The last time Rupert spoke with Elizabeth was on Thursday night. He tried calling her at home and on her cell phone but she didn't answer or return his calls. Finally he gave up and boarded the plane. Maybe she would be home by the time he arrived, he thought.
He settled into his first class seat with thoughts of his wife being AWOL settling with him. He didn't like it when he couldn't get a hold of her, especially on the weekend and her job was another matter. On Friday, he tried calling her there but got her voice mail. Wondering where she could be, he called the receptionist for her floor and the young woman informed him Elizabeth was gone for the remainder of the day. Thinking maybe she left work early because she was sick, Rupert asked the young woman if Elizabeth had taken ill. The young woman couldn't confirm. After hanging up, Rupert called home again, hoping Elizabeth would pick up. He wanted to tell her he had managed to get an earlier flight.
He removed his glasses and began cleaning them, then asked the passing stewardess to bring him a cup of tea. He continued cleaning his glasses, while thinking of reasons to explain why he couldn't get a hold of Elizabeth. Maybe she was shopping, maybe she lost her cell phone, or maybe she was with friends, he thought. In his heart, Rupert knew these reasons were rubbish and finally entertained the thought that Elizabeth was indeed having an affair.
Rupert had his suspicions and they were confirmed when Gwen told him about the white-headed blonde man, with the handsomely striking features she saw Elizabeth with in the coffee house near her home. Putting two and two together, Rupert thought back on the night he saw the same man that matched Gwen's description with Elizabeth in the lobby of her building. He would never forget the way the blonde man looked at his wife.
Rupert and Gwen talked in length when she further revealed she was almost positive she saw Elizabeth with the same young man before. She stated she remembered seeing Elizabeth sitting by the window of the same coffee house several months ago. However, she did admit she couldn't get a good look because she was in a hurry to make the opening curtain of her favorite opera but she did notice the pair held hands. Suspecting Gwen was only trying to start trouble, he decided not to believe her nor ask Elizabeth about it. He and Gwen's friendship was strained ever since he married Elizabeth. The look on her face when he told her he was getting married was like the sweetest revenge.
It started when Rupert began teaching at Columbia. Gwen taught there for several months before he arrived and when they were introduced by the Dean, he was immediately smitten with her. They had to share an office for several weeks until his was ready and quickly became friends after discovering the abundance of things they had in common. She liked to read the classics, enjoyed the opera and was equally passionate about her work, as he was. Gwen was the perfect woman for him and Rupert wanted to take things further.
After several months, he finally got the nerve to ask her out. She turned him down and told him she didn't think it was wise to date someone she worked with. Rupert tried to understand but felt her reason had more to do with his looks and age. There was only a three-year age difference but Gwen looked much younger and he soon found out she also preferred younger men. On several occasions, he had the displeasure of seeing her in the company of a few younger blokes at various archeology functions and black tie affairs held by the university for the faculty, staff and alumni.
Feeling his self-esteem plummet, Rupert threw himself into his work earning prestige and recognition on several archeological discoveries. He was world-renowned in his field and even appeared on television. There were articles written about him, certifying him as an expert in his field and later he started lecturing at other universities including Columbia where he met Elizabeth. When he spotted her glowing face in the audience, it silenced him. It was the first time in years he had lost his train of thought in a room filled with students and his colleagues.
After the lecture, one of his favorite students, a red headed girl whose name he couldn't remember, introduced them. He and Elizabeth exchanged pleasantries and quickly the red headed girl began telling him how much she enjoyed the lecture. While the enthusiastic girl spoke, Elizabeth was giving him the most heart stopping stare and smile, causing him to tune her friend out. It wasn't until after several moments he realized she was silently flirting with him. He was flattered and decided to flirt back, which was certainly out of character for him but she brought out something in him he hadn't felt in ages. This young beautiful blonde girl made him feel young again. He liked the feeling and wanted to keep feeling that way, so he took a chance and asked her out to dinner. The only thing they had in common was that she thought he was brilliant.
Elizabeth was young and full of life, sexy and passionate and most of all she liked him and at the time it was enough for Rupert. For a whole year they were inseparable, then he asked her to marry him. He thrived off her youth and he enriched her with his knowledge, introducing her to the arts and literature. Two years into the marriage, Rupert realized he had made a mistake in marrying Elizabeth. She was too young for him and he was too old for her and not just in years. He couldn't keep up and he couldn't compete with her youthfulness and he didn't want to. He was too busy having a love affair with his work.
The last two years had brought more recognition and prestige then he could ever hope for, making it difficult to balance his marriage and career. He knew he needed to make a choice and before he knew it, he was spending more and more time away from Elizabeth, only occasionally trying to spend time with her when he noticed she had stopped trying. She was spending more time at work, or so he thought. She never complained or brought up the fact that he was doing the same. They were drifting apart and rather than ask for a divorce and admit he had actually failed at something, Rupert just pretended it wasn't happening and then of course, to prove the naysayers wrong, especially Gwen.
Rupert chuckled. He found it comically disturbing when Gwen started flirting with him soon after she found out he was dating Elizabeth and even more so when he and his young girlfriend got married. He refused to indulge her until one night they found themselves working on a joint project. He had received a call from Elizabeth, telling him she was going to be working late AGAIN, which was becoming more frequent than he liked as the months passed. He tried to understand, even though she was just a marketing representative at a rather small art firm. He decided to work late too but didn't bother to tell her, then asked Gwen to stay late with him. He knew she would jump at the chance. She was just as committed to her work as he was. He really liked that quality about her and that night, they managed to finish the project ahead of schedule and decided to have a drink afterwards to celebrate. One drink led to many more and before he knew it, they were back at her place, shagging their brains out.
Feeling guilty about his indiscretion with Gwen, Rupert called home to check on Elizabeth. He was surprised she wasn't home yet. It was pretty late. He couldn't reach her on her cell phone and decided to stop by her office. Since he wasn't home to prepare dinner for them, he picked up her favorite Chinese take out. When he entered her building, he recognized her standing at the security desk. He also noticed a young blonde man standing only a short distance from her. The look on the young man's face made Rupert stop in his tracks and although Elizabeth's body language appeared detached, there was no mistaking his. There was an intimate awareness about him and the look of longing on the young man's face convinced Rupert something wasn't right. He knew that look all too well. The expression on the young man's face was the same one he wore when he was fawning over Gwen and it was at that moment Rupert wanted to know who the man was and what the hell was going on.
He hoped Elizabeth would give him the answers he was seeking, but she only made him feel guilty for asking and even got angry when he suggested she wasn't telling him the truth. Besides considering what he had done, he realized he could be perpetuating his own guilt onto her. It was wise to let it go, but the memory of what he saw on the young man's face would be forever embedded in his mind.
*~~~~*
Spike and Buffy had dinner in the main dinning room then joined two other couples for drinks and charades in the parlor. After three rounds, they were victorious, having won each round. Laughing, Spike would pull Elizabeth into a tight embrace and kiss her passionately, ignoring the other couples cheering them on. It was the third kiss that convinced them it was time to call it a night. It was also their last night together before they had to return to the city and they didn't particularly want to spend those precious hours cheesing it up with strangers.
After bidding the other couples good night, William and Elizabeth practically ran the entire distance back to their cottage, stopping to kiss and fondle each other along the way as their passion flared with each step. The cottage door slammed against the unsuspecting wall but the moment it closed, raw fire erupted between them. The red-hot lovers began stripping away their clothes. There were no words just the sounds of heavy breathing, the smacking of full lips against full lips, vulnerable buttons popping, the sound of zippers unzipping and seams splitting.
*~~~~*
Rupert exited the yellow cab in front of his home. The Saturday morning paper greeted him at the front door. Entering the foyer, he stepped on the small pile of mail on the hardwood floor. He picked up the mail, placing it on the console with the newspaper. He called out Elizabeth's name but didn't get an answer. He then looked at his watch. It was 5:30 and she still wasn't home.
He cut off the light in the foyer and made a beeline for his study, stopping along the way to cut off the light in the living room. Everything was just as he left it. Nothing was out of place. He poured himself a glass of Scotch and sat in his high wingback chair. He thought about calling Elizabeth again, but changed his mind. She was clearly too busy with other things...or rather too busy with someone. His jaw tightened. He knew he shouldn't be too angry. He did shag Gwen...but at least he knew it was a mistake and one he wished to never repeat again, contrary to his wife running around like some whore, making him look like a fool. What if other colleagues besides Gwen had seen her? He would be a laughing stock. He hoped Gwen would keep her mouth shut but he knew it was unlikely. She had taken a perverse pleasure in telling him what she had witnessed. She would probably gain even more pleasure in sharing it with others, who would no doubt take pleasure in knowing how the mighty had fallen. Soon, it would be in the gossip columns and he would have to deal with people pitying him...or worse, snickering and whispering how it was bound to happen, most likely insinuating that Elizabeth was only with him for his money. Morosely he drank his scotch without stopping, pouring himself another and drinking it rapidly like the first one. He poured himself another drink, before standing. He walked into the foyer to retrieve the mail and sat at his desk. He took a large gulp of his drink and stared intently at the envelopes before him wondering why there was so much. Then it hit him. Elizabeth probably hadn't been home at all and wouldn't be coming back home anytime soon and it explained why the paper was left on the porch.
Rupert stared off into space. It made perfect sense. He hadn't spoken to her in two days and she obviously didn't have enough intelligence to hide her indiscretions properly. Tightening his hand around his glass, he placed it to his lips and gulped the rest down. He slammed the empty glass on his desk, nearly smashing it. Blindly, he reached for a piece of the mail, desperate to occupy his mind with something other than thoughts of Elizabeth with her young lover.
*~~~~*
The saltiness of sex and the sweet scent of passion permeated the twisted sheets as their twisted limbs connected in fucking awe. They were drowning in each other's heat, scent, and breath. From the movement of her lips on his shoulder to the wet rotation of his tongue on her nipples, flesh impacted flesh as Elizabeth laid bare, sweating, her thighs open and only a scream away from release.
William wanted every inch of her flesh against every inch of his flesh as they wrestled underneath the bed sheets, lost in the taste and texture of each other. A whisper of his name from her lips and a tease of her tongue increased the unrelieved pressure that flexed his spine, seeking an outlet. His thrusts increased and she was right there with him as the wet smacks of their lust finally delivered them from their sexual madness. Locked like mating insects, their bodies stilled but their tongues continued to fill each other's mouths until they parted for air then whispered how much they loved each other.
*~~~~*
Rupert opened the envelope and immediately knew something was wrong. There were numerous charges from some hotel he didn't recognize. He made a mental note to contact his credit card company about the charges, and then he saw the bill belonged to Elizabeth. He studied it more carefully. There were three separate charges from the same hotel, including other charges for various department stores and lingerie stores. His jaw tightened again when he realized what he was reading was yet more confirmation of Elizabeth's cheating. It had opened the floodgate to many others...like the classic working after hours and how it was sometimes impossible to get a hold of her on those nights. The new lingerie and how, when she would come home, she would immediately dash up the stairs to shower before greeting him with a kiss and a hug like she usually did. There were others things...like during one of their rare couplings she seemed so distant and now he knew why. Her thoughts were with someone else and that someone was the man he watched ogling her when he paid a surprise visit to her office. The same man he overheard her speaking to on the phone late one night, the same man who he heard Elizabeth whisper his name in her sleep. William was his name or rather... William, oh God William...as she had put it. Rupert needed another drink.
*~~~~*
Elizabeth gave William a long kiss goodbye before exiting the car. It was a beautiful Sunday morning and their unforgettable weekend was over. It was time for her to prepare herself for Rupert's arrival and the evitable talk they needed to have. She retrieved her suitcase from the backseat then lowered her head inside the car window to tell William she would call him later. She watched him drive off before approaching the stairs leading to her unhappy home.
One thing struck her as odd as she made her way up the stairs, dragging her suitcase and briefcase behind her. She expected to see the Saturday and Sunday morning papers on the porch but shrugged it off, thinking someone must have stolen them. She unlocked and opened the front door and froze. The light in the foyer and living room were turned off and the light in Rupert's study was on. Elizabeth deliberately left those two lights on when she left the house Friday morning. She had an uncomfortable feeling in her stomach and the sounds coming from Rupert's study only made it worse. At first she thought someone had broken into the house. Then she thought what were the odds of the thief locking her front door after taking what he wanted, but rather than face what was ahead of her now, she wished it were truly a thief. It was apparent Rupert was home, causing the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach to work in sync with the hard pounding of her heart. Elizabeth was panicking and wondering why the hell he was home. She wasn't expecting him until later, much later. She looked at her watch. It was 1pm and she had no idea how long he had been home. Why didn't he call her but then she remembered William had turned off her cell phone in a playful gesture so they wouldn't be disturbed and although she meant to turn it back on, she had gotten so lost in their magical time together, she let it slip her mind.
She heard Rupert call her name, unnerving the hell out of her even more. He didn't sound too happy. Quickly she opened the hall closet, placing her suitcase and briefcase inside before acknowledging him. She headed straight down the long hallway wiping her sweaty hands on her jeans as she struggled to make the panic recede.
The curtains in the study were closed and the room was still dark despite the small lamp. One of Rupert's precious books was lying open on his desk with a near empty bottle of scotch beside it. She marked his book before closing it and nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard his voice come out of the darkness...with the one question she never thought she would hear him utter. He asked her who the other man was. She didn't reply. He asked her the same question again but this time he was much louder. Again, Elizabeth chose silence, looking at him. She could barely see his form sitting in the chair until he stood up and walked towards her. Her instincts told her to take a step back, then another and another until her back was almost against the wall. She didn't want to talk to Rupert in the dark.
Without looking away from him, she turned on the lights. They both squinted their eyes, trying to focus on each other. Rupert's face was blank but the look in his eyes was unmistakable. He was angry and she could smell the strong liquor on his breath. She still didn't try to reply until he asked her if she was going to answer his question. Then she began to stutter but before any actual words graced her lips, he told her not to bother. Not if she thought she was going to lie her way out of it. Elizabeth went silent. Humorlessly, he laughed and walked passed her, grabbing the half-empty bottle of scotch off his desk.
Rupert flopped down in the leather chair in front of his desk and filled his empty glass. He gulped it down and then looked at her. He asked her how long has it been going on. She hesitated. Abruptly he stood, angrily demanding she answer him. She jumped, and then backed further against the wall. He rushed towards her, grabbing her by her forearms, yelling at her that he wasn't a fool. A little sob escaped her; she told him she was sorry. Rupert released her then asked her if she loved him. She hesitated then told him she was in love with the other man. He chuckled then replied that was good because HE didn't love her anymore. She wasn't shocked by his admission but what he said next did shock her. He told her he couldn't say he hadn't seen it coming and was surprised their marriage lasted as long as it did.
No longer at a loss for words, she wanted him to elaborate but she didn't wait for his answer. She answered for him, blurting out that he married her knowing the marriage would fail. She asked him then why didn't he ask her for a divorce. He told her he was too busy to deal with it and wanted her to be the one to ask first so it would look like he wasn't the one who failed. She laughed and then called him a bastard and acknowledged she was once again a poor second after his work. He told her she knew how important his work was to him before she married him and that if she wanted to screw around, he would have preferred she divorced him and spared him the embarrassment.
Elizabeth could feel herself getting angry. She folded her arms across her chest and shook her head before telling him he needed to get over himself and that everything wasn't all about him. Rupert had a smug look on his face and she itched to slap it away. Instead, she kept her arms locked to her body then acknowledged out loud that her mother and friends were right all along. She should have never married him. Still wearing the annoying smug, Rupert stood and walked over to her. He leaned into her face until their noses were almost touching and told her she should have listened to them before he pulled away, giving Elizabeth the room she needed to slap him across the face before shouting he had never loved her. Rupert didn't see that coming but couldn't help feeling satisfied that he had hurt her in the same way she hurt him. He told himself he was long over it, but acknowledged he still had feelings for Elizabeth.
No longer taking pleasure in the hurtful things he'd said to her, his face softened. He apologized to her and stated he didn't regret having her in his life. She arched a brow at him and he took that as a sign to continue. He told Elizabeth she made him feel young again and helped him recapture his youth since so much of it was spent with his nose in books. What she gave him was something he needed at the time and for that, he would forever be grateful to her and that he did love her...at least in the beginning, but those feelings were long gone. He touched her face, giving her a weak smile and told her she needed to be with someone who made her happy and that it was better if that someone was closer to her own age. After a small moment of silence, he added that he needed to be with someone his own age as well.
Elizabeth moved away from him and she responded by bringing up Gwen's name as someone he would be better off with. She watched him flinch and knew she had touched a nerve. Rupert never flinched...well, except that one time when someone questioned his findings in a study on national television. She concluded he still had feelings for the uptight bitch...but she couldn't find it in her heart to blame him. They had so much in common and seemed perfect for each other.
She remembered the first time she met Gwen. Elizabeth wanted to scratch her eyes out. They were at a one of Rupert's boring functions and Gwen was there with some guy who looked young enough to be in high school. When Rupert introduced them, she insulted and complimented Elizabeth in the same sentence and it was at that moment she knew Gwen was jealous and that was enough to keep Elizabeth from going medieval on her ass. She had something Gwen wanted. Lucky for her, the uptight bitch could have him now.
Rupert downed the rest of his drink, feeling the guilt of having slept with Gwen creeping up on him. He didn't want to engage in conversation about his ex-crush, so he said nothing. They both stood in silence because there was nothing else left to say, resulting in the silent conclusion they had both wanted a divorce but neither one of them had the balls to say it. Rupert told her he would be moving into one of the guest bedrooms and that he would make an appointment with their lawyer in the morning. Quietly he walked out of the study and up the stairs.
Elizabeth exhaled and poured herself a drink; she slowly sat down in the high wing back chair. Her marriage was over and felt regret she didn't do it sooner but then realized if she had, she would have never met William and that she would never regret.
The End
A/N: Yes, there will be an epilogue coming soon and I promise not to wait a whole freaking month to post it.
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Author's Chapter Notes:
I thought it was best for the story to give you a glimpse into Rupert’s mind. Also, I want to give a BIG thank you to Greyangel for helping me with this chapter and if you haven’t read her story Winters Storm, you are truly missing out.