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The doorbell rings, and I groan before throwing my head back. I’m not particularly in the mood to entertain guests this early or even to put on a happy face.
I drag myself from my couch, and with slouching shoulders, I sulk to my door. I need everyone to leave me alone, so I can figure things out. Time is ticking away and I need to think and make a decision. Silence is my favourite companion right now, so who dares to disturb it?
I pull open the door halfway, already annoyed, and I’m sure it’s plastered all over my face.
“Evangeline.” Shock travels through my body, and my annoyance disappears in a matter of seconds. I straighten my back, and for a moment, I’m speechless, confused, and I don’t know how to react or what to say. The only thing I do know is that she takes my breath away, and I yearn to reach out and pull her to me. To kiss her and to never let go.
Fuck, it hurts.
“Chester,” she says powerfully. This is the woman I met that first time. While I can’t hide the pain, the suffering, Evangeline is a queen at putting on a brave face, showing me she’s all business, and it only makes me wonder if she read my text. She must have read it. Why else would she be here?
“We need to talk.” She says strongly. I nod my head and open the door to let her in. My heart is already speeding up because I’m excited to discuss my confession, but I’m also not prepared at all. I haven’t decided yet which option to take, but this seems about the right time to share my conclusion with her. One that does not exist yet. But she’s here. I can smell her, touch her, and let my fingers run through her silver blonde hair.
It only validates that she belongs with me because I don’t want to imagine her leaving my house ever again. I can’t visualise her walking to the altar tomorrow, preparing to marry Thomas Meyer.
No, Evangeline is the love of my life, and I don’t want to share the one who holds my heart in the palm of her hands. But still, my lips are sealed, and I want to bang my head against the wall to drag out what she wants to hear.
She stops in the middle of the hallway in her pink outfit. It’s cute, and Evangeline's beautiful.
I love her.
She breathes in deeply to prepare herself, and my stomach tightens. I wipe my clammy hands on my jeans, and my heart starts to pound in my ear, nerves coursing through my body.
“I know you don’t want to marry me.” I don’t know that. It’s what I’m trying to figure out. “But I need to know the truth.” My breathing falters for a second, and I push my shoulders back.
“I’m confused, Evangeline. Is this about my text?”
“My brother is forcing me to get married. He blames you for deciding my future. He’s forcing me to marry because of you.” She ignores my question and dives straight into hell. My veins are already flooding with anger at the mention of her brother.
“What the fuck did he tell you?” I snarl loudly, and she steps backwards, as if I’ve struck her. Fuck.Well done, Chester. I don’t want to scare her away, but I thought this was going to be about us.
“He said you screwed us over, Chester.”
“Screwed you over how?” I’m curious how her brother twisted the truth, and this conversation reminds me of the first time we discussed this topic.
“Apparently, my dad wasn’t the greatest businessman, and when he died, we moved to New York, penniless. Mum married Gavin for money, but it wasn't enough for my family. So they sent Frederic back with the last of our money to invest in your company. Without warning, you kicked him off the board. We lost everything, Chester.Everything. Debts piled up and there is no way out, so Frederic only sees me as a means to an end. He’d rather save face than let the public know we’re broke. He blames you.” Her voice cracks, and I see the pain behind her eyes, the lies she’s bathing in. Her life has become so twisted after her father died, and her brother keeps demanding awful things of her.
How dare Frederic play his sister so badly.
“Yeah, the board fired Frederic, and I didn’t know that he invested all his savings into our company. But it wasn’t without a good reason, Evangeline. Frederic had no business on our board, even when he called himself my business partner.”
“So, Frederic is right?” Shock is on her face, and her lower lip starts to tremble. I want to pull her into my chest so desperately because I can’t bear to see her in pain.
“Yes, we kicked him off, but he kept crucial information to himself, princess. He fed you half-truths.”
“You kicked him off the board without giving back a penny of his investment.” A tear rolls down her cheek, and I step forward, reaching out my hand to wipe it away, but she pulls back quickly. Her beautiful eyes stare at me, and I only see heartbreak. She’s killing me, and I wish I could cure it all. She doesn’t deserve this pain, only happiness.
“What did he say was the reason he got fired?”
“That you were jealous.”
“Of what, Evangeline?” I press, taking a step closer, and this time, she stays in her spot. Her mouth falls open.
“I…”
“Of what?” I press. Her face scrunches up, and she tries to come up with an answer. A painful sound leaves her mouth, and she covers it with her hand.
“I don’t know. Of his reputation, his success?” I want to hit him so badly.
