The Edge

Alexander

I could be the devil, but I had some conscience in me. For years, no one ever cared if I knew my side of the story because money spoke for me.

It bothered me, because I have always wanted to say the truth myself.

My passion for women is one, and my loyalty to one is another task entirely. I couldn’t do it until I met Valerie.

I could see her flaws each and every time I didn’t have good times with her, but that was not the problem—I fell in love with those flaws.

Each time I turned to her best friend with the ring I got for Valerie, it felt like I fed my curiosity.

“Have you made your decision yet? You have been quiet since you came here, and that’s not how it works,” I uttered rudely.

I tried my best to be nice to her. She was probably doing everything in her might to clear her late father’s debts.

She turned and looked at me. I had no emotions to give back so I looked away.

“It’s a very important decision and I know you really want the answer, but I need more time…” she replied cautiously, like there was a gun on her head while speaking.

“More time? You’ve got to be kidding me. My reputation is at the verge of getting ruined, and you have seen such a beautiful offer to take advantage of, and you are asking for more time?” I replied, uttering each word with audacity.

She stood still for a moment with her hands behind her back like a servant.

“I-I’m sorry,” her voice was low as she stuttered. I knew this was not how I wanted it to be.

I wanted her to see the reasons why I wanted the wedding to happen soon. Valerie was like a thorn in my flesh. She was so adamant and at the same time, she wanted to do things on her own.

Each time I looked at Bella, I saw a better Valerie.

“Where have you been?” I muttered silently, while she looked down in fear, after apologizing.

Bella was probably different because of the harsh fate life had bestowed on her.

I was like the angel—doing my best to change fate in order to make things better.

“My company shares would begin to reduce. There would be so much to do, and I would be left with losses,” I replied.

“Valerie…” she called out as she was standing right in front of her. Hearing her name made my ear hurt, but my heart skipped a beat.

When I looked up, I realized she wasn’t there. “What happened to Valerie? She is not the share I’m talking about,” I said, moving towards her.

“She was my best friend…” she uttered.

“Was it?” I questioned. “She is not your best friend anymore?”

“She would feel betrayed that I am married to her ex,” she answered.

She had pounds of guilt stored in her. Her breathing was extremely paced, she was either fidgeting with her necklace, or her fingers.

And all I just had to do was to chase all of that away. The guilt, the shame she wore and made her my wife.

“Betrayal could be the solution to your deadly problems. The ones that make it difficult to sleep at night,” I replied as I took wide strides to the safe in the middle of the mansion.

I had a lot of it, and I was ready to let go of one of the things in the one I opened.

I dragged out the briefcase, “This is the documents you’ll get to keep. I don’t want to be bothered about how your are going to survive with such a number of documents.

“Documents?” She repeated, moving towards the briefcase.

“Open it,” I commanded, and she could look at it again and open it.

To be honest, I had no idea what I was doing. I only wanted one thing to happen—my reputation to be saved. It was straightforward, but it was tough.

I could not force her to marry me, but the thought of her seeing what I could offer, may pull the trigger of her decision.

“The contract papers?” She questioned, staring at me while going through the papers.

“You have to make up your mind here and now because we can’t just keep turning around. It doesn’t make sense to do so,” I replied. I was afraid that she could say no.

Yes, it was obvious. She wasn’t my type, but she was a polished version of Valerie, my ex.

“You shouldn’t think about your best friend at this point. If she cared about you, she should have married you irrespective of what she heard about me,” I pressured, and the guilt of doing so rushed all over my body.

“I know I need this, but you don’t have to pressure me into it,” she replied, and it felt like someone stopped on my toes.

“What do you even mean by that?” I asked, as I rubbed my fist with my other hand. I tried to put my temper together.

“I don’t know. I just need to get a whole of this,” she added. It was there and then that I realized she had no idea about what was going on.

“It’s me. Alexander. It’s not hard to get women on my feet. What do you mean by time? I would g over to the next person who would easily agree to this contract!” I uttered, feeling the charisma rush over me.

“No-No!” She begged, and fell on her knees with her hands clutched together.

“Yes, I can go to another person. I’m trying to save my reputation. I’m doing that patiently with you, and you are asking about time?” I retorted, feeling the heat.

The pressure was building, and I was in no place to tame it down.

“Valerie is my best…she is my best friend…” she cried and pleaded. I didn’t care, I looked less of myself in the first place to randomly ask her even when it was clear that there was something different about her.

“I don’t care about that, young woman!” I roared and threw the pen to her feet, “You have one more chance.”

I gritted my teeth as I watched her crawl to get the pen. She sobbed as she took the papers to the nearest flat surface in the mansion.

“I’m sorry, Valerie…“she uttered before scribbling her signature on all the needed places in the document, which had my name and signature too.

“You will be happy. You just have to believe in that,” I replied. Suddenly, my voice was swift and soft as I collected the papers from her.

I gave a single and a loud clap. In minutes, all the workers in the mansion fell out. They stood in a straight line with their hands crossed in front of them.

“Mrs Blackwood!” I announced and they all bowed in greetings.

“Do what is necessary and make sure that she is treated like I’m treated.” I ordered, and they nodded.

I had five workers: the chef, the cleaner, the gardener, the driver and their director.

I pulled my beloved wife from their sight, “The court wedding is tomorrow and after then, I’ll send my lawyers to clear and settle all the issues with the debt.” I smiled, trying to get comfortable with the new development.

“Thank you, Sir,” she responded.

“Sir?” I asked again.

“I need to go back home,” she added. I couldn’t say no to get because of how sick and exhausted she looked.

I was victorious at last. If I didn’t apply pressure, she would probably have been thinking about her best friend.

Valerie mocked her in different ways.

Only we knew, and all along, she was just trying to be a good friend.