Chapter 47

Keanu was nice. He taught her how to surf, even though she wasn't very good at it. She tried her best and then retreated back to her room for the next few days. He was a nice guy but she didn't want to get to close. She wasn't exactly looking for a relationship, or whatever it is he was offering. Even if it was friendship.

Sleeping had now become hard for her. She was finding it harder and harder to fall asleep and she tossed and tossed in her bed for hours. It had been happening for the past few days. She thought it was nothing. So she didn't think too much about it.

But it clearly wasn't nothing. She had insomnia and she couldn't really figure out what was keeping her awake at night.

Finally she caved in and checked her phone again. There were several texts from her parents. Who had sent texts to her new number. She briefly read through all of them.

Her mother sounded mad, her father was worried. There were some texts from Malory, she sounded worried and mad.

No texts from Alexander or Nicholas. Not that she was expecting any. But a small part of her had been wishing that Nicholas found a way to contact her. But he didn't anyway. No point crying over spilt milk. She thought as she sighed.

She was still looking at her new phone when a thought came to her head.

It was random. Very random, but she decided to do it.

She had memorized Nicholas's number before she left. She had a few close family contacts memorized too. Just in case of emergencies.

She dialed in the number and pressed the call button, her heart was beating sporadically in her chest. She was going to call Nicholas.

The call went on for a long time, it didn't seem like Nicholas was going to pick up.
Till she heard a voice on the other line and her heart stopped.

"Hello?"

The voice said. It was Nicholas

Cara's breath hitched. Even if she had the words to say, there were none coming out.

"Hello?!"

He said again with more urgency.

Then after a short while he asked softly.

"Cara?"

He asked and Cara covered her mouth, keeping herself from making any sound.

She wanted to say something, but she didn't even know the words to say, or how to say them.

"Cara. I know you can hear me."

"I love you Cara. I always did and I still will."

"Take all the time you need. Come back when you are ready. I will be here waiting."

A small whimper escaped her lips, the tears gushed freely. Oh she missed him so much. So, so much.

"I haven't stopped thinking about you. Every day. Since you left. You're the only singular thought that occupies my mind."

He added and Cara couldn't take it anymore. She ended the call abruptly, throwing the phone to a corner.

She should have talked to him. She should have said something. She was being stupid and childish. But she didn't.

She didn't say anything.

She wished she did.





A lunch date with Jessica Gates. Alexander was reluctant to, but he still made his way to the restaurant. All the while wondering why his mother thought it best for him to move on so quickly. He had gonee straight from the office, after he finished finalizing the sale of Devine organics and Co.

He also had just informed Cara's father, Mr Devine. He looked positively heartbroken. It was sad, he knew. But the company was way more trouble than it was worth and they had only realized it after they had bought it. His father was the one who agreed and pushed for it to be sold quickly and privately when the offer came in. He was so eager to get it off his hands.

So so eager. Alexander had no choice but to follow the wishes of his father. He had been instructed not to tell the Devines until after the sale and the wedding was complete..

Well the sale was complete, but there was no wedding. He still told them though. He reckoned his father would be much more happy about them selling it now, given how they had to cancel the wedding.

The sale had been fast, super fast, the buyer was eager but legit, his father wanted it done and over with and he did that. He wondered what Cara would think when her father told her that he sold the company. He wondered how he would react.

She would be mad. She would be angry at him, but she wouldn't be able to do a thing about it. Served her right though. After everything that happened, maybe this was the universe's way of punishing the Devines for hurting his family.

It was only right then.

He checked his watch again, he was running slightly late, but he doubted his date was there already. His mother had a knack for over exaggerating things. She had probably roped Jessica Gates into the date just like she roped him.

He couldn't believe that Jessica would really have any real interest to see him.

She never liked him.

Alexander was flabbergasted to see Jessica Gates already sitting at their table, waving at him enthusiastically. Jessica? He thought as he looked at the leggy blonde sitting and waiting for him.

Jessica?!

He almost couldn't recognize her. She looked very different.

She definitely did.

She had a more sharp angular face, with plump full lips and tight taut skin with makeup on.

Her eyes were still the same bright blue, just like he remembered them and she still had that dimple, but her slightly crooked teeth had been replaced with veneers. They were now straight and ridiculously white.

Nice.

He thought as he slipped into the seat across from her. She smelled sultry.

He wondered what perfume that was. Cara always stuck with softer scents, but this one was bold, audacious and thrilling.

"Hello Jessica."

He said and she smiled brightly.

"Alexander! It's been so long! How many years has it been?"

She asked and Alex shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe five? Last time I saw you, you were graduating Harvard and I just got a major promotion."


Jessica nodded.

"I know right! You and I never got along! You managed to drive me crazy!"

She said and Alexander chuckled nervously.

To be fair, she was the crazy one. And Alexander sometimes wondered how his brother even lasted six months with her. That was a pretty long time for someone like Nicholas.

"I met your mother and she was super nice! And then after that I just told her I had to see you! We've lost contact for so long"

Yes. That's because we never actually got along! Alexander wanted to say but he kept his mouth shut and smiled at her.

"Yes. You're right. We did lose contact. But in my opinion we weren't really close and you were dating my brother."

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Oh yes! Nicholas! How is he? You know after the breakup I never heard from him again, even when I called him he wouldn't pick up."

Alexander shrugged.

"Well, it's Nicholas so I can believe that."

He said and Jessica scoffed.

"Oh well! Enough about him!"

"Your mother told me what happened. God t's horrible. What kind of woman would do that!"

She said and Alexander nodded.

"Yea it is. I've moved on from that already."

He said as he tried to change the topic but Jessica continued.

"And how could Nicholas do that to you?!"

"I mean you're his brother! And she was your fiancée! When I heard the story I wanted to call you to know how you were feeling but I didn't want it to look like I was prying into your affairs."

"I was so lucky to have seen your Mum that day! She was so eager to let me meet you."

Alexander nodded.

"Thank you for your concern Jessica. I actually wouldn't have minded if you had called me."

He signaled to the waiter who brought over their menu. The faster he was done with this the sooner he could leave.

The waiter brought the menu and they ordered their food while being served complimentary glass of white wine. Alexander declined his. He was still going back to work and didn't want to drink, Jessica kept hers.

"So what have you been up to lately Jessica?"

He asked and she shrugged.

"Oh nothing much! I started working at daddy's firm immediately after Harvard Law."

"And trust me it's great and all but it can all get so boring sometimes. But then Dad wants me to stay because he believes the company will be mine some day, and honestly I just want to do something else."

Alexander nodded.

He could relate to that.

"I know how you feel. I started working in my father's company even before I got my MBA."


"And while it was cool and all, I was somehow angry that my brother seemed to get all the freedom to do what he wanted while I was stuck doing what our father wanted me to do."

"Right?!"

"Sometimes I wish I could just take off you know?"

Jessica said as she sighed.

"You know, I'm on my way to be the youngest partner in the firm and as exciting as that sounds, it's also completely terrifying because I'm not sure that's even what I want to do with my life!"

Alexander nodded.

"But then our parents have all these expectations of us, of what we should do and what we should be and we can't just let them down."

Jessica sighed as she lowered her eyes. Adjusting the button on her shirt dress, he hadn't realized how pretty she was, he was too busy counting how many procedures she had got done to even notice that she still looked like the same old Jessica. Of course with a few changes but she was still the same person.


The person that slept with your brother.

A small voice said but he ignored it.


Jessica sighed.

"While we are trying to please them, it's also important not to get lost or so caught up in that that we forget who we are and what our expectations are for ourselves."

Jessica said as she picked up her glass of wine and finished the rest of her white wine.

Alexander smiled demurely as he mulled over her statement.

She was right. God she was right.

She had never been more right than she should have been and he was so stupid to have not seen it for so long.

Alexander had been so focused, so focused on what his parents expected of him, what they thought of him that it had clouded his judgement and affected his life.

They had controlled him, they had made decisions for him and he had let them. For the longest time he had left them.

While some of their decisions had not been wrong, many were not necessarily right.

He had done so many things all because they told him to. He would have never have thought of marrying Cara if his parents had not mentioned it or stood by him and watched him go through with the decision.

Alexander sighed.

Realizing that he would have saved himself from a lot of heartache and trouble if he had just did as he pleased.

Like his brother Nicholas had done.