Almost Forever: Our Fake Romance Agreement

Willow

“Are you certain?!” I jump up from my seat while on the phone with my editor. He has just called me with fantastic news, and I am really not sure if he was pulling my leg or not.

“Yes! Bestseller, baby!” He exclaims and I silently scream at those words.

BEST SELLER! My book turned out to be a bestseller! Trying my best not to lose my mind, I thank him for his guidance and informing me about the good news before saying our goodbyes.

I must admit that I never expected my book to be a hit, especially since I just started this new job as a PA at a newly formed law firm. 23 years old, fresh out of college with my future ahead of me, my life could only go up!

“Willow,” My boss, Michael, says as he walks towards me and I look up. He just said his goodbyes to one of his clients after a three-hour-long meeting with her.

“That one ran long. I hope she remembers that she’s paying us by the hour.” I say and Michael chuckles at this.

If the last three months have taught me anything, it's that I can be myself around Michael; he’s a chilled boss. He sighs.

“Man, I could use the afternoon off. Why don’t we close up early for the day?” He says and I could just about hug him! It was only three in the afternoon and we usually only leave after 6, depending on the meetings he has for the day.

I nod happily, “Yes, I would love that!” I exclaim.

We lock up and say our goodbyes before heading our separate ways.

I live up the road from the law firm, so I walk to work and back daily. It was another reason I decided to take this job; the commute was easy and I got some exercise on top of it.

With a spring in my step and a smile on my face, I think about my fiancé, Alexander. I can’t wait to share the news about my book with him! He knew that writing was my first love and I only took the PA job as a means to an income.

He’s always been supportive of my dreams and career, so I feel guilty for not spending as much time with him as I would like to. His business has taken him out of town a lot lately and my new job tends to keep me busy. I always get home exhausted, so does he - then there's my writing to top it off.

This is the reason I don’t tell him that I’ve got the afternoon off; I wanted to surprise him!

As quiet as I can, I open the front door and tiptoe towards our bedroom. Being a self-employed draughtsman with his own company, he prefers to work on his projects at home. But something seems wrong today. He usually works with Metallica playing in the background, but the house was silent.

When I round the corner to our bedroom, I see why.

“Alex?” I ask incredulously when I see the luggage on the floor - packed and ready to go. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt showing off his tattooed forearms. His hair was slicked back and his blue eyes cold and devoid of emotion when he looked at me. I walk into our bedroom tentatively, uncertain of what to say or do.

What was happening?

“What's going on? Are you going on a business trip you forgot to tell me about?” I ask, too scared to hear his answer.

“I'm leaving you, Willow. In fact, I have left you a long time ago.” He says with a smirk then walks towards the door.

“Coming, babe?” I hear behind me and turn around with my heart hammering. Standing there was a beautiful woman; long, sleek black hair, porcelain skin and legs that go on for days - something I could never be and she has just called him 'babe.'

“Wait in the car, I'll be there in a sec.” Alex says to her then, picks up the bags left at the foot of the bed.

Wait, what?!

I ran after him, “What do you mean you're leaving, Alex?” I call out, and he stops and turns around, with resentment blazing in his eyes.

“The last few months, you have barely paid any attention to me or our relationship. I realise that it's your new job and your writing that is keeping you busy, but that doesn't excuse the fact that you even forgot about our anniversary two months ago.” He says and walks towards me, taking my face in his hands.

“I bought this home for us to start our new lives together, but I think you took me out of the equation a long time ago. I wasn't going to go through with the affair, but she has shown me more affection in a day than you have in all the time we've been together. I'm sorry, Willow. But we're through. You can keep the house; I’ll sort out the paperwork and send it over.” He says and kisses my forehead before turning and walking away.

A frown crossed my brow. “What are you talking about? Our anniversary was last week, and you're the one who forgot, not me!” I call out to him in a choked voice, and he stops walking, stiffening his back.

“I only started working as a PA for three months, Alex, what do you mean I haven’t been paying attention to you when you’re the one who’s barely home! You’re always out of town, always tired, never in the mood to spend time with me, how am I the bad girlfriend in this?!” I exclaim with tears running down my face.

Why did anger make me think so clearly? I was so stupid! He’s always out of town, always busy; now I knew why.

He looks at me with a raised eyebrow, then laughs.

“Ah, Willow. You could always see through my bullshit, couldn’t you?” He says, then walks towards me and takes my left hand in his.

“You should have just remained a stupid book store clerk, then maybe I would have considered staying. But no, you had dreams and aspirations. I can’t be with a woman whose dreams are higher than mine. So, I will be taking this back.” He says and pulls the engagement ring off my finger.

“As I said, the house is yours, I’ll send the deed over tomorrow.”

I look at him, my anger replacing the hurt I was feeling.

“My editor let me know today that my book was a bestseller, the book where I based the story on us,” I say, angry tears slipping down my cheeks. Alex grins and shakes his head, a sly look in his eyes.

“I guess you've always preferred the fictional version of me instead of the real me, even though I was real and only a few feet away.” He says with a shrug, then walks out of our home for the last time.

I haven't opened that book I wrote since he left.