Chapter 17: Quits (Emma's POV)

I grabbed my phone and keys, turning all the lights off, getting ready to head to the restaurant for the dinner I had with Adam. I sighed, opening the door, and froze when I saw Stefan standing in front of me. I looked at him, very confused. 

Why is he here right now? I asked for space, doesn't that mean more than one day? 

"Hi," he said, tucking his hands into his pockets. 

"Hi," I mumbled. "Um, what are you doing here?" 

"I thought we could talk but... you look like you're going somewhere." 

"I am, I have to go to dinner with a client tonight. Some clients are a pain in the ass so... I have to get that contract signed." 

"Oh. Well, have you got time, or are you running late?" 

"I've got ten minutes or so. Come on in." I pushed the door back open and flicked the lights back on. 

He walked in and headed to the kitchen so I followed. He sat on the barstool and I stood across from him, resting my elbows on the table. 

"What's up?" 

"What's up?" he chuckled dryly. "Where are we at, Emma?" 

"Where are we at, you tell me. Last time we saw each other, you..." I trailed off with a sigh, not wanting to be rude or hurt his feelings. 

"I know," he nodded. "And I'm really sorry about that, Emma. I should have trusted you more. I do trust you though, it's him I didn't trust." 

"But it takes two people for something like that to happen, Stefan. Even if he tried anything, you should have known that I would reject him." And it's fucking true because I did. I had a doubt earlier but when last night he did try and I said no, I knew that I didn't have to doubt myself for Stefan. 

"I did. But what if he didn't listen?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean what if he was persistent? What if he forced you to—" 

"Why would he force me? Does he seem like that type of person to you?" I snapped, straightening up. 

He looked a little taken aback, not expecting me to jump to Tristan's defense. "I don't know him, Emma. At all. So, I have no idea what type of person he is, I was just worried about you." 

"Worried about me? Stefan, I was with him for four years before we broke up." 

"You were also without him for four years after that. And I'm not stupid, okay? I know your break up wasn't mutual. You left him to move to Boston, didn't you?" 

I stared at him for a minute. "I did. Because he shouldn't have to change his plans because of me. So what? So just because I did him wrong, he would force himself on me?" 

"No, but he might want to get back at you, that's all I'm saying." 

"You're judging him based on my actions. That's unfair." 

"I'm judging based on what I see, that's it. You're my girlfriend and I'm worried about you, that's it. I don't want you to see him outside of work because I'm scared of what he might do to you." 

"He isn't going to do anything to me! I trust him." I let out an exasperated sigh. 

"Do you trust him more than you trust me?" 

"I do," I blurted out before I could even comprehend the question. 

He worked his jaw momentarily. "Then why am I here? Why am I with you? What the hell are we doing?" 

"I don't know," I sighed, lowering my head. "Everything was fine but then—" 

"But then he came into the picture. Right?" 

I looked at him, lifting my eyes. "Stefan..." 

"And you still love him. Right?" 

"Wrong," I said sternly. "I don't love him." 

"But you still have feelings for him. Right?" 

"He's my boss!" 

"That doesn't answer my question! It has nothing to do with my question!" He stood up. "And I don't care about your stupid HR policies. Those policies go to shit when feelings get involved." 

"I don't have feelings for him!" But I'm not sure if that's completely true. 

"I'm not a moron. I see what happens between you two." 

"What happens, huh?" 

"There's familiarity! And it's not just because you already know each other. You walk around with him in ways you haven't even walked with me. You stand closer to him than you've ever stood with me in front of another guy. You look at him regardless of who's talking. When he's talking, you look at him. When you talk, you look at him. When I talk, you still fucking look at him. Him, him, him. He's all you see!" 

"I've barely been with him for work a week, Stefan! And you've only seen me with him a few times!" 

"So? Just because things ended between you two doesn't mean the feelings ended too. He's still in love with you, isn't he?" 

"No. And if he is, he hasn't told me," I lied. 

"Then I can't do this," he scoffed. "I can't be with someone who's torn between me and someone else." 

"I am not torn between you and someone else," I said slowly. 

"Just because you say you don't like him doesn't mean I'll believe you." 

I looked at him in disbelief. "If you aren't going to believe me, then who are you going to believe? Him and me, we'll tell you the same goddamn thing. We don't like each other anymore!" I glanced at the clock. "I wasn't torn between you and someone else. And you coming here and doing this just proved that." I grabbed my stuff. 

"What do you mean?" he asked, blocking my way, standing right in front of me. 

"I mean, I don't want to be with someone who doesn't trust me at all. Someone who doesn't take my word and assumes things so easily. Someone who can't respect my boss and my ex-boyfriend, and I don't fucking care if they're the same person, point is, you don't respect him. And you don't trust me. I shouldn't have to prove myself to you because I haven't done anything wrong." 

"Would you tell me if you did?" 

"Yes!" I pushed at his chest. "I've had multiple chances to kiss him already, don't you think if I liked him, I would have done it?" I groaned. 

He stared at me, clearly frustrated. 

"I don't like him," I repeated, slower this time. "And right now, I don't like you very much either. So, let's call it quits." 

"Fine, let's call it quits." He agreed to that so easily... I guess it's for the best then. "We didn't want relationships anyway, right? And we got what we wanted?" he asked, lifting a brow at me. 

I nodded. "We did. So, quits it is. Have a great life, then. I have to go." 

"Then go." 

"Then get out of my apartment." 

He turned around and walked out. 

I followed him out, using the elevator while he used the staircase. I huffed, pressing the button to our lobby. 

Fucking jackass. 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

I turned to him again while we waited for the cheque. "Why are you really here?" 

"I just told you," he scoffed. "I told you I'd pick you up, treat you to wine and dine, drop you home. That's why I'm here." 

"You were already here, weren't you?" I asked knowingly. 

"Blair changed her mind about the Italian food, so I brought her here. Luckily, my dinner ended before yours, so I could join." 

"You're such a liar," I rolled my eyes and stood up. "Pay the bill and go home. I drove myself so I'll drive back too." 

He grabbed my hand, pulling me back down. "You drove yourself but I didn't. Let's pretend it's the other way around so I can drop you off, okay? I'll Uber home," he nodded. 

"Fine," I mumbled. 

He paid the bill, I gave his card back to him, and then we headed out. I tossed him the keys and climbed into the passenger side. "Tell me something, Emmy." 

I looked at him when he called me that. 

"What did you say when you pointed at the car? To Adam?" 

I smiled to myself. "I told him his girlfriend was in that car. And if he acted too weird, she'd think something she shouldn't." 

"Was she there?" 

"No," I scoffed. "I don't even know who was in that car. I just said it to crack him a little. And it worked." 

"And what if he asks his girlfriend?" 

"His girlfriend is in Paris for a photo shoot. We'll have the contract on Monday, by the time he asks, it'll be done. Don't you worry," I sighed, looking through the window. 

"I'm not worried. I'm impressed. But I'm also confused. Everybody says you're really nice. What you didn't wasn't nice at all. Why did you do it?" 

"I didn't have patience for his arrogance. I wanted that dinner to be over as soon as possible." I felt his eyes on me. 

"You are in a bad mood. Why? What happened?" 

"Nothing happened, I'm just annoyed about having to work overtime." 

"Liar," he scoffed. 

"I'm not lying," I rolled my eyes, looking at him. 

He looked at me. "Did something happen?" I didn't answer and looked out the window again. "Did your boy-toy do something?" He scoffed, "Again?" 

"He's not my boy-toy, how many times do you want me to say it?" 

"Sorry, your boyfriend," he laughed dryly. 

"He's not my boyfriend anymore either," I mumbled softly. 

The car jerked forward and then came to a stop. 

I looked at him then at the cars behind us. "We're on the main road, keep going! What are you doing?!" 

"No, it's a red light." He pointed to it, looking through the windshield. 

I leaned back in my seat, staring out the window. 

"You..." His voice softened. "You broke up with him?" 

"We broke up with each other, it was more or less mutual." 

"Breakups can be mutual but they still hurt one person more than the other. We would know, wouldn't we?" He glanced at me, shifting gears and continuing the drive. "So, what happened?" 

"What happened?" I echoed, taking a glimpse at his side profile. "We called it quits, that's what happened."

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Chapter 17

next chapter: rush