The car hummed, a low, oppressive drone that filled the silence between us. Bentley's grip on my arm had eased once I was buckled into the passenger seat, but the tension in the space between us was a living thing, thick and suffocating. I stared out the window, watching the familiar New York skyline blur past, each skyscraper a monument to his family's power, and a testament to how far out of my league I always had been.
I remembered countless car rides with Bentley, long before this. His hand would always be on my thigh, his thumb gently stroking. We'd talk for hours about our dreams, about our future, about the small art gallery we would open together. He would tell me how much he loved my art, how he believed in me. His words had been a lifeline, a promise. Now, his seatbelt was the only barrier between us, but it felt like an ocean.
The shift had been gradual, almost imperceptible at first. A subtle coolness in his tone, a hurried glance at his phone, a preoccupied air. I could pinpoint the exact moment of its acceleration: the day Frida Tanner entered the picture again, demanding her "repayment of kindness." That day, the light in his eyes for me had dimmed, replaced by a flicker of obligation and an almost desperate need to please her, to appease his father.
I recalled the cold terror of waking up alone after my surgery, my body wracked with pain, my calls to him unanswered. Or the horrific hours of the kidnapping, bleeding and terrified, screaming his name, only to learn he was with Frida, nursing her through a minor emotional upset. Each time, he had been absent. Each time, he had chosen her.
He would come back to me afterwards, sometimes with flowers, sometimes with empty apologies. He'd bring back trinkets from lavish events with Frida, a silk scarf, a fancy dessert, as if these small gestures could fill the growing void. I had questioned him, softly at first, then with a growing desperation. "Bentley, why do you spend so much time with her? We're getting married." He'd always had the same answer, a practiced refrain: "It's for my family, Adelle. It's for us. It's just for ninety-nine days. A repayment of kindness." The phrase was a dagger, twisting deeper with each repetition.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed. A bright, cheerful ringtone I didn't recognize. He glanced at the screen, a soft smile spreading across his face. "Frida?" he said, his voice instantly warm, tender. "Everything okay, angel? I'm on my way."
My stomach lurched. The car, which had been heading towards my old apartment, suddenly swerved. He made a sharp U-turn, heading in a completely different direction. The smile never left his face as he murmured into the phone, "Almost there, darling." He sounded genuinely happy.
The silence returned, heavier this time, laden with his blatant disregard for me. He was oblivious to my pain, lost in his own little world with Frida. My heart was a stone in my chest.
The car pulled to a smooth stop outside a sprawling, opulent complex, wrought iron gates gleaming under the afternoon sun. I recognized it instantly: the Tanner family estate. A beacon of wealth and power, a world I could never truly belong to.
And there she was, standing on the manicured lawn, dressed in a flowing silk dress, her hair perfectly coiffed. Frida. Her eyes, bright and expectant, landed on Bentley.
A sharp, searing pain shot through my chest, a physical manifestation of the betrayal. It felt like my very soul was being ripped in two.
Bentley turned to me, his face devoid of warmth. "Get out, Adelle." His voice was flat, a command, not a request.
I didn't move. My hands were clenched so tight my nails dug into my palms. He sighed, an impatient sound, and reached across me. His hand clamped around my arm, pulling. "I said, get out." He yanked me, hard, and my head struck the door frame as I stumbled out onto the curb. I gasped, the sharp pain momentarily eclipsing the emotional agony.
He didn't even look back at me. He was already out of the car, rushing around to the passenger side, opening the door for Frida. She practically melted into his embrace, her soft murmurs of complaint dying in his arms. He carefully settled her into the seat I had just occupied, murmuring reassurances. He buckled her in.
It was almost comical in its cruel repetition. He always pulled me out, rough and dismissive, and then carefully, tenderly, placed her in my spot. I remembered the early days, when he'd opened the passenger door for me, a chivalrous gesture I adored. He'd said, "This is your seat, Adelle. Always." The irony was a bitter taste in my mouth.
I laughed then, a dry, humorless sound. My seat. Always. What a joke.
The car sped off, leaving me standing alone on the curb, the Tanner estate looming behind me, a symbol of my utter insignificance. They were headed to a charity auction, I realized, another one of their exclusive elite events. I was just an inconvenient detour.
Bentley appeared at my side an hour later, pulling me into the lavish auction hall, the air thick with the scent of money and expensive perfume. "Adelle," he whispered, his voice low, as if trying to placate a child. "Pick anything you want. Anything at all. It's yours." He squeezed my hand, a shallow attempt at affection.
I remembered a time when he would surprise me with a canvas I'd admired, or a new set of paints. His gifts then had been thoughtful, born of true affection. Now, it was just an empty gesture, a hollow promise.
Just then, I overheard a hushed conversation between two women in shimmering gowns. "Did you hear? Bentley Wise spent a fortune last week on that antique brooch for Frida. And the week before, it was that rare sculpture." My blood ran cold. He bought her expensive gifts regularly. Not just for this "repayment of kindness." This was different. This was more.
I felt a profound sense of utter foolishness wash over me. I had been so naive, so blind.
The auctioneer's voice boomed, calling out bids. My eyes swept across the stage, landing on a small, glittering pendant, insignificant amidst the grand artwork. "That one," I said, pointing vaguely.
Bentley raised his paddle instantly. "Fifty thousand!" The auctioneer barely paused. "Sold to Mr. Wise!"
He picked it up, a triumphant smile on his face. "Here, my love. For you." He offered it to me.
But before I could even touch it, Frida, who had appeared out of nowhere, her eyes wide and innocent, reached out and brushed against it. "Oh, Bentley, it's exquisite! Is it for me?"
Bentley's smile didn't waver. He turned to her, the pendant now forgotten in my direction. "Of course, my angel. Anything you desire." He handed it to her, his fingers lingering on hers. "Adelle, I'll buy you something else, something even better, I promise."
Frida beamed, her eyes sparkling. She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek. "Thank you, darling. You're the best."
My heart didn't just ache; it felt as if it were being torn into shreds, ripped apart by a thousand invisible blades. It was a pain so profound, so absolute, it made my previous wounds feel like distant scratches.
"Adelle? Are you going to pick something else?" Bentley asked, his voice laced with impatience. He didn't even notice my agony.
I tried again. And again. Each time, Frida would express admiration, and each time, Bentley would bestow my chosen item upon her, promising me something "better" later. The cycle was sickening.
"Honestly, who is that woman?" I heard a whisper from a nearby table. "She looks like a beggar Bentley picked up from the street. So out of place next to the lovely Frida Tanner." The words, meant to insult me, were like a splash of cold water, solidifying my resolve. The class disparity, the social expectation, the sheer cruelty of it all was overwhelming. My nails dug into my palms, leaving crescent-shaped indents.
Finally, I shook my head. "No," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "I don't want anything."
Bentley's face clouded with irritation. "Adelle, don't be childish. I'm trying to be generous. Don't spoil this." His voice was low, but edged with a familiar threat. "I've sacrificed so much for you, Adelle. My family's reputation, my time. Don't you see what I'm doing?"
My head snapped up. Sacrifice? He was talking about sacrifice? After what he' d put me through? After what he' d allowed to happen to my mother? The sheer audacity of his words stole my breath. It was beyond cruel; it was an insult to my very existence.
"I can't do this anymore, Bentley," I said, my voice rising, trembling slightly. My vision swam, but this time, it wasn't tears of sadness. It was rage. "I' m done. We're done. I'm leaving." I had wanted to say it. Now, it was out.
