More Than Words – By Crystal Perkins #6
Some of the employees downstairs saw me walk in with empty boxes, and I know they’re wondering what’s going on.
For now, they’ll have to wonder. I emailed my resignation to Oscar and HR, but until I’ve officially signed the papers, I’m not saying anything.
Even with the NDA I know they’ll have for me, I wouldn’t tell anyone I was quitting because of Oscar.
Partly because I know it’s not sensible, and partly because I’m afraid many are more loyal to me than they are to him.
I don’t want anyone getting in trouble on account of me.
I hear a commotion and run out of my office, horrified at the scene below me. Oscar and one of his top tech executives are wrestling in the middle of the library.
“What are you doing? Stop!” I yell, racing down the stairs.
They break apart, with Eric being the first one to respond. “You brought boxes in. You’re either quitting because of him, or he fired you.”
“I would never fucking fire her.”
“So, you made her quit. I don’t care if you fire me for standing up for her, but she’s helped us all too much to ignore what’s going on.”
“I would also never fire anyone for standing up for Bel.”
I snap myself out of the shock I’m feeling to respond. “I appreciate this, Eric, but I’m sure Oscar will find someone great to replace me.”
“You’re irreplaceable, Bel. In all ways. Please, can we go upstairs and talk?” Oscar asks.
I owe him nothing, but I want to hear what he has to say. “Okay.”
Oscar
I cannot fuck this up. The life I want literally depends on it.
“I’m so sorry about Saturday night.”
“That woman insulted me and my dress, and you just walked off with her and left me. You didn’t defend me, or even fucking introduce me. You just walked away with her.”
“I was blinded by my need to close a deal with her father’s company. I’ve always dreamed of designing a quest for a game my friends and I play.”
“Well, I hope embarrassing me worked out for you,” she spits, giving me her back. She’s shaking, she’s so angry, and I don’t blame her.
“It didn’t. I called him yesterday and told him I was no longer interested.”
“There was no need to do that, Oscar. We’ve only known each other for a few weeks, and we just got caught up in each other.”
“I told you I love you, Bel. I meant that.”
“And I told you words aren’t enough. Anyone can say those words; you showed me I mean nothing to you.”
“I have never said those words to anyone but my family. They mean everything . I just told you I gave up my dream for you. What more can I do?” I ask, now getting angry myself.
“All I wanted from you was you. Just Oscar, the guy who’s charmed me, and romanced me, and fucked me. All like I was important and special. And then, all of a sudden, I wasn’t. Sure, you cancelled this deal, but what about the next one?”
“So, that’s it? You’re just going to walk out of here and move to Vegas because I did something stupid? I’m human, and that means I’m going to be stupid sometimes. All I can promise is that I am honestly going to try to never be this stupid again.”
“Vegas? I’m not moving to Vegas,” she says, turning back around to face me.
“Reina said she offered you a job.”
“I turned her down. L.A. is my home.”
“Oh.”
“I know we’re both going to be stupid sometimes.
I get that. It just hurt so much, Oscar.
I felt like a plaything that had been tossed aside when a sexier version came along.
We spent so much time talking, and yet you never told me about this deal.
You never told me you hoped to close it at the gala. Why?”
Why, indeed? “First of all, you are the sexiest woman I’ve ever met, and I will spend every single day of my life showing you I mean that.
There was nothing on my mind with Tess but business.
I shouldn’t have let her put her hands on me or let her take me from you.
I’m simply an idiot who was blinded by something I thought I needed.
I didn’t want to jinx it. I only talked to Scott and Ainsley about it.
I figured if only the two of them knew, it wouldn’t be so bad if I couldn’t make it happen. ”
“If we’re going to be in a relationship, I need you to trust me. Really trust me.”
“I promise I will. Just give me a chance.”
“One last chance, Oscar. That’s all I’ve got in me to let you have. You cracked me a little, but I’m not going to allow you to fully break me. If I keep giving you chance after chance, you will.”
“I’ll take this last chance and make it last. When we’re in matching rockers on our front porch in fifty years, I’ll still be holding on tight to you. I love you.”
“I love you too, but who says I’m going to be with you for fifty years?”
“I’ll build you a custom home with a personal library you can design to rival this one.”
“Despite everything, I think you really do know the way to my heart.”
“Yes, I do. I’ll do everything I can to prove it to you.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
“I know you will.”
And then, I pull her into my arms and kiss her, pouring all the love I’m feeling for her into it. This is just the beginning to our love story, and I meant it when I said I never want it to end. I’m going to give her so much more than words from now on.