Dave kept staring at me as if I had lost my mind. This was the first time that an emotion cracked through his cold mask. "Is this what you need?"
No, the only thing I need is you, you stupid moron cheater husband of mine!
"Yes," I replied in a flat tone. Not wanting to continue this conversation, I concluded.
I handed him the birthday cake and the roses, " Happy Birthday, Dave, hope you find the love of your life that you deserve."
With this, I turned and walked towards the exit. Somewhere, I wanted it to be like a rom-com movie.
When the male lead stops the female lead and they make out like in a happy ending, but it seemed like mine was a tragic one.
2-WEEKS LATER.
"Ele! For god's sake, wake the F up!" Caroline's voice pierced through my ear, almost making me deaf.
I threw the pillow in that direction, as I grumbled, "Why are you shouting like my Mother-in-law?"
I heard her laughter from the other room as she tries to imitate her, "Oh my sweet chick pea, shouldn't you be waking early like the good daughter-in-law you are and make a cup of tea for your mother?"
Goosebumps covered my body as I recalled the times when she used her too-sweet voice to make me do all the chores. If being a manipulator were a competition, then she would have won it every time.
"Don't remind me of her. I am waking," I cracked my eyes open as I looked around. That day, after leaving the hotel, I called my parents to let them know about my decision.
I saw it coming, it still hurt pretty bad when they scolded me for making this stupid decision. That it would hurt their relationship with the Morris and would jeopardize their profits and shares.
Even my older sister Bella, who was like my friend, tried to make me think twice about my decision. That's when Caroline, my old school friend, heard the news from her and called me.
She was the first one who asked if I was alright and where I was, so she could pick me up. That too, leaving her work when none of my family even asked about how hurt I was feeling.
After she got me, she offered to live with her till I figured it all out. So, from that day, I started living with her.
"Guess what, it's been two weeks and you are still sulking like a teenager." She pointed at the obvious fact as I rolled my eyes.
Getting off the bed, I stretched my body, releasing the tension, as I replied to her sarcastic remark, "Haha, tell me something I don't know." I walked towards the counter as she handed me the coffee mug.
"You want to know something new?" She asked as I sipped my coffee, which was a little bitter for my taste, "What? You've finally decided to get the cat you were thinking of?"
She glared at me as I clearly pushed the wrong button, "No, but it's about Dave."
My hands stopped midway as all the memories started to fill my mind. "What news?" I tried to sound disinterested, but who am I kidding?
I was still the same sick lover who would follow him like a lost puppy if he even once called me.
It's okay Ele. These feelings were hard-rooted and would take time to disappear. I tried to reason with my overthinking brain as I focused on the words coming out of her mouth.
"You know my colleague, Rhea. She's his crazy fan. And yesterday she spilled the tea about Dave disappearing out of the blue." I was dumbfounded at her words. "What did you say?" I asked again, unable to believe I had not just lost my hearing.
"You heard that right, gurl. From the day you dumped him, he just stopped posting anything on social media. Even his hardcore fans, AKA, the stalker fans could not find his trace." The revelation hit hard, almost numbing all my senses.
All the possible scenarios started to cloud my mind.
What happened to him? Was he alright?
Did talking about the divorce affect him?
Should I call him or his secretary Josh?
I ran back to my room, rummaging through all my stuff, trying to find my phone. After I almost flipped the whole room, I found it under the bed.
I grabbed the phone, frantically searching for any kind of news related to him, when the doorbell echoed.
I walked into the hall, where Caroline was already walking towards the door, calling out to the person on the other side, "Who is it?"
As she took the door, I shifted my focus again to my phone, finding literally anything about him, when a masculine voice filled the whole room, "Where is Elena?"
My whole body almost froze as I recognized the voice.
This isn't him. It couldn't be. If he..
The trail of my thoughts stopped when Caroline stuttering came along, "E..Ele, I think you should..come here."
Caroline's shaky voice almost confirmed my suspicion, but I did not want to believe. How could I? After almost two weeks, he suddenly showed up at my door.
Is it possible? I could not answer the question, but the only way to find it was to face the situation, face him.
My feet slowly started to take baby steps. Those few seconds felt like hours, as my eyes fell on the man standing like a tower.
He was just a few inches short of the entrance door. He was wearing his usual white shirt and blue jeans.
Typical Dave.
He stood there, hands in his pockets, as his hair was set back, giving a mature and sexy look. Somehow, my heart felt relieved, but tension started to build as my gaze fell on the bandage on his temple.
I could not help but walk to him, as I was about to reach his injury when he stopped me in the middle, "I don't have time for your drama, grandpa just asked me to give this to you."
With this, he pulled a vintage wooden box which seemed familiar, but before I could recall it, he opened it, revealing a ring, but not just any ring.
His heirloom. His great-grandmother's ring, which I returned to him that day.
Like this was not enough for the plot twist when he dropped the actual bomb in his monotone voice.
"And also, the date is fixed, we will be marrying in six weeks."