ISAAC'S POV

I drove home from my date with Sheila feeling empty just like I always did after spending time with her. I always put on a fake smile in front of her and everyone else whenever they asked about our relationship but deep down I was not happy. I was forcing myself to be with someone and it was taking its toll on me. I was getting more and more convicted about breaking things off with Sheila but I was holding back.

Dating her gave me an excuse to be away from Marini. We hadn't been in the best of terms ever since I started dating Sheila and even if the distance hurt me it was for the best. If I broke up with Sheila then I be would be back to step one. I wasn't far from it but it was better than nothing. When I got home from the museum in hopes to talk to her about her attitude towards Sheila, Marini was already in her room. I knew she wasn't sleeping because I could hear the keys of her laptop clicking away. She was avoiding me which I was already used to but I thought that after the day we'd had with the kids it would at least get better but I was just lying to myself.

I had decided to end my date with Sheila early feigning a headache because my mind was elsewhere. She had agreed being the understanding girlfriend that she was and let me head home saying she would hang out with a few of her girlfriends for the rest of the afternoon. I parked the car in front of the house planning to park it in the garage later. Two old men descending the patio stairs caught my attention and I stopped at the bottom to give them way. I had never seen them before but if they were leaving then Marini must have allowed them in. They scrutinized me as they passed by but didn't say a word in my direction. I was all for respecting the elderly but I had a bad feeling about them. Once they had passed me I walked up to the house to check up on Marini and get some information on the two old men.

Kim met me by the door barking excitedly and I gave him some half assed attention more concerned about the lady heading up the stairs.

"Marini." I called out to her standing at the bottom of the stairs.

She didn't even turn to look at me or acknowledge that she had heard me. I jogged up taking three steps at a time in hopes of catching her.

"Hey wait up, who were those two old men?"I shouted after her hoping to get her attention and some answers but she still ignored me.

I caught up to her just as she opened her bedroom door and pulled her back by her arm careful not to hurt her but still firm enough to get her attention.

"Hey what's wrong?" I asked her noticing the troubled look on her face. What had those two old old men told her that had her so worried?

"Nothing."She replied and yanked her hand away from my grip. I could have easily pulled her back but I didn't want use any force on her. That would be crossing the line.

She then slammed the door in my face closing me out. I was used to Marini slamming doors over the past few months. It was nothing unusual anymore but there was something different about that slam. Sorry I'm saying slam too many times but I needed to make a point.

Before it was like she wanted to let everyone know that she was angry. A few minutes ago she had just shut the door so hard as if doing that would mean closing away all her life problems. She looked like she wanted to disappear and never be found again.

Something was terribly wrong. I knocked on her door a few more times to get her attention.

"Isaac I swear to all that I hold dear if you don't stop knocking on that door I will come out there and hit your genitals so hard your great grand children will feel it."She yelled angrily and out of reflex I cupped my manhood after hearing her threat.

She was really angry but I cared more about knowing what had her so pissed off. As if my future kids hadn't just been threatened I knocked again and this time Marini did react. I heard two thuds against the door meaning she had thrown something against it, probably shoes. I had ignored her words so that was to be expected but she still hadn't told me what was bothering her.

"You're probably hungry. I'll cook us something."I said walking away when I heard angry footsteps approaching the door.

A fuming Marini yanked the door open holding a heeled boot in one had and a slipper in the other. She threw them both at me but I was quick to duck. She huffed in frustration after missing me before going back in her room and closing it with a louder slam than before. Yep definitely hungry or she was on her menses. I decided to just cook something for the both of us since I was hungry myself. The restaurant Sheila had chosen had terrible food.

When I walked downstairs I noticed movement on the screen showing the front gate. On close inspection I noticed that the two old men were stranded inside the compound. I entered the passcode and let them out watching the wonder on their faces as the gates slid open and closed back up behind them. I would have personally approached them and asked them what their business was with Marini but I didn't want any more fights with her. I was already on her bad side, no need to dig myself into a deeper hole. I'm sure she would open up eventually.

Walking into the kitchen I shrugged off my jacket leaving me in a white T-shirt and put on an apron deciding to whip something quick for Marini. I grabbed all the ingredients to make rice and wet fried beef. Getting into work I let my mind run wild upon all the things that could be possibly haunting Marini. It had to be pretty bad if it got her to the violent point of throwing her shoes at me. I just hoped some food would fix it. Isn't the secret to an angry woman food, at least that's what the Internet advices.

About an hour later I was done making everything and laid out her food on a tray together with some water, a glass of juice and some ice cream for dessert and decided to take it to her upstairs. A man cooking and serving a woman doesn't mean he is less of a man, it just shows that he cares; my grandmother had taught me that and none of her teachings had ever been wrong.

I held the tray in one hand and took a deep breath before knocking on her door.

"I know you don't want to talk to me but I brought food."I announced.

"I'm not hungry."She replied, her voice muffled as if she was screaming it into a pillow.

"Well I'll just leave it here just incase."I replied and set it on the table next to her door.

I walked away and hoped that she would at least leave her room to get the food. It was almost seven about the time we would be having dinner so she should be hungry. I was a little disappointed that she didn't leave her room to talk to me but at least she spoke back even if it was to reject my food. I just prayed she talked to me soon.

I served Kim some water and food before dishing out my own and eating in the kitchen in complete silence. After I was done I did the dishes and wiped down the surfaces I had used while cooking.

My phone rang just as I was picking a movie for the night to pass the time since it was too early to go to bed. I took it from the table and saw that it was Sheila calling.

"Hey babe."She yelled excitedly into the phone as soon as I picked up.

"Shee."I replied not really in the mood to deal with her.

I have never called her any of those sweet names ever since we started dating. I just didn't want to and settled to calling her Shee, she said it was unique and she loved it.

"Are you busy?" She asked me.

"Just settling down for a movie, what's up?" I asked her.

"I need a favor. My car broke down again, can you pick me up please?" She requested.

I wanted to say not but she was my girlfriend and it was one of my duties to be there for her even if I didn't want to.

"Okay I'll be there just send me your location." I replied hoping she didn't catch the slight huff of irritation.

"Thank you, drive safe."

"See you in a bit."I hang up.

I got up from the chair with a groan and walked into the kitchen to grab my jacket and car keys ready to head out. I ran into Marini on the way out carrying empty dishes. At least she had eaten but she still looked so sad.

"Are you going somewhere?"She asked in the softest voice I had ever heard her use.

Who was this Marini and what had she done with the tough boss lady I was used to?

"Yeah Sheila just called, her car broke down and she needs me to pick her up." I explained and I felt like the biggest douchebag because of the look of disappointment that enveloped her face when I said those words.

"Oh okay."She replied walking into the kitchen and setting the tray with all the dirty dishes in the sink.

I watched her grab a family size bag of crisps and a soda from the fridge and walk up to her room dragging her feet the whole way. Kim followed after her whining probably picking up on her mood before I heard her door slam upstairs. She'd need a replacement soon if she kept doing that.

I felt like she needed me to stay but I had to leave because Sheila was expecting me. My heart was torn because I was faced with a very difficult decision. My girlfriend with who I was obligated to be there for or my boss and the woman who owned my heart? I knew what I wanted to do but not at the expense of another persons feelings. All the indecision ended tonight, I thought to myself as I left the house and got in my car going to pick Sheila up.

When I found Sheila she was sitting outside a mall surrounded by a few shopping bags. When she noticed my car she got up, collected her bags and got in the passengers side placing her bags in the backseat. She leaned in to hug me and kiss my cheek.

"Thank you for picking me up. I need to buy another car, that one inconveniences me too much."She said putting on her seatbelt and I drove off.

"Or actually get professionals to fix your car instead of having your brother do it for you."I replied.

"Hey, my brother is a good mechanic." She defended and I looked at her with a look of disbelief."Okay fine but he tries okay. I don't have it in me to tell him that he's not good at his job, it will hurt his feelings."

And that was another reason why what I was about to do was so hard. Sheila was such a nice person and was always looking out for those that she cared about. As much as it would suck, I was doing what was best for the both of us. She's deserved better and I was clearly not fulfilling my part of the loving boyfriend.

I put on some music to fill the silence between us since I was not in the mood to talk. My heart was filled with the heavy foreboding of what I was about to do. Thankfully the mall wasn't that far from where Sheila lived. I didn't even question her about why she had not called an uber to take her home. Probably spent all her money shopping or something like that.

When we got to her apartment building I helped her with her bags and walked her to her door. I might be a terrible boyfriend but I was a gentleman.

"Do you want to come in?" She asked with a hint of hope in her voice looking up at me.

Another thing about us is that we had never had sex, the most we had done was make out and that was not to the extreme either. Sheila clearly wanted more and I was never able to do that with her. It just felt wrong and another reason why I needed to cut ties. What sort of boyfriend wasn't interested in having sex with their girlfriend?

"Yes but only because I need to talk to you about something."I replied making my intentions clear before she got her hopes up.

She nodded opening the door letting the both of us in. I walked into the living room and sat down on one of the sofas. I had been in her apartment a few times and it was a cute one bedroom that fitted Sheila's personality perfectly. It was decorated with a lot of pink and white just like the cheerful owner.

"What's up Isaac? You have looked troubled the whole day and even worse now when you came to pick me up."She asked me sitting next to me.

I took a deep breath and faced her bracing myself for what I was about to do.

"I know what I'm about to say will probably make you hate me but I promise you I'm doing this because I actually care about you and don't want to keep hurting you."I started.

"Hurting me?What are you talking about?" She asked with a look of confusion on her face.

"I'm not going to give you the whole it's not you it's not me speech because you deserve better than that even if it is true but... Sheila I'm breaking up with you."I dragged out the words feeling heavy on my tongue.

"What?!"She asked clearly shocked and not expecting the bomb I had just dropped on her.

I gave her a few minutes to absorb what I has said in fear that if I said anything more I'd only make matters worse.

"Did I do something wrong? I thought we were happy. Tell me what it is and I'll fix it."She pleaded taking one of my hands in both of hers.

I couldn't help but compare how different it felt having her hold my hand as compared to how it felt being held by Marini. I quickly dismissed those thoughts since they were misplaced. It was not the time to be thinking about Marini even if she was the whole reason I was breaking up with Sheila in the first place.

"We are or were and there's nothing you can do to fix this. It's all on me, I promise. You're perfect Sheila and I can't give you what you deserve. I have really tried but I can't keep dragging you along like this. You deserve better."I consoled covering her hands with mine completely engulfing them.

"Stop saying that. You keep saying that I deserve better but it's not true. You're all that I need. I am happy with you." She tried to convince me getting frustrated there for a minute.

"But I'm not."I confessed and her mouth fell open.

She sat there staring at me in before she pulled her hands away from my hold and held them against her.

"There's someone else isn't there?" She asked and I nodded.

"It's Marini isn't it?" She asked and and sat there silently knowing that I had been caught.

There was not need to say anything because she was right and my silence confirmed her fears for her. I don't know how she had figured it out but women were known to have a sixth sense.

"Oh My God, the signs were all there but I brushed them off. All the pictures on the Internet of you guys getting all cosy with each other and the icy looks and attitude she gave me when we met."She said more to herself than me before chuckling humorlessly "I asked myself time and again why such a perfect guy like you would go for someone like me. I was just a rebound to you wasn't I?" She spat out.

"No no. You were never that. Marini and I were never together."I replied quickly.

"Then what was I Isaac? What the fuck was I?" She yelled getting angry when I didn't answer her and I winced when she cussed at me.

"I don't know okay but I care about you that's why I'm letting you go. You deserve to be happy with someone who loves you as much as you love them. Someone who will treat you like the queen you are."I replied.

You're just not my queen, I almost added but bit my tongue to keep silent.

"You know what Isaac, get out! "She yelled and I got up because she was clearly getting agitated and I already had one woman throwing her shoes at me. I didn't need another.

I would call her to check up on her when she was calmer.

I stood at the open door and looked back at her holding back her tears. Probably waiting for me to leave before she could cry. I didn't want to be the reason that she cried but the damage was already done. She was being strong and I admired that about her.

"I'm really sorry Sheila and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."I said before leaving and closing the door behind me.

Even though I knew that I had just broken her heart I felt lighter having ended things with Sheila. She really did deserve better and I prayed that she found the perfect person that was meant just for her.

Now I had to go back to my queen even if she didn't want me. I couldn't stand the look on her face tonight when she thought I chose Sheila over her and I never wanted to see that look on her face ever again. I didn't except us to be together now that I was single again but I had to be there for her during whatever she was going through. I couldn't exactly do that while dating someone else so Sheila had to go.

Sheila would heal and move one, she had to.

My feelings for Marini would never go away and I had finally accepted that. It was either her or no one at all and I was more than ready to either be with her or to stay single for the rest of my life. My heart didn't know anyone else but her and that was okay.

I'm coming my queen, I thought to myself as I drove back home to her. Even if she didn't need me I'd still be there for her.

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Such a heartfelt chapter. Poor Sheila. I feel sorry for her but she had to go.

I love you all. Be blessed.

Thank you for reading and don't forget to vote and comment.