3 ~ Xander

~A couple of hours earlier~

"Baby?" I knocked on the bathroom door slightly.

"I'll be out in a minute." She yelled from inside.

"We're going to be late." I reminded her.

"I promise we won't."

I sighed. Whenever she promised like that, I just knew it was a done deal. We were definitely going to be late.

I rubbed my palms over my velvet tux jacket. There were no creases but out of habit, I did that a lot even as I flexed my muscles in front of the mirror.

The way Tasha dragged me to these red carpet events these days was becoming alarming. Ever since we got engaged, it was from showing up at one event to the other. I was doing this to make her happy but at some point I was going to let her know that I was sick of it.

Today it was some black tie event hosted by an old friend of hers and even when I asked her if it was necessary we attend, she said she just wanted to me to go with her everywhere because she needed to show off her man. I shook my head and wondered what it would be like when we get married if she was like this just a few weeks after our engagement.

She came out thirty minutes later with an apology and excuse about not knowing what to do with her hair.

"Anyhow you style it, you're always going to look gorgeous babe." I said.

She giggled, "You're too sweet. I would kiss you but it'll ruin my lipstick."

"Let's go." I said after placing a kiss on her forehead.

The glistening ring on her finger was all she wanted everyone to see. In my opinion, there was no need for all that but then this was Tasha, she loved to be in the spotlight.

"Meet my fiance." She said to almost everyone we came across.

One of them moved their attention from her to me fully, "Billionaire business mogul Xander Giovanni is your fiance?"

Tasha grinned pridefully, "Yes. My boyfriend of five years, now my husband to be." She said, the same way she did to our wedding planner earlier that week. Maybe it was just me but she seemed to be very much eager about getting married than I was. She did not seem to want it so badly as she was acting now.

"That's amazing. The speculations were right after all." The person said, staring at me.

"What speculations?" I asked just to be sure.

"Oh nothing much. It was rumored that you both were dating a couple of years back so Tasha just confirmed how true it is."

"Interesting." I heaved a subtle sigh of relief glad that it was not what I was thinking.

"When's the wedding?" The woman still asked me. I needed all those questions to be directed to Tasha.

As expected she answered for me, "Sooner than you expect."

I looked away and tuned out of the conversation busying myself with how interesting the decorations looked. I was not one to observe such things but I was bored and more than anything, I just wanted to be in the confines of my room. I could have been working, reading or even just cuddling the woman standing next to me.

Holding in a yawn, I took a sip from my second glass of champagne. I was still busying myself with looking around when me eyes fell on a familiar face. I looked away but then I looked back and held her gaze for several seconds before running my eyes over all I could see about her. She looked different, making me unsure if it was truly her.

When I looked up again, she was gone. It felt like I was hallucinating. I looked at the glass in my hand and I was hella sure that I could my alcohol. I was not dreaming. I had seen Olive.

I saw her rush out with a fellow holding her hand. I slipped out of Tasha's hold with great difficulty.

"Where are you going?" She pulled me back as I tried to leave.

"I just need to get something from the car." I lied.

"What do you want to get?" She asked again.

I held back a groan as I answered her, "Just something. Baby I'll be back in a minute."

"But I was just about to introduce you to-"

"I'll be right back babe." I slipped out of her grip but I held myself from running off so I would not raise a false alarm.

I spotted a trace of her dress in the hallway and I followed in swift strides. Just so I wouldn't embarrass myself, I did not want to yell until I got a glimpse of her face again.

I followed until I found myself in the parking lot. There I saw her approaching a vehicle. I jogged in pursuit.

It was not until she slipped into the car that I caught a glimpse of her face properly. I was right. It was Olive.

"Olive!" I yelled. I knew she heard me but she shut the windows and I watched weakly as the vehicle sped out of the premises. My impulsive thoughts said to grab my keys and run after her but the voice of reason in my head thought otherwise. I could not just leave my fiancee out here and go on a wild goose chase.

As I made my way back into the hall, I couldn't help but wonder what she was doing here in LA. My sources told me she had boarded a flight out of the state and from the looks of things she had been away since then. What made her come back? I needed to find out.

I was just getting back into the hall when I overheard a timely conversation.

"The event planner did a great job really." I heard a high pitched female voice.

"What's the company name?" The other woman asked.

"She gave me her card. I think her name is Olive or something,"

I paused. That was all I needed to hear but then I needed that card.

"Excuse me?" I said to the two ladies seated at the table. They flashed flirty smiles at me and I wanted to gag. "Can I see the card?"

"Oh okay." She gave it to me, seeming disappointed.

I brought out my phone and took a picture of both sides of the card before returning it.

"Thanks." I said and walked off.

"Where have you been?" Tasha asked when I finally made it back to our table.

"Don't worry about that, I'm back now." I said dismissively.

"Okay." She pouted.

"Ready to leave?" I asked her and for some reason she laughed like I said the funniest thing.

"Babe don't be silly. The party's just getting started,"

"I have work in the morning." I reminded her calmly.

"So?"

I gave her a stern glare.

"Alright grandpa." She frowned, picking up her purse as I pulled out the chair for her. We left immediately.

"You've been so quiet." She said in the middle of the drive. "Are you okay?"

"Yes I am."

"Okay."

My jaw ticked as I continuously dwelled on the fact that I had seen Olive for the first time in four years.

~

The next day at the office it was all I could think about. I needed to make that drive down to the office address on that card but I was so caught up with work on this new deal I was trying to crack.

My hands were brimming with eagerness to put that call across to fix an appointment, posing as a potential client.

Why did I want to see her again though? I asked myself. Things had ended on a sour note for both of us. We had not established contact for the last four years since I last saw her. Was I just curious or was there something pulling me towards her?

I blamed it on the fact that I had become a better person and I wanted to be at peace with her. I did not want us being enemies over a past that should be behind us. The way she ran off proved she had something against me and I did not want that.

The day was over before I knew it, I went back home but was still distracted due to this issue that had plagued my mind for over twenty four hours.

"Xander are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Tasha asked as I played with the food on my plate at dinner.

"I just don't have an appetite." I told her.

"You never say that. At least you don't just toy with your food,"

"I'm fine really."

"Just talk to me. I'm here for you. Is it work?" She seemed concerned and just to relieve her of that, I pressed a kiss to her lips with a forced smile.

"Yeah," I lied. There was no way I was going to mention Olive to her. All hell would let loose then.

I made up my mind as I settled in to sleep that night that I would make that drive to Olive's office regardless of whatever it would cost me.