Chapter 12
LEO’s POV
I stiffened.
I let go of Zara’s hands before I even realized it. A memory, instinct, something I hadn’t felt in years surged through me
I don’t know why I was still taken aback by the sight of Selene. Tall and pretty with striking features.
She was my crush when I was a teenager, and like many other feelings and experiences from my childhood, the thought of her still lingered. No. It wasn’t love. I didn’t know what to call it. But it’s probably because it was one of those things that made me feel like a child again. After all, those were my favorite times. That was when I had something close to a family. A father and a mother, living together happily. A mother who sang me to bed and a father who played sports with me. That was now a distant memory.
As a result, I wasn’t exactly the same when I came across anything or anyone from my childhood. If I were a therapist, I’d call this a psychological issue.
“Leo!” Selene exclaimed in excitement as she hugged me tightly. I froze.
All the while, Zara had been motionless, looking shocked and betrayed—the last thing she probably wanted to experience. Zara let out a small cough as we hugged, which was my cue to let go of Selene.
“Hey.. Selene,” I smiled as I tried to find the words to say to her.
“It’s been so long, how have you been? I haven’t seen you since—”
I quickly cut in to avoid Zara asking questions I did not intend to answer.
“How have you been too Selene? I missed you!” I had to say something sweet to shut her up.
“I have been good. I own an automobile company, you know. I came here to see my campaign manager.” She said with a warm smile.
“Oh, that’s great! Really great,” I continued with an awkward laugh. I could feel the burning gaze Zara gave me by my side, but I paid her no attention.
She finally stepped back. “Okay, Leo. I’d see you around?”
“Yeah sure!” She turned to leave, waving me goodbye.
I waved back and kept my gaze on her till she entered the elevator beside the boardroom.
Then I turned to Zara, who was looking so confused. Before I could even let out a word.
“Who is she?” She demanded with furrowed brows.
“Or wait, did you approach me when you were in a relationship all along? The last thing I need is to be with someone who’s not different from my ex-husband.”
It stung to be compared with Zane Wesley but I was good with understanding emotions so I let it go.
“Yo, chill. She’s just someone from my past. Nothing to worry about,” I tried to dismiss the conversation.
“Oh, but she was important enough for you to throw away my hands?” She countered.
“What? Am I supposed to hold you all the time?” I asked, trying to change the topic, because I knew talking about Selene would lead to talking about my painful past.
Her face suddenly became pale. I didn’t expect those words to hit her that hard. But I saw it in the way her shoulders sank. We weren’t in a real relationship after all. Was she expecting me to do real boyfriend stuff?
“Okay, I’m sorry for butting into your personal life.” She put her hands up in surrender as though she had crossed a line she regretted crossing.
“But just so you know, you should not be giving people anything to be suspicious about if we are going to keep this alliance going. At least till we achieve our goals, try not to stare long at other women.”
She fell silent like she wished she hadn’t let out that line.
“I..mean, you can stare at them, but don’t do it where everyone can see you” She stammered as she tried to redeem herself. Her brilliant attempt at packing shattered glass.
My face betrayed me by letting out a smirk.
“You think this is funny?”
“This might be funny to you, Leo, but this is my life, and what we have set out to do means the world to me. I can’t afford any mess-ups.” Her eyes became teary as she let out those words.
“Hey, hey, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. Chill,” I tried to undo what I didn’t even do. I understood this was an emotional commitment for her, knowing all she had been through. But the last thing I needed was to be misunderstood or misjudged as someone I was not. That, I wouldn’t take from anyone.
She turned her back swiftly and briskly headed to the elevator, her heels striking the marble floor with every step. “Hey,” I called out.
“We still have to leave together, don’t we? You know, engaged?”
Then she held the elevator door for me, her face was expressionless when I got in.
Was she really upset by what I said, or was there something else that bothered her?
We drove off from the company in silence as she constantly dried her face with a towel. Was she crying? I glanced at her, but she avoided my gaze.
She signaled to me to drop her off at a junction near a secluded area. I pulled over, and she got off immediately, her eyes avoiding mine. No parting reaction. No remark. Just silence that lingered till the door shut behind her.
I pretended to drive off, but I couldn’t help but follow her in silence. She kept walking and walking till she entered a cemetery with a faded iron gate.
A cemetery? Who did she lose?
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