Chapter 15 WAIT FOR ME

Chapter 15 WAIT FOR ME
I rolled my eyes internally, hating that I’d to keep on entertaining Collin even though I wanted nothing more than to inform him there was no way I’d ever make the mistake of being his wife.
But until I could protect myself, I had to let Scarlett believe that I was still ensnared in her vicious trap.
“Packing my things.” As you can see.
He spluttered. “I mean… why?” 
“I’m going back to school.” I simply replied.
“School?” He choked out. “But I thought… We are getting married next month, Iris. How can you be preparing to go back to school?”
I walked past him and grabbed two of my shoes from the shoe rack behind him, acting like he hadn’t said a word. 
He made to touch me and I squirmed, narrowly missing his slimy hands by a breath.
“I never agreed to getting married next month,” I finally said. 
“Iris,” I turned to his perfected pretentious wounded expression. “Am I the only one desperate to be with you?”
Collin’s theatrical flare had always left a bad taste on my lips, even when I was blindly in love with him.
“I thought__” He continued, his brows furrowed. “You said yes to getting married to me because you were also impatient to be with me. You were going to drop out of school while we planned the wedding preparations.” He added. “You told me you couldn’t wait to spend all your life with me and school was just taking away from all the time we could spend together.”
No, you were the one that said all that and coaxed me to agree too, trapping me with a frown, manipulating me with soft eyes and when all failed… you became cold towards me and I’d fall over myself desperate to get you to love me again. 
“I must have been exhausted when I said that.” And out of my mind.
“My thesis has been such a pain in the ass. The sleepless night and the fact that I don’t have enough research material on the topic is getting to me.” I shook my head. “I cannot believe you thought I’d seriously drop out of school and didn’t dissuade me.” I batted my eye brow at him, my eyes wide and disbelieving. “I thought you always liked the fact that I was passionate about schooling. I mean I helped you with your research paper last year when you were graduating.”
Amongst cooking fresh food for you, cleaning after you, and just being a doormat at your disposal.
“Of course I love everything about you, Iris. And you could always go back to school after our wedding, you’re brilliant enough to catch up,” He frowned and when he grabbed my hands, I forced myself not to retract them forcefully. “I love you, Iris. I cannot want to make you mine.”
“Collin, I understand. But, I just lost my dad and I’m not quite in the frame of mind to get married.” I eyed him and then sniffled, deciding that two can play the emotional blackmail game. “He was my only family and with him dead, I just__”
“I can be your family.”
You wish…
Not able to take it anymore, I removed my hand from his and then put distance between us, leaving the threshold of the door to sit on the bed, my eyes sad. “I’d like that very much.”
“Right?” He brightened. “Then we can go dress-shopping__”
“But only after I’m done with school. It’s almost over. What is three more months?” I covered my face with my hands, but kept my eyes open to watch his reaction before adding. “Except you never truly loved me.”
“I love you, of course I do,” he spluttered. 
I smiled. “Then it’s settled.” I said and quickly started closing the zipper of my suitcase. “Wait for me okay?”
He slowly nodded although confusion was etched on his brows as he tried to make sense of the result of our conversation which had not gone as he planned, while I maintained my image of perfected innocence.
Wait for me… I’m coming to destroy everything you love and value.

PRESENT DAY
I sat down in the taxi, leaning into the seat as I tried to shove down my nerves at having to go back to that mansion where my sister was.
There was also Collin who with truly baffling deduction skills turned to sporadic messages to show me how much he missed me and couldn’t wait for me to be back. 
“Where are you going?” The taxi driver asked.
Home?
“The Upper East side.” I said and took out my phone, “Bel-King Avenue.”
I plugged in ear pods. “Just in, Scarlett Astor and Nicholas Ashford seen attending the ribbon cutting event of Maximillian Co. Ltd Buildings together. In light of the inheritance struggle in the Astor family, could this be the beginning of a business arrangement or better, a budding love story that Scarlett had hinted at when she had said that she was ready to make her own family after the demise of her father. 
There are also rumors in the air, that the two might have not only been present for the ribbon cutting event but are intending to buy a home together and Maximillian is allegedly a company that they are strongly considering.”
I removed the ear buds with a curse underneath my breath.
Dad was dead so why was the engagement rumor between those two just circulating now.
Except…
In this timeline, the engagement might just be juicy gossip the headline was desperately trying to sell but the partnership wasn’t.
Great, I wasn’t even home yet and New York was already presenting me with a huge welcome basket.
I couldn’t let such a partnership happen if I have any shot at winning this. 
I needed someone cutthroat enough to out maneuver Scarlett and Nicholas was the only person I was willing to bet on.
If the both of them decide to get married, I just might as well remain at Harvard as an assistant professor while studying for my PHD like my mentor had advised.
I needed to start moving and quickly.
“Sir, please change your route.” The taxi driver looked at me through the rearview mirror.
“Take me to Ashford Global Holdings.”
Time was fleeting.