Chapter 45

Sara

The atmosphere in the house was oppressive. I felt locked away from the world, uncomfortable to even come out for food. Things had definitely taken a serious turn since yesterday morning, and I was left feeling almost outside of my body about it. I just wanted normalcy, but it looked like I wasn’t going to find anything even remotely close to that for a long time. I sat around fiddling with my phone and figured out how to fix the journalist issue. I set my phone to only take calls from the numbers I personally approved. The only people I felt like talking to was Alison, my clients, and Ryan. I put Ryan on there because I felt like I had to, but I didn’t actually think he would call me. Once it was done, though, I felt more comfortable, sitting in silence not having a hundred reporters blowing me up every five seconds. With the silence came thinking, and with the thinking came emotions, which made me think I was better off fielding calls after all.

I looked at the time and felt my stomach start to growl. I hadn’t been outside the room yet that morning, too afraid to run into Ryan again. I needed some air, though. I was starting to feel claustrophobic inside that penthouse, no matter how big it was. I put on some clothes and tennis shoes and decided to take myself out to breakfast, just to get out of the house. I was a grown woman, and there was no reason I shouldn’t be able to go out in the city by myself. Everything about the house was bringing me down after the night before. I couldn’t believe how dark Ryan had been when I saw him the night before. I was ready to talk to him, hoping he would open up to me after I had watched him do it on the television shows. I had stayed up waiting for him, not bothering him with phone calls, just giving him space and letting him make his way home when he was ready. When he came in, I had been excited, but that quickly diminished when he started talking.

I was ready to have a heart-to-heart, but instead, he had gone off on me. He had said hurtful things about me and about himself. Surely, he didn’t think I actually felt that way about him. I had been nothing but sweet and supportive the whole time and right when I could have been pissed that he had lied to me about his past or at least omitted a lot yet again. But no, I was there, ready to be on his side, and all I got was his angry mumbles and then him stomping off down the hall and slamming his bedroom door. It was really hurtful, to have gone through so much with him, to have shown my support and love for him and have him turn on me like that. I didn’t deserve it. I deserved at least the same respect he had given the damn morning television hostess, but he couldn’t even show me that. It was the first time I had seen him like that, and he wasn’t being the tough, strong protector I was used to. He was bitter, resentful, and callous, and I didn’t like it even one bit.

He had yelled at me like I was a child, like I was some paparazzi on the corner hounding him for a story. He had told me he was sorry for being a deadbeat. What did he think of me if I actually believed he was a piece of shit and still stood by him? I knew it was his house, and he should be free to let things out there, but that didn’t mean he should be allowed to treat me like shit because I had feelings about the way he was talking to me. None of it was good, not even in the least.

I headed out of the complex and took a right, figuring it was New York, which meant eventually I would find somewhere to eat. I came upon a bagel shop and decided that would be my best option. I grabbed a bagel and a cup of coffee and took it with me when I left. I didn’t feel like sitting there eating. I needed to take a walk, clear my mind, and be able to think through what had happened over the last couple of days. At first, I was walking along, eating my bagel, and not paying attention to anything around me. As I stopped at a crosswalk, though, I looked up at a couple of people standing down the block. They were looking in my direction and pointing their fingers at me. I groaned and crossed the street, turning the other direction, and hanging a left as soon as I possibly could. I turned the corner out of sight and stopped, throwing the rest of my bagel in the trash with attitude. I couldn’t even go out for a walk on my own without someone following me.

I couldn’t believe these photographers were really interested in me or what I had to say. Ryan wasn’t even there with me, so there was no way they would think any pictures of me would be worth anything, right? Apparently, they did, and I wasn’t having any of it. I was not in the mood for that bullshit today, and it was very likely that if they caught me, I would definitely give them a piece of my mind. Ultimately, that wasn’t in the best interest for anyone, so I continued walking, deciding to pick up the pace. I stopped at the end of the block and waited for a car to pass, looking back behind me. There were a couple following me around the block, and I was starting to feel like I was being hunted. I hurried across the intersection and stepped to the edge of the curb, waving my hand for a cab. As soon as it pulled up, I jumped in the back looking up and watching as the couple started running in my direction.

“Take me to the Reines Complex across from City Park,” I said quickly.

“Yep,” he said, pulling out right before they were able to get to the side of the car for a picture.

I sat back in the cab and leaned my head back, closing my eyes and breathing heavily. When we pulled up out front, I paid the cabbie and headed into the complex. The front desk agent, who knew me by name at that point, opened up the private elevator for me and sent me up to the top floor. The door was still unlocked when I got there, and I walked in, looking around and realizing the penthouse was empty. I looked all over for Ryan, but he was nowhere to be found. Well, that was my luck. I tossed my bag down in the kitchen and went over, pouring myself a cup of coffee. At least Ryan had left me some coffee in the pot. I sat down at the counter and put my chin in my hand, trying to decide what I was going to do with my day. I didn’t want to sit around the penthouse, but I also didn’t want to be chased around all day by photographers. Just then, I heard the ding of the elevator.

I got up and made my way out to the foyer, expecting to see Ryan walking in the door. I had left it open for him, so he wouldn’t have to bother with his keys. I stopped in my tracks as I rounded the corner, not seeing Ryan, but instead seeing a very familiar, an unwanted face. Natasha was standing there in all of her couture glory, looking like she was on a damn mission. I wondered how she had gotten up the elevator, but then I spotted a gold key in her hand. She must have still had it from when she was with Ryan.

She looked over at me and arched an impeccable eyebrow at me. Immediately, I was on the defensive, but what was I supposed to do? Kick her out kicking and screaming? I folded my arms across my chest and gave her sass right back.

“Well,” she said. “I can see you’ve made yourself comfortable here. I guess its nicer than the barn you’re used to, right? I mean it doesn’t have the same smell of manure, but there’s plenty of horseshit floating around these walls to make you feel right at home.”

I rolled my eyes and turned my back to her, walking out into the living room. I had hoped that would give her the clue to get the hell out, but instead, I listened to the clickety-clack of her stilettos on the marble floors of the foyer as she followed me into the house. The last thing, besides maybe Janson showing up, that I needed was this bitch to come waltzing into the penthouse like she fucking owned it. It was making me completely pissed off, but I was trying to keep my cool.

“Where is Ryan?” she barked.

“I don’t have a clue,” I said, spinning around to face her. “He’s not here, so maybe you should get the hell out.”

“I know what you are,” she said with a smirk. “You play it like you’re some wholesome doll baby from a small town in God knows where, that you’re so innocent and sweet. But I know that’s a bunch of bullshit. You aren’t sweet at all. You’re a gold digger. You saw the opportunity to snag billions, and you took it. Not that I can blame you. I would get tired of living in the pig troughs too.”

“So, wait,” I said. “I thought I was a farmer, but now I’m a malicious gold digger out for Ryan’s fortune, a fortune you tried hard to get but were unsuccessful. Which is it? I’d really like to know which one I am, so I can make plans to either steel billions or farm some fields.”

She scoffed and rolled her eyes, strutting past me to Ryan’s office and looking inside. My blood was boiling at that point, and I wasn’t sure how much more I could take from the Russian bitch who caused so much drama for Ryan. I had zero patience for this woman, especially when she was constantly trying to put me down. Finally, after wandering around for several minutes, she was convinced Ryan wasn’t hiding anywhere and snubbed her nose at me as she walked out the door and shut it behind her.

I groaned loudly, walking over and sitting down on the couch. I’d had it with New York City. It was too noisy, and there was virtually no privacy. To make matters worse, when you had a billionaire boyfriend who was the hottest topic trending on Twitter, you pretty much signed your life over to the paparazzi. I looked down as my phone buzzed on the coffee table in front of me. It was Alison, and I was more than happy to see her calling, at least until I answered and found her a sobbing mess on the other line.

“I broke it off with Jimmy,” she sobbed. “And this is definitely the last time. No take backs at all.”

“Oh, girl,” I said, feeling so bad for her. “I’m so sorry. I want to be home.”

“Are you okay?” she sniffled.

“You know what? I don’t think I am,” I said. “And I’m going to fix that. Fuck it. I’m coming home. New York City is not for me. Will you pick me up from the airport?”

“Of course,” she said, sounding happier.

“I’ll text you in a few with the flight info,” I said. “Hold on, girl. I’ll be there soon.”

I hung up the phone and raced to the bedroom, pulling out my suitcases and packing my bags. I ordered a cab from an app I had downloaded when I first got to the city and rolled my bags to the front door. I looked around the apartment for a moment and sighed before leaving and pulling the door behind me. This time, I was leaving, and I wasn’t going to say goodbye. By that point though, I was pretty sure Ryan had forgotten all about me anyway. He had way too much drama going on.