Page 97 of Game of Revenge
Amelia
I stopped to breathe in the hall when I felt like I was finally alone. I closed my eyes, resisting the urge to cry. There was only one way out of this hell: getting Alejandro the damn diamonds so I could disappear forever. As I started heading toward Richard’s office, George got in my way.
“Everything okay?” he asked, looking concerned and confused.
“Yes, but George, we need to talk.” There was no time like the present.
“Okay, right now?”
“Yes, I don’t want to wait.”
He walked me to the library for a little bit of privacy. I was anxious. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt him, but it would be much worse if I disappeared on him without an explanation. We sat down on the couch, and I nervously ran my fingers up and down my arm.
“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, especially when I was in…captivity. I had a lot of time alone to…ponder, figure out what I want to do with my life. I…I know we have been dating for a while now and—”
“What are you saying?” he pressured as I started to hesitate. I sighed. The faster I uttered the words, the better for all parties involved.
“I don’t think we should be together anymore. This relationship is not working for me. It’s…it’s not what I want.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I am so sorry.”
“Amelia, you…you just got back from what I imagine was a very traumatic situation. I don’t think you should be making any drastic decisions right now.”
“Well, this experience gave me a chance to think about what I really want, and this relationship of convenience isn't it, George.”
George got up, anxiously combing his fingers through his hair. He didn’t seem sad. He seemed furious.
“You can’t do this to me. Richard, he…he won’t let you do this. I have plans! I…I…don’t understand why you are doing this! We are perfect for each other!”
“But I don’t love you.”
“So what? Marriage is not always about love.”
“What else would it be about, George? Business?”
He sat back down next to me and grabbed my hand. “You know that Richard and I have plans for our companies. I need to show my dad that I am serious, both professionally and personally, so this merger can happen, and I can finally get the role I deserve in his business. Do you understand that?”
I was now the one to violently get up. I didn’t want to be close to him. I had sometimes doubted that he loved me, but clearly, George was not any different than Richard, using me for selfish business purposes. I felt a surge of anger that quickly made space for relief and almost happiness.
There was nothing for me to feel guilty about. I wasn’t breaking his heart. I was destroying his pride and his selfish agenda, and I could not care less about those two things. It was funny that one could feel like this about a relationship after two years of dating.
“You will have to find another wife for this, George. While I thought it was fine for me to marry you even if we didn’t love each other, I at least thought we would make a good team, and we were a good fit because we let each other be. But now, I don’t want to marry a younger version of my stepfather.”
“I think you need to slow down and really think about what you are doing,” he said as he got up again.
He looked like he wanted to slap me. I took a step back, suddenly scared he would harm me.
“Richard won’t let you act so stupidly. He will stop giving you money, kick you out of his house, do whatever it takes until you get back in line.”
“Is that so?” I said, suddenly enjoying the exchange. This was the most honest conversation George and I probably ever had. He always had that condescending tone when I didn’t agree with him.
“You doubt it? You know Richard stops at nothing for his business.”
I bit my tongue. This was not the time to get angry. It was the time to be smart and enjoy my victory silently.
Richard’s free days were quite limited, after all. And I had no intention of taking any money from him. I had a great job waiting for me in New York and what promised to be a great career ahead of me. I sighed, pretending to have suddenly realized what my rebellion could cost me.