Not What It Seems Ch. 10

The way he held her wrist though very gentle, was a reminder of the last time he grabbed her wrist and pushed her against the wall roughly.

Alin pulled away in fear, she backed away from him.

"Alin, I-"

"You've come here to fix the bathroom for me. And I'm grateful you've done it for me... it's now done." She closed her eyes, willing herself to go on. Pointing to the door, she whispered, "Please leave."

He stayed where he was and looked at her intently, "I can't leave you until we talk about us-"

"There was never 'us', Jared." she sighed, "You made sure of that. Do you really think we need to talk? Do you? What is there to talk about?"

He buried his face in his hands. Looking up at her in pain, "I made a mistake, Alin. I trusted people I shouldn't have trusted, I didn't believe you. I'm sorry. I can't believe I made the same mistake twice. There are so many people who want us to break up. Believe me, I'll make them pay. There's nothing to break us apart now. I love you."

"You just don't understand." She walked further away from him. She looked out the window at the strange silence the night brought. It should have been peaceful, but his words infuriated her.

"I gave you everything I always thought I should save myself for someone special. And then you came along and showed me a different side. You showed me not every man was like my dad. I wanted to 100% trusts someone completely before I had sex with them. You threw the fact that I owed you money to force me into bed with you. Even after that, I never really regretted it. I wanted you. I've wanted to be with you ever since I met you in the balcony at Hallie's wedding. I never wanted another man to touch me, because...I loved you. But then what? Time and time again, you accused me of sleeping with John, of betraying you, or whatever fabricated version of me you had in your mind...After everything we've been through, after giving my- myself to you, it still wasn't enough to prove to you."

"No, Alin it's not like that! You mean everything to me! You're the only one I need. I need you in my life. Haltor was behind this! He tried to break us up. He hired Faye Morlan and Ch-"

Hearing his pathetic explanation irritated and angered her, she turned away from the window and glared at him, "Enough!" She shouted. "You used me. Why is it someone else's fault all the time? If you had trusted me, if you had confronted me, whatever John Haltor, or your ex-girlfriend tried to do wouldn't have worked. You come back five years later, instead of confronting me, you used the debt t-that man owed against ME and then y-you..." Alin stopped herself, and took a deep breath, "I can never forget how you've treated me. Now that I can finally stand on my own two feet, why do you have to come and-" say these things to me, and confuse me?

"I-"Jared started.

Alin knew it was foolish to harbour these feelings for an undeserving man, so instead, staying strong she said, "Jared, remember you said I was worth $10,000? Sleeping with you for the past few months, I'm sure I must have paid off quite a bit. Let's do the maths shall we?" She said mockingly at him, "so it's been what, four months? One hundred and twelve days. So I've repaid about $1.12million. Seeing as I was the only whore you were seeing, don't you think I at least deserve a bonus? How about if we say $2million? So I still owe you $3million-"

"Alin..." Jared started, the words she spoke pained him

"The remaining debt I can write you a cheque or transfer the money into your account. For old time's sake you will give me time right?"

"Alin, you don't owe me anything-"

"But I do, Jared. You wanted so much to get your money back for the past five years. You hatched up an amazing plan to get revenge. But now you're willing to throw away your whole plan you so painstakingly devised because of what?"

Jared froze. Not knowing what to say. Damages he had done...he was worried would never be repaired.

"Because I love you." Jared said quietly, but the words were clear. He looked at her, their gazes locked. Her outburst earlier was replaced with silence. She didn't know what to say.

"This whole thing, I don't know why I had it so wrong. Ever since I've met you, I knew you were the one for me. When I saw you in the balcony on your own, I worked up the courage to speak to you. I was so afraid of getting turned down. My ego was my second worry, my first worry was that I wouldn't get a second chance." Jared smiled at the fond memory, reminiscing about the moment when he caught the sight of her across the room at Hallie's reception. "I've never had that before. I've always been over confident and arrogant. When I spoke to you, I knew I had fallen in love. But I threw that away because of shit I've heard. Alin, I-" she turned her gaze away, looking down at her hands, "I'm not here to collect t-this fucked up so called debt. You owe me nothing. In fact I owe you more than I can ever repay, after the way I've treated you. I just want you to know that whatever I said in the past, I don't expect for you to forget, because what I did and said can never be taken back, so why should you forget it? The pain I caused you, the way I used the $5million against you...I'm fucked up to do that to you. But I'm begging you, I'm begging you to let me prove to you I've really changed-"

Jared walked closer to her, hesitating whether to pull her closer to him, so that he could feel her in his arms again. Deciding to take the risk, he suddenly wrapped his arms around her, fully expecting her to push him away. But she didn't.

He instantly felt relieved, whispering he said, "Alin, I know you don't trust me, because in the past I've lied to you, I've said shit to you and I've treated you badly. I know trust will take time to build between us, but I want you to know that I really regret it all, and I'd do anything for you to let me be close to you again. I know I need to work hard and I'm prepared to do so to regain your trust. Alin, I-I l-love you. We can take as much time as you need to, but please don't push me away."

She felt his warmth. She belonged in his arms. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. This was wrong. She couldn't well accept him. Maybe he had changed, but then what? Could she truly let everything that happened go and just forgive him?

She stepped out from his embrace and looked at him. He looked tired, marred by worry. Was he worried that she would reject him? Alin couldn't tell, but she did know his words were genuine.

"No."

She shook her head as she said the word. Even surprising herself. "I can't, Jared. I really can't. Please go, just go." She dropped her voice, almost to a whisper, "I don't think I can ever forgive you."

"Alin, I-"

"Please," Alin said, her voice slightly rose. "Just go."

"Alin, I can't let you go. I just can't!"

"Don't you get it? Alin cried, "I just can't see you. I want to be logical, and being with you isn't!" Tears started to stream down her face as she whispered, "I don't want to make a decision now. I can't."

Jared dropped his gaze from her face in defeat. He wanted so badly to just walk up to her, hold her and persuade her to change her mind. But he couldn't. Pushing her into a decision she wasn't ready to make would snap the fragile thread connecting them. Even letting him in her apartment, he knew was the best he could ask for, and still tonight he just had to push her.

He walked towards the front door and opened it, before he stepped outside; he turned around, and watched as she looked at his retreating back. Now their gazes locked. "Alin, I love you. I want you to know that. And I want you to know that I will do everything in my willpower to prove to you that I've changed."

Alin dropped her gaze and stared at the floor, her tears dropped to the ground.

Jared sighed before turning and left her apartment.

Hearing the door close behind him, Alin finally looked up at the closed door. Her outburst should have made her happy, after months of being mistreated by him; finally standing up for herself and rejecting him should have also been the icing on the cake, but she found the tears flowed even more freely. For an uncomfortable truth she didn't want to acknowledge was the fact that even with everything that had happened, she still loved him and her common sense temporarily winning her heart.

She wasn't sure if she could ever forget him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

He walked into one of the best bars in New York. He knew clearly who frequented here. With his natural swagger, many girls dressed for a Saturday night out were already trying to pose seductively to get his attention. Still, he only had one girl he wanted to see tonight.

She was dressed to the nines tonight. In a mini red dress that had a deep v-neck, stopping just above her navel. Her fake tits were practically spilling out. She had those ridiculous Christian Louboutins on that were probably six inches high. He had no idea how she could walk in them. He could see the strains on her feet. She crossed her legs and sat sideways. Sipping her drink slowly and trying to look sexy, he could see her eyes wander while she was talking to one of her girlfriends.

He laid one hand on her shoulder, "Faye..."

She turned around and it took her a good few moments to realize who it was. Never in a million years did she think she would see him again. Utter surprise and shock registered in her expression. However, being a professional seductress (as she thought of herself,) Faye Morlan quickly composed herself and smiled seductively up at him, battling her eyelashes.

"Jared?!" she touched his arm, "Oh god. It's really you?" she got off her seat and embraced him, making sure she pushed her fake tits into him. In her head she counted to five and let him go. She wanted to make sure he felt every part of her. She wasn't sure why he was here, but she wasn't going to let go of any opportunities she got.

"I was across the bar and I saw you, thought I'd come see how you've been." Jared said casually.

He could see the triumph expression on her face. As she subconsciously smiled as her friends smugly, as if to say, girls he's crawling back to ME. Jared laughed inside. How far from the truth this was.

"I've been good." She purred, "But you know I feel even better now that I've seen you, it's been too long-"

"Faye," one of her girlfriends cut in, "Why don't you introduce us to your friend?" She said blatantly knowing who he is.

"Where are my manners?" Faye replied as she laid one hand on his upper arm and slowly stroked it, "This is Jared Valentine and these are my model friends, Janet, Missy and Miranda."

Jared kissed their cheeks politely, "It's nice to meet you girls, but I have things I'd like to talk to Faye about, will you excuse us?"

Her girlfriends looked at her in a mixture of jealousy and envy.

Jared leaned down and whispered in Faye's ears, "Is there anywhere we can go that's private?"

Faye smiled smugly at her friends and whispered back to him, "I know the guy who owns this place..."

"Good." Jared said as he led her out.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

True to Faye's words they were in a luxury room reserved for VIPs. Jared didn't really give a shit where he was, he just wanted to tell her the deal and get the fuck away from her.

Faye came back with two glasses of champagne in her hand and sat next to Jared on the plush sofa draped in silk. "So..." She started as one hand rested on his thigh. She traced her hand up and down his thigh, going closer to his dick. "You know how much I've missed you...you are the only one who can make me-." She went closer and closer following the direction of her own hand.

Jared rolled his eyes. This was getting tiring.

"Wet." She laid her hand on his cock as she said the word.

"Wh' the fuck." Jared said as he brushed her hands away. He got up quickly.

She was insulted. Not at his words, not even because he brushed her hand away, not even because he moved quickly away from him, "are you not happy to see me? You're not hard?" she pouted and sat up. Slowly she spread her thighs. She wasn't wearing any panties, "maybe this will?" Faye purred as she licked her lips.

Jared turned away from her and almost wanted to laugh. "Faye, seriously, do you really think I came here to fuck you?"

"Why not? I'm the only one who can make you come. Do you not remember how hard I make you?" She sucked two fingers and started fingering herself. "I knew you'd dump that stupid whore and come back to me-"

Suddenly Jared lunged forward and pulled her hand away, disturbing her show of display for him. He dropped her hand and moved away from him. "Don't say that about her," Jared warned. "You do nothing for me. You're just another cheap whore, who'd do anything for a couple of dollars." Jared took his jacket and threw it at her, "Cover yourself. The thought that I used to be with you actually makes me sick."

"What the fuck is your problem?!" Faye spat out.

"You wanna know my problem? If I were to tell you all of them, we'd be here all day. But I don't want to waste my time with the likes of you. I didn't want to come here to today, I could've got someone else to do this dirty job for me, but I guess sometimes it's more satisfying to finish the job yourself-"

"What are you talking about?" Faye said suddenly in fear.

Jared laughed mockingly, "Haltor gave you $3million to fuck me over, right?"

She gasped.

"Didn't think it'd catch up with you? It's nicely stashed away in an offshore account, isn't it?"

"Jared, I-"

"You fucked me over, you know that?" Jared said softly, narrowing his eyes. "I lost the woman I love because of you and that fucked up bastard."

"So?" she retorted. "You dumped me after you got with that I'm-so-innocent-girl. I was your girlfriend one minute, and then you fucked that whore the next!"

"I wasn't the only man you were with, Faye. You knew our relationship weren't exclusive. That's why when you were with me, you were still shopping around. But I'm not here to discuss our so-called relationship. You had what you wanted from me: a comfortable lifestyle while it lasted, and a healthy stash of money. The thing that pisses me off is you fucked me over with Haltor."

"So what? There's nothing you can do! What you gonna do? Hire someone to kill me? Make up fabricated stories about me, and ruin my career?"

He smirked, "No, Faye, I don't want to kill you, Killing you will mean letting you off easily. As for your career it was over when you were caught doing coke. If you weren't fucking the top guys, you wouldn't have got any jobs at all. No, I don't need to make fabricated stories about you when you have enough skeletons in your closet."

"What-"

"The foundation you set up, The Faye Morlan foundation for homeless children..."

The look of horror on her face confirmed everything he needed to know. Even though Naomi had done all the research for him, he wanted Faye to admit it.

"Setting up a charity and stealing from it?"

"Jared...no, please I'd be ruined." She pleaded desperately.

"You were ruined the day you decided to help Haltor."

He turned and started walking away from her. Before he left, he turned, "I'd give you one advice: if you contact Haltor about today, I'd make your life hell- even worse than what it'll be in a few weeks time. In the meantime, enjoy the investigation you'd come under and the media attention. Remember what you used to tell me? No publicity is bad publicity..."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Two weeks had past by after the argument he had with Alin at her apartment. True to Alin's words she had visited Granna everyday, but she had refused to see him. Upon learning the truth from him, Granna did not speak to him either and had vowed if he wanted to ever see her again he better get his act together and win Alin back.

It's not as if he didn't try, but it was hard. He still left messages on her phone religiously. But for every step he took, Alin would take three steps back.

Sat behind his desk, Jared picked up this morning's paper:

Disgraced model, Faye Morlan alleged to have stolen from her own charity...

The news that Faye was under-investigation, and most likely imprisoned for fraud did nothing for him. True, people like her being punished made him feel marginally better, but nothing could fill the emptiness he felt.

Jared turned so that he was gazing into the skyline. It was late, and everyone had gone home. Jared took out a cigarette from the packet and lit it up. Smoking was always what he would do to de-stress. He was about to put it to his lips, when suddenly the thought of Alin made him stop. He knew she hated it, and the truth was it was a habit he regretted starting. He stubbed it out. Past girlfriends would join in and encourage his lifestyle of sex, drugs and heavy drinking. Alin was different. She showed him he didn't need them to enjoy life.

Next month he would turn thirty-seven, and the thought made him feel even more empty and lonely. Every year he would make his birthday an extravagant event. This year, it felt like another day without Alin. He buried his head in his hand and wondered if she ever thought about him...

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Doodling in her sketch pad, Alin didn't know what the hell she was doing. She knew how much shit Steven was getting for putting her in charge. If she submitted the work she was doing for me him now, it would prove all the people who doubted her right, not to mention she'd disappoint Steven a lot. She took a deep breath and tried to concentrate but images of him would always fill her mind, reducing her to a mess.

It was his birthday in next month, and Alin knew every year he would make his birthday a lavish event, putting a bachelor party in Vegas to shame. She knew he would forget and give up on her soon. Since Jared Valentine was infamous for being impatient. Alin knew she couldn't be so pathetic. She was still angry and hurt...So why is it that she still thought about him and couldn't seem to erase him from her heart even for just one damn minute?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On the eve of Jared's birthday, he found himself sat in John Haltor's office, it was eleven in the morning, and knowing Haltor well, he knew he'd never be in the office before eleven.

John walked into his office casually, surprised to see it opened. Before he could ask his secretary why the hell the door to his private study was open, he saw Jared Valentine sat in his chair. Surprise was an understatement. The two men had never been alone in any given situation.

"Jenny?! Why the fuck is he here?!" he shouted at her.

She looked at him in fear, "Mr Haltor, Mr Valentine said he had an appointment with you. A-and I told him he'd have to wait for you outside, but he said h-he..." she whispered the last few words quietly, because truthfully she didn't tell Jared he couldn't enter Haltor's office. His mere presence had stunned her into silence.

He didn't wait for her to finish before he slammed the door to his office. "So," he started smugly, "why are you here, Valentine? A personal invitation to your little tea party for your birthday or to beg me to stop fucking your girlfriend?" He finished off. Haltor was pissed, not only did Jared have the guts to sit in his office but none of the security got involved?

Haltor could not believe how much of a joke he must have looked to Valentine.

Jared had waited for this day ever since Naomi told him the truth almost two months ago. There were too many things he had to consider and it just happened that today he'd tell Haltor the deal. Jared liked to think of it as an early birthday present for himself.

Still sitting down, while Haltor loomed over him, the position should have been intimidating. But Jared had the upper hand. He always had the upper hand, where Haltor was concerned, because if it wasn't for his grandfather he would have been out of the game along time ago.