Twenty minutes later her phone was buzzing with a frenzy as she sat in the hotel provided robe, unpinning her hair from all the bobby pins Meredith had put in it. She lifted the phone and glared at the torrent of messages from both Isaias and Merlin.
She responded to Merlin with a text to go fuck himself. She ignored Isaias’ messages. He had ignored her throughout the hour she’d sat at the table, so she felt it was only fair. He hadn’t even told her she looked beautiful, and she knew she had looked good. It wasn’t she needed his compliments but what woman didn’t want her man to comment? What was wrong with him? Worse, what was wrong with her for still thinking he was her man?
Fifteen minutes later, her phone continued to ring incessantly as she placed a room service order for coconut cream pie, a bottle of wine and a package of mixed candies and confectionaries. She was planning on eating her feelings and she knew it.
She finally snapped and answered the phone, “what? What do you want?”
“Where the hell are you Liesl? My entire security team is searching for you. Are you safe?”
“What the fuck do you care? I’m surprised you even noticed I wasn’t there.”
Her tone clearly surprised him as he went silent.
She sniffed as her emotions got the better of her, “if you were going to end things with me tonight, why the hell did you ask me to be here? Was this some kind of humiliation because I crossed a line with you?”
“What?”
“I told Mallory I didn’t need to come tonight, but he insisted you wanted me here. Considering the way things went with Trent and Merlin and how you were so pissed off at me, I can’t help but wonder if you only wanted me here to rub salt into their wounds. It’s clear you didn’t care to have me on your arm. You didn’t even look in my direction for more than thirty seconds.”
“Baby, that’s not true.”
“You spent more time looking at my ex and sister than you did me.” She whimpered, “you didn’t even say hello to me.”
He was quiet when she chastised him.
“Isaias, I know I spoke out of turn on Friday morning but if you want to end things, I didn’t need one more last night on the town or for you to let me down gently.”
“End things?”
“Isn’t it why you haven’t called me, talked to me, and then sent Mallory to escort me? The girls told me to give you the benefit of the doubt and suggested you were busy, but I knew in my gut something wasn’t right. You don’t have to pretend Isaias. I know I crossed a line telling you how I felt.”
“No. I was not looking to end things. Is this what’s been going through your head?” he sounded incredulous.
“Isaias, you didn’t even say hello,” she repeated herself. “I got all dressed up and the girls did my hair and makeup, and you didn’t even notice. Why did you ask me to come if you didn’t want me here?”
“I want you here.”
“It didn’t feel like it.”
He sighed regretfully. “I’m sorry, honey. I am. Trent and Merlin got under my skin. When I got the report today Trent had indeed put recording devices in your apartment, I lost my cool. I’ve been struggling with my temper, but they went too far cornering you. Babe, I want to beat him into next fucking week. It is taking all of my energy not to go back into the gala and pound him into oblivion.” He spoke softly, “I don’t usually have a bad temper, Liesl but when I do it takes me a bit to reign it back in and I got the information on the way to the gala, and I swear I want the bastard dead.”
“No,” she whispered his name in shock. “You can’t say such things.”
“More than I wanted their company destroyed, I’m furious with the violation of your being, Liesl. The bastard,” he took a sharp breath as if recalling what he wanted to say was causing him pain, “Liesl, he had a listening device installed behind your headboard. The others, in your light switches, light fixtures, electrical sockets and even in the thermostat were all likely installed before you moved in but the fact there is one on your bed, babe it means he was in your apartment after you furnished it.”
“What if Merlin put that one in when he snuck into my bed?” she said shaking as she considered the lengths the men in her ex-family were going to in stalking her.
“I hadn’t considered it, to be honest,” he spoke equally quietly. “I think he had one thing on his mind and one thing only when he snuck into your place, babe. Trent on the other hand is far more malicious. Merlin was stunned to hear me today. You saw his face.”
“I guess.”
“Liesl, I’m not wanting to end things. I’m not upset with you. I’m not angry with you. I want very much to hold you and tell you how much I miss you. I got caught up with wanting to fuck those two morons over, I forgot to pay attention to the most important person in the room.”
She bit her lip and stared at the ceiling. “I understand.”
“Come back babe.”
“I can’t. I already got changed. I took off my makeup and took my hair out.”
“Babe you’ve been gone under an hour. There’s no way you made it home and got changed.”
“I didn’t go home.”
“Well, where are you?”
“Isaias, I needed to get away. It was too much with all the drama and your cold shoulder. I know you said you weren’t going to break up with me, but you didn’t text me once in almost thirty-six hours. I had zero contact from you. It hurt Isaias. I know I shouldn’t have said what I said Friday morning, but it was on my mind and in my heart and I needed to say. I don’t want it to hurt because you don’t feel the same, but it does. I wanted to be cool about it, but I was nervous about saying what I said and then you didn’t reach out and then Mallory was the one who took me to the gala and then you ignored me. This night has been a shitshow and I don’t want to do it anymore. I’m going to get a snack and then I’m going to bed.”
“Liesl.”
“Isaias, I need time. It hurts right now, and I need to clear my mind. If we’re over then say so and don’t prolong my agony.”
“You are not ending us, Liesl. I want to see you,” his swallowing was audible as he pleaded with her. “Where are you?”
She knew she was being cowardly, but she couldn’t help herself. “I have to go.” She hung up the phone and for good measure powered it down.
She lay down on the bed and let the tears fall.
