Chapter 1
I stepped out of the elevator pulling my luggage behind me. I crossed the lobby toward the front door.
“Everything okay, Ms. Sullivan?” asked Anthony.
“Ashley! Please wait!” Brandon pleaded behind me.
I turned as he stepped off one of the main elevators into the lobby.
“Ashley, we need to talk.”
Standing there, crushed, I had to decide what to do next...
***
It had been less than five minutes since I saw Brandon in the arms of a naked woman. In an instant, he crushed my spirit. Now we were facing each other in the lobby of his building.
He came after me. Did that count for something? Could he explain his compromising position? I was still reeling and unable to process much of anything.
“Anthony, please give us a moment,” Brandon said to the doorman.
“That okay, Ms. Sullivan?” Anthony still looked concerned about the situation.
“Yes. Thank you, Anthony. I'll be okay.”
I doubted that I would be okay. But I knew I was safe. Brandon may have cheated, but he wouldn't harm me.
“I'll just be outside,” Anthony said as he pushed through the front door.
“Ashley, please give me a chance to explain,” Brandon said.
“Explain what?! Explain the naked woman in your arms? The romantic mood lighting? The roaring fire in the fireplace?!”
“Ashley, nothing happened.”
“Yet. Tonight. Am I suppose to believe that nothing was going to happen? That nothing has happened since we started dating?”
Brandon looked down and stood in silence.
“Dammit, Brandon! Answer me!”
“I promise nothing was going to happen tonight. I can explain what you saw...”
I had regained some presence of mind. I needed Brandon to be honest with me. No matter how much it might hurt me further, no matter the cost. I needed the truth. He owed me that.
“Tonight. You can promise nothing was going to happen tonight. What you didn't say is that nothing has happened before tonight. Have you cheated on me or not?”
“Ashley, it's not that simple...”
“Yes, it is that simple. Have you cheated on me? 'Yes' or 'no'?”
“Ashley, I don't ever want to hurt you. Let's sit down and talk.”
“Answer the question!”
“I'm sorry . . . technically, yes . . . I've cheated. But, Ashley...”
“No. Don't say another word to me,” I said as I fought through a new round of tears.
“It's over between us.” I turned and Anthony opened the door for me and I exited the building.
“Can I get you a cab, Ms. Sullivan?” Asked Anthony.
“No, thank you, Anthony.”
I started walking toward my apartment, but without a real sense of direction. I just ended a relationship with a man who sparked sexual excitement in me. A man who I had fallen for. I thought Brandon and I were building a long-term relationship. Now, I was heartbroken, angry, and alone.
“Hey, baby. You're lookin' fine tonight. Where you headin'?” Some creep called out to me.
“Fuck off!” I retorted as I walked past him. He made me nervous, but he didn't want to mess with me. I had so much rage inside that he would regret any further move toward me.
He took the hint and continued in the other direction.
I walked the remaining blocks to my building. As I waited for the elevator I remembered that Chelsea was entertaining her date in the apartment. Shit ! I thought.
I didn't want to disturb them. At the same time I wanted to take a hot shower and go to bed. It's a big enough apartment. I'll go straight to my bedroom.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened. I flashed back to the doors opening to Brandon's penthouse.
“Asshole!” I said aloud as I stepped into the elevator. I wiped my face as best I could on the elevator ride up. I gained as much composure as possible.
I took deep breath as I reached my door. I fumbled for my key as my hand shook. I managed to unlock the door. Chelsea and her date were at the dining room table.
“Oh, hey, Ash. Did you forget something?” Asked Chelsea.
“No. Change in plans. Don't
I stepped out of the elevator pulling my luggage behind me. I crossed the lobby toward the front door.
“Everything okay, Ms. Sullivan?” asked Anthony.
“Ashley! Please wait!” Brandon pleaded behind me.
I turned as he stepped off one of the main elevators into the lobby.
“Ashley, we need to talk.”
Standing there, crushed, I had to decide what to do next...
***
It had been less than five minutes since I saw Brandon in the arms of a naked woman. In an instant, he crushed my spirit. Now we were facing each other in the lobby of his building.
He came after me. Did that count for something? Could he explain his compromising position? I was still reeling and unable to process much of anything.
“Anthony, please give us a moment,” Brandon said to the doorman.
“That okay, Ms. Sullivan?” Anthony still looked concerned about the situation.
“Yes. Thank you, Anthony. I'll be okay.”
I doubted that I would be okay. But I knew I was safe. Brandon may have cheated, but he wouldn't harm me.
“I'll just be outside,” Anthony said as he pushed through the front door.
“Ashley, please give me a chance to explain,” Brandon said.
“Explain what?! Explain the naked woman in your arms? The romantic mood lighting? The roaring fire in the fireplace?!”
“Ashley, nothing happened.”
“Yet. Tonight. Am I suppose to believe that nothing was going to happen? That nothing has happened since we started dating?”
Brandon looked down and stood in silence.
“Dammit, Brandon! Answer me!”
“I promise nothing was going to happen tonight. I can explain what you saw...”
I had regained some presence of mind. I needed Brandon to be honest with me. No matter how much it might hurt me further, no matter the cost. I needed the truth. He owed me that.
“Tonight. You can promise nothing was going to happen tonight. What you didn't say is that nothing has happened before tonight. Have you cheated on me or not?”
“Ashley, it's not that simple...”
“Yes, it is that simple. Have you cheated on me? 'Yes' or 'no'?”
“Ashley, I don't ever want to hurt you. Let's sit down and talk.”
“Answer the question!”
“I'm sorry . . . technically, yes . . . I've cheated. But, Ashley...”
“No. Don't say another word to me,” I said as I fought through a new round of tears.
“It's over between us.” I turned and Anthony opened the door for me and I exited the building.
“Can I get you a cab, Ms. Sullivan?” Asked Anthony.
“No, thank you, Anthony.”
I started walking toward my apartment, but without a real sense of direction. I just ended a relationship with a man who sparked sexual excitement in me. A man who I had fallen for. I thought Brandon and I were building a long-term relationship. Now, I was heartbroken, angry, and alone.
“Hey, baby. You're lookin' fine tonight. Where you headin'?” Some creep called out to me.
“Fuck off!” I retorted as I walked past him. He made me nervous, but he didn't want to mess with me. I had so much rage inside that he would regret any further move toward me.
He took the hint and continued in the other direction.
I walked the remaining blocks to my building. As I waited for the elevator I remembered that Chelsea was entertaining her date in the apartment. Shit ! I thought.
I didn't want to disturb them. At the same time I wanted to take a hot shower and go to bed. It's a big enough apartment. I'll go straight to my bedroom.
The elevator dinged and the doors opened. I flashed back to the doors opening to Brandon's penthouse.
“Asshole!” I said aloud as I stepped into the elevator. I wiped my face as best I could on the elevator ride up. I gained as much composure as possible.
I took deep breath as I reached my door. I fumbled for my key as my hand shook. I managed to unlock the door. Chelsea and her date were at the dining room table.
“Oh, hey, Ash. Did you forget something?” Asked Chelsea.
“No. Change in plans. Don't
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