2–Dominic's Pov

Watching her leave was the hardest thing I've ever done in the twenty five years of my fucking life. I didn't want to let her go, but I had no choice, mum said she would disown me if I didn't get rid of her. Ria! God, what have I done. I sat on the chair and rubbed my hand through my face, as my thoughts surfaced.

I just chased away the best thing that has ever happened to me. I am such an idiot! I need to go get her back, I can't live without her, I–

My thoughts were caught off from the blaring of my ringtone. I looked at the screen and groaned. "Mum," I said as I answered.

"Have you gotten rid of that trash?" She asked skipping any introductory greetings. I ground my teeth when she referred to Ria as trash.

"She isn't trash mum," I defended. "I... I love-" she cut me off with a scoff.

"What? You love her?" She asked and I hinted distaste with her words.

"I do mum," I agreed. "She is–was– the best thing that has ever happened to me." I can't lose her, no, I won't lose her. I am going to get her back and sort this shit out with her.

"You don't need love my son. Love will only bring you down," she said cutting my thoughts off. "It only acts a distraction and that's why I needed you to get rid of that girl. A man of your class shouldn't be seen with a girl of that status, think of the company and all the talks that will arise. She is just a distraction."

She is wrong, I do need Ria, she completed me in many ways.

I leaned my head back and closed my eyes as I listened to the icy voice of my mother. How would she know what love is? She has never experienced it. My parents marriage was out of a business transaction and that's how she viewed the world— as a trade market. An eye for an eye or to her— even more.

I let an exhausted sigh escapes my lips as I though of how heartbroken Ria was when she left and gently massaged my temples. My attention wasn't at what my mum was droning on about, it was on Ria and whether she was safe, where she was and how she was. If anything happened to her I would never forgive myself.

"So tomorrow you have to meet Diana for brunch and then show her the town before bringing her back home, understood?"

Diana was the daughter of one of the richest business men in the state and I was to marry her as a union between our company and theirs. What a bullshit!

I'd heard things about Diana being more than a sweet damsel. You could call her the beauty whilst I remained the beast I am; but hadn't seen her, although that was what I had prayed for then. Guess I'm finally getting my wish.

"Yes mum, I understand. Goodbye," I replied and ended the call. I walked towards the door and opened it expecting to see Ria's beautiful face. Disappointment flashed through my face as all I saw was the white particles of snow falling with no Ria in sight. I shut the door and walked straight to bed. That night I dreamt of a brown haired girl.

***

When I woke up the next morning everywhere was quiet . . . too quiet. If Ria were here, she would have been singing as she cooked in the kitchen. Her hair down, with the baggy shirt she liked to wear and her socks, which she would always skid with on the floor. Her favourite song was always .....

Last night, I couldn't sleep in our room as her scent was all I could perceive. I came back to the living room and slept on the couch. It's like she was haunting me, trying to get back at me for what I did. Why can't I stand up to my mother? Why am I just letting an innocent girl suffer for me?

I groaned, rubbing my hands over my eyes. It was like I could feel the thumping of my heartbeat in my head because of how severe the pain of the headache was. With a sigh, I begrudgingly stood and stretched my limbs, hearing some joints crack. I walked to the bathroom, took some painkillers from the bathroom cabinet and popped them into my mouth.

I turned on the tap socket on the sink and splashed my face, wanting to wake from the dream that Ria was actually gone. The image that stared at me looked bad. My eyes were slightly swollen and dark rimmed with bags underneath.

I heard my phone ping as a message entered my phone.

Mum: Don't forget to go pick Diana and show her around town, okay? Be polite. Make her feel welcome. And smile a little too, you're the son of a trillionaire, you should flaunt it.

Have a great day son! Mama loves you dearly ❤️

Me: Got it ma. Love you too...

I brushed my teeth, took a quick shower and dressed into a causal striped shirt with blue jeans. I took my keys from the table, and put on my black feathered coat from the wood rail on top all.

I opened the door and the cold, gusty breeze hit me as I stepped out. I huddled closer inside my coat and quickly walked to the front of the now icy, snowed up lawn and entered my Jeep. I switched on the heater and turned up the heat as puffs of smoke came out with each breath. I opened the gloves compartment and put on the black wooly gloves from there.

It was normally a thirty minutes drive to Diana's place but because of the incessant snow, I reached after forty-five minutes.

I picked my phone and dialed her number. She picked on the second ring. "Hey. Yeah... I'm outside your house... Ten minutes? Sure... Whatever."

I ended the call.

I turned on the mp3 player as I waited for her. My chest tightened as I saw "Ria's snow day playlist" listed at the top of my list. I tapped on it and a bunch of songs showed underneath. I tapped on the first one “Just a song before I go by Crosby, Stills and Nash” and it started playing.

I was so lost in the song that I didn't notice when Diana came out of her house and entered the jeep. It was when I heard the banging if the door that I jolted and turned towards the sound.

"Hi," she said, awkwardly adjusting herself on the seat. "I tapped the glass a few times but I guess you didn't hear me." Her hand pulled on the seatbelt to put it in place but it wouldn't budge.

With a sigh, I gripped it along with her hand and pulled. She gasped when my face came close to hers and her cheeks turned crimson red as I buckled her in.

"Whatever," I sighed. I too buckled in and started the car. "How about some hot cocoa to warm us up?" I suggested with a glance her way as I drove off her sidewalk.

"Sure! I'd like that," she cheerfully replied. "And, oh, I really like this song. Is it a favorite of yours too?"

"No," I growled and turned it off, then kept my focus on the road ahead.

Shit!

I really don't need any of this right now. Why do I get to be the one to show her around?

Is Eric or Dave too busy or what?

Fuck!!

***

We entered Sunny Sweets Cafe and I got us a booth near the window side. The cafe was bustling and it wasn't easy to grab a seat but luckily I did. I hadn't looked at Diana properly when she got into the car but now that I see her, she is really stunning. I guess the rumors weren't really rumors after all. She had curves in the right places and was fully packaged in the chest and backside area.

She looked fucking gorgeous!

She knew it too, seeing as she put on black leather skirt, a black blouse with black knee-high boots and a brown overcoat.

Her dark brown eyes shine brightly as she chatted animatedly and I could see a few heads turn our direction anytime her laughter rang out. She knew she had all their attention and she loved it.

But my mind kept straying to a certain girl who walked out in the snow yesterday and I grew antsy. My thoughts drifted to if she was okay, and where she was staying and if she really meant all she said last night.

Fuck! I really screwed up big time.

I felt a hand land on top mine and I bristled at the contact, instantly removing mine. Diana's eyes showed hurt, but it disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Are you alright? You haven't really said much since we arrived," she pointed out, dropping her hands on her laps.

"I'm peachy . . .  What do you want to order?" I changed the subject.

"I heard their pancakes are really good. Although I might put on some weight, I'm really craving some flour and gooey syrup," she hummed.

"Okay." I signalled the waitress and gave her our order. " Pancakes for two with two glasses of cocoa and marshmallows."

"Okay," she nodded and jotted it on her note. She glanced at me and asked, "would you like to have the couples pancake treat?"

"Hell no!" I responded, not glancing at Diana. She nodded and left, leaving us to return to the awkward silence.

"So . . ." Diana spoke hesitantly, "How have you been all these years? It's been a long time we saw each other, eh?" She smiled at her hands.

"Yea," I gruffly said. "I've been here and there. Doing this and that," I shrugged. I know it's not much but I didn't care. "What about you, my mum said you're doing a fashion shoot or something? How's that going?"

She practically beamed at me as I asked that and went on to talk about her she loved her job and how being a model wasn't easy, but she was enjoying herself and the pay was good too.

Not that she'd need it anyway, her father was stinking rich. As the only child, Diana always had everything she wanted, from the toys to the clothes, to the foods she ate. Anything at all was given to her. That's one of the perks of having all the love to yourself.

Unlike I, who has three other siblings; a girl and two boys.

The waitress brought our order and we dug in with Diana occasionally asking questions to which I nodded to or grumbled short answers to.

She was busy talking about her next photoshoot when my I rolled my eyes and in the process heard a very familiar laughter. My fork landed with a loud clash on my plate. My eyes frantically scanned to find the person who had the voice and halted on seeing her brown hair.

And she wasn't alone; she was seating at a booth at the back, near the door to the kitchen, with a guy who I had never seen before!!!

What the hell was she doing here? Who the hell is he?

Has she already gotten over our break-up so easily? Was he the reason why she left without fighting back?

How long have they been together at my back? And what in the world was he telling her that was making her laugh so loudly?

I stared intently at her and after some seconds she turned and our eyes met. At first she was startled, then her eyes moved to Diana across from me and they turned angry. The guy across her noticed her expression and turned too and I glared at him.

She said something to him and he turned back again to give me an angry stare.

The air suddenly became so tense as we all stared each other off.