Chapter Two

Peyton had meet Franklin back in high school; it was the typical high school scenario. He was the high school heart throb, excelling in all sports. Franklin came from a very wealthy background; his family had owned the local steel factory which employed half the town's people as well as that of the surrounding town. They had made their money after the war and their wealth just kept building. The family lived in a huge house set high on a hill that over looked the downtown area. In high school, all the girls were after Franklin. He was always dating different girls until the one day Peyton finally said yes. It had taken him a long time to get her to agree to go out with him, but to him it had been worth it. He and the rest of the male population at Middleburg High thought she was irresistibly beautiful. At first she wasn't really interested in dating him, Peyton wasn't like the other girls, trying to land the wealthy high school hero, she didn't think about money. She thought he was too into himself and that turned her off. However, after much time and begging on his part, he was able to persuade her to give him a try and in a weak moment she gave in. They dated all throughout high school and had become engaged while he was in his senior year in college. Franklin was three years older than she was, and while she was completing high school without him, she felt off the hook, in terms of other men, as no one had the nerve to approach her to ask her out, as they didn't want to cross Franklin. Franklin had gone on to the local college where he continued to excel at football, and she would visit him on campus when she wasn't studying or working at her part time job. It had been a very complacent existence, and she was happy with the contentment this relationship brought her. Even though she always had heard about the passion and excitement others had in relationships, she was content and happy with the feeling of belonging to someone and the comfort that brought her.

As she was waiting for the storm to settle down, the raw images of that painful night were brought back to mind...

She had innocently dropped by Franklin's apartment to leave a music CD of a band they were interested in hiring for their upcoming wedding. Franklin had called to say he would be working late at his family's business and wouldn't be able to get together with her for dinner as they had previously planned. She had a key so she had let herself in and was only planning on placing it on the table along with a little post it note about how she had missed seeing him, when she heard voices coming from the bedroom. Immediately, she felt a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, but felt compelled to find out what the noise was, even though she subconsciously already knew. As she was approaching the bedroom door she could hear someone giggling. The noise seemed to draw her closer towards the partially closed door, almost as if she were a magnet without any control; some invisible force was pulling her towards impending devastation. Her footsteps were silent as she walked down the hall, her feet feeling as if she were walking in quick- sand. After what seemed an eternity, she found herself overcome and breathless in front of his door. The voices were now clearer and she was even able to put faces and names to the once unrecognizable sounds. As realization of what was unfolding hit her, she could no longer stop herself from completing this unwanted journey. She gradually pressed the door open and stood in the doorway with what must have been such a wounded look on her face, a combination of bewilderment and raw pain. Before her, entangled in bed were Franklin, her fiancé, and Samantha Collins, Franklin's secretary.

They didn't seem to notice her at first, and continued on with their sordid activities. She just stood there for what seemed like an eternity, a very painful eternity. She didn't know what to do; the emotions that raged within her were so volatile and confusing. She could run, she could confront them, she could get sick, but before she could make her mind up what to do, Franklin noticed her in the doorway and with one swift motion was on his feet, grabbing a nearby sheet to conceal himself.

Her eyes couldn't bear to look at him, he stood before her speechless, and she turned to walk away. She needed to get away from this horrific scene, needed to get fresh air, the nausea was becoming too much for her to hold back. Samantha called to Franklin, to return to her, and his glare was enough to instantly silence her. Samantha was not whom he wanted, Peyton was the one he wanted to marry and spend his life with. Samantha was just a passing itch that needed to be scratched. The things he wanted to do with Samantha were not what he expected of Peyton. She would be the mother of his children, the woman who stood beside him in society.

"Peyton" he said as he grabbed her wrists preventing her from running away.

She abruptly pulled her arms away from him, "Don't..." she trailed off, averting her eyes from his once again.

She could feel the panic rising inside her and she needed to get away, she felt so weak. How could she not have known? She felt foolish, believing in this man, getting ready to marry this man. This man whom had now betrayed her in the worst possible way. Samantha called out from the bed for Franklin to return to her once again and to let Peyton go. As Franklin spun around to confront Samantha, Peyton took this opportunity to race down the hall and to escape before she got sick in front of them both.

"Damn it!" he exclaimed as he heard the front door slam shut.

He grabbed Samantha's clothing from the crumpled heap on the floor and threw them onto the bed.

"Get out!" he said as he sunk into a nearby chair while running his hand through his unruly hair.

"You should have let her go a long time ago, she's all wrong for you, you know we're more compatible" she said behind a devious smile. "You think your prim and proper Peyton could please you the way I do?" she said as she shimmied back into her mini skirt.

"Think about it, you know it's true. You know how perfect we are together"

"I said get out" Franklin retorted as he attempted to keep his composure. "There's a reason I don't want to do those things with Peyton, she has class, unlike you." He said as he walked into the adjourning bathroom and slammed the door. "I want you out before I am through with my shower." He roared from behind the door.

"You'll call me, you know you can't stay away." she purred as she grabbed her purse and sauntered down the hallway. This is exactly what she wanted, and now her devious plotting would hopefully lead to what she wanted out of life and that was to land the wealthiest bachelor in town.