My White Ex Soldier

“You know that I am self-made person right? That everyone whom I encounter has to undergo scrutiny, right?” he asked, She looked at him and shook her head in confusion. Where was he going with all these?

“Mark, will you get to the point?” she asked, getting increasingly impatient.

“Since I made the Top 40 Under 40 Forbes list, every woman wants to get with me. I never know women who are genuine because it seems like everyone is trying to get a condo or a Ferrari or something. So my lawyer does a background check on every woman I come across, anyone who had the potential to be in my life for the long haul,” he said.

Desiree knew where this was going. A speech this long, and the upset look he had on his face could only mean one thing: he knew. He knew that she was not a caterer, that she did not have a catering company nor had she ever. The little white lie that she played when she met him had caught up with her in the most unpleasant way possible.

“Mark I…” she started before he put his hand up to silence her. He looked so pissed off; she did not know how to calm him down.

“Imagine my shock when my lawyer told me that you do not own a catering company,” he said calmly. By this time, all she could do was just look at him. She had lost her right to speak and he needed to vent anyway. So she would let him do it. “Why would you lie to me like that?” he asked looking at her. She shook her head.

“Would you have been interested in me if you knew that I stock cans at the local supermarket to make a living?” she asked looking at him. He shrugged. “You oozed sophistication and I liked you almost instantly. I was not about to screw my chance with a great guy because of a bad economy!” she said almost yelling.

“So you were never after my money?” he asked. She was appalled that he would even ask that.

“I did not even know you were wealthy until you told me and yes, maybe my sister did Google you but that was it,” she said. He was still looking at her with the same look, disgust, shame, and disappointment written all over his face. She took a step closer to him but he took another step back so fast you would think she was holding a weapon. “I like you, Mark. I really like you and this is the only thing I never talked about and maybe it is because I hoped I would achieve more in life. But this is a part of me that I am not so proud of,” she said. Her voice was almost breaking now. She looked up at him but he was looking at her as you would look at dirt in the ground.

“So the information my lawyer got about you and a married man, that was still nothing? You were not with him for money either, because his net worth is through the roof. I checked,” Mark said. Desiree was suddenly filled with so much disgust she wanted to kick him. She shook her head in disbelief.

“So I dated a married man. Was it my fault that he never told me he was married or that he kept that part of his life a well guarded secret? I don’t think so,” she said angrily. Mark let out a sarcastic laugh.

“I know you know better than this. There is no way you did not know that he had a wife! You were probably there for your own benefit. What? Did you want more cash? A better car even? I know you are a liar but I never pegged you to be unclassy,” he said. Desiree was shocked that someone she had come to like so much over the past few months could be such as ass.

“You know what Mark, you are the one who decided that we didn’t have to tell each other everything. So forgive me for being so unclassy that I never doubted the man I loved, and for being so unclassy that I walked out on him when I found out the truth. And oh yeah, I would also like to apologize to your highness for my unclassy act of liking him when I thought he was in fact a decent guy. So if you could please do me the favor of getting the hell out of my unclassy apartment and unclassy life, and if I never see you again it will be too damn soon,” she said angrily as she walked to the door and held it open.

Mark looked at her in surprise. It was obvious that no one had ever talked to him the way she had just done but for Desiree, she could take a lot but someone talking to her in that manner, being condescending like he had such a clean slate, that was one of the things that she could never stomach. Mark looked at her and began to slowly walk towards her. He had a sick smile on his face.

“What? You can’t take a little honesty?” he asked. Desiree was getting more and more agitated by the minute. She was sure that if he would not get out in the next few seconds, she just might punch him in the face. She rolled her eyes but remained silent. “I am a nice catch. Hell, I am a great catch and I would have given you a second chance,” he said standing so close to her he only had to whisper for her to hear him.

“I don’t want it,” she said looking into his eyes. “Not after you saying what you just did,” she added. Mark leaned against the door and looked at her.

“What? Did I lie? Everything I said was true and women like you are more often than not lying for one reason and one reason only: gold digging,” he said. Desiree could not believe that he was talking without even stuttering.

“What gives you the right to be so judgmental?” she asked. “You know, it’s no wonder you went for the speed dating because clearly no one would ever want to wake up next to this pile of shit every day. Now, I said get out of my house before I call the police,” she said angrily. Mark smiled again.

“I have a proposition for you. You are a strong woman, beautiful, intelligent, everything I need for the press because I want to get into politics. I think it’s time this town got a new mayor and I know I wanted something else, but you are as much a schemer as the next person and I you know I can give you a good compensation package,” he said.

Desiree’s eyes grew wide. What the hell was wrong with this guy? He was so full of himself and how was it that she did not see it before?