George saw Jess go out the back and decided to follow. He saw it as his chance to finally talk to her.

Jess tried not to think as she paced the balcony. She knew he would be heartbroken but it has to be done. It's best for all concerned.

George watched her pace, deep in thought. He could all but see the wheels turning in her head. She wants to break up with him but it won't happen, not tonight.

'' Jess'' She heard her name and turned around. He stalked towards her as her heart raced in her chest. '' George " she whispered back... and run into his open arms.

He rained kisses on her face and her neck. " I missed you... I missed you, oh Jess." He looked her in the eyes. " Come with me! "

Jess trembled in his arms. Go away with him, yes oh yes! But...

" You know I cannot, please George, don't make this difficult. " He pulled away from her and cursed. He pulled his hair and groaned in frustration. "Come with me Jess! " he repeated slowly. Jess burst into tears. "Please, understand." she said.

George thought he would explode with all the anger running through his system. He literally saw red.
" Come with me! " he said through gritted teeth. Jess turned her back to him as she looked down. She angrily wiped her tears leaving black smudges on her face. She turned to him. " Come back to what George? Huh? Hunger and tears? In case you have forgotten, we are no longer married, nothing binds us anymore. Do you want me back so I can work to feed your lazy butt? Why should I leave all this and come back to you, give me a reason George! " she said calmly.

George was speechless. He did not expect that from her. Her words rang through his head. Come back to what? What is he offering her that's better than what she has right now? Nothing that's what...

Jess waited patiently as the seconds passed. Say something, convince me, she willed him on in her head. Nothing. She sighed. "Thought as much. Goodbye George. " She said and walked past him.

"This is not over Jessica. I will come back for you, mark my words. " George said as she walked past him. Jess kept on walking as she fought back her tears.

*******

"Where have you been? " Beatrice asked soon as Jess stepped foot in the house. She shrugged and kept on walking.
"I asked you a question, show respect and answer me "

Jess sighed and looked her mother in the eyes. "I was just driving around okay. No need to get like that with me. " she continued climbing the stairs. Beatrice huffed and went back to her bedroom.

Jess slowly took off her dress in front of the mirror. She removed her earrings, bracelets and anklet as she stepped out of her pumps. She admired her flat belly in the mirror. What if...

The water felt nice as it ran down her skin. It was the perfect temperature. Not too hot, not too cold. Lukewarm. impersonal. Like her feelings. Not too sad, not too happy. Just... relieved.

The walk at the beach helped clear her mind and to put things into perspective.
Now that she let him go, he can finally move on with his life instead of the stagnancy marriage to her had cursed him with, had cursed them with. He can now rise to his potential without hurdles. He can finally be happy. Even though, to be honest, she was happy for herself as well. The thought of waking up and not knowing what to eat now scares her. The thought of going back to that office, to that woman who calls herself her boss sends chills down her spine. The thought of not having to constantly explain herself to people, especially to herself makes her breath a little easier. And though she has vowed to make her parents miserable because of their meddling, she's totally grateful to them for trying so hard and succeeding. She'll never have had the courage to do the right thing. Not that she'll ever let them know.

She turned off the shower and wrapped the towel around herself. She wore her nightgown and sat in front of the mirror. She would allow herself to grieve this night. Tommorow will be a new beginning.

Time to live out her dreams...alone.

******

George on the other hand did not have such a quiet. He was grabbed as soon as he left the building and bundled into a van. Thirty minutes of hard knocks and punches later the van stopped and he was voilently dragged out. Below the bridge they were on a river angrily raged. Amid lightening and punches to his gut and face he was tied up like a sheep about to be slaughtered. Weights were put around his badly bruised and settled on his shoulders. He shivered in the cold wind of the fast approaching storm. Thunder rumbled as the men left him at the edge of the bridge with his back to the water. The wait then began.

George never fought back. "Come back to what? Huh?" Jess had said. "Give me a reason..." Her words ran through his mind. Why won't she give up on them? They were not happy in that damned marriage. A limousine pulled up and out stepped a man he had never met before in his life. He was wearing black slacks and tight black shirt paired with dark red tuxedo jacket. His sunglasses gave the final touch to his look. George found himself wondering why he held an umbrella yet got soaked by the rain. The man also stared at him for a moment, then scoffed and looked away. George had had enough. "Just get on with it. What the hell are you waiting for?" he shouted. As if on cue, the door reopened and another man stepped out. The umbrella immediately went up.

He was dressed in an almost similar attire as the first, but his jacket was as white as snow and a gold chain around his neck. The lightening revealed long dark curls that blew in the wind harpharzardly in a very familiar manner and eyes as dark as coal. George gulped noisily. " Wh...who are you? What do you want?" he stuttered. All his earlier bravado seemingly gone with the wind. The man holding the umbrella shook in silent laughter but stopped when Mr. White jacket coughed in warning.

George was breathing hard, the cold didn't help as he shivered. Mr. White jacket gave an almost unnoticeable nod then went back into the limousine. Mr. Umbrella man snickered and followed his boss. The limousine pulled away with a screech splashing puddle water all over him. As soon as it's tail lights disappeared, he was kicked in the stomach. He stumbled backwards and screamed as he fell in to the raging waters below.

*******

Hmmmm... I cried a bit when I wrote this chapter. 😓😓

Don't forget to hit the little star if you liked it. And your comments are totally welcome 😊

Thank you!