Chapter 34-The morning after
Jonathan's POV…
The next morning…
I walked down the stairs slowly in only my pants. I had taken off my shirt earlier while brushing.
I had the best sleep ever last night. I had never slept so well before.
The smell of coffee filled my nostrils as I reached the foot of the stairs. I approached the kitchen and saw Audrey making coffee at the counter.
I walked towards her from behind and at that same moment, she turned around, a cup of coffee in her hand.
She jerked back and the cup nearly fell off her hand, only a little coffee spilled on the floor.
“I'm so sorry" I apologised immediately.
“It's fine, as long as it didn't hurt me," she said.
There was a pause. A long one.
“Good morning," I said.
She nodded. "Good morning,” she said. "Do you want some?” She raised the cup of coffee in front of me.
"Yeah…that'd be great…” I replied stupidly. "That's if you made extra”
She turned around and brought another mug I hadn't noticed earlier and handed it over to me.
I studied her. She seemed quiet and withdrawn, not the normal confident Audrey I knew.
She sat on a chair by the counter and sipped from her mug.
"Audrey,” I called as I touched her wrist that was on the counter. She looked at me surprised.
"About last night…"
“Can we not talk about it?" She said almost immediately.
“I want to talk about it," I insisted. “Please"
She sighed and looked away and at the same time tightened her grip on the mug.
"My parents weren't the ideal couple. They quarreled at the slightest provocation" I started.
“In front of you?" She asked. We were in the living room and she sat across from me. Her legs were crossed as she reclined on the couch.
"Yeah,” I nodded. "My father always said to my mother that we were a burden to him and the greatest mistake he made was getting married to her”
"He didn't love her?” she furrowed her brows.
I shook my head. "No. They got married out of duty and obligation. Their parents initiated the marriage for future partnership and investment”
Her mouth formed an ‘Oh’
I continued. "The few times he came home, he always made it seem like he regretted having a family. He barely had time for me. Alexa was sent off to the UK to stay with his sister. His harshness and behaviour towards us made me view love as something that was impossible,"
“So what changed?" She asked.
“Nothing changed. My life only changed drastically. In high school, I met a girl that made me feel something. I didn't know what it was. I was never loved so I was confused why I always wanted to please her. ” I lowered my head and smiled bitterly.
"What happened?” She asked curiously as she sat up and unwound her legs.
"She used me and left,”
She furrowed her brows. “Used you?"
"She wanted to become a singer then, but didn't have the connections. I had to do something I still regret to this day, just so she could get that connection,”
Audrey wanted to say something. She opened her mouth but shut it almost immediately. I knew what she wanted to ask.
"I forged my dad's signature. I knew that with his signature, she would get whatever it was she wanted”
"You really went that far for her?” She asked.
“She played with my emotions. Made me think she loved me whereas she was having an affair with someone else, someone that was very close to me. She got what she wanted and left"
“I'm so sorry," she looked at me with pity in her eyes. I didn't like that.
“I swore never to have anything to do with women. I was so blinded with anger that I was forced to believe all my father said. Her betrayal turned me into the man you met"
"I never wanted to have anything to do with you.
I believed you had the same motives as she.
I thought you would use me… just like she did.
But you didn't…” I was looking directly at her now.
“You made my wealth and fame seem so irrelevant and insignificant to you. Rather, you pursued your own success. That was when everything changed”
She lowered her head. “I guess we both have a story,”
"You were right the day you said a family tradition was repeating itself," she said and raised her face and she looked at me.
“My parents met under the same conditions we met," she chuckled.
"My grandfather was at that time looking for a wife for my dad. He found my mom, but she declined. She wanted to pursue her dreams first. So, they had an agreement. She would stay by his side until my grandfather died and he would pay her depending on the number of months she stayed”
"What sort of agreement is that?” I laughed. She smiled as well.
"He died a few months later. But things had changed before he died. The two of them were already in love. They decided to forget the contract and live together as legally wedded couples,"
She continued. “Then I came along and that was when everything went south. My mom told him that she was pregnant" she raised her brow. “Guess what?"
“He left," I responded.
She scoffed. “That would have been better if that was all he did. He denied me. Saying that he had nothing to do with my mom, so she couldn't be pregnant for him”
She sighed and bit her lips as she looked away. I understood her pain. I knew she was trying her best to hold it in while saying all these.
"He changed the story and claimed my mom was a gold digger and she wanted to use him to grow her career. Everyone believed him. The media tagged her all sorts of names. Her career was ruined, everything”
“Till this day, my mom still carries that pain and that was why when we entered this contract, I made a vow to myself that I wouldn't go through what my mom went through" she concluded.
I released a breath. “You know something I learnt from one of my mentors?" I asked. “Don't let the mistakes of others or past experiences, destroy your present joy,"
I stood up and walked over to her side. I sat down close to her and gently took her hands in mine.
“You've proved me wrong about the delusion I had, that women were not worth loving," I said.
She blinked and folded her lips as she looked at me.
“I'm willing to give love a second chance…” I paused. “And it's with you,”
She opened her mouth to speak but I shut her up with a kiss.
"I'm not your father and I won't be him,” I said as I pulled away. Her eyes were still wide from the kiss. “I promise,"
"Let's take things one step at a time,” I added.
She swallowed hard. I could see the light blush that crept to her face.
She nodded. I leaned in to kiss her again but she placed her index finger on my lips, stopping me.
“What happens to the contract?" She asked.
I thought for a minute. “I'll ask Richard to keep it safe in case we break up and want to part ways,”
I waited for her reaction. "Don't you say a word to me ever again"
I started laughing. “I'm just kidding. The contract will be burned. But to be sure…” I said, my tone serious this time.
“We’re doing this right?" I asked.
“Yeah. There's no harm in trying it,” she nodded.
"Thank you,” I said and embraced her. The best day of my life would have to be the morning I woke up next to Audrey.
Oouu. I'm so excited for this new phase of their life. Finally, they've accepted their feelings for each other.
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