THE RETIREMENT PARTY

Elena’s POV

Today must be the most chaotic day of my life. I had to rise by 6 AM this morning to review the party hall arrangements with my mother, Eloisa, and her event planner. After that, we visited the spa, then the salon, and finally the mall, including a stop at the jewelry store. Now, I find myself confined to one of the hotel rooms where the party will occur, dressed in my bathrobe with my makeup completed, just a few hours before the grand event.

I chose an emerald strapless sparkling straight gown that is knee-length and fits me like a second skin. My mother claims it accentuates my figure and makes me appear larger, and she never ceases to voice her complaints. However, I adore the dress; it makes me feel alluring. I paired it with a diamond necklace, earrings, and bracelet. Today, I styled my hair in curls and draped it over one shoulder.

I attempt to relax and soothe my frayed nerves, which have left me feeling cornered. I try to focus on Diego, who hasn’t even called to check on my return home or to offer an apology. I am beginning to doubt my feelings for Diego and the authenticity of our love; true love does not involve abandonment. While contemplating Diego calms my nerves somewhat, my anger is escalating. I sincerely hope that today unfolds smoothly without any mishaps. I turn back to put on my dress and head downstairs to review the arrangements; if I remain up here any longer, my overwhelming nerves and anger will lead to a complete breakdown.

I donned my dress and glanced at the mirror; to my astonishment, I appeared beautiful. I felt beautiful, sexy, and confident. The dress clung to my body, accentuating my curves, and my stomach appeared flatter in it. Additionally, I had a noticeable cleavage for the male attendees at the party. I turned to find my father gazing at me with tears in his eyes. It is not often that I witness my father cry; the last occasion was two years ago on my wedding day.

"I often forget that my little girl has grown into a confident and courageous woman. You look both adorable and beautiful, my angel," he remarked.

I smiled at him as he attempted to wipe away his tears. I approached him and embraced him, as I needed all the support I could gather for today.

"Nothing will go wrong, my angel. You will be perfect and excel because you are remarkable," he assured me.

I released him from my embrace and smiled back, reminding myself not to cry, as it would ruin my makeup.

"I understand, Dad, and I appreciate your encouragement. Do you need me downstairs? Is there anything you require?"

He looked at me and smiled.

"Nope, I merely wanted to see you before we head out. Your mother and Eloisa are already downstairs managing everything. You need not worry; come down whenever you wish. And if you feel overwhelmed, come directly to me, and I will take you back home. Who cares about your mother’s tedious retirement party anyway?"

We both find amusement in his ridiculous jokes. I am aware that if it were solely my father's decision, he would forgo this party and simply transfer the business to me without any hassle. However, my mother prefers to do things on a grand scale.

"Dad, mom will be furious with us if we even consider leaving her retirement party for you, and I know you do not wish to upset her."

He gazes at me and nods, then smiles. I return his smile.

"I will be downstairs with your mother. Please come down when you are prepared."

I nod at him and observe as he departs. Alright, I can manage this; I can handle it. How difficult can it be? I will simply have to meet new individuals and attempt to socialize with them.

Who am I kidding? I cannot do this; I cannot. I despise meeting new people. I take a deep breath to steady myself, but it appears to be ineffective. My nerves are in disarray, and I am breathing as if I have just completed a marathon. I hear the door open, turn, and see Diego. How on earth did he arrive here?

"My love, I know you are upset with me. I did not call because I wanted to surprise you, and here I am."

I look at him smiling, and all the pain resurfaces. My anxiety dissipates, but I feel a raging fire within me.

"You abandoned me in California! You did not even take the time to call and apologize or inquire about my well-being! What kind of man are you? I am beginning to think that everything was wrong from the beginning!"

I shout at him at the top of my lungs. He looks at me with sorrowful eyes; I refuse to fall for his puppy-dog eyes trick.

"Baby, I wanted to stay, but Lorenzo explained everything to you, right? I could not call due to the signal failure, and I wanted to surprise you, so I did not call again. Please, do not be like this, Elena. You know how much I love you; I would never abandon you, my love."

He steps closer to me and gently caresses my cheeks with his hands. I lean into his embrace, attempting to halt the tears that threaten to flow.

"You caused me pain, Diego. I felt heartbroken and frustrated by your actions; you abandoned me as if I were insignificant to you. I want to trust you, Diego, but I believe that actions are more telling than mere words."

"Please, look at me, Elena."

I raise my gaze to meet his stunning hazel eyes, and I recall how deeply I seem to love this man. Why do I always feel so foolish around him?

"Darling, I love you, and I acknowledge that I have caused you great hurt. However, I ask for a second chance. Allow my actions to demonstrate my sincerity rather than my words. I am here now, and I have no intention of leaving you anytime soon. I promise you my love."

A second chance is something I can consider. Despite everything that has transpired, Diego remains my husband. If I can find the strength to keep secrets from him, I can prove everyone wrong and make our relationship work.

"Alright, but if I wake up one morning to find you gone, Diego, then it will be over between us in every conceivable way. I mean it, Diego."

He smiles at me and pulls me into his embrace, and I find comfort in his arms. My father was right; everything will eventually fall into place. I am prepared to take charge.

Diego and I descend the stairs hand in hand. Everyone is already present; the hall is filled with vibrant and beautiful people. We walk to our table, where my family is seated. My mother looks at us in surprise; I can tell she is astonished to see Diego here.

"Diego, I did not expect to see you at our party. I hope you have resolved your issues with my daughter, as I will not tolerate you causing her pain."

Trust my mother to address the most sensitive topic first. I smile at her and observe Diego's reaction closely; he does not appear offended in any way.

"Yes, Mrs. Cortez, your daughter and I are fine, and there are no issues between us. I assure you that I will never hurt her."

My mother returns his smile and engages him in one of her typical conversations before she leaves to find my father. Then Eloisa arrives in her shimmering golden gown, which accentuates her slim figure and enhances her eyes. Lorenzo accompanies her. How can I confront him? What should I do?

I need to unwind and implement my plan; nothing ever transpired between us.

"Diego, you are present, and I am certain my sister is thrilled to see you on her special day. It was kind of you to bring Lorenzo along."

Eloisa smiled at me and beamed at Diego, who returned her smile and chuckled softly to himself. However, all of that was forgotten the instant I locked eyes with Lorenzo. His gaze was fixed on me, and he wore that perplexing expression. Lorenzo has always had a way of captivating a woman's heart with just his look. He possessed the most stunning dark brown eyes I have ever encountered, complemented by his beautiful brown hair, sharp jawline, well-built muscular physique, and sun-kissed skin.

I quickly averted my gaze, as staring at him might raise suspicion, but why do I sense that he is still watching me?

"How are you, Elena?"

I turned to find Lorenzo's eyes still on me. Why did he have to speak? Now Eloisa and Diego were more focused on the ongoing conversation.

"I’m well, Lorenzo. Hmmm, babe, I must go meet Dad; he wishes to introduce me to some of his business associates."

Diego nodded at me, and I swiftly moved away from Lorenzo. I quickened my pace when I noticed he was following me, and I eventually collided with Dad. Thank goodness! I wonder what he was up to. Dad smiled at me.

"Elena, I was just about to search for you; come on, I have a few significant business associates I would like you to meet."

I walk alongside my father, occasionally glancing back to see Lorenzo and Eloisa conversing, but his gaze remains fixed on me. I quickly look away, trying to relax as I follow my dad. If I can make it through tonight, I will be grateful.

My father introduced me to numerous individuals; I had the opportunity to meet his business associates and partners, as well as other influential figures. My dad manages various enterprises and holds significant shares in several companies. Eventually, we parted ways as he was scheduled to deliver a speech shortly. I settled at an empty table in the back, listening to my father's address from the stage, with my mother by his side.

"Why are you attempting to avoid me?"

I turned to my side and saw Lorenzo. How on earth did he find me?

"I am not trying to avoid you, Lorenzo. If you haven't noticed, I have been quite busy."

His gaze remained locked on mine, which made me feel rather uneasy. I needed to find a way to escape him.

"Excuse me, I need to speak with Diego."

I quickly made my way up the stairs, glancing back to see him following me.

"Why are you following me! For God's sake, don't you have anything else to do?"

I shouted at him, yet he persisted in trailing me. Well, let's see you try. I quickened my pace and ran, ultimately managing to lose him along the way. I entered my hotel room and settled into the armchair, seeking relaxation.

"You know, you are quite the runner. I thought I had lost you back there, and Diego is downstairs engaged in a lively conversation with your sister."

How on earth did he arrive here? How did he even locate my room?

"Lorenzo, can you please get to the point and conclude this? How did you gain access to my room?"

He gazes at me with a grin and takes a seat across from me. I am not interested in this at all.

"I own the hotel, Elena. I can acquire whatever information I desire around here. It is time we discuss that night."

Is he genuinely serious? He appears serious, but I am not prepared; I have no desire to ever discuss it.

"Nothing occurred, Lorenzo. We got intoxicated and ended up sleeping in the same bed. I am unaware of the night you are referring to because nothing happened."

He frowns at me. I must escape from here; I cannot allow him to affect me. I attempt to rise, but he grips my hand and pulls me closer to him. We are merely inches away from our lips touching. He continues to gaze at me, using his other hand to caress my face. My nerves are frayed once again. How can I escape from here now?

"We are too mature to engage in the 'it never happened' game, Elena, and you are a poor liar. We need to discuss that night, Elena; it did happen, and we cannot alter that."

I can see he has lost his sanity. I try to free myself from his grasp, but it only tightens, and he continues to pull me closer.

"Alright, we will have a conversation, but could you please release me? This situation is quite uncomfortable, and you are causing pain to my wrist."

He released me with a smirk, and I quickly stood up, positioning myself near the door. He seemed to grasp my hint and also rose to his feet, yet he remained stationary. All I need to do is express my thoughts and then escape from this place.

"Lorenzo, please listen. Whatever transpired that night was an error; it should not have occurred, but it did. I understand we cannot alter the past, yet we can choose to act as if it never took place and proceed with our lives. I implore you, Diego and I are in the process of mending our relationship, and I do not wish to jeopardize that. I trust you will comprehend."

He remained motionless for a moment before approaching me. What on earth is going through this man's convoluted mind?

"Indeed, it was a mistake, but I do not wish to forget it, Elena. Believe me, I have attempted to move on, but I cannot. I love you, Elena; I always have, from the very first moment I encountered you. However, before I could pursue you, you were already with Diego. I let you go, and I have tried to suppress my feelings for you, but I can no longer do so. I cannot pretend as if nothing occurred, Elena. I am prepared to fight for you, fairly and honestly."

He is crazy!, he has definitely lost his mind, how did I get myself into this mess

"You are Diego's closest friend; he is my husband, in case you have forgotten. My sister is in love with you, Lorenzo. If this is a cruel joke, you need to stop it, as you sound quite hysterical."

I whisper-yell at him, thinking he must be joking. I cannot fathom what is happening in that chaotic mind of his.

"This is not a joke, Elena. You know me; I do not make light of matters like this."

He moves closer to me, and I instinctively step back. This must be a nightmare, an absolute nightmare.

"Lorenzo, step back. This is entirely wrong, and you are aware of it. You cannot be serious, Lorenzo. I do not want this; it was all a mistake."

He halts and gazes at me with sorrowful eyes. I quickly flee. What is happening to him? He loves me; how can he love me? This must be madness. Not long ago, I had no one to look at me, and now I have two men who are in love with me. This is absurd; Lorenzo is insane.

I hurriedly descend the stairs and return to the party, where I spot Diego conversing with a tall, slender brunette in a black dress, her arms wrapped around him. She leans in and kisses him on the cheek. How dare she! I approach them, filled with anger.

"What is happening here?"

Diego turns to me, and the smile that was once on his face vanishes completely. So, he was enjoying the attention of another woman.

"Baby, we were just talking; she is an old friend."

Diego attempts to pull me away from her, but there is no way I will believe him. I turn back to see the woman glaring at me with a frown.

"Who are you? Diego, who is she? I thought you came alone, babe."

Babe! How dare he! I look between the two of them. Diego gazes at me with pleading eyes, while the woman scowls at me.

"I should be asking you that question, considering you are the one who had your arms wrapped around my husband!"

In a fit of anger, I shout, causing every pair of eyes in the vicinity to turn towards us. The woman gazes at me with a look of disbelief before she begins to chuckle. What could she possibly find amusing? Diego attempts to pull me away, but I remain rooted in place, unwilling to budge. I am determined to understand what she finds so funny.

"I can understand why you claimed to have come alone. Please forgive me; I have no interest in your husband. A piece of advice: keep this husband of yours close, as he seems quite flirtatious, and I suspect it is because you do not fit his type, or should I say, his size."

What on earth did she just say to me? She walks away from us, and my eyes burn with unshed tears. I glance at Diego and then back at her retreating figure; she simply cannot do this. I swiftly grab the wine glass from the table and approach her, turning her around forcefully before dousing her with the contents of the glass. She screams, which captures the attention of everyone in the room. Serves you right, you rude woman.

"Babe, what have you done? I told you she is an old friend!"

Diego shouts at me, trying to pull me away. I wrench my hand from his grip; how could he betray me like this, especially today? I am not sure when it happened, but in a moment of rage, I slapped Diego across the face. He looks at me, a mix of shock and anger in his eyes. I need to escape this situation. I quickly make my way back upstairs to my room; this has to be the worst day ever. My father was wrong; things will never be okay.