Falling for my Ex-Fiancee’s Best friend

“What are you doing here?” Nathan seethed.

Hampton stood imperiously by the door, an arrogant smirk on his face. He looked even more conceited than he ever possibly did. Demelza looked like she was about to explode.

“Hampton,” she cursed under her breath.

Hampton smiled, showing more teeth than was necessary. “In the flesh, baby.”

Demelza charged at him. Halfway, she took off her heel and held it aloft.

“Whoa! Calm down, Demelza.” Nathan huffed as he held her back. She struggled against his hold, straining to reach Hampton who was still standing, looking a little shaken, but otherwise, still the indefatigable asshole that he was.

“Just let me hit him. Just once.” Demelza growled.

Hampton straightened the lapels of his suit and flashed another ridiculous grin. “Damn, I do love a spicy ass woman. I almost want you back now.”

Nathan stared darkly at Hampton. “maybe I should let her kill you.”

“You see the appeal now, don’t you?” Demelza supplied, but Nathan was already pulling her away. Nathan dropped her in his chair while Hampton ambled around the office, eyes roving.

“Quite an impressive place you’ve got for yourself here, Nathan.” Hampton whistled. “You almost look like you finally know what you’re doing.”

Nathan’s tone was calm. “Hampton, if not for the fact that I do not want to testify about a murder scene in my office, I assure you, you would lose your throat.” Pause. “Also, this furniture is difficult to maintain. The last thing I want is to be reminded that your blood is all over where I’m sitting. Why are you here?”

Hampton and Nathan had known each other since they were children. Nathan groaned as he waited for Hampton’s answer. But Hampton simply ignored Nathan and walked straight to the desk where Demelza was sitting in Nathan’s chair, heel still held dangerously in one hand.

“I told you no one is going to love you like I loved you. I told you, didn’t I? And you didn’t listen. You went right ahead and did what you wanted and went with whoever you wanted. You thought you were wise and smart and oh, so glorious, and look what it’s gotten you. Nathan has gotten some random chick pregnant and you’re here picking up the pieces of your life, and you’re all so…”

“I swear, Hampton, if you don’t stop talking…” Demelza said frostily.

“I told you what would happen,” Hampton continued. “I told you that you could never trust Nathan. He’s betrayed me before, and he’s betraying me even right now. Nathan kills everyone around him. He’s a lawyer. He lies through his teeth-that’s his job.”

“And what is your job, Hampton?”

Hampton ignored her question.

“I loved you, Demelza,” Hampton continued earnestly, but Demelza only scoffed and looked away. “I love you. Even now. Even after all the horrible things you’ve done…”

“What? After what I’ve done?” Demelza practically screeched. Nathan worried that his employees would be able to hear their conversation, but Demelza was not done talking.

“You think that was love, Hampton? You don’t even know the meaning of the word!” She raised her voice and jumped out from the chair. “All that time, you were manipulating me and you claimed that you loved me. I was only a fool. I was too foolish to really see or understand anything, and I let you take advantage of me. I’m not in love with you. You’re not in love with me, either. All you want is somebody to satisfy your ego and drain your balls when you feel like it.”

Hampton started, “Demelza, that’s not true.”

But Demelza cut him off. At this point in time, everything else faded away from her sight. Not the office and its tasteful decorations, not Nathan who was standing in a corner trying to make himself appear invisible, and certainly not the twisted words of this sick sick man who claimed to love her.

“You never loved me, Hampton. You don’t know what it means to love anybody other than yourself, and you don’t even love yourself. What we had? What you showed to me…? That was not love. That was never love.”

Demelza collapsed back into the chair as if saying those things out loud had sapped her of all her energy. She rubbed her head with a hand, sighing wearily. “I don’t know what your big idea is, Hampton, but you should leave.”

Hampton started to protest, but at that moment, Nathan coughed and sidled up to Hampton.

“I think you heard her, Hampton,” he said. “It’s time for you to go.” Nathan stared Hampton down. “This is my office, Hampton. My rules. You have no right to be here, and you have no power either. But just in case if you’re still doubting…”

Nathan walked to the desk and pushed a button. “Get me security. There’s a man I’d like escorted out.”

In a few moments, the guards were in the office with the three of them.

“This man is trying to make himself a permanent fixture in this office; I would like you to please see him out.” Nathan said to the security guards.

They grabbed Hampton’s arms, but Hampton shook them away, insisting that he could leave on his own.

Hampton’s face was flushed red and the position of the tie on his neck had shifted. “I’ll pay you back, Nathan, I swear it. You’ll both regret it!”

But Nathan only smiled an idyllic smile. “Goodbye, Nathan.”

After the security had escorted Hampton out and Nathan was absolutely sure that Hampton is nowhere near the firm anymore, he shot a text to Hampton.

Hampton received it in the middle of driving, face furrowed in a frown.

Don’t act recklessly. I’ve still got copies of all the receipts of your ‘business’. Nathan reminded him.

Hampton snarled at the text when he saw that the message was from Nathan. Just who did Nathan think he was? But Nathan didn’t care that Hampton might be annoyed, or even more than a little angry. All that Nathan cared about right now was getting back to Demelza.

“Demelza, I’m so-” Nathan began, but Demelza swiped her hands off him. She shot out of his chair and headed straight to the bathroom. She gagged and coughed and eventually began to barf her lungs out.

“Demelza?” Nathan asked timidly from a distance. He tried to open the door with his foot. “Demelza?” He asked. “Are you alright?”

The door suddenly slammed back against him. He was glad that he had taken his foot away at the last moment, but it had been a close call. Now he was really worried.

“Demelza, what’s going on?” Nathan asked her.

Demelza took what seemed to be a long time to respond. “There’s nothing going on, Nathan. Just stay away.”

“Are you sure? You don’t sound like there’s nothing going on.”

“I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong.” she insisted .

“There’s nothing to worry about. I’m good. Everything’s alright. Nothing’s going on.” she added.

“I could get you some pills or something…” ge suggested with his voice trailing off.

“I said I’m fine, Nathan!” she snapped.

Nathan recoiled from the sheer force of her words. He could still open the door to the bathroom, but now that he knew she was mad, he didn’t want to take the risk at all.

“Alright,” Nathan said resignedly. “I’ll let you be. I’ll be outside if you want any…”

He hadn’t completed his statement when the door swung open and Demelza stepped outside, looking… alright. She didn’t look at all like she had just finished puking her guts out.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

She picked up her bag, walking briskly for the door.

“Where are you going?” Nathan asked, concerned.

“None of your business.”

The door closed silently after her. Nathan stood there, watching with a nonplussed expression.

Much later, when the day had ended, Demelza was curled up on the floor next to her bed. The lights were dim and though the sounds of the neighbourhood outside filtered into her hotel room, she heard nothing. She had tuned out every single sound and thought to focus on the urine stick she held with both hands.

“Fuck!” she cussed.

She had come back a long time ago from the hospital after she left Nathan’s office, but she hadn’t wanted to let him know that she was heading for the hospital.

They had run several tests, and even though she had hoped and prayed that it wouldn’t be what she thought it would be, it was indeed.

The pregnancy kit that she held in her hand right now further confirmed it.

Demelza was pregnant.

Of all time to be pregnant, she thought with annoyance and sighed. “Fuck!” she expulsed again. This was the worst one possible.