FicWad

He woke long after the sun had risen to find that Jaqueline had left already. He found a small slip of a letter laying on the table beside the bed. Rubbing at his eyes he looked down at the feminine script.

My darling,

Please don't be a stranger. Please don't deprive me of your wonderful self. I shall go crazy without you.

Yours always, Jaqueline.

P.S. I do adore gifts.

Jared smiled a little before he dropped the letter to his chest. He could still feel her lips on his, her body molded into his. He could still smell the sweetness of her scent on the bed, on his skin and he could have laid there thinking of her but he knew he had things to do. Even if he didn't want to do any of it.

With a low groan he pulled himself out of bed and made his way to the washroom. He looked at his reflection, studying his face. He wondered in that moment what he looked like to other people. He saw himself as somewhat attractive, with his wide blue eyes that seemed to be what people looked at most. His facial was trimmed rather stylishly and the way he dressed definitely looked the part of a wealthy man.

He smiled a little to himself when he was reminded what it was that people truly thought of him. They were stunned at the sort of man he was, stunned that he had been accepted into society so easily. He didn't much fit the type that usually floated through these streets and so he stuck out, quite perfectly too.

He dressed rather quickly, surprised that he had managed in with such haste. He nearly jogged downstairs, feeling something light suddenly feel him despite all the talk he had spoken the night before. He was glad that he hadn't scared Jaqueline off with all of it.

Once he was downstairs he found that the house had been cleaned to perfection and that the staff was still at work on it. He smiled and wondered if they would continue doing thins so dedicated if he were to cut their wages. Oh, but that would be wicked, would it not?

He caught the butler as he was attempting to go into the dining room.

"Yes sir?" He asked Jared with awaiting eyes.

"My wife. Where is she?"

The butler seemed to be stumbling on what he would say. He was looking at Jared like he knew he shouldn't say a thing.

"Damn it man, spit it out." Jared ordered with a harsh gesture of his hand.

The butler sighed. "Sir, she is in the garden. She has not been in the best of moods all morning. Not since you left the party last night."

Jared couldn't help but smile. Lightly and in a friendly way he tapped at the butler's face. "Thank you, old man." And with that he left towards the garden.

He wanted to laugh. He had put her in a horrible mood. She was in a horrible mood because of him. Damn he loved that.

He opened the doors to the garden and was met with the soft glow of the sun. It sang its rays down on him, caressing over the tall topiaries and reflected off the sweet petals of newly blossomed flowers. Farrah was sitting on her usual wicker chair and to Jared's surprise she had company.

Lucas was sitting in the chair opposite her, dressed in his afternoon best. He was beaming across at her as if he had never seen a more perfect woman. Farrah was listening to him talk as if she was hearing angels.

He couldn't help the surge of anger that suddenly filled him. He hadn't expected it. What was it to him if she wanted to keep company and put her reputation in danger? With this he didn't even have to do a thing to ruin her. But it wasn't just anger, it was jealousy.

"Looks like the two of you are having a splendid afternoon." He spoke, breaking up their conversation causing them to both look at him. He offered them both smiles before he stood before them.

"Why did you not wake me, Farrah? You know how much I enjoy my morning scone and now I cannot keep my ritual. Childish to even have one, is it not?"

Neither of them said a thing. They had nothing at all to say. They were looking at him like he carried leprosy himself and he was about ready to throw it on them.

"Well if the two of you do not wish me to remain here..." Jared made to turn on his heel and head back to the house.

Lucas stood up immediately. "Mr. Leto, sir. Please wait." He called in a strained and inviting voice.

"Lucas don't." Farrah nearly pleaded in a small voice.

Jared turned back to look at them, a small and victorious smile on his lips as he glanced to Farrah. "I don't have to stay." He said with a slight wave of his hand.

"But you must. Truly." Lucas insisted, looking Jared in the eyes and wishing he could somehow make amends. "Take my seat."

Farrah was looking up at the young man astonished. She couldn't believe that Lucas would do something like this to her.

Jared gave Lucas a nod and returned to them, taking his old seat and sitting down with a smile. Lucas remained standing there with them, his hands locked behind his back and a bit of uneasiness in his eyes. Jared could feel the thickness in the air and he smile in spite of the seriousness on Farrah's and Lucas' faces.

"Darling? Why do you look so upset? Do you not like to spend time with me? Or was I intruding on a personal conversation between two friends?" Jared asked, turning his eyes to Farrah with a light trace of a smile on his face.

She didn't answer. She merely looked down and took a handful of lilac lace into her delicate hands.

"Oh it was not that?" He questioned which made Lucas begin to shift. "Or have I interrupted the long awaited dialogue between lovers?" He glanced between the two of them waiting for one of them to say something.

Lucas let out a strained cough before he composed himself. "I think it's time that I leave." He said, letting his hands fall to his sides.

"Why? Do not let me scare you away. It is only my wife that you lie with."

Lucas couldn't say anything. He stumbled on a clumsy goodbye before he rushed away and back inside the house.

Jared let out a loud laugh which was not followed by one from Farrah. He glanced at her, his eyes studious as he watched her. What was it? Why did she remove herself from every situation?

"Are you upset with me, darling?"

Slowly she turned her eyes to him before she shot out of her chair. "How dare you! You are a miserable excuse of man! You think you can come in and dictate everyone's lives? You can do it to everyone else but you cannot do it to me!" She yelled out her words, her eyes wide with anger.

"Can't I though? Am I not already?" He didn't feel affected by anything she had said. He understood it and it humored him.

"Why can I not have my friends? Why must I be locked away in this house unable to leave since you hold the key?" She demanded. She wished she knew the source of his hated. When she had first met him she had been somewhat drawn to him. Why and how had he changed so much since then?

"I wouldn't say that Lucas is a mere friend." He said, resting his head back on his folded hands. "I'd say he's a bit more intimate than that."

She narrowed her eyes, looking down at him with disbelief. "You're a hypocrite!"

"Am I? Please tell me how." There was a small smile on his lips that told her to carry on.

"You have the nerve to tell me when you went with that woman upstairs during last night's party! You left me with all the guests!"

Jared feigned a pout. "All alone were you? Were you scared they might be gossiping?"

She made a low noise of anger before making to turn away from him.

Jared rose from his chair. "I am not a hypocrite. I do think you have not read the definition of the word."

His words made her turn around to face him.

"You, my darling wife, are the hypocrite. You rush after me hoping to expose me of the sins I do not wish to cover. All the while you break your vows of marriage to dally off with some young man from your past. It is rather laughable really."

"I never wanted to marry you." She sneered.

"Ah, but you did. You spoke the vows and there they stand.

"Stop torturing me!" She nearly shouted in a sharp voice before she stormed off.


Jared rushed to her, taking hold of her arm and spinning her back around to her. He looked down into her eyes and noted the vulnerable distress on her face.

"I'm not stopping anytime soon. I fear that by the end of everything you might not be able to suffer through it. It'll be easy for awhile, you lucked out, since you're pregnant. But once that baby is safely tucked into my arms you had better start looking over your shoulder.

"Are you threatening me?" She asked, trying to look defiant but only managing to look afraid.

"Oh I am." He replied with a nod.

Her fear settled then as she stepped back from him. "I told Lucas...about the baby. He wanted to extend his congratulations to you but not after the truth I let slip."

He looked at her expectantly.

"I told him that the baby might be his."

He just stared at her. Stared at her in both anger and absolute defeat. Carefully at first he took his hands from her shoulders. She ket out a cry as he tightened his grip. He shook her a little but when sh came back up there was a smile painted on her lips. It made him angry and so he lifted his hand, bringing it across her face. She cried as she fell to the ground, the force of his strength and how she hadn't expected that causing her to fall. He looked down at her. He smiled down at her pretty face where he had marked a large red spot on her cheek.

"Take it back." He said in a low voice before he turned away from her.

He walked back into the house with a small smile and another strong and victorious look in his eyes. He had work to do and soon enough he would be there without the dark distractions he didn't want to be worn out with. He figured she wouldn't be much of a problem any time soon.