Chapter 51
Decision on what to wear tonight. Things like this were my kryptonite; it was easy to dress up for work and dates, but anything that differed from these two always had me wanting to pull my hair out. It could be that I didn’t want to dress too formally, but I didn’t want to stand out while there.
Though I had known about it a month prior, I didn’t prepare for it.
“Do you think she would be there?” Vivian asked over the phone as I pulled out the clothes I finally
decided to wear.
A grey long sleeve, black suit and plain trousers. Unlike last year, there was no colour code.
I buttoned up my white shirt and adjusted its collar. “I do not know, and I do not care at this point,” I
answered.
It was Robb and Ivory’s thirty–first anniversary, and it was the first formal outing I was going on without
Cecil by my side.
We didn’t break up, but I came close to doing that. I knew Cecil, and I knew she would hurt herself if I ended things with her, especially now. We were just apart. Perhaps I’ll be able to forgive her in the future. As for the wedding a month away, it was all uncertain. I told Ivory and Robb about what she had done–tax evasion and millions in debt. They were shocked and disappointed and asked what I wanted to
- do. I told them I didn’t know.
Stop was a backup plan; I hoped to lean on it in case the Plane Enterprise reached the point of no return, but knowing it could barely hold itself up left no room for hope. The Plane Enterprise was all I had now.
If Cecil had asked for advice before investing, I would have discouraged her from embarking on the
suicide mission. She decided on her own, and here we were.
I expected Ivory to insist I work things out with Cecil, but she told me to do what I thought was best; it was obvious something had changed within her. She spent most of her time with Seth, helping him through his recovery, and the two had developed a bond they never had. Seth called last week to inform me that she had given him her blessing to pursue art full–time once he recovered.
It was motivation for him to get better, but it was nice to watch Ivory change from the witch she once was
to a human.
“She called me last night and asked me to apologise on her behalf and tell you she regrets what she had done,” Vivian revealed it in a hushed tone. “She also said she couldn’t reach you anymore.”
“That’s because I blocked her,” I replied with no remorse as I buttoned the sleeves of my shirt.
09:17
Love’s Beautiful Mistake
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1 blocked her number after she wouldn’t stop calling, even when I told her I didn’t want to talk or come back home. Since then, I have moved to an apartment 1 owned across the state and gone to work from
there,
The news has been all over the tabloids, with speculations that we had ended the relationship, but Cecil still had her engagement ring on, and that told another story. They concluded that we were in a rough patch.
Maybe I was taking this too far, but I didn’t care. I had had enough of people betraying my trust and deceiving me. First, it was Imela, and now it is her.
I met Imela last week, and she asked if everything was fine with me. I assumed she had seen the news and became defensive. She told me I had bags under my eyes instead, which signified I had barely slept the previous night. I told her everything was fine.
We have worked side by side this past week, and she kept to her word, and for the first time in two months of taking her advice and doing things her way, the company experienced a positive return.
Our revenue superseded everything we had made in the past six months. We still had a few losses, but the gains were ten times the losses. To celebrate, I invited the team to drink and told them the bills were on me. I extended the invitation to Ela, but she declined and told me she had to get home earlier. I didn’t stop her; she was a mother and a girlfriend.
The last word made my heart sting a little. Knowing she belonged to someone else and slept in his arms every night, another man had the privilege of kissing her and claiming her as his. It shouldn’t, but it hurt.
I had seen them a few times in the past month, and they were so good together. Fermín was charming, winning the hearts of those he had been around. Once, he visited while Ela was at the company, and he brought doughnuts for everyone. When I declined, he insisted I take one, stating he had specially made them. Despite knowing who made them, they were the best doughnuts I’ve ever had. The team still spoke about him once in a while.
He always knew what to say to make Ela smile. He was also good with Ocean, and the little boy felt comfortable in his arms. Fermín was a decent man, but he had the life I wanted–the life that should have been mine, but fate was cruel.
Fermín had Ela, and I had Cecil.
Why did the thought of Ela with her boyfriend hurt more than Cecil’s betrayal? It made no sense to me at this point.
“I do not want to get blocked, bro,” Vivian said, and I returned to reality.
“Do not worry, you are safe, but the moment you start demanding I unblock her, you’re blocked.” I finished with my tie and picked up my navy blue suit on the bed.
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Chapter 51
“Will I see you at the party?” I asked with a raised brow as I knotted my tie before the mirror.
“Why? They aren’t my parents.” I could tell his nose was crunched up.
I rolled my eyes. “Are you sure about that? You spent more time with us growing up.” I played the guilt
card
“Screw you, asshole.”
I grinned, knowing it was working. “I love you too, man.”
He grunted, “Kiss my ass.” He bit out and ended the call.
Good, he was coming, which meant I would have two people I could have a chilled conversation with throughout the duration of the party. I shrugged on the suit, grabbed my car keys, and exited the room.
I arrived at the Plane’s Garden, a private reserve garden for hosting a few private events and significant celebrations. This was where the party was held, and I saw a few faces I recognised. Nina and Eddie McQueen were there, and she had Jesse in her hands. Seth was at the corner, close to the trees, painting, which surprised me. I knew Ivory supported his path, but I didn’t realise it had gotten this far. I approached him, only to find Cecil in my path.
I drew a breath of restraint. “Cecil.” I tried to keep my anger at bay as I spoke.
“Oliver, you look good.” She said in a small voice, and her eyes warmed up.
“So do you,” I replied, noting the silver sequence gown she wore, which brought out the beauty of her red
hair.
“I am sorry for what I did,” she began, but I didn’t let her finish. I didn’t have the stomach for it.
“Can we not do that here?” I cut in. “I do not want to ruin the night thinking about what already
happened.”
She pressed her lips together and nodded. “Yes, sure, we can.”
“Good,” I said, walking away from her without glancing back.
I went to Seth, whose place was my initial destination, before being double–crossed. “Hey, buddy,” I said as I came to stand behind him.
He paused and turned his wheelchair around to look up at me with a smile, his green eyes sparkling. “Hey, Olly.”
“Mom and Dad let you do that here?” I asked in a tone of concern.
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Chapter 51
He nodded, and his smile lingered. “We will sell a few to the guests and well–wishers today.”
Oh great. “It’s nice to know; paint me one. I won’t be able to pay in a while, but I will get around to it,” I said and patted his shoulders.
I turned to leave but paused in my tracks when I saw Ela walking into the garden, hand in hand with none other than Fermin.
My heart squeezed in my chest.
He whispered something into her ear, which made her smile brightly, and I held my breath as everything around me stopped.
She was just as breathtaking as the morning sun. “You know her?” Seth’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
I bit down on my lower lip, wanting the physical pain to take my mind away from the emotional one.
“Yes, that’s my ex–wife.”
“She’s beautiful.” He gushed helplessly.
“I know.” I agreed, and she was with another man.
