We Ended Up Together (6 page)

"I couldn't do that to you Nessie. Plus I don't need to be pitied. I just need to find something to cheer me up," Brad explained.

"Well, just know that I'm here for you. And I know the right girl for you will come along," Vanessa said sweetly. Brad gave her a smile and pulled her into a hug. Maybe things would work out in time.

Chloe went to bed extremely early that night. She just couldn't deal with her father any longer. All evening he had been showing her how great James was. Chloe just needed to get away from it all.

She went up the wooden staircase to her bedroom all alone. She climbed under the blankets and soon dozed off exhausted from her mind which was still buzzing with thoughts and what ifs.

Chloe soon woke up, or had she really fallen asleep? She happened to see that the space beside her was empty. Where was James anyways?

Chloe got up out of bed to search for him. She crept down the hallway, passed Stephaney's room and the bathroom. Then Chloe heard a noise coming from the next room. She knew it was Linda and she wanted to ask her if she had seen James.

Chloe knocked gently on the door before walking into Linda's bedroom. There was one side table lamp illuminating the room. Chloe had to squint to see after coming from the dark hallway.

When her eyes adjusted to the brightness, Chloe gasped at the sight before her eyes. She had found James.

"Chloe!" James said surprised as he hastily broke his kiss with Linda.

James pushed Linda away from him. Chloe remained in the doorway; her emotions paralyzed her as they surged through her body.

Rage, sadness, pain, and shock.

Tears stung her eyes. Her breathing became fast and shallow as she beheld the sight in front of her. It felt like time stood still for the few seconds she witnessed their embrace.

Even if she didn't love James, to see him with her sister of all people made her feel betrayed. She couldn't get the image to stop replaying in her mind. James’ hands gripping Linda's back, pulling her close to him, her hands on his face, as they engaged in a frantic kiss.

James stared at Chloe's face. He seemed to appear regretful as he sat next to Linda. His body went tense and a panic stricken stare filled in his eyes. Or was he just shocked to have been busted? He looked traumatized to see Chloe, whom he had assumed was still asleep in their bedroom down the hall.

All of Chloe's emotions turned into pure anger. She narrowed her eyes at the two people in front of her, giving them an icy glare.

"What do you think you're doing?" Chloe asked bitterly. She crossed her arms. She expected things like this from Linda, but not James.

"We, uh…" was all James could stutter.

"You are both married," Chloe pointed out. James looked pale and sweaty as he desperately tried to think of something to say. Meanwhile Linda didn't appear to be bothered by this situation at all.

"So? We always make out after you go to sleep," Linda said, casually. Chloe's jaw fell open in disbelief as she inhaled rapidly. James eyes widened as he turned to glower at Linda.

With that, Chloe spun on her heal and hurriedly returned to her room. James quickly stood up from the bed and chased after her.

When Chloe got back to their bedroom, she ignored James’ presence and grabbed her winter jacket.

"Chloe, stop," James continuously spoke as he followed her every move. Chloe didn't respond, ignoring his desperate attempts to get her attention.

James had only cheated because he was unhappy in their marriage too. Sometimes he did love Chloe but most of the time he felt like they were drifting apart.

He was a doctor making money for her. Why didn't she appreciate that?

James admitted he had reached his breaking point when he saw his wife hugging another man. He couldn't control himself; he needed to let his feelings out somehow. Maybe it wasn't the right choice to do that by cheating, but he knew he couldn't let Chloe leave now.

There was too much on the line, and that was what it always boiled down to. Even if he wasn't happy, his parents were proud of his life and so were Chloe's. He didn't want to ruin that.

Chloe rushed down the stairs with James right on her heals. She put on her boots and violently threw open the front door. She aggressively swung the door shut behind her, which James stopped with his hands before it hit him.

She trudged through the snow towards her car and opened the door. James raced ahead of her and stood in her way.

"Move James," Chloe said through her gritted teeth.

"No, I-I can't let you go," James replied. Chloe decided to hear him out. She closed her car door forcefully. Then she turned to him and glared while crossing her arms.

"Why?" Chloe asked venomously.

"Please, we can work this out," James said quickly as he held his hands out trying to calm her. Chloe shook her head.

"Work this out? James, what is there to work out?" Chloe asked.

"Listen, I'm sorry Chloe. I don't know what came over me," James pleaded. Chloe gave him a look telling him she didn't believe him.

"Why did you do it?" Chloe said a little softer.

"I guess I just felt like I needed comfort from them. I thought you were cheating on me," James admitted. He left out the part about feeling like their marriage was falling apart. He didn’t want to add fuel to the fire and give her a reason to argue that she had to leave.

"Whoa, hold on a second. Them?" Chloe asked. James realized his slip-up.

"Um, I also cheated with, uh, Becca," James confessed, as he cringed. Chloe didn't know what to say. Her husband cheated on her with her best friend as well as her sister. Chloe couldn't wrap her head around the idea. All this time she had thought Becca was someone to rely on, when in fact she was just as bad as James.

"What made you think I was cheating?" Chloe asked, furiously.

"When I saw you at that party with that guy, I just thought-" James began, but Chloe interrupted him.

"You thought I was cheating with him? You cheated on me because you thought something happened with Brad?" Chloe practically shouted. "I innocently go to a party and you think I'm cheating?"

"Well I have no way to know what's going on at those parties when you go alone," James tried to defend himself. Chloe just stared at him in confusion.

"You expect me to accept that as the reason you cheated on me with not one but
two
people? Why didn't you believe me when I said nothing happened with him?" Chloe asked.

"Chloe I'm sorry-" James pleaded, before Chloe interjected again.

"No James! I've had it! You never let me out of the house, and yet you expect me to keep up this image that is not truly me. I can't take this anymore!" Chloe yelled at him, angry tears coming to her eyes.

Chloe turned and wiped the tears off of her cheeks. James just looked down at the snow-covered ground. He didn't know how to respond to Chloe. He began to shiver in the cold winter air.

He did feel bad that his lifestyle came at a cost of her happiness. But it wasn't worth it to end things and make their parents upset.

After a few moments of silence, Chloe took a deep breath and turned back around.

"Are you happy in this marriage?" Chloe asked. Her voice was now calm and hoarse from her tears. James knew he wasn't happy but he couldn't admit it. He had to make her stay with him. It may have been selfish to be thinking this way, but he couldn't let her go and face their parents alone.

"I-I don't know…" James responded.

"Everything just isn't going the way I thought it would. I mean, I grew up hearing all these stories about how great it is to live this way. I thought it would be great to not have to work a day of my life and still have everything I could ever want. But it turns out I don't have everything I could ever want. Something's missing," Chloe explained as James listened intently.

"What do you mean?" James inquired. He had never heard her express these feelings before.

"I mean I don't love you James. I don't feel loved. I don't feel like I even have a husband sometimes," Chloe admitted. James was taken aback; he had not expected her to admit that. He felt the same way, but he knew he had to hold on desperately to this marriage.

"But I do love you," James responded. He was beginning to feel guilty but he needed her to stay.

"Really James? You love me? You're looking for comfort in other women and you're in this marriage for all the wrong reasons," Chloe said. "That's not love. You can try to convince me, and yourself, that you love me but really you just have an image to keep up."

"I don't know Chloe," James said. It was hard to not give in. He knew she was right.

"Tell me this: when you imagine our future what do you see? Because I sure as hell have no idea where we go from here," Chloe confessed.

"I guess you're right. But what can we do?" James asked with a shrug.

"I want a divorce," Chloe stated. James raised his eyebrows as he looked at her like she was crazy.

"That's not going to happen," James declared with assurance.

"Why not? We are both unhappy," Chloe argued, as she threw her hands in front of her.

"Think of what that would do to your parents, my parents, and me. It would be humiliating," James explained as if it were obvious. It was hard to control his anger as it boiled through his veins.

"I don't care James. You don't control me," Chloe argued raising her voice once more.

"Hey, I'm just looking out for you. You know what society we're part of and divorce is not acceptable," James lectured hoping she would remember that and stay. Chloe just rolled her eyes.

"James, I'm done with this lifestyle. I'm tired of living up to everyone else's standards. I've never liked this," Chloe explained. James just stared at her in disbelief.

"Don't do this Chloe," James begged.

"I have to," Chloe stated timidly.

"No, I'm telling you not to," James demanded, furiously.

"You can't tell me what to do anymore. I can make my own decisions," Chloe said calmly.

"Don't go," James pleaded. He knew he was over the line with the cheating, but to have her leave wouldn't do him any good.

"I'll send you the divorce papers, James," Chloe stated. Then she pushed past him like a turnstile as he stood there stunned. Chloe opened her car door and climbed inside.

She turned the keys in the ignition, when suddenly there was a tap on her window. Chloe pressed the button to roll the window down. James crouched down to talk to her.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I don't know yet. All I know is that anywhere is better than here," Chloe answered with a small smile. With that she rolled the window up. James stepped away from the car.

Chloe drove away leaving James standing alone in the snowy clearing.

Chloe drove back to New York City unsure of what to do. She felt slightly panicked not knowing where to go.

Chloe decided to go back to her apartment, but not for long. If James did follow her, she didn't want to talk to him at this point in time.

She arrived at the apartment and went up the many flights of stairs, still living with the slight phobia of elevators. When she unlocked the door and walked inside, the atmosphere felt much colder and uninviting than usual. It was dead silent; the only sound came from Chloe's footsteps against the floor.

Chloe threw her keys onto the coffee table. Suddenly the sound of the phone ringing broke the silence. Chloe jumped in shock, putting her hand over her pounding heart.

When her breathing had calmed down she picked up the phone.

"Hello?" Chloe answered.

"Chloe Etienne, what the hell do you think you are doing young lady?" Chloe knew right away the furious voice of her father.

"I went home," Chloe replied, nervously.

"Don't you get smart with me. What makes you think you can divorce James?" Philip asked. "Your mother and I worked hard to set up this life for you and this is how you repay us, by disgracing our family?"

"Daddy, I'm sorry but I can't stay married to him. I don't love him," Chloe responded on the verge of tears.

"Don't you care what everyone thinks?" Philip asked, still angry.

"No I don't. I can't live this way and I don't know why you want me to," Chloe explained. She listened as her father let out a breath of air.

"Chloe, either you stay with him or you will have to find your own money for a divorce," Philip explained.

"I guess I'm getting a job then," Chloe answered.

"Where are you going to live?" Philip enquired.

"I don't know but anywhere is better than here. Tell James not to try and find me. I'll talk to him later," Chloe stated. She walked over to get ready to hang up the phone.

"I hope you realize that I'm not going to give you money anymore," Philip threatened, trying to win her over.

"I don't want your money," Chloe stated. "Goodbye."

Chloe hung up with confidence, but it slowly faded as she stood there staring at the phone. She began to panic again, not knowing what to do next.

Chloe walked through her apartment trying to figure out a plan. She ran her hand along a table but stopped when she touched a decorative bowl. She peered inside it and noticed a few bills and coins of money. She shoved the money into her pockets.

She continued to walk into her bedroom. She considered lying down and sleeping knowing she could decide what to do in the morning. But Chloe scrapped that idea when she remembered that James might follow her home, leading to another argument.

She contemplated where to go. A friend's house wasn't a good idea since her only friends were part of the life she was trying to escape. Maybe she could stay at a hotel for the night.

Chloe went into the drawer of her bedside table, figuring she could find more money to pay for a hotel room. She searched through the depths of her drawer, but came up empty handed.

Chloe sat on her bed completely defeated and frustrated. She put her head in her hands and let out all of the emotions she held inside. She sat on the edge of her bed and sobbed.

After what felt like hours Chloe finally took her head out of her hands and wiped her eyes. Crying wasn't going to solve anything. She looked at the clock on her bedside table; it was 10:48pm. She sighed and looked around her dark bedroom. She hadn't even bothered turning the lights on.

Then something in her drawer caught her eye. Chloe reached inside and pulled out a small, square piece of paper. She read what was written on the card.