Chapter 16
~ Franklin ~
In the brief window before the wedding, the performance became our reality. Octavia and I were seen everywhere. We played the part of the devoted couple at fancy restaurants, cinemas, and even at a Lakers game at Madison Square Garden, where our "kiss" on the jumbotron sent the internet into a frenzy. Social media dubbed us "Franktavia." It was a masterpiece of deception.
The night before the wedding, I walked toward the guest wing. I knocked, and Octavia answered almost immediately, looking startled.
"Franklin?"
"Can we talk?" I asked.
"I want to give you something. It's more like a wedding gift."
She stepped out into the hallway, crossing her arms defensively. She didn't invite me in, and I didn't expect her to. We weren't that kind of couple.
"Clarence mentioned you're allergic to cats and dogs," she said, her voice low. "Nola, my cat is in there. I don't want you having an allergic reaction the night before the ceremony."
Oh. She was thinking about my health.
"Right. Thanks. Why didn't you tell me you had a pet?"
"What was there to say?I didn't think you were a pet person," she shrugged.
"Well, that's true, I'm not" I muttered, rubbing my temples.
"So, where's this gift?"
I pulled a small, blue love shaped velvet box from my pocket and flicked it open.
Inside sat a twenty-two-carat gold ring with an oval-cut diamond. It was breathtaking. Octavia's mouth dropped open.
"People are whispering about the lack of a ring," I explained.
"To make the board and everyone believe this, you need to wear it."
"You shouldn't listen to gossip, Franklin. People will talk regardless."
"At least this will give them something else to talk about."
She stared at the diamond, her expression unreadable.
"It's real enough for a real wedding...but we both know this is a sham."
"I know. Just wear it."
I didn't go down on one knee. I didn't give a speech. I simply handed her the box. She sighed and slid the ring onto her left hand.
"It's beautiful," she whispered.
"I have good eyes for quality," I replied praising myself.
"I'll leave you to it. I'll see you at the altar."
Later that night, the weight of the coming morning pressed down on me. I headed to the bar in the dark, silent mansion to find a drink as everyone was in bed.
I poured a glass of my grandfather's old scotch, needing the burn to dull my thoughts as I thought about my deceased parents.
I heard soft footsteps on the stairs. Octavia stood at the bottom, looking like a ghost in the moonlight.
"Sorry," she murmured, glancing at my glass. "I just wanted some water. I didn't realize you'd be up... drinking."
"I need it," I said, taking a swing.
Instead of leaving, she walked over and leaned against the counter.
"You seem bothered, want to talk about what's bothering you?"
I scoffed. "What's there to say? My parents died in a car accident when I was a teenager. I was in high school. Fortunately, I wasn't in the car with them."
I looked at her, surprised by my own honesty. I hadn't even told Bella the full extent of that pain.
"Franklin...I'm so sorry," she said softly, sitting on the stool beside me. "No child should have to go through that. It must have been incredibly hard to cope."
"It was. I was depressed for a long time. My grandfather put me in therapy." I swirled the amber liquid in my glass. "I thought I was over it. But lately..."
"You wish they were still alive?" she finished for me.
"Yes, I just miss them," I admitted, my voice cracking.
"It's okay to admit that," she said, her eyes full of a kindness I didn't deserve.
"It shows you're strong, Franklin. You've overcome a lot."
"Thank you, Octavia." I mumbled.
"You are welcome, try and get some sleep," she said, sliding off the stool. "Tomorrow is going to take a toll on us." She said then retreated to her bedroom.
The next morning, the wedding was a blur of high-society faces and flashing cameras. We exchanged "I do's," skipped the personal vows, and sealed the lie with a kiss that prompted a standing ovation. We had consumed a lie, and now we had to live it.
Before the ceremony, I had made one last call to Bella. I had practically begged her to take me back, showing a vulnerability that disgusted even me.
"Make me the Lead Developer," she had demanded. "Promote me. Only then will I consider to take you back."
I didn't care that she was manipulating me.
"Consider it done," I told her.
Our "honeymoon" was a resort in Maui, Hawaii. To the world, we were basking in newlywed bliss. Behind closed doors, it was a battleground. She took the bed; I took the floor, we didn't consummate our marriage all through the honeymoon period.
Though the sexual frustration was clawing at me. One afternoon, while Octavia was at the beach, I couldn't take it anymore. I lay on the edge of the bed with my phone, a photo of Bella on the screen, letting my imagination run wild as I pulled down my shorts to fondle my cock.
"Oh, fuck...Bella," I groaned, my eyes closed, lost in the fantasy of her touch. "I want you..."
"What the fuck?!"
My eyes snapped open. Octavia was standing in the doorway, her face pale with shock. I didn't panic. I didn't even feel embarrassed. I just coolly pulled my shorts back up.
"Why are you back so early?" I asked nonchalantly.
"I forgot my phone," she said, stepping toward the dresser, her gaze averted.
"What happened to the bathroom? You couldn't masturbate in there?"
"I can masturbate anywhere I want in this suite, Octavia. So mind your own business."
"Fine," she snapped, her voice trembling with anger.
"Just know I'm taking the floor tonight. You can have the bed since you've decided to christen it. Carry on with your pathetic fantasy, Franklin."
She slammed the door behind her. I sighed, looking back down at the photo of the woman who held my heart—and my dignity—in her hands. I pulled my shorts down again then continued to fondle my cock. I didn't care if Octavia thought I was pathetic. I only cared about the woman I couldn't have.