Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Cadence
I’d been restless all day while I waited for Elijah to call me back.
Which meant he was avoiding me on purpose.
I changed from my work clothes into a comfy pair of leggings, an oversized tee, and Damien’s hoodie. I was on edge, and the hoodie brought me comfort and clarity when I was so ready to fly off the handle.
When I heard Elijah’s key in the lock, I jumped off the couch where I’d been staring holes into the pristine white walls surrounding me. I accosted him as soon as he placed one foot inside. “Why haven’t you answered any of my calls?”
I could read his look, the one that said, ‘be quiet so the neighbors don’t hear you’. I was so tired of living in a world where I couldn’t show authentic emotions. Who cared if they heard? We were allowed to feel things, be unhappy, be alive!
“Let me get inside, at least, before you start bombarding me.”
“I wouldn’t be bombarding you if you hadn’t ignored me all day.”
He set down his briefcase and leaned over to untie his dress shoes. “I wasn’t ignoring you. I was swamped today.”
“Too busy for me? Someone you claim to be in love with? Someone who is supposedly important to you?”
“You’re being dramatic.” He walked past me and into the kitchen, where he grabbed a bottle of water.
I followed on his heels, appearing every bit the dramatic he claimed me to be. “Do you have any idea what happened this morning? Right under your nose?”
He pulled the bottle away from his lips and nodded. “I do.”
“And you didn’t think you should call and check in on me?”
“I didn’t want to get involved. Whatever took place has nothing to do with me.”
“Except it does… because you’re my boyfriend. My partner. My person.”
“But I’m also the son of the owners of the company you were fired from. You can see how that puts me in a weird place.”
“Can you be supportive of me for like, two seconds here? Drop the ‘I’m so important’ hat and just be there for me. I don’t care that you’re their son. All I want is my boyfriend.”
“I can’t be your boyfriend when work is involved. It’s been like that from the beginning. I don’t know what you did to get fired, but I can’t get in the middle.”
“That’s just it. I did nothing wrong!”
“That’s what anybody would say.”
“But it’s true! Mr. Trevino said it himself. I wasn’t written up during the compliance inspection, but he was. Now I’m taking the fall for it.”
“How is anyone supposed to believe that?”
“You should. Because you’re my boyfriend!”
“You keep saying that like it can change the facts. Yes, I’m your boyfriend. That doesn’t mean I can pull strings in the company.”
“I never asked you to pull strings for me.”
“Not yet.”
“I only wanted you to be there for me.”
“I’m right here, Cadence.”
“No, you’re not. Because not only did I get fired this morning for something I didn’t do, but Mr. Trevino tried to feel me up. He put his hand on my leg. Tried to get me to sleep with him.”
Elijah set down his bottle of water forcefully and looked at me with a narrowed gaze. “Are you kidding me?”
Finally, a normal response. I sighed in relief, tears forming in my eyes. “No, I’m not. It was awful.”
Elijah huffed out a breath, irritability filling his body. “What did you do after?”
“I hit him.”
“You… hit him?”
I nodded, stepping closer to feel a semblance of warmth from Elijah. Even though it happened earlier, it still made my skin scrawl. I might be furious with him, but I needed his comfort.
But to my surprise, Elijah stepped back from me and raised his hands. “What the fuck, Cadence. You assaulted someone at work? Your former boss? What is wrong with you?”
My body froze as he said those words. But the Hellfire that rose within me would not be tamed. Not anymore. My pulse pounded in my ears and my body shook.
I clenched my fists beside me as my chest heaved.
“What is wrong with me? What the hell is wrong with you? He touched me, I told him to stop, and he didn’t, and you are worried about him?”
“God dammit, I couldn’t care less about Henry Trevino, but this is my family name. You are causing scenes at work, which reflects poorly on me and my parents.”
“I say it again because I don’t think you are comprehending what I am saying. He touched me. He propositioned me. What was I supposed to do? Sit there and take it?”
“I dunno. With your track record, it can’t be proven that you didn’t want him to touch you.”
“You did not just say that.”
He shrugged.
He fucking shrugged?!
My vision blackened, and I fought the instinctual urge to throw myself at him and rip apart his oh-so-perfect appearance. To make him feel as messy and chaotic as his words made me.
How could he? After all this? He wanted to make this my fault?
I had no words left.
He clearly wouldn’t listen, even if I did.
Nausea rolled over me in waves, positive I’d upchuck at any moment. Tears spilled freely down my cheeks as I looked at the man whom I once loved with all my heart.
Now, all I saw was a stranger.
“I can’t do this anymore.” My voice came out a whisper, the fight I’d had in me moments ago stolen by the realization.
Elijah’s posture softened. “Cadence…”
“I’ll sleep in the guest room tonight.”
I turned on my heel before Elijah could say anything else. I had to get away from him before I broke down completely.
After I cried for close to an hour and wallowed in self-pity, I picked myself up and decided it was time to figure out what I wanted to do next.
I pushed the pillows up against the gray padded headboard and sat against them.
Our guest room was another part of the house that I designed in its entirety.
The soft blue bedspread, the gray nightstands, the matching headboard, and even the beach-themed pictures that lined the wall were my style.
I always found the soft colors of this room comforting, and I thought our guests would, too.
I never imagined I’d sleep here by myself.
Wiping my eyes and sniffling, I grabbed my phone and looked at the multiple texts waiting for me. The first was from, Rachel.
Rachel
Are you okay? What the hell happened? I tried to call you earlier, but as soon as I stepped away, Mr. Trevino cornered me. He said I better be careful about talking to you. Something about confidentiality.
But holy hell. You broke his nose. I’m sure of it. If I can, I’ll sneak a pic tomorrow.
Her text brought me a small hint of glee.
It’s a long story.
But I’m okay. I’ll be fine.
Okay. Promise we will have a lunch date soon!
I’ll do my best :)
Next was Jade.
Jade
I’m getting weird sister vibes. You okay?
Something feels off. I’m concerned.
I’m fine.
She responded right away.
That is totally convincing… NOT.
What’s going on?
I already felt guilty about the entire Damien situation, and I didn’t want to add to it by burdening her with my drama. Besides that, the idea of rehashing what happened with Elijah was as appealing as chewing on glass or rubbing two pieces of styrofoam together.
I needed a moment to process it all.
I promise I’m fine. I’m just tired. Long day.
Hmm.
I still don’t believe you.
But okay. Try to get some rest.
I will.
Talk more tomorrow?
Duh! Lol.
Love you.
Love you too.
And the last text waiting for me was from Damien.
Damien
Are you doing okay? I hope you got everything figured out.
I just want you to know I’m thinking about you.
I didn’t know how to respond. Caught somewhere between wanting to put distance between us and craving his companionship.
The day I met Damien, he threw me into a deep, dark body of water. I had no sense of direction and no light to follow to the surface. I was thrashing around, trying to figure out which was up before I ran out of air.
If I let him, he’d suffocate me.
It was best if I said nothing to him. Just like Jade, if I tried to play off how upset I was, he’d know something was wrong.
I needed to focus anyway. I needed a plan.
Figuring out my next move was the only way I’d make it through this.
Elijah and I no longer had a future anymore.
I was done.
The difference between his past self and his current self was too extreme, and I valued myself too much to let him and his family treat me like this.
But still.
I had loved him so much. Dedicated the last six years of my life to him. I needed time to mourn our relationship and what it was.
I also now carried the status of unemployed.
So, without Elijah and a job, why stay here?
This was one of those moments where I felt the universe telling me what I needed, and it was up to me to listen.
There was only one place to go.
Home.
To go back to Fayetteville shattered and in pieces, to put myself back together again.
I wanted to look in the mirror and see the strong, independent woman I’d always wanted to be. Instead, I saw an imitator who wore my skin.
Liam’s words echoed in my head. When was the last time you sang?
I honestly couldn’t remember.
And then it hit me, that tingling sensation I used to feel when I was on the verge of inspiration that would push me to write a real kick-ass song. I let it simmer, not wanting to rush the thoughts until they were ready to be put down on paper. But it brought a smile to my face.
There was something inspiring about hitting rock bottom and creating yourself all over again, brick by brick.
For now, I needed to call my mom and ask her opinion on having her twenty-six-year-old daughter stay with her until she found a place of her own.