Chapter 27
Elena
The one time I defend something of mine and suddenly I am the villain? Maybe I should keep my mouth shut and that way I will not be a villain. Everything was fine this morning. It went well. There was no awkward tension between me and Gabriel and I was getting along with his sister so well.
To sum it up very briefly, it was a great morning until it was interrupted with a knock on the door. Who happens to stand at the door with her cute little suitcase and those cheeks that I would love to squeeze because how adorable they are?
Mio Hiraoka.
The diamond heiress of New York’s biggest diamond owners and Gabriel’s long-lost ex. No matter how many times I repeat to myself that I am not a jealous person - I am not - I still come over as if I am jealous.
It is so hard to keep my cool with her because of how much she is flirting or trying to flirt with Gabriel, right in front of my face. I am his fiancé and right there and she keeps getting touchy with him as if they are engaged. My blood boils and fire spits out of my ears every time she lets out that cute fake laugh. She seems like a sweet girl but oh boy is she the worst girl I have ever met.
By all means, if I knew she would be here, I wouldn’t have gotten myself into this mess and the knot I tangled myself into of crushing on Gabriel.
Just when I am finally admitting to myself that I am indeed falling for my boss and accepting that fact. The spawn of Satan swooped in and thought she could flirt. I will give it to her. She is a good flirt, but she should back away.
He is taken.
Theoretically.
Does it matter?
No!
I am wearing the ring. Not her.
And what is it that she is showing up now out of nowhere?
She had two years to try and get back with him but nooooo. She decided to do that when the news came out about his engagement?
“You might find it weird what I am about to say but let’s try to think rationally and maybe murder is not the best thing to do.” Reneè tries to argue with me as I had the perfect plan to get away with her murder.
“You are supposed to support me on a murder plan and be the first one ready to take actions.” I complain to her, take the phone away from my ear, press the microphone button and throw my phone on the table and try to style my hair for them to look half decent.
“Calm down, miss prim and proper. Think prim and proper before you do something that is not pr-”
“Do not say prim and proper again because those words are starting to drive me crazy.”
“Okay, I won’t.”
“It’s just-” I drag the words and think for a moment before saying the words that I don’t want to say. I get up from my seat and walk to my closet. “Why is she back now?”
“God's plan is different and maybe he had this planned for you.”
“Since when are you religious?” I ask her. Reneè is one of those people who doesn’t believe that there is a force of a god who made us and doesn’t believe in him.
She would rather believe in evolution and psychology.
“I’m not. Maria has been nagging me with verses from the bible and they are stuck to my head now and I have the urge to repeat them.” Reneè says as I look through my dresses in the closet, trying to find a good one to wear to the rehearsal evening of the gala. It is supposed to be formal but it’s a Wednesday and I never wear trousers on a Wednesday. I have a routine on what I wear and trousers are not in the list of ‘what Elena wears today.’
I nod my head to her statement about Maria forcing verses of the bible to her. “Seems about right.” I murmur.
“What are you doing? All I keep hearing is the clattering of clothes hangers.”
“I can’t find a dress to wear tonight.”
“Dinner?”
I gap my mouth at her because I did not tell her about it. “How do you know that?”
“Charles was nagging and annoying me all about it when he invaded my privacy coming to my workplace and just sitting there while I was cleaning.” She groans.
“Seems like a Charles thing he would do.”
“He is annoying. I hate him.”
“Hate is a strong word.”
“Says you, the one who met his ex and already hates her not even 24 hours later.”
“I have my reasons.” I argue.
“I have my reasons.” Reneè mocks me. “Did you take the green dress with you?” She changes the subject of our conversation because talking about her ex-boyfriend she ran away from when he proposed is a sensitive topic.
“Which one? I have thousands of them.”
“Forest green, long to the ankles and long sleeves with the cut out on the back.”
I take a quick glance into the dresses, spotting the specific dress she described immediately.
“I should have taken your green earrings. They would have been perfect.”
“Just put in some gold jewellery and you should be good to go.”
I try to envision the picture that Reneè painted in my head that looks great. I smile. “Reneè, since when are you such a fashionista?”
“I just saw it on Pinterest. The colour combo and it looks great. Don’t expect too much of me.”
“I should have guessed that. Pinterest is like your best friend. Hold on. No. I am your best friend.”
“Of course you are.”
“You sound sarcastic.”
“Am not.”
“Are too.”
“We are not arguing about this now.”
“Yeah, we aren’t.” I bite my bottom lip from trying to argue again. “I have to leave you now anyway. Have to get ready. Sandals or high heels?”
“Are you kidding? Heels.”
“You love to torture me, don’t you?” I ask her in a low and deep voice.
“Don’t you have to get ready? Bye!” She hurries and hangs up the phone before I can bid her a goodbye.
I gasp to myself. “What a bitch.” My eyes widened. “Sorry.”
Did I just apologise to… myself ?
I shake my head at myself in disbelief and lay the dress out with a pair of black heels flat on the bed and get to my jewellery box. I take out a pair of small gold hoop earrings and some gold bracelets that have little flowers with small diamonds.
Boy am I a stereotypical girl. I do love diamonds. I have a lot of diamond jewellery.
My eyes widen in shock when the shower in the bathroom turns off. I completely forgot he was here and now that I remember, he might have heard it all.
I turn into a panicked mood when I hear the lock on the door lock and sit down on my chair, trying to pretend but rather fail, to put on my makeup.
I pray silently to any God that might be out there to help me and make sure that he has a pair of pants on because I might hit my breaking point if I see him in just a towel and his hair wet.
I close my eyes and glide my hand in the air over my face to remind myself to regulate my breathing and stop the nervous moments I am having.
“Are you okay?” I hear his deep voice in the background and his steps get louder as he walks into the room.
I open my left eye, peeking a look into the mirror and I close it immediately and scream internally to myself when he indeed is standing there with just a towel around his waist.
A TOWEL.
“Peaches!” I get nervous and scream out, keeping my hand flat against my face to keep myself from looking into the mirror and watching his reflection again.
“Are you sure?” He asks in a concerned - or was it confused? - voice.
“Yeah.” I say in a cut off and sarcastic tone. I laughed nervously “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Just making sure.”
“You do not have to worry about me…” I drag off as I peek one eye at his reflection on my mirror and I melt as he dries his thick brown hair with a small towel, the wet hair sticking out. He wraps the small towel around his neck and it reminds me of back in college when I ran into the men’s hockey locker room to argue with Ben because of how he cheated on me.
That was the first time he cheated on me and I need that confidence back that I had that day because I was on fire.
I just walked into that locker room with no shame and showed him against his locker. I think the anger and disappointment in me got the worst of me and I acted on emotions instead with my head.
“Is that what you are wearing?” I look at his reflection in the mirror and he points at the dress and the heels and the jewellery on the bed. I might faint if I turn because that would mean I see him in the flesh with his towel and those strong abs that he has on his stomach and the broad shoulders where I had my arms around the night of our perfectly awkward kiss.
“Yeah. Why?”
“Looks great.” He compliments and before I can stop it, the blush creeps up my cheeks and colours my cheeks maroon. You can say I look wine stained on my cheeks. A throbbing feeling appears on my clit and I close my legs, hoping for it to go away or for some friction of my underwear to build away the throbbing.
“Thanks.” I say in a calm tone while the nerves in me go crazy and I think my ovaries might explode any second because oh my wordddddd, he looks so good. Why does he have to look so good?
I scream internally as he flashes me a smile. I am refraining myself from hitting myself on my head with my palm. He walks away and my head moves to his accord. My head and eyes wander with him as he walks to the closet and opens the drawer.
The veins in his hands tone out as he takes out a pair of boxers from the drawer and closes it shut slowly.
“If you want to keep staring I suggest you take the place on the bed. It has a better view.” In a flash I moved my head when I heard his voice.
I can never be discreet, can I?
“Whaaaaaaat. Nooo, no no. I mean no. I wasn’t starring.” I stutter more than I intended to, giving myself away.
“Can you come over for a second?”
“Wh-Why?” I stutter again. Weird request at the wrong time when I am here drowning in embarrassment of getting caught, and I was right. He still has faint marks on his back. I think I had a tiny orgasm from that sight.
“I want to show you something.”
“Put some pants on and then we can talk.” I babble out without rethinking my words twice. I cursed at myself as soon as the words left my lips.
“Why, does it distract you?” he says and I can already tell he has a smug smile on his lips when he is saying those words.
I swallow down my pride. “What do you need me for?” I say in a choked voice and get up from my stool, mentally preparing myself.
I take one step at a time walking to him, my nerves standing in a thin line of exploding. He stands there, this chest bare and the towel around his neck is gone, showing off his broad shoulders.
“I have something for you.” He tells me in a controlled tone, while I know that if I let out a peep now, it would not sound controlled.
“If it’s another apology about your ex-girlfriend’s and your mum’s behaviour then I am just going to stop you there and you can save your breaths.”
“Not exactly. But a more formal apology will come later.”
I furrow my eyebrows at him. If he isn’t apologising for that or anything else, why did he call me to him?
“I bought you something.” He reaches for a long rectangle black box from his boxer drawer that he had hidden in there.
I gasp. “Gabriel, no.” I stop him from opening the box, holding my hand in front of the opening. “I do not need any more gifts. You gave me enough.”
“How about a gift, we will call this an addition to the dress of yours today instead?”
“What?”
Before I can continue my complaining, he opens the black box, revealing the necklaces. It’s a simple gold one that has an emerald heart attached to it, hanging to it. It’s not diamond so it couldn’t have cost that much, right?
“Wh-Why?” I stutter, my eyes barely able to leave the sight of the necklace.
“Because I wanted to. And because I know that green is your favourite colour.”
“How do you know that?”
“Everything is green. Your iPad case, your pens, your phone case.”
“You noticed that?”
“I notice everything about you.” I raise my eyebrows in shock. “I also asked Reneè just in case. She confirmed and also told me that you might take this dress with you and so I bought this.” He says in a soft tone.
His affection makes me completely forget that he is still half naked in front of me.
“I cannot accept this. I’m sorry.” I told him. He already spent over twenty grand for the pink jewellery and that was already too much. The ring alone was eight and a half grand.
Gabriel smiles. His dimples bury deep into his cheeks. “How about you care less about accepting, rather just wearing it.” He takes the necklaces out of the box. “Turn around.” He says in that deceptive voice.
“Gabriel-” I start.
He just gives me a knowing look, one that screams that he won’t accept a no. I give up my small battle, just do as told and turn around, my back faces his front. Shivers run along my spine as his cold finger grazes along my neck and he gathers my hair to the side. I am not even sure if I am still breathing but whatever I guess.
The cold gold of the necklace touches my skin and I shiver but mostly from the crippling anxiety instead of the coldness of the necklaces. Or his fingers. Or him in general.
“There,” he says. I look down to the necklace, my heart races all of the sudden and I really stop breathing this time.
“It’s beautiful.” I say.
“I agree.” He murmurs.
I look over my shoulder, only to find Gabriel staring at me with the softest expression I have ever seen. His lips are curled up in a small smile and his eyes soften even more when I am fully turned around.
My heart skips a beat and starts racing at the same time and if that keeps going, I might suffer from a heart attack. Screw that, I am already having a heart attack. With the way Gabriel is looking at me. A look of admiration and at the same time as if he wants to devour me.
I am not quite sure if that should calm me or scare me but I will let my heart decide that. If I die from a heart attack then I should have chosen to be scared.
“I need to finish getting ready.” My breath hitches as I say the words.
“Yeah.” he sighs.
“Yeah.” I follow suit and just repeat the same. I am not even sure I can expect the words that will come out of his lips because he has hypnotised me with his grey eyes.
***
“Want some.” Nicole hands me her flasks that she has hidden in her bag.
“No thanks. I don’t drink.”
Her mouth gapes open. “You are missing out.”
“I am pretty sure I am missing nothing out except headaches and vomiting until the stomach is empty.”
“That’s the sad part about alcohol.”
“I can have fun without drinking.”
She shrugs her shoulders and throws her head back as she takes a few gulps down whatever strong liquor she has hidden in those flasks of hers.
I smile at her and the free spirit of not caring what others think she has. I always care too much about what people think to do some crazy stuff.
Well, not crazy but above normal stuff.
And I did not lie. I really have not drunk since that night in sophomore year. The dress shopping night was an exception that will never happen again.
We are all seated in the limo that Gabriel apparently rented for the two days. A private chauffeur is driving while all of us are sitting comfortably in the car limo. The top shines like the stars in the night sky.
To my left is Gabriel, who has been keeping his hand on my thigh the whole time and then when he feels like it, he runs a finger along it, making shivers appear all over my body. My left arm is wrapped around his and I keep fidgeting with his ring on his finger because I forgot my ring in the bathroom.
Don’t even get me started on the back tuxedo he is wearing because woahhhh does that look awesome on him. Tailor made to his body and is melting against his strong shoulders.
To my right is Nicole who went with a tight short pink dress that perfectly melts into her slim curves and exceptionally goes with her hair and makeup. The shoes are the highlight though. Tall heels that have these thin pink ropes that go around her ankles and on the back of her heel is a pink butterfly.
They are from the Sofia Calvetti Brand. Butterflies seem to be her thing and I am one hundred percent sure that these shoes are inspired by the Barbie movie with the fashion show in Paris.
I will be wearing that one time in my life. Well, borrow them from her because she has the same shoe size as me and she said I am welcome to do so.
“Nicole put the flasks away.” Her mother commands her. From my side view I can see Nicole mock her before packing the flasks into her handbag.
“Good.” Mrs Harvey nods her head at her daughter with a small but rather fake smile. “Mio, pretty dress.”
I refrain myself from rolling my eyes when Noa thanks her and purposely moves the slit that is cut on her dress wider apart, showing off her smooth leg.
“You too, Elena.”
That’s a surprise. She did actually make an effort to remember my name.
“Thank you, Mrs Harvey.” I say in a sweet tone. I will not give her the satisfaction to know that she is driving me mad.
“Call me Marjorie.”
She has a name. Thank you for finally letting me in on this information because I was going crazy with the ‘guess my name’ game.
“Thank you, Marjorie.” I repeat my thank you, her name leaving a bitter taste on my tongue. Safe to know that she is bad news.
The rest of the ride went in a flow. While they all talked about whatever, I kept quiet and listened all while playing around with Gabriel’s hand and twisting the ring on his finger.
I have never been to a charity auction or even an art event, especially not one where famous people are present.
The limo comes to a slow halt.
“Let’s get this show started.” Charles claps with his hands before he squeezed through everyone with his fat arse to get out of the limo.