“Anyways, why aren’t you ready yet?” His eyes asses my onesie before they return back to my irises.
“Lexi here.” I point at her back in my room. “Made time pass real fast that I didn’t even figure out it was afternoon already.”
“Well, time flies when you’re with the one you love.” I give Lexi a pointed look, thinking she was just joking around just to catch her giving Adrien a stern face.
What is the matter with her?
When I look back at Adrien, I see him eyeing her with the same expression.
What the hell is wrong with them both?
I mean I’ve always known that my best friend and my fiancé never got along since forever, and even though it’s always felt like a heavy burden in my back and bothered me a lot at first, I accepted it. My several attempts at figuring out the reason behind this mutual, shared dislike between them failed because whenever I mention it to one of them, they always shrug it off claiming they’re just not that comfortable around one another. I know this isn’t the reason, though.
I just really wish one of them tells me, so I can at least try and fix it.
Trying to ease the sudden tension that started spreading in the atmosphere, I tell Adrien to go ahead and wait for me downstairs while I get ready and change. Just as I finish telling him that, Lexi states calmly that she has to leave before storming out of the room with a furious look on her face, bumping Adrien’s shoulder roughly on her way and leaving me in my tornado of thoughts.
The main one of these thoughts was ‘what the hell just happened?’
My heart does a little flutter as I look around the restaurant in total and utter disbelief. Covering my mouth with both of my hands as I spot the red roses decorating the people-free space and the lit candle on the table, I smile a totally genuine one, feeling grateful for having such a romantic soon to be husband.
“You didn’t have to,” I say softly, “It would’ve been okay with me if we just went to a normal date in a normal restaurant with actual people in it.”
“Well, you aren’t just a normal person; you’re special, and you know it.” He places a hand at my lower back, causing my body to tense slightly under his touch.
“So are you.” I return his smile.
Slowly, Adrien guides me towards the table while the chef makes his way towards us to offer us his menu. I’ve always known that Adrien’s parents were loaded, and I can’t say that it didn’t bother me at first because it did, but money was never the case nor the obstacle when the love you shared was real.
His parents own a business firm similar to the one my parents own, but their success is a fame-worth success and that was what’s bothering me. At first, when he told me his parents own the ‘Sandersons Incorporation’, I was worried of what people would say once they heard the Adrien Sanderson, son of Gabriel Sanderson, was engaged.
I could already imagine the headlines of the newspaper: ‘Evangeline Williams- Adrien Sanderson’s fiancé. Is she truly in love or simply a gold digger?’
Sadly, it wasn’t just my imagination back then; it did happen, and I totally dreaded it. Once I was declared his fiancé, the media went over the top trying to dig into our private life which was another thing I was dreading.
Despite my parents not being as rich as the Sandersons, they still are. They were keen, however, to avoid interacting with people out of their business world to avoid having the world’s devastating attention on our private lives.
The Sandersons, however, simply didn’t care.
“So, what would you like to have for lunch?” Adrien directed his attention from the menu in his hands to me. “I already know what I want to order.”
“I don’t know; I’ve never been to here before, so as long as its chicken, pick me something out yourself.”
After Adrien ordered our food, I thought it’d be a good idea to discuss with him this Evelyn thing just so I’d keep him up to date, so I started telling him everything from the beginning of when I saw the photo to when my mom explained everything, or I was planning to, but I never got the chance. Once I mentioned Evelyn and the photo with Adam, Adrien’s eyes turned darker and his total calm, loving stance from before turned into an angry and hatred-filled one.
“What’s wrong?” I ask him bewildered, “Do you know them? Adrien! Wait, where are you going?”
He stood up from his seat with a furious look on his face putting on his jacket hastily before rushing towards the exit and leaving me without giving any answers.
He just left me consumed in my anger, confusion and sadness all alone.
‘Why do I feel like everyone’s hiding something from me, and how foolish was I to believe that my life will ever be the same?’ Just as the thought enters my mind, I start doing what I do best.
I start crying.
Chapter 7
Not too long after Adrien left, the chef cut me out of my deep stance when he approached me with the wildest smile I’ve ever seen as he held two cooked dishes- each in a hand- with pride. The joyful glint in his eyes instantly disappeared, and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion probably because he came with two plates meant for two people only to find me.
Alone.
Probably not in my best shape, since my face was drenched in tears.
Even though the delectable smoke from the chicken that found its way into my nostrils tempted
