4. ~Aurora~

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Bianca and Roselyn wanted me to move in with them until I find a place for myself. They said that it is my apartment and Bianca and I used to share the place before my marriage. But I refused, feeling that I should not invade the privacy of the married couple. And also because I may be the landlady but they are tenants who pay their rent on time.

My first thought was to stay at a hotel until I found a place, but then I realized – why should I pay to stay somewhere when I have a friend with a uselessly big condo all to himself?

Eric is out of town due to a conference but on calling him, he informed the security guard to let me borrow the spare key he had. The idiot asked me to try to clean up the place while I am staying over, but I have a feeling that he was saying that just to lighten the mood.

He might be a monkey and a complete womanizer – worse than my ex-husband-to-be – but he is an amazing friend and he knows to respect people, unlike my ex-husband-to-be. 

I am sure that if Eric Rogers were ever to get married, he would never cheat on his spouse. Because in the few relationships he had had, he was the most loyal man I have ever seen.

All of that said, even if Eric did not mean it as a joke and actually wants me to clean the place up, well, it just was not happening.

I am staying in one of the untouched rooms in the condo. And I unpacked only the bag with essentials.

I am contemplating what to order for dinner when my phone rings.

It is my sister – Gabriella.

I sighed. I know for a fact that my mom will also be with her.

Here come the waterworks!

I pick up the call and give my mother and sister a quick wave.

"Honey, I am sooo sorry!!!" My mother, Katherine Lewis, starts sobbing immediately.

Gabriella and I roll our eyes.

"Mom, I am fine."

"Mom, she is fine."

We say simultaneously.

Gabriella and I don't have much of a strong bond like normal siblings out there, mainly because most of our lives, we were in different countries. Our father was packing us from continent to continent to make sure that we had the best education possible, and in between all that, we had no real bond as a family.

But Gabriella and I are so much alike that we respond to a certain situation almost in the same way. And both of us are aware of that. So, she knows very well how I am holding up in this situation.

"Baby, you don't have to pretend to be strong." Our mother continues on without listening to what we have to say. "This is all my fault."

What's with mothers and not listening to me? Rowan's mother does the same thing. They simply decide that this is how I am feeling and they just go on with their assumption. No clarification is ever asked of me. 

Which reminds me, after I left the Keller mansion this afternoon and called Rowan to inform him of my decision to get rid of his ass from my life, my in-laws have not once tried to contact me. Is it because they respect my decision or because they don't know what to say or because Rowan has not informed them of this development yet?

"Of course, it's your fault." Gabriella states, shutting my mother up immediately. I almost want to laugh at the expression on her face. She could not have seen that coming. "So is global warming and the stock market crashing." She rolls her eyes while Mom just blinks, not knowing how to respond.

"What she is trying to say, Mom, is that you don't have to blame yourself for the decisions that Dad took. It's not like anything you say could have changed his decision. And I too agreed to it without giving it much thought." I say. "If there is anyone to be blamed in this relation, it's-"

"That asshole." Gabriella cuts me off.

"Language, young lady. Where did you learn such vile words?" Mom shrieks immediately making us roll our eyes again.

"I am getting a divorce and I am going to be fine."

"What?"

I ignore my Mom's shocked expression and continue, "I moved out of the apartment and will be staying at Eric's until I find a place of my own. And I am completely okay."

"Oh honey, I am so proud of you." My Mom says. "But sweetheart, have you discussed this with your father?" 

"Thanks, Mom. I am proud of me too." I say. "And I will soon come over to discuss everything with Dad so don't you worry. And no need to let him know of my decision until I do so myself. And if he gets to know before I have my talk with him, just pretend that I had kept this hidden from you as well." 

"See, now go away." Gabriella shoos Mom out of her room and closes the door before plopping down on the bed.

"So you finally decided to use your brain and not your heart huh?" Gabriella smiles. 

I chew on my bottom lip and give her a tight smile of my own. She is aware of the feelings that I once harbored for my soon-to-be ex-husband. And I will be lying if I said I didn't still have residual feelings. 

"The heart has taken enough blows for this lifetime." 

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2 years ago...

I am tongue-tied for a second. And I am not one to get tongue-tied. Especially not when I am drunk.

"Nah, I think she had way too many drinks today." Frank speaks before I can, sliding the glass of lemon juice over to me.

I nod, my eyes still wide and staring at the masterpiece in front of me.

"I should go home and sleep." I say lamely. Yes, Rory, that's what people in clubs strive to do - get back home before curfew and go to sleep fully clothed. Can you get any lamer?

"But the night has just begun." He cocks his head, a sly smile on his face.

"Where's Eric?" Frank speaks up again.

This time, Rowan looks kind of pissed as he looks over at Frank.

"He is somewhere over there." I wave in the direction of the dance floor.

"I will give Bee a call then. You should get back home." Frank disappears after saying that. That's a good idea. 

That's a very very good idea. Bee... Who's Bee? Oh... BEEEEEE... Right... Bee needs to be here before I destroy my every chance with this Adonis in my drunken 'disglory'. 

But where's Frank?

I turn back to Rowan, feeling his intense gaze on me.

"Where's Frank?" I ask him. 

He raises a brow and he looks... amused.

"Yeah sure, I am a dancing monkey," I speak out loud. 

"What?" He laughs.

"What?" I ask, shrugging.

"I take that he is a friend?" He gestures to the door Frank has disappeared into.

I nod, taking a sip of my lemon juice – ahhh, it's heaven.

"And Eric is your boyfriend?"

I shake my head. "Guy friend."

"And Bee?"

"Bianca. My best friend." I grin and then my happiness disappears. "I think." I am confused.

I don't know why I am babbling everything out. I know this guy but I don't know him. I definitely did not know him enough to tell him everything that have happened to me and everyone I have met since birth in chronological order, did it?

And I don't think he even knows who I am.

"Then what is stopping you from getting to know me?" He raises a brow, his voice husky. I bite my lower lip as I hear him speak slowly.

"Nothing." I say, feeling as if I am getting lost in his eyes. "Nobody."

His smile widens as he pushes forward his hand in my direction. "Then why don't we get out of here?"

And I take the first step to a mistake that I would regret for the rest of my life.

I take his hand.

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