“What the…” Rome felt the blood drain from his face. “What did you say?”
Iyana did not repeat herself. She just sat there, staring back at him, her eyes defiant.
“I knew it. How could you? Have you been cheating on me?" With those words, the first she had spoken since Iyana’s arrival, Arie exploded. But the target of her tirade was not Iyana but Rome.
And Rome was floored. His world was crumbling around his ears and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Arie was bristling beside him but his eyes were fixed on Iyana. “Why the devil would you say something like that?” he demanded, the anger mounting inside him.
“Because it’s true.” And those words, so simply but so clearly expressed, were what finally damned him.
As soon as the words left Iyana’s lips Arie tore into him. “So this woman has been working for you, how long? Almost two years? Working with you every day, in love with you, and you had no idea? Do you expect me to believe that?” Suddenly, she switched from Rome to the other woman. “Were you involved with Rome?”
Iyana was beginning to look sullen but she answered nonetheless. “Not physically, no.” Emphasis on the word ‘physically’. And the way she said it, soft and seductive, made it seem like, physical or not, there’d been a whole lot going on.
And if Rome hadn’t known it before, he knew it now – he was in big trouble.
“Okay, I’ve answered your question,” Iyana said, rising. “I’ve got to go.” And just like that, after dropping her bombshell, she walked away, leaving Rome in the deepest mess he’d been in, in his life.
“So there was nothing going on between the two of you, right?” Arie’s tone was so sarcastic it was clear she meant the exact opposite. “You had an emotional thing going and yet you said there was nothing between the two of you.” Her eyes flashing, she clenched her teeth as she bit out the words. “What did you guys do all day? Flirt with each other?” And then, as if a thought suddenly struck her, she gasped. “You took her on that trip with you, that trip to Italy. You told me it was just business but it was a lot more than that.” She gave him a look so full of hurt that his heart quaked. For the second time that night she cried, “How could you?”
Arie shot up from her chair and grabbed her purse. “I’m leaving.”
Her movement shocked Rome out of his stupor and he reached out to grab her hand. “No, wait. We have to talk. It’s not what you think.”
Her eyes narrowed as she looked down at him. “Isn’t it?”
“No, it’s not. Sit down Arie. You can’t leave in the heat of the moment like this, not until we talk.” Rome kept his voice low and even but inside he was in turmoil. Would she think of leaving him over something as petty as this? He would never let that happen. He had to make her see the truth.
But Arie would not budge. “No,” she said, pulling her hand from his grasp. “I can’t bear to sit here with you a minute longer. I need…” She put a hand to her forehead, looking bewildered. “I need some time…to think about this.” Then she shook her head. "I…we need to take a break for a while. I can’t deal with this.” With a sob, she turned and hurried away, practically running out the door.
And Rome sat there watching her flight, wanting to run after her but knowing that right now she needed her space.
He could only hope that when he reached out to her, her emotions would have settled enough so that he could tell her his side of the story.
***
“Good morning, Mrs. Mullings.” Rome gave his temp what he hoped was a pleasant smile even though he felt like his heart had died inside. It had been four days since he’d last seen his fiancee and with each day that passed he was falling deeper and deeper into despair. Would he ever regain the love and respect of his beloved Arie?
He walked into his office and closed the door behind him then dropped his laptop bag on the desk and sank down into his chair. He was definitely in no mood to work today. Deep in thought, he tilted back in his chair and raised his feet to prop them, ankles crossed, on the edge of his desk.
He’d called Arie the same evening of the incident but she’d refused to pick up the phone. He hadn’t persisted, wanting to give her time to calm down. Next day he called three times before she picked up the call and when they spoke, her side of the conversation had been terse. He called every day after that, asking to see her, and each time she’d refused. He’d thought she would come around by now but things were ending up being just the opposite. It was like, with each passing day, her resolve to stay away from him was hardening into stone.
Lost in his dismal thoughts, he jumped when there was a tap at his door. Quickly, he slid his feet to the floor and straightened up in his chair. It wouldn’t do to have Mrs. Mullings, the matron he’d chosen as his temp, walking in to find her boss lounging like he was in his sofa at home. Despite his depressed mood, the least he could do was act like a professional while in office.
“Come in,” he called out and Mrs. Mullings walked in, looking apologetic.
“I’m sorry to disturb you, Mr. Milano,” she said in her gentle voice. “There’s a young lady here to see you. She doesn’t have an appointment but she insists that it’s urgent.”
Rome’s heart leaped inside his chest. “Is it Arie?” he asked and when his assistant gave him a puzzled look he shook his head. Of course Mrs. Mullings wouldn’t know who he was talking about. She’d never met his fiancée. “Miss Angelis, I meant. Did she say her name is Arie Angelis?”
“No,” she said with a shake of her head. “This lady’s name is Iyana Jackson.”
The words hit Rome hard. His hopes had shot through the roof with the announcement but his visitor was not Arie. Worse, it was the woman who had destroyed his life.
“What does she want?” he bit out, but the shocked look on Mrs. Mullings’ face made him tone it down fast. “Did she say?”
“No, just that it was urgent.”
“Send her in, please.”
The woman nodded and went back to the main office. When she returned, the unexpected guest in tow, it was a subdued Iyana who came into the room.
When Mrs. Mullings left, closing the door behind her, Rome waved Iyana to the vacant chair but his demeanor was far from welcoming. “I can’t say this is a pleasant surprise,” he said, regarding her with a look just shy of contempt.