Engagement Ring
New York hasn't changed at all.
Everyone is still in a rush, the crowds on the sidewalks seem to never stop. Compared to the quiet Barbados, this is a stressful city.
I scour the people looking for familiar faces. No, let me be honest, I'm looking for Aziel. I hope to meet him in these weeks I'm here. How I long to see him, but at the same time I fear to meet him. Is he now married with children? Does he still live in this town? Does he miss me? Will he come and meet me even for our good old days and take his wife with him?
I once burned myself on a married man and I’m not into that anymore. If Aziel belongs to another woman, I'm willing to give him up for good. But while he's still single, I'm determined to conquer him, make him fall in love with me again. That will be my second mission.
But first I have important matters to settle.
My son is in danger of losing his legitimate inheritance and I cannot allow that. What no one knows is that the vast majority of Dordrich companies' stock is in my hands. At the next shareholders' meeting I will make my grand entrance and avoid the bankruptcy application that is on the table. Because that requires my signature too.
I fumble in my bag for my old phone, which I used here five years ago. I switch it on and see that it is almost stuck with miscalls and messages. I delete everything in a hit, it makes little sense to respond to this after five years. I scroll down until I find the number I want and make contact.
“Alyssa, girl. Do you still work for the media or have they long since got rid of you? How lucky for the city of New York in that case”, I tease her. There is a moment of silence on the other end of the line. “Loraine?” she spats in disbelief. "Are you back? We have to talk, girl. And I want it exclusive.”
So, nothing has changed with her in recent years too.
"Of course. You don't have to ask, demand it and you get what you want”, I reply dryly. She ignores my sarcasm and insists. "Where do you stay? How long will you stay? Where were you all those years? Why did you come back? Did you hear what happened to Mr. Fellogan?” she continues.
“Hey, can I answer the questions one by one? It's hard to communicate like this. You seem like a cannon full of questions”, I stop her. “Listen, tomorrow afternoon I will attend the shareholders' meeting at Fellogan's building. If you're there too, you can sit with me. If you're late, you're out of luck," I tell her. She blasts out in disbelief. “Are you going to the Fellogans? Why? Are you going to stir things up there or what?”.
Oops, she's just as tiring as she was then. “Alyssa, all your questions will be answered tomorrow. I'll see there if you're interested. See you tomorrow, maybe”, I say briefly and end the conversation.
I now turn to Kaylah.
“Hey sis, tell me. Have you heard anything from Aziel lately? Does he still live in New York?” I ask her. I know she and Archer deliberately evaded this topic, waiting for me to broach it myself. Now that I'm back I want to know more and this couple has all the information I need. I'm sure they've been tracking Aziel's moves while he's still in New York.
Kaylah clears her throat, which often means no good news.
“He has a thriving transport company and a girlfriend who lives in England but visits him frequently. From the financial reports I understand that he is a multi-millionaire. You won't recognize him, Loraine, Aziel has become so handsome and different," Kaylah reports. "Some say he's just friends with the lady because she never stays with him in his private places, she's always in a hotel when she visits him."
Violent jealousy overwhelms me, in Barbados when women approached Aziel I became possessive and angry. But now I understand that the jealousy was linked to a deep love I felt for him but couldn't face it then. The best news is that he is unmarried, so I have the chance to compete with his girlfriend. If he hasn't married her in the last five years, that means his feelings for her don't run deep.
A smile forms around my lips. Aziel!
Would he still love me as before? He proposed to me once, several times begged to be his girlfriend, each time I rejected him. I think I'll have to take the first step now. Maybe time to buy the engagement ring.
“Hey, can we stop at the jeweler? I want to buy something there”, I ask Kaylah. She looks at me strangely but signals the driver to park at an exclusive jeweler. The three of us step inside. The assistant immediately comes running, yes, she won’t keep three expensive-looking customers waiting.
“How can I help you?”. She is all smiles, I recognize her from the lost Ruby. When she looks at me again, she is startled. “Miss Windrug! Are you back? How nice to see you again," she exclaims happily. I look straight into her eyes. “You haven't called me yet about the Ruby I ordered. Have you found it in the meantime?” I ask her.
She turns red. “Well, we didn’t… no, we tried,” she stutters. Of course, she didn't expect me to remind her of the Ruby again or maybe she's feeling a bit of a pang of conscience. I dive into my bag and pull out the ring. “Maybe it's this same Ruby?” I ask her meaningfully.
“Forgive us, Miss Windrug, but Mr. Fellogan insisted on giving you this as a present. At least it ended up with the right person, didn't it?”. Now it's my turn to stare at her open-mouthed. “You can easily get rid of the trouble with that, huh?! Was the tip good?”.
Before she can answer, the manager with a potbelly hurriedly appears. “Miss Windrug, tell me. What can I get for you? A diamond or another Ruby?”. I can't possibly stay mad at this duo. Defeated I shake my head. “An engagement ring for my fiancé”.
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