Chapter 4 - “How many ex lovers do you have exactly, Sir?” 

Later that night, Ella lay in Javier’s arms, in the warmth of their bed and the soft glow of good sex and candle lights. She had gone with Damon and Tanner after work to get some shopping done and by the time she had arrived at her flat, Javier had been in an apron. Yes, Javier Summers, the CEO of Summers Entertainment Industry had been wearing her pink apron and standing in her kitchen cooking steak. It appeared that during her shopping with Damon and Tanner, he had arranged everything from the candlelight dinner at the balcony surrounded by her beautiful flowers and plants to the candlelight bedroom. In all honesty, Javier would have gone for a candlelight bath too but since Ella only had a shower and he had promised that he would not complain so he gave it a rest.

With her back pressed into his chest, he ran his hand down her smooth arm to her wrist and subtly touched her engagement ring. “You know, we have never talked about dates for the wedding.” He paused for a few seconds and the room fell into silence once more. “Do you want to have a wedding, Miss Stanford?”

It took her a while to form a reply. Truth to be told, she was not sure whether she should have the wedding before her belly was showing or after she delivered the baby. Her mother had insisted that she should have the wedding in a month’s time max, but she liked things the way they were right now. Everything about her relationship with Javier seemed rushed. Albeit it was true that they had known each other for over five years but they had only been dating for a few months and she wanted to continue dating him if that made any sense. “I am not sure,” she finally gave him an honest reply. “I do want to get married and I do want to marry you. But I do not know, this just feels rushed. I feel like we are moving way too fast and I want us to slow things down.”

“The baby is coming soon, Ella,” he softly said and let his words sink before he continued, “I know nowadays there are couples who have kids together without marriage between them but I am, well, you have met my family. We are old school. If you ever meet my late grandfather, I am sure he will chastise me for getting you pregnant before we are married.”

“I know and I like that about you.” She shifted so she could look at him. “I do want to do it the right way, Jiev.” She let out a small sigh then closed her eyes. “Just give me a week to think this through, okay?”

“Do not worry.” He moved his head and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Take your time. We practically have Maxon, Reed, and my other brothers so I could say that the place and caterings are pretty much set. Then we have Clarabelle who would go over the mile to get you any wedding dress that you like. So yeah, do not worry, okay?” He gave her a reassuring smile and planted another kiss.

“Okay.” Ella smiled back.

That night as Ella was falling asleep, he rubbed her back. A deep frown was forming on his forehead as he thought of what Derek Williams had told him earlier this afternoon. How much of his story was the truth? What had happened that night that caused Ella’s mother to run away? There were so many questions inside his head left unanswered.

Ella stirred in her sleep before opening her eyes and his hand stopped. “What is wrong?” he asked her as he noticed the confusion on her face.

“It is nothing.” She shook her head, her face looked forlorn. “I have never thought about him in a long time but I—” she blinked, “I do not know. I am suddenly reminded of him and it made me wonder.” Her voice trailed off and even though she was staring ahead, Javier knew that her mind was traveling elsewhere.

“Wonder what?” he asked in a gentle voice.

“I wonder where he is, what he is doing and whether he still remembers me. Because as much as I want to forget him and to pretend that he has never existed, I could not. All these little things keep reminding me of him.” Ella let out an exasperated sigh. There was a look of resignation on her face.

Even though Javier knew very well who she had meant by him, he wanted to lighten up the mood. He hated seeing her sad like this. “Did you just reminisce about your past lover, Miss Stanford? Moreover, on our bed. Right after what we have done fifteen minutes ago.”

Laughter escaped Ella’s mouth. “No. I have told you, I only have one ex-boyfriend. Leroy.”

“And you have heard Clarabelle said that it was impossible and hard to believe,” he teased.

“Well, random makeout sessions in high school parties do not count and you know it.”

“How did you do it though? How did you not date anyone during your school or university days?” asked Javier out of curiosity.

Ella placed one hand on the side of his face, cupping and caressing his cheek as she replied, “As I said before, I moved around a lot when I was young. My mom and I rarely stayed in one place for longer than three months. It sucks because I have to get to know everyone all over again but after a while, I was used to it.” She gave a small shrug. “I guess I just thought that I would hurt him if I date him just for a short period of time. It could be a waste of time for both of us too since my time in one place is limited. I never knew when my mom would pack our things and leave. I did come home to find her already packing at least twice.” Her expression changed as she smiled. “Lucky for you, I only have one ex boyfriend. As for me, hmm,” she pretended to give it a thought, “how many ex lovers do you have, Sir?”

“None you should be worried about.” He rolled his eyes. “I only had two serious relationships but I have only fallen in love once.”

“Oh, really?” She tilted her head to one side and tapped his nose with her forefinger. “And who is this lady who has somehow managed to melt your frozen heart?”

“The lady I am going to share the rest of my life with,” he answered with deep sincerity. “The one I am so lucky to be called hers and the one I will never let go.”

“Until death do us part?” she teased him in return, referring to his question about their wedding dates.

“I do, Miss Stanford. I do.” He raised her hand to his lips and kissed the backs of her knuckles.

* * *

Ella stirred in her sleep before opening her eyes and his hand stopped. “What is wrong?” he asked her as he noticed the confusion on her face.

“It is nothing.” She shook her head, her face looked forlorn. “I have never thought about him in a long time but I—” she blinked, “I do not know. I am suddenly reminded of him and it made me wonder.” Her voice trailed off and even though she was staring ahead, Javier knew that her mind was traveling elsewhere.

“Wonder what?” he asked in a gentle voice.

“I wonder where he is, what he is doing, and whether he still remembers me. Because as much as I want to forget him and to pretend that he has never existed, I could not. All these little things keep reminding me of him.” Ella let out an exasperated sigh. There was a look of resignation on her face.

Even though Javier knew very well who she had meant by him, he wanted to lighten up the mood. He hated seeing her sad like this. “Did you just reminisce about your past lover, Miss Stanford? Moreover, on our bed. Right after what we have done fifteen minutes ago.”

Laughter escaped Ella’s mouth. “No. I have told you, I only have one ex-boyfriend. Leroy.”

“And you have heard Clarabelle said that it was impossible and hard to believe,” he teased.

“Well, random makeout sessions in high school parties do not count and you know it.”

“How did you do it though? How did you not date anyone during your school or university days?” asked Javier out of curiosity.

Ella placed one hand on the side of his face, cupping and caressing his cheek as she replied, “As I said before, I moved around a lot when I was young. My mom and I rarely stayed in one place for longer than three months. It sucks because I have to get to know everyone all over again but after a while, I was used to it.” She gave a small shrug. “I guess I just thought that I would hurt him if I date him just for a short period of time. It could be a waste of time for both of us too since my time in one place is limited. I never knew when my mom would pack our things and leave. I did come home to find her already packing at least twice.” Her expression changed as she smiled. “Lucky for you, I only have one ex boyfriend. As for me, hmm,” she pretended to give it a thought, “How many ex lovers do you have exactly, Sir?”

“None you should be worried about.” He rolled his eyes. “I only had two serious relationships but I have only fallen in love once.”

“Oh, really?” She tilted her head to one side and tapped his nose with her forefinger. “And who is this lady who has somehow managed to melt your frozen heart?”

“The lady I am going to share the rest of my life with,” he answered with deep sincerity. “The one I am so lucky to be called hers and the one I will never let go.”

“Until death do us part?” she teased him in return, referring to his question about their wedding dates.

“I do, Miss Stanford. I do.” He raised her hand to his lips and kissed the backs of her knuckles.

* * *

Clarabelle swallowed her food and prompted herself from finishing her sashimi. With her eyebrows raised, she stared at him blankly. “Okay, let’s hear it.”

“Hear what?” Javier responded after sipping his tea. He usually ate with Ella however today he had asked his sister to accompany him to her favorite Japanese restaurant. He secretly had asked Reed to tell him their sister’s favorite restaurants since Clarabelle usually went to dine out with Reed and Maxon. The thing with having too many brothers and sisters was that there was no way eight people could go everywhere together. Moreover, they all had different personalities. Some would click with the other but not everyone. Clarabelle just happened to be closer to Reed and Maxon than the rest of her brothers. Javier did not mind it. He, too, was closer to Piers than the rest. It did not matter. What mattered right now was that he needed Clarabelle’s opinion. There was no way he could not ask for a girl’s perspective from Piers.

His sister rolled her eyes and put down her chopsticks. She took a sip of her hot Ocha (green tea) then carefully placed the ceramic mug on the table. “Out of the blue, you called me and asked me to have lunch with you.” She pointed her forefinger at her brother and then at herself. “Although it is a shame, we do not usually mingle, Brother, unless we need each other’s help. So why don’t you tell me what you got yourself into?” Giving her sweetest smile, she tilted her head and swept her hair to one side. “I will help you.”

Javier shook his head, refraining from smiling. “Of course you will. I have helped you with your situation the other day.” He then added out of curiosity. “How is that guy by the way? Do you still like him?”

“I do but ugh, I hate his friend.” She stabbed a Tamago sushi with her chopstick and put it into her mouth annoyedly. “I hate his stupid face and it is a good thing that he hates me too so I do not have to see him often.”

“A guy who does not fall at your feet?” Javier lifted his eyebrow in surprise. He knew his sister and how she rolled. She was gorgeous and she knew it. She did not brag about it or do any humble brag either but she was the kind of girl who knew her worth. She knew she deserved a guy who would treat her right and respect her. She would never settle for something less. Although she was a bit of a bad girl. Just like any young, free spirit, she loved to have some adventure. She often went to parties and sometimes she did bring a guy home. People should not judge her. It was all about equality now.

“Not every guy would fall at my feet,” she somewhat sounded offended. “But yeah, this one is an alien, I tell you. I do not want him to fall at my feet, I just want him to be friendly or at least not being annoying which he currently is right now.”

Javier remained quiet for a few seconds as he muched his wakame salad then downed it with a glass of fresh lemon tea. “Can I ask? Again, just out of curiosity.”

His sister nodded. “Sure.”

“Have you ever slept with this guy?”

She was about to put a California roll into her mouth and paused midair. “Which guy?”

“This guy who hates you.”

“Of course not!” His sister immediately responded, her tone was aghast. “Have you not been listening to me? He hates me and I hate him too. Yesterday was the first time Brett ever introduced him to me and yet this guy already hates my guts.”

“First of all, you are dating someone named Brett?” Javier shook his head as if he could not believe what his sister was telling him. “Second, I think you probably have offended this guy before. What was his name again?”

“Dean,” she answered then added, “Why?”

“Dean who?”

“I do not get why you are extremely interested in this douchebag, Brother.” She let out an exasperated sigh before providing the answer, “Dean Westminster.”

Javier frowned and his frown deepened with each second which caused Clarabelle to feel nervous. “Do you know him or something?” she anxiously asked.

His frown disappeared as his mouth twisted into a smile. Then that smile grew into a grin. “I do not expect you to remember but didn’t you have a neighbor named Dean Winchester back when you were living in that apartment in Toronto?”

At first, she did not get the connection but then it hit her like a thunderstorm. “Oh, shit!”

Her brother laughed. “Remember him now?”

Instead of laughing along with him, Clarabelle stared ahead with horror in her eyes. “I did sleep with him.”

“And you forgot.” Javier shook his head and sighed. “Guess we figured out why he hates you, huh?”

“Holy shit!”

* * *

Dear Gentle Readers, are you intrigued? By the way, you could read Clarabelle and Dean's story in "Fuck You And All Of Your Bullshits" here in GoodNovel! (;