Chapter 10
How could she have been so foolish?
Somehow, there had been a miscommunication between her and Breht.
She’d told him that they should be being professional, that it was her business and livelihood on the line.
While she appreciated his help, it was her business and life that were at risk should everything they’d implemented turn South.
Why had she told him, Ohpaua was just a pet project and he’d return to Merloft and forget all about her and the jewellery she’d made?
She hadn’t meant for her words to sour the romance that had blossomed between them so suddenly, permanently.
Intending to keep everything on hold for another day.
So that they could see what they could become after the relaunch.
She couldn’t wait to tell him, put him right after her momentary blindness to his feelings.
He’d been upset by her words; she could see it in his eyes.
And she wished beyond anything that she could take them back.
That she could make up for her harmful thoughts, somehow.
She hadn’t meant to be so cutting. Her words came from a place of fear that she’d lose him as well as her business.
After all, he was due to return to the city tomorrow.
So, when he’d sent her a message reminding her to meet her in the park that morning, just to have a quick catch-up on the day's proceedings, she leapt at the chance.
She could apologise to him for her words and explain herself properly.
Using the clarity of a new day to reinvigorate their lost passion.
The sunshine beat down on her, pushing against the back of her neck on a calming breeze.
Although the ensuing conversation would be difficult, the cheer of the day encouraged her.
The joy of children running along the boulevard made her smile; their happiness wrapped itself around her like a comfort blanket, and she wanted nothing more than to bask in their innocent glory.
She watched their parents hurrying past, laden with various implements to make their day on the beach as magical as possible; buckets and spades, windbreaks, body-boards and bags filled with picnics.
A bottle fell from one of their bulging bags, and they scrambled to pick it up while still trying to keep up with their giggling children.
She sidestepped to let them pass and jumped back onto the path with a spring in her stride.
Feeling like the most glorious woman in the world as she rounded the park.
And in a single heartbeat, all her vibrancy came crashing down around her.
Every spark of good vibrations dimmed in less than a second.
Across his knee, Breht was entertaining a large, busty elf.
A woman who was so stunning that she felt like a dowdy spinster in comparison.
She’d spent over an hour trying to get her unruly hair to cooperate, carefully applying her make-up and picking the right dress so that she felt a modicum of pretty.
And for what? To impress an orc that she had no chance of winning over!
She felt foolish. Stunned into motionlessness as she watched the other woman caress his face.
All sound drained but for the beating of her heart rushing through her ears.
But it was when the woman caressed his ear that she came back to her senses.
She’d believed that gesture to be their special intimacy; seeing someone else, that elf, doing it, froze her cold.
How could she have been so blind? All the conversations she’d have with him and about him.
They’d had some focus on Rosani. Breht and Gorim could claim he’d moved on from her all they liked.
She had evidence to the contrary right before her very eyes.
Her vision blurred, and she turned away from the canoodling couple with tears in her eyes.
A sob choked from her throat, the pain of his betrayal raw.
She blinked the tears away, her sorrow turning quickly to anger.
She wanted to repair what had been lost, and in that split second between their misunderstanding, he’d found comfort in his ex.
Brierley didn’t even turn back when he heard him shouting her name, not craving the public display of an argument. Not like this. Not here.. She wanted no part in it.
Her thoughts churned as she made her way back to Ohpaua.
She’d foolishly, swiftly fallen for the orc.
Had seen some kind of future in a long-distance relationship and had hoped to spend the morning discussing their options with him; he had seemed keen on being with her the previous day.
Before her mess up. The quick walk to the shop was over in a whirlwind.
She unlocked the door with blurry eyes and slammed it closed behind her.
Rushing over to the desk, she slumped behind it.
The comfortable chair caught her. She bit her bottom lip, taking out the small parts of her jewellery.
Distracting herself with the intricate task of making the few remaining pieces for the relaunch, even though they gave her no respite from his influence.
Being surrounded by the aesthetic of the store that Breht had chosen closed in around her like an unwanted security blanket.
She’d wanted to be free of his presence, not surrounded by it
Only when the bell above the door jingled merrily did she realise she hadn’t locked the door behind her.
She looked up into the dark eyes of the orc and purposefully turned her attention back to the jewellery.
Childishly, shunning him. There was nothing he could say that could repair the broken fragments of her shattered heart.