"I didn't realize that 'market analysis' involved sitting on another man's lap, Lina."
I stood in the doorway of our cramped living room, my muscles screaming in protest. My hands were mapped with fresh cuts and grease from twelve hours of hauling iron at the scrap yard, followed by another six hours of loading crates at the docks.
My back felt like it was fused together, but the weight in my pocket—a small, velvet-lined box containing a pair of pearl earrings—had kept me moving.
I had worked myself to the point of collapse just to buy a symbol of peace. I wanted to show Lina that I wasn't the man from the garden. I wanted to buy a moment of her time so she would finally listen to the truth.
But the scene in front of me didn't look like a home waiting for an apology.
Lina was on the sofa, her shoes off, leaning dangerously close to Rico. He had his arm draped across the back of the cushions, his fingers inches away from her shoulder. On the coffee table sat two glasses of expensive scotch and a spread of appetizers that didn't come from our local grocery store.
Lina didn't jump. She didn't even look guilty. She just looked annoyed.
"Dray, you're home early," she said, her voice flat. She didn't move away from him.
"And you smell like a mechanic's floor. Could you at least go shower before you start making accusations?"
Rico chuckled, swirling his drink.
"Easy, Lina. The man's clearly had a hard day of... what is it you do now, Hudson? Moving heavy things from one side of the room to the other? It's honest work, I suppose. For some."
I ignored him, my eyes locked on my wife.
"Lina, what is he doing here? In our home? At ten o'clock at night?"
"He's helping me, Dray!" she snapped, finally standing up.
"My father is threatening to cut off my trust fund completely because of the scene you caused at his party. Rico is the only one willing to help me restructure my personal assets so I don't end up on the street with you."
"I told you, the garden was a setup," I said, my voice rising.
"And you're bringing the man who planned it into our house? Look at how he's looking at you, Lina. This isn't a business meeting. This is a predatory play."
Rico stood up then, smoothed his five-thousand-dollar suit, and stepped toward me. Next to him, in my dirt-stained work clothes, I looked like a ghost.
"Hudson, let's be adults," Rico said, his tone dripping with fake sympathy.
"Lina is a Darkson. She's used to a certain level of... professional intimacy. In the world of high-stakes mergers and acquisitions, we don't hold hands and talk about feelings. We work late. We share drinks. We get close. If you had ever been the heir to a multi-million dollar empire, you'd know that. But since you're just the guy who fixes the Wi-Fi, I can see why you're confused."
I took a step toward him, my fists clenching.
"Get out of my house, Rico. Now."
"Dray, stop it!" Lina stepped between us, pushing against my chest. Her hands were clean, her manicure perfect. My sweat transferred to her silk blouse, and she looked down at the smudge with a flash of pure disgust.
"You're acting like a child. Rico is a client. He's a partner. He's someone who actually understands the pressures I'm under."
"He's your ex-boyfriend who wants to sleep with you!" I yelled.
"And you're a man who 'allegedly' cheats in gardens and brings home pocket change while I try to save our reputation!" she yelled back.
"You have no right to judge who I talk to. You don't know what it means to talk to big clients. You don't know the etiquette of this world. To you, closeness is a threat. To us, it's how deals get done."
I looked at her. The girl I met in high school would have never said the word 'etiquette' with such venom.
"I brought you something," I said quietly, reaching into my pocket.
I pulled out the box and opened it. The pearls weren't massive, but they were high quality. They represented eighteen hours of back-breaking labor.
Lina glanced at them, then looked at the diamond-encrusted watch on Rico's wrist. She didn't even reach for the box.
"Pearls, Dray? Really?" She sighed, rubbing her temples.
"I have a vault full of pearls at my father's house that are three times this size. Did you spend the rent money on this? Because the landlord called again today."
"I worked extra shifts, Lina. This wasn't rent money. It was for you. To say I'm sorry we're in this mess. To ask you to believe in me for just a little longer."
"I'm tired of believing in things I can't see," she said. She turned back to Rico.
"I'm sorry about this, Rico. He's... he's had a long day."
"It's fine, darling," Rico said, picking up his coat. He walked to the door, stopping right next to me. He leaned in, whispering so only I could hear.
"The pearls are a nice touch, Dray. Very 1950s. But while you're out moving boxes, I'm moving into her life. It's only a matter of time before she realizes that a pearl in a pigsty is still surrounded by filth."
I swung.
It was a slow, exhausted punch, born more from desperation than technique. Rico stepped back easily, the blow whistling past his chin.
"Dray!" Lina screamed.
Rico held up his hands, a smug grin on his face. "See? He's unstable. I'll leave you two to it. Lina, call me tomorrow morning. We'll finish discussing the merger over breakfast at the Pierre."
He walked out, whistling a tune.
Lina turned on me, her face pale with rage.
"You tried to hit him? A man who is trying to help us? Are you insane?"
"He insulted you, Lina! He insulted us!"
"He spoke the truth!" she shrieked.
"You're a violent, jealous, broke loser who can't stand the fact that another man is more successful than you. Don't touch me. Don't even look at me."
She stormed into the bedroom and slammed the door, the sound echoing like a gavel.
I stood in the silence, the pearl earrings still clutched in my hand. I looked at my reflection in the darkened window. I looked like a stranger. A broken, dirty stranger.
I walked over to my desk and sat down. My phone vibrated. It was a message from the anonymous group from the night before.
"We're taking a look at your work again. We have to see how this comes together eventually."