The Longer The Fall, Aviva Gat [top 10 books to read txt] 📗

everything I made you achieve. You could have confessed and begged for my forgiveness. And because you didn’t, you lost everything. I’m done. I’m out.

Brandon

Madeline held the letter in her hands. She didn’t remember anything about the day Brandon had first seen her, but everything seemed to make sense. All the comments people made to her about Brandon before she met him, how she was simply picked out to run for leadership in the New York Chapter of the Republican committee. She had always done what she had wanted, had achieved everything on her own accord, or had she? Had Brandon been a puppeteer for her all along?

For many women, this type of revelation might induce fear or anger. But Madeline took it differently. Maybe it was because she was primed to feel that way, or maybe it was because Brandon had finally shown that his own strategic planning rivaled Madeline’s. Madeline was impressed. So impressed that it actually made her love him more, giving her another reason why she couldn’t let him go.

Chapter 44

She knew where she would find him, but she decided to wait until morning. Surely Brandon would expect her to come running to him right away and beg for forgiveness, but she had other plans. She didn’t think she needed forgiveness from him. Rather, she would go to him seeking something much more important for the long term of their relationship: compliance.

Because, you see, a marriage as successful as theirs isn’t based solely on love or passion. It is about two equals meeting and forcing each other to achieve their goals. This is what Madeline needed to do now. In the morning, after kissing her boys goodbye and promising them that their dad would be home for dinner, Madeline drove to Brandon’s office. It was still early, before other employees arrived and sure enough Brandon’s car was parked in his designated spot. Madeline parked next to him and let herself into the office building and up the elevator to the top floor where Brandon’s office was. She pictured him sleeping on the large plush couch he had there. That couch had once been in their living room before they replaced the furniture and Madeline had many memories of Brandon napping there.

Without knocking she entered his office and he was exactly where she had pictured him. Lying down on the couch, his head nuzzled in the cushions on one side. She sat at his desk quietly and waited for him to stir. It didn’t take long before his eyes fluttered and he noticed her. A grin peeked on his face and he slowly sat up.

“You’re too late,” Brandon said, rubbing the stubble that had grown on his chin overnight. “It’s over, Madeline.”

“Actually, I don’t believe it is,” she responded. “It is far from over and we’re going to finish what we started.” She paused. While she usually liked to wait to hear what others had to say, this was a time that Madeline knew she would be doing most of the talking. She would be telling Brandon how it would be and why he had no choice but to follow her. “You think that you discovered me, that you made me, and maybe you’re right. And if so, you need to live with what you made. I’m going to continue with the goals, I’m going to win my election and get into the White House and you are going to help and do what you are supposed to do.”

“I’m not, Madeline,” Brandon responded. “I’m done.”

“You are, and I will tell you why,” Madeline said. “Because you betrayed me as much as I betrayed you. Maybe I cheated, but you spied on me for years. My betrayal was wrong, but yours was illegal. Now there are two ways this can go right now. You can decide it’s over and that we’re getting a divorce. I’m sure both of our betrayals will be exposed in that situation. But only one of ours will have legal repercussions. Or the second option is that we continue focusing on our goals. From your letter, I learned something new about you. You crave power. Without me, you will never be fulfilled again. You will never have any power.”

Madeline sat quietly at her husband’s desk as he absorbed what she said. She could see the wheels turning, his brain processing. His response was something Madeline never would have imagined. He stood up from the couch with his eyes focused on her. There was something feral in his look, something fearless and determined. Madeline held his gaze as he approached her in a way that he had never done before. Without looking away he walked around to the back of his desk where Madeline was still sitting. With one hand he grabbed the back of her neck, catching her hair in between his fingers. With gentle force, he pulled her up to standing. Madeline let herself be guided by him and starred into his eyes as he pulled her head toward his eye level. He challenged her to look away, to pull away, to give some symbol of her subservience, but she didn’t budge, challenging him right back. The moment was so intense that it sparked something inside Madeline that caused her to inch forward and bite her husband’s bottom lip. She bit down hard, causing him to start tightening the grip he had on the back of her neck. Before she could pull her lips away, Brandon caught them in his and pushed her down onto his desk. Madeline complied and braced herself with her hands as Brandon pushed up against her. She then bit his lips harder, signaling him to keep going. With his free hand, he fiddled with their clothing and fiercely pushed himself inside her. He thrust hard as she arched her back and let herself be taken over by Brandon.

Thirteen years of marriage and