“For a few months, the company limped along and we scrapped by but right before we went to Aspen to celebrate Christmas, I had a meeting with the board. They informed me we had less than a year to continue to operate before we would have to declare bankruptcy. I was out of options. I had called in every last favor, borrowing money from everyone I could possibly think of and then some. Uncle Phillip of course knew all of this and was getting increasingly frustrated with my refusal to go along with the plan. He kept berating me and telling me I was just distracted by you. In Aspen, it all came to a head and Phillip forced my hand.” Jamieson paused again rubbing the back of his head and staring at the ground.
“Jamieson, I still don’t understand. What does this have to do with me?”
“It has everything to do with you because the plan was for me to marry Lars and Violet’s daughter, Trinity.”
I gasped. “What?”
Jamieson was quiet for a long few minutes before he started his twisted tale again. “Lars and Violet own a chain of restaurants and bars all through Europe. Their brand is a powerhouse and a merger of our whisky brand with their businesses would have breathed new life into Wellington Whiskey. Trinity is their only child. On her thirtieth birthday, she was to inherit almost half of the company’s stock. One day she will inherit it all but even just half of the company’s stock would have been enough leverage for my company. It would have been the ultimate merger of sorts.”
“So you were going to marry her just to get her family’s fortune? That is despicable, Jamieson, even for you.”
He winced at my words but continued on. “I couldn’t go through with it. I tried of course, but I couldn’t. I knew in Aspen it was the company’s last hope so I had to at least try, so I did. I decided I was going to end things between us but it was so hard. I couldn’t do it. I tried to distance myself from you slowly but that wasn’t working. Every time I was around you, I was consumed. I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t pull the trigger and end us. When Uncle Phillip called me to a meeting in New York on Valentine’s Day, I knew it was his way of trying to put a wedge between us and I let him. I spent a few days in New York planning what I needed to do next before I flew home.”
I hopped up from the couch and began to pace. I was beginning to seethe. “When you say plan things you mean, figure out which two hookers you were going to screw and then let me walk in on it, right?”
“Not exactly, no. I was making plans for my move to London. I knew I would need to relocate to where Trinity was so I could begin a relationship with her.”
“I don’t think I can hear any more of this. You make me fucking sick, you know that?” He didn’t flinch this time at my harsh words.
“I know that. I make myself sick thinking of the things I did. But please just let me finish you need to hear the entire story.”
“Fine, but I have a question first.” I told him and crossed my arms over my chest settling down on the couch.
“What is it Jenna?” He asked in barely a whisper holding his head in his hands.
His face revealed the pain he was carrying around and I softened slightly. “Why did you have to cheat on me? Why didn’t you just tell me you wanted to end things? Why did you have to cut me so deeply?” It was an honest question. It made no sense to me that he couldn’t have just ended things and walked away.
“There was no way I could have sat you down and lied to you like that. You would have seen right through my lies. You would have seen how heartbroken I was. I convinced myself on the plane ride home I had to show you I wasn’t worth loving. I also knew it would be a clean break for you. You would believe I was a cheater and you would end up hating me. I knew it would hurt you but I also knew it would give you a chance to move on. There would be no loose ends. I hadn’t planned the party at the house though. That was just a perfectly timed coincidence. So I texted you trying to blow you off and I knew you would show up. And I was right.”
“You killed me that day, Jamieson. A part of me broke so hard I don’t think it will ever be right again. You are such a coward. I hope it was all worth it,” I said shaking my head in disbelief.
“It wasn’t,” he said immediately. “I made the worst decision based upon fear and desperation. Nothing good can come out of such circumstances. You said earlier today was the worst day of your life. Well for me the worst day of my life was the night I betrayed you. It will always haunt me Jenna.”
I let Jamieson’s words absorb into my skin like fresh steam in the shower, but they did little to heal the pain that was still bubbling at the surface. “So what happened? You obviously didn’t marry Trinity otherwise she wouldn’t be busting down my door to stake her claim.”
“No, I didn’t marry Trinity,” he huffed out and readjusted on the couch. I could tell what he was about to tell me was going to be equally as bad. “I did move to London. It was about a week after I came home from New York. I went there for the sole purpose of pursuing Trinity and convincing her to marry me. I knew it wasn’t going to be a quick process but one that took months and maybe years. I committed myself to do whatever I needed to do in order to save the company. Trinity’s thirtieth birthday was over a year away so I had some time to work on it if I needed. I should have known better though. I have known Trinity her entire life. Our families have always been friends and so we practically grew up together. It was natural for me to reach out to her when I got to London in search of a friendly face. Trinity was excited to have me around and we began spending a lot of time together. We quickly started dating and I thought the plan was working perfectly.”
Jamieson paused for a half a second and I jumped in.
“I don’t get it…why didn’t you keep dating Trinity and just marry her? She seems to think you two are still together even though you adamantly deny it.”
“I know you don’t understand but Jenna, just please let me finish,” he pleaded.
I nodded indicating I would shut-up and let him continue.
“Everything was going according to plan. We had been dating for almost a year and Trinity’s birthday was just around the corner. I was planning on proposing soon. I went to see Lars to ask for his blessing and that’s where things took a drastic turn. It was the middle of the afternoon on a weekend and I knew Lars usually was home at his grand estate in the Northampton. When I got there though he wasn’t home, but Violet was. She told me Lars was out golfing and would be home soon so I decided to wait not wanting to make the drive out to Northampton twice. I should have seen it coming, Violet was like a second mother to me. I should have known she would have seen through my bullshit.”
He shook his head almost like he was trying to get loose of his past indiscretions but they were clearly catching up with him. He breathed deep and continued.
“She confronted me while we had tea in the kitchen. She told me she knew I wasn’t in love with her daughter and that I never would be. I was at a total loss. I tried to convince her she was wrong but finally after going round and round with her I caved and admitted the truth. It was odd but she didn’t seem surprised. She told me that Lars and she had suspected what my true motives were. It seems they both were aware of what a desperate situation Wellington Whiskey was in and they knew I was willing to do anything to save the legacy my father had built.”
“What the hell? Why was Violet so understanding? I would have given you a piece of my mind and then kicked you out of my house for the shameful way you treated my daughter.”
“I think most people would have, but Lars and Violet are thankfully not most people, they are special. Lars arrived at home during my confession to Violet and he joined us listening to my disgraceful behavior. He was disappointed and upset for what I had done but said he could understand why I did it. It was cathartic finally coming clean about what my real motives were and all of the struggles with the company. As I was telling them everything I knew I was likely going to lose everything and I was slowly accepting that. But what Lars and Violet did next thoroughly shocked me.”