AN : So I have been reading a lot of AU Reylo fics and have been loving them. This idea just popped into my head the other day and I had to get it out! Make sure to hit the alerts to know when I post new chapters and I would love to hear your feedback and thoughts!
Don't Say
Rey walked into her sixth floor apartment and threw the garment bag over the chair by the door. Her briefcase and the paper shopping bag from the boutique down on 5th followed onto the antique hardwood floors. She slipped out of her black pumps and sighed with relief.
She couldn't believe that she had just spent that much on shoes, she could have fed a small desert village with the amount of digits on the price tag, but this was for a special occasion. It was her two year anniversary tomorrow night.
Brent and Rey had literally run into each other in the park a few years back. They had both been out jogging and when a biker had buzzed Rey on the path and she had to jump out of the way, into the strong arms of Brent. The rest was history.
A package had arrived for her that day and she ran back down to the lobby to retrieve it from the storeroom that larger mail was placed in. When she was back in her apartment, Rey removed the smooth leather case and inspected the engraved plate, B. Bate.
Brent worked in the financial district and he usually toted around a canvas satchel, but Rey was excited to gift him with the camel colored leather briefcase.
The gift that she was expecting made her both excited and nervous. One of her good friends and her secretary at work, Finn had spotted Brent in a jewelry store a few weeks ago.
She had thought about marriage and they had been together the appropriate amount of time. They had talked about moving in together in the upcoming months when her lease was up. He was good to her and they had fun when they were together, but still a part of her was wanting more. Perhaps when they lived together, when they were engaged…she squealed to herself at the thought…he would show her what was missing.
Hanging the garment bag in her room, she slipped on the the nude Giuseppe Zanotti heels and spun in front of the full length mirror. She decided to wear the shoes for the rest of the night to break them in so they wouldn't give her blisters the next night.
She felt ridiculous in an old tattered college football t-shirt and her expensive heels, but she turned on some music and danced around her kitchen as she made a quick dinner for herself.
Her apartment wasn't large by any means, but it also wasn't the broom closet that she had rented when she first moved to the city. Rey had moved to New York after finishing law school in Florida. She had spent six months living off what little she saved while working in the old college town and used that time to study New York state laws before sitting her Bar exam.
Of course she had passed on the first try. She had worked for everything in her life and second best was not an option for her. So the eight hundred square foot, one bedroom apartment, that was thankfully not a walkup, had been her home for the last year.
She didn't talk about her past much, not that she was embarrassed by it, but it often made people treat her differently.
Rey had been raised in foster care in Florida for most of her life. She was young when she entered foster care, but emotional and slightly damaged, she was looked over time and time again for adoption. But she was lucky to stay with one family for most of her childhood.
The family was military, but her foster dad, Obi, retired shortly after Rey came to them. Her foster mom, Millie was British and Rey mused that even though she had been born in the states, she had picked up on the posh accent.
She would often lie and tell people that she was from England, making up grand stories about her family and how she was just a foreign exchange student. No one really knew that her parents had thrown her away when she was just a toddler.
But not ever wanting to be guided by her past, Rey competed high school, used the grants and scholarships for foster kids to compete her four year degree. Then using the sad and inspiring tale of her life, she was accepted in to the Juris Doctor Law Program and excelled.
On her eighteenth birthday, with her foster family's blessing she changed her last name to that of the only people she had known as parents. They later explained that if they had adopted her as a child, that she would forfeit any state benefits including assistance with college.
She had been hurt but later understood their reasoning. She was just thankful to still have a family to go home to on the holidays.
Now, three years into her law career she was being looked at to be made partner at Almec, Ralter, and Nudo. She had her own corner office, a secretary, Finn, and a junior attorney Rose.
Rose had just been starting the Law program during Rey's last year and she has been paired to mentor the new law student. Once Rose graduated, Rey recommended her for the job and they make an incredible team.
Being a divorce attorney wasn't always her dream, far from it and being a hopeless romantic didn't help, but she was good at it and it afforded her time and resources to do pro-bono work. She mainly acted on behalf of children in the foster system or tried child neglect cases.
That night she hardly slept. She thought about her past and how far she had come. She thought about her future. She thought about Brent and the life that she had with him. She fell into a fitful sleep around three in the morning.
Rey was thankful that she didn't have any cases to preside over that day, but continued to prepare for the mediation hearing that she had scheduled for Monday morning. Her client was what she would describe as a pampered brat, but those were also usually the ones who could pay her hefty fees.
Looking over the file Rey couldn't pinpoint why the spoiled woman who hales from Connecticut and comes from a good family would have married the soon to be ex-husband. There was nothing extraordinary about his assets or his holdings. Nearly not enough to draw in what they deemed to be a Park Ave Princess.
Her client reported that after six years of marriage she wanted out because her husband didn't have time for her. She had seen couples divorce for less and was ready to be rid of the demanding woman. She giggled to herself, at times she felt sorry for the men who she would rake through the coals, because her clients could be extremely hard to manage and she only had to deal with them for a few weeks.
This made her think of her own future. If Brent was going to propose tonight, she had practiced how she would reply. Her job had made her at times jaded about married, but that was before her own was on the horizon.
"Tonight the big night?" Finn asked as he rolled the phone over to voicemail for the weekend.
Rey inhaled nervously, "I think so. He has been acting strange…secretive for the past few weeks."
"It's going to happen," Rose cut in. "With how he has been acting and also the fact that Finn saw him at Greenwich…"
"I just never thought this would happen." Rey was strong and independent, but within her still resided the insecure child that was cast aside and not even good enough for her parents.
Finn placed his Coach messenger bag over his shoulder and finished shutting down his computer, "Honey, you are smart and beautiful…the total package. He would be an idiot to not want to lock this down." He waved his hand in front of her body.
Rey blushed. Finn was a good friend, her best friend, and they would have been good together if it wasn't for the fact that he preferred partners of the same sex.
"Call me tomorrow and tell me all about it because we both know you will be busy tonight," Rose laughed and winked at Rey.
Her cheeks flamed again as she waved them off and walked towards the elevator bank.
She caught a cab and made it home in record time. The next two hours were spent scrubbing, shaving, moisturizing, and primping every inch of her body. She created a natural makeup look before zipping up her emerald green body contouring halter dress.
Their reservation was for seven at the exclusive restaurant, Maz's. Rey had been able to get the table by helping the owner get custody of her granddaughter who was in a bad situation.
Brent was waiting outside of the restaurant under a large black umbrella when Rey's cab had pulled up. He ran out to the cab and shielder her from the unusual spring rain. Once they were under the awning at the entrance of the restaurant and Brent had closed and shook out the umbrella, he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek, "You look amazing."
Rey took in his gray suit, white shirt, and navy blue tie. It was the one that she had given to him for his birthday a few months ago.
"Here, let me take that for you," he reached for the white box under her arm.
"Happy anniversary," Rey said handing over the box and placing a searing but not publicly offensive kiss upon his lips.
Brent returned her kiss but broke away when another couple went for the door. He tucked the package under his arm and then held the door open for her.
"Rey, darling!" Came the shrill voice of one of the smallest women that Rey had ever seen.
Maz, the owner of one of the most coveted restaurants in the city was pushing seventy, but could make the strongest of men comply with her every whim. Which was most likely why she was married to someone half her age.
Rey approached and crouched down to embrace the owner. "How is Lynn?"
"She is lovely, but not as lovely as you are tonight." Maz motioned with her hand and Rey felt inclined to spin. "And this must be your beau…" her gaze fell to the tall man with sandy blond hair.
"Brent Bate, ma'am," he answered politely and held out his hand. "I have heard a lot about you from Rey."
"Don't believe a word of it," Maz said and winked at Brent.
They all laughed and Maz moved to the desk that looked like it came off of a pirate ship. "Seat them at table 66 please," she barked at the hostess.
"Of course," the blond woman replied and collected two leather bound menus. "Right this way."
Rey looked back at Brent and they wove their way through the restaurant to a table set for two that over looked a small court yard that was blooming with climbing roses and a small fountain was lit in the darkening city sky.
"This is perfect," Rey said with a gasp.
Brent helped her with her seat and the menus were laid before them. "Reeve will be around shortly," the hostess said and then disappeared.
Having a moment to look around, Rey felt the atmosphere was romantic and just what they needed to celebrate their two amazing years together. The walls of the restaurant were covered in brick and stone. Exposed beams that looked like they were over a hundred years old criss crossed the ceiling and ornate chandeliers hung in a sporadic but pleasing way, bathing the area in warm light.
A well dressed man with a gold name plate that read Reeve came around to their table, filling their water glasses and then held out a bottle of wine, "Complements of the owner," he said shortly.
Rey read the label and almost cringed that she now knew the different between a $30 bottle of wine and one that cost ten times that. She nodded her head and watched Reeve uncork and pour the blood red liquid.
Brent swirled the wine and smelled it before taking a sip. He had seen it done a million times in movies and restaurants. He nodded his head to the waiter in approval. Only then did Rey take a sip of her wine. It's flavor was rich and full.
They made idle chatter over their meal. He had a steak and she had the cod. When their plates had been cleared and they had ordered dessert, Rey pulled the white box from under the table and handed to Brent.
"Happy anniversary, BB." Rey used her nickname for him as she coyly smiled.
He pulled the navy blue ribbon off of the box and lifted the lid. "Rey…" his tone was almost pained, "This is too much." He ran his hands over the cool smooth leather and the engaged plate.
"You deserve it," Rey interjected. "You work so hard. I know you have been pulling a lot of late nights and I'm sure upper management has noticed. You will need a new briefcase for when they offer you that promotion."
His eyebrows came together and he looked up into her hopeful eyes. "I'll be right back. I want to order some champagne to go along with dessert." He gave her a half smile before walking towards the back of the restaurant.
Rey nodded and then almost bounced in her seat. A ring in a champagne glass was a little cliche but she would take it.
Her attention was drawn away by the buzzing of a phone. She checked her clutch and it wasn't her's. The buzzing went off again and she picked up Brent's discarded napkin to see that his phone was going off.
It was face down on the table and kept buzzing either with back to back calls or text messages. She looked around and still no sign of Brent and other tables were looking at her for interrupting their dinners.
Making a quick decision, Rey reached across the table and picked up the phone. She typed in his passcode, having known it over for a year and saw that he had received seven text messages.
Tapping the icon she saw that they were coming from Brent's assistant Trixie. Against her better judgement she opened the messages and her eyes went wide.
I miss you.
Have you told her yet?
I can't wait to see you tonight.
I got a little gift for you.
There was a close up picture of a bow tied in the blond's hair and then a full body shot of the woman in a skimpy lace bodysuit.
The last text made Rey want to bring up the forty dollar meal she had just enjoyed.
Cum unwrap me.
Brent was walking back up now, Reeve in tow with a bottle of Dom. He sat back down and smiled.
"Your phone was going off," Rey said as she handed the phone to him. She didn't even try to hide the fact that she had seen the messages.
She watched his face, the color drained and his eyes went large as he read through the messages. By the time he looked back up at her she had tears in her eyes about to spill but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
"Tell me this is a mistake and she was texting the wrong person…" Rey started.
"Rey…"
"Tell me that you aren't cheating on me with your assistant." She wanted to yell but her voice just came out in a hiss.
Reeve who had been standing there the entire time expressed a grimace before turning away from the table.
"Rey, I wanted to tell you before…"
"Before what? Before we celebrated our anniversary? Before we moved in together? Before we got engaged?"
"Engaged?" Brent questioned.
"Finn saw you at the jewelry store. I can't believe you were going to go along with it."
"Rey, I wasn't going to propose to you," Brent said with a slight smirk.
She wanted to slap him across his stupid cheater face, but also didn't want to have to talk herself out of an assault charge. "I'm a fool," she whispered to herself. "You are a fool. And an asshole. And you have a small dick!" She didn't mean to add the last one but she was angry and on a roll.
Picking up her clutch, she pushed her seat back with some force and the few tables around them were watching the scene unfold with rapture. "I hope you two are happy with each other." She downed the rest of her wine. "Have a nice life Brent."
She strutted in her expensive heels towards the exit. Reeves stood by the door with a white paper bag. "I knew he was a douchebag the second he sat down."
Rey took the bag and gave him a weak smile before going outside and flagging down a cab. Once she was safely in the back seat and speeding away from the waste of the past two years, she looked into the bag seeing the bottle of Dom and her dessert in a to-go box. "Bless you Reeve," Rey said to herself.
When she got home she could not get out of her dress fast enough and kicked her shoes across her room. She put on her most comfortable sweats and sat on her couch eating cheese cake, drinking expensive champagne out of a coffee cup, and watching romanic comedies. She cried until her eyes burned and were raw.
Sleep took her in the middle of Wedding Crashers and her dreams were plagued with the past two years of her life. The only good that came of her dreams was that her subconscious was able to place what had been missing from her failed relationship.
AN: So what do we think?! Poor Rey, right? Leave a review and let me know what you think is going to happen next! Thanks in advance for all of the love and support, I know I have the best readers around!
Chapter Title Song: The Chainsmokers - Don't Say