Chapter 12: The true owner of the ring

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~CLAIRE~

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I woke up the next morning feeling a lot better. When I opened my eyes, I expected to see Christian beside me.

But I was alone on the bed. I leaned on my elbow and looked around. The room was empty. The spot beside me was cold, which meant he had been gone a long time.

The purse I took to the party last night was beside me, along with my phone. He must have brought it for me this morning.

I checked the time. It was past 8 am. I needed to get ready. The ship would arrive in New York in a few hours.

I stepped into the first room, expecting to find Christian there. But he wasn't. The entire suite was empty.

I hoped I would see him before leaving. I wanted to thank him for yesterday. My stomach growled suddenly. I was hungry.

I took a quick bath and changed into a black pair of jeans and a yellow blouse. Whipping my hair into a ponytail, I hurried out of the suite and made my way to the private lounge where I had breakfast with Christian the other day.

I wanted to make breakfast for him, as a token of gratitude. It was the only way I could show him how grateful I was. Besides, my dad used to tell me the quickest way to a man's heart was through his stomach.

I wasn't trying to win Christian's heart though. I just wanted to do something for him in return before we parted ways.

I walked through the lounge and stepped through the side door into the kitchen.

The waiter who had attended to us spotted me and hurried over.

"Hello." I greeted with a smile. "I don't know if you remember me..."

He nodded eagerly. "You're Mr. Cartwright's fiancée."

Right. I had forgotten all about that.

"Yes, I am." I nod quickly.

"What can I do for you, miss?"

"I would love to make breakfast for him before the ship docks. I was wondering if you can lend me your kitchen, and a few minutes to prepare something for him."

The waiter scratched his head thoughtfully. "Well, guests are not really allowed in here. But if you promise to be quick, I can make an exception."

I smiled in relief. "Thank you. What's your name?"

"Pedro, miss."

"Thank you, Pedro." I patted his shoulder and brushed past him.

Everything I needed was right there. Eggs, bacon, sausages and pancakes. It took me about half an hour to prepare it.

When I was done, I thanked Pedro again, arranged the food on a tray and returned to the suite.

Christian was back. I heard his voice when I stepped into the suite. It seemed he was on the phone with someone.

I dropped the tray on the table, lowered into the couch and waited for him to finish. I could hear the boom of the ship's horn as we drew closer to New York.

I tried to quell the uneasy feeling within me. This cruise had been wonderful, except the part where Jason tried to assault me. I would miss it, and even though I tried to deny it, I knew I would miss Christian.

The past few hours with him were amazing. With his help, I was able to feel like a real woman for one night. I was able to feel like a princess in a ballroom. It was more than enough for me.

I leaned back on the couch and kept waiting, but half an hour went by and Christian didn't step out. The moment he ended one call, he started another.

The breakfast grew cold. I thought of going to heat it up, but it wouldn't be possible. The chefs were probably closing off everything as we prepared to dock.

A knock on the door got my attention. I got up and opened the door. A security man nodded respectfully at me.

"Hello, miss. The ship will be arriving in a few minutes. The Captain has instructed that all guests should begin to prepare their bags and luggages."

"Oh. Alright. Thank you." I smiled and shut the door.

I turned back to the table where the food lay. Christian was still on his call. I couldn't keep waiting.

I decided to pack my bags. While I folded my clothes neatly and arranged them, I hoped he would complete his call and step out.

When I finished, he was still inside. I sighed. I guess he had a lot of important calls to make now that we were back in New York.

I looked down at the diamond ring in my hand, then at the door. A tiny voice told me to leave, but I knew I wouldn't forgive myself if I left without saying goodbye at least.

I dropped my bag and stepped into the adjoining room.

Christian stood at the window with his back to me. One hand rested on the wall, the other one held his phone to his ear. He spoke in rapid French, too quick for me to understand. From the tone of his voice, he sounded frustrated.

I was about to call out to him when he spoke out a name that struck a familiar chord within me.

"Sloane, please, I'm begging you."

I froze. That name, Sloane. That was the name he called the night he proposed to me, thinking I was his girlfriend. She was the true owner of the ring.

I started to back away when he spoke again.

"Mon chéri, let me travel down to Paris instead. We can meet up in a few hours. Please. You know I love you. I can't stand it, knowing you're hurt."

I now understood why he had been so pissed when he realized I wasn't Sloane. He was head over heels in love with her.

I didn't want to interrupt him. I backed away, stepping into the first room again. There was no need to say goodbye anymore.

I lowered the ring to the table and turned away. Lifting my bags, I walked out of the suite without a backward glance.