adam, come on, you must have some sort of another opinion about this. I mean. . ." "Eleanor, I mean it. I will support you no matter what you decide to do." He scooted even closer which had my heart going haywire. I couldn't think straight with this proximity. If this is what love is like, I hope to be in love forever. His brown eyes swam with an interesting emotion and my

heart stopped in my chest for a slight second then began racing like a tiger chasing its prey. "Are you doing better?" I asked, referring to the long stay at the hospital. "I'm fine." He kissed me. Without me having to be seductive or anything. He merely leaned forward, without warning, and shook my entire body into oblivion. His lips crashed onto mine and melded so perfectly. I felt like a little kid on Christmas day receiving the most amazing gift from him. His lips left mine and began trailing down my neck. My heart rate rose quickly and my face felt hot. Is this it? Will he actually do it? We were still on the jet after all with as much privacy as that would give. Susan could walk in at any moment. But that didn't matter. I knew what I wanted and what I wanted was Adam Carnegie. I moaned as his hands flew under my shirt and pulled it off easily. I couldn't help but smile at his bravery. "I've wanted to do this for so long, love." He whispered. My arms wrapped around his back, feeling the strong muscles as his fingers unclasped my bra. I gasped, so much raw emotion ran through me. It was getting steamy in here, I wanted so badly to open a window and get a chance to breathe but I liked this too much. His hands on me, his lips on

mine. It felt right and I loved it. He climbed over me, his strong abdomen barely rubbing against me as I wanting to pull him even closer. I tore his shirt off, the buttons flying everywhere as he looked at me shocked before kissing me once again. His lips, oh the glory of those wondrous god given things, were so dang talented, pushing between mine until our tongues were together. I was already over the top and we hadn't even gotten rid of our pants yet. Butterflies swam inside me and waves of pleasure enveloped me. I couldn't help but smile every time his beautiful brown eyes would flicker to me, asking if I was okay. He was beautiful. "Do you think we should be doing this?" I gasped for air as his lips trailed down my neck and toward my bare chest leaving my heart racing. "I mean, you were just in the hospital and. . ." My back arched in pleasure as his arms wrapped around me and his glorious lips latched onto my breast. I gasped aloud. "I'm fine Eleanor." He grinned cheekily and kissed me once more. He further took to kissing me, his lips trailed a line across my abdomen and got dangerously close to my jeans. I felt myself shudder, heat touching every spot. I was alive, I could feel everything, the surroundings, his fingers on my body. My heart

choked in my throat as I felt myself getting dizzy. "Adam wait." As much as it hurt me to say this, I had to care more about his safety and well being before my own pleasure. He stopped and instead rested his elbows on either side of me with his chin in his hands as the rest of his beautiful body lay between my legs. "Look, love is about putting you first and I don't think we should be doing this especially since you aren't fully recovered yet. I want this too, but Adam, what if they haven't cleaned your lungs out completely or did whatever they were doing and you end up being unable to breathe?" "Don't worry about me love, I'm fine." His warm brown eyes reassured me. "But maybe a couple days would do us both some good." He turned on his side and lay beside me, sitting back in his seat in the plane, still shirtless. A few moments later he turned back to me, leaned down, and kissed my stomach. "I think I will make a pretty good dad, don't you think?" An emotion that I had never seen on Adam before clouded his eyes and maybe I had seen it but never put two and two together to recognize it. Sadness. It pained him, that much was easy to tell which further influenced me to go through with my plan. And the fact that he had recently lost a child

of his own must've played a part as well. He was great at hiding his emotions and I needed to peel away the wrapping on his heart. I wanted us to be wholly honest with each other no matter how much it hurt. I don't want Vladimir's child, no matter how beautiful it may be it is not Adam's. I nodded at him, a small smile curling my lips, and with that, Adam headed for the jet's bathroom to take a nice cold shower.

Chapter 46: Baby Blues Fate. God. Maybe God created fate. Nevertheless, everything seemed to pop into place the moment my mind began to remind me of forgotten tales. Adam Carnegie. Maybe we have always been meant to be together. Maybe from the second we were put on this Earth, our lives were automatically connected and had become one. But nobody knew back then. Things were different. I could remember so many times I had encountered those loving brown eyes. The ones that looked like they belonged in a museum to be looked at daily. Those beautiful innocent eyes that reminded me slightly of my long passed brother. And so many things have changed. Jase is gone, officially and eternally gone. But his soul lives on, I see his kind and funny personality every day when I look at Adam Carnegie, my husband. I love him. A man that I had met back when I was sixteen and naive. I hadn't recalled who it was at the time but now I know. It was always Adam. Always Adam Carnegie. I would have never thought that I'd be at a Disneyland coffee shop, half asleep, at two a.m. Well, not until a soul joined me at the table and fell asleep beside me. It was a comforting thing for

a while before it turned creepy and I snuck a peek. "Who are you?" I mumbled to the sleeping stranger. He sighed and opened his eyes. "I'm sorry, the place is full and this table had an empty seat. Is it okay if I sleep here. I'm tired frankly and the Grad Night kids are a loud pain." "Yeah, sure." I mumbled having thought up a million questions. How is this person still here at 2 a.m. if he isn't here for grad night? I contemplated for a minute before shutting my eyes and falling asleep. "Are you here for Grad Night?" He randomly asked. "No. I just wanted to go to the happiest place on Earth and nobody has checked if I had a wristband on or not. I took it off earlier because it was annoying my wrist." I laughed a little before turning my head and trying to fall asleep once again. "Hey Eleanor!" My friend Trey appeared and sat in front of me. He had been in my history class all of my senior year yet we never spoke once except for today. Today we became best friends and it was the strangest thing ever. I guess that's what happens when you're stuck with someone for a whole day. He brought a cup of coffee in front of him and began sipping it. "You're drinking coffee? At two a.m.? Are

you insane?" I wiped my eyes. "Maybe just a little bit." He chuckled, " want some?" I shook my head and went back to sleep. By the time a cop came to wake me up, the boy had disappeared. I had always wondered who he was, but now I was certain. I had met Adam multiple times before our wedding. He seemed to recall me better than I did him. My love, Adam Carnegie. ¤¤¤ Old wine. The room was scented with the beautiful smell of pink roses and old wine. The same smell brings back memories of the coffee shop from years ago. I sat up on our bed, wondering where Adam had gone. He never left without saying good bye before. This was different. "Hello Mrs. Eleanor, Adam had an emergency at work. Now that his father can no longer run the company, he has an extra weight on him. He told me to apologize on his behalf once you have awoken." Mattea said. Of course, the horrible Hank Carnegie, a shame to the Carnegie name, had been arrested and thankfully would never hurt people the way he had hurt me. Emotionally and Physically. I was carrying the baby of a man that was forced to make love to

me on multiple occasions because of the crazy Mr. Carnegie. The painful memories struck me as I churned in the bed, wishing the unwanted child inside me would go away. Vladimir Claiming was not getting a child out of me. I would rather die. I yawned and nodded toward Mattea as she left. I needed to get my mind off of this horrible situation, if only for a while. I would go job hunting then, I mean, who can refuse a Stanford graduate? ¤¤¤ "We regret to inform you, Mrs. Carnegie, that we cannot interview you because our staff is packed. We cannot accept new members. We apologize." Said the fifth bakery I went to. What good does a bachelors degree do from Stanford if all I want to do is a cook? "That's fine." I nodded annoyingly and walked out once again. My stomach was starting to hurt and my mind kept wandering to ways I could hurt this unborn child. Starve myself? Dehydrate myself? Would that even cause a miscarriage? I took a deep breath in and let it out. One last job hunt then I would walk to Carnegie Hall and meet with my husband. I, without a single thought in mind, decided to head into the nearest coffee shop. "Welcome to Claire's Coffee, what would

you like to order?" The girl at the front desk asked. I smiled, she seemed friendly enough. "Could I get a cup of coffee please, no creamer and one teaspoon of sugar," I muttered. "Definitely!" She said enthusiastically. She turned around for a second before turning to face me. "Are. . . are you, Eleanor? Eleanor Carnegie?" She asked with a hopeful glint in her eye. "Yes," I said as her face contorted into a look of a sad puppy. "I'm so sorry for what happened to you and Adam. I know it's none of my business but it's been all the drama going on in the news. But I just wanted you to know we all feel for you." She smiled. I nodded, really not wanting this and more importantly not wanting anyone to find out about my pregnancy. "Thank you," I said, waiting for the girl to stop talking and give me my coffee. She smiled at me and hurriedly made my coffee. "Here, on the house." She said once again. "I can pay." I suddenly said in the most standoffish way possible. "Oh. . . I mean if you want. . . " She replied, a heartbroken look striking her face. I took out a ten dollar bill and placed it in front of her. No job here. I grabbed my coffee and walked out. I don't know what's wrong with me. Maybe it's the baby. I tossed the coffee in the garbage and

stepped outside to take a deep breath then rushed to the nearest trashcan and puked. This demon growing inside me must go.

Chapter 47: A First for Everything The greenish watery slime flew rapidly from my mouth as Adam held my hair away from the toilet and slowly rubbed my back. I couldn't contain the barf and it didn't seem like it would stop anytime soon. "It's okay Eleanor. You're fine." Adam whispered, sitting beside me on the cold bathroom floor and leaning forward to kiss my head. Tears were streaming from my eyes almost as quickly as vomit was flowing from my mouth. I shut my eyes, trying to stop the flow of fluid, but nothing could be contained. The damn baby was ruining my life. I woke up this morning to fresh stretch marks besides my stomach. How disgusting! I guess that's what happens after four months of pregnancy. It was hard to believe that four months had already gone by, scary to think that in just 5 more, Vladimir's child would be born. After the puke stopped coming, I stood up and hurriedly rinsed my mouth, brushing my teeth in the process. "How're you feeling?" Adam's concerned eyes looked at me softly. "Just great," I huffed as he wrapped his arms around me. "We'll be fine, just a couple more months. . ." I could see the pain that formed on his face when

he thought about my pregnancy. "We're not fine! Your damn father tore us apart! I. . . I want an abortion. I don't want this child. I want a kid that is yours. Not Vladimir's. " Adam's face seemed to harden as he released me and walked away. "Adam, where are you going?!" I rushed after him and grabbed his wrist, halting him in his tracks. "Okay." He stated, "If that's what you want, then fine, but I don't support your decision." The desire to miscarry the innocent child growing inside me increased. "Adam. . . this child isn't ours. You said you would support me. . ." "You're right, it's yours, but as your husband, the child becomes ours. It's an innocent human being, Eleanor it knows nothing!" His voice began to rise. I suddenly felt afraid. I don't think I've ever been afraid of Adam, but this strong opposition to this was not something I had expected. "And do you understand how much this would crush you, Eleanor?!" "Adam. . ." I said, trying to calm him down. "My mother was going to have another child a few years ago. She thought she was too old and that the child might have autism or something else wrong with it." I could see it pained him to tell this to me, "so she got rid of it. And for years afterward,

she was crushed. She. . . wouldn't go out to social gatherings or talk to people. She stayed home all the time, regretting her decision. Eleanor, I know that right now you feel like this child is the end of the world, but it's not. Eleanor, I love you, but I don't want you to go through all that." He whispered now, stepping closer and pulling me into a hug. "Okay," I said, running a hand through his hair and messing it up. "Are you. . . going to work today?" He seemed to contemplate this for a moment, "No, I think we need a day together." He moved closer, softly pressing his lips to mine. Shivers ran down my spine and once again, the air of determination to somehow get rid of this child inside me grew. If it's a miscarriage, sure I will be upset, but at least it'll be gone. And I better try soon before the nine-month mark. ¤¤¤ As soon as we stepped outside our home, hundreds of eyes were on us. Holding hands and walking side by side to the limousine that would take us to the amusement park. We sat inside and waited for the driver to pull out of the driveway and onto the street. "Eleanor, have you heard from Vladimir?" Reporters asked. "Are you going to divorce?"

"Mr. Hank Carnegie told us you two were going to divorce!" "Is the conspiracy between Vladimir and Mr. Carnegie true, did Vladimir Claiming pay Carnegie Hall for a few days with you?" I felt sick. How disturbed must these people be to think any of that was true. Sure, I had no idea why Mr. Carnegie had chosen us when he knew our names would end up on the news. And why Vladimir agreed to be in there with me. Maybe it was to destroy his son, but now we had put the devil behind bars. Hopefully forever. "Don't listen to them Eleanor," Adam whispered, placing a soft kiss on my cheek as cameras flashed. The window was closed and tinted, there was no way these sick people could get photos of us. Slowly, the driver turned onto the street as to not hit anyone. Adam held tightly onto my hand, his grasp making me feel safe. A few minutes later, the driver parked in front of Carnegie Hall. He waited a moment for Adam to quickly rush inside and come back. I raised an eyebrow at him as he quickly slithered back into the vehicle, without speaking a single word. "Are we going to an amusement park?" I asked.

"Mhm. " Adam smirked, a small hint of a laugh escaped his lips at my confusion. Hours went by and I had fallen asleep repeatedly as the limo moved ever so slowly to wherever we were headed. "Eleanor, we're here," Adam whispered, lacing his fingers between mine. My eyes widened in shock at the sight before me. It was beautiful. We were parked in front of a pier, decorated with beautiful flowers and lights. Adam and I walked forward hand in hand as we made our way to the edge of the pier. We peeled off our shoes and let our feet flow in the water. "Adam I. . ." He looked at me, as to silently tell me to shut up about the unborn monster inside me. His eyes darkened with wanting, "I love you, Eleanor." He seemed to love saying those words, and I loved hearing them. It was almost time for sunset and the temperature was beginning to cool down. He leaned forward slowly, his lips hovering over mine as his hands wrapped around my waist. I tried to lean in, but he backed away, instead, he began kissing my neck, and slowly bringing his lips further down. Tiny bursts of shivers stung the parts where his soft lips met my cold skin, quickly heating it up. We had been married for

almost a year now. He brought his lips back to my face, kissing my forehead slowly, then my chin, and before he could go to my cheeks, I grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him to me, unable to control myself. I felt him smile against my lips as we kissed for what seemed like hours. Out of breath, we both pulled apart, his eyes were shining so brightly. "I love you too." I couldn't hide the smile that covered my entire face as he leaned forward once again, this kiss seemed more urgent, needier. A small moan escaped my lips as Adam's body hovered over mine. In the moment, we hadn't realized how quickly the sun had set or how close we were to the edge of the pier until the lights decorating the area turned on and we both fell in. "Adam!" I shouted, grabbing for him in the icy water. "Adam, I called again!" I couldn't see him and the sun was almost completely gone, leaving only a minuscule slit of light. Maybe he hadn't fallen, I looked up at the pier, he was nowhere in sight. Something grabbed me and pulled me down into the water, I screamed loudly, but there was no one in sight. The water fought with me as I got pulled further below. My gaping eyes stared at my foot, held in

Adam's hand as I kicked his hand away and swam back to the top. As soon as his head popped out above the water, I splashed water in his laughing face. “Asshole! You had me so worried!" I shouted as he continued to laugh at me. He tried to scoot closer, but I swam farther away angry at the fight he had put me through. The sliver of light slowly faded away as he reached me and pulled me close. "I'm sorry." He said, a hint of laughter still in his voice, "you should've seen your face." He laughed. I couldn't stand him at this particular moment. "Look, look, Eleanor, I'm sorry." He said, struggling to contain his laughter. I looked at him with forgiving eyes. "Well, there's one thing you could do that would really make me forgive you," I smirked and a knowing smile appeared on his chiseled features.

Chapter 48: When Nature Runs Its Course He ravished me under the warming water, his mouth was everywhere as I gasped for air. We had no idea how to get back on dry land nor did we care. The world was consumed by total darkness as the skies began to fill with stars. "Adam," I moaned against his lips as they made their way underwater and lined my stomach with soft kisses. I couldn't keep my hands off of him and neither could he. "Shore," I choked out as he swam back up, no control in his face and his brooding features had gone wild. I loved it. We were free. We barely made it to the sandy shore of the beach, a while away from the miniature park that was brightly lit as we walked out of the water. My heart rate beat a million miles an hour as he approached me, his hand reached for mine as we walked slowly toward the limousine, our clothing soaked. He stepped close behind me and removed his hand from mine, placing it around my waist until we got to the limousine. We saw it parked a while away, the driver was sound asleep inside as the busy street became brighter than ever before. I glanced back at the pier, a large smile grew on my face. Silence spoke to us as the driver awoke once we entered the car.

"Home, Max," Adam said as the limo began to move. Every time I glanced at Adam, staring attentively at me, my face flushed and it became hard to breathe. I wanted to ravish him, to kiss every inch of his perfectly sculpted body. As soon as Max parked outside, Adam instinctively wrapped his hand around mine and pulled me upstairs. "I. . . need to shower." I said a sudden shy feeling overwhelmed me as I grabbed his hand and pulled him to me. "Want some company?" He smirked, his closeness made my heart skip ten beats, and I couldn't help the smile that burst quickly on my face. He looked at me, a warmth flickered in his eyes as they swam from my lips to my eyes once again. We stood outside the bathroom door, our clothing still soaked from tonight's adventures. I smirked at him and turned around and walked inside the bathroom. "Maybe, we should get cleaned up, only God knows the bacteria that was in that beach water." I looked up to meet his darkening brown eyes, a sparkle I hadn't seen in awhile appeared. Our bedroom was barely lit by the skylight above, the natural moonlight flowing in. "Yeah," he whispered, taking a step closer, "maybe we should," he leaned down to kiss my

frozen cheek as I grabbed the front of his shirt which was now damp. He pulled it over his head and tossed it aside. "Y. . . yeah." I stuttered, moving my fingers from his chest up to his shoulders and around his neck as he stared at my hands, then shifted his gaze to my eyes. As soon as he looked at me, butterflies erupted in my stomach as I pushed on my tiptoes to press my lips onto his. He smiled against my mouth, his hands slowly sliding down my back and pulling the hem of my shirt while his tongue begged for entry. I froze when the shirt flew off my body and his hands slid down further and grasped my butt, lifting me up as his hardness pressed against my front. I gasped loudly. I could hardly breathe, in complete disbelief that Adam had lost all possible control. I wrapped my legs around his waist, letting his warmth consume me. He glanced at me for a second before kissing me sensuously once again, his mouth commanding mine. In an instant, we were lying on the bed, his body hovered over mine as his mouth left hot kisses everywhere. His fingers unclasped my bra and my heart rate accelerated. I gasped as his mouth wrapped around my breasts, sucking and kissing, then slid further below. I couldn't breathe as sweet nothings escaped his lips, my mind was quickly growing hazy as he

moved further and unbuttoned my jeans. In one swift move, the came off. I grabbed his shoulders. He looked back up at me as a smile broke out on my face. I pulled him to my face and attempted to flip us over. He smirked, going along with my charade and resting his head on the pillow. Everything was done by instinct in the dark of night, the most basic part of human nature was running its course. I grabbed his arms and held his hands as I began tracing kisses across his chest. He heaved, moaning against my touch as my mouth strolled further down his torso, I tore off his belt and undid the button on his dress pants. He moved, helping me take them off. "I love you." He said breathlessly as he lay completely bare below me. He hesitantly flipped us once again, we were now lying on the edge of the bed, inches from falling off as his mouth, that glorious thing trailed across my body, reaching a place where the light does not enter and kissing my inner thigh. I gasped, moaning and squirming under his touch. He came back up, paused for a moment to place a condom on and hovered over me, a warm look in his eye as I lay there, waiting for the final moment when we would become one. "Adam!" I screamed as he entered, my heart racing at a million miles an hour, my breath caught

in my throat as we moaned. My arms wrapped around his back, unintentionally scratching as he continued pounding inside me. My breathing became heavier as the world grew hazy. Moments later, he lay beside me, breathing heavily as I pulled myself close to him, snuggling up in his warmth. "That was amazing." He looked at me with such a warm twinkle in his eye that my heart melted once again. We were like a couple of rabbits, we couldn't keep our hands off of each other. "I love you, Adam Carnegie." A large smile embodied me as he kissed my forehead and headed to the bathroom. I stood up and walked to the bathroom moments later, feeling the need to also use the restroom. He was standing by the sink, washing his hands as his beautiful body was glowing with a thin layer of sweat. I walked up behind him and kissed the muscles of his back and headed into the bathroom. Tonight was perfect, I couldn't have expected anything more than this with the man of my dreams, the love of my life: Adam Carnegie.

Chapter 49: Heinous The sun began to rise as sweat trickled down my face. We'd been going at it all night on the bed, on the floor, anywhere. I couldn't keep my hands off of him and neither could he. I breathed heavily as we finally got out of bed. I looked at his glorious body, lying beside me now breathlessly. There were red marks on his shoulders as he turned to get off the bed, I could see the damage I'd done to his back as well. I never did that before, to anyone. I looked away, feeling slightly guilty. "Good morning beautiful." He laughed as if we had gotten any sleep at all last night. He kissed me lazily, sending shockwaves across my body, walking toward the bathroom after the most mind blowing night of my life. "Care to join me?" He smirked as I stretched my sore muscles and followed behind him. I mean, who can turn down sex with Adam Carnegie? ¤¤¤ "Well don't you look happy." Mattea pointed out as she handed me my coffee downstairs, "I wonder what happened last night." She winked as I blushed. "We… " I began, but she cut me off, holding her hand up and shaking her head.

"I know, I walked in at around midnight to get my purse and heard everything." She shuddered as I looked away. I didn't think we had been that loud. "Sorry." I laughed nervously, taking a sip of my black coffee and placing it back on the kitchen counter. Footsteps fell on the stairs as Adam approached us in the kitchen, already dressed for work. "Good morning Mattea." He said, his eyes trained on me. "Well, I better go, clean the. . . uh, the garage." Mattea scurried out of the kitchen as Adam sat beside me. "You're amazing." He whispered, facing me as I grinned. I leaned forward and pecked his lips. "Do you have to go to work today?" I murmured, slowly looking into his loving brown eyes. "Unfortunately, my dad left a huge mess. I don't kn. ." "Mhm." I scooted closer, placing a hand on his thigh as he froze. "Eleanor," he warned now, a smirk forming as I moved my hand further up his leg. He suddenly stood up quickly and grimaced, taking a few steps away from me. "I'm afraid if I stay here another second, I might not be at work today." He laughed. I walked up beside him, knowing that he needed to

go. "Fine," I laughed, wrapping my arms around him in a hug. "I'll be back around eight tonight," he whispered and backed away, his lips met my forehead and then he was off and out of the house in seconds. I stood dazed for a moment, not knowing what to do with myself. I knew I had missed the last few check ups for my baby, but I didn't want to go, I wanted the thought of Vladimir's child to have been a hoax, but the moment Mattea walked in telling me that the doctor was on the phone, I just knew I had to go. I felt lighter and extremely happy. It wouldn't have hurt to check up on the child, it was weird that my baby bump hadn't even begun to show yet. To see what gender it was at the very least. "Mattea, could you tell Adam that I will be in California until tomorrow, I have to go to Dr. Scott and I'd really like to go with Pure. I heard she was back from her honeymoon a while ago." "Sure Mrs. Carnegie, I mean Eleanor." She corrected herself, walking toward the phone as I reached for the laptop and scheduled a flight to California, the earliest time was in a few hours, at around nine a.m. so I reluctantly paid the ticket and walked into the living room. I pressed the buzzer. "Hello John, can you have Max prepare the

Limousine for me, I would like to head to the airport." "Yes, Mrs. Carnegie," John replied as I headed toward the gates. Adam had already left, the majority of the paparazzi had followed after him, knowing I never walk outside the house. Max drove me right on time for my flight and I took a cab to Pure's home. I had called her earlier, asking if she wanted to go with me and she'd happily obliged. Clearly, Noah had kept our secret to himself. She drove up to Dr. Smith and sat in the waiting room with me. "How're you feeling?" She asked, turning toward me. The doctor's office was too cheery, with flowers embroidered on walls and lights flowing through the ceiling. It was way too bright for ten in the morning. "Great," I began, "last night was the most magical moment of my life." I said. "Wait, you and Adam weren't… you know?" She suggested. "He wouldn't. Until last night, it was like his spirit animal had taken over or something, he was amazing and. . ." I was cut off as the door opened. "Eleanor Carnegie." The nurse called as Pure and I stood up. "Present." I raised my finger up so she could spot me and fixed my shirt as we followed her

inside. "How are you today Mrs. Carnegie?" The woman asked, I nodded as my eyes latched onto the room we were walking into. We entered the room and she took my vitals. "So let's check up on this baby." Dr. Scott said, "Rest back in this dear." She said as I did what I was told. She lifted my shirt far enough to see my flat stomach and furrowed her brows. "Mrs. Carnegie, you said you were how many weeks pregnant?" "Fifteen, well almost four months." "The baby bump should have started showing by now. . ." She looked worried, doing nothing to disguise it. "But it's different for everyone and since this is your first pregnancy, I would assume it may take a bit longer to show. Okay, let's check this child out." She smiled a sickly sweet smile as she plastered a freezing cold clear solution on my stomach. "Hm. " The woman seemed lost in thought. "Mrs. Carnegie, have you done anything too stressinducing recently? Or perhaps carried a heavy box, rode a roller coaster? Anything along those lines, has your stomach been hit by anything?" "Uh, no not really. I haven't carried anything heavy or ridden a rollercoaster. I did go for a swim with Adam yesterday, and we did some stuff when

we got home." "Stuff?" She raised her eyebrows. "We had sex is all. I think I read somewhere that it's okay during pregnancy." I said. "Yes that's true." She paused and took a deep breath, "Mrs. Carnegie, you don't appear to be pregnant." She finally said. I grasped my stomach feeling the need to barf again and cry and throw a tantrum. For something I thought I wanted, it hurt like hell to realize it had happened. Had I miscarried my child? "What?!" I demanded as Pure held my hand for moral support. "Well it's possible that you might have been pregnant, but this shows that you have nothing in your uterus. I could do some more tests if you like but... I apologize for being in your business, you are the wife of Mr. Carnegie after all, but there is a stress induced pregnancy that can show the signs, but perhaps you weren't actually pregnant." "No, the doctors at the hospital. . ." I argued, I hadn't actually done anything that could make me lose the baby. "Sit tight for a moment, I will go check your medical files before I say anything further." "Okay." I sighed, I felt in pain and wanted to cry as Pure looked at me and gave me a hug. "You'll be fine Eleanor." She said. I felt awful, I had wanted to keep the child now that I

think about it. Maybe all the talk of getting rid of it made it want to leave. "These files show that you had never been pregnant Mrs. Carnegie. I would like to do some tests if you don't mind." She spoke and I felt my heart drop. "But the doctors... " "It also says that you’ve had hallucinations in the past, maybe this was one of them to fool your body into believing it was." "That was a long time ago Dr. Smith. I was just dehydrated a while ago and slightly depressed after my brother passed away, but that was all before I was put in the room with Vladimir and... I'm sure you watch the news." I announced as I furrowed my eyebrows. So I had never been pregnant. That was a strange thought. A confusing thought since I was starting to grow stretch marks on that region. It couldn’t be true, could it? "Okay Mrs. Carnegie, could you please change into this, I have a few tests to conduct. Perhaps you're sterile?" She said and I choked on air hearing these words. "What happened to bedside manner doc?" Pure cut in, feeling my discomfort from a mile away. "I don't like to beat around the bush." Dr. Scott replied as I felt my limbs go weak. "Right

then, I'll give you time to change and I will be back in a few minutes." The doctor left the room. Was I supposed to be relieved to hear that I wasn't pregnant? I had missed my last four periods, perhaps that was also part of a stress induced pregnancy. "Do you want me to wait outside?" Pure asked, I looked at her, I had forgotten she was there. I nodded as she patted my shoulder and walked out. I slowly changed out of my clothes, wishing Adam was here to do it for me, and put on the thin paper I was told to wear. I sat on the long bed again and waited patiently for the doctor to walk in. My cell phone began to ring as a familiar name popped up on the screen. My light through this dark storm that seemed to only be getting darker. "Adam?" I asked, a smile playing on my lips and butterflies exploding inside me as he replied. "How is everything in California?" His voice had a strange tone to it, a ringing that made me suddenly feel unsafe here, but I decided to think nothing of it. "I went to check on the baby." I whispered, a strange tone in my voice that he would obviously recognize. "Is everything okay?" The worry reflected in his voice as it had mine. Dr. Scott chose that

moment to walk in. "I'll tell you when I get back. I love you." I said, my heart filling with delight as the words were spoken.. "Love you too Eleanor." I heard him say and then we hung up. "Mr. Carnegie I presume?" Dr. Scott was so nosy, I nodded. "And I am also assuming that he isn't the father?" "That's none of your business, even with the doctor patient confidentiality." I glared at her. "Relax Mrs. Carnegie, anything said here stays here. Now please rest back and open you legs." She said and I did as I was told. She placed something inside of me and pulled it out. And then did a couple more tests as well as took some blood. "Someone has definitely been sexually active, Mr. Carnegie clearly has more than looks going for him." She said as I felt butterflies at the mention of Adam. I looked away. "Okay are we done here?" I asked. "Sure, you'll have the results mailed to you if you like. Or if you want more privacy in this matter, I can expedite the process and have it ready for you by tonight." "I trust my husband! And he trusts me! But sure since I will be in California until tomorrow morning, I would like to pick it up tonight." I announced, crossing my arms, I didn't want to feel

like I needed to prove myself to anyone, especially not this doctor. "And I would like another doctor." I finally said as I stood up and waited for her to leave so I could change. I groaned inwardly, holding back a scream of frustration as I changed and stormed out of the office. "You okay?" Pure asked, I had shown my wrath to her before and she knew what I was planning. "No Eleanor, please don't." I merely grimaced and walked to her car as random men with cameras appeared. "Eleanor... " "What are you doing in California?" "Are you pregnant?" This time I wanted to answer. I stood at their cameras and microphones and walked up to one of them. He had a shocked look on his face as he eagerly gave me the microphone. I contemplated what I should say, wondering if I should mention anything, I decided against it. "Why don't you people stay out of my damn business!" I shouted on live air as I dropped the mic and sat in the passenger seat of Pure's car.

Chapter 50: Darkness Within "Eleanor, I saw the news, is our child safe?" "I'm not pregnant." I told Vladimir as he seemed to shift in his seat. The line went silent for a second. "Damn it!" I heard him shout. I glanced at the letter in my hand as Noah sat across from me in his and Pure's home. He glanced at me worriedly and then got up and walked to the kitchen. "I'm not sure I ever was." I said calmly, "So there you go. I have no affiliation with you besides those stupid videos." I couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy. But maybe he could have kids with someone else. The Claiming Porn Industry wasn't going to die out anyway, not in the USA at least. And he was still very young, I was sure he could procreate with someone else. "I have to go." I heard him say in a low growl before hanging up. It was almost midnight, a quarter past eleven and I had been sitting here with the unopened envelope in my hand. I wanted to open it, to see if I couldn't have kids. But I shut my eyes instead and tossed it outside. My eyes popped out of their socket as they landed on the news program in front of me. The screen was so lively as my face appeared telling the reporters to back the hell out of my life.

"You okay?" Noah asked, approaching me with a cup of tea in his hand. Pure joined us moments later as I nodded and looked back at the screen. Those words seemed to be the only thing I heard from everyone now. Am I okay? I would like to think so, but I wasn’t. As the reporters continued to talk, my eyes were glued to the line of words at the bottom of the screen. I felt like hellfire would explode out of me as anger and fear melded together and filled me to the bone. Hank Carnegie charges have been dropped. I couldn't believe my eyes and I had so very much hoped it was a hallucination. Did I even have those anymore. Pure turned up the volume as fear seemed to be the only tension in the room, tension so thick, it could only be sliced by a chainsaw. "Eleanor Carnegie was spotted earlier today walking out of what some report as Dr. Scott's office, an OB-GYN. No record has been reported to confirm anything, but some may say that Eleanor may be pregnant." The woman said as the camera turned to an image of Dr. Scott. "I can neither confirm nor deny these news. Get away from my office!" Dr. Scott said, shooing the men with her arms. I chuckled at this and an image of Hank Carnegie smiling and shaking hands

with our president appeared. "In other news, sources say that Hank Carnegie had all charges against him dropped, which were definitely a lot. A presidential pardon has let this man out of jail and back on the streets. Earlier today, he was seen outside Carnegie Hall shaking hands speaking with several people. Is Hank really a menace if the president himself pardoned him?" The woman said and I felt my heart sink. I began hyperventilating and my heart began to race. I wished the death of that wretched man, I wished that he would just never have existed, I wished Adam had a different father. My mind swam with confusion as I fell on the ground. Nothing can be done to change the past, I knew that and for the first time in my life, I wanted to change the future, the demon needed to be dealt with. "Eleanor!" Pure and Noah both hopped out of their seats to help me. "I... I'm fine. I need to get home tonight. I... Thank you guys so much, I'm so grateful." I said, my voice sounding rushed as I grabbed my phone and called Adam. Maybe that's why he was calling earlier, maybe he didn't want to startle me with the news. My chest ached in wanting as I realized how much he had already protected me from any pain of this world.

I shut my eyes, waiting to hear his soft voice. Voicemail. Maybe his phone was off. A million thoughts swarmed through my mind as I quickly ran outside. "I can drive you to the airport, Eleanor, you're not alone, please calm down." Pure said as she hugged me. I nodded, feeling like a tornado had come and swept me out of Earth and into a strange planet where everything seemed to be going wrong. I may as well change my name to Murphy. I sat in Pure's car as we arrived at the airport. Money was no object to me and I needed to get home quickly. "Thank you!" I hugged her, purposely leaving a couple hundred dollars in her car. From the look of her home, they seemed like they might need the money. I quickly rushed inside. I had only brought my purse with me and the unopened envelope that Dr. Scott had given me. "Hi, I need a flight to New Jersey now," I said as the woman behind the desk stared at her computer with the most bored expression ever. "The earliest flight isn't until tomorrow morning at 4 a.m." She said. I groaned, I already had that flight. "Anything sooner?" I stared at her. "Not unless you want to make a stop in Washington then head around the country there. I don't think so." She finally looked up at me and

shock filled her face. She looked like she had seen a ghost. "Mrs. Carnegie, I could arrange a private flight for you." She said, looking at me with a fear stricken face. "I am so sorry for my earlier attitude, it's been a long day." "Same here." I agreed as she quickly printed a ticket for me and pointed me to the direction I needed to go. I impatiently waited for the airplane to take off, it would take a couple of hours to get there. The envelope inside my bag was screaming at me to be opened, it felt like a burning sensation that kept trying to lure me in. I sat silently until the roar of the envelope screamed at me and I quickly pulled it from my purse. There were still a few more hours left until I would get to see Adam, I wanted to know what the hell was wrong with me. The airplane shook and what I thought was turbulence turned into a heavy storm. We must be halfway there. Probably passing through Oklahoma above an actual tornado. I shut my eyes, a discomfort welling inside me. I glanced at my phone, knowing my heart couldn't take anything right now. "Do it." I encouraged myself as I grabbed the envelope. I slowly opened it with wild eyes as I searched the page. I couldn't understand anything until I read the doctor's note written below.

Healthy. Fertile. Great bloodwork. Out of all the darkness that had come from today, a sliver of light had made it's way through to me. I hugged the paper tightly. Then something occurred to me. I couldn't believe myself but it must have been true. I suddenly felt really sick.

Chapter 51: His Lies There was more to trapping me to have sex with Vladimir than just getting the Carnegie name out there and having more people use that law firm. I know that for a fact, the Carnegie name never left everyone's ears. That's what the majority of people talked about because news of random stuff about me, Adam, and Mr. Carnegie had broadcasted us across the world daily. No, it couldn't have been that except for if it was, Vladimir would have substituted himself for someone else. I wouldn't have gotten stuck with Vladimir. It made so much sense now why he was so eager to announce that he wanted my child. Because he couldn't have children. What still remained a mystery was why the doctors had lied to me. Or perhaps I had imaged the whole thing. Maybe the memory from our honeymoon when we entered into the strange shop and got told our fortunes was seeping through my subconscious and making itself conscious. Two kids and love, I still remembered it and it was only partially true. It would have obviously been a win-win situation for everyone but Adam and me. I felt like everyone owed me an explanation because things could not be as simple as it seemed.

I decided I would call the hospital later, ask them why they lied to me if in fact they had. And I needed to know why the hell Vladimir did that to me, and not to mention the criminal Mr. Carnegie. Mr. Carnegie would have gotten away with divorcing us, Vladimir would have had an heir to the Claiming Porn Industry, and I had a feeling Christian was somehow involved in all of this. It was crazy to think that Hank Carnegie got to leave his lifetime sentence. Even crazier was the fact that he wanted Adam and I to divorce, like he just didn't want to see us happy or something. I couldn't figure out what his problem was or why. I glared at the empty row of seats in front of me, they had an airplane with no passengers but me. I wanted to rip my hair out and tear my skin away, I needed something to calm me down. Adam perhaps, but sex doesn't heal. It just makes a temporary escape and then the pain floods back in. The only thing that seemed to make sense to me was Adam. Thinking back to all the times that he had stopped me when I was upset to talk, Adam cared. Adam loved me, Adam protected me. I couldn't think of a better reason than that. Nobody was as innocent as they seemed to be in his situation. I had originally forgiven Vladimir, I had thought it wasn't his fault and that stuff just happens. But boy was I wrong. They'd planned this whole thing out, but the

demise to their idiocy was the fact the I, Eleanor Carnegie can have children but he, Vladimir Claiming can not. I hadn't noticed him taking any supplements the two weeks in the three floors under basement of Carnegie hall That was the only possible answer to this madness. I felt a billion sighs of relief as the airplane finally landed in Jersey and I stepped out and took a cab home. It was a sight to behold, the home was still as large and as beautiful as ever but as soon as I got out of the taxi, I heard yelling, shouting and items breaking. "Mrs. Carnegie, you're home early, you might want to stay out here for a few minutes, Mr. Carnegie is having an argument with his son." I nodded, confused. After a few minutes of listening to incomprehensive shouting that couldn't be easily heard outside the walls of the home, I approached, my eyes searching for Adam. There were two figures, men in suits. Their shadows could be seen outside as I heard them speaking. "I will take your name off the family property if you don't sign this right now! I own everything you have a child. You think you can be brave for your little Eleanor? Do you think she will still care about you when you have nothing?! You owe me this simple gesture. Sign it!" Older Mr.

Carnegie yelled as Adam moved. At this moment, I had wished there was some sort of back door to this house. I wished I could enter silently and hide. I took a deep breath, curiosity taking over and walked through the front door, pretending I had no idea what was going on. "Speak of the devil." Mr. Carnegie said loud enough for me to hear just as my eyes landed on Adam's shocked look. "Eleanor," he looked at me with the kindest look in his eye as he approached me. "I will be back in the morning to collect the paperwork. " Mr. Carnegie glared at me as he walked out the front door. We watched as he left and Adam scooped me up in a loving hug. "I missed you." He said. I smiled in his arms, taking in a whiff of his strong cologne. "What was that about?" I asked, gesturing to the door that Mr. Carnegie had left open. This man was dangerous and cruel in so many ways. "Hm?" He took a deep breath and straightened up, putting a smile on his face as he shut the door and looked back at me, "nothing." I wondered what he could possibly be hiding from me. Did his crazy old man want him to sign divorce papers? I couldn't understand. I stared at him for a few more moments, confused as to why

he wouldn't tell me. I put my purse on the nearby couch in the middle of the living room and stared at him, waiting for him to break and tell me. "Eleanor, I can't... " Instead of him telling me, I walked up to the papers that Mr. Carnegie had left on our table. DOCUMENT TERMINATION said the page. "What?" I asked, my eyes scanning the paper. I turned to look at him in the dimness of the dark living room. I wished I could see more than the shadow of him through the light of the blinds. His eyes were downcast, refusing to meet mine as he stood still. "He wants me to sign saying our marriage was a fake." My heart began to race as my mind began churning and my body froze in place. He wanted to destroy my marriage contract with something far worse. It wouldn't be said that we had even married, it would be like nothing in the past year had even happened. There were so many things that I couldn’t understand and the frustration had continually grown inside me, eating me alive. "Oh." Was all I could manage to say before walking past him and heading upstairs. I needed answers. I couldn't understand what the hell was going on. Why there were so many problems arising. I changed quickly into a pair of silk pajamas,

soft against my skin and sat on the bed. By now, I had expected Adam to walk in and ask for my forgiveness. But nothing came, he remained downstairs. So instead, I decided to call the hospital, surely they would still be open right now. And then I would call Vladimir and demand answers. "Mission Poland Hospital, this is Maggie, how can I help you?" "Yes, hi, this is Eleanor Carnegie, I had a question regarding my file." "Just one second, I'll pull that up for you Mrs. Carnegie." I paused momentarily, listening to her type something on the keyboard. "There's no record of you Mrs. Carnegie. Would you like me to look under a different name?" WHAT? "What do you mean? I was just there four months ago. You know, around the time Mr. Hank Carnegie got arrested." "I'm sorry, there is disclosed information I cannot share with you." She said. "But, it's about me? It's my medical record! What are you talking about?" I grew frustrated and I could tell Mr. Carnegie had a hand in all these matters. Did he have the power to delete my medical file, to erase my pregnancy possibly? "I'm so-" Before she could finish her sentence, I had already hung up. I took a few

calming breaths, dialing Vladimir's number on my phone. I waited a few seconds as it rang before he picked up the phone. "Eleanor, what a nice surprise, anything I can do for you." "Was I actually pregnant?" I asked, slightly more forward than I had anticipated. There was a long pause before I spoke again, "I just called the hospital, apparently, all my records have been erased. Did you have a hand in this?" "Damn it," I heard him mutter, that seemed to be the only word he knew, "Eleanor, just take my advice now and never trust a Carnegie, they will do horrible things to you." He warned I could hear the fear seeping through the telephone lines. "What are you talking about?" I was confused. I didn't understand. "I think so," he spoke more to himself, "I just don't know how he actually got rid of the baby." My heart sank. I began sobbing loudly. "Damn it, I forgot to put her on hold." I heard him say before I ended the call. I knew the missing period and the stretch marks weren't a hoax. I just couldn't understand what the hell was happening. I heard footsteps downstairs and hurried to find Adam. But he was nowhere in sight.

Chapter 52: Hatred "Adam." I choked, feeling the bed sink beside me. He didn't say anything as I turned on my side to face him. He was wearing a shirt and pajama pants, facing away from me. "Adam," I called again, desperate for answers. He turned on his side, he had a darkened look on his face, bags under his eyes that made him look way older than he was. His eyes appeared puffy as he stood up and turned on the lights. "Eleanor, I'm sorry." He began, but I shook my head in confusion. "Why?" I asked, knowing what he was about to say may be the thing that kills me. He took a deep breath and approached me cautiously, as though I were a stray dog that might attack at any minute. I took a deep breath as he kept a safe distance between us. "My... uh, dad has had a hand in my life even in jail it seems." He took a deep breath, "he came here tonight to have me sign a marriage annulment paper. He said that your family has already paid off the debt they owed to us and you didn't need to be involved with me." My eyes widened, why hadn't my father told me this? I looked at Adam, his face was pained as he continued to speak. "I overheard your call with the hospital

earlier, evidently you are a Stanford grad," he tried to make light of the situation, but the bubble of tension wouldn't be burst, "Mr. Carnegie erased your pregnancy from the medical record. He... said that Vladimir hadn't repaid him for their deal, whatever that had been, and he didn't deserve a child." Adam took a deep breath, now speaking slowly in the bright light, avoiding my eyes at all costs. I felt my heart sink, so it was true, I had been pregnant. "What... happened to my... child?" I heaved as Adam wouldn't meet my eyes. He sat beside me on the bed, afraid to touch me. My heart raced inside my chest as fear engulfed me. I didn't want to hear what he had to say next, I couldn't believe my ears. "The pier. It died at the pier." He whispered as my eyes widened. My heart began racing quickly as I stared at him, his eyes refused to meet mine. "But he made me do it, Eleanor, he said he would kill your parents like he had killed Jase, and I couldn't deal with how crushed you would be and you didn't even want the kid." Mr. Carnegie killed Jase. The new information froze me as I became speechless. Adam knew this whole time and he didn’t say anything. And Adam killed my child, he was a part of this the whole time.

"You!" I screamed, "You knew this whole time that your damn father did this?! AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?!" I screamed, tears rolling down my cheeks faster than Niagara falls. "YOU KILLED MY BABY, we... we didn't fall into the pier on our own, you pushed me to the edge." "Eleanor... " He reached for my hand, but I slapped him away. “I’m sorry!” "YOU. DID. THIS." I screeched as he attempted to calm me down. There was no way I could calm down, I slapped him across the face. "Eleanor... please. I love you, I wouldn't intentionally hurt you. It just happened." He put a hand up to his cheek. "Nobody can ever love a monster!" I spat, hopping out of the bed with hot tears stinging my cheeks. I quickly ran downstairs as Adam ran behind me. "Eleanor." He called behind me, attempting to make a grab for my arm. "Sign the damn papers! I never wanted to marry you anyway!" I shouted, he looked like he had just been punched and tossed into a hurricane. Pain, I wanted to create pain inside his life like he had mine. He had lied, kept this huge secret from me. I glared at him for a few minutes longer, hot tears still revolting and flying out of my eyes like a volcano.

"I. HATE. YOU." I hissed, walking outside in the freezing windy night, wearing nothing but my silk pajamas and a pair of flip-flops. "Eleanor! Wait!" He shouted, but I had run far away, past the gates and down the street. It was way past midnight. I couldn't stop myself as I continued to cry. His words replayed in my mind. Jase was dead because of his family. My unborn child was dead. I felt my heart get torn in my chest as I ran into the middle of the street. I screamed, feeling the air get knocked out of me and everything went black. Now I was dead.

Epilogue ELEANOR CARNEGIE SUICIDE While many do not know what had led up to this horrible event, sources have said it may involve her marriage to Adam Carnegie. She was hit by a semi-truck on Selva Road at around three a.m. on Friday, February 18. The truck driver has been sued by Mr. Adam Carnegie for the death of his wife, but in a counter-suit worth 3.4 million dollars, Clay Utopia, the truck driver, stated that Eleanor ran in front of his truck and won the case. Adam Carnegie has not been spotted outside his home since the incident last weekend. However, we have a scheduled interview with him this Friday. Eleanor's parents feel responsible for the matter, saying they had forced her to wed Adam Carnegie. The Carnegie's are currently in the middle of a lawsuit with them as well. Other sources have confirmed that Eleanor Carnegie's medical records had been suddenly erased from her scrimmage with Carnegie and Claiming corporations. Many have mourned for her loss and this most tragic moment for Adam Carnegie.

Mr. Hank Carnegie put the newspaper aside, a smug smirk on his face as he took a sip of his whiskey. He turned on the television to view what was left of the news. He had thought the sickeningly sweet news would have blown over by now, but it hadn't. It appeared that more and more people were confused as to why the perfect Stanford Graduate who married what appeared to be the perfect husband, took her own life. Mr. Carnegie tossed his cane aside, reaching for the remote and changing the channel to NLK news. He glared at his son, the boy who couldn't keep his damn mouth shut. But that's what the Hays family deserved. Mr. Hays had stolen Carnegie's girlfriend back in college, and he smirked happily as his revenge had been received. He had killed their most precious pieces. Their children, Jason and Eleanor, were no more. "If you want the honest truth, listen here now." Adam appeared as old man Carnegie grasped at his chest. The old man appeared to be having a heart attack and nobody was home to dial 911 for him. His children and even his wife tried to stay as far away from him from possible. "Hank Carnegie did all of this," Adam said on live air as the old man held tightly onto the drink as it shattered in his hand. "He killed Eleanor's brother. He was the cause of all our problems, that's

why my Eleanor, my love, my life, is gone now." Tears streamed freely out of his eyes as the normally loud reporters grew silent. "I want to tell you all the whole story, I want you to know why my father deserves more than a life sentence in jail, he deserves to die!" Adam shouted through pained eyes into the television screen as grumpy old Mr. Carnegie fell onto the floor, the heat leaving his body. "A year ago, Eleanor and I took part in an arranged marriage. I loved her from the start and my heart has died along with her," he took a pause, unable to breathe, but he wanted to finish his story. He wanted the world to know the reason behind her death, "she was always the light of my day, always smiling, always impulsively adorable." He cried, holding his heart for a second. "While we were on our honeymoon, we received a call. Her brother was dead, he had fallen off a cliff in a car that my father's coworker, Christian Anderson, had been driving. This was deliberately done, my father had it planned out to get back at the Hays for things he would never tell me." Mr. Carnegie now lay dead on the floor, his face pale and finally calm as I waited patiently. "We rushed back, Eleanor was crushed and so was I. I loved her." He paused, taking a breath as millions tuned in to watch Adam splutter the honest

truth. "We had been well for a while, life seemed about to be normal. That is until the Scandal occurred that had sent my father to jail for four months. I'm sure you've all heard about this. And that was only the start. Eleanor was forced to be part of another one of my father's scandals. She was kidnapped while out on a jog and forced into the deepest pit of Carnegie Hall. I searched for weeks until the video popped up and I recognized the place. I saved her and Vladimir, who is innocent in all of this, and ended up in the hospital for a few weeks. But my baby was safe, " He held himself together as he shifted uncomfortably where he stood, "She was pregnant, and with all the love in her heart was planning on keeping the child until I got a call from one of my father's associates telling me the child needed to die. I regret ever listening to anything they told me..." Adam paused and took a deep breath. "I... I was the last straw, she trusted me, she loved me, and I betrayed her. After four months of being pregnant, she had gone to a doctor Smith in California. She told Eleanor that she wasn't pregnant and nobody was willing to tell her the truth. But I think the final straw was how she rushed home that night. She... she... she walked in when my father and I were arguing. He wanted me to divorce her and

when I refused, he decided to get me to annul my marriage to the woman I love. On her last day with us, Eleanor was confused and had no idea what was going on. I wanted to tell her, but fear held me back. I remember the last thing she told me to do was to sign the papers, I couldn’t. She was furious at me, my family. I wish I could have switched places with her, she was so kind hearted and loving and the world shouldn't have lost such a beautiful lost soul." He began crying heavily as I watched from Hank Carnegie’s screen. I have to admit, it did hurt to see him crying on national television. I stepped out from the shadows in old Carnegie's home, a mischievous smile forming. I had poisoned Carnegie's drink. I had poisoned Carnegie's mind, and I had thrown my old life away. I wondered how awful it would be if Adam ever found me, if I would ever see him again. I shook the thought away, my fake death would be on the news for the next few months and only I knew I was still alive. I would just have to hide out until the right time came. I loved Adam, but he and everyone I loved had betrayed me. So I needed a fresh start. I had played my part well. I was too clever to die. And nobody would ever know that I killed my enemy and got away with it.

Till death do us part, I’d found the loophole in the Business Contract.

THE END.

For now…