(Leo's POV)
I watch as Violet is dragged away by her domineering aunt. As the events of the day replay in my mind, and the image of her tear stained face lingers, a stern looking man walks toward me.
“Father, I can explain,” I start to say before he holds up a hand and squints, his expression blank. Disappointment is evident in his eyes and I brace for the onslaught of criticism he has lined up for me.
“You know better than this, Leo,” he begins with a cold edge as he continues with the usual lectures. “The company's image is what makes us move forward. If news got out that your bride tried to flee, we would be a laughing stock. I'm only allowing this union because her father was an executive director and you need their trust. Don't let anything like this happen again.”
“Yes, father. I will personally see to it that Ms. Bennet goes through with the wedding,” I respond with a distant monotone.
“You better. I didn't raise you to be a failure,” he spouts before wobbling back to the car. Standing in the cold salty air, the orange sky signaled the ending of an unfortunate day and the start of endless problems.
On the evening of the next day, I head up the stairs till I’m standing in front of Violet's door. To keep the whispers to a minimum, Violet and her aunt were staying in the mansion until the wedding was confirmed once more. “Be charming and relaxed,” I repeat in my head before progressing.
“Ms. Bennet?” I ask while knocking on the hard surface. When no reply is heard, I knock a few more times. On the fourth attempt when there was still no answer, I gingerly opened the door only to find the room vacant.
Traipsing back downstairs, a glimpse of a black haired head catches my attention and I see Violet's figure walking in the distance. “Ms. Bennet!” I shout whilst exiting through the backdoor, causing her to turn around in alarm. “Wait, just give me a minute.”
“Why? Why should I listen to you after what you didn't say that day?! Was it fun messing with me, the naive woman you were to marry? I suppose you wealthy billionaires have no problem toying with other's emotions, ” she questions and accuses one after another, each one growing more upset.
I shake my head, the words I had carefully planned out all vanishing from my mind at the sight of her harsh expression.
“Ms. Bennet, please just give me a moment to elaborate,” I pleaded, my hands finding their way through my disheveled hair. She glares with those amazing brown eyes and I find myself reaching for her hand. Violet twitches slightly as I carefully lift her hand and place a soft kiss on the pale skin.
“I should have told you. I'm sorry, but you were just not what I expected and it made me curious.” She squints at my words and tilts her head, a quizzical look gracing her features. My heart aches as her eyes meet mine and I almost feel bad about lying.
“Can we try this again? With proper introductions this time perhaps?” I suggest in a light tone, desperately hoping she agrees.
“Yeah, I guess. It's not like I have any better options,” she finally responded after a few nerve wracking minutes. We stand in awkward silence before I break out in a smile. Violet cutely looks away, a light blush evident on her pale skin as she tries to hide behind her hair. She pulls her hand away, leaving mine now feeling far too empty, and begins walking toward the mansion for dinner.
The next day, I purposely linger in the kitchen as the morning turns to afternoon. The slight pang of guilt I feel occasionally is forced down with the expectations I am to meet. Any feelings of compassion have been gone from my being for a long time, so I have no reason to start now.
Gentle footsteps are heard approaching and I quickly take my place at the fridge, trying to look natural. Violet turns the corner and immediately pauses, clearly surprised by my presence. “Good afternoon,” I greet while sipping my coffee. “Did you sleep well?”
“More or less,” she hesitantly responds, walking toward the table. I quickly walk beside her and try to make small talk.
“Would you care to join me for lunch?” I offer. Violet seems to know what I’m up to, but still nods in acceptance, earning a genuine smile.
“Ah, my favorite. How about you? What food do you often like?” I inquire as we sit down to plates filled with club sandwiches and chips.
“Just stuff,” Violet vaguely replies, her eyes never meeting mine.
“Well isn't this a sight,” Bella comments as she enters. “Not even two days later and the runaway couple is having a meal together. How adorable!”
Her personality came off as fake as her eyelashes, but she seemed to be helping with my goal anyway. I force a smile, only to see Violet shooting daggers at the both of us. “We're not a couple, Aunt Bella,” Violet aggressively states.
“Yes, you are. The wedding is in the will. You wouldn't want to deny their final wishes, would you?” Bella mockingly questions, her tone showing no sign of sentiment.
“If only it had been me,” I hear Violet mumble between bites of sandwich. This throws me off guard and I stare at the miserable looking woman across from me.
“Ms. Bennet?” I ask nervously, trying to shift the topic of conversation to something else. She hums in response, not bothering to look up. “May I ask you to accompany me to work tomorrow?”
This question gets her attention as she shoots me a very skeptical look. “Why?” Violet inquiries with extreme caution and I chuckle at her frowning face. Even when she's grumpy she looks absolutely beautiful.
“That is a wonderful idea, Mr. Whitlock!” Bella’s voice exclaims. “Showing off your wealth and reliable work ethic might convince this sorry lady to behave for once.” Glares are exchanged between the two women once more and I start to realize a mistake in timing.
“The office is where I spend most of my time. You might like to see the view from the top floor,” I ramable in cool toned nervousness. Violet looks away and through the window's reflection I spot her conflicted eyes.
“Alright. Tomorrow it is then, Leo” she replies, her frown overriding the previous conflict I had witnessed.
“Good and I hope to hear pleasant tales of your future plans upon return, dear Vee,” Bella confidently states as she saunters out of the kitchen.
“And I hope that a meteor hits the Earth before morning,” Violet mocks before abruptly exiting out the side door.
Left alone with my now cold coffee, I can't help but think, “Oh, this is gonna be harder than I thought.”(Violet's POV) The kitchen floor is cold as I lay there, staring at the black phone screen. The phone call rendered me immobile, the shock of the news hitting me like a semi truck. Cold and alone, I knew that the warmth of the house would never return, just like them. “Violet!” my mother's voice replies in my mind endlessly. I scream to make it stop, the quiet, my name, everything. As the darkness grows lighter, I gasp when a dull pain throbs in my head. Opening my eyes, I find myself tangled in the sheets and on the floor. “Another nightmare. How lovely,” I bitterly think to myself. Pushing off the floor, I hobble over to the dresser to get ready. “He just has to leave at seven, huh?” I grumply think as I lay out a few outfits on the oversized bed. I slept until it was almost time to leave, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to never deal with him again. After settling on a plain shirt and jeans combo, I stumbled down the stairs towards the kitchen for a much needed cup o
(Leo's POV) The day dragged on after Violet left, the residue of the eventful morning lingering throughout my workspace. Shoving the remainder of the paperwork in with the laptop, I get ready for what awaits back home. A small part of me wouldn't be surprised if Violet took off given how poorly I just treated her. After all, our relationship was built on a rocky foundation to begin with. I make my way to the second floor, I spare a glance at Violet's room before entering my own. Flipping the light switch, I nearly have a heart attack when I see Violet seated on the bed. “What the hell are you doing in here?!” I demand, trying to regain my composure. It takes a lot to maintain a cool exterior around basically everybody. “I'm just waiting to confirm something. So, how was work?” she innocently inquired, her gaze seemingly more confident than before. My mind is too rattled by her sudden appearance to properly warn me about the trap that was set for me. “Fine. Are you bothe
(Violet's POV) “I feel strange,” I state at the top of the stairs. The royal blue dress the maids squeezed me into compressing my rib cage until it was hard to move. Leo doesn't say a word, but instead stares with a strange expression. I grip the handrail as I descend the curved structure, stopping a few steps before the floor. “You look beautiful,” he comments while extending a hand. I feel the heat rush to my cheeks as I quickly grab it and clear my throat. “You look nice too,” I replied and it was true. He wore a classic tuxedo with a bow tie and his hair slicked back. If there was ever a time when he looked the part of CEO, it was now. The party was held in the penthouse of a presumably high ranking man in the business world. Leo had told me a bit about it, but I was more nervous about the guests than the host. “No need to be nervous,” Leo comments beside me in the car. I scoff as he smiles with that same false expression. “There's no need to pretend either,” I shoot b
(Leo's POV) I watch in slow motion as Violet's skin drains of all color and her feeble body drops to the ground, incapacitated by some invisible force. As panic overrides my once abundant anger, I find myself rushing to her side. “Violet!” I shout while pulling her loose body into my arms. Adrenaline burns my blood as waves of startled thoughts race through my frantic mind. “Help! Somebody call for help!” I cry, heaving her strangely light form off the ground. Violet doesn't stir as I carry her down the stairs and towards an awaiting car. “What in the world is going on?!” I hear Violet's Aunt question on the way out, but I don't spare her a moment. After gently placing Violet in the backseat, I climb in next to her and the vehicle bolts for the nearest hospital. “Please, wake up,” I mumble between strained breaths. Her fair complexion remains unnaturally white and I brush back the fallen locks from her face. As we pull up to the front doors, the area is quickly filled with
(Violet's POV) “Leo,” I speak in a barely audible whisper. My eyes are still slightly blurry as I stare into his tear stained ones. Overcome with what seems like relief, he swiftly leans over and wraps his arms around my fragile body. “I'm so sorry, Vee. I'm sorry,” he repeats over and over again. As I slowly stroke his disheveled hair and return his warm embrace, Leo's familiar scent washes over me. Our close proximity surrounds me in a bubble of comfort and I instantly relax. “I know. It's alright,” I tried to reassure him. The first thing I saw when I woke up was Leo, slumped over and sobbing. Any resentment or fury that had boiled up inside me, vanished at the sight of his vulnerability. “I guess you know my major flaw now, huh?” I joke in an attempt to ease his obvious distress. A frown forms on his handsome face as he shakes his head. “Vee, I wouldn't call it that,” Leo states, his face drained of all humor. My cheeks grow warm as I find myself looking away. His gentle
(Leo's POV) I quickly close the door to Violet's room and hurriedly make way to mine. After reaching safety and solitude, I run my hands through my hair repeatedly. “Why did she do that? It caught me completely off guard,” my mind screams in confused pleasure. I'm still thinking about her gentle touch when a stern knock comes from the door. Before I have time to respond, it opens to reveal my unamused father. “What were you thinking?! Taking time off work just to be next to that pathetic woman's side! Have you lost all reason, boy?” he criticizes with no remorse. I'm tempted to remind him that my actual age is twenty-four, but know it would only anger him more. “She collapsed, father. It is only right that as her fiance I stay with her until she has recovered,” I attempt to reason with him. His face morphs into a scowl and the look in his eyes scorns me without words. “Get your priorities right, boy. She may be your future bride now, but I can easily arrange for that to be chang
(Violet's POV) The mud splashes up and coats my pants in a thin layer of grime as I watch Leo walk into the distance. My face is burning with anger and it is nearly impossible to turn any thoughts into words. I grip the unwanted umbrella in my hands as I look down at the splashing rain. Deep inside, I had a feeling Leo didn't know what was said. However, if there was even the slightest chance that he did, then I'd be a fool to trust him. “Even if it's true, he didn't have to be so heartless,” I mumbled to myself, recalling the encounter from last night. The Previous Night After Leo bolted out the room, I cleaned myself up and started heading to bed. Before reaching the plush sheets, there was a knock at my door. “Leo?” I asked while tugging open the wooden door. Standing before me was an older gentleman with an almost grim expression. “Ms. Bennet, I believe we need to have a chat,” he plainly states. My gut starts to spiral, alerting me to the outcome of this conversation. “O
(Leo's POV) Violet blinks a few times before shifting to grab a cookie. I nod at the confirmation of my suspicions and patiently wait to see if she will tell me herself. “I know you don't want this marriage either,” Violet quietly begins, her eyes still on the coffee table. “But somehow, being called too sickly to even be near you felt unnecessary.” Her voice sounded so raw and it wasn't long before gentle drops fell from her eyes, leaving small water spots on her pants. I move my hand towards hers, but stop before it could reach. “I never said that, Vee. That was all my father's doing. He sees emotions and trauma as weakness. I know that better than anyone,” I try to comfort her. Violet's red tinted eyes gaze up from beneath her dark hair and I catch a glimpse of an expression I have witnessed countless times. It was the same look I always wore after my mother left, one that shows how completely alone someone feels. Quickly, I lean over and grab the worn leather notebook from