Chapter 9

Maybelline.

Next Day 12:00am.

Grayson stood at the head of the table, his presence commanding the attention of everyone in the room. He spoke with the ease of someone who knew exactly what to say and how to say it. His tone was persuasive but never desperate, confident without crossing into arrogance. I stared wordlessly, doing everything to not lock gaze with either Nora or Fred, even by mistake.

But I couldn’t deny the tension sitting heavy in my chest, the weight of what—or rather who—was sitting just across the table. Fred.

Nora sat beside him, her smug smile a constant reminder of the betrayal I hadn’t fully healed from. The sight of them together was like salt in a wound that never quite closed.

“I appreciate both parties’ proposals,” Mr. Collins finally said as soon as Grayson was done, his voice neutral, professional.

“You’ve both presented strong cases. I’ll need some time to review everything before making a decision. You’ll hear from me soon.”

Grayson extended his hand for a firm handshake. “We look forward to hearing from you.”

I forced myself to smile as we stood, the meeting officially over. Mr. Collins exited the room, leaving us behind with Fred and Nora. I could feel the shift in the air as soon as the door clicked shut.

“So,” Fred’s voice was sharp, dripping with disdain,

“It was true, you were really fucking around with my sister’s fiance!” Nora snorted and slowly looked up at him.

“I told you she was a liar and a slut didn’t I!” She said to him, maliciously rolling her eyes at me.

I stiffened. I stared at the both of them, taking my time to decide what I was supposed to say to them. I felt Grayson’s hand wrap around my hands and held me tightly. My lips slowly stretched into a smile as my gaze fell on Nora.

“You and I aren’t exactly different, because I watched my useless husband get down with you in a public bathroom! How very crude!” I finally said, my voice coming out smooth and almost like I didn’t care about them anymore, even though my heart was still shattered from what they did.

Fred’s smirk faltered, my lips stretched into an even wider smile,

“You thought you got me?! Well two can play the game! Who ended up heartbroken?! Definitely not me!” I snickered, even if the lies I told stuck in my throat I still managed to push it out, I wasn’t going to make a mess of myself in front of them.

“And you!” I said sharply turning to Nora,

“After what he did to me, you think he can’t do the same to you?! Very delusional!” I muttered, with that I turned to look up at Grayson.

“Babe, I think it’s time to go” I said to him, he flashed me a smile as we turned around and began to walk out, up until we walked out and slammed the door behind us, I could still feel their gaze on us, staring speechlessly.

“You did well,” Grayson muttered as soon as we got out, my hands flung to my chest and I released a deep exhale. I didn’t reply to him, he simply let go of my hands as we walked into the Elevator.

“Grayson, we must get this account” I muttered firmly as soon as the elevator door closed behind us, he looked down at me and nodded firmly in reply.

******

7:30pm .

With my hands folded behind me, I walked down the deserted and extremely quiet estate road. Luckily, the streetlights were bright enough to illuminate my path. I had a lot to think about. Where I’m coming from, where I am presently and what my future would be like.

I felt really suffocated indoors and I really just needed natural air. Grayson crossed my mind again, he’s cool but very suspicious. I mean, he’s very nice to me, extremely nice. Guys like him are not usually nice, why is he different? Why won’t he tell me why he chose to help me get revenge? At Least there isn’t a thing he doesn’t know about me, why is he being so secretive?! I stared down at the shiny silver ring in my hand with a deep exhale. We had a court wedding sometime last week and I had to put on the wedding ring when we had an outing together. I had forgotten to take it off earlier. I gently slipped it out of my finger and dipped it into the pocket of my jacket.

“Maybelline?!” I heard my name, I paused in my tracks and slowly turned to look at me, my eyes narrowed as my gaze zeroed on the person who called my name.

“Tyler?!” I whispered surprised, he looked like he was taking a casual walk, he jogged up to me and signaled that we continue walking.

“You live around here?!” He asked as he walked up to me, I took my lips into my mouth and nodded slowly, I exhaled deeply and tucked my hands into my pocket.

“I do, I stay with …” I shut myself up almost immediately, I wanted to say that I stay with my husband but of what use is it?! We aren’t actually husband and wife, and this is just a contract.

“I stay alone,” I added immediately, he nodded slowly at me with a small smile.

“Out because you need fresh air, yeah?!” He asked, and I nodded firmly.

“It’s nice every once in a while right?!” I asked in reply and he chuckled lightly, nodding continuously.

“So May, why Anchoring?!. You seem pretty good at it. Must have been a lifelong dream,” he said and I nodded slowly.

“Growing up, I’ve always had a strong sense of right and wrong. I did not like being cheated, or seeing someone cheated,” I began, I sighed deeply and lifted my gaze up to the sky.

“But sometimes, life does not go the way we want it to, right?!”

“And love makes us accept the things we never thought we could accept, right?!”

“Anyway, this job makes me feel like I’m getting my life back on track, being an anchor is like being the voice to the voiceless. I don’t just want to share stories, I want to connect people with the truth. So one person doesn’t have to suffer for another person’s lies,” I concluded, he gently tucked his hands into pocket and shrugged softly.

“I kid you not, heartbreak is the ultimate motivation, it just has a way of bringing out your talent as a motivational speaker“ he said and for the first time in a while I burst out laughing, and more surprisingly, genuinely.

“What?! Why would you say that,” I asked in between laughs, he chuckled lightly and shrugged again turning to me.

“I’ve had a fair share of heartbreaks too, so I know” he said, my laugh turned to a small sigh and I turned to meet his gaze,

“Really?! Don’t tell me that’s why you went into football too, how is that supposed to heal your heart break?!” I asked, he waved his hands dismissively at my question with a small chuckle.

“Oh, my reason for being a footballer isn’t that deep. Let’s just say it runs in the family. So yes. I continued in my father’s footsteps” he said, I nodded thoughtfully at his words, I slowly folded my hands across my chest.

“As cute as that sound, I know how pressurizing it must be,” his eyes slowly went wide and he tilted his head to the side,

“Ohh, tell me about it,” he murmured and we shared another small laugh. I looked up and realized that I had gotten to my junction, I came to a halt and slowly turned to him.

“I guess, this is where we part ways, I’m meant to take a turn now,” I said to him and his mouth curved into an “O”.

“It was nice talking to you tonight May, see you around?!” He asked with a wide smile as he stretched his hands out to me.

“See you around,” I replied, reciprocating his smile with a small smile as I took his hands in mine, in a handshake. We both nodded firmly as we let go of each other. I took the left turn towards the house and exhaled deeply, wasn’t exactly sure if that would be the last exhaled for today but still,

“Oh boy,”