Chapter: 74: Old acquaintances
Elena
The cool night air brushed against my skin as I stepped onto the terrace, and immediately we got out of sight. Sophia wasted no time to shove me out of her arms, which just widened the grin on my face.
The hum of conversation and music from the ballroom faded into the background. Out here, there were no prying eyes. No carefully curated performances.
Just the two of us.
I turned to face her, my arms crossed. "Enough with the theatrics Sophia. Tell me the truth. What happened to Damien?"
I watched her dab at her tear-streaked cheeks with a silk handkerchief, for what lasted over minutes before she looked at me with a self-satisfied smirk, the sympathy vanishing from her face.
Oh, sweet Elena," she sighed. "Why would I lie about something like this?"
"You tell me. It's not like lying is beneath you," I said rolling my eyes at her.
She scoffed, twirling a strand of her hair between her fingers. "Believe it or not, Damien really did get into an accident. He crashed his car on the way to—." She didn't finish her statement, her gaze sharpened, as if she was measuring my reaction.
My chest tightened, but I refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing my concern. He was coming to see me?
" I'm bored with this conversation. Damien is mine anyway, so stop asking about him," she diverted the conversation jabbing her fingers at my shoulder.
The words hit me like a punch to the gut.
Did I still want him?—did I miss him?— or was it guilt that gnawed at my heart? My internal question hung in the air unanswered.
I grabbed her wrist, slightly tightening my grip on it. "I'm concerned, as anyone would. Just because I choose not to fight over a man with you doesn't mean I'd be indifferent if something bad happened to him."
"Ugh, whatever," she snorted as she yanked her hand from my grip and stormed off.
I exhaled, my fingers clenching at my sides.
If what she said was true—if Damien really had gotten into an accident—then there was only one thing left to do. Find out for myself.
I needed space, I needed to put my thoughts in order.
I chose not to go back to the noisy party. I walked off the terrace and down the stone path leading into the garden.
The garden was dimly lit, the scent of blooming roses thick in the air. I let my fingers trail over the cool metal railing of a small bridge that arched over a koi pond. The reflection of the moon shimmered on the water's surface, my surroundings so beautiful but my mind was elsewhere.
Damien.
Lying unconscious in a hospital bed. Maybe fighting for his life. The thought of him and his present condition messed with my mind, leaving me lost in a haze of confusion, till a male voice cut through my thoughts.
"Elena." A deep husky voice called. I didn't recognize the voice, but my name was called as though the person who spoke knew me.
Slowly, I turned to see who it was, but my eyes were met with a tall broad shouldered man whose face was covered by the shadows of the trees in the garden.
"Who are you?" My words came out softer than intended, not knowing if the person before me was friend or foe.
He chuckled. "I understand why you wouldn't recognize my voice," he said as he stepped into the light with a grin on his face.
My breath caught in my throat.
He had on a brown shirt with the top buttons undone, showing of his toned chest, and the sleeves of the shirt folded to his elbow exposing his tattooed forearm.
He held his suit jacket over one side of his shoulder, while he leaned on the metal railing of the bridge, and right on cue the wind came in like a paid actor and blew against his shoulder length ginger hair and with the night light cascading on his light skin, he looked like a sculpted piece of art.
"Are you going to keep staring at me like you've seen a ghost?" He asked, blinking his gray eyes at me.
I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. "Cornell." His name struggled out my mouth.
"Oh, so you still recognize me," he said smiling at me.
I knew the man who stood before me—more like an old version of him. He had changed. His lanky stature now nowhere in sight.
Cornell was my ex who I thought I would spend the rest of my life with but life had a way of playing cruel jokes on people—my first love who unceremoniously ended our relationship for no reason and after that it was like he fell off the face of the earth. A year later I fell into my sister's trap which resulted in my pregnancy for Lily.
My lips curled into a bitter smile. "Recognize you—that's what you have to say to me?" I scoffed.
Of all the surprises that came with this night, meeting Cornell again was the one I would have never guessed.
When I saw the smile that played on his lips, anger surged through me. "I thought you died." My voice heightened.
Cornell's smirk didn't waver. "Ouch. That's a little dramatic, don't you think?"
"Ooh, don't you dare downplay things. You broke us up and cut me off," I said walking closer to him. "Seven years, Cornell, seven freaking years, and not a single word from you—now you're here acting like nothing ever happened," I said poking my finger at his chest.
"What if I had my reasons?" he said taking my hand in his.
Oh, spare me," I snapped. "Don't act like you had some noble excuse."
"Now, now, Elena. Why don't you give your old lover a chance to explain," he responded, placing my hand over his mouth, his warm lips grazing my palm.
My skin tingled as he drew in a deep breath as if savoring my scent. His eyes roamed my body, taking in every inch of it, after a moment his eyes came to rest on my lips. I yanked my hand away.
"Lover? You were dead to me the moment you left without a word," I said making sure to keep my eyes on his, so he knew I meant every word.
I knew if I stood there any longer I wouldn't be able to control my emotions anymore, so turned on my heels to bolt out of there when he caught my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.
"Please don't go." His voice was soft and slow.
He took a step closer closing the gap between us. "We need to talk. Really talk." His tone got serious.
I exhaled sharply, my emotions already stretched thin. "We just did," I said, turning away again.
"Not like this," he insisted. "Come out with me. Just a simple dinner," he said but I gave no response. "I owe you answers, and you deserve a proper explanation," he added.
I stared at him, my heart pounding—not out of excitement, but frustration. But beneath that frustration, something else twisted inside me, curiosity? Closure? I shook the thought away.
"NO, no, I don't want any explanations and I stopped wanting them years ago—so go back to the rock you've been hiding under and Forget I exist."
"I don't want to get tangled with the likes of you," I added before yanking my hand again and walking out on him.