Chapter 127
Sarah’s POV
Two days.
Forty-eight hours since I ran out of that mansion, and since when did Marcus tell me I was going to marry him?
I had been staying at Ariana’s house cause the last thing I want to do is be in the same environment as that asshole.
My thoughts come to a halt as Ariana walks in, her pregnant belly leading the way.
“Come on,” she said softly, lowering herself onto the bed beside me. “Again p>
I nodded, unable to speak.
She opened her arms, and I fell into them, burying my face in her shoulder and sobbing.
Great, ugly, heaving sobs that shook my whole body.
“It’s okay,” Ariana whispered, rubbing my back in slow circles.
“I don’t know what to do,” I cried into her shoulder. “I don’t know how this happened. I was just trying to do something nice. I was just trying to help that little boy p>
“I know,” she said gently. “I know you were p>
I pulled back and wiped my face with my hands. My eyes were probably red and puffy. I looked terrible. I felt terrible.
“I only took him for ice cream,” I said, my voice cracking. “That’s all I did, I don’t deserve this p>
Ariana listened with her eyes soft and sad.
“I don’t even know why he kissed me, and then cause of him it’s all over the internet, and every news channel, and his grandmother wants to meet me, and he says I have to marry him p>
I was sobbing again, the words coming out between broken breaths. “He thinks I planned it. He thinks I’m working with Stephanie, his ex-wife. He thinks I’m some kind of criminal trying to trap him or ruin him or something. He hates me, Ariana. He actually hates me p>
Ariana pulled me close again. “Shh. Shh. Breathe, Sarah p>
“I can’t marry him,” I gasped. “I can’t and I won’t p>
Ariana was quiet for a moment.
She just held me and let me cry. When my sobs started to slow down, she spoke.
“Sarah, I need you to listen to me. Okay? Can you listen for a minute p>
I nodded against her shoulder.
“I know Marcus,” she said carefully. “Not well, but I know him. Dante has been friends with him for years. He’s not a bad man. He’s just… broken. His ex did a number on him… she hurt him badly, and she hurt Ryan even worse. That’s why Marcus is so strict about rules and schedules…It’s not because he doesn’t love Ryan. It’s because he’s terrified, terrifiedof losing him just like he lost his mother p>
I lifted my head and looked at her. “That doesn’t excuse how he treated me p>
“No,” Ariana agreed. “It doesn’t. He was wrong to say those things. But Sarah… you have to understand his side too. You broke his trust, and now the whole world thinks you’re engaged and his grandmother is excited, and Stephanie is probably planning something, and he’s panicking p>
I wiped my face with my sleeve. “So what? I’m supposed to feel sorry for him p>
“No. You’re supposed to understand that this situation is bigger than just you and him. There’s a child involved, his crazy ex. There’s the media and his family who just want to see him happy.” Ariana took my hands in hers. “With the scandal and all, you might not have a choice, but that doesn’t mean it has to be terrible p>
I stared at her. “Are you seriously telling me to marry him p>
“I’m telling you to think about it,” she said gently. “Marcus will come around once he gets to know you. Once he sees that you’re not after his money or his reputation. Once he sees how much you care about Ryan, he’ll come around. I believe that p>
“You don’t know that,” I whispered.
“I do cause Marcus is family p>
“I’m not marrying him,” I said firmly. “I don’t care what the scandal is, I don’t care what his grandmother wants. I don’t care about any of it. I will not marry a man who looks at me like I’m garbage p>
And I will not marry my ex’s brother… I thought I was unable to tell Ariana.
The Specter brothers are bad news… and they’re connected to my past, a past I want nothing to do with.
If I marry Marcus, I’ll have to face Damon, and it’s the last thing I want.
Ariana came up behind me and put her hand on my shoulder. “I hear you, I do, we’ll figure something out.
“I’m sorry,” I said softly. “I’m sorry for dumping all this on you. You don’t need this stress right now p>
“Don’t you dare apologize,” Ariana said firmly.
“You’re my best friend. You were there for me when my whole world fell apart. Remember? When Dante was pretending to hate me? When Melissa and Angelo were trying to destroy us? You were there every single day p>
She squeezed my shoulder. “Now it’s my turn to be there for you. So stop apologizing p>
I felt fresh tears prick my eyes, “Thank you. I don’t know what I’d do without you p>
“You’d figure it out,” Ariana said with a small smile. “You’re stronger than you think, Sarah. Stronger than Marcus Specter realizes, and maybe that’s exactly what he needs. Someone strong enough to stand up to him and won’t just roll over and do what he says p>
My phone buzzed on the coffee table before I could respond. I walked over and picked it up.
A text from an unknown number.
Unknown: Ms. Knight. This is Jackson Reed, attorney for Marcus Specter. I need to meet with you tomorrow to discuss the contract. Please confirm your availability. This is not optional.
I stared at the message. My heart started pounding again.
“It’s his lawyer,” I said quietly. “He wants to meet tomorrow p>
Ariana came and looked over my shoulder. “Are you going to go p>
“I don’t have a choice. He said it’s not optional p>
“Then go and hear what he has to say,” Ariana said.
But as I stared at that message, as I thought about facing Marcus again, about sitting across from him while he treated me like dirt and offered me money to be his wife… I wasn’t sure anything would ever be okay again.
My phone buzzed again.
Unknown: 10 a.m. tomorrow… my office. Don’t be late.
It had to be him