Always Been You

~DANTE’S POV~

My search for Lola has been going on for more than 6 months now. I have refused to allow Candice to visit my house for nearly three months. I broke things off with Candice but the girl seemed not to get the message. I don’t want her, I only want Lola, my wife. Candice suggested that we become friends. She kept me company and knew when not to cross the line. I will never forget what I promised my wife. I promised her that I would be her prince as long as she remained the princess, but I fell short. I had let her down. I took her innocence and told her we couldn’t work. She was the woman I married, the love of my life, but I failed our love. I didn’t have sex with some fucking girl. I slept with my wife! However, like an idiot, I offended her sentiments for Candice, her girlfriend. While she was my wife, she watched me share a room with my girlfriend. She made numerous sacrifices for me, and what did I give her in return? I treated my wife as if she were a side-chick, despite the fact that she was supposed to be my main course. I’ll never be able to forgive myself. My office door burst open with a thud!

“Hey, darling, have you found Lola?” Candice asked.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“No, I haven’t tracked down my wife. Why are you asking?”

“When are you going to stop treating me as if I’m to blame for Lola’s departure? I am your girlfriend, and Lola is your fr…” I had to cut her off.

“You’re my girlfriend, and Lola’s my wife, according to the law. You were having an affair with your best friend’s husband right in front of her. As though you were a harlot!”

“Dante!” she screamed.

“What is the harm in telling the truth? My girlfriend is you, and my wife is Lola. Is that something new? When we were due to go to public events together, you always had an excuse. You never showed up at any of our weddings. Do you know who was there each time you failed to appear? My wife! My wife was there for me and you at all times. Then I failed her.”

“She is not your wife; she is merely your friend, to put it mildly. I am going to marry you. The divorce papers were signed by you!”

“Even in your dreams, you will never be Mrs. Monroe. You could be Mrs. Chan, Mrs. Yang, or whatever the fuck you want to call yourself, but you will never be my wife! Get the hell out!” How the fuck didn’t I see through her? She said she was fine being a friend, but that was clearly a lie. She still had hope that I would marry her. I scoffed at her dreams.

She needs to understand her place in my presence. If she wished to remain my girlfriend, of course, not a fucking buddy as that would screw my chances with Lola, it might have been hard for her to watch me and Candice while she was still holding on to our vows. Candice must not fantasize about becoming my wife. There is only one woman that I love with my whole being. Lolita, my sweetheart, the love of my life. I made a terrible mistake when it came to Lola. I was supposed to be her brother, the man in whom she placed her greatest trust. I brush my temples. My phone rang at that very moment.

Dante: Hello!

Elvis: Man, I hunted her out, but I couldn’t find out anything about her other than the fact that she had sold her car and her house recently. However, I do have some information about your mother.

Dante: What about my mother? Is she aware of the whereabouts of my wife?

Elvis: I’m not sure, but she seems to be on a plane all the time, but I can’t seem to find out where she is going. It’s as if she doesn’t want anyone to know where she’s going. I’m not sure if she’s using a forged identification or what’s going on. Perhaps you might ask her if she knows anything or try to follow her. There is no way to find her destination. She always leaves on Fridays and comes back on Sundays, but she can’t be traced. Not even the plane she took.

Dante: Thank you very much, Elvis.

Candice returned after the phone call. I’m not sure what this woman wants from me. But I’m going to show her the depths of hell. She stood in the middle of my office, staring at me as if she expected me to fuck her. She’ll have to beg for it, that’s for sure. When she was preoccupied with her Jackie Chan boyfriend, or whoever the fuck is her boyfriend, she made me lose Lola, and I was crushed. What did I ever see in this woman that my precious Lolita never had? I pushed her away from me. She waited for me. She even pretended to be in a relationship when she had never been in one. She was always there for me, even when I was causing her pain. She was always there to pick me up when I fell, and I was always the one who failed her. I fucked up big time with this thing standing right in front of me. Lola was my staunchest supporter. We talked about everything but we were never bold enough to talk about our feelings for each other. She allowed me to cause her pain without realizing it. I had no idea she felt the same way about me until she left me. I took a peek at the woman in front of me.

“Can I help you?”

“Dante, do you have feelings for Lola?”

To be honest, I don’t fucking know how many times she asked me this question. Does she expect a different answer? I’m not sure she’ll appreciate the response to that question. However, since she asked, why not?

“Do you really want to know if I love my wife? Well, I’m in love with her, and that’s the reason I decided to marry her. Why do you ask?”

“What about me?”

“And what about you?”

She chewed the inside of her bottom lip. I detected a flicker of terror in her eyes.

“Can you tell me why you’re with me?”

“To be honest, I’m not sure, but the last time I checked I told you we were over, do you remember,” I said, making sure it sink in her skull that there was no us. She was starting to annoy me. I continued, “Given that I am married to another person, we should probably put an end to whatever was going on between us. I guess you’d prefer not to be referred to as a homewrecker. I have to get back to work. Please excuse me.” This time I’m hoping it sinks deep. I don’t want her.

“Is it possible for me to come tonight?”

“I’ll meet you at the Grand Hotel.”

She grinned and walked away. She is never going to come to my place, ever again. That house belongs to Lola and me. When I think about my wife, I go crazy. Is my mother aware of Lola’s whereabouts? Should I start following her? Why doesn’t she want to be traced? What is that woman up to?