Semua Bab Left at the Altar, Claimed by a Billionaire : Bab 11 - Bab 20

If embarrassment had a face, I was pretty sure it would look exactly like mine right now.I stared at Gabriel in the middle of the lobby, waiting for him to say whatever it was he had forgotten to tell me. And while I was standing there waiting, a huge part of me was genuinely wishing for the ground to open up and swallow me whole because standing in front of him for too long was more than enough to make me suffer, especially with what happened last night still stuck in my head."The driver," Gabriel said simply. "He wanted me to tell you that he's very sorry for the sudden stop yesterday. He felt bad about it."That was it?I thought he was going to tease me again so hearing that was such a relief that I almost exhaled too loud. I fixed my face real quick before he could notice I was smiling like an idiot. "Oh. Tell him it's fine. It wasn't his fault at all."Gabriel gave a small nod. "Good." And just like that, he turned and walked toward the elevator like nothing had happened at al

Some people fight with their hands. Some people fight using the power of their words. But also there are people like Scarlett, who fight using a single photo and a well prepared caption and let everyone else do the rest. And I knew that the moment I stepped off that elevator everything seemed to be quieter than usual. At first, I could not explain it. Everything looked normal. People were still walking around, answering calls, and carrying folders from one department to another. But the atmosphere felt strange. It was the kind of feeling you get when you walk into a room and realize everyone had been talking about you seconds before you arrived. I continued walking toward my office and tried not to think too much about it. Honestly, I did not care if people looked at me anymore. After everything that happened at the wedding, I had already become everyone's favorite topic. People judged me without knowing the truth. People created stories about my life as if they personally knew me.

I should have realized that things were going to be more chaotic the moment Gabriel found out that I was willing to play along with Scarlett’s little game. I woke up at 4:30 in the morning when my phone started ringing and vibrating nonstop beside me. It was so early that everything still felt heavy and wrong, and for a second I just stared at it, annoyed at the fact that someone actually thought this was a normal time to message me. When I finally checked it, I immediately regretted it even more.It was Gabriel Vance.Texting me to go straight to his office because he said he would be adding something to our contract. I just stared at the message for a few seconds, trying to understand how his mind even works. Seriously, he could have just told me that later when I was already in the office. There was no need to drag me into this kind of early morning chaos he's into. How does that man’s brain even work?Because of that, I could not sleep again. I just went back to the work I left y

Not every broken heart needs advice. Sometimes, all it needs is someone willing to sit beside it until the wounds in it hurt a little less. Gabriel and I were already sitting on the rooftop bench. For a while, I have been telling myself that I was fine. I kept my back straight, my hands were resting just fine on my lap, and my eyes were fixed on the city like I had my emotions under control. I tried everything I needed to stay calm but wherever I look, those words keep flashing back on my memory. Gabriel sat beside me quietly, not asking anything. He just stayed with me, waiting for me to stop pretending that I'm fine.“I’m okay now,” I said lightly while keeping my head straight. Gabriel glanced at me before replying, “No, you’re not.”I looked at him quickly trying to prove him wrong. “Yes, I am.”He didn’t even argue. He just kept looking at me like he was waiting for me to realize something I was refusing to admit. And because of that, something in my chest tightened. I laughed

EVAN’S POVSome decisions don’t feel painful when you let go of bad thoughts and talk about them over and over with someone. They only feel heavy because sometimes we spend too long avoiding them.I stayed at the park even after Yanna left. I didn't go home right away because I know that I still need to process everything after we bid our goodbye to each other. I leaned my head at the left chain of the swing and for a while, my thoughts only revolved around her. Not because I still love her, but because I was finally able to close our long chapter together. Finally.I replayed everything I did to her. From our wedding day, our painful talk at the park after the wedding, my annoying presence around her, and me trying to hide from her the truth she was meant to know anyway. I did so many terrible things to her and I didn't expect her to forgive me this way. I want her to be mad at me but I know that she will never plant hatred at someone she once loved. And that's the person I fell for.