Chapter 45
It couldn’t be real, though.
Ela had been here for over a month, and she’d been in and out of the Planes company for more than three weeks. She never mentioned a boyfriend in those weeks.
She also didn’t speak about her son, although she had one. Perhaps she wanted to keep her personal life private.
My eyes lingered on Ela’s mystery man, who oozed confidence and maturity from far away. It was hard to dismiss his presence with how he carried himself; he also looked at her with the utmost adoration, as if she were the only person in the room–as if she could do no wrong. Ela had that effect on people because I
once had that look, and it was the look of love.
He loved her, and she was happy with him.
The picture was so perfect it hurt.
They didn’t know most people here, yet they were content in each other’s company; it didn’t bother them.
“Are you okay?” Vivian asked from beside me, and my gaze broke from them to him. I nodded, but he knew better because he rolled his eyes.
“I didn’t know she had a boyfriend,” I mumbled, and my eyes dropped to see my hands trembling.
Why was I so affected by her presence? Why was I so bothered that she was with someone else?
I needed a smoke.
Or at least something stronger, if I hope to survive this night.
Luckily, I spotted a server walking by with four glasses of wine on her tray. I reached out and took two,
handed them to Vivian, and then took the other two. I gulped the first two in my hand, dropped them on the server’s tray, and then reached for the two I gave Vivian and gulped them, returning them to her tray.
Feeling much better, I thanked her, and she walked away.
“It’s okay to be jealous.” Vivian sympathised, but it wasn’t helping.
“I have no right to be,” I replied.
He shrugged. “You were married to her, and things ended badly, and it’s okay to wish and long for what
could have been.”
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Chapter 45
I didn’t respond. I had nothing to say. So I tried to focus on something else, anything.
“You will not believe Gwyneth McGee is here,” Cecil said as she came up to meet us.
“I might if I knew who she was,” I mumbled to myself.
She wrapped her hands around my arm and pulled me along, not even acknowledging Vivian, who stood beside me. I turned to Vivian, and he threw his hands up. It was his way of telling me there was nothing he could do,
“Where are you taking me?” After a minute of pushing through the many people standing around and apologising, I asked,
“To Gwyneth McGee, she replied, and I did not miss the nervousness in her voice. She grabbed a glass of wine from the server passing by and sipped it.
I groaned, “I do not know her.”
“But I do; she’s the iconic woman who revolutionised the cosmetic industry that we have today. I sent her an invitation, but I didn’t think she would come. She always travels, and she barely stays in the same place for a week. Her presence is precious, and a tweet from her can change the entire view of Stop.”
1
I understood her point, but something didn’t make sense. “This is about you; why am I involved?”
“You are my fiancé and CEO of Plane Enterprise; I will use you to start a conversation.” She replied.
I stopped moving, and so did she. I wasn’t the CEO anymore, but that was not public notice. Cecil didn’t know because, according to Robb, anyone apart from the board members and Imela was the public.
“Please, I need your help,” she pouted.
I sighed, giving in to her desires. “Fine.”
We kept walking, and I caught sight of Ela and her mystery man having a fun conversation with an older woman with grey hair and glasses, and just like earlier, they looked relaxed and friendly. Whoever this woman was, they seemed to know her.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Cecil cussed under her breath, and my attention broke from Ela.
She probably saw me staring too hard and got pissed. I scanned my head, looking for words to explain, when she spoke again.
“How does she know Gwyneth McGee?” She demanded, her tone laced with resentment and frustration.
“Who?” I inquired, taken aback.
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“Imela,” she hissed; she didn’t try to hide her disdain. Her body also grew rigid and cold against mine.
The older woman was Gwyneth McGee. I would never have guessed.
“Maybe they know each other?”
She scoffed in disbelief, clearly underestimating Ela. “And how would Imela know Gwyneth?”
Cecil wasn’t involved in the runnings of Plane, and so she had no idea what power Ela pulled; she probably still saw her as the wretched college student she once knew.
Ela had come a long way to being among the most influential under thirty, the top twenty Forbes most influential females, and the top thirty Forbes most influential people. She was about to take the world by storm, and she was capitalising on the country’s current economic situation to do it. She was a force to be reckoned with, and it was an honour to have her despite her commitment and schedule.
The question wasn’t how Ela knew Gwyneth McGee; it was how Gwyneth McGee knew Ela.
“Do you still want to say hi, or shall we turn around?” I asked.
“Gwyneth McGee came here because of me; I’m not about to let Imela take my opportunity away,” she
said, pulling me along with her.
We were a few steps away when Seth approached them, coming to stand before us and our destination.
I was surprised to see him but still happy, and it showed in my smile, which Seth returned.
“Oliver, hey.”
“Hey Seth, I didn’t know you got out.”
“I did, this afternoon. Nina picked me up. Can we talk?” He asked, ignoring the annoyed look that came
onto Cecil’s face.
“We were heading somewhere, Seth,” Cecil interrupted us in an impatient tone.
Seth didn’t glance at her and instead kept his gaze fixed on me.
Cecil tightened her hands around my arms, and I sighed.
“Can we do that later? Right now, we are busy.” I asked with sorry eyes.
Seth nodded. “Yes, sure.” He stepped away from our path.
We came to where Gwyneth, Ela, and her boyfriend stood and heard them speaking Spanish.
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Cecil cleared her throat, and then they stopped laughing and turned their attention to the ones who just interrupted rudely: me and Cecil.
Gwyneth’s brows furrowed. “Do you need something?” She asked, and her countenance had changed from happy to formal in under ten seconds.
“My name is Cecil Reid, and this is my fiancé, Oliver Plane,” she began in a friendly tone she didn’t have carlier and supported it with a smile. “I just wanted to say I’m a huge fan of your involvement in the revolution of beauty standards all over the world. It is an honour to have you here at the Planes Enterprise’s fiftieth anniversary.”
Gwyneth stared at Cecil with a blank look, and after a while, she turned to Ela and smiled. “I will give you a call and probably drop by your office before leaving.”
“It will be an honour to have you, Ms. McGee,” Ela replied and smiled warmly,
“Adios, Missis Garcia, Señor Martinez.” She said, and without giving a second glance at Cecil, Gwyneth
walked away from them.
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