Chapter 15
(ARIELLE’S POV)
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I shot Jared a confused look, expecting some sort of explanation, but he just brushed me off.
What the hell? Don’t tell me Jared agreed to accommodate Sofia in our home without informing and discussing it with me?
“Agreement?” I repeated, this time, my voice was firmer and demanding. “Tell me, what agreement, Jared.”
“Watch your tone, wifey.” Jared narrowed his eyes at me before glancing over at Sofia. “We talked about it earlier.”
“Talk about what?” My patience was wearing thin. “You can’t just invite someone to live here without discussing it with me first. I’m your wife!”
Sofia stood up, her hand still on her stomach. To garner sympathy, I guess. “Jared, tell her,” she said, holding his hand. “We agreed that I could stay here until I get back on my feet, and get a place of my own.”
“Back on your feet?” I exclaimed, incredulous. “You’re pregnant Sofia, and not handicapped. You need to be thinking about the future, and not freeloading off us!”
Her face flushed with anger, but Jared jumped in before she could fire back. “Arielle, just listen for a second. Sofia isn’t some random person-”
“Well, she is to me!”
“Arielle, stop acting like a child and hear me out!” Jared snapped.
Oh, wow! So, voicing my displeasure now makes me childish?
“Sofia is going through a tough time,” Jared continued. “She needs our support.”
“Support?” I scoffed. “Our support, you say? How about you rephrase it to, ‘your support?‘ You’re not even supporting me, your own wife! How can you just bring someone else into our home without considering my feelings?”
Jared sighed, rubbing his temples. “We need to talk about this later. It’s been a long day.”
“Talk about it later?” I repeated, my voice rising. “You’d better be ready to talk about it now because I’m not letting this slide!”
And with that, I stormed out of the living room, heading upstairs.
“Arielle? Wait!” Jared called after me, but I ignored him and kept climbing the stairs, his
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footsteps pounding behind me.
I slammed the door to our bedroom and leaned against it, my chest heaving with frustration. Jared followed right in, wearing that placating expression that made me want to scream.
“Arielle, just take a breath,” he said softly.
I swirled to face him, unable to rein my anger in. “Who are you?”
He frowned again at my question. “What do you mean? I’m your husband.”
“Exactly! A husband I no longer recognize. You used to dote on me, and prioritize my wellbeing. You never took a decision without my knowledge, but everything changed the moment Sofia arrived. So I ask again, who are you?”
“Look, Arielle,” he said, his voice rising slightly. “You’ve changed too since she got here. The Arielle I married was calm and collected; now all you do is complain.”
“That’s because my marriage is under threat! Sofia is a nuisance who needs to go. She pushed me down the stairs–do you think that’s just something I imagined? That’s why I ended up in the hospital! And now you want her living here with us?” My tears threatened to spill over.
“It’s okay love,” he murmured as he wrapped his arms around me in a warm hug. “It’s okay now. I’m sorry–I didn’t realize how much pressure this was putting on you.”
“You just don’t believe me do you?” I cried out. “She wanted to hurt me!”
“I believe you love,” he held me closer. “Listen, let’s figure this out together. Starting tomorrow, I’ll install cameras around the house and hire more help to keep you safe. How does that sound?”
Cameras? Extra help? Why was he going through all this trouble instead of addressing the real problem? My fingers dug into his shirt as I pushed him away, stepping back to create some much–needed distance.
“You’re unbelievable Jared… Why go through all that trouble? Just tell her to leave! Finding an apartment doesn’t take forever right? How long does she plan on crashing here?”
Jared hesitated, rubbing his temple. “Until she delivers her child.”
“Are you kidding me?” I gasped in shock, questioning myself if I heard right. “From my deduction, Sofia is somewhere between five and six months pregnant. Are you insinuating she’s going to live with us for approximately half a year?!”
“It’s not that bad, Arielle.” His tone softened, as though he truly believed his words. “Trust me this time, as your husband. I know, Sofia can be difficult, but she’s not evil. She has a good
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heart, you just need to-”
I let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “A good heart? Are we talking about the same woman? Because the Sofia I know has done everything in her power to make my life miserable! The original plan was that she stayed at the penthouse until she got a place of her own, an idea I already wasn’t comfortable with. But since your mother suggested it, I had to give in. And now, instead of sending her away, you expect me to welcome her into OUR home? Why does she want to live with a married couple now?”
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