Chapter 5 #2
Amelie stilled, desperately wanting to defend Stefan even though I had made a valid point.
Sulking, she snatched up the wine glass and took a measured sip, lips compressed around the glass to wring out the flavor.
She glanced back at the glass as soon as she lowered it.
She liked the wine but would never admit it.
Stubborn.
I gestured at the glass. “You like it?”
She took another sip instead of answering, this time more thoughtfully, holding the liquid on her tongue before swallowing.
I returned to the more pressing matter. “By now, you’ve figured out the kind of money and influence I possess. If I wanted to break up your little family, I could have resorted to extortion. I could have closed every avenue until the only one remaining was the path leading to me.”
Her sharp eyes darted back to mine, glaring. She couldn’t find her words quick enough for a retort.
“I don’t want to tear your family apart,” I said, my voice gentle.
“There’s a lot of love there, but the absence of money is stopping you—or at least Stefan—from being happy.
I found a way to fill that need. There are no guarantees for me in this scenario.
You and Stefan have a preexisting relationship.
The kids are his siblings. The only person without personal connections in this marriage would be me.
I’m the only one who stands to suffer if you change your mind.
Help me understand my crime when all I did was provide an option, fully aware you have the free will to reject my offer. ”
I let the words hang in the air. She couldn’t find the flaw in my logic. I wanted to see how she’d handle losing the argument, whether she’d admit defeat or come up with more accusations. She chose the latter.
“You want me to be grateful? You want me to thank you for buying us out of poverty?”
I bowed my head in mock humility. “Any gratitude is at your discretion.”
Her nostrils flared. “There’s something wrong with you if you think you’re a hero.”
“I’m not a villain, either. But I know you want me to be.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Don’t pretend you came here to change my mind. You came here to see if you could change your own. You just don’t want to shoulder the blame for it and would rather make me out to be the bad guy.”
She glared at me, cheeks flushed with humiliated defeat.
We stood a foot apart, breathing hard, as if we’d been running up the same spiral staircase and only just encountered each other at the landing.
Her eyes flicked from my chest to her wine glass.
I could see her battling the urge to throw her drink in my face and storm out.
Instead, she drew herself up, jaw tight, the air brittle with everything unspoken.
She turned into the woman who could lose everything and make it look like a promotion.
Amelie finished her wine in one swallow, then resentfully thrust the glass at me. Her haughty nature came out when the situation called for it. It subsided just as fast when she made peace with the outcome. That was why I knew she’d adapt to her new reality.
With a small smile, I returned to the cart and poured her a second drink. I opened a bottle of Balvenie for myself.
“How did it come to this?” she muttered, speaking mostly to herself.
I handed her the glass and motioned for her to sit, but she was busy pacing the length of my living room.
I craved her closeness. And I loved watching her in my space.
Soon, I could watch her to my heart’s content.
A surge of blood rushed to my ears at the thought.
It was intense enough to leave my mind feeling shrouded.
Soon.
The anticipation sharpened my focus, fueling my patience and persistence. I pushed away the demons gnawing at my skin and sat on the couch, sipping the amber liquid in my glass.
“What happens next?” she pondered out loud. “There’s no precedent for something like this.”
“You and Stefan will get a divorce,” I replied calmly.
She stopped pacing. “When?”
“Next week.”
“That’s so soon.”
“Best to rip off the Band-Aid, don’t you think?
I’ll help you expedite the divorce with a mediator.
We’ll do a small ceremony right after and explain to the kids that you’ll be married to both of us.
They’re young and probably won’t ask too many follow-up questions.
As they get older, they’ll understand our situation.
Polyandrous marriages aren’t that uncommon, especially for the new generation.
They’ll be fine once they become accustomed to the idea. ”
“I… I want to remain married to Stefan. You want to be a part of our family? Fine. But it’ll be on our terms. Stefan and I will stay legally married, and you can move into our house or whatever.”
Anger burned in my chest. Her suggestion would dismantle years of planning. It took immense discipline to keep from hurling the glass in my hand. “My money’s on the line,” I said coolly. “Without a legal certificate, I would have no rights over this family. That hardly seems fair.”
“Then—”
“The marriage certificate isn’t up for negotiation.”
She shook her head. “This isn’t right. We need to discuss this more thoroughly.”
I nodded. “We can draw up a prenup to iron out the stipulations. You can ask my lawyers all the questions you want and negotiate the terms. But don’t delay the inevitable.
Your bills aren’t getting any smaller, and before you know it, you’ll be back-to-school shopping for the kids.
I’m sure Stefan already told them they can buy anything they want.
Can you face the kids with a clear conscience if you back out now? ”
She sat on the oversized armchair with a thump. “It’s just so irreversible. None of us can come back from something like this. Why are we agreeing to this when all three of us know it’s insane?”
“Or is it the only path forward? If you don’t go through with this, the resentment will break your marriage. Every time you have another financial crisis, you’ll always remember the moment you could have changed your destiny. You know I’m right.”
She glanced at me with a knowing look, as if the thought had crossed her mind. “Aren’t you philosophical?”
“Determined is what I am. You must sympathize with how unfair life has been to Stefan. All his talent is being squandered at a menial office job. What kind of life is that? He’s losing himself every day, and you’re feeling the loss with him.
What if you could give him the world? Why deny him and everyone in your family the opportunity of a lifetime? ”
I knew the moment Amelie saw the light. There was a shift in her eyes that was impossible to miss.
“We are supposed to be the unbreakable couple,” she whispered, defeated. “What if our relationship doesn’t survive the repercussions?”
I watched her for a moment. “Then I suppose you were never an unbreakable couple to begin with.”