Chloe
Several days later, I’m sitting on the balcony in the evening, the cool ocean breeze rustling nearby palm fronds.
My laptop rests on my knees as I work through some emails, but my attention keeps drifting to the statue Tristan got for me.
It’s perched on the small table beside me, its black and gold surface catching the light from the setting sun.
I love how it looks out here, how it adds a touch of elegance to the space. But more than its appearance, it’s what the gesture represents that means so much to me. Tristan’s thoughtfulness, his attention to detail, the way he shows he cares in ways that truly matter… like buying that gym.
It seems that there’s no limit to his dedication, his willingness to go above and beyond when it’s my comfort on the line.
As I go through some of the reports and paperwork about the new studio project, I feel a flicker of satisfaction at how things are progressing. But then, something catches my eye, and my brows furrow. I blink, my stomach twisting. This can’t be right.
Construction Lead: Summit Construction. Contact: Spencer Noble.
I double-check the document, my heart racing. But as I read through it again, the reality sinks in. Spencer’s company has been hired for the construction of the sound stages.
My hands shake slightly as I turn the pages, looking for any sign that this might be a mistake, but everything seems to be in order, except for the glaring fact that I never approved this.
What the fuck happened?
I lean back in my chair, staring at the pages in front of me. This is not a small oversight. It’s a massive decision that somehow slipped past me. How did Spencer manage to get involved in this project? Who approved this without my knowledge?
Closing the file with a snap, I take a deep breath, trying to slow down my racing thoughts. It’s a losing battle. Whenever Spencer is involved, “calm” is no longer an option for me.
Anger ends up winning out. It surges through me, almost too much to handle. My hands clench into fists as I stand up, the paperwork abandoned on the table. Without another thought, I head into the house, my mind a mess of frustration and disbelief.
Tristan is in the living room, sitting on the couch with his laptop. As soon as I see him, the words burst out of me, impossible to hold back any longer.
“What the fuck happened?” My voice is sharp. He looks up, clearly surprised by my sudden entrance. “How did Spencer Noble’s company get hired for this? I said no, Tristan. I explicitly said no.”
His brows knit together, and he sets his laptop aside. “We never really finished that conversation about the construction contracts. I met up with Spencer the other day, and he offered us a great deal. It’s better than we’d be able to get anywhere else, so I went with it.”
His words hit me hard, and my anger flares up again, hotter than before.
“You what?” My voice rises. “You went with it? Without consulting me? After I specifically said I didn’t want anything to do with Spencer Noble?”
Tristan’s expression shifts to one of frustration. “I was trying to get the best deal for us. This project is important, and his offer was too good to pass up.”
As I take it all in, I can feel myself starting to lose it. My breath quickens, and I shove at his chest, my anger and panic blending into a single, overwhelming force. “You shouldn’t have gone behind my back!” I shout, my voice shaking. “We’re supposed to be partners!”
Tristan blinks, worry crossing his features as he tries to reach out to me. “I’m sorry. I thought—”
“No!” I cut him off, my words tumbling out in a rush. “I don’t want Spencer working on any part of this! He can’t—he’s not—” My voice breaks, and my sentences fall apart as my composure goes with them.
Tristan steps closer, his hands up in a gesture of peace. “It’s okay. Whatever it is, I’ll take care of it. We can fix this.”
But I can’t calm down. The betrayal, the anger, the fear—all of it feels like it’s drowning me. I push him away, unable to handle being touched right now. “Don’t! Just don’t! You don’t understand!”
“Then help me understand. Please, let me—”
“He—he already took so much from me. He can’t have this, too!”
He blinks, his brow furrowing. “Wait. What do you mean by that?”
“It doesn’t matter,” I snap, my voice rising. My heart pounds in my chest, like it can feel Tristan getting close to my deepest wound. “Just fire Spencer. Now.”
But he doesn’t let it go. He steps closer to me, his eyes searching mine. “No, it does fucking matter,” he insists. “What are you talking about?”
I turn away, my chest heaving with frustration and anxiety. I don’t want to relive the past, don’t want to drag up all the pain and betrayal. But Tristan’s not letting this go, and I know he’s right. If we’re going to fix this, he needs to understand.
Tristan’s eyes lock onto mine, demanding answers. I try to brush him off, desperate to escape this conversation, but he won’t drop it.
“Chloe, what did he do to you?” His voice is hard, and I know he’s not going to let this go.
I take a deep breath, the memories pushing in on me. It takes a few moments before I’ve pulled myself together enough to speak.
“Spencer assaulted me,” I finally admit, my voice cracking. “When we were at Wharton.”
Tristan’s expression shifts from confusion to shock, and I can see the anger building just under the surface. “What? When?”
“He had asked me out once or twice,” I whisper. “I told him no, that I wasn’t interested. But that only seemed to make him want me more.”
I pause, trying to slow my breathing, but the memory presses down on me.
“One day, he came over to my apartment. I thought he wanted to talk about a project or something, so I let him in. And… he forced himself on me. I tried to fight him off, but he was stronger. Afterward, he told me that I had wanted it, that I had led him on. He said if I tried to paint him as the villain, he’d ruin me. ”
There’s silence in the living room, broken only by the distant sound of waves crashing on the shore. I shudder at the memory, my arms closing around my torso.
“I believed him,” I whisper. “I knew he had the power and the connections to make good on his threats. His uncle was on the university board, and one of his father’s friends was a professor in the business school.”
Tristan’s face twists with rage, his fists clenching at his sides. “That son of a bitch,” he growls. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
I can feel the tears burning my eyes and blink rapidly, trying to hold them back without much success. “I… I was scared.”
At that, the dam breaks, and my tears spill over. Sobs shake my throat, but I keep trying to speak. It’s the first time I’ve ever gotten to explain, and I’ll be damned if I let it pass me by.
Tristan reaches for me, and this time, I let him close his arms around me like an extra line of emotional defense.
“I—I did just what he wanted,” I confess through tears.
“I never told anyone. I couldn’t bear the thought of it being my word against his.
I let him into my place that night, and I had been drinking.
He could easily twist it into a date, into something consensual.
I couldn’t risk it ruining my life, so I just…
just held onto it. I… I didn’t want to let him ruin my life. ”
I try to hold on to Tristan, to let his presence settle around me. But deep down, I know that a part of me has been broken in a way that can’t be put back together.
“It… it killed a part of me, Tristan. A part I never got back.”