IMOGEN'S POV
Why was he looking at me like that? Like I had betrayed him? I was supposed to be the one with that look on my face. I was the one who was facing the brunt of his beef.
I didn't care what bad blood existed between the two, but I did not deserve to be dragged into their games.
Did he expect me to admit it? Did he want me to tell the world that my husband, the man who was playing the role of doting husband right now was a cheat?
As much as I wanted to, it wouldn't benefit me. I had given everything for this. Everything. So I turned away from his accusatory gaze.
"I apologize," Elijah's stepbrother's voice broke the storm raging in my head.
I whipped my head back in his direction. His body was stiff as he offered Elijah a bow. I found see his clenched fist digging into his palms as he continued. "I will retract the article and do what I can to compensate for the damages on your...union. I hope you di not sue."
Elijah looked satisfied, seeing his brother in that position. He looked so different. Maybe if I had noticed tiny switches like this when I knew him, I might have realized he was a manipulative narcissist. But it was too late now.
"Sweetheart," Elijah regarded me, completely ignoring his brother. "We should go."
And I followed. I wasn't even sure why I was listening to every word he was spewing. Why was I giving him grace when I burned to humiliate him. The opportunity had been right there and I had blown it. What was I so afraid of?
We pushed through the crowd of reporters who still wanted more bits to spice up their stories. Anything that would make their scoop unique from the competition.
Elijah made sure I wasnt overwhelmed by them and he kept up the act until I was in his car and he was driving.
He was focused on the road. I wondered if he was taking me to our home. A dream I had yesterday. Now the thought of it just made bile rise in my throat.
Plus, the silence was killing me. There was tension between us. Maybe hatred. No. Definitely hatred and I couldn't let the charade continue. We had no reason to be acting now that we were alone.
"What's next?" I finally broke the silence, my voice laced with trepidation. "Are you already working in the divorce papers?"
Elijah's eyes remained fixed on the road ahead when he spoke, his tone was devoid of any warmth. "Looks like those divorce papers will have to wait, Imogen."
My heart sank at his words because I knew what he was getting at. "What do you mean?"
He let out a frustrated sigh, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "Thanks to my charming stepbrother, our plans have hit a little snag. He's managed to throw a wrench into any legal action against us. You know damn well touching divorce papers will spell doon for both of us."
Our plans? I scoffed. "The divorce was never my plan, Elijah. You forced my hand. Did you expect me to just sit down and take it when you told me we were nothing. All of this mess is yours. But I don't care about what the media will think anymore. I just want to be free of you."
"Really?" Elijah chuckled, sparing me a look. "You had every opportunity in the world to take my brother's hand and ruin my family. The media would have taken your side most likely. But you didn't. Why is that?"
I didn't answer. Because he had a point. I could have told the world everything and confirmed that Elijah's stepbrother hadn't been slandering anyone in his papers. It had been nothing but the truth. But I did not.
He took my silence as an admission of guilt and continued. "I'll tell you why you kept your pretty little mouth shut. It's because you like being a Rossi. You want the privilege and the money."
I felt a surge of anger bubbling inside me. "Excuse me?"
Elijah's expression hardened, his gaze cold as ice. "I am not judging you. Just as you are using me, I intend to use you."
There was no salvaging this man. Where was the sweet boy I had fallen in love with when we were teenagers.
I fought the urge to slap him. If he was already this insidious. Who knows what else he was capable of?
"I am not using you, Elijah." I retorted, hating that my voice was cracking. He didn't deserve my pain. He didn't deserve my tears. "I loved you. And I thought you loved me. But I was wrong. DEAD WRONG! What I didn't understand is why you didn't say a thing if you were against this union?! You could have ended our parents delusions years ago. But you didn't. You went through with it. Played games with me even on our wedding day and acting like you still felt the same, only to shatter me on my most beautiful day. I never used you. But you did. You used me. I don't know why and I don't care. Just get me the divorce ."
"I cannot," He sounded frustrated and I watched as his grip tightened in the wheel.
It scared me. But I was not going to back down.
"I do not care what your reasons are for shackling me to this farce of a marriage but I will not waste the better part of my life being your stand-in bride. Find a way out of this mess or I will have to tell the press that I might have been pressured to tell lies. I would hate to bring your parents in the crossfire." I stopped for a moment to catch my breath and wipe away the tears that had started to slip. "You know what, just drive me to my parents."
Elijah's features remained stoic. But he was hesitant to speak.
"What?" I demanded.
"I would be fine with taking you to your parents," he finally spoke. "But my father has ordered a family lunch, and we all have to be there."
I shook my head. I couldn't do it. Not in this state. "I'm not sure I can pretend everything is perfect between us," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper.
Elijah reached out to take my hand but I retracted my hand before he made contact.
He made strange face when I refused to let him touch me. Like I was supposed to be okay with the touch of this monster of a man?
"I'll arrange a contractual agreement," he promised, his voice the only thing I could focus on. "Just for appearances. And then, I'll make sure you get your divorce."
Why was he so insistent on latching on to me? There was something else going on. Something I had to find out.