Chapter 7

Dylan’s POV

The dance made me feel a sense of déjà vu, when Richard and I had just gotten married and the first and only dance we had on our wedding day. It was my past and now, I was feeling a bit sensitive.

“ Are you okay? ”

He asked calmly as his palm, which rested on the lower part of my back, felt a little reassuring. I nodded.

“You know, anyone could tell you’re one of the biggest ladies here.”

I blushed over his shoulder.

“Are you flirting with me?”

“Do you think that I am?”

His voice sounded soothing, that all I wanted was for him to say something else, but before I could reply, the music stopped, and we went back to take a seat.

“So, are you here forrrrr….”

“My friend organized the event. I am here for sightseeing and scouting for beautiful ladies.”

My cheeks grew hot, although I did not like the fact that he pluralized them.

“Don’t worry, my eyes are glued to only one lady, and she is sitting right in front of me.”

Oh my God! Is this the goal for tonight? To make me fall in love with him because it might be working.

“You are a smooth talker.”

“One has to be, to make a lot of money. So, Aliya, what do you do?”

I shrugged, “I have a clothing brand and some other things like that, related though. Now that I think about it, we have a fashion showdown coming up next month and I have been preparing all year for it. Maybe you would like to come. I don’t know if that interests you. I would have loved to ask what you.”

“Real estate.”

“Oh…”

“Finance.”

“Wow!”

“Banking, do you want me to go on?” His gaze was intense, as if he was staring into my soul. I shook my head because it felt as if he could read my mind, so it was hard to even doubt him. The smell of his cologne made me wonder what kind it was all day, but I did not want to come off as rude or intrusive.

And as we chatted late into the night, the event ended, and he walked with me outside.

“ Well, I’m afraid I have to leave you here. I would love to get back to my friend. He gets really cranky when I leave him alone to handle things, but thanks to a lovely young woman… He looked me all over, and I smiled as I looked down at my feet. His index finger touched my chin and raised it up.

“Aliya?”

That voice shocked me. I never thought I would hear it again, not anytime soon and not ever. I turned around slowly to come face to face with the handsome devil who had pretended to love me for three years and made me believe a lie before he left me for another woman.

He almost ruined my life. Flashes of how I suffered filled my head.

“Aliya, it really is you.”

He did not even acknowledge the person I was standing with. He just founded in me. I found that very offensive. Dylan stood there, wondering who he was, probably.

I hurriedly grabbed his hand and began to pull him away.

“What are you doing here?”

“You need to listen to me, I just want to talk to you.”

“No, I am not interested in talking to you.”

‘ It doesn’t matter if you are interested or not, but I need to. ”

“Please, don’t ruin today for me, Richard. My day has been going so fine and now, you want to ruin it?”

“I just really need to tell you that I am sorry.”

“For what exactly? For almost ruining my life? For leaving me after showing me what love is or for leaving me for a woman that was supposed to be in your past? Do you know how I was alone all those times? I lost everything and you weren’t there. I am not mad at you actually, but I am happy you are out of my life, so, let’s just be strangers as we have been for the past seven years.”

“No, please. I can explain”

“I am not interested in any explanation you have right now or ever. I have moved on with my life, and you should be happy for me. If you aren’t happy for me, then your apology means nothing to me.”

“You don’t understand. I have tried to look for you all these times. I was unfair to you. I am no longer with her because I realized that I had wronged you, and it would take a long time for you to forgive me, but I know you will eventually.”

The nerve of him to think I would even want to see him or talk to him.

He grabbed my right hand, but it was yanked off by Dylan, who arrived just in time, looking from one of us to the other inquisitively.

“What is going on here?”

“Who are you? It is none of your business.”

“Not at my event, it is.”

“Get your hands off me, I am talking to my wife.”

“Your wife?” Dylan looked at me for confirmation and I shook my head.

“I am not your wife, stop acting crazy, Richard, and just go home. You are wasting your time.”

“What? Is this him? Is this the reason you don’t want to listen to me? Come on.”

I rolled my eyes and wanted to leave, but he tried to stop me again and Dylan shoved him to the back.

“Let go of me!”

I stopped and walked to stand beside Dylan.

“Yes, it is him, it is because of him that I don’t want to see you or talk to you, so now that you know, I am sure you will respect my wish and let it go.”

He shook his head and looked from me to Dylan.

“That is not possible.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Oh, it is. I have moved in with someone else.”

I needed to make it very convincing, so I did the next thing that came to my mind. I grabbed Dylan's head and kissed his lips passionately.