Erasing the Scar She Left

Vivian Langford and I had been secretly together for five years. Everyone else thought we were bitter business rivals. Then, at a mutual friend's pre-wedding party, the groom came up with a game. Every single woman was blindfolded while the single men walked past. Each woman had to pick the man whose scent she liked best and claim him as her date for the day. I deliberately slowed down when I reached Vivian and paused in front of her for half a second. But when the blindfold came off, the man in her arms was Julian Rourke—her childhood sweetheart, her first love. "Damn, Vivian! Out of all those men, you grabbed Julian in one shot. Even fate thinks you two belong together!" Julian's eyes reddened. Vivian looked up at him with an indulgent smile. Neither of them let go. I stood a few feet away and suddenly laughed. Just last night, Vivian had been tracing the scar over my chest and telling me she was going to marry me. How had she forgotten in the blink of an eye? Chapter 1 "Looks like fate is finally giving you two a chance to make up for lost time," someone called out. "Vivian and Julian, a couple for the day. Perfect." "Seriously. Vivian has everything going for her and hasn't dated anyone publicly in years. Don't tell me she's been carrying a torch for somebody this whole time." Eyes moved back and forth between Vivian and Julian Rourke, thick with implication. Julian's ears turned red. He gave Vivian an embarrassed little nudge, but she only smiled. She neither confirmed nor denied anything. "Enough," she said lightly. "It was all in the past." Then she added, "I couldn't really identify most of the scents. I picked Julian because he still uses the same clean soap he used in school. Otherwise I might have bumped into someone else here and offended them. I'd never live that down." The room erupted in knowing laughter. I laughed too. It was a quiet laugh, but it burned behind my eyes. I couldn't even name what I was feeling anymore. My chest felt swollen with something sour and heavy. Before we came out tonight, Vivian and I had showered with the same body wash. It was winter cedar, the scent she had used for five years. Once, I told her it was too cold and sharp and suggested we switch brands. She had wrapped her arms around me from behind and refused. "I like things that don't change," she'd murmured. "They make me feel safe." Then she'd tightened her arms around me. "Like you." I had been stupid enough to melt. I bought two full cases on the spot. Enough to last eight years. Now I was standing right in front of her wearing the exact same scent. How could she not recognize me? "Adrian," Tristan Bellamy said as he passed by, drink in hand. "Why do you and Vivian smell kind of similar?" The room went quiet for a beat. Everyone knew Vivian and I were supposed to hate each other. For five years, we had fought over projects, clients, acquisitions—everything. In public, it looked like we would happily tear each other's throats out if it meant winning a deal. But in those same five years, Vivian had pulled her family's company back from the edge of bankruptcy and risen until she could stand across a negotiating table from me as an equal. Had the rivalry been an act? All those probing looks landed on me. Vivian gave a small cough and answered before anyone could press. "It's one of the most common body washes on the market. Of course people end up smelling alike." She hated complicated fragrances. That was why she never bought me cologne. Our home smelled only of body wash and laundry detergent. Too many mixed scents triggered her nightmares. On bad nights, she'd wake from those dreams and wrap herself around me like she'd lost her mind. She wanted me drenched in her scent, every inch of me. She wanted me to belong to her and no one else for the rest of my life. Her possessiveness was fierce. Every time, she bit down on my shoulder until I could barely breathe. Last night had been one of those nights. And now I was "common." "You're right," I said. "I'll switch brands when I get home." The scar over my chest gave a faint ache. I pressed my fingers against it through my shirt and smiled. "Wouldn't want to smell like someone that heartless. It's bad luck." "Adrian, what did you just say?" The temperature in the room seemed to drop. Vivian frowned at me, her gaze hard. She had always been strong-willed. She hated anything that sounded like I was drawing a line between us. But tonight she had no right to be angry. I hadn't put Julian in her arms. I had just opened my mouth to answer when Tristan hurried over. It was his pre-wedding party, and he clearly had no intention of letting the two most competitive people he knew start a corporate war in the middle of it. "Adrian, do me a favor. I'm getting married in two days. Don't start anything tonight." Then he grinned and changed the subject. "Actually, with standards as high as yours, have you finally found a suitable family match? If not, I know people." "I have." I let my eyes sweep around the room. For one second, they passed over the woman sitting quietly in the corner. Then they landed on Vivian. I smiled. "I'm getting engaged this weekend." Chapter 2 "What? Adrian, you've been hiding that well. If you're already getting engaged, why are you even at a singles game?" "Who is she? When did you decide this? How did nobody hear a thing?" "Just now," I said. My phone started vibrating in my pocket, again and again. It was Vivian. Adrian, what are you doing? I know hugging Julian was wrong, but I couldn't just refuse to play. Tristan is getting married in two days. How humiliating would that have been for him? Be reasonable. I told you I'm going to marry you. When I do, I'll make sure everyone knows exactly who my husband is. I turned my phone face down and ignored every message. Across the room, Vivian looked at me. Then, almost defiantly, she tightened her arm around Julian and pulled him a little closer. Somebody whistled. "If you're a couple for the day, you should kiss." "Kiss! Kiss!" The crowd pushed them together. Julian ended up with both arms around Vivian's waist. A blush spread across his handsome face. "Stop it," he protested, though not very convincingly. "Vivian and I haven't seen each other in five years. You can't just tell us to kiss the second I get back." He turned his head as he spoke. His mouth almost brushed her cheek. I had loved Vivian for much longer than five years. I had grown up knowing my life would be planned by my family. Business training, networking, succession assessments, strategic expectations—there had never been much room for anything I actually wanted. Then one day, after working for three days straight, my blood sugar crashed while I was walking down a staircase. My vision went black. I thought I was going to fall. Vivian rushed over and caught my arm before I pitched forward. That moment cracked open the dull life I'd been living. Afterward, I started finding excuses to watch her play golf. I sat in on business debates she took part in. I noticed what she liked, what made her angry, how hard she worked. By the time I realized I had fallen for her, I had also heard about Julian Rourke, her childhood friend and first love. So I buried my feelings until five years ago. Julian went abroad to study. The Langford family business nearly collapsed. And I thought, for the first time, maybe I had a chance. "All right, enough," Tristan said, trying to settle the room. "Vivian, news that your father is pushing you to marry has somehow reached my grandfather." He laughed. "Apparently he told you that if you don't settle down this year, he'll vote you off the family board. I was going to offer you a room at one of our hospitals so you could hide from him for a week. But Julian is back now, so maybe you're saved." The room laughed. "You and Adrian are ridiculous, though," Tristan continued. "Five years of trying to destroy each other in business, and neither of you ever announces a relationship. Are you competing to see who gets married first too?" Someone shouted, "That explains Adrian's sudden engagement. If Vivian got married first, he'd probably show up to the wedding in black." They all thought I had spent five years trying to crush her. The truth was the opposite. Whenever I found weaknesses in Langford Holdings, I forced Vivian to fix them before somebody less forgiving could exploit them. I quietly sent money, contacts, and opportunities her way when the company was dying. I let people think I was petty and obsessed with beating her because I knew what they would say if they realized a powerful man had pulled her company back from the edge. They would say Vivian Langford only survived because of me. I refused to let them take her pride from her. So for five years, we never held hands in public. When we went to restaurants, we arrived separately. At movies, we sat three rows apart. I accepted all of it willingly. I was the one who fell first. When I finally got Vivian to say yes to me, her eyes went red, and she asked me for five years. "Give me five years," she said. "On our fifth anniversary, I'll tell everyone. I'll stand beside you without hiding, and we'll get married properly." This year was the fifth year. Today was our anniversary. And the person she was holding in front of everyone wasn't me. "Come on, Adrian," someone called. "Stop being mysterious. Who is she?" I met Vivian's dark gaze. Then I smiled. "I'm not ready to say." I paused. "But she's here." Chapter 3 "She's here? Who?" The room exploded into speculation. People started looking around, trying to guess which woman I meant. Vivian, strangely, seemed to relax. But the next thing someone said made her tense up again. Then someone laughed and said, "You two really are alike. Both of you drop bombs without warning." Another guest added, "If Julian hadn't gone overseas and Vivian hadn't gotten drunk over him afterward, none of us would have known she'd been secretly in love with him for three years." The mood shifted. For once, Vivian explained herself loudly enough for everyone to hear. "It's all in the past. Stop making something out of nothing." But as she spoke, her eyes cut through the crowd and landed directly on me. She looked nervous. I didn't care anymore. How much had she loved Julian during those three years? How deeply had he been woven into her life in the decade before that? I suddenly had no desire to investigate. "Keep playing," I said. "I'm going to the restroom." I stepped into the hallway, let the cold air clear my head, and finally pulled out my phone. I sent two messages. You heard everything. I'll accept the family engagement. The typing indicator appeared almost instantly and kept flashing. I didn't wait for the reply. Vivian came after me. She grabbed my wrist and shoved me back against the wall. "Adrian, I already told you that was in the past. What are you doing?" Winter cedar surrounded me. She leaned in, angry and desperate, trying to kiss me the way she always did whenever we fought. This was how Vivian solved conflict. She relied on the part of me that still loved her, the part that couldn't bear to see her upset. If she kissed me, I usually softened. If I softened, I forgave her. This time, I turned my head. Her kiss landed against my cheek. Vivian froze. She dragged a hand through her hair, visibly irritated. "Fine. I know I was wrong." She took a breath. "But Julian just got back. My father said our families were close when we were kids and asked me to look after him. If every woman had picked someone and he'd been left standing there alone, how humiliating would that have been?" What about me? I had rejected everyone else because of her. Did that mean I deserved to be the one standing alone? "Adrian, you can be jealous, but you can't joke about an engagement." Her tone softened. "A wedding takes planning. I want to do it right. I want to give you the best ceremony I can. That takes time." She hesitated. "And my father... I'll talk to him." Vivian's father, Richard Langford, had never liked me. He believed every rumor about me in the business world: that I was ruthless, ambitious, and waiting for the right moment to swallow Langford Holdings whole. Fortunately, Vivian had held her own. Even under my supposed "attacks," she had brought the company back from the dead. The first time she brought me home, her father threw a teacup at me. It cut the back of my hand. Then came an ashtray. Then a vase. Anything he could reach. Vivian and I barely got out of the house. Only later did I understand how badly his mental health had deteriorated after his wife had an affair with a much younger man, drained family funds, and disappeared overseas with him. Vivian was afraid he would hurt me again. That was why, she said, we needed to stay secret a little longer. "Vivian? Where are you?" Julian's voice drifted down the hallway. Vivian immediately released me. "Adrian, go back inside. I'll find you later. I..." I watched the panic cross her face. Something bitter rose inside me. Five years together. Surely that had to mean more than Julian calling her name once. I wanted to test it one last time. Just once. If she chose me now—even once—maybe I could still believe in us. "Vivian." She looked at me. "Do you remember what today is?" We had promised that today would be the day we stopped hiding, the day we got married. Chapter 4 "What day?" Confusion crossed Vivian's beautiful face. And just like that, I understood. I had been the only idiot still counting, the only one remembering the promise to get married, the only one who remembered that when she caught me on those stairs years ago, I had looked at her and thought, I want this woman in my life. The last stubborn piece of hope inside me went quiet. "Nothing," I said. Julian's footsteps were getting closer. Vivian straightened her jacket and turned away. "We'll talk at home later." Then, without looking back, she said, "I'll go ahead. Don't let Julian see you." A second later, Julian appeared. "Vivian, there you are. I've been looking everywhere." Vivian shifted half a step and blocked me in the shadowed corner behind her. Julian tugged lightly at her sleeve. "My flight got in too late and all the downtown hotels are booked. Could I stay at your place tonight?" Your place. The apartment Vivian and I had shared for five years. She almost said no. I heard the start of it. Then Julian continued. "Your dad asked me to visit tomorrow. If I stay with you, we can go together." For five years, Vivian had told me she was working on things with her father. And every time I appeared in front of him, he still pointed at me like I was an enemy and ordered me out. Julian, on the other hand, had always been someone her father adored. Vivian was silent for a long time. My heart hung there with her answer. Then she said, "Okay." The waiting ended. My heart didn't stay suspended. It fell, and this time it broke cleanly. My phone kept buzzing. Adrian, don't come home tonight. I don't want Julian seeing you there and telling my father about us. She didn't need to worry about tomorrow anymore. She could spend all the time she wanted with Julian and her father. I had nothing left to say about it. Under cover of night, I went back to the apartment and packed everything that mattered. Everything that didn't went into the trash. When I found an old medical file in the bedside drawer, the scar over my chest began to ache again. Years ago, when Langford Holdings was fighting for survival, Vivian had taken business from men who were used to getting their way through intimidation. They set a trap to teach her a lesson. At the time, her family was collapsing and no one wanted to get involved. I called the police. Then I went after her before backup arrived. During the struggle, someone swung a heated metal bar toward her. I took it instead. It burned deep into the skin just below my collarbone, frighteningly close to my heart. In the hospital, Vivian sat beside me with red eyes and held my hand. That was the day she finally said yes to me. Her fingers trembled over the bandages on my chest. "Give me five years," she whispered. "In five years, I'll be strong enough to stand beside you without letting you carry me. I won't let you be humiliated because of me." Over those years, she had loved me in her own way. She never forgot a single gift. At home, where nobody could see us, she spoiled me shamelessly. Her possessiveness bordered on extreme. If I said one word too many to another woman, she'd keep me up half the night in bed, making me say her name over and over. And selfishly, I had loved that side of her. I'll admit I took advantage of her at her lowest and slipped into the gap Julian had left behind. Now the dream was over. He was back. I had gambled, and I had lost. I dragged my suitcase downstairs and reached for my phone to call a car. A horn sounded. The woman who had been watching me from the corner of the party sat behind the wheel, smiling. I blinked. "What are you doing here?" She popped the trunk and stepped out in heels. "Making myself useful. The great Adrian finally agrees to a strategic engagement with my family, and I'm supposed to let him call a rideshare?" A free driver? I wasn't going to argue. I lifted my suitcase toward the trunk. She reached to steady it. The case slipped, and our hands brushed. I started to pull mine back out of simple politeness. Then a familiar voice came from behind me. "Adrian." Vivian stood there, expression stormy. "I ask you to stay out for one night, and you immediately find a woman to keep you company?"