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She can’t be serious. “Or what.”
“Fine.” She shrugs. “We can have this conversation out here if you want. Might be kind of weird to be seen talking to the CFO’s wife outside your building though. Can’t think of anyone who would believe we are friends.” She looks me up and down before pointing to where I believe the cameras are and I wonder how soon until Chris starts blowing up my phone. Or hers.
I don’t think she’ll do anything to harm me, but I’m still not in love with the idea of having her in my apartment. I turn my head and point at the coffee shop across the street. “I’m not letting you in my apartment. I don’t know you and I can’t imagine you’re my biggest fan. We can go there.”
She huffs indignantly and begins walking towards the café. She’s far shorter than I am and practically glides across the cobblestone despite her heels. She’s carrying two shopping bags, one from Chanel and one from Hermés, and I wonder if Chris has already put it together that she’s here.
Maybe he’s on his way here himself.
We sit at one of the outside tables and she removes her sunglasses again before running a hand through her shiny chestnut hair and tucking it behind her ear. “I don’t know what he’s told you but we are not divorced.” I don’t respond to that. “So, you knew that? My, aren’t we classy?” she digs and I resist the urge to respond. “We are trying to work on things,” she continues, and I grit my teeth so I don’t say anything that maybe Chris wouldn’t want repeated.
“I’ve been here in Paris. We haven’t seen each other. We broke it off.”
She laughs in a way that I think she actually finds my comment amusing. “Hardly. You’re talking. Constantly.”
I’ve been under the impression that he was at his apartment that she supposedly had never been to when we were talking. How does she know?
I don’t want to say too much or confirm or deny anything. “We are talking because he’s my boss.”
“Do you think I was born yesterday? I know you practically were, but I don’t know why either of you are underestimating me. Do you not care about your career?” I bite my bottom lip. “You’re just a baby and you’re letting a man—or I suppose just his dick—control your decisions? I know you probably think I’m just the worst human in the world, but I’m still his wife. No matter what either of you seem to think, you’re the other woman. Not me.”
Shame washes over me and I hate the feeling. “Why do you want to be…his wife?” I ask. I hope this to be the only interaction I have with this woman, so I figure I might as well see if there is more to the story. “You say I’m letting him control my decisions but you stay with him? I know I wasn’t the first and I know you know that. Kind of seems like you’re letting something control you also.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “You think you know everything.”
“I actually don’t. I feel like I’ve been kept in the dark about a lot of things.”
“Well, feel free to ask me whatever you want to know.” She raises her hand toward the waiter. “Two waters please and a cappuccino.” She points at me. “Would you like anything?”
I shake my head before he walks away.
“Do you even love him?” I blurt out.
“In my own way, yes.” Not sure what that means. “Do you really want to be a woman responsible for breaking up a marriage?”
“I didn’t break up your marriage.”
“Funny, he was never serious about divorce before.” I don’t say anything and she continues. “I’ve warned Chris what I would do if he continued his affair with you but seeing as how he didn’t listen, I wanted to come and talk to you in person.” Our waiter brings over our waters and her coffee. “Thank you, dear,” she says handing him her credit card. She turns her eyes back to me. “Stay away from my husband. Stop communicating with him.”
“Can I ask what your bottom line is? Do you want to be with him?”
“For now,” she says before she takes a sip of her drink. “We are in counseling for a reason, but if it doesn’t work, I’ll give him a divorce. But he needs to give it an actual effort. I don’t know what Chris has told you but I’m not unreasonable. He’s been cheating on me for god knows how long and now he wants a divorce and expects me to roll over and take it? No. He’s been a terrible husband, and now I’m making him pay for it. So sure,” she shrugs, “I’ll give him a divorce eventually, but I’m going to make it hurt first.”
She takes an envelope out of her purse and slides it across the table with a smile. “What is this?” I reluctantly open the envelope and my mouth falls open when I see that it’s a check for…FIVE MILLION DOLLARS?!
I slide the envelope back across the table. “You think…? I don’t want…I can’t be…” I sputter, unsure of what to say. “I do not want this.”
“Fine, name your price.” She shrugs.
“It’s not even your money!”
She snorts. “Clearly you don’t know how marriage works.”
“Fine. Legally, sure, but I would never do that. Do you know how…how bad this looks that you are offering this to me?”
“Ten million.” She counters and I feel like I’m going to be sick. She can’t actually think she can pay me off? No. Fuck no.
“Mrs. Holt, I’m sorry for my part in hurting you, and more importantly, I’m sorry I got myself caught up in your very dysfunctional relationship. Neither of you are happy and you’re not about to use me to try and even the score with him.” I grab my purse. “Please just leave me be.”
