Chapter 67
Alaia
“I’ve never stopped loving you.” My eyes flew open, and I stared at his face, my mouth agape. But the words wouldn’t come. I looked into his eyes, as clear as two crystal–water wells. It felt like I could see right through them. My heart began to pound in my chest. In an unexpected reaction, Nick took me by the waist and pulled me close.
“We need to talk. We need to talk about what happened in the past, what made me let you go when it wasn’t what I truly wanted,” he explained. I shook my head.
A lump formed in my throat. When I looked at him again…
“No, Nick. Don’t try to make me believe it wasn’t real. You’re the last person I would believe. And the past doesn’t matter anymore. It’s too late.” I pulled away from his touch, which felt like it was burning me at that moment.
“Alaia, please listen to me,” he pleaded, following me.
“No, I don’t want to listen to you.” I turned back to face him, and something squeezed my chest as I saw his face. He looked broken. “I’ve moved on with my life. You should do the same.” I turned my back on him, aware that my mind and body couldn’t agree at that moment.
“I can’t… without you. I can’t, Alaia,” he said, and I stopped at his words. Something went up and down from my stomach to my chest, but I decided to leave that house as quickly as I could.
I got home and sat on the edge of the bed, my heart racing erratically in my chest.
You had forgotten him, Alaia, I scolded myself.
“Yes, I forgot him,” I whispered to no one.
“Cariña, madre mía, where were you? You had us worried sick!” Ash and Tino came into my room.
“Cari?” Tino stood in front of me and waved a hand in front of my face. That’s when I blinked and looked at them.
“But what’s gotten into you?” He frowned and moved a little closer to my face.
“Nothing,” I said. Whatever happened to Nick meant nothing.
“You look like a zombie. Did you sleep well?” They both sat down next to me.
“Yes, I did. Noah couldn’t sleep well at Nick’s house. I had to go see him, and I fell asleep p>
“Excuse me? What did you say?” Tino contorted his face. “You slept with your ex p>
“Yes and no. The kids were between us. There’s no reason for… this.” I gestured to all of him.
“But a woman of God! Are you the only one who hasn’t realized that a man will lick the ground you walk on? That he’s head over heels for you?” He shook his hands in front of me, and Ash turned to her face with a complicated expression. “He’s been doing things for you for months, he risked his life to save you. What that guy has done… only a man in love does that. And you …you’re the only one who refuses to see it. Come on, I think you’ve decided to play dumb p>
Tino had become emboldened.
“Tino, Cari, don’t give me that. You’re seeing things where there are none. I’m going to marry someone else.” My head was spinning, and all I knew was that I had let my feelings get the best of me once, and I ended up abandoned and pregnant with two beautiful children.
“Tell me something, Cari. Answer this for me. I don’t know about you, but I feel like your life is turning into a mess thanks to those two men.” He paced back and forth, hands on his hips. “Are you sure you love Cedric? Come on, that hunk Nick has been trying to win you back for a while now, and he even kissed you p>
“Excuse me?” Cedric’s voice came from the doorway of my room. My cousin, Tino, and I stopped breathing.
“Cari,” Tino smiled awkwardly, “how long have you been there?” He pointed timidly at the door with his finger.
“Long enough,” Cedric said.
“Well, I think it’s time for us to go.” Tino took Ash by the arm, and I stared at him incredulously.
He was leaving after getting me into this mess! I hadn’t planned on telling Cedric about the kiss. It hadn’t meant anything.
Are you sure?
The blond man stood in front of me, hands on his hips.
“Did he kiss you?” he asked, annoyed.
“He kissed me,” I remembered the elevator kiss. “I wasn’t planning on mentioning it because it didn’t mean anything.” I stood up and hugged myself.
“Was I wrong to trust and be calm, even though I knew he would be around you?” he asked, his face tilted down, but his eyes were on mine.
“No, you weren’t p>
“Alaia, I don’t want you to forget who Nick is and what happened over two years ago when he broke your heart.” He pointed to my chest.
“I haven’t forgotten.” I inhaled. “I’m sure it was an impulse on his part. I think he’s one of those men who come back when you’re over them. It won’t happen again,” I explained, ignoring a small voice in my head and everything Tino had just said.
I saw Cedric nod after exhaling, and he stepped closer to hug me.
I woke up to the sound of several people singing “Happy Birthday.” They weren’t very much in tune, but I loved that they woke me up like that on my birthday.
My children tried to sing along while the others held balloons, and my mother held a beautiful cake in her hands. Everyone applauded when they finished singing.
“Happy birthday, daughter. I love you.” My mother hugged me, and the others followed suit. My children snuggled up to me, smiling happily.
“Make a wish,” Ash said, and I closed my eyes before doing so and blowing out the candle.
I talked a little more with my family until they left.
“Up you get! We have a lot to do today for your party tonight. You have to look gorgeous.” Ash settled down next to me.
“And we’re going to fix up Loli, see if Blondie looks at her again.” Tino settled down on my other side.
“Well, he’ll be very silly if he doesn’t,” Ash commented.
“Silly,” my daughter repeated, and I closed my eyes.
“Oh, no, no, my love. That word is only said by ill–mannered people like your Aunt Nitos. A beautiful princess like you…” She touched her nose. “…shouldn’t say it, okay?” Ash asked, and my daughter nodded, but I could have sworn she wouldn’t forget the word.
We organized a spa day at home since we didn’t want to waste time moving around. There were a lot of us. We finished the relaxing massage, and I smiled as I watched my children in their little bathrobes, being pampered by the spa girls.
“What a pleasure,” Tino said on one of the massage tables. “It’s indeed better to have friends than money,” she said, sipping a mimosa.
“Did you hear yourself? Have you forgotten that you’re my partner and you have money?” Ash commented.
“Yes, damn it. How about you let me ramble in peace?” She twisted her face and looked the other way, where she couldn’t see my cousin.
We laughed, and when the morning was over, we went to Loli.
The three of us watched her as Loli stood there in comfortable clothes, and we discussed what to do as she turned around shyly. Then we got down to business, leaving her looking beautiful. We smiled at the result. Her blonde hair was straight, and the dress hugged her beautiful curves, although she wobbled in her heels.
“Learn to use them, Loli, or you’ll scare the blonde away,” she said, fixing a couple of strands of her hair.
“He’s probably going to be busy and won’t have time to see me,” Loli commented, looking at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“Maybe he’ll go as one of the guests and not as a bodyguard.” Tino put one hand on his chest and the other on his waist as we all turned to look at him.
“What? Loli needs to shake off those cobwebs.” He pointed to the nanny.
We gave some final recommendations to a blushing Loli before going to get ready ourselves.
We arrived at the hotel where we’d celebrate my birthday. My dress was the color of night with shimmering silver details. I was wearing gloves, but I’d take them off as soon as everything began; I didn’t feel comfortable with them. My little girl was wearing a dress made from the same fabric as mine, except she had a full skirt fit for a little princess. My son was wearing a small suit, from which he had already removed the,bow tie and given it to my father, who had tucked it into his jacket pocket while his lips drew a smile.
“Happy birthday,” Darius arrived to meet us and showed me a box as we were entering the beautiful hall where the celebration would take place. I would have preferred something more discreet, but my father, Darius, and the company partners proposed something bigger.
I didn’t imagine it would be this big; I could see there were many people at the numerous tables. I opened Darius’s gift box and felt surprised. They were diamond earrings with emeralds that, due to their size, would be visible from afar.
“They were your grandmother’s. We brought the emeralds from Colombia many years ago. I’d like you to wear them,” he commented, and I felt a small flutter in my chest as my eyes moistened. “Thank you,” I said with a knot of emotions stuck in my throat as I thought about my father’s mother. Darius hugged me, leaving me stunned.
“Enjoy your party.” He smiled like I’ve never seen him do before and walked away with my father. “Oh, but what happened here?” Tino looked toward where they went.
“Put them on, put them on, they’re beautiful p>
“That’s what I’m doing,” I said as Ash helped me put them on.
We continued, and I started greeting each of the guests. There were several business people. I was excited when I saw familiar faces. I approached first to greet Aitana, Sebastián, Alex, Elizabeth, Alany with a companion, and Julia with a handsome blonde guy named Ethan. Love can be felt at this table.
“You’ve all come,” I said happily, hugging each of them.
“We can’t miss it,” Aithana took my hands.
I talked with them for a bit and continued on my way until I reached the table reserved for me and my family. Cedric arrived with his parents and grandparents, and they approached to greet him.
“Princess.” He left a short kiss on my lips. “You look beautiful.” He took me by the waist, greeted my children and the others affectionately.
I was talking with Tino and Ash, while Cedric was talking with my father, when, confused, I saw Nick and Will enter the hall.