Chasing His Rejected Wife (Jessica and Aiden) novel Chapter 79

Chapter 79 – Lies and Secrets

Aiden

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I mulled my answer over in my mind, knowing that I was threading a fine line. Much as our friendship had run its due course and come to an end, I didn’t want us to part on bad terms, not

after being close for as long as we have.

“We both made mistakes,” I said slowly, aware that she was hanging onto every word I said. “But the ultimate fault lies with me for crossing some boundaries that should never have been crossed.

”

“That’s a load of bullshit, Aiden.” Elisa snapped, eyes flashing in irritation. She got up from the sofa and began to pace in quick short steps. “I think I deserve more than the standard ‘it’s not you, it’s

me’ brush off.”

I winced at that, the full brunt of her feelings hitting me in the chest like a sledgehammer. “I’m not trying to brush you off or minimize our relationship in any way.”

She came to stand in front of me, her expression turning pleading, a glint of tears in her eyes. We’ve known each other since we were kids playing on the beach in the Hamptons, we’ve been through so much together. You can’t just throw all that away because of her.”

I looked at her sharply. “What do you mean?”

She scoffed and made a face. “You know exactly what I mean. She’s the reason you’ve been so distant. You’ve probably gone and told her the truth about us, right? And all this is you trying to prove something to her.”

She wasn’t entirely wrong. Though I wasn’t trying to prove anything to Jess. When I learned the truth about Elisa’s pregnancy, coupled with the realization that her feelings for me ran deeper than I assumed, I knew we needed to reevaluate our friendship. I felt guilty for not seeing how she really felt until it was too late, but the truth was it would have changed nothing about the outcome today. I couldn’t reciprocate her feelings and I couldn’t in all good conscience string her along with some

vain hope.

“I did tell Jess the truth,” I confirmed with a sigh, “But that has little to do with this right now. Listen, I don’t want to beat around the bush, so I’m going to come right out and say it.”

I leaned forward, elbows on my knees and met her gaze head on. “I know you’ve been talking to Craig. I know you lied about the miscarriage, I know you were indirectly behind the leak about our relationship.”

With every word I spoke, her face blanched of color until she was as white as a sheet. Elisa’s

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mouth opened and closed a few times as though trying to form coherent sentences and failing badly.

“Wh…” she gasped, her words cutting off. Taking several steps back, her eyes fixed on me, she looked thoroughly shaken. “How-how did you…?

“Find out?” I asked, with a raise of my eyebrows. “That’s not important, is it? Rather, I should say the question I should be asking you is why? Why did you tell Craig about the terms of Julian’s will?”

“I- I didn’t…”

“Knock it off, Elisa. I have visual evidence that shows the two of you meeting up several times over the last couple of months, ever since Julian passed.”

“He asked to meet me first.” Elisa replied, recovering her composure and it was my turn to be surprised at how unruffled she looked now. “He was concerned about the future of Skylark.”

“And so you felt the need to tell him about Julian’s will? About the circumstances that brought Jess and I together as a married couple?” I tamped down the irritation threatening to spill over, not

wanting this to devolve into a shouting match.

Elisa shook her head. “I admit that was a mistake on my part. I assumed he already knew

everything, but I was wrong and by the time I realized what happened, it was too late.”

“And yet, you continued to meet with him. Was that also a mistake?”

“Aiden,” Elisa came towards me, wide eyed and earnest. “I was just trying to gather information for

you…for our side. When Craig approached me and tried to feel me out, I realized what his game

was and I figured I would just play along and find out what he was up to. That’s all it was, I swear.”

“And you had nothing to do with him sending Jess a copy of Julian’s video?” I asked skeptically, my arms crossed over my chest as I watched her intently. Inside, it felt like I was being ripped painfully

to shreds, layer by layer. Elisa was the one person I trusted, the one person I always believed I

could count on to never lie to me.

And yet, here we are.

Fletcher’s investigations into Elisa had unearthed more than just her fake miscarriage and secret affair and coming hot on the heels of my confession to Jessica and the chaos that followed, when Fletcher had broken the news to me that day in the car, it had been like I had hit rock bottom.

I scoffed and stood up, thoroughly done with the conversation. “It’s late and I’m tired, and not in the mood to go around in circles. Whatever your motives, the fact remains that it’s clear that my trust in you was misplaced. And as you claim to know me so well, you should know how much I despise people who lie to me.”

Chapter 79 – Lies and Secrets

“I made a mistake!” Elisa cried, even as she closed the distance between us and grabbed my arm,

her nails digging into my skin. “Aiden, I swear I was just trying to help and I ended up in over my head. I…I was still heavily emotional and struggling to deal with losing…with losing my baby and I

wasn’t thinking straight.”

I pried my arm free of her grasp and put a lot of space between us. “Did you really?”

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