The Rejected Mayor of London

“Who is the bouquet of flowers for, sir.” “It's for my fiancée.” “Ohh…she must be very lucky to have a sweet gentleman like you.” “I bet she is.” “Tonight, she’ll know how serious I am.” Aaron Mills adjusted his tie in the mirror as he entered the Windsor Royale Hotel where he was going to meet his heartthrob, Lucy Laywone, with a bouquet of lilies by his side. She would be dead surprised to see him, since she had assumed he was in faraway California. He loved her deeply, sometimes too much. Maybe tonight he’d propose again with no cameras or staged fancy restaurant, just the two of them. Once he reached her suite on the seventh floor, he could hear soft moans, the muffled, breathy, intimate type. But there was another voice, masculine, deep and familiar. The kind that crept into old memories and twisted the gut. Aaron's steps slowed. His jaw clenched, the bouquet now hung limply in his hand. He slipped his keycard into the lock Lucy had given to him weeks ago for “emergencies.” He wasn’t prepared for the emergency that would become. The green light blinked, the door opened, and his entire world stopped. On the bed, tangled in white sheets and betrayal, was Lucy, his fiancée, and Gray Mills, his stepbrother. Gray was shirtless, his back facing him. Lucy lay beneath him, hair sprawled over the pillows, her lips parted in pleasure. “Aaron!” She shoved Gray aside, clutching the sheet to her naked body. Gray turned, his eyes widened. “Aaron?” “What... is this?” Aaron asked as the bouquet slipped from his hands. Lilies scattered like fallen hope and his eyes flicked between the two fornicators. “Aaron…let me explain…” Lucy trembled in fear. Aaron turned to Gray. “You bastard!...I should've known you were a green snake all along.” Gray stood, pulling his shirt over his body. “Aaron, I'm sorry I didn’t mean for this to happen. It just…” “You didn’t mean this?” Aaron repeated, his voice cracking. “So what, you tripped and fell into her?” Lucy stood too, the sheet still wrapped around her. “Aaron, please. It was a mistake. I can explain.” Gray looked at her. “Save it. We might as well tell him the truth now, there’s nothing more to hide.” “Truth?...what truth?” Aaron's voice cracked. Gray chuckled. “She chose me, Aaron. You were always the dull one, broke, dreaming, and clinging to scraps. What did you expect her to do? Wait forever while you chase illusions?” Aaron fought hard to withhold the boiling rage in his heart. If he had a gun, Gray would've been a goner. Lucy looked down shamefully. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen...I don't know what came over me.” He only asked, “How long?” “Three months.” Three months. A quarter of a year. He hadn't paid attention to the red flags, the incessant hideous calls, the long vacations, her cold attitude and all. It was sad that while he saved for vacations, she had been sharing bedsheets with his own stepbrother. Women. “I see.” Aaron slowly tossed the bouquet on the bed as Lucy’s lips quivered. “You're happy, right?” “Aaron, I…” “I lied to myself, even when the signs were there,” he cut in. “And we were planning our wedding, too.” “Aaron, please…” Lucy’s eyes welled up with tears. Aaron stepped back, shaking his head. “I hope it was worth it.” He turned to leave as Lucy reached out. “Wait, please. Don’t go like this.” Aaron wriggled her off, eyes blurry. "Aaron…Aaron, listen to me. Please, it’s not…" Her voice got drowned as he stepped into the elevator. Now alone, Gray felt guilty like a cursed sinner destined for condemnation. Lucy had begged him to stay, but Gray couldn’t, not with her crying like she did what had never been done before. She needed space to think, maybe even to pretend this never happened. He told himself they hadn't really done anything wrong. Aaron was barely keeping his life together. No job, no real ambition. Always chasing dreams that never landed. Maybe Lucy deserved better, maybe he was doing her a favor. Maybe he was saving her. “This is foolishness, he'll get over it.” He muttered under his breath as he entered his black sedan. The hotel staff had tried so hard to hide their judgmental stares as he had walked out slowly; but he didn't give two cents about the bastards. Back at the hotel, Lucy had stopped crying. She now stood by the window, speaking to her father on the phone. The line clicked. “Lucy,” came the deep and commanding voice of Master Laywone. “Dad,” she said, her voice tight. “Aaron caught me, with Gray.” There was silence as if the world stood still. Then he gave a low chuckle. “Finally.” Lucy blinked. “You’re… happy?” “Of course I am. I didn't know what you saw in that boy in the first place, but I'm proud that he is out of your life now. You need someone with power, wealth, and legacy.” Lucy turned from the window. “But I was with Aaron. I…” Laywone interrupted. “Aaron is a doormat. A poor, sentimental doormat. You’ve outgrown him.” Lucy hesitated. “Aaron looked at me like he didn’t even recognize me.” Laywone scoffed. “Good, let him vanish. You’ve done your part. Now is the time to build up something beautiful with Gray.” Laywone continued. “Men like Gray always have power, connections, and influence. And now, with you beside him, he’ll have legitimacy.” Lucy’s voice dropped. “You think this is my chance.” “I know it is,” Laywone said. “You’ve been waiting for the right fracture. Aaron catching you was the c***k in the glass. Now break it.” She looked down at her hands. “I didn’t mean for him to see.” Laywone’s voice softened. “Honey, you were born for more than apologies. You were born for the empire.” She swallowed. “Aaron will be devastated.” “He’ll survive,” Laywone said. “Or he won’t. Either way, he’s not your concern anymore.” Lucy stood, walking slowly toward the mirror. Her reflection stared back. “I don’t know if Gray loves me,” “Love? Lucy, love is a currency. You can't waste your beauty on a sorrow like Aaron.” She turned sharply, blushing red. She nodded slowly. “I’ll speak to Gray tonight.” “Good,” Lay wone said. “And Lucy?” “Yes?” “Don’t forget to block Aaron everywhere. From social media to calls and text.” “I will.” She smiled faintly.