I MARRIED MY NEMESIS

HeartbreakAnniversary

As she drew closer, Jason had the nerve to look annoyed rather than ashamed.

“Tessa, what are you doing here?” He sighed, his hazel eyes looking stormy.

Red flashed before her eyes. “What am I doing here?

I’m supposed to be on our anniversary date, but I find you shoving your tongue down some bimbo’s throat!”

“Tessa, wait-” Jason reached out a hand, but she swatted it away.

“Don’t touch me!” She stated this through gritted teeth, her eyes wild. Then she turned to the woman. “And YOU. Who the hell do you think you are?”

The woman took a step back, and Tessa noticed her features. It couldn’t be. Please, not Maddie. Anyone but her cousin.

“Maddie?” She gasped in disbelief. “You’ve got to be f*****g kidding me.”

“Surprise cuz,” Maddie smirked. “Miss Perfect Tessa finds out the truth.”

Jason ran a hand through his hair, meeting Tessa’s hard stare. “Tessa, things haven’t been the same between us for a while. We’ve grown apart.”

“Grown apart?” She cried. “It’s our two-year anniversary! How could you do this to me?”

“Maybe if you weren’t always so busy with work, you would have noticed!” Maddie cut in. “I was always there for him when you weren’t.”

“Stay out of this, Maddie!” Tessa snapped. Then she turned back to Jason. “So that’s it? You just cheated on me with my cousin behind my back?”

“It just happened,” Jason stated, his lips pressed in a grim line.

Tessa’s voice rose in volume and pitch. “I devoted two years of my life to you! How long has this been going on behind my back?”

“A few months,” Jason mumbled.

“So you thought the night of our anniversary was a good time to tell me?”

He shrugged. “I was going to do it tomorrow. Maddie and I are together now; it’s over between us.”

Hot tears stung Tessa’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall in front of him. Over, just like that?

“I can’t believe you’re doing this with my cousin,” she said weakly, glancing at Maddie, who was calm.

Jason sighed again, as if Tessa were the one inconveniencing him. “I’m sorry you had to find out like this.”

She couldn’t stand it any longer and turned away when Jason’s next words made her freeze.

“By the way, the ring, please.”

She turned back to face him, her chest heaving. “The ring?” she echoed.

After everything he had just admitted, he still had the nerve to demand the ring back here in the middle of the street!

“Give me back the ring, Tessa,” Jason repeated, holding out his hand.

With fumbling fingers, she tugged and twisted the engagement ring from her left hand.

Then she threw it as hard as she could at his chest. He flinched as it bounced off him and fell to the ground.

“Be careful; that’s twenty-four-karat gold,” he snapped.

Her hand itched to slap his face or Maddie’s, but she balled it into a fist at her side instead, her nails digging into her palms.

“You know what? To hell with you both,” she firmly said before spinning on her heel. She didn’t look back as she walked away, hoping she didn’t trip on her own shoes because of how wobbly her legs felt.

The moment she reached her car and got in, she began gasping for air. And then the tears started slipping down her cheeks as she sped away, her vision getting blurry as she could barely see.

After a few minutes of driving with no destination in mind, she pulled over on a deserted side street and broke down in heavy sobs.

The man she had loved with all her heart had shattered it in the cruelest way possible. Sitting there crying alone in the dark, she felt more worthless and unlovable than ever before.

She must have cried for a good twenty minutes.

After exhaling a shuddering breath, she wiped her eyes and started her car engine again.

“Tessa,” she said aloud, and she licked her lips, her hands tightening on the steering wheel. “This isn’t one of those movies where you’re going to end up at a bar, get drunk, and have a freaking one-night stand with some hot, handsome stranger.”

She was going to get drunk in the comfort of her house.

On reaching home, Tessa swayed unsteadily as she climbed out of her car, not bothering to park properly in her driveway. She stumbled through the front door, kicked off her heels, and went straight to the bar.

Her gaze landed on a bottle of red wine, and she grabbed it along with a large glass. Her hands trembled as she twisted the corkscrew, jerking it out with a pop.

“Something stronger would be better,” she muttered to herself as she poured until the liquid neared the brim.

The alcohol burned going down, but she welcomed it. Anything to wipe away the emotional pain for a little while.

Asher pulled up ten minutes later, frowning as he saw Tessa’s car blocking the driveway.

“Great, now I have to park on the street.” He murmured.

Getting out of his car, he marched to the front door and slammed his fist against it. “Tessa! Open up; I need to get my car into the garage.”

There was no answer at first, so he pounded harder. “Tessa, I know you’re in there. Open this door before I—”

“What do you want?” Tessa slurred, swinging the door open suddenly.

Asher’s irritation immediately melted into concern. “Tessa, are you alright? You don’t look so good.”

Tessa hiccuped, striving to appear casual. “I’m fine,” she insisted, taking a long sip from her glass. Wine dribbled down her chin. “Now if you’ll excuse me...” She tried to shut the door, but Asher shoved his foot in the gap.

“Like hell, you are. Have you been crying? Your mascara’s running.” His voice softened as he looked at her even more closely. “Tessa, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

God, she did not need his pity right now. Couldn’t he just leave her to drink in peace? Tessa swiped angrily at her wet cheeks. “Nothing happened, okay? Now go away and mind your own business.”

“Not until you tell me what’s got you smashed at,” Asher glanced at his watch, “not even nine o’clock. Come on, let me in. I just want to help.”

Against her better judgment, Tessa stepped aside calmly. Asher entered cautiously, his eyes scanning the room before landing on the open bottle of wine. A knowing look passed between them.

“Have you been drinking?” he asked quietly, already knowing the answer. Tessa looked away, her cheeks flushing.

“No, well, yes, but it’s none of your business!” She took another gulp from her glass. Asher frowned and reached for it.

“That’s enough, Tess. You shouldn’t drink that much; it’s not healthy.”

Tessa jerked away. “For once, stop acting like my elder brother. You don’t know what’s best for me.”

“I’m not trying to parent you, Tess, I swear. I just want to help. What the heck happened?” His deep brown eyes bore into her with genuine concern.

For a few seconds, Tessa warred with herself. She didn’t want to tell him but needed someone to confide in.

“It’s over with Jason,” she cried. “He cheated on me, with Maddie of all people!”

Asher looked perplexed for a moment and then cleared his throat.

“I’m guessing Maddie is your auntie... or niece?”

She frowned. “My cousin, genius,”

“Oh.” He responded quickly. “And Jason is supposed to be your...?” He trailed off.

“Fiancé. Well, ex-fiancé.”

His eyes widened in shock. “You were engaged?” He paused, staring at Tessa, who looked at him silently.

Sighing deeply, his strong hands gently grasped her shoulders affectionately. “I’m so sorry, Tessa. You didn’t deserve that.”

That was all it took to make the dam break again.

He closed the space between them and pulled her tightly into his arms, stroking her hair softly.

“Whoever that bastard was, it was his loss,” Asher said fiercely.

His protective tone and comforting musky scent gave Tessa a strange sense of calmness.

When her tears subsided, Asher pulled away just enough to wipe her teary cheeks with his thumb.

Lifting her chin with a finger, he gazed into her eyes. “You’re going to get through this, Tessa.”

In that moment, gazing up at him and taking in his handsome, caring features, Tessa felt a surge of emotion she couldn’t describe.

Without thinking, she stretched up on her tiptoes, grasped his face, and pressed her lips to Asher’s. They were softer than she expected, warm, and inviting against her own. For a few blissful seconds, Tessa lost herself in the kiss, all thoughts of Jason falling away.

Then suddenly, Asher froze, and his whole body became rigid as a board. Quickly, he pulled away, his eyes flying wide with shock.