Chapter 14: New Encounters

Elena’s P.O.V:
“So you’re agreeing to move in with him?” Risa asked as she demolished an entire cinnamon roll in one bite.
I cringed, trying my best not to gag at her antics and took a sip of my cappuccino. Apparently, my baby wants me to get fatter by the hour. “I haven’t decided on anything. Knight Tyson might be the CEO of one of the biggest textile companies in the country, but he’ll need to try a lot harder if he wants me to move in with him.”
“And it’s not like he’s doing all this out of love, either.” Risa said once she’d washed down her cinnamon roll with coffee. “He’s after the baby, the heir to his empire.”
“I know that and that’s exactly why I don’t trust him.” I shook my head. “First he comes into the dressing room and pounces on me, trying to blackmail me into his bed and then as soon as he learns about my pregnancy, he can’t seem to stay away from me! What the hell is he really up to?”
“Did you give him an answer yet?”Risa wanted to know.
I shook my head again. “I told him I’ll think about it for a few days. What he’s offering are all material things. A bigger house, maids at my service and luxury. What does he think I am; a gold digger?”
“But Elain…that does sound kinda useful. You have loads of complications in your pregnancy…won’t it be better if you had people look after you?” Risa frowned. “In fact, should you even be up and about at this hour? The sun’s out and the temperature is pretty high today.”
“Risa I’m pregnant, not sick.” I exasperated. “The doctor has advised some light exercise and it’s only the beginning of summer, the sun isn’t going to melt me!”
“You’re right, sorry. I was just worried about you.” The traitor said in a whiny voice.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “What is it that you want?”
“Why do you think I want something?” Risa asked seriously but she couldn’t keep up her façade for much longer and ended up grinning like a fool. “A date?”
“Fuck no!” I growled at her before remembering that I’m with a child and I shouldn’t say such things and I also noticed that people were staring at me. This time I lowered my voice before I spoke to Risa. “He’s married. Dates and kisses are off the table.”
“But…but…”
“No buts! I don’t want my brother anywhere near you!” I glared at her. Don’t get me wrong, Risa is my best friend but she has an awful dating record. If we were famous, the media would have classified her as a gold-digger and a slut, but in reality, she has trust issues and can’t stay with a single partner for more than a week or two. And my brother is a one-man kinda woman so he’d never encourage such behavior either.
“You’re the worst!” Risa whined but gave up and took a big bite of her bagel.
I shook my head as I took a sip of my coffee. Risa has some awesome genetic features. Unlike me, who’d had to work overtime at the gym to burn my baby fat, she naturally has a skinny body and has never visited a gym in her entire life. And also, she never gets fat no matter how much she eats and that’s one thing I envy about her.
Twenty minutes later, Risa and I were heading out the café to go back home when I bumped into someone on my way out.
“Sorry.” I called out to her but stopped midway when I realized that she looked familiar.
“Hi! You’re that girl from the hospital, right?” Asked the woman with dark brown hair with metallic blue highlights at the ends and bright silver eyes.
“Yeah, Kara?” I asked as I extended my hand.
“Kareena.” She corrected as she shook my hand. “I never got your name.”
“I’m Elena.” I told her with a smile and pointed to Risa. “And this is my friend, Risa.”
“Hi Risa, nice to meet you.”Kareena smiled. “And this is my husband, Emanuel Millar.” She pointed to a tall man beside her with medium built, brown hair and brown eyes.
But as soon as I met his eyes, something about him felt completely off. Although why I felt that way was a complete surprise. He wasn’t one of those creepy people who eyed other women at his wife’s back but something in his gaze just told me that he was hiding his true self behind a well-placed mask.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Emanuel extended his hand to me and as I smiled and placed my hand in his, an unpleasant shiver ran down my spine.
“Likewise.” I said without changing my expression. “It was nice meeting you Kareena, but I’m afraid we’re in a hurry. Maybe we can catch up later?”
“Sure. Give me your number so we can keep in touch?” She asked.
“Sure.”
Risa and I rushed out and all the way, I got this nagging feeling in my head that I had seen him before somewhere. But where, I couldn’t quite remember. He had a face that was very familiar, like those people who gave you the next-door-neighbor kind of vibes. But I knew him…or I had seen him somewhere…but where?
However, I simply shrugged and decided to not give it any more thought, because I had plenty of other problems at the moment.
“Who was she?” Risa asked once we were inside a cab, driving towards my apartment.
“We have the same doctor.” I told her. “She’s pregnant too and we met at the clinic. I didn’t think we’d meet again though.”
“And her husband? Did you meet him before?” Risa asked suspiciously.
“No. Why?” I frowned.
“It’s just that…” Risa looked thoughtful, like she was debating how to answer. “The guy kinda gives me the creeps.”
I looked at Risa with wide eyes. So it wasn’t just mw being paranoid! “Me too.” I told Risa.
Kareena seemed like a nice woman, no doubt about that. In fact, I quite enjoy her company, but Emanuel doesn’t seem like a nice guy. And I have absolutely no idea why I feel that way when I have no theory to back it up. Who knows what this encounter meant, but I wish I never have to encounter him again.