Chapter 7

• "Should you really be at work?"
• I looked up hearing Duncan's voice.
• "Oh, yeah," I shrugged stirring my coffee, "I have work to do. Also sorry about the other day I got caught up with something," I said, not admitting that I forgot he was even there in the lounge room. I was too distracted by that statue. I had to buy super glue to fix it on the way home.
• "No that's alright, it was rude of me to invite myself over."
• "No no, you were helping me with my missing data, thank you." I smiled. Duncan nodded and I grabbed my cup walking out.
• I wasn't going to stay long at work, I was here because I had a meeting, a meeting with my lawyer.
• I walked into my office my eyes stinging at the sharp slight coming in, god why did my head still hurt? And this stupid nausea that wouldn't go away.
• I looked at the old man in the chair already there, "Harrington." I nodded walking around to my desk, "You should have told me you were here." I wouldn't have spent so long trying to make a coffee. The old man smiled, wrinkles forming around his eyes, "It's alright, I can wait. I heard what happened to you the other night, are you okay?"
• I frowned, why were people talking about that, and how did everyone know? It was almost like Sterling was tweeting it live, but then I wouldn't really be surprised if he was.
• "I'm fine."
• "Did you want to pursue legal ac-,"
• "You know I didn't call you about that." he knew exactly why I called him. Harrington sighed and nodded grabbing his brown suitcase type bag and placing it on my neat table, "Yes I do."
• "Well what do you think you can do about it?" I knew he read my email. "I'll look into it," He nodded.
• I frowned taking a sip of the warm liquid, and my stomach didn't like the taste nearly pushing it back up. I pushed my cup away.
• "I don't want you to just look into it Harrington, I want you to make sure that I get a divorce." The one year limit was over, and we still haven't consummated the marriage, so technically it should be extremely easy to get a divorce.
• "Are you sure about this?" Harrington asked, rubbing his knee. Something he did often when he was deep in thought.
• "Of course I'm sure!" and I knew exactly how to get Sterling to sign the papers. Soon, I could be a free woman. And my parents had no say in this what so ever. I had been listening to them for the past few years and look where that's gotten me, in worse situations.
• Speaking of parents I had about six missed calls from them, I better call them after this meeting.
• "I can't get documents ready right away, it'll take at least a week to a fortnight."
• I waved a hand, "That's good enough for me." as long as I got them, a fortnight was better than a lifetime with this man. Harrington nodded grabbing his stuff as he left, and he handed me an envelope, "That was the agreement you had, read through it again."
• I read through it a million times, I took it but chucked it into the draw, I didn't need to read it again. I knew the agreement backwards, word to word.
• "Thanks,"
• "Don't thank me just yet."
• I frowned but nodded as I watched him walk out of my office before I sighed. My head was spinning and so was my stomach. A part of me wanted to go home and curl up in bed, but the other part laughed. Was I that weak?
• I had so much to do, I better suck it up and get back to work, especially all the things that I lost, I had to make up for that.
• There was a knock on my door after a bit and I called out for the person to enter, not expecting Nelly.
• "Hey," she murmured softly as she walked inside closing the door behind her, "How are you feeling?"
• "My head hurts."
• She laughed pulling the chair to sit next to me, "Well, that would explain since you had a bad fall, did you find out who it was yet?" I shook my head.
• "I haven't heard anything, Sterling took care of it," I said and added, "Apparently." I better check if he really did file the complaint for me. Nelly raised an eyebrow and I gave her a look, Don't.
• But she went there.
• "Ooh, what has him doing this chivalrous act all of a sudden, I heard he has been taking eh, good care of you," she gave me a knowing look which I returned with a disgusted one.
• "Don't even go there," I said looking at my glass of cold coffee nearly tempted to drink it to keep my mouth occupied from talking, "he clearly wants something," Something like a cruise. If he thought taking care of me for a few hours was going to get him that, he was dreaming.
• "Why are you so....paranoid Aedan."
• I nearly choked on my imaginary water, "Paranoid? Me?"
• "Why can't Sterling be changing, be nice."
• "Because he has never been nice in the twelve months and three weeks we have been married Nelly. Besides, I'm trying to end the stupid marriage, I don't need any other dramas coming up,"
• "What do you mean." she asked sitting down.
• "I'm getting a divorce." I said calmly, while her reaction was not so calm.
• "What?! Why"
• I shrugged, "Why not. We don't love each other. We married because we both had a selfish reason, and now we-well I realised it's not working out, and I don't need that reason anymore." I was selfish in the decision and I was sure Sterling was selfish as well. We both knew what we wanted and whilst it was working out, living with someone was just so much work.
• I couldn't do it.
• It wasn't about love, it was about tolerance and my tolerance with him was over, I was pushed right over the edge.
• "Aedan, have you thought about this?"
• I looked up at her crossing my legs, "What do you think?" I thought about buying a fruit three times, was it worth the cost per kilogram, did it look fresh, would I eat it, did it look like it was filled with steroids. For a matter about my life, I would think about it so much more.
• Nelly just shrugged, saying that in the end it was just my choice, and it was, and I knew what I was doing.
• I looked at the time sighing, "I better go."
• "Why, it's only seven, aren't we going to work on colour schemes."
• I nodded, "Yeah but I have a charity gala to go to tonight. I promised dad I would be there." I said.
• "Alright, have fun and take care."
• I nodded, I will.
• * * *
• There were plus points as well as minus points about galas. I loved looking at the art, and this was charity art, paintings worth thousands on display, but the people, that was a minus. Standing next to pretentious people talking about paintings like they knew exactly what the artist wanted was annoying.
• "I can see the despair in this." I raised an eyebrow looking at Samuel, who seemed to be glued to my side since the start.
• I took a sip of my wine, wrinkling my nose at the taste, why was I even drinking this?
• "Oh, why is that?" I asked, all I saw was a couple sitting on a bench in a park, they were smiling while a kid was feeding the ducks. The colours were bright, I couldn't see sadness at all.
• "There is a lot of black in this painting, the artist is clearly converting their depression, and look at the way the girl is sitting, very...rigid. Definitely not wanting to be there..." He went on and I sighed draining the rest of my glass by the time he finished.
• "Excuse me," I excused myself trying to walk away without him following me. I had already tried that three times and failed.
• I turned around the corner nearly running into the waiter, "Sorry,"
• "No worries ma'am, would you like another glass." the waiter asked.
• "No thank-," I paused "actually, sure." I swapped my empty glass for another one turning to look at another picture."
• The charities were good because it was good for me to be seen in public for something other than work, but then again seeing I designed the venue for the art to be displayed, it was also work related. Dad was also a sponsor of half the artists here so I had to show support.
• "You better slow down on that wine."
• I jumped hearing that voice swearing as the wine dangerously swished around in my glass, and I was in a light coloured dress, the last thing i needed was a wine stain. I looked up already recognising the voice, "What are you doing here?" I asked surprised.
• "Your father invited me, I thought I would come and keep you company." he shrugged his shoulders.
• I narrowed my eyes, "Why are you really here?"
• "I'm hoping someone will buy my painting for a million dollars so I can buy your company." he joked.
• "Sterling." I said irritated rubbing my forehead.
• "I thought you didn't drink alcohol." He said reaching for my glass which I swiftly moved it away.
• I scoffed turning around to stare at the painting I was staring at, because I had clearly too much wine and was starting to think that the tie he had on was a really nice tie.
• "You don't now a lot of things about me." I muttered.
• I could feel the warmth from his body against my back and I took a step forward.
• "Touche dear wife."
• "Don't call me that!" I looked over my shoulder.
• I felt his arm around my waist tugging me along to another painting and I shrugged him off, "Look, leave me alone." I said. I went to remove his hands when I heard him speak.
• His eyes narrowed as he stared down at me, "Camera's are watching."
• Fuck the cameras.
• "Why are you so hostile towards me." he asked?
• "Because you're so...so...irritating!"and Sterling knew exactly how to get on my nerves. I couldn't act like he would, show his true colours at home and then act like the perfect husband when we were in public. I was the same no matter where we were.
• "Do you want another glass?" a waiter asked as we looked at another painting. Before I could say yes Sterling answered for me, "I think she's had enough."
• I frowned looking at him, "You had a concussion, I really don't think you should be drinking." he clarified further.
• I sighed, he had a point. I turned to look at the painting in front of me, it was trees that were drawn so the bottom looked like a forest but as they grew towards the sky they morphed into the busy city with lights in the tall buildings. And a figure was walking towards the forest dress in a business outfit, or I think it was, it was a silhouette but I could make out he was on the telephone to someone.
• How do people think of things like this?
• "Do you like it?"
• I shrugged, "It's not bad."
• "It's by Rob Gonsalves, one of his famous paintings." I turned to look at Sterling, "How do you know that?"
• He looked down at me and I couldn't help but notice that the tie made his grey eyes look even more grey, like a thunderstorm. I scoffed, great, all these paintings were making me poetic.
• "Aedan!" a familiar voice called just as Sterling opened his mouth to say something. I looked over my shoulder to see Duncan.
• "Duncan." I said surprised, "I didn't know you were coming."
• "Your dad told me!"
• Was there someone dad didn't tell? But I guess it was good as the more people that came, the more paintings that could be sold.
• Sterling cleared his throat beside me and I nearly jumped out of my skin when I felt his fingers on my waist, the warmth of each individual warm finger imprinting into my side and I shot him a look.
• "Who's this darling?"
• I clenched my teeth trying to subtly move out of his grasp but knowing this was just a show for dad I did a quick introduction, "Ah yes, the boy in our house the other day." Sterling nodded.
• Duncan laughed, "A boy, well, I'm sure not I am a boy but you must be Sterling."
• I looked between them confused with the mini stare off, "I'll be right back." I excused myself as I retreated far away for some peace and quiet. I found a waiter, taking another glass before heading outside to sit in the nice garden.
• The cold air was refreshing, and I knew there was still a long time before the event was over, the auction still had to start.
• I took a sip of my drink stretching out my legs, slipping my feet out of my shoes and looking up at the dark sky, the tiny stars I could make out in the distance. It was so peaceful out here, and if there weren't any stupid mosquitos and bugs I would happily sleep out here.
• I wasn't sure how long I was out here before I heard someone whistling and I looked up squinting at the figure in the distance. Was that the waiter? I hope it was, I wanted another drink. Maybe water this time.
• But as the figure got closer I made out the height and build to be nothing of the waiter I kept bugging all night.
• "What are you doing out here?" the familiar deep voice questioned me.
• I felt like saying something witty, but I kept my mouth shut. "Nothing. Is it over?"
• "The auction just started." I groaned, just? That meant it would take another two to three hours easily. I moved my head to the right a bit so his silhouette kept the light out of my face and I sighed, ah, that felt better.
• I had all that time to kill, I really should take a nap, if I had my car I could happily sleep in it.
• "Aedan."
• "Hmm?"
• "Do you...want to get food? With me?"
• "What?"