30. A Best Friend #2
“If I remember correctly, there is whiskey, vodka, and some pot in Bastian’s office. Should I bring it?”
He sat opposite me, leaning back and watching me as my cheeks flushed red.
“How much did you see?” I asked, adjusting my blouse in its place and trying to comb my hair with my fingers. I looked like a complete mess.
“All of it,” he replied casually, checking his phone. “Are you better, or do you need a moment to do some breathing exercises?”
“Stop mocking me!” I spat, squeezing my thigh with my hand. I wasn’t in the right state of mind to fight with his cocky attitude.
“I would never do that.” He narrowed his light brown eyes at me, his tone tight. “I’m simply asking if you need another moment for yourself or if you can finally start acting like Bastian’s girlfriend.”
“It’s none of your business how I act,” I retorted, gulping down a pile of not-very-polite words.
“That’s where you’re wrong, Electra. It is my business if my best friend’s interests are at stake,” he rumbled, ignoring his phone, which didn’t stop buzzing.
“You’re not the only one suffering,” he said in a softer tone, fisting his palm like it took all the strength in him not to yell at me.
“But you can’t hide behind the hospital walls or here and pretend you’re nobody. You must do what is expected of you.”
“Expected from me?” I echoed, confused.
“You are an official partner of one of the most powerful men in the world,” he explained casually, and the breath hitched in my throat.
Of course, I knew who Bastian was when I decided to start a relationship with him.
For sure, I hoped and dreamed that one day he would marry me somewhere on a sunny beach, with only our family and friends witnessing the most important day in our lives.
But I didn’t think about the other side of the coin, and Derek was determined to remind me of my duties as Bastian Thorn’s woman .
“Right now, he can’t represent himself, so it’s up to you to take that position and ensure everything is as it should be.” He stood and walked to the cabinet with the alcohol, pouring two glasses of whiskey. I watched his every move, yet my brain was shutting down.
He handed me one glass with a magical liquid, but I hesitated to take it. I was afraid I might drink the entire bottle once I was alone just to get rid of that overwhelming feeling of guilt that had been living permanently in my chest since the accident.
“I have no idea what that means,” I whispered, staring at his outstretched left hand. A massive golden watch showed exactly 6:15 p.m.
“It means you should return to reality, sweetheart,” he muttered sadly, sitting beside me. The couch creaked under his weight. “Life isn’t a romantic book where you meet your soulmate, fall in love, overcome some obstacles, and live happily ever after.”
He took a sip from his drink while I gaped at him in surprise. “Life is a fucked-up mess, full of unexpected events that will bring you to your knees, and it’s up to you to find the strength and kick the fucker’s ass.”
He looked me directly in the eyes, and the sadness in them matched my feelings perfectly. “If it were the other way around, it would crush him to see you on the verge of death, but he would never give up on you.”
“I’m not giving up,” I exclaimed, releasing tension in my shoulders.
His intense stare was scaring me. He looked like he would throw me off the roof if I said something like “ I don’t know what to do ” because they all knew how to function.
But I didn’t know. I was on foreign territory, wracked with pain and guilt.
I didn’t want to think about my responsibilities as Bastian’s girlfriend, let alone as his wife.
“This just never should have happened.” I hid my face behind my palms, avoiding looking at Derek and his resolute expression.
“Yet, it happened,” he grumbled, finishing his drink and placing an empty glass on the coffee table.
“Andreas is planning a press conference tomorrow to announce news about Bastian’s condition.
” He took my wrist gently, moving my hand away from my face.
I groaned, giving him a tired glance, finally understanding why he came.
“You should be the one to stand in front of the cameras and answer those questions.”
“I won’t be able to handle it,” I breathed, my voice trembling. “I’m not strong enough to face them.”
Derek sucked his lower lip into his mouth, drifting his gaze to my knees. When our eyes met again, I saw the silent plea behind his brown orbs, yet his words didn’t match the emotion in them.
“Try to rest a little, Electra,” he said, standing. “Maybe in the morning, you’ll see things differently.”
“I’m sorry,” I burst out, the tears of pure worthlessness welling in my eyes. “I’m so sorry for everything.”
“You don’t need to apologize.” He buttoned his jacket, preparing to leave me alone in this monstrous apartment, which felt extremely cold. “What you need is to find your inner warrior and to finally see what Bastian sees in you. Then you’ll understand why he did what he did.”
“He made a mistake,” I sobbed, hugging my torso helplessly.
“Stop doubting his decisions.” He gently wiped the tears from my cheek. I almost flinched because of the surprising touch of his thumb. “You’re a blessing, not a failure.”
With that said, he left, leaving me utterly dumbstruck by his last statement. He didn’t know me. This was our second meeting, yet he acted like he had known me for years.
Confused and sad, I curled into a ball and lay on the couch. Tears were again flowing down my face. They were my faithful companions for the past few days, and there was no indication that anything would improve anytime soon.
A common cliché appeared on the edge of my consciousness, and I rolled my eyes at my foolishness. Yet the words didn’t let me take a much-needed rest. They were nudging me, keeping me awake with my erratic thoughts.
It’s always darkest before the dawn...
But how much darker could I handle until I fell apart?