Nathan

We were going shopping next anyway. Alyssa didn't have as many clothes as she should and even though we had bought some already, I thought she needed more, she deserved more. Now that she had to change, I had an excuse to take her shopping.

She refused of course, when she saw noticed we were in front of some high-end stores. There were shops for different brand names all lined up with hair and nails salons, a spa and a restaurant with over priced food. It was the perfect place to treat a woman to.

“Nathan we don't have to buy anything, the clothes I already have are enough.” She tried to protest but I wasn't having it.

I had to pull her out of the car and into the first store. The attendant greeted us nicely, directing us around the store. He gave Alyssa a changing room and showed me a couch that I could sit on while I waited for her to change.

The attendant left us as we went around, Alyssa refusing everything I picked up for her. It took a little convincing but I finally got her to try a few outfits. We picked out a few outfits for her and while she made her way to the changing room, I picked a few more, somethings I'd like to see her in. You can never have too many clothes, right?

I was scrolling through my phone when she came out in a pretty blue dress. Blue was really her colour. It was a simple sundress that she could wear when it was warmer.

“How do I look?” She gave a twirl, the smile on her face bright and infectious.

“Beautiful.” She blushed with her smile.

She had some winter outfits too, coats, sweaters, scarves and caps and I was happy to watch her try them on.

“I'm getting hungry,” she told he after about two hours into our shopping spree.

“There's a restaurant not far away. We can go there.” I suggested.

She agreed. “But can we get a few more things first?”

“Sure.” I was happy she asked this. I wanted her to feel comfortable to ask me for anything, I wanted to take care of her.

She smile brightened and she called our attendant back. “Do you have a children's section?”

The guy nodded, his eyes lingering on Alyssa for a moment too long. He had been doing that all the while we had been here and I didn't like it. I had called her my wife a couple of times but he wouldn't take a hint. I knew she was a beautiful woman but she was taken.

We reached the children's section of the store and Alyssa got to the racks that had things for ages 4-6 years. I knew why she wanted to come here, she wanted things for Oliver. Even the last time she went shopping, although she avoided using my money, I knew she got something for Oliver. He was very excited to show me the t-shirt she got for him. She even got matching scarves for Gran and Grandad, she was just so thoughtful.

“Oliver would love this, don't you think?” I heard her gush, holding up Supa Strikas t-shirt. “And these are just so cute!”

It was safe to say that she had gotten him a week's worth of clothes and shoes before we decided to leave. I was loading the bags in the truck of the car when I heard someone call my name.

“Nathan, is that you?” I was a woman, one I didn't want to see.

Heather Shaw. I had slept with her a few times before the contract was even drawn. She didn't understand that I wanted just sex and tried to claim that we were in a relationship. I remember how the press followed me around for weeks just to get the story. They accosted my mum once and she was with Oliver that day. He was so scared and ended up crying, his terrified face is forever etched in my mind.

“Nathan, it's so good to see you!” She squealed.

I didn't share her excitement. I didn't like her and I made sure she knew it. I nodded curtly at her, drawing Alyssa closer to me. We had one last place I wanted us to visit before the day was over and she wasn't going to stop me.

“Nathan, why are you acting like I'm a stranger to you?” She whined, trying to grab on to the arm that wasn't holding Alyssa but I pulled away quickly.

“Nathan, who's this?” It was Alyssa who asked that question.

I didn't want to answer it because I knew it wouldn't be good. I was trying to find a suitable reply when Heather answered snarkily. “I'd like to ask the same question.”

Two pairs of eyes stared at me, waiting for me to say something. Deciding I didn't care how Heather felt, I said. “Heather, this is Alyssa, my wife. Alyssa, Heather is an old friend of mine.”

Heather's eyes looked like they were about to fall out of their sockets. “W-wife? But just three months ago we were...”

I cut her off, knowing exactly what she was about to say. “That's enough. If you'd excuse us Heather, we have to leave now.”

I didn't even let her reply. I simply rushed Alyssa to the passenger seat. She stopped me as I was about to slide into the driver's side. “What is this, Nathan? How can you be married? We were together three months ago, you can't have found a wife so soon.”

“Well, I did.”

“I know you don't love her, you can never fall in love with a nobody like her. She's obviously a golddigger, only after your money. She's ugly and fat and is probably cheating on you right now. Besides, you said you didn't do love.”

“Well, I changed my mind.” With that, I got into my seat and drove off. I even forgot about the lunch Alyssa and I wanted to have, I was just so angry.

How dare she say those things about Alyssa? If anything, Heather was the golddigger, always wanting to go on shopping sprees when we'd see. She didn't know the meaning of the word 'faithful'. The main reason I stopped sleeping with her was because I found out she already had a boyfriend. I wasn't going to be the 'other man' in her relationship, it was too degrading. Alyssa was a natural beauty while I couldn't count the number of plastic surgeries she's had.

I let out a breath, calming down so I wouldn't do anything that would cause any accidents. I turned my head to get a glimpse of Alyssa who was looking out her window, a saddened look on her face. I drove with one hand, letting the other, slide to hers, giving it a comforting squeeze.

Her expression hardened and she pulled her hand away, settling it in her lap. I didn't understand why she did that.

I had to ask. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes.” She clipped. “I'm just tired let's go back to your grandparent's house.”

“We have one last place to go, you'll love it, promise.”

“Will another girl from your past attack me as well?” She snapped.

My eyebrows creased. “What?”

She rolled her eyes, annoyed. “Don't pretend like you don't know. Abigail likes you and she only poured that drink on me to make me leave so she could probably confess her feelings.” That was exactly what happened. “Even Heather, your 'old friend'. I heard what she was saying about me and you didn't even defend me. Is that what you really think of me? That I'm ugly, fat, a golddigger?”

I didn't say anything, I would tell her exactly what I thought when we got to where we were going. She must've taken my silence as an answer. Her eyes filled with hurt as she turned away.

I felt horrible and I had to say it. “That's not what I think of you.”

She scoffed but didn't say anything. I stopped on the way to get food for us before we got to Primrose hill. The sun was setting and it was getting dark, the perfect time to be on Primrose hill. It wasn't such a special place for me but that didn't stop it from being the best picnic area I knew.

Alyssa refused me holding her as we hiked up the hill. I had a blanket with me with plans to sit and gaze at the city as the lights came on. Alyssa was still upset, angry actually with a deep frown set on her face and a disinterested look in her eyes. I don't think I'd ever seen her like this.

I sat on the blanket that I placed where I knew we'd get a perfect view of the city and setting sun. I patted the spot next to me as an invitation.

“It's getting late Nathan, let's just go back to your grandparent's place.” She wrapped her arms around herself tightly.

She was cold. Even after getting more clothes, she still refused to put a coat on. I quickly got up and shrugged my coat off, wrapping it around her shoulders.

“Why don't you just sit down? I have something to show you.” I told her, guiding her to sit on the blanket.

“Can we just leave?”

“Just sit and watch the sunset.” I instructed.

She sighed in defeat, watching as the sun went down over the horizon, giving the sky a brief orange hue before it turned dark. The sky was a little cloudy, maybe it was going to rain but not so soon.

“Sunset's over.” She stated dryly. “Let's go.” She moved to stand but I held her hand, keeping her down. “What are we doing here, Nathan?”

“I wanted to make up for what happened today, with Abbie and Heather.” I told her.

Her expression visibly softened. “What did you have with them?”

“I didn't have anything with Abbie. She's had this crush on me since we were little but I never felt anything for her.” I explained.

“What about Heather? She was talking about three months ago, what did she mean?”

I really hoped that she didn't ask that. “Well, Heather and I, we...” I didn't know how to explain it without sounding too blunt.

“Did you sleep with her?”

I sighed. “Yes.”

“Okay.” She replied lowly. Her face didn't show what she was feeling and she refused to look me in the eye.

“Look, Alyssa, what I had with Heather went nothing to me. It was just sex, we weren't even in a real relationship. I never had any intentions to marry her or even date her. She just thought that she had some sort of claim on me after we slept together a few times.”

“How long did you sleep with her for?”

I tilted my head, trying to remember. “About two months but it was nothing special.”

What she asked next was surprising. “Is what we have special to you?”

I had to think before I answered. Alyssa and I were married but not because we wanted it, we got married because of a contract. We had a connection but it's not anything to be excited about. We definitely had more that Heather and I did though.

Alyssa is a great woman. She's caring, compassionate and I'm lucky to have met her when I did but a relationship wouldn't work out. We were already married, all we needed to do was pretend properly when people were around. I have some feelings for her but I wasn't sure if they were physical or emotional. I was not ready for the latter, that's for sure.

“I don't know.” I was honest with her.

Her eyes clouded over with pain and her face dropped. “Good to know.” She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

She got up and stormed off, down the hill, probably to the car. I understood that she was hurt and why. I'd been giving her the impression that I wanted a relationship with her when I didn't want that with anyone. Sure, she meant something to me, she was my wife after all and I cared about her. I just wanted her to understand that I can't give her more than care and support.

I met her in the car. She had her face turned away from me but I didn't need to see her face before I knew she was unhappy. I felt guilty about it but it was the truth. I wasn't sure how I felt about her and she had to know in case I decided that I didn't feel for her like that.

“Alyssa...” I didn't know what to say that would make the situation any better.

“You don't have to say anything, you explained it to me yesterday. You don't do love, I should've never asked that question.” She blew out a breath. “I'm tired, let's just go.”

I had no other option but to oblige. I hadn't even started the car before my phone rang. I left my secretary in charge while I was gone and she knew how to handle any emergency, if she was calling then it was really bad. But it wasn't my secretary, it was Gran.

I picked up immediately. “Hello? Gran?”

“Nathan,” She was crying. Why was she crying.

“Gran, what's wrong?”

“Nathan, it's Oliver.”

Author's Note:

Hey guys, thanks for reading and your support. It means a lot that you'd give this book a try.

Questions:

1. What do you think happened to Oliver?

2. What do you think about what Nathan said To Alyssa?

3: Who's POV do you want to next?

4: Where's everybody from? Comment your country here.

–E