Chapter 2
In their hotel room
"Ethan, can we talk?"
"Yeah, sure." Ethan said as he turned off the TV.
"I need to talk to you about what I've done in the past, and they're things you probably won't like."
Ethan sighed. "Theresa, do you still have secrets".
"I have a couple small ones."
"Remember on your wedding day with Gwen. And how those papers mysteriously showed up?"
"Yeah…"
"Well, I had arranged that. I know it was childish and stupid, but I didn't want to lose you and I know that that's a pathetic excuse, but I don't have any other reason."
Ethan didn't say anything, so Theresa continued.
"And before your wedding, I was the one who blackballed you into not being able to get another job. I know it's so childish, yet, now I'm doing the same thing. And, uh, Ethan, Collier…he works for me."
Ethans eyes widened at the last one.
"C-Collier works for you?" Ethan questioned.
"yeah, Ethan he does. I hired him to drive Gwen away from him, but I want to let you know, I'm putting a stop to it. As a matter of fact, I called him right before I came in here and told him that I didn't want his help anymore."
"Theresa, I can't believe you would do that, but I am glad that you saw it was wrong and put a stop to it, without actually getting caught."
"Yeah, Ethan, I suppose that's good."
"Is that all?"
"Yep, that's the only secrets I have now…so I'm secret free now."
"Theresa, aren't you forgetting one?"
"No, I don't think so."
"Well, how about the fact you sent that email to the tabloid."
Theresa stood still for a moment, preparing herself.
"Theresa, just tell me that you did it. I won't be mad at you, you probably did it by accident or something…just tell me the truth once and for all."
"Ethan, I am going to tell you the truth, and I swear on my love for you and my kids. I did NOT send that email to the tabloid." Ethan sat back as she continued. "Think about it Ethan, why in the world would I ever do that? I love you more than life itself, and I would never be able to bring myself to do such a thing, especially the way it happened. And, if I were such a gold digger, like Gwen and Rebecca said I was, don't you think I would've burnt that email, and made sure NOBODY would see it?"
"Yeah, I guess you do have a point there. So maybe you didn't do it. But who in the world could've done it then?"
"Ethan, why are you asking a question when you already know the answer?"
"Excuse me?"
"Ethan, I've told you time and time again, that Gwen, your wife is the one who did it."
"Theresa, not this again!" Ethan said as he got off the bed and started pacing around the room.
"When are you going to give this up about Gwen? I trust her Theresa, and I know she wouldn't have done this." Ethan loudly said.
Theresa got up to and came near him. "Okay, okay, calm down." Theresa softy said as she moved her hands down his arms.
"Ethan, just think about it for a minute though". Theresa said
"Okay, Theresa, what is her motive? If Gwen did send it, why would she have done it?"
"Oh, well, that's easy. She thought I would leave you because she thought I was only interested in your money. So, then what did she do? She told the tabloid reporter that I sent it and framed me. She thought she would destroy your love for me."
"Theresa, I know Gwen, I know that she wouldn't have done it!"
"Ethan! Why do you refuse to see the truth? You've see what she can be like! Think about how many times she has tried to kill me!"
"Theresa, they were all provoked by you and you know it!"
"Even if they were Ethan, does that make it okay? Does coming after you with a baseball bat erase because she was mad?"
"Of course not, but she was upset after finding out we were seeing each other."
"Okay, I guess I have the license to kill because sometimes I do get upset."
Getting frustrated, "Theresa, what's your point here"?
"My point is that, if your wife is capable of trying to kill me, why wouldn't she try and take you away from me, by sending that email and ultimately getting you?"
"Because Theresa, She's not a schemer like you!" Ethan yelled.
Theresa, obviously hurt by his words, turned her back on him.
Ethan, realizing what he said, "Theresa, I'm sorry, that's not fair. You've come clean and obviously showing that you're not a schemer anymore." Theresa is still turned around. "Hey, Theresa, look at me."
She turns around with tears in her eyes. "Why Ethan? Hmm? Why would you want to look at me? I'm a schemer and a liar, and I know that you hate that, so why do you even love me?"
Ethan didn't say anything, he wanted to but he just couldn't. Theresa was getting mad at him and maybe she would finally hate him enough to move on.
"Ethan, after I confess all I've done, why don't you believe me when I say that your wife isn't who you see."
"Because Theresa, I'm wondering now, if you confessed this all, just so I would believe you about Gwen. I mean, doesn't that sound like the Theresa I know, using every opportunity to her advantage."
"Well, thanks a lot Ethan. I guess this shows how little you think of me." Theresa finally realized that she wasn't getting through to Ethan. This meant that she was Alistair's, and that he was going to do something to her that she had no control over, She became sick in the stomach, so she ran to the bathroom.
She lid down on the bathroom floor, with a cold facecloth covering her face.
"Theresa, are you okay in there?" Ethan said banging on the door.
Theresa was softly crying, thinking of how dense she could be to actually think Ethan would believe her. "Oh no, what have I done? My children…little Ethan. What is Alistair going to do to me? What if he teaches him to be just like him? What if he sends him away to punish me? What have I done to my little boy? How stupid could I had been so stupid to believe Ethan would actually believe me?" Theresa realizes she must get up and leave. She has to go to Alistair, knowing her husband he probably already knows she was unsuccessful.
She unlocks the door and slowly opens it.
"Theresa, are you okay?"
"No, Ethan I'm not!"
"What is it?"
Flashbacks run through her mind of Alistair telling her not to tell Ethan of their plan.
Theresa starts to cry, even though she tries to hide it. "Its nothing Ethan, nothing for you to worry about. I have to go."
"Go where?"
"Um…I have to make some calls." She lied.
Theresa starts to walk out the door, but as soon as it's closed, she runs back in a jumps into Ethan's arms, hugging him, not being able to let him go. Ethan didn't hold back. He loved the sweet smell of her long luscious dark hair. He could do this forever. They stayed like that for a couple minutes, no words, and no thoughts, just them. Theresa finally broke her grip, with tears streaming down her face. She looked at Ethan, who was with great concern to why she was acting so strangely.
Theresa slowly stepped away from Ethan, although she never turned her back on from him, she stopped when she reached the door.
"Ther—"
"No, its too late. I can't believe you Ethan, I can't believe you forced me to go." Theresa whispered, barely audible.
With that Theresa ran off down the hall with her rain of terror streaming all around her. Ethan slowly lay on his bed and drifted off to sleep, trying to forget the past half hour.
