Chapter 50
1527words
"I don't know what conversation you were having with Alpha Paris that had you smiling impishly while you looked my way, but I'm going to be mature and act like it's none of my business," I said to Bella, my assistant.
I had seen the way she stood by Paris's side, talking quietly and looking at me with meaning. Anyone who didn't know Bella would think she was trying to get something she had no business getting. I knew Bella, so I knew her reasons were not perverse. But knowing her also meant that her reasons were definitely coy.
"oh, whatever could you mean?" she said with a bright smile, and I raised a brow at her,
"for your sake, and mine, I hope you weren't with him for the reasons I'm thinking."
"what are you thinking?"
She smiled while I watched her, then I simply shook my head,
"Let's go home." I finally said, "It's been a long day.
"not yet. "
"no?"
"I was speaking to Alpha Paris, and I thought of something that would benefit all of us." I folded my hands and waited for her to speak,
"At this point, the man is our business partner, at least until his project is finished."
"your point??"
"Whatever your grievances are with him, you are going to have to spend more time with him."
"for what?" I asked, surprised at how hysterical I sounded.
"for the proper arrangements to be made for this project. Or would you rather this whole thing fall apart because you could not separate your personal life from your business life."
I narrowed my eyes on her. She was goading me, and I knew she was goading me, but even then, I knew she was right. If it was anyone else who partnered with us, spending the right amount of time with them to bring our plans to fruition would have been necessary. Paris didn't; have to be the exception, just because we had a sad past.
I nodded once, "You aren't wrong." I said and watched as Bella's smile broadened.
"I'm never wrong, to be honest," she said happily and I rolled my eyes,
"but for the life of me, I can't see why this whole thing pleases you."
She shrugged and grinned, "Let's just say, I like a good ending.
In light of the discussion Bella and I had the day before, she asked that Paris and I meet up at a restaurant to discuss some plans she claimed to have spent the night before tying together,
"I'll pass." I had said, ready to keep my distance from Paris as often as I can, but Bella pushed,
"you can't pass this one up, ma'am. It's incredibly important, this meeting. So dress yourself up, and come on over. Bills are on the alpha."
By alpha, she meant Paris, and not me, as she didn't know my real identity either. But whether it was Paris or me. This was not a meeting I actually wanted to attend.
But what choice did I have?
I signed a contract.
PARIS's POV
When the woman called Bella said she would help me get Ember back, I thought she was simply being too positive. Because there were really days that made me feel like nothing would make Ember mine again.
But then it occurred to me, that if Ember loved me once, then she could love me again, I only needed to be the man she once fell in love with.
So when Bella spoke to me about the meeting with Ember, I jumped at the opportunity and decided that I would look my best.
She loved me once, and by God, she would love me again, I put on the clothes my butler had prepared for me and gathered the flowers that I had paid for. Hopefully, the sight and scent of them would soften Ember's heart.
I arrived at the restaurant thirty minutes later and decided to use the time to order some of Ember's favorite meals. I only hoped they were still a favorite of hers. And then my phone buzzed, with a message that was from Bella.
"something came up, I don't think I'll be able to make it. Best of luck with her," she added a winking emoji, and I suddenly felt warm. I shifted my tie and blew out a breath, surprised by my own anxiety,
I had been alone with Ember countless of times. Hell, I had even been alone with her in the hospital. So why was I suddenly anxious about it now?
There wasn't much time to think about it, as the scent of her filled my nose and I turned in her direction to see her walking toward me, all radiant and beautiful in a denim skirt and cute yellow top. She was breathtaking, and I was a damned man.
"Bella, what have you gotten me into?" I murmured.
I rose to greet her and handed her the bouquet I had planned out for her.
She received it with questions in her eyes, and shrugged, "you didn't have to, but thanks." she said and set it in her lap, " so Bella says something came up and she can't make it. However, she did send the blueprint of her plan to me, and so here it is."
She bought out her tab and handed it to me.
It wasn't much, but I suppose for something she had to think of out of the blue so she could arrange this meeting, it was actually worth our while.
"I believe it's doable. But we are going to need the help of the elders of the king's court."
"Aye, we are. But I think I can manage to do it myself. Talk to the king's court, I mean."
I nodded, "Fine then. "
"then I believe that will be all?" she said getting up, and I reached for her hand. Her eyes wondered where our hands were joined, but didn't dare let go.
If she left right then, I was going to lose my mind, because it was insanity. I was slowly being driven to insanity every time she wasn't next to me. Every time she wasn't close, especially with the whole divorce thing that she was all about.
"don’t go yet," I asked, desperate to turn my request into a plea, if she decided to go for real,
"why not? We've seen all that we need to see on the blueprint. Besides, I have to start thinking of ways to arrange the king's court for this prop salt we have in mind."
"It can wait, em. In any case, I will help you. I want to help you. That's why we are here, right."
She looked at me for the longest time, before she finally nodded, and then sat. Just then, the food I'd ordered finally came and she looked at all the meal before her in wonderlust.
"These are all of the foods I like to eat. How did you.."
"Perhaps I pay attention far more than you care to give me credit for."
She wordlessly reached for a spoon to try her soup and hummed when It entered into her mouth,
"Perhaps I did," she said and took more soup. It was a delight to watch her eat. I hadn't done that in a while, and I found myself watching her till she finished the soup, once she was done, only then did she look up
"thank you for all of this, but I really can't stay past the soup, as I have to go now. I've got work tomorrow and need to prepare," she said getting up, and this time, I rose with her.
I realized then that as time passed, she smiled at the little things. And grew shy whenever I reached for her, and stroked her cheek. Now, even when I reached for her hair, she took a step back from me as though my touching her was the last thing she wanted. And even when she smiled, it was polite. The way one would smile at a business associate when she meant to say thank you and broke my heart.
Would I really ever get this woman back? I wondered,
"let me walk you out."
"Okay."
I walked her to her car, and ran my hand over my head, looking for a way to broach the topic I had in my head,
But she spoke before I could,
"Lunch was nice. Thank you."
"You don’t have to thank me, ember. I wish… I wish you would give me the chance to do more of that."
She looked up at me with a pained expression, and I thought she would say something in relation to it, but instead, she just shook her head,
"And I wish... I really wish you would just leave this whole thing between us as a business. Don't complicate this thing. Goodnight, Paris." and with that she opened her door, and without another word got inside, started the car, and drove off before I lost my pride and dignity and begged her to stay with me
