I Heard A Rumor Read Free

going to open that door. “Robert, why don’t you go see Dayshea and act out Pretty Woman ? That will play better for the press. I’ve already released a statement letting everyone know that you’re a liar and I want nothing to do with you.”
    â€œI made a mistake. Don’t you think it’s time for you to forgive me? I’ve forgiven you.”
    â€œForgiven me? Are you insane? What am I talking about? Of course you are.”
    â€œCan we just talk?” Robert pleaded.
    â€œTalk about what?” she shouted. Chante closed her eyes and counted to ten again. “Robert, you need to leave and retract your statement. We are done. Have been done for a long time.”
    â€œYou don’t think I deserve a second chance?” He banged on the door again. Chante looked around for something to hit him with. She ran into the kitchen and grabbed a broom. She’d tried reasoning with him. She’d tried yelling at him. This was coming to an end right now.
    Opening the door, she blindly swung the broom at him. “Go home! Leave me alone!”
    â€œChante, stop acting foolish! Stop.” He tried to block the blows from the broom, but Chante kept swinging. Robert tumbled off the porch and landed on top of Chante’s prized rose bush.
    â€œYou son of a bitch! That was my favorite rose bush.” She put the broom at her side and watched Robert struggle to his feet.
    â€œThis is a six-hundred-dollar suit you just ruined.”
    â€œYou ruined my life, and that’s priceless.”
    Robert brushed the dirt, leaves, and petals from his heather-gray suit and glared at Chante. “You and Liza owe me.”
    She started to hurl her broom at him like a long dart. “I owe you?”
    â€œYou bitches ruined my life. I was a shoo-in to win that senate seat, but . . .”
    This time, Chante didn’t stop herself from throwing her broom at him. “I don’t owe you a damned thing. It’s because of you that I’m suspended from my law firm. Now you’ve put me in the middle of your harebrained idea that the people of Charlotte want your lying ass to be their mayor. Do you ever think before you start talking? How did you even make it through law school? You’re a damned idiot!”
    â€œAll I need is for you to just show up at a few appearances. We can tell everyone, after I get elected, that things didn’t work out. I can’t get people on board if you won’t forgive me. We don’t have to get married. I’m fine with that.”
    Chante blinked and shook her head. “You have truly lost your damned mind. Why would I help you defraud people?”
    Robert narrowed his eyes at her, and Chante struggled to keep her hands to herself. “I was supposed to be the first senator for District Forty-five. You were supposed to be my wife . . .”
    â€œAnd you weren’t supposed to pay for sex from a hooker! Had that not happened, maybe you would’ve won and maybe I would’ve been stupid enough to marry you. Then you would’ve gone to Raleigh and turned into the asshole that people already know you are. I can’t believe I thought I loved you.”
    â€œPlease,” he said with a snort. “You’re desperate. You may have your career, but you want and need a man in your bed. I was just as much of a means to an end for you as you were for me. So don’t stand there and act as if you were in love with me. You loved the image. You wanted the power as much as I did. It kills you that Liza is the one who ended up with it, doesn’t it? You can say she’s your best friend, but you’re jealous. She has the life everyone thought was yours for the taking.”
    â€œGet the hell off my property and don’t come back.”
    â€œHurts to see Liza living your life, doesn’t it?” He sneered at her.
    Chante slammed into her house, shivering with anger. She wasn’t going to allow him