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Chapter 52
Chapter 52
Imela wore a violet dress that stopped above her knee and had its front parted. She had moderate makeup on her face, and her lips had nude lipstick, which matched her earrings. Her hair was in a neat bun with a lock hanging over her face to give her an edgy look. Her boyfriend had a black suit on a white crew–neck shirt, and they both looked simple yet elegant for the event.
Unlike at the company’s anniversary, they didn’t seem to know anyone here, so the couple stayed with each other. She was still smiling at whatever Fermin kept whispering into her ear, and the cuteness made my heart ache.
I groaned. Why did she have to bring him? Why was she here?
The last time I checked, this was a party for family and friends, so why was she here?
They said misery loves company.
Well, I was miserable, and I wanted everyone else to be a little miserable with me. Is that too much to ask?
“Do you want to go and say hello?” Seth once again pulled me out of my thoughts.
I snapped out and turned my attention to him. “Uh?”
“You’re gawking, you can at least go over and say hello.”
I was fine gawking from far away.
“Ah, she came.” I heard Robb’s voice from behind, and I turned around to find him staring at Imela with
pride.
“You invited her?” I asked in an accusing tone.
“Yes, I did,” he replied, sipping his wine glass. He raised a brow at me. “You have a problem with that?”
“I don’t, but you said it was strictly family and friends,” I repeated the very words he had said to me when he informed me about the date of their anniversary months ago.
He scoffed, “She is more of a friend than most ‘friends‘ gathered here.” He walked away from us, over to where Ela stood hand in hand with Fermín.
I spotted Vivian walking in with Julie, and he was my salvation from the night that was upon us. I hurried towards them when I saw Nina and Eddie walking together.
ful Mistake
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She still had Jesse in her arms, and she looked a little tired. Eddie didn’t look ready to offer a hand of help to her. I have seen Fermin a few times, and though he knew Ocean wasn’t his son, he carried him more
times than a has. Yet here was Eddie, not even offering a hand to help his wife hold his son.
“You look fired. Here,” I stretched my hand out to Nina, and she handed Jesse over to me with a grateful
look. Eddie didn’t seem to care.
“We are looking for Morn,” Nina said.
Have you seen her?” Eddie asked in a somewhat commanding tone.
My brows narrowed, but Nina begged me with her eyes not to take offence. I wondered if I had seen her since arriving here and realised I hadn’t, so I shook my head and said, “No, I haven’t. Maybe she’s yet to
come.”
Let’s go find her,” Eddie said impatiently.
Nina reached for Jesse since Eddie still didn’t offer to help despite wanting them to continue in their search for Ivory, but I shook my head. Jesse loved when I carried him, so there was no need to give him back. Besides, Nina’s arms were still worn out and needed this break.
I’ve got him,” I told her, and she smiled before walking away with Eddie.
I never liked that arrogant bastard, and this is why. He had a sense of entitlement and expected everything to be handed over to him just because he had a dick. He also had little respect for anyone and believed he was better than everyone. To say I was disappointed when Nina announced her relationship and engagement to him would be an understatement. Nina wasn’t complaining, and I shouldn’t do it for
her.
“Fatherhood looks good on you.” Vivian swooned as he and Julie walked to where I stood, rocking Jesse.
“Shut up,
asshole.” I cussed, then realised Julie was here. “No offence to you.”
“It’s fine. He can be sometimes.”
Ah! A woman who knows the truth and accepts it for what it is. I have always liked her.
Vivian turned to Julie with a fake hurt look, “That’s not how it works. You are my girlfriend, so by law, you should be on my side, not my friend’s.”
“I am on your side.” She said and smiled up at him, “Fatherhood would look good on you, Oliver.”
I smiled and said, “Thank you, Julie.”
Vivian threw his hands up. “I say it, I am an asshole, and she says it and gets a thank you.”
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Chapter 52
I stuck my tongue out at him. “Suck it up.”
Vivian groaned, “Where is Nina, and why are you holding her son and corrupting his manners?”
I laughed and flashed the middle finger at him. “She is looking for Ivory,” I replied and turned in the direction the couple had taken a few minutes ago.
“If that’s the case, they’re heading in the wrong direction,” Julie said. Julie said.
My brows furrowed, but Vivian spoke, clearing my question. “We saw her on our way in. She returned home to change her dress–something about being stained with wine.” He turned around and pointed,
“There she is.”
My gaze followed the direction of his hand, and indeed, she was there, speaking to a few family friends who came for the celebration.
I could go back and tell Eddie where Ivory was, but I wanted to be an asshole and let him find her himself.
My eyes landed on Fermín, and I saw that, for the first time tonight, he was alone, sipping his red wine, and Ela wasn’t by his side.
I was an asshole because it made me a little happy.
“Can you hold him?” I asked, handing Jesse over to Vivian, when I saw Ela taking the turn that led to the
restroom area.
“Dude, you know I am not good with kids.” He groaned immediately.
“What? Are you not hoping to give her children someday?” I asked in a smug tone.
He glared at me but didn’t get to reply. I grabbed a glass of wine from the server’s tray and drank it before returning the empty glass.
I took the turn leading to the bathroom stall, and getting to the door, I pushed it open and stepped in.
“The male bathroom is at the back,” Ela said with her head bowed while washing her hands.
I didn’t move, which must have told her I didn’t lose my way.
She lifted her head, and her eyes landed on me. “What are you doing here?” she asked, but her tone
stayed steady.
I didn’t have the answer to her question. Not really.
I took a step forward. “I wanted to see you.”
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“You saw me outside,” she pointed out, “you could have come over and said hello.”
“I wanted to see you alone,” I replied, adding more clarity,
She exhaled, and a smile almost flashed over her beautiful face. “Your fiancée wouldn’t like that very
much.”
I took another step forward, and this time she took a step back. “I don’t care,” I breathed.
It wasn’t Cecil’s memory that taunted me this past week; it wasn’t her smile that brought calmness and chaos to my being. Nor was it her lips that I desperately wanted to feel since I saw them again. She wasn’t
the one.
I took another step closer, and when Ela stepped back, her back came into contact with the wall. She realised this, and her eyes flickered with emotions I couldn’t comprehend.
For a second, her expression softened. “Olliver.” She called out, her voice small and soft.
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I covered the space between us swiftly, and our bodies touched. A powerful charge of electricity ran through me, and I’d never felt so alive.
“Ela,” I answered.
My hand stroked her face, even as she stared at me with those enchanting eyes. Someone could walk in, find us in this position, and assume the worst, but I didn’t care. She was my chaos and destruction. She was the only thing I had thought about this past week. The thought of her got me through the heartache
of what I lost at Stop.
The thought of her being like this.
I pulled closer, and my lips almost touched hers when she began to speak. “The last time you were this close, your hand was around my neck.” Her hand took hold of mine on her face, moved it down to her neck, and held it there. “Do you still want to go for it?”
The image she spoke of flashed in my mind, and I could remember the weakness in her eyes, the fear, and the pain even as she struggled to breathe, and I wouldn’t let her, not until I felt like it. I only saw it from my perspective and never considered hers until now. I saw all the emotions she displayed but never thought much about them. Yes, I was hurting and angry, but I had no right to do what I did, and it would haunt me for a long time.
I gasped and tried to pull my hand away from her neck, but she held onto it. “Do you still want to go it?” she asked again, and this time, when she released my hand, I didn’t withdraw it.
for
“No, I don’t,” I replied, in a hushed voice. I stared at her, not knowing what to say but knowing it began with, “I am sorry.”
