Theo had long stopped the car. They were both silent. Neither knew what to say. The atmosphere was a completely different one. Just minutes before, it was light and relaxing and familiar. But it had taken a 180 turn.
"Theo, I... I'm really sorry Theo. I put you in this mess", Jessie said tentatively, not bearing to look at Theo. She felt so guilty.
Theo took both her hands and lifted her chin up.
"Jessie. Stop blaming yourself. You had no idea the person you wanted to spend your life with was like this. And when I put myself in a position where we got into a relationship, I chose to be with you no matter the circumstances."
Jessie looked up at him finally and Theo saw that there were tears glistening in her eyes. He did not say anything else. Just placed a kiss on her forehead, then buckled in and started the car.
The ride back home was a relatively silent one, with Theo's free and comforting right hand placed possessively on Jessie's lap.
Soon enough, they reached the garage, where Theo parked the car. But when it was time for them to get into the house, neither made a move to open their car door. They both knew they were going to have to face reality when they got out of the car.
"No matter what", Theo started, "my feelings for you won't change"
"Mine won't either" Jessie reassured, then to herself, she thought, they'll only get stronger.
Theo got out of the car, then opened Jessie's car door and helped her get out of the car. He placed his hand on the small of her back and led her in.
As soon as they got to the living room, they saw an agitated Gracie pacing about. Theo did not look shocked as he knew she had a spare key, and Jessie managed to hide her jealousy and annoyance well. In spite of Theo's reassuring words, she still felt some type of way because of Gracie.
"Theo!" She exclaimed, shooting a mean look at Jessie.
"Gracie, what are you doing here?", Theo asked, pulling her into a hug. Jessie stood next to them, awkwardly rubbing her left elbow.
"You expected me not to be here after I heard the news?" She asked incredulously. "Are you serious?"
"I didn't expect you so soon. I thought you'd have learnt about it tomorrow or something," Theo explained, rubbing her arm.
"Okay Theo. But I don't understand. What's she doing here?" She asked motioning at a silent Jessie. "I thought you'd have kicked her out after that lunatic made such hilarious claims?"
"Gracie, please. Jessie is my... girlfriend. So stop with the animosity" Theo said, but Jessie didn't miss the hesitation before the word girlfriend.
"Girlfriend? Theo, there's a man claiming you kidnapped his fiancee. And here you're claiming the cheating bitch is your girlfriend? Come on" Gracie scoffed.
Just as Theo was about to talk, Jessie intervened quietly.
"You have no idea what I went through before I came here, you have no idea what I suffered in that man's hands. So you have no right to call me anything out of my name"
"Well, what do you expect me to believe. There's some man out there, desperate and crying for you to come back. And you're here, parading around with the last person on Earth who needs anymore shit in his life. Forgive me if I'm skeptical", Gracie replied sarcastically.
"I know how it looks like, but I also know how manipulative Patrick can be" Jessie tried again, this time more earnestly than the first.
"Who's to know you're not a big lying slut? You got tired of your loving fiance and decided to live life on the wild side right? With the Beast, right?" Gracie egged Jessie on.
"You have no right to assume any kind of shit about me. None at all. I've never cheated on Patrick!" Jessie was already in tears.
"Gracie, I think you should leave", Theo said, making Gracie gasp in surprise.
"Theo, you're making a mistake", Gracie said ominously, then went out, but not without a dark backwards look at Jessie.
"I'm so sorry-" Theo started but Jessie cut him off.
"None of this is your fault Theo. It was my mistake for leaving without confronting Patrick but I am not going to let this go on. First thing tomorrow, I am going to confront him"
"Are you sure, Jessie? Are you ready to meet him?", Theo prodded and Jessie nodded with determination.
"I've been a coward for too long"
†††
"Is your offer still up for takes?" Gracie asked as soon as Patrick picked up the call.
"I knew you would see reason sooner or later", Patrick said, the telephone line not even managing to conceal his smug tone.
"Just give me your answer" Gracie sighed, rubbing her forehead. They had not even spoken one minute and he was already getting on her nerves.
"Meet me at Sunset Cafe in an hour" he replied then dropped the call even though it was her who had called.
Gracie went like she was. Patrick was definitely not the person she wanted to impress so what was the need getting more presentable.
In less than an hour, she was sitting at a table in the cafe, sipping at an iced coffee, looking at her Gucci watch every now and then.
Finally, Patrick walked into the cafe, a huge smile adorning his face as soon as he spotted her.
"Hello beautiful lady" he said as soon as he reached her table.
Gracie rolled her green eyes and said impatiently, "Make this quick, Patrick"
"Woah lady. We're both set out to gain with this scheme, so I'd pipe down a little of I were you", Patrick replied, once he got into the chair across from Gracie.
Gracie sighed but silently conceded. He did have a point.
"So care to tell me why you agreed to my proposal after your last vehement refusal?"
Flashback...
"Who are you?"
"I'm your saviour"
"Excuse me?"
"Both of us have objectives. And I have a plan on how to achieve them"
"Look sir, I have had a bad day and I'm really not in the mood for stupid jokes", Gracie sighed, sipped on her watery iced coffee, made a face, then placed it on the table.
"You are Gracie right?", Patrick asked.
"How do you know my name?" Gracie asked suspiciously, her phone ready to call Theo.
"I have my ways. I'm Patrick, Jessie's fiance," Patrick said with a smile, as if it was not strange he was claiming another man's woman as his fiancee.
"What did you just say? You're Jessie's fiance? So that bitch has been lying to Theo all along", she mused.
"Yes, the lying little bitch is my fiance. Now, I know that you're in love with Theo. Don't bother denying it", he raised a hand as soon as Gracie was about to protest.
"I know you resent Jessie. And you want her out of the picture so you can get your darling Theo to yourself again"
Gracie was interested. Everything he was saying was true, obviously. She wanted Theo to herself and the only way that was going to happen was if Jessie left the picture.
But she wanted Theo to choose her. To kick Jessie away when he finally realized Gracie had been there all along and she was the one for him.
"What do you say? Are you in?" Patrick asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry. I'm not interested in whatever plan you have hatched", she replied, packing her stuff up into her bag.
Patrick only smiled, as if her refusal had not disappointed him. He stood then dropped a piece of paper on the table.
"That's my number. Call me when you change your mind", then he walked out.
And here they were.
"Let's just say, I realized I have a lot less to lose than I actually thought", Gracie replied with a wry smile.
"You made the right choice"