"He's an idiot. Who in their right mind would be capable of cheating on Sarah Doinel? He's the one missing out."
I let out a little laugh at the annoyed tone in which he spoke.
"Well, that's how it happened. Here you see me all unreachable. I was deceived in the worst way." I said jokingly, avoiding talking about the humiliations of his family.
If he sounded so upset just by hearing a small part, I didn't even want to imagine his reaction if he found out everything. My cousins were always very overprotective of me because I was the little princess of the family.
"What an idiot, but wait. Won't he take responsibility for his child? I don't understand."
I felt his gaze on me and looked at him for a few seconds while shaking my head.
"He doesn't know I'm pregnant, I found out with his lover just as I was about to tell him the news." I shrugged, downplaying it, although it still hurt like the first day.
I desperately wanted to stop feeling miserable talking about this. I no longer wanted it to affect me to mention my ex-husband. I didn't know how I was going to do it, but I was going to get him out of my mind and my heart, even though I was left with a piece of him growing inside me.
"Wow, how does this happen to the great Sarah?" I raised one of my eyebrows as I gave him a second look.
"It can happen to anyone. Hasn't it happened to you?" I asked in an attempt to change the uncomfortable topic, and I was grateful that we were close to the company.
"Actually, no. I'm such a busy man that I don't have time for a serious relationship, I only have my affairs." I opened my eyes in surprise and gave him a disapproving look.
"Vincent, you play with women's feelings. That's even worse." I accused him as I entered Doinel's underground parking lot, and Vincent let out a laugh that echoed throughout the car.
"Of course not, Sarah. The women I am with must agree to have a no-strings-attached fling, no one gets hurt." He clarified the matter, but I couldn't help but feel scandalized.
"Do they have to sign a contract agreeing to your conditions?" I jokingly asked as I parked the car in the parking lot. However, Vincent's silence said it all.
"I can't believe it, Vincent!"
I turned off the car engine and got out of the car with flushed cheeks, feeling sorry for the girls who had accepted such a thing. My cousin treated them as if they were an item. How could they allow it? No, the question was, why did Vincent treat women that way?
"Sarah, it's not that big of a deal, I have my reasons for not being in a serious relationship. You can relax, believe me, none of the women I've been with have been hurt. Unlike you, yours was more serious and you were definitely hurt."
I looked at him in surprise when he said that as he got out of the car, and I didn't know how to feel.
Angry, embarrassed, or miserable.
In a way, what the Lancaster family did to me wasn't that different. I couldn't help but feel like those women who allowed themselves to be used by my cousin under a contract.
I also signed a contract when I married Alexander, allowing his family to do as they pleased with me. The only difference was that I did get hurt, and those women, apparently, did not.
"Damn it. I'm sorry, princess, I don't know why I said that, please forgive me. It wasn't my intention..." Vincent apologized, realizing what he had said, but I interrupted him.
"It's okay, anyway, you're right." I said with a lump in my throat and walked to the elevator, leaving my cousin behind so he wouldn't realize how much that topic affected me.
"Princess, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, come on, forget what I said." Vincent came to my side and took my hand, leaving several kisses on my knuckles, begging for my forgiveness. I couldn't help but let out a chuckle at how funny he looked with his beaten dog face.
"Did you say something? Because I don't remember." I said playfully, although I couldn't shake off the pang in my chest. We entered the elevator and Vincent wrapped his arms around me while messing up my hair.
" Vincent, go to hell!"
"You can't stay mad at your favorite Musketeer for too long, especially when you need a hug."
And he was right, I wrapped my arms around his waist, feeling more relaxed.
"That's it, drain all the bad stuff. You don't need it when you have so many good things within reach."
The elevator doors opened, and the first thing I saw was Paul's face as he spoke to the receptionist. When he saw us, I could see his jaw tense.
"Good morning." Vincent and I greeted as we exited the elevator, Paul's gaze landed on my cousin's arm that was still on my shoulders, although we had stopped hugging each other a while ago.
"Good morning, Sari." He greeted me with a smile, which faded when he looked at my cousin.
"Vincent."
"Good morning, can I offer you something to drink?" The receptionist asked, and I shook my head.
"Not at the moment, thank you. Paul, let's go to Sarah's office, we have a lot to discuss." Vincent said as he walked with me to my office. I greeted Jack, my assistant and right-hand man, who was already in his place, ready for any orders I gave him.
I sat on the couch to massage my ankles as I entered my office. Vincent sat on my comfortable chair to check if it had a good seat, worthy of the vice president, and soon Paul came and sat in the chair in front of the desk.
I crossed my fingers hoping that Paul and Vincent would work in harmony. Since the meeting with my father, I could sense the tension between them. The last thing I wanted was rivalries in the company.
"I can hear them from here, the sofa is very comfortable." I said with my eyes closed, seeking maximum comfort on the sofa and I heard Paul let out a laugh.
"The queen deserves it." Paul said amused and I smiled innocently. Vincent cleared his throat, getting Paul's attention and of course mine.
I could be relaxed, but I also had to pay full attention to my father's company matters. As of today, the three of us were in charge of Doinel and everything must go in perfect order, as always.
"Well, let's catch up on the company's status, I will request a general report to analyze it together, then we will have a meeting with Patrick and..."
The knocks on the door interrupted Vincent and Jack entered with a worried expression on his face. I looked at him confused by his expression.
"Sorry for the interruption, some people are looking for Ms. Sarah."
I looked at him with a furrowed brow. I had no appointments scheduled for today, I wasn't expecting anyone.
"Who? We don't have any scheduled visitors." I asked, settling into my seat.
"Mr. Alexander Lancaster and his mother, Mrs. Amelia Lancaster.