Chasing His Rejected Wife
Chapter 77 -

Aiden

I mulled my answer over in my mind, knowing that I was threading a fine line. Much as our friendship had run its due course and come to an end, I didn't want us to part on bad terms, not after being close for as long as we have.

"We both made mistakes," I said slowly, aware that she was hanging onto every word I said. "But the ultimate fault lies with me for crossing some boundaries that should never have been crossed."

"That's a load of bullshit, Aiden." Elisa snapped, eyes flashing in irritation. She got up from the sofa and began to pace in quick short steps. "I think I deserve more than the standard 'it's not you, it's me' brush off."

I winced at that, the full brunt of her feelings hitting me in the chest like a sledgehammer. "I'm not trying to brush you off or minimize our relationship in any way."

She came to stand in front of me, her expression turning pleading, a glint of tears in her eyes. "We've known each other since we were kids playing on the beach in the Hamptons, we've been through so much together. You can't just throw all that away because of her."

I looked at her sharply. "What do you mean?"

She scoffed and made a face. "You know exactly what I mean. She's the reason you've been so distant. You've probably gone and told her the truth about us, right? And all this is you trying to prove something to her."

She wasn't entirely wrong. Though I wasn't trying to prove anything to Jess. When I learned the truth about Elisa's pregnancy, coupled with the realization that her feelings for me ran deeper than I assumed, I knew we needed to reevaluate our friendship. I felt guilty for not seeing how she really felt until it was too late, but the truth was it would have changed nothing about the outcome today. I couldn't reciprocate her feelings and I couldn't in all good conscience string her along with some vain hope.

"I did tell Jess the truth," I confirmed with a sigh, "But that has little to do with this right now. Listen, I don't want to beat around the bush, so I'm going to come right out and say it."

I leaned forward, elbows on my knees and met her gaze head on. "I know you've been talking to Craig. I know you lied about the miscarriage, I know you were indirectly behind the leak about our relationship."

With every word I spoke, her face blanched of color until she was as white as a sheet. Elisa's mouth opened and closed a few times as though trying to form coherent sentences and failing badly.

"Wh..." she gasped, her words cutting off. Taking several steps back, her eyes fixed on me, she looked thoroughly shaken. "How- how did you...?

"Find out?" I asked, with a raise of my eyebrows. "That's not important, is it? Rather, I should say the question I should be asking you is why? Why did you tell Craig about the terms of Julian's will?" "I- I didn't..."

"Knock it off, Elisa. I have visual evidence that shows the two of you meeting up several times over the last couple of months, ever since Julian passed."

"He asked to meet me first." Elisa replied, recovering her composure and it was my turn to be surprised at how unruffled she looked now. "He was concerned about the future of Skylark."

"And so you felt the need to tell him about Julian's will? About the circumstances that brought Jess and I together as a married couple?" I tamped down the irritation threatening to spill over, not wanting this to devolve into a shouting match. Elisa shook her head. "I admit that was a mistake on my part. I assumed he already knew everything, but I was wrong and by the time I realized what happened, it was too late."

"And yet, you continued to meet with him. Was that also a mistake?"

"Aiden," Elisa came towards me, wide eyed and earnest. "I was just trying to gather information for you...for our side. When Craig approached me and tried to feel me out, I realized what his game was and I figured I would just play along and replace out what he was up to. That's all it was, I swear."

"And you had nothing to do with him sending Jess a copy of Julian's video?" I asked skeptically, my arms crossed over my chest as I watched her intently. Inside, it felt like I was being ripped painfully to shreds, layer by layer. Elisa was the one person I trusted, the one person I always believed I could count on to never lie to me.

And yet, here we are.

Fletcher's investigations into Elisa had unearthed more than just her fake miscarriage and secret affair and coming hot on the heels of my confession to Jessica and the chaos that followed, when Fletcher had broken the news to me that day in the car, it had been like I had hit rock bottom.

I scoffed and stood up, thoroughly done with the conversation. "It's late and I'm tired, and not in the mood to go around in circles. Whatever your motives, the fact remains that it's clear that my trust in you was misplaced. And as you claim to know me so well, you should know how much I despise people who lie to me."

"I made a mistake!" Elisa cried, even as she closed the distance between us and grabbed my arm, her nails digging into my skin. "Aiden, I swear I was just trying to help and I ended up in over my head. I...I was still heavily emotional and struggling to deal with losing...with losing my baby and I wasn't thinking straight."

I pried my arm free of her grasp and put a lot of space between us. "Did you really?"

She gave me a confused look, eyes brimming with tears. "What? What do you mean?"

"Did you really 'lose' the baby, Elisa?" I asked, in a low voice. "Or was that another one of the lies you've been telling me lately?"

Her pupils dilated, lips parting in a gasp as she instinctively backed away from me. When she spoke again, her voice shook with emotion.

"Wow. You really think that low of me now, don't you?" "No."

"No?" She chuckled mirthlessly, shaking her head in disbelief. "Then what's this? Why would I need to fake a miscarriage? What purpose would that serve me? Tell me Aiden, since you've apparently dug into my private life and found all the dirty little secrets. Why would I pretend to lose my baby?"

I refused to take the bait. "I don't know." I said coldly. "And I'm not in the mood to sit here and speculate as to your motive. I'm going to bed. You can show yourself out, just shut the front door when you leave and the locks will engage." I turned to leave the sound of Elisa's disbelieving gasp trailing after me.

"Aiden!" My name was an anguished cry on her lips. There was the patter of footsteps and seconds later, my arm was seized in a tight, almost painful grip. "Aiden please, don't do this."

I sighed and stopped walking, her fingernails digging into my skin. I could wrench free of her grasp, but since that would require more force than necessary. So I settled reluctantly for standing there silent, head averted.

"I'm sorry I lied..." Elisa was full on in panic mode now, desperate and pleading. "You're right - about everything. But please you have to believe that I thought I could replace a way to circumvent the terms of Julian's will and keep an eye on Craig at the same time. And yes, I...I lied about losing the baby that way. I'm so sorry."

I turned slowly to look at her. "I'm not judging you for deciding to keep your baby or not. I respect your choice. But why did you need to lie to me about it?"

Her lips trembled, tears now streaming down her cheeks. "I did it for you. To save your marriage."