Bride and Prejudice: Do you trust me?

by tarskeewee08

John exhausted from fielding off calls with his dad and giving instruction to his people at McBain Industries finally returned to his room. It was after 9pm and he had left his sunshine alone for over 4 hours. Opening the door he didn't see Evangeline. Coming inside and closing the door he saw her near the large French window in the corner of the room staring out into the night.

Her long mane fell across her shoulders and the blue moonlight illuminated her silk robe making it glow a soft pink. Her back was to him and even standing at this distance he smiled at her beauty and vulnerability. He loved protecting her.

"Evangeline.." he said stepping into the dark room.
She turned around surprised to see him, her eyes swollen and puffy. "Hey you.." she said hugging herself.

John saw the food on the tray wasn't touched and looked back at her "You didn't eat"
"No appetite" she said smiling weakly

He nodded and went to her. As he approached he felt an overwhelming sadness coming from her still and it tore at his heart. Stopping in front of her she looked up at him expectantly her face scrubbed free of makeup and swollen from her constant tears.

Putting his hands on her hips he stared into her face. "It really is going to be okay sweetie"
She smiled weakly "I know John"

John leaned into her and kissed her softly. She slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him back feeling him run his hands down her back massaging her back. Trailing his kisses from her mouth to her neck she titled her head and moaned under his touch.

"I love you so much sunshine" he said now nibbling on her ear.

Holding onto him she bit down on her lip trying to swallow her tears. John started kissing her face and he saw she was unable to stop her tears even now. "Evangeline, please don't cry….this is not the end of the world"

She nodded not saying anything. Picking her up he carried her to bed and climbed on with her. She reached for him pulling him down upon her as he untied her robe. Sliding his hand over her naked body he kissed her more feverishly. She responded in the way he liked and he quickly removed his clothes so he could take her. Before long he was making love to her and kissing every piece of her body he could access. She gave herself willing and silently and John loved the sweetness of her embrace.

"I love you so much….no matter what happens you are my soul mate" he said in her ear as he pushed his way deeper inside of her. He didn't care what the rest of the world thought tonight. He was with the woman of his dreams and none of them could keep them apart. Stopping before taking her further he hovered over her and looked into her face. "Tell me you trust me" he said
She smiled up at him. "I trust you"
"Good, then let go baby…just love me and let me take care of the rest"
She looked up at him and knew he was seeing into her heart and it was making it impossible for her to do what she knew she would have to do.

He kissed her again and continued to make love to her until they were both overcome with exhaustion. Climaxing together he moved off her but pulled her close.

She snuggled up next to him as he stroked her hair and spoke of his love for her. He told her that he and his father couldn't prevent the yellow rags from printing the pictures but the media was not going to rebroadcast the arrest. In time it would all die down.

Evangeline listened saying nothing and John took it as her accepting that it would all be good between them. Falling off to sleep holding her he relaxed for the first time since he heard of her arrest. They would be just fine.

3 am that morning

Standing in the room in the dark fully dressed with her hair in a ponytail Evangeline watched her Irish prince sleep. She loved him more than life itself and she would protect him from this. Buttoning her coat and putting on his baseball cap letting the ponytail stick out the back she grabbed her bag and silently left the room to the car that Eve arranged for her. Eve also made arrangements for her flight out of Dublin unseen. It was for the best. She walked out the Palace and hoped that what she set in motion didn't blow up in her face. She was taking a big chance on or their love. Climbing into the limo she cried silently as she drove off into the night.

The next day

John woke smiling. He looked over and saw his sunshine was already up and about. He figured she was downstairs giving Layla and Ming the riot act. Laughing to himself he rose from the bed and went to the bathroom. Last night holding her, making love to her all of the anxiety between them dissipated. He was certain that if this was as bad as it could get then they would be fine. Stepping into the shower he lathered up thinking about the wedding in the castle. He would make sure that the landscapers were there to clear everything and get it ready for the ceremony.

Once he was done he shaved and dressed anxious to join everyone downstairs. Coming into the dining room he saw Layla at the table talking to Ming, Sam eating and Marcie feeding the baby. Michael was eating talking to his dad who was reading the paper. Everyone seemed to be enjoying breakfast and he scanned the dining room for his lady. Not seeing her he frowned.

Layla looked up smiling "Is she okay today John?"
John looked at her confused "What?"
Ming smiled "Tell her to get her butt down here and face us. We owe her an apology."

John didn't understand "Where's Evangeline?"
"She's gone…" Eve said walking into the room. Everyone looked at her surprised.
John turned on his mother feeling his anger rise "What did you say?"

Eve handed John a plain white envelope "She left this for you"
Layla frowned "Where the hell is my sister!"

Eve shot Layla a look of disgust "Evangeline had the wisdom to leave why you remain is a mystery to me."

"Eve!" Thomas shouted slamming his hand on the table. Layla glared at her "So you are the evil witch that has been trying to chase her away!"

"Enough Layla!" Thomas admonished.
Ming saw John standing there holding the envelope in shock his hand shaking "John, read it. Is she gone?"

John opened it slowly trying to focus. His heart pounding and hands beginning to sweat he knew what it was without reading it and the mere fact she would do this was killing him. Pulling out the thin paper the envelope fell from his hands and floated to the floor as he read it.


John,

I don't know where to begin. I know by doing this I am breaking every vow we made to each other since we found each other again. I can't hate myself anymore than I do now. And I will always wish that things could have better.

I tried to think of ways to fix this. To make it all go away and just have the love between us, but baby I can't. The truth is your family and reputation is ruined because of me and I can't undo that. Neither can you sweetie. An even greater truth is that under these circumstances we can't have the life we both want. Our differences are so vast that simple mistakes can destroy in an instant what we've worked so hard to create.

I know you would leave it all behind for me but I could never let you do that because of something that I did. That would be a choice you make on your own not one forced upon you. So I am doing the hard thing the thing that you would never do no matter how impossible our love was. I'm letting you go.

Your mother said love was sacrifice. I understand that now John because all I want is your happiness, because I love you so very very much. Your commitments are larger than our love. The thought that what you've created could be destroyed because of me is too much to bear. I can't let it happened and staying would only hasten it. Think about what you want from life and what you are already committed too. If you look outside of your heart you will understand why I chose to leave.

Decide on your heart and I will abide by your decision until then I leave knowing that I gave you the option to be free.

Your Sunshine

E

John crumbled the paper and closed his eyes taking a deep breath the room was deadly silent. When he opened his eyes again he hand nothing but tunnel vision. He looked at his mother standing in front of him gloating and charged her. His father jumped up as he grabbed both her arms and threw her up against the wall "Where is she!" he shouted in her face.

Thomas and Michael jumped on him as Eve winced from the pain and looked at her son in fright. As hard as they fought to pull him away John held onto her tighter "Tell me or I swear to god!"

"John please!" Eve whined
"Let her go son….let her go!" Thomas yelled
"John stop it!" Michael said pulling at his fingers afraid he would seriously hurt their mother.

Layla looked over at Ming who was standing at the table with her hand over her mouth. She heard John screaming for where Evangeline was. Rising from the table she went and picked up the letter reading it. Her heart broke into two reading her sister's painful words.

"Tell me dammit!" John said slamming his mother back against the wall. Thomas got his arm around his son's neck and wrestled him off her. Pinning him to the ground as John screamed, Thomas looked up to see Eve immediately back away crying rubbing her bruised arms.

John was crying and yelling underneath his father and Thomas had to use all his body weight to restrain him. Layla went over to Eve. "Where is my sister you evil bitch!"
Ming walked over grabbing Layla's arm. "Wait Lay"
"No! she did this! Van wouldn't leave like this if it wasn't for her!"

"She left on her own. She asked me to make arrangements and I did!" Eve spat
"You lying cunt!" Layla hissed

Eve gasped at the crude language and Marcie picked up her baby leaving the room. She didn't want her child exposed to this any further. Eve glared at Layla and Ming but stood strong in her convictions. "Evangeline is gone. So you two can leave also!" she said

Thomas still trying to hold John down looked up at his wife "Eve get out of here, you've done enough"

Layla lunged for her and Sam got up to help Ming restrain her. Eve walked around the cursing kicking Layla and strutted out of the dinning area.

Thomas feeling John weaken under him loosened his grip when he felt Eve was a safe distance away. John couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that his mother drove her away. Michael helped him up "Listen to me. We will find her…she took the family jet. She wouldn't fly commercial with all media frenzy going on. We'll find her."

John rose up off the ground his hair in his face. He felt sick with grief and worry. Her letter sounded so final. He told her he wouldn't survive if she left him. Why did she do this? Didn't she know how this would kill him? Didn't she know that he would never choose this shit over her? Letting Mike help him up he saw Layla in Ming's arms crying and knew that she felt responsible.

Hell everyone felt responsible except the person orchestrating it all. He would never forgive his mother for this. This was the final straw. After he found Evangeline and resumed the life he wanted to have with her he would never see his mother again.

John pushed past his brother into the hallway going to the phone he called the airport to get a manifest on the jet. The air traffic operator told him where she went and he was surprised. He knew exactly where she was. If she was leaving him why would she go there? Hanging up he raced the stairs to head to his mothers room.

Opening the door he saw his mother at her vanity table inspecting the bruises on her arms. John slammed the door and Eve jumped up shocked.

"Johnny….leave if you are still angry!" Eve said cautiously
"Don't worry mum I won't attack you again" he said glaring at her.
"I didn't do this she asked for my help. She came to me."

"Shut up!" he shouted "I know her and I know you. Evangeline was pushed past her limit but even now she waits hoping I will find her. She can't walk away from our love."

Eve frowned "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that Evangeline did thinking she was giving me the freedom to make my choice. You convinced her that I gave a damn about this place!"

"You do son…we both do"
"No mum, I cared about you and your happiness. All of this…never mattered to me. I was willing to protect the McBain legacy because I loved you and wanted you to love me. What a bloody joke that was. What a bloody joke I was. Do you know I spent the night trying to do damage control? Wait of course you do….because while I was trying to protect what was important to you…..you were trying to destroy what was important to me!"

"John…this is our family. Look at what she did, you have to see that her leaving is for the best" Eve said panicking. She saw her son slipping away further and the reality that she may have gone to this far was beginning to dawn on her.

"Evangeline, you and the whole bloody country of Ireland wants me to follow my heart and make a choice once and for all. Well here I am making it. Not just because I love her but because I love me. I will never return here. This is goodbye mum."

"No Johnny….what about…your company…our family….the Foundation?"
"There are enough people here and under you to ensure that it all goes the way you want. I am walking away and starting over. I don't want this life."

"Johnny please….I love you son….I'm sorry"
John looked at his mother confused "You love me? If that's true then this is really a tragedy because now I feel nothing for you!"

Turning to leave Eve screamed and ran to her son. Throwing her arms around him she wailed begging that he just be her little boy again. John listened to her cries as she clung to him. He didn't understand her. He didn't even know that she loved him, but hearing it now after all these years it broke his heart. It killed him because it was too late. She was a selfish, manipulative hateful woman and he wanted nothing more to do with her.

Shaking her off him and ignoring her screams he left to pack up his things. He was leaving immediately to go after his sunshine and fix what his mother tried to destroy.