Chapter 60

CHAPTER 60

MARLOW

I hadn't spoken to Spencer since the cab dropped me off at my place yesterday. I texted him a couple of times, but when he didn't reply, I left it alone. I didn't want to keep bugging him. If he was pissed about the article, I couldn't help that.

I was pissed at the interviewer. How dare she tell me it was off the record and then go and publish my private thoughts? I should have known better than to trust anyone in the journalism world. I felt so stupid for giving her a story.

I checked my phone after I got out of the shower, praying for it to show a message from Spencer. But it didn't.

Mistakes like these could either be forgotten or be potent enough to turn our lives upside down. I feared it was the latter. Spencer was prone to anger and distrust. I didn't blame him for it after meeting his parents, but it was difficult to deal with. It felt like I was walking a fine line. He needed to be able to trust me. I got that. I understood that was going to be difficult. When I told him I was going to stick by him, I meant it. I knew what I was getting into. It wasn't going to be easy, but I hoped he would give me the chance.

I had a meeting this morning and paperwork that needed to be reviewed, but all I could think about was how I'd messed up things with Spencer. I had rattled his trust in me and possibly ruined what we had begun to build.

Barely paying attention, I quickly dressed in black slacks and a pink blouse. I pulled my hair back into a tidy ponytail, which was unusual for me. I liked to leave it loose and wild, much like my spirit. But today, I decided on a more reserved look. Perhaps a metaphor for the restraint I wished I had shown during that damned interview. I still couldn't believe I had fallen for such a sneaky tactic. I was usually so much smarter than that.

I picked up my bag and left my apartment. As I walked into the lobby, I felt dread. Spencer was obviously unhappy and would likely be a bear once again.

Anxiety was eating away at me as I walked into the office. My nerves were a mess, my stomach churning. I tried to shake it off, but as soon as I saw his office door closed and the light on, my heart sank even further. He was already here, likely trying to avoid me.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath.

He was definitely back in bear mode.

When I peeked through the glass, I saw him on the phone. Our eyes met for a split second. I forced a bright smile, hoping to break the ice. He returned it with a quick nod before looking away and going back to his conversation. It was a small gesture, but it felt like a punch to the gut. This was exactly what I had feared.

As I walked to my office, my mind raced. I had been on cloud nine after we made things official, but now the tides had shifted. Spencer's mood swings were something I knew I had to deal with, but I hoped it wouldn't happen so soon. Now, just days after our high, he was back in a low.

And it was all because of my article.

I sat down at my desk and took a minute to collect my thoughts. I understood Spencer's anger with me, but he wasn't being fair. He wasn't giving me a chance to explain. The article was bullshit.

The story made me look like I had only one thing on my mind. My business, my hustle, and my drive were all painted as a bad thing. The words I had shared in confidence had been twisted and used to write a snappy, marketable story. Of all people, Spencer should understand that. Instead, it felt like he was punishing me. This was eerily reminiscent of how things had deteriorated with Dakota. Was I destined to be alone because men couldn't handle my success?

I got up and closed the door to my office, wanting to block it all out. I stewed over things, trying to focus on work but failing miserably. Spencer was wildly successful. He couldn't possibly be threatened by my success. He was leaps and bounds ahead of me. I had no desire to achieve the kind of success he had. He was a billionaire. I wanted to keep climbing the ladder, but I had no illusions I would be a billionaire. I didn't need to be that rich. I just wanted to be proud of the work I did, my accomplishments, and the effort I put in.

As I sat at my desk, staring blankly at the stack of paperwork before me, a soft knock sounded at my office door.

Kyla bounced in, bubbly and chipper as usual. "Morning!" she greeted, bringing me a coffee and carrying a small bag from the coffee shop in the lobby. I could smell a hint of peppermint.

"How was your weekend?"

I opened the bag and found a peppermint brownie. It was one of my favorite treats. And exactly what I needed. I quickly pulled it out and took a bite. I leaned back, savoring the rich chocolate. I closed my eyes, appreciating the treat.

I let out a heavy sigh and started venting. "Honestly, Kyla? Not great. Spencer is being distant and moody because of that stupid article. He's making me feel like everything is my fault."

Kyla frowned. "What article? What happened?"

I filled her in on the details, from the article to Spencer's reaction and his subsequent cold shoulder. She listened intently, her expression shifting from concern to anger. "Marlow, that's not fair at all. You should march into his office and tell him to get his head out of his ass."

I sighed again. "I wish it were that easy. What if I make things worse?"

Kyla shook her head. "You can't sit around waiting for him to stop stonewalling you. You deserve better than that."

"It's just, well, I can't help but wonder if this is how all men are," I muttered.

"Marlow," Kyla said, her tone soft but stern. "You know better than to group every man into the same category. Spencer's not all men. Neither is Dakota. And maybe it's less about your success and more about the parts about your ex."

"You think he's jealous?" I asked.

"Maybe he's wondering if you might feel that way about him," she suggested.

She was right, of course. I did know better. "I know you're right," I admitted, looking down at the half-eaten brownie in my hands. "I need to talk to him. I can't let this go on any longer. I don't want all these uncertain feelings." Summoning my courage, I stood up. "Alright, I'm going to talk to him. Wish me luck."

"Good luck," Kyla said, giving me a supportive smile.

I took another bite of the brownie for strength, washing it down with the coffee spiked with peppermint as well. I wanted to sit and enjoy it, but I couldn't sit around and wait for this thing to fester. That was not the mature thing to do. I wanted this relationship with Spencer to work.

I walked down the hallway, my heart pounding with each step. When I reached Spencer's office, I knocked lightly and then opened the door. He was off the phone, but he didn't get up to greet or kiss me like he might have a couple of days ago. Instead, he looked at me with a blank expression.

"Busy?" I asked.

"Yes," he answered, irritation evident.

I ignored his attempt to get rid of me. Instead, I took a deep breath and walked inside. I sat down across from him. "Spencer."

He leaned back in his chair, his eyes cool. "Hm?"

"Remember what we talked about?" I asked.

"Can you be more specific?"

I hated when he was cold and distant like this. "We're on the same team. Let's work through this. Don't push me away. It was a silly article. The woman tricked me, and I fell for it. It was nothing more than the two of us talking. It wasn't meant to be printed. She twisted my words and made it sound very different from what I actually said."

He shrugged, his expression unchanged. "I don't know what you're talking about. Everything's fine."

My frustration boiled over. "This charade isn't fooling anyone, Spencer. You're being unreasonable and immature. You need to grow a pair, look me in the eyes, and tell me why you're upset so that I can at least have a shot at remedying it. If you can't do that, I can't do this. I told you what I need in a relationship, and I wasn't messing around. I'm done wasting my time on men who don't respect me. So, what's it going to be? Are we going to talk this out, or are you going to continue punishing me when I did nothing wrong?"

He stared at me, his face impassive. The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating. He was giving me nothing. The man had the uncanny knack of just shutting off his emotions. I understood where that skill came from, but I couldn't live like that. I couldn't be afraid of him getting pissed at me and withholding his feelings back from me.

"Fine." I stood up, my voice shaking with emotion. "We're done. I can't do this. I told you that from the very beginning. And I quit. This one is on you, Spencer. Good luck with everything." I walked toward the door and paused. "Oh, and I'll do you a favor. I won't tell my dad about how you spoiled this for us. I'll lie for you. Consider it a parting gift so they don't look at you differently. You'll be welcomed back at their dinner table. Let's just make sure we arrange times we plan on visiting. I don't want to run into you. You're welcome."

I stormed out of his office, my vision blurred by tears. I barely noticed Kyla catching up to me until we were back in my office. She pulled me into a hug, and I finally let the tears fall.

"Marlow, I'm so sorry," Kyla said softly. "He's being a jerk."

I nodded, unable to speak through my sobs. This was exactly what I had feared. The fear of being misunderstood, of having to walk on eggshells, of being punished for my success. It was all happening again, and it hurt more than I could have imagined.

"You did the right thing," Kyla said gently. "You stood up for yourself. Don't forget that."

"I know," I said, my voice hoarse. "But it still hurts."