Chapter 140 Fool twice
Chapter 140 Fool twice
Chapter 140: Fool twice
She walked toward the couch and sat down heavily, staring at the floor. “Do you know how stupid I felt standing there with that ring while they looked at me like I was begging for scraps?”
Flynn hesitated, then sat across from her. “They don’t understand.”
“Do you?” Pearl asked.
He opened his mouth, then closed it again. “I care about you,” he said finally.
Pearl looked up at him. “That’s not love.”
He bristled. “You’re being unfair.”
“Am I?” she asked. “Or are you just uncomfortable because I’m saying what you don’t want to admit?”
Flynn stood up and started pacing. “I asked you to marry me because it made sense.”
“There it is,” Pearl said softly.
He stopped. “That came out wrong.”
“No, it didn’t,” she replied. “It came out honest.”
She stood as well, her shoulders squaring. “You didn’t ask me because you couldn’t imagine life without me. You asked because it fit.”
Flynn turned to her. “Does that make it meaningless?”
“It makes it calculated,” Pearl answered.
He studied her face. “You’re angry.”
“Yes,” she said. “I am. And I’m hurt. And I’m embarrassed.”
“I didn’t mean to embarrass you,” he said.
“But you did,” she replied. “By standing there just now and making me feel like an afterthought.”
Flynn sighed. “What do you want from me right now?”
Pearl swallowed. “I want to know if you see me as your future or as a useful connection.”
Flynn was quiet again. When he spoke, his words were careful. “I see you as someone important.”
Her heart sank. “Important isn’t enough.”
He looked at her, really looked at her, and for a brief second she thought he might reach for her. Instead, he said, “Pearl, this isn’t the time to be emotional.”
That was the moment something in her hardened.
She nodded slowly. “You’re right,” she said. “It’s not.”
Flynn relaxed slightly, mistaking her shift for agreement. “Good.”
She slipped her hand into his and held it up between them. “Then this ring,” she said, “isn’t about feelings either.”
He frowned. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying,” Pearl replied, “that if this is strategic, then I can play strategy too.”
Flynn’s eyes narrowed. “Be careful.”
She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I am being careful.”
She pulled her hand back and straightened her shoulders. “You want to know what Coco is doing at Roy’s mansion? Fine. I’ll find out.”
Flynn studied her. “You would do that?”
“Yes,” she said without hesitation. “Because I’m tired of being underestimated.”
He hesitated, then nodded. “That would help.”
The word help echoed unpleasantly in her chest. “Of course it would,” she said.
Flynn stepped closer. “Pearl…”
She held up a hand. “Don’t. Not right now.”
She moved toward the door, then paused. “I’m not taking this ring off,” she said. “Not because I’m naïve, but because I refuse to look like a fool twice.”
Flynn watched her. “You don’t have to prove anything to anyone.”
She turned back to him. “I do,” she said. “Just not the way you think.”
She left without waiting for his response. As the door closed behind her, Pearl leaned against the hallway wall and closed her eyes. Her chest hurt, but her resolve felt sharper than ever.
In the quiet of the corridor, she looked down at the ring again. It still shone. Still beautiful. Still heavy.
“This isn’t over,” she whispered to herself. “I’ll show them. All of them.”
She straightened, wiped her face, and walked away, already planning her next move.
“We need to break that relationship.” Carey said to Brandy, with a worried expression on her face. “He’s playing with her.”
Brandy smiled. “She’s such a pick me girl and that annoys me. In fact, she’s a pluck me!”
“Shhh,” Carey snapped. “You’re no better, gold digger.”
“Try digging the gold let’s see.” Brandy rolled her eyes. “I am tired of you girls, I’ll be going back to Coco’s house.”
“You mean her father’s house? Your husband’s mansion?” Carey frowned. “I still can’t believe you married chief…do you like fuck him?”
Brandy laughed. “He doesn’t even let me close to him.” She shrugged. “Who cares? He lets me bring in boys to play with me…”
“Ewww…” Carey screamed. “Y’all disgust me…”
Brandy laughed. “It’s a fun life, baby…”