Chapter Sixteen: Does It Bother You?
Ella’s POV
“Were you blushing all through? Like I’m quite sure seeing me at the podium and listening to my voice must have made your day,” He incited what must have been the truth, but I was not willing to admit.
“You think highly of yourself, Keith, and that is your problem,”
“So, for a moment there, you didn’t think about me as you listened to me speak? Lie to me, Ella. Tell me you didn’t”
Keith’s question hung in the air, his voice laced with that familiar teasing edge as he wondered aloud if I was blushing. I hated how well he could read me, but I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of admitting it. So, I rolled my eyes, hoping it would come off as nonchalant, even though I could feel the warmth creeping up my neck.
“I think you’re imagining things,” I shot back, trying to sound indifferent. But his smirk told me he wasn’t buying it.
Then I noticed he was done with the casual talk when he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a more intimate tone. “There’s a charity event coming up,” he said, his eyes searching mine for a reaction. “I’d like you to come with me. And after that, dinner at my place or any fancy place of your choice?”
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Chapter Sixteen Does It Bother You?
His invitation caught me off guard, and for a moment, I considered saying yes. But then I remembered why I was here in the first place- Dorian. Today was our three–year anniversary, and despite everything, I wasn’t about to let Keith’s charm distract me from that.
“I can’t,” I replied, forcing a smile. “Dorian and I have plans tonight.”
His disappointment was subtle, but I could see it in the way his shoulders slightly slumped. Still, he didn’t give up easily. “One day,” he said with a wink, “you’ll be mine.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at his audacity, but before I could respond, he reached out, gently tilting my head to the side. His fingers brushed against the moon tattoo on my neck, sending an unexpected shiver down my spine. “Does it bother you?” he asked, his tone unusually serious. “Any discomfort?”
His question struck me as odd. Why would he care if it bothered me? Did he want it to? I shook my head, dismissing the thought. “No, it’s fine,” I replied, though his concern left me with a lingering unease.
I could feel Keith’s eyes on me after I had said no, and I wondered if he noticed something else that was creeping up my neck. It was
ridiculous, really. I rolled my eyes at the thought. He’s still the same
playboy, after all. His nature couldn’t be changed just because he’s now wearing glasses and talking about business.
“Should I feel any discomfort?”
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Chapter Sixteen Does it Bother You?
He didn’t answer immediately, just kept looking at the spot where my tattoo was, his expression unreadable. “Just making sure,” he finally said, his tone dismissive, but something about the way he said it made me uneasy. What did he mean by that? Maybe he knew more than he was letting on or maybe he was just as concerned as he made it seem?
I shook off the thought, reminding myself that I shouldn’t be overthinking things. Keith was… well, Keith. I shouldn’t provoke him, especially not when my feelings about Dorian were already so confused. Everything about Keith was too perfect, too polished. He excelled at everything he did, and that perfection made him seem almost untouchable. But no matter how perfect he seemed, I had to stick to my decision. This anniversary had reminded me that no matter how I thrashed Dorian and hated how he made me feel, I had made a commitment to him. I wasn’t going to let Keith get in the way of that.
Speaking of which, I had to leave now. “Keith, Dorian must be waiting for me,”
‘Yeah, you’ll need to go,” He said, feigning a smile. “Happy anniversary to you two,”
“Thank you, Keith,” I replied, and walked away.
I took the available cab I saw and headed straight to meet Dorian. I spotted him from a distance, dressed formally, his expression tense as he spoke on the phone. There was anger in his voice, the kind of simmering frustration that could only mean one thing. Jessica. I was certain of it. Today was our anniversary, after all, and she was probably upset that he wasn’t spending it with her.
Chapter Sixteen: Does it Bother You?
I glanced down at my own clothes, regretting my decision to dress so casually. I should have put more effort into looking the part, into making this day special for both of us. But there was no time for that now. I wasn’t even sure I was going to be here today.
I walked up to Dorian, and before he could react, I leaned in and kissed him. The moment our lips met, he hurriedly ended the call, his hand coming up to cup my cheek. “Hey,” he said softly, his voice warm despite the lingering tension. “That was just a colleague, asking if I could work overtime tonight. But I refused. Tonight is all about us.”
I pulled back slightly, searching his eyes for any sign of deception. He was too good at lying, though. I wanted to believe him, but the nagging doubt in the back of my mind wouldn’t go away.
He said we were going out again, and walked me into the car, I casually mentioned the faint scent of perfume that lingered inside. Dorian didn’t even flinch. “Oh, I just changed the air freshener,” he said smoothly, his tone so nonchalant that I almost believed him.
I sighed inwardly. I had underestimated his shamelessness. He was playing this game so well, almost too well. But I wasn’t about to let Jessica win tonight. Not on our anniversary.
We arrived at a charming French restaurant, one that I recognized immediately. Nancy had mentioned it a few times–it was a popular spot, difficult to get into unless you had the right connections. Dorian smiled as he led me inside, explaining how hard it had been to secure a reservation. “Keith helped me book it,” he said casually, as if it was no
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big deal. “He even prepared a bottle of wine for us.”
I couldn’t help but notice the server who approached us, informing me that the stylist I had supposedly booked had arrived. Everything tonight, from the restaurant to the wine, to the stylist, had been orchestrated with Keith’s help. I felt a mix of emotions–gratitude, frustration, confusion. Why was Keith so involved? And why was Dorian letting him be?
Before I could dwell on it, Dorian’s phone rang again. I knew without asking who it was. He glanced at the screen, then back at me, his expression conflicted. “I’ll just turn it off,” he offered, his hand hovering over the decline button.
But I smiled and shook my head. “Go ahead and answer it,” I said sweetly. “As long as I have you to myself tonight,”
“Of course you do,” He reassured me.
“Alright then, don’t be too long. I’ll have a surprise for you later when you come back.” I gave him permission.
He hesitated, clearly torn, but eventually, he gave in and answered the call, turning slightly away from me as he spoke in hushed tones. I watched him, feeling a strange sense of detachment. Whatever Jessica had planned, I had to make sure that tonight, Dorian stayed with me.
I excused myself during his timeout and headed to the back, where the stylist was waiting. It was time to get ready, to prepare for whatever the
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Chapter Sixteen: Does It Bother You?
rest of this night had in store. No matter how tangled things were, I wasn’t about to let Dorian slip away–not tonight.
Chatter Seventeen Rent Some Heart
