The Billionaire’s Substitute

Rachel ran out of the apartment, ignoring the voices behind her. His voice calling out to her didn't stop her either. Running to the elevator without looking back once, she started hitting the button over and over again, needing to get out of the suffocating place. She heard footsteps behind her, the closer the footsteps got the more frantic her behavior became. The doors opened giving her a chance to escape that nightmare. She spun around, facing Ethan who took a sprint to reach her. She had pushed the button to the ground floor, but he was faster. He managed to slip through the doors and faced her.

"Rachel, calm down."

She wasn't going to listen to him this time though, she wouldn't listen to a single word that came out of the mouth of the man who betrayed her. The man who didn't stand beside her when she needed him the most. Wasn't that part the most important when you were in a relationship? When the whole world was against you the person you loved was supposed to have your back no questions asked.

"Shut up!"

He grabbed her by the shoulders, his fingers digging into her skin, "You're not thinking straight."

She pressed her hands against his chest and forcefully pushed him away from her, "I'm seeing things perfectly clear." She told him, lowering her voice to maintain some of her dignity since his family more or less took it from her a few minutes ago, "No matter how much time we spend together it's never enough. You're never going to trust me nor are you going to treat me like someone who actually matters to you, because I'm not that bitch Tiffany who tried to kill my sister."

Just referring to his ex-girlfriend was enough to make her statement, but she made sure to emphasize on Tiffany being a bad person. She wanted him to face the fact that the woman who was still in his heart was not good enough. A woman who was locked up because she tried to commit murder to make herself feel better. Tiffany was not good enough for anyone until she got her head straight again.

Ethan seemed to be at a loss for words, the surprise in his eyes would have been comical if she didn't feel like dying right then and there. He made her feel like she meant nothing to him like she could be easily replaced. When the doors slid open to the ground floor she slipped away, heading straight for the door to get some air and get the hell out of there. She had no idea where she was going, but she knew for certain she wasn't going back to his place.

"Rachel!"

She was glancing around, trying to find a place to run to. There was nowhere else to go though. She left her family home to live together with a man who never loved her the same way she loved him. He never actually cared, because the crazy bitch was still in his heart. Brushing the tears away she jumped back when Ethan tried to make her face him again.

"You left your things upstairs. There is a lot we need to talk about, just stay here and get some air, I'll go back to grab your things. We'll go home and sit down to talk."

She inhaled deeply when he shrugged his jacket off and wrapped it around her, protecting her from the night's cool air with his jacket which smelled like him. The fresh scent of his cologne lingering around her and driving her crazy. She pushed her arms through the sleeves, wrapping herself up in his jacket. Ethan gently brushed his fingers against her cheek, a warm smile spreading across his face.

"It's going to be okay." He promised her in a calm voice which was supposed to make her feel better, more relaxed, but it had the opposite effect. It made her so angry that he treated her like a demanding client he had to deal with, "I'll be right back." He added.

She watched him leave from sight, going back inside to grab her things. She pushed her hands into his jacket's pockets and was surprised when she felt his phone, wallet, and keys. Him having all these stuff in his pockets was why it felt that heavy around her shoulders. She grabbed his wallet and glanced inside, the tears stopping entirely because she now had her escape plan. Putting the wallet back in his jacket she started to walk away from the apartment building in search of a taxi which she could take. It took her about ten minutes, but she managed to hold a taxi and get the hell out of there. She gave the driver directions to the one place she could go. She didn't want to interrupt Valerie's night in together with Gabriel's family, but she needed her sister. She needed to be around someone who actually cared about her and made her feel like he did matter.

***

Rachel met Gabriel's surprised look, unlike her boyfriend he pulled himself together much faster. Gabriel always had been the one who understood the situation without needing any details. He could read people like a book. He acted on it too, always taking charge without hesitation. She respected him even though it took her a while to figure him out. Gabriel stepped aside to let her in.

"Valerie is in the kitchen." He told her, his voice clear and void of the condescending tone she had heard in Ethan's voice earlier.

She didn't speak up and headed straight for the kitchen, needing to see her sister's face. There were so many people around, but she ignored them all. She wasn't in the mood to socialize if she tried she'd probably offend people who were important to Gabriel. That was the last thing she wanted after interrupting his quiet night in with the family. Rachel stood in the doorway and watched Valerie interact with her sister-in-law. They seemed to get along really well. The jealousy she felt was something she couldn't suppress. She wanted to, but in comparison to Ethan's family, this was heaven.

"Valerie."