JESSICA

My heart was pounding as I saw Bridge standing at the entrance of my house, his arms crossed and his eyes blazing with anger. I knew I had kept him waiting for too long, but I had no idea how to explain what had happened. As I approached him, he glared at me and asked, “Where have you been? I’ve been waiting for nearly an hour!”

My heart sank as I realized how angry he was. "Hey, I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was going out," I began. I tried to explain that I had been held up by a stranger who had saved me and my mother from being killed. I told him that the stranger had paid our debt and that he had asked me to go on a dinner date with him. "That was a favor I owed him in returned," I concluded, convinced he now understood why I had to go out.

But Bridge was not interested in understanding my story. He was too consumed by jealousy to even listen.

“I don’t believe you,” he said coldly. “I think you’re hiding something from me.”

My eyes widened in disbelief. “What are you talking about? I’m not hiding anything!”

"You know what, let's just go out," he said. "I don't think I wanna go in there with you," he said, sounding as blunt as I had ever heard him. I could barely recognize the man I had fallen in love with.

Without saying a word to him, I got inside his car and off he went. We didn't say a word to each other until we arrived at the restaurant.

The restaurant was a cozy little place with dim lighting and soft music playing in the background. It was one of Bridge’s favorite places to eat. We hadn't had a dinner date for a long time, and he had promised me one, but this was unexpected, and it wasn't how I had expected it to pan out.

Because of how noisy the place was, Bridge had gone out to receive a call from his boss. As I sat alone at the table, I couldn’t help but think about the stranger who had saved me and my mother’s life. I wondered who he was and why he had been so kind to us. I also couldn’t shake off the thought that he had wanted to tell me something. I couldn't wrap my head around what it was. Curiously, I brought out the card he had given me. I had not even bothered to look through it earlier. My heart nearly melted away when I saw for the first time the identity of the man who had taken care of our mess.

"Phil Brandon!," I said aloud, nearly holding my heart in my mouth. I could barely believe my eyes as I kept on staring at the card. Not many in the world had the privilege of even holding the card.

Phil Brandon was the only son of the Brandons, yeah, the very famous Brandons family in New York City. Anyone in the City who claimed not to have heard of them must surely be deaf or has only been in the New York City for just a few hours. They completely controlled major businesses in the City, and you couldn't be as successful, no matter who were or what business you did, as they were. In fact, there was a major saying in town that "the Brandons were the only way forward." Even the politicians in the City always made sure to be on their good books if they wished to not just remain in power, but remain relevant.

I had heard so much about Phil, but I had never set my eyes on him until he showed up at the butcher's house. But even Dwayne had no clue who he was. Maybe he's not a public person.

"Gosh! I had sat with the most powerful man in New York City without even a clue!," I whispered to myself, still in disbelief.

“I can’t believe you went on a date with another man,” Bridge said to me, leaving me briefly startled. I had no idea he had stood behind me, as he watched me constantly go through the card. He must have a clue who it was I went out with, and that must fill his heart with more jealousy.

I felt a pang of guilt as I realized how much I had hurt him. “I’m sorry,” I said softly. “I couldn't say no to him."

"Oh, you couldn't say no to him, because he bears a name that melts hearts, that leaves everyone else look over their shoulders, right! Right!?," he barked at me. He was beginning to cause a scene, as people began to fix their gaze at us.

"People are watching, Bridge," I whispered to him.

"Let them watch, you brought this upon yourself!," he let out. While I was still trying to figure out what had come over him, he did the unthinkable, one I could swear on my life he didn't have on his sleeve. Quickly, he grabbed my hand and proclaimed at the top of his voice. "Listen, everyone."

"What the fuck are you doing!?," I whispered to him, looking embarrassed. I tried to free my hand from his grip, but I was no match for him, for he held onto me firmly. "You're hurting me, Bridge!," I said to him.

Without saying a word to me, he continued. "My girlfriend," he said, taking a very brief glance at me, "Jessica, has found a new lover," he announced. "Guess who, biddies. Yeah, you're right, it's Phil Brandon!!!"

"Stop this, please, I beg you!," I pleaded with him, but he wouldn't listen. He seemed determined to make a public show of me.

He continued. "She has chosen him over me, and it's fine by me. I agree I am no match for him. Congratulations, Jessica, you just became a part of the most famous family in New York City. Help me congratulate her, buddies." He stopped and sat back down on the chair, as if nothing had happened.

"What did you do that for!?," I yelled at him, too angry to speak.

"Give me a minute, please," he said to me, surprisingly sounding calm and responsible. "Waiter," he shouted, "over here, please."

"How may I serve you, sir?," the waiter, who, like the others, had been surprised at his behavior, asked.

"Bagel with cream cheese and lox will do, don't you think?," he said, turning to Jessica, who looked lost. "Two glasses of chilled whiskey would also suffice," he said to the waiter. "Make it quick, please." He watches him leave before turning his attention to Jessica. "That's one of my favorites, and I'm sure you will like it. You know…"

"What was that for, Bridge!?," I suddenly said to him. "I told you it was just a date, and nothing more, but you chose to make a public show of me. Why?."

Bridge shook his head. “You don’t understand,” he said. “I thought we had something special.”

“We do,” Jessica said quickly. “I love you, Bridge.”

But Bridge wasn’t convinced. “If you loved me, you wouldn’t have gone on a date with someone else,” he said. "You didn't even ask for my permission first. What if he had taken advantage of you just the way that motherfucker did!? What if!?."

I felt tears welling up in my eyes again. “It wasn’t like that,” I said. “He saved our lives, Bridge. He paid our debt.”

Bridge looked at me skeptically. “And you just went on a date with him because he asked you to?”

I nodded. “I didn’t want to,” I said. “But I felt like I owed him something.”

Bridge shook his head again. “I don’t believe you,” he said.

Mate, I felt like screaming in frustration. I didn’t even know what else to say or do to make him believe me. It felt like he already had his mind made up. There was nothing I was going to say that would make him change his mind, it did feel.

"You know what, let's get out of here," he said. "I have had enough in one day." He got up and got out, without evening waiting for me.

As I left the restaurant, I felt like everything was falling apart around me. I loved Bridge more than anything in the world, but it seemed like our relationship was heading towards the cleaners. Since I told him about that incident in Los Angeles, he has grown cold towards me. It feels like he doesn't recognize me anymore. He may not say the words, but I know he blames me for what happens. His actions speak louder than his words.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, but things never got better between us. Bridge remained convinced that I was hiding something from him, and I remained heartbroken over the fact that he didn’t trust her.

It felt like there was ever going to be one outcome at the end, but I wasn't ready for it. I loved him too much to let him go.

But you never can tell…

Even our own decisions can make and leave us fragile!

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