Hate That I Still Love You

Tatiana's Point Of View

I stared at the screen, blinking. Then again. And again. I hit refresh. Then again. No. Freaking. Way. Landmark Studios-Official Offer Letter. I let out a scream so loud it startled the birds off the roof."AHHHHH!!!" I bolted out of the home office like I was on fire, practically sliding across the polished hallway tiles in my socks. The maids glanced at me mid-dusting, wide-eyed and frozen like they just saw a ghost in heels.

I didn't care.

I burst into the bedroom where Scott lay half-reclined, fingers tapping away on his laptop. Typical. Man wouldn't even notice an earthquake. Without a word, I launched myself on top of him, knocking the laptop off his thighs."Tatiana!" he gasped, catching me. "You trying to kill me?"

"Oh no, not yet," I smirked, snatching the laptop and slamming it shut with a dramatic click."Give that back-" He started to rise, but I jumped off the bed, holding it behind me like a hostage negotiator.

"Not until you listen!" I grinned.

Scott narrowed his eyes and stalked toward me in mock slow-motion. "You're playing with fire, woman."

"Stay back!" I warned, half-laughing, half-panicked. "I mean it!" Too late. His arms wrapped around my waist like a vice. I squealed as he lifted me effortlessly, spinning me around like a rag doll."Scott!" I screamed, laughing. "Put me down, you brute!"

"You kidnapped my laptop. I'm pressing charges." He dropped me on the bed and hovered over me, grinning as he planted playful kisses all over my cheeks.

"Stop it! You're tickling me-Scott!" I thrashed beneath him, laughing so hard I almost forgot the news.

Almost.

"Okay, okay, get off me. I have to tell you something!"

He froze dramatically. "You're not pregnant, are you?" I stared at him. "Seriously?"His hopeful grin faltered. "Well... you said it like it was big."

"It is big," I said, sitting up, my heart still pounding. "I got the job."

"What job?"

"The job." I paused for effect. "Landmark Studios. They want me as a lead designer!"His eyes widened. "Wait... Landmark? As in-Landmark? The Landmark?"I nodded, breathless from both excitement and his wrestling. "They emailed me an hour ago. It's official."

Scott blinked, then let out a loud, proud whoop and pulled me into a hug so tight it nearly cracked my ribs."Tatiana! That's insane! You actually did it. You're in!"

"I know!" I grinned into his neck. "Can you believe it? My name-next to Landmark's brand line."

"You earned it," he said, drawing back to look me in the eyes. "They'd be idiots not to hire you."

"Tell that to my anxiety," I chuckled, brushing hair out of my face. "I've been refreshing my inbox every three seconds."

"We're celebrating tonight. No work, no emails-just champagne and your favorite pasta."

"You're cooking?"

He grimaced. "Okay, no. But I'll order it like a gentleman."

I giggled, hugging him again.

*********

Later That Night

*********

Dinner was warm, soft-lit, and peaceful. Heidel, our ever-stoic maid, had prepared her signature baked chicken and garden vegetables. Scott and I sat across from each other, wine glasses half-full, the mood still glowing with the aftermath of good news.

"To your new beginning," he said, raising his glass."To our beginning," I corrected with a smile. We clinked glasses."I mean it," he said more seriously. "This isn't just your win, it's ours. Every late night, every rough patch-this is the payoff."

"You always believed in me," I said softly, brushing my thumb along the stem of my glass, "even when I didn't."Scott didn't reply immediately. Instead, he reached across the table, fingers brushing mine, warm and steady. His eyes-usually mischievous, teasing-held something else tonight. Something quiet. And intense.

"I believed in you," he said, voice low, "because I saw the fire in you before you ever did. You have no idea how beautiful that kind of strength is, Tatiana." I blinked. My throat tightened. "You're being awfully poetic tonight."

He chuckled under his breath. "Maybe I've had too much wine."He hadn't. I knew that look in his eyes. Still holding my hand, he stood. My brows furrowed as he came around the table and lowered himself to one knee.

My heart froze.

No.

No, he wouldn't. Not now. Not like this."Scott," I breathed. "What are you doing?"He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box. Oh my God."Tatiana Wilson," he began, gaze never leaving mine, "I have loved you since the moment you insulted my suit at that ridiculous charity gala."

I choked on a laugh. "It was ugly."

He grinned. "Yeah, and you were the only one bold enough to say it to my face." The box opened with a soft click. Inside, nestled in midnight velvet, was a ring so stunning it stole the breath right from my lungs. A gold band wrapped around a teardrop diamond, shimmering like it was holding its own little galaxy.

"I knew then," he continued, "that you weren't like anyone else. You saw right through the act-the business front, the calm smile. You saw me. And you still stayed."I was shaking. God-I didn't even realize my hand was over my mouth until I felt my own tears.

"So now," he whispered, "let me stay. Through every chapter. Through the chaos and the quiet. Through the mistakes and the milestones. Marry me, Tatiana."

The room blurred.

My chest tightened. I hadn't expected this. Not today. Not tonight. And yet, there he was. On one knee. Looking at me like I was his whole world.

My lips parted.

But the words didn't come. For a split second-one terrifying second-my silence stretched too long. He stood slowly, slipping the box back into his pocket. "It's okay," he said gently. "You don't have to-" "Yes." My voice cracked. "Yes, Scott."

His eyes snapped up.

I launched myself into his arms, nearly knocking the chair over behind me. "Yes, yes, yes!" He laughed, spinning me around in a blur of warmth and perfume and candlelight. When he set me down, I kissed him-desperately, fiercely.

"I was just... shocked," I gasped against his lips. "You caught me off guard."

"That was the plan," he smirked, slipping the ring onto my finger. "And you're stuck with me now."

Tatiana's Point of View

"That was the plan," he smirked, slipping the ring onto my finger. "And you're stuck with me now."

I stared at the ring, the diamond catching candlelight like it was dancing for us. My heart thudded against my chest, and when I looked up at him-my fiancé-it hit me all over again.

I was in love.

Hopelessly, stupidly, wildly in love.

"You think I'm stuck with you?" I whispered, stepping closer, letting my fingers trail up his chest slowly. "You think this means I belong to you now?"

His brow arched, but his voice dipped lower. "Don't you?"

"Wrong," I murmured, pressing my lips to his jaw, slow and teasing. "It means you belong to me."

In one smooth motion, he gripped my waist and hauled me against him. His mouth found mine-hungry, possessive, demanding. My back arched as he kissed me like he was starved and I was the only thing on the menu.

I moaned into his mouth as he backed me against the dining table, plates and wine glasses rattling."Scott-" I gasped as he lifted me onto the polished surface, knocking aside a candlestick."We're celebrating, aren't we?" he growled, voice thick with lust.

"Yes," I whispered, wrapping my legs around him. "Celebrate me."

His hands slid up my thighs, bunching the fabric of my dress as his mouth explored the hollow of my neck, biting just enough to make me gasp. I clutched at his shirt, dragging him closer, heat pulsing between my thighs.

Clothes fell-his shirt unbuttoned with shaking fingers, my straps sliding off my shoulders. I shivered as the cool air kissed my skin before his mouth claimed me again. The kiss deepened, rougher now. Desperate. His body pressed into mine, and I arched against him, meeting every movement with need of my own.

Somewhere between the kisses and whispered yeses, he lifted me again, carrying me through the hallway like I weighed nothing.

The bedroom door slammed shut behind us.

He tossed me gently on the bed, crawling over me like a man on fire. I tugged at his belt, and he kissed down my stomach, slow and deliberate, his breath setting every nerve ending ablaze.

"I love you," I whispered, voice trembling.

He paused, his gaze locking with mine-soft, deep, everything."I love you too, Tatiana," he murmured, kissing the inside of my thigh. "And I'm going to show you just how much."His lips hovered over the sensitive skin of my inner thigh, and my breath hitched as his warm breath fanned over me-teasing, promising.

Then-his mouth met my skin.

Slow. Tender. Relentless. A gasp escaped my lips. My back arched instinctively as a wave of warmth bloomed through my body. He wasn't rushing. No, this wasn't the usual hurried desire between us.

This was slow-burning fire.

Molten, delicious heat.

He kissed upward, his tongue leaving a glistening trail along my hipbone. His hands moved like he was memorizing me-palming my waist, brushing his thumbs along the curve of my ribs, fingertips grazing the swell of my breasts. Every touch sent sparks dancing along my spine.

"Scott..." I whispered, my voice already trembling with want.

He looked up at me, eyes dark with desire but laced with something softer-reverent. "You feel it too, don't you?" he asked, voice low, strained. I didn't have words. Only a breathless nod. Because I did feel it. This wasn't like the other times.

This wasn't just heat or lust. It was deeper. More intimate. Like every touch was a vow and every kiss a promise.

His mouth wrapped around my nipple, and I gasped sharply, clutching the back of his head as he sucked gently, then a little harder-just enough to make me whimper. His hand slid down between my thighs, and the second his fingers grazed over me, I lost my breath completely.

"You're soaked," he murmured, almost in awe. "God, Tatiana..."

He slid two fingers inside me, curling them just right, and my hips bucked toward his hand involuntarily. He watched my face as he moved inside me, like he was studying the very essence of my pleasure. And when his thumb circled my clit- I shattered.

The first orgasm hit me fast and hard, my body curling, clenching around his fingers as his name spilled from my lips like a prayer. He didn't stop. He kissed me through it, swallowed my cries, held me like I was something fragile, rare.

And then he undressed the rest of the way.

The moment his skin pressed against mine-hot, slick, burning with tension-I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him in. He entered me slowly, deeply. We both gasped. It felt like the first time all over again. But more. So much more.

His forehead pressed against mine as he moved, every stroke slow and deep, every breath caught between kisses and whispered names. The rhythm built, unhurried but intense. My hands gripped his back, my nails dragging along his spine, anchoring myself to reality.

It wasn't just sex. It wasn't just pleasure. It was soul-burning."I don't know what this is," I whispered, voice breaking as he thrust deeper, his hips rolling against mine. "But it feels different, Scott..."

"I know," he said through gritted teeth, picking up his pace, his hands clutching my thighs, spreading me wider. "God, I know."

And then he kissed me-messy, needy, like he was pouring every ounce of love, want, pain, hope into my mouth. His thrusts became faster, harder, but never losing that sensual rhythm that made me feel worshipped.

I felt it building again. Tighter. Hotter. Deeper."Don't stop," I begged."I won't," he growled, voice raw. "Come with me. Please, baby-come with me." And when we did-together-it wasn't just pleasure. It was a collapse. A detonation of everything we were.

Like the universe cracked open, and for one breathless second, there was only us. No noise. No world. Just heartbeats.

Just him.

**********

The next morning, sunlight kissed my bare shoulders, the golden warmth pulling me gently from the best sleep I'd had in months. My body still tingled from the night before-every nerve still humming with memory.

I rolled over and found Scott already watching me, propped on one elbow, that cocky little smirk tugging at his lips.

"You always stare at people while they sleep?" I teased."Only when I'm making sure the most beautiful woman in the world didn't disappear overnight."I groaned and buried my face in the pillow, giggling. "Too early for cheesy lines, babe."

He kissed my shoulder and whispered, "I meant every word."

We stayed wrapped in each other a few minutes longer, before the day began to pull me back into reality. Meetings. Landmark. Catching up with Kat. I didn't want the bubble to pop, but I had things to do.

**********

Later That Night

**********

The music thumped low and smooth in the background, the bar dimly lit and cozy-our favorite spot, the one where the drinks were strong and the gossip even stronger.

I spotted Katrina before she even waved. High ponytail. Black leather pants. That signature deep red lipstick that made every head turn. My best friend. My ride-or-die."Hey hot stuff!" I grinned, sliding into the booth across from her.

"Ugh, babe, look at you glowing like the damn sun," Katrina smirked, eyeing me with suspicion. "What's the sauce? You look excited and giddy like you just had a week-long orgasm or something." I choked on my drink, laughing. "Honestly? Close."

I bit my lip, then slowly extended my left hand across the table. Katrina's eyes dropped-and widened. "Oh my God." She looked up, her mouth hanging open. "He proposed?" I nodded, beaming. "And I said yes." Katrina stared at me for a second too long. Then-

A smile. Wide. But... tight.

"That's amazing, Tati. Wow. Congratulations!" she said, lifting her glass. "You're finally getting that fairytale ending."

"Cheers to that," I said, clinking our glasses together.

But I saw it.

That tiny flicker in her eyes. That split-second drop in her smile. The way her laugh didn't quite reach her eyes after the toast.

I brushed it off.

Maybe she was still stressed-she'd been job hunting for weeks with no luck, and I knew how badly she needed something stable. That had to be it. Right?

"So," I said casually, leaning forward. "About the job situation..."

Katrina perked up slightly, her drink halfway to her lips."What would you think of... working with Scott?" I asked, watching her reaction carefully. "I mean, his company's expanding. They're always on the lookout for good PR talent. You're insanely qualified."

Her eyes lit up, fast. "Are you serious?"

"Dead serious. I'll put in a word. With your résumé, you'd be in by next week."

"Tatiana!" she gasped, grabbing my hands across the table. "You're a lifesaver." I laughed. "Please. You've pulled me out of darker places. It's nothing."She was smiling again-bigger this time-but something still felt... off. Or maybe I was just imagining things.

Maybe I was overthinking it.

Maybe.

Tatiana's Point of View

It started slowly. A shift in the air. A look that lasted a second too long. The absence of words where there used to be warmth. Scott had changed. At first, I thought he was just stressed. The company had launched a new wing, he was working later than usual, and wedding planning had become a second full-time job.

But then the excuses grew colder. His kisses became quick, his touches rare. And soon, we were nothing more than ghosts haunting the same house. I sat at the edge of the bed one night, still in my robe, watching him pull off his tie. "You didn't text back all day," I said softly.

He barely looked up. "I was in meetings."

"That's what you said yesterday. And the day before."

"Because it's true, Tatiana."

The way he said my name-flat, tired, like it didn't taste right in his mouth-stabbed at something inside me."I miss you," I whispered. He didn't answer. He just walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.

Days bled into weeks. The wedding was a month away, and everything should've been beautiful. But I was alone in every way that mattered. Until Mia and Thomas-our mutual couple-friends-proposed a hangout.

"Come on," Mia said on the phone, voice full of sugar and insistence. "You two need a break from the stress. Just drinks, laughs, a little dancing. Old times!"

I hesitated, but agreed.

Maybe, just maybe, this could fix something. Maybe if we were outside the tension of our home, he'd remember how to hold my hand again. Maybe I'd hear him laugh again, not that clipped version he gave me lately-the one that felt rehearsed.

Maybe I'd get my fiancé back.

The rooftop bar buzzed with soft jazz, string lights glowing overhead like suspended stars. The view of the city was breathtaking, but all I could look at was him.

Scott. Standing at the far side of the lounge... Laughing. Talking. With Katrina. She leaned into him slightly, her lips curved in that effortless way only she could pull off. Her red dress clung to her like a second skin. They looked... natural. Comfortable.

I stopped in my tracks.

They didn't see me yet. I swallowed hard and walked over to the group, plastering on a smile even as something coiled in my stomach."Hey, you made it!" Mia grinned, looping her arm through mine. Scott finally turned. "Hey," he said.

No kiss. Not even a touch.

Just... hey.

Katrina smiled, too brightly. "We were just talking about that insane pitch deck Thomas bombed last week. You'd have screamed." I laughed weakly and slid into a seat. Scott didn't sit beside me. He stayed standing next to Katrina, nursing his drink like this was just another networking event.

My chest ached.

I tried to join the conversation, but my thoughts kept drifting-wandering places I didn't want them to go. I watched how his eyes lit up when Kat teased him. How close they stood. How their laughs were perfectly synced.

And suddenly, it hit me.

Like a slap.

Am I the third wheel in my own relationship?

The thought punched the air out of me. I blinked, trying to shake it off. I must've imagined it. I had to be overthinking. Reading too much into things.

Right?

**********

The night had ended, but my chest still buzzed with unease.

I paced the living room as the front door clicked shut behind us. Scott was already loosening his tie, moving like everything was perfectly normal-like he hadn't just disappeared for nearly an hour with my best friend at a gathering that was supposed to be our chance to reconnect.

I turned toward him, arms folded tightly across my chest.

"What was that back there?"

He blinked. "What?"

"You and Katrina. You both vanished for almost an hour. Do you think I didn't notice?"He sighed, rolling his eyes slightly as he dropped his tie on the couch. "Tatiana, don't start this."

"Don't start what?" My voice cracked. "You've been cold, distant, barely even speaking to me these days. We're practically strangers in this house. And tonight, I watched my fiancé laugh and whisper with my best friend like I wasn't even there. You really don't see how that might bother me?"

He ran a hand through his hair, clearly agitated. "You're being paranoid."

"Paranoid?" I repeated, stunned. "You seriously want me to believe that was just casual chit-chat? You disappeared with her, Scott. And now you're acting like it's all in my head."

"She's my P.A., remember?" he snapped. "We were just talking about some work details."

"Work details?" I scoffed. "At a party? In secret? Really?"

He looked away, jaw clenched. "Just so you know," he said curtly, "I'll be going on a business trip tomorrow. It might take a few weeks."

My heart dropped.

"Our wedding is in less than a month!" I nearly shouted. "And you're telling me now? What is going on with you, Scott? What happened to us? Why are you acting like this?"He stood there for a moment, silent. His eyes met mine-but there was no warmth, no remorse, just a tired, blank indifference.

Then he said the words that shattered everything:

"I'm tired and need to sleep."

He turned his back and walked down the hallway, leaving me alone in the dim glow of the living room. I sat there in the dimly lit living room, the silence so loud it pressed against my chest. The only sound was the ticking of the wall clock and the echo of his retreating footsteps down the hall.

He didn't even look back.

I stared at the space he left behind, still expecting him to turn around. To say something-anything. To remind me that I wasn't imagining the distance.

But he didn't.

My lips trembled as my eyes filled, and before I could hold it back, the tears came-hot and fast, spilling down my cheeks. I curled my knees to my chest on the couch, the engagement ring on my finger suddenly feeling like it didn't belong. Like it mocked me.

What went wrong?

How did we go from stolen kisses and promises whispered in the dark... to this cold, unbearable silence? My phone buzzed on the side table. I didn't want to pick it up, not with tears choking me, but something told me to check. When I did, the name on the screen made me blink.

Susan-his mother.

I hesitated, wiping at my face quickly before answering."Hello?" My voice was hoarse, broken. There was a pause, then her soft, warm voice came through. "Tatiana... sweetheart, are you okay?"That simple question broke me all over again. A sob slipped from my lips, and I couldn't answer for several seconds.

"Oh honey..." she murmured. "Tell me what happened."

"I don't know," I whispered, cradling the phone like it was my only anchor. "He's changed. He barely looks at me anymore. He just said he's leaving for a business trip-and our wedding is in less than a month. I... I don't know what I did wrong."

Susan exhaled slowly on the other end. "My God... I knew something was off. I'm so sorry, darling. You don't deserve this."

"I tried to reach him tonight," I said, voice cracking. "I thought the hangout would bring us closer. But he disappeared-with Katrina. And when I asked him about it, he called me paranoid."

There was a tense silence on the line.

"I'll talk to him," Susan said firmly. "But first, I want you to take a break from all this, just for a while. I'm booking you into the WestCreek Resort-my treat. A week away might clear your head. Let me handle Scott."

I didn't respond immediately. My heart felt like glass under pressure.

"Thank you," I finally whispered.

"I'm truly sorry for the pain he's causing you, Tatiana. I'll get through to him. I promise."

When the call ended, I stared blankly at the phone, Susan's kindness only intensifying the ache in my chest. The moment the screen dimmed, I broke down all over again-sobbing silently into my palms as my shoulders shook uncontrollably.

Alone in the house I once called a home. Alone with a man who now felt like a stranger. Alone with questions I no longer knew how to ask.