Chapter 17- Surprise
Philip's POV
Everything is going as planned. We found you a dress in New York, got the bridesmaid dresses altered, and we brought new suits for the groomsmen. The wedding planner worked extra hard to get everything ready in exactly a month. The wedding is exactly four days away, when you enter my office. You never visit me at work, so I am surprised. You look lovely always, wearing blue jeans and a Kansas Chiefs shirt. Your hair and makeup are done.
"Can we talk," you mumbled.
"Where is Penny?" I was confused.
"Your mother has her. This isn't the best time to tell you, but I've decided to reconcile with Shane. Why, I can't say. You've been the best boyfriend. But I have always known Shane. Our friendship goes back to our childhood years. He came back to town the other day, when I was meeting with my dad. We talked, and he said it has changed. Shane wants to marry me now. Marrying him is all I ever wanted," she says, her hand leaning on my desk.
"Come home with me, and we will discuss this," I said, losing my mind. I spent so much money to move up this damn wedding, only for her dad to sneak in Shane at the last minute. And you betrayed me by taking Shane back.
"I don't think I should," she says, knowing the office was the best place to have this conversation.
I couldn't make a scene with everyone around.
"Sit down, let me pour you a drink," I said, getting up to pour her a soda in a paper cup.
"Okay, fine. I suppose we should talk this out," she says, trying to seem calm. I watch as she takes a few slips.
"Andrea, we have the marriage license already. We've ordered the cake, flowers, and you have a dress. You can't cancel this late in the game, ,"I said, watching as she took another drink.
"I know. I am a horrible person for doing this so last minute. We are supposed to be getting married and flying to Hawaii for our honeymoon. And I go have sex with my ex-boyfriend," she says, admitting how much she actually betrayed me. I know she is telling me this, so I will end it. She is wrong, I am not letting her go over that.
"I forgive you for sleeping with him, and we will still get married ,Andrea," I said, watching her. Her eyes are closing, she slowly blacks out after us talking for ten minutes.
Slipping you a valium into your soda wasn't really in my plans, but too much was at stake here. Our future, you weren't leaving me for a cop. He would die first. Hell, you would die first. I wasn't going to let you go. Ever.
I carry you to my car, placing you in the back seat. I drive you to our home. I lay you down in bed, taking your phone, wallet, and car keys.I also remove your engagement ring, I lock them up in the safe. I then undress you carefully. I take your body, filling you up with my sperm this time. Hopefully, you will end up pregnant, I think cleaning you up and changing you in a pair of your pink silk pajamas.
You are still asleep. I get your phone out reading your messages to Shane. I text Shane, telling him we've gotten back together.
Then I block him on your new phone. Did you not forget why you've gotten a new phone? To keep Shane from tracking you. Not for you to text him. I watch you sleep. You sleep for two days before finally waking up. I hope I didn't give you too much.
"Where am I?" you asked, confused when you finally opened your blue eyes.
"You blacked out, and I took you home," I said, getting in the bed with her.
"You changed my clothes?" she says, looking at me suspiciously.
"I wanted you to be comfortable. Nothing happened" "I lied, thinking about how positively your body responded to mine.
"I need to go," you said, getting up from bed.
"I drove you. Your car is not here. It's still at my office. I am sure Shane is already back home in Savanna. You have no apartment and really nowhere to go. You have no job. I pay your cellphone bill. Even your car that you drive is mine," I tell her as she sits back down on the bed.
"I guess I can move home with my parents. I told you I had sex with Shane again. I am sure you don't want to marry me anymore," she says, still confused at what happened.
"I do want to marry you, Andrea. The wedding is tomorrow. Your sister is on her way to help you get ready. I already told Amy about us paying for Juilliard. I guess if we aren't getting married, you can tell her she isn't going anymore and why. You can also tell Penny goodbye. Because if we don't get married, you won't be seeing her anymore either. Is your love for Shane worth giving up everything? Sacrificing your sister's future." I asked, touching her face.
I see tears coming to her eyes. She loves Amy and Penny. Still, she also loves Shane too. I know she loves Amy more than Shane, I think.
"I don't want to hurt anyone. I love you and Shane. Just in different ways. Everything felt so rushed with us. Maybe I got scared,"she says, looking at the ground.
Andrea wasn't going anywhere. She never was. She didn't want to give up her lifestyle.
"I told you, I will forgive you. You had cold feet and wanted to have a last fling with your ex-boyfriend,right?" I said, trying to help her explain herself in a way that wouldn't make things worse for us.
"You are paying for Amy's college as long as I marry you, correct?" she says, ignoring my question. I was beyond angry, but I knew the drugs were just wearing off. She isn't exactly in the right state of mind.
"Yes, as long as you go through with the wedding. I will still pay for your sister's college. There is no way she'll be able to go without my financial help. I know you want your sister to be happy, and she is happy in New York. She actually just got the roles of Peggy and Maria for Hamilton on Broadway. I'd hate for her to have to give up her first show on Broadway," I say, putting my arms around her.
She doesn't move away or scream, although I thought she might. She knows I drugged her, right?
"I am hungry. You want to order pizza?" she says, completely indifferent to what I said.
"I will order you one. We do have a rehearsal dinner tonight," I said, reminding her.
"I really want a supreme pizza with a pepsi," she says, still tired from the drugs.
"Okay, I can DoorDash you some food. You don't need to eat a lot before dinner," I said, still waiting for her answer.
"Amy might want something too. Call her and ask. We can talk about the wedding after I eat," she says, going straight to the bathroom, getting ready for a bath.
Andrea lays down the tub, washing her body and her hair. She gets out pretty quickly, putting on a gray tee-shirt and a pair of pink underwear. She turns on the tv, the movie Titanic comes on.
"Can I have my cell phone?" she asks,sounding like a teenage girl.
"No," I said, sitting there beside her. Her food is about ten minutes away.I'm waiting for a text message confirming her pizza delivery.r. I go get the pizza box and bottle of Pepsi. I hand her the food. She hasn't eaten in two days, I reminded myself.
She eats about three slices, drinks the full bottle of Pepsi.
"So, are we getting married or not?" I asked her as she stared at the tv.
"In your opinion, would Rose have chosen Jack or Cal in real life? Cal was the more logical choice because Jack couldn't provide for her..He treats Rose terribly, so I get why she loves Jack," she explains, glancing at me with tear-filled eyes.
Why is she crying? Maybe it's because of Shane. She's acting this way because she knows she'll never see him again. I let her cry because it's better for her to release those emotions. She cries in my arms and allows me to comfort her.
"She would choose Cal, especially after Jack's death. A love story like theirs only exists in James Cameron's mind. Most women are practical and wouldn't leave a wealthy fiancé for a more attractive guy," I said, trying to be patient as she woke up.
"Do I have a choice if we get married or not?" she says finally.
"I can't force you to marry me. But I want you to understand that if you don't, I won't pay for Amy's college. I've already done a lot for you - paid off your credit cards and student loans. I did those things because I thought we would get married," I explained, placing the pizza box on the floor.
I think she secretly knows I won't let her go, judging by her gaze around the room. But I wasn't ready to say there wasn't a choice yet. I didn't want to seem like a monster unless I had to.
"I made a mistake with Shane. I had cold feet and wanted to have one last fling before we got married. I do want to get married tomorrow. I don't want to cost Amy everything. I appreciate everything you've done for me," she says, finally repeating what I told her to say.
"Good, and you won't speak to Shane ever again?" I asked her.
"No, I won't. But you have to keep your promise to Amy. Her art school in New York will be paid for," she says, wiping away the tears.
"Yes, I already told you I would. Now get on your dress for this evening. Jessie is coming here to do your hair and makeup for dinner," I said,kissing her the check before leaving the room to put the pizza box in the fridge.
A few hours later, you are ready with your blonde hair straightened, makeup done,a long sleeveless silk white dress, and a pair of diamond earrings. I go to the safe and get out your engagement ring. I slide the emerald and diamond covered ring back on your finger.
"You look beautiful, Andrea Noelle," I said, giving her a kiss on the check. She says nothing but tries to smile.
We go downstairs, where we are greeted by friends and family. Andrea smiles and acts appropriately the whole time. Noone would ever guess we had been fighting. Her dad does seem surprised the dinner is happening. He fully expected Andrea would go through with canceling the wedding. Like most people, he misjudged me. I wasn't going to let Andrea go just because her old boyfriend wanted her back. I didn't care if she had known him her whole life. Noone took what was mine. She is mine. I brought and paid for her.