Two

May’s POV

Not particularly caring about how I looked, I dragged myself to my best friend’s house. I wasn’t in the best mood anyway, all I felt was the sadness of being misunderstood. 

The fact was, I couldn’t believe that was the way Asher saw me; a mere gold digger with no standard but just the love of money. I knew he didn’t love me when this happened, but I just thought maybe he had grown some feelings for me, like I did. I guess I was just being naive. 

“What’s going on, May?” Emily asked me, and after I told her everything, she looked at me like I was stupid. 

“He wants to divorce you?” Her voice came out strained, mirroring how I feel. 

I nodded. 

“What do you think I should do to let him see that that’s not who I am?” That was the question I was about to ask, but Emily beat me to it, asking me when I would get rid of the jerk, and handing me a glass of scotch. 

Alcohol was exactly what I needed right now. I raised it to my mouth and gulped half the content, causing Emily to look at me with worry in her eyes. 

“I don’t want to leave, Em, that’s why I’m here.” I said.

“At least he offered compensation for your two best years,” Emily shook her head with a scoff. “Why not leave that arrogant jerk?”

“Why would you say that too? Am I a gold digger in everyone’s eyes?” I knew I was acting like a fool.

“That’s not what I’m saying, but why would you still want to stay when he is so horrible to you?” She asked me, eying me like thinking I’m losing it before she gasped. “Don’t tell me you really love that asshole!!”

I pursed my lips. She knew me too well. That’s exactly the problem, but it sounded so ridiculous when it’s not in my mind. To think that I, a mere nobody, dares to desire THE man on the top.

“Because I’m not a gold digger, and it matters that he sees me for who I am,” I used a not-technically-lie excuse, “Also, I have put in a lot in this marriage, and I don’t want it to be discarded like trash.” 

I allowed my shoulders to slump. “Emily, I asked for three months to try and get him to fall in love with me.”

“What? Are you crazy?” My best friend countered, rolling her eyes so hard it was such a wonder they didn’t pop out of her skull. 

Emily was angry now, and I knew it wasn’t really because I wanted to stay in the marriage, but because the man I was trying so hard to hold onto wasn’t interested in being held. She knew how much I had given up just to save my family when my stepfather’s business was on the verge of going bankrupt. 

“It wasn’t as if I planned on falling for him like this, I can’t help the way my heart feels or the way my body reacts to him.” I said, now full blown crying, my heart clenching in the pain of the sadness I felt.

Hiccuping, I continued. “I want to give myself a chance. I want to decide for myself, for the first time in my life. I didn't get to choose when my parents left me, I didn't get to choose a family in the foster system, and I didn't have a say in my own marriage. Now I have put my heart into the marriage, and actually fallen in love with him, yet all I got is a divorce paper. I want to give myself, give US, one last chance.”

Emily scoffed. “But that man treated you very badly, May!” She pointed out a fact I knew quite too well.

With a bitter smile that didn’t reach my eyes, I said. “Well, I’m sure he has reasons to misunderstand my intention, but I will prove him wrong with those three months.”

“Oh, honey,” Emily dropped her glass and turned to pull me into her side in an embrace so that I rested my head against her shoulder. 

Patting my shoulder, Emily asked. “So what did he say to your three month proposal?” 

Swallowing, I told her what he said, quoting him word for word. “You really shouldn’t be greedy. You asking for more time won’t get you more money. Whatever you’re scheming in that head of yours isn’t going to work. I’m sure one million dollars is enough.” 

“You see what I’m saying? That guy’s mind is made up. I can’t see you break down like this about someone who doesn’t seem to care about you. You’re so much more without being married to him. You gave up on your dream to be a photographer just so you could save your family, and he thinks you’re some gold digger.

“You turned down working for Sultry Fashion Line as their Brand Photographer just to marry him. If that’s not good enough for him, then it has nothing to do with you, and you’re crazy if you still want him knowing all that,” Emily said.

Maybe she was right, because I still wanted those three months.