I couldn't explain what I had seen and trying to would be pointless when Nolan believed everything that had happened came about due to a sickness. I stared at his mouth as we stood in the corner of the brightly lit studio.

"You're utterly insane to say what you said on a public platform." It was obvious he hadn't been sleeping at all as he was still fully clothed in his button-down long sleeve shirt and navy slacks. Even his expensive dress shoes were still secured to his feet. "I saw it all. Apparently, you never wanted to be the spokesperson for SSL? Well, that's news to me, especially since you signed the contract. Ms. Rhea Patel."

"No, I didn't like how they implied only certain types of people could wear their clothes." I raised my voice as he had, releasing my unbridled frustrations. "I told you that, and you, yes you, Mr. Nolan Hudson, convinced me to sign the contract because it was 'a great financial move.' So, thank you for convincing me to sell my soul."

He chuckled. "So, now I forced your signature on that contract?"

"I had morals." I sneered in disgust.

"What is morality when there's money involved?" He scoffed and stuffed his hands in his pant pockets.

I shook my head, taking in his cold demeanor. "You don't care about me. This whole relationship is based on padding your pockets. Just admit it."

"How dare you say that!" He narrowed his eyes, finally showing a heart by placing his hand above his. "It's clear you have no idea how much I love you. Sure, the money is great, but I will literally lay down and die for you. After all these years, how can you not see it?"

"You say that every time I threaten to leave and live my life the way I want," I shook my head, forcing myself not to believe it this time. "That's always been your way of making me feel guilty, so I stay, and we make love, and the cycle continues. But not anymore, Nolan. It ends today."

"Rhea, come on now." He gulped then sighed. "Listen—"

"No, I'm always listening. That's all I do, but when is it my turn to start being listened to?" I shook my head. "If you really loved me or cared, you would've told me you wanted to manage Joselyn Murphy's acting career. But you didn't because that's a conflict of interest and you know I wouldn't have agreed."

"So, she told you, huh?" He dropped his gaze. "This is what this is about, me managing Joselyn? I didn't want to upset you during fashion week, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity. An old producer buddy is working on his debut film and needed a female lead. So—"

"I don't care." I swiped the air with my hand dismissively. "As of now, you're no longer my manager or my man. You can do as you please." I took a step in an attempt to leave the space.

"Rhea, you're not thinking this through." His voice grew an octave, causing me to stop in my tracks. "You need me. This is an important week. This week is everything. Are you just going to throw that away?"

"You know, I had convinced myself that this career path was becoming too much for me and that fashion and the spotlight was a mistake, but I now realize that my mistake was being with you." I shook my head and scoffed at the egotistical man before me. "You're the problem and you've always been."

"Don't say that." His voice came out in a strained whisper, his shoulders slumped, and I realized there had been a frail and powerless man beneath that egotistical veneer all along. "Please, Rhea. You're all I have. You're all I live for. Everything I've ever done, including agreeing to manage Joselyn, was for you."

Even though him looking so distraught was a first, I have heard those words plenty of times before. And this time they didn't affect me the way they had then.

I picked up the cell phone on the edge of the desk. "I'm calling my mom and telling her I'm finally coming home, because I'm not staying here one more night."

"Are you serious?" His eyebrows dipped and his abrupt anger caused his voice to come out aggressively. "You'd reconcile with that woman after the things she's said about you, us, and your career? She wished ill on you for choosing the path you chose."

"I'm sure she'd be forgiving knowing I'm choosing a different one now." I brought up her contact info, but the phone was swiped from my grip before I could dial. "Give me my phone, Nolan." I put my hand out, demanding what belonged to me.

"I can't let you make that mistake." He slid it into his pant pocket. "You'll thank me later. Trust me."

I knew this routine, and I refused to go down that path again. I rolled my eyes, shook my head, and made my way to the adjacent apartment to gather my stuff. "I can't believe you're doing this."

He followed. "You know I know what's best for you. Have I steered you wrong yet?"

I refused to entertain him or his theories and searched for my shoes. "So ridiculous," I murmured to myself.

"Where are you going?" He stood near the bar counter and crossed his arms over his chest. "You're seriously not leaving. It's late and dark out there, Rhea. You can't go anywhere by yourself. Crazed fans exist, you know?"

I crossed my arms like he did. "So, what are you gonna do? Hold me hostage?"

"I intend to protect you," he said matter-of-factly. "That's my job. That's what you hired me to do."

"I hired you as a manager to manage my career and I trusted you as a boyfriend to love me like I deserve, and now because you failed at both, you're fired." Finally, the power I knew I always had surged through me, and it felt good to say what I'd been feeling for so long. "You, Mr. Nolan Hudson, are fired from ever again being associated with Rhea Patel or her likeness."

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sniffed.

I lost my patience long ago and couldn't afford to pretend to care. I spotted my shoes, grabbed them, and sat on the sofa to put them on.

"Four years down the drain? Just like that?" His voice trembled as he tried to control his emotions.

"This goodbye was long overdue." I secured my shoelaces and retrieved my purse which contained a copy of the car key.

"My parents disappeared from my life the same way you're leaving now, grabbed their car keys and walked right out of the door, never looking back." When he looked up, his eyes glistened and the deep dimples on his cheeks that used to turn me on were now only vessels to collect his tears. "They left me because I chose you and your passions, because you are more important to me than anything. I thought I had proved that. Look at the life you have."

"I'm sorry, Nolan." I sighed. "I truly am sorry. You were there for me. You taught me a lot, especially how to become the well-spoken professional I am today. I'll give you that. But all good things must come to an end."

"You never cared about me," he sneered. "Not like I cared for you."

"I've been seeing a creepy woman since we got here and you tell me I'm sick and I'm stressed, but you won't allow me to see a doctor or take a break. If I'm having a mental breakdown, a caring person would get me help and not push me to keep performing."

"I'm looking out for your career." His frustration came through as he growled through clenched teeth.

"Fine, I get it. You were doing your job, but now you're released from that responsibility." I ignored his penetrating glare. "It's over, Nolan." I pushed past him heading toward the door, but before I could take another step I was pulled back by my ponytail.

"You're not going anywhere," he snarled.

I yelped and instinct urged me to grip his hands to pull them from my hair. "What are you doing? Stop, Nolan. Let me go."

"I can't do that."

His tug caught me off balance and I hit the floor, falling back on my ass. My hair brushed my shoulders as it fell from the ponytail. When I looked up, the elastic tie along with a good chunk of my hair projected from his fist.

I screamed, not from pain but from the terror of what would come next. I managed to get to my feet, but the sight of my eerie double and the frightened look on her face startled me. Seeing her up close, the dent in the side of her head near the temple, the fear in her wide eyes and the trail of blood that pooled beneath them.

Her mouth formed the word "no," but her stare locked onto what was happening behind me. I turned just as the heavy, diamond shaped multicultural award left Nolan's hands to impact my temple.

I went down like a feather, staring up at the man that called me his everything and the look of fear and instant regret on his face as the award clanked to the ground beside me.

The urge to turn and examine the splatters of blood took over me, but I couldn't move. Fear paralyzed me, or something else did. I wanted to cry, I thought I was, but I couldn't feel the hot tears running down my face.

What was happening?

"Oh, fuck," Nolan whispered through trembling lips. "What have I done? Rhea, baby?"

In my peripheral vision, the strands of my hair fanned out around my head like a flaming red halo in contrast to the darkness creeping in.

What did you do, Nolan? How could you?

I tried to respond but my mouth didn't move, and blackness crept in much like my fear, swallowing me whole. From the utter obscurity, the distant sound of a familiar male voice echoed, prompting me, urging me, persuading me.

"Eyes wide open."

~~~

What's on your mind? Please share your thoughts. I appreciated any and all feedback.