The Deal

Reaching his office she barged right in, the door hitting the wall but all she could see in her fit of anger was Austin sitting behind his desk with a glass of alcohol in his hand. He got up and she went over, raising her hand slapped him as hard as she could, the slap made a loud sound when it hit his face. "You fucking bastard," she yelled.

Getting his bearing he straightened up, rubbing his face. "Blair, what the hell was that for?"

Harry's eyes grew wide and he got to his feet, knowing there was big trouble ahead and figured he should high tail it out of there. "I'll just leave the two of you alone."

She turned angrily to him and pointed to the chair he recently occupied. "You sit your ass down, you're part of this," she screamed at him.

He sat down, he had never seen a woman this mad before and he didn't dare move or breathe.

"Part of what Blair?" Austin asked, looking confused as hell. A cold chill ran down his spine, his worse fear was coming true, but there was no way she could have found out about the shares. "For the love of God, what are you so mad about?"

She threw the paper with the names on it in his face. "This is what I'm talking about you bastard, you bought up all the shares to my company."

This was the moment he feared more than anything in his life, her finding out before he could tell her. His hands shook, he began to sweat as he looked at the document in his hand. "Where did you get this?" he asked, looking at her with regret, his heart was breaking.

"Never mind where I got it. What I want to know is why would you do this to me? I thought you loved me. I trusted you and all this time you were scheming against me, to destroy me and everything I worked for."

"Please, you have to listen to me, let me explain."

"You don't have to explain, it's all clear now. You were just playing with me, using me until you could get your hands on all of the shares. Why Austin, why do you hate me?"

"I don't hate you," he said, lowering his head. All he wanted this minute was to go hide somewhere, to escape from telling her about his plan, the hurt look in her eyes was strong enough to kill a man. It was killing him and he had to find the right words to say or he would lose her. He could see in her eyes how much pain she was in, and it was ripping him apart.

"Then why did you do it? Tell me, I really want to know what was going through that thick skull of yours."

At this point Harry knew this was no place for him, so while she was screaming at Austin he quietly sneaked out, shutting the door behind him. He felt bad for the two of them, she looked gutted and Austin looked as though he was facing a life sentence, and maybe he was. Judging by the way she looked there was going to be no forgiving him, which made him sad, knowing that two people who were deeply in love were about to come to an end of their marriage.

"It all started when you connected with me about our high school reunion. It brought back memories of how you treated me back then. So when you made the deal with me it got me to thinking about how I could get back at you for the way you treated me back then."

"The way I treated you, what the hell are you talking about?"

"Christ Blair, don't you remember? You treated me like dirt, you had me running errands for you, gave me hope that we could be together. I did everything for you, carried your books, helped you cheat on your exams. How many times did we make plans to go somewhere and you never showed up? I loved you and you used that fact to make me follow you around like a dog."

"She looked at him in shock. "I never knew you felt that way about me."

"How could you not know? But you rejected me, made me feel like a loser who you made fun of with your girlfriends."

"I never made fun of you, I always defended you. I thought we were just friends and you did all those things because you were a nice guy. You never once told me how you felt about me. For crying out loud, that was years ago and you've been holding a grudge all these years."

"You were popular, I was a nerd. What people don't understand is in high school the way people treat you defines how you turn out when you get into the real world. Some become criminals, others successful. I chose to become successful to rub it in everyone's faces. I had always hoped to meet you again and make you pay, you made it so easy for me."

A tear slid down her face. "So all of this is for revenge, you set out deliberately to destroy me. If I hurt you or made you feel bad I'm sorry, but for crying out loud we were kids, I was a kid but I grew up and moved on."

"Blair, I'm so sorry, I really do love you and I wish I could turn back the clock but I can't. Once I got to know the real you I did what I could to stop this ridiculous revenge of mine."

"Then why weren't you honest with me and tell me?"

"I was afraid of losing you. I thought I could fix things without you finding out. I tried selling back the shares to the people I bought them from at a very low price, losing money in the process, but I didn't care about the money."

"Tell me Austin, what was your plan once you got your hands on all of the shares?"

"I didn't really think that far, I guess I thought I could hold it over your head, be your boss in a sense. But I never planned on having you removed from the company. I fell in love with the real you, my heart had always belonged to you. I'm asking you now to forgive me, give me another chance."

"It's too late, I can never forgive you. I vowed never to give my heart to a man, but you broke through my barrier and I fell deeply in love with you. But you betrayed me in the worse way possible. My God, I gave you my heart and you ripped it out of my chest and stomped on it, breaking it into a million pieces. I won't lose my company, I will fight you with everything I have to keep it and you away from it."

"Blair, I don't want it, any part of it, all I want is you."

She looked at him, feeling exhausted, her heart was breaking as tears streamed down her face. "You'll never have me, I want a divorce. Don't ever call me, text me or come around me. I never want to see you or hear your voice ever again. Goodbye Austin," she said and walked to the door, her hand on the knob she stopped when he called out.

"Blair, please don't do this, we love each other, give me another chance to make it up to you. I'm right now in the process of having all the shares put into your name. I was going to confess everything once it was done. I love you with all of my heart, I always have."

She looked at him. "Tell me something, and be honest. When you didn't show up for the biggest event of my life, and all those times you had me running around after you was it part of your revenge to hurt me?"

He lowered his head, too ashamed to look her in the eyes. "Yes, but I regret it, more than you'll ever know."

She walked over to him, standing in front of him she looked into his eyes, her tears still falling. "I have never trusted or loved anyone until you came along. I loved you so much, I trusted you and gave you my heart. No man had ever made me feel the things you did, in and out of bed. But you broke my heart and trust, I can never forgive you. I want that divorce. I'll have my lawyer draw up the papers." She takes off her rings, taking his hand she placed them into his palm. "You said once you wanted these back. Like I already said, don't call me, don't text or come near me. I never want to see you again. Goodbye Austin." She turned and walked out, her heart felt as though it had stopped beating and she felt her life was ending, now she was nothing but a shell of a human being. Her dreams and hopes dashed in just over two hours.

She was able to hold back more tears until she got into her car, she broke down and the sobs racked her body. She knew there was no going back to the home she shared with Austin so she decided to go to her apartment as it still hadn't been sold. Pulling into the parking lot she goes inside and opens the door to her apartment. She opened up some windows to get rid of the stale air. Not having any food or drinks at the apartment she placed an order at a place that delivered groceries, just giving them a small list and she also put a couple of bottles of wine on the list. She then arranged for her personal belongings to be picked up and brought to her place. Then she sat down and had a good cry, feeling hurt and betrayed.

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He just stared as she walked out the door, he couldn't move, couldn't talk. It was as if he had ceased to exist and was looking down from up above at what was going on. She was gone, he had lost the only woman he ever loved. He knew that she would never come back to him, a piece of him died at that moment. Sitting down he cradled his head in his hands, he couldn't breathe, his eyes filled with tears as he clung to the rings she had placed in his hand.

He looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder and saw Harry standing there. "I've lost her Harry. She told me she was divorcing me. I was such a fool, I should have listened to you when you told me to stop buying the shares."

"Austin, just give her a few days to calm down and try talking to her. The girl loves you and I'm sure she'll think things through and forgive you."

He had the rings in his fingers. "I know she won't, Blair is the type not to forgive that easily. I hurt her really bad. You know, she gave me a hard time about buying these rings, said they were too expensive for a marriage that was ending in a few months."

Well, they did cost you a bundle."

"I think deep down in my heart I was hoping we'd stay together. Spending time with her I got to know her, she's a really good person. I found out things about her that she was keeping a secret, you have no idea the good she's done and the people she has helped. I'm afraid I blew it big time with her, it's over."

"Oh come on Austin. I know you, you're not one to give up this easy."

When he arrived home he noticed a small truck leaving his driveway. Going inside he was met by the housekeeper.

"Helen, what was that truck doing here?"

"They were here picking up Mrs. Cooke's belongings. She called to let me know they were coming and said she wouldn't be back. I'm so sorry sir, I will miss her but I'm sure you'll be able to patch things up. All couples fight sir and I'm sure she'll be back before you know it."

"Thanks, Helen, you can go home now, see you on Monday."

Not in the mood to eat he wrapped the food up and placed it in the fridge. Grabbing a beer he goes into the living room. He felt drained so leaning back he closed his eyes. Her leaving him had left a hole in his heart and he had no idea how to fix things between them.