Hanging out
Sienna rolled her eyes, exasperated. Why does he always have to make such a dramatic entrance? she thought, watching as Austin strode into the room with his usual flair. Daniel, who had been chatting with Dora, turned around, and his eyes immediately landed on Austin, and more importantly, on the way Austin was holding Paulina’s hand. Paulina, Daniel’s ex-wife.
“Austin,” Daniel said, his voice calm but laced with tension. He nodded, his friendly smile fading into a cold, hard expression as he took in the sight of Austin and Paulina together. The air in the room grew thick with unspoken tension.
Sienna, sensing the brewing storm, nudged Dora. “Let’s go,” she whispered, trying to steer her friend away from the awkward confrontation. But before they could move, Austin’s voice cut through the silence.
“Oh! Glad to see you guys are still hanging out. You must be really happy now, aren’t you, Dora?” Austin’s words were directed at Dora, but his eyes were locked on Daniel, filled with scorn.
Daniel chuckled, though there was no humor in it. “I should be asking you that question, Austin. You must be thrilled to be with Paulina.” His tone was dripping with sarcasm, and it was clear he was trying to get under Austin’s skin.
Paulina, who had been silent until now, tugged at Austin’s arm. “Abi, let’s go. We don’t want to make a scene here,” she said softly, her voice trembling.
But Daniel wasn’t done. “Oh, look, daddy’s princess to the rescue. Is daddy not spending enough money on your boy toy?” he sneered, his words sharp and cutting.
Austin’s face flushed with anger. “Don’t cross the line, Dan. Otherwise, I’ll forget we were ever best friends,” he warned, his voice rising.
Daniel shot back, “Don’t flatter yourself, Abi. We were never best friends.”
The tension between them was palpable, and it seemed like things were about to escalate. But Paulina, her eyes filled with tears, whispered to Austin, “Abi, if you don’t come with me right now, I swear I’ll hurt myself.”
Austin hesitated, torn between his desire to confront Daniel and his concern for Paulina. He glanced back at Dora and Daniel, then at Paulina, who was struggling to hold back her tears. With a final glare at Dora, he allowed Paulina to pull him away.
Sienna, watching the scene unfold, rolled her eyes. “And they say girls can’t get along with each other,” she muttered under her breath.
Daniel, meanwhile, turned to Dora. “I’m sorry for everything,” he said, his voice softer now. “Douglas, let’s catch up sometime. I’ll be here for another two weeks.” With that, he walked away, leaving Dora standing there, confused and lost in thought.
“Why does he always show up wherever we go?” Sienna complained, clearly referring to Austin.
Dora didn’t respond. She was too deep in her own thoughts. “Hello? Are you even listening?” Sienna snapped her fingers in front of Dora’s face, pulling her out of her trance.
Ignoring Sienna, Dora turned to Douglas. “What do you know about Daniel?” she asked.
Douglas, who had been quietly observing the altercation, thought for a moment. “We mostly talk about business whenever we meet. But I remember once, he turned down my offer for dinner, saying he had plans with his two best friends. Later, I heard he moved to another country for some reason. That’s all I know.”
Dora frowned. “It’s strange. They weren’t just best friends—they were like brothers. Daniel always supported Austin’s dream of running a restaurant. But what I saw today… it’s like they’d kill each other given the chance. And what did Daniel mean when he said they were never best friends?”
Sienna interrupted, “Don’t stress yourself over their personal drama. It’s not worth it.” She then changed the subject, helping Dora pick out an emerald green gown with a knee-length slit and a V-neckline adorned with black stones. The dress was elegant, with long sleeves and a timeless design.
Meanwhile, in the car, Austin was fuming. Paulina sat beside him, quietly crying. He couldn’t shake the anger he felt when he saw Dora talking to Daniel. If it hadn’t been for Paulina, he might have lost control and punched Daniel right then and there.
“You shouldn’t have stopped me, Paulina,” Austin said, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.
“If I hadn’t, you both would have killed each other,” Paulina replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Why are you still protecting him? He left you. He didn’t care about your love—or our friendship,” Austin said, his voice bitter.
Paulina wiped her tears. “Even though he divorced me, I still care about him. We grew up together, the three of us. If not as my husband, he’s still my best friend. I don’t want to be the reason for the hatred between you two.”
Austin sighed. “You know who’s really to blame for all this. Don’t blame yourself.”
“Sometimes, we don’t get what we want,” Paulina said softly. “Sometimes, loving someone is enough. Isn’t that what you always told me?”
Austin didn’t respond. He just kept driving, his mind racing with thoughts of Daniel, Dora, and the tangled web of relationships that seemed to bind them all together.
Back at the house, Sienna was busy getting ready for the evening. “Dora, get your ass moving, or we’re going to be late!” she yelled from her room, applying her signature red lipstick. She looked stunning in her long black gown with a daring slit.
“Alright, alright, I’m coming,” Dora replied, slipping into her heels. She looked breathtaking in her emerald green gown, the V-neckline accentuating her elegance. She paired the dress with simple black heels and minimal makeup, standing out in a crowd of women who seemed to be trying too hard.
As they headed out the door, Douglas was waiting for them. “Wow, you both look amazing!” he said, his eyes wide with admiration.
Sienna smirked. “And?” she prompted, waiting for more.
“And you look like a killer baby,” Douglas said with a wink.
Sienna sighed. “I would’ve preferred ‘hot and sexy,’ but I’ll take it,” she said, sliding into the car.
The party was in full swing when they arrived. Dora was enjoying herself, laughing and chatting with her close friends. But across the room, Austin was sulking, his eyes fixed on Dora. First Daniel, now Douglas. Good job, Dora, he thought bitterly, watching her from afar. The night was far from over, and the tension between them all was far from resolved.
***************************
Austin couldn’t believe what he was seeing. His own eyes betrayed him, or so he thought. There she was, Dora, coming out of Daniel’s house. His stomach churned, and his mind raced with questions. How could this be? What was she doing there? He tried to push the thoughts away, but they clung to him like shadows.
When Austin confronted his mother about it, she didn’t hold back. “Ma, how can you even think such disgusting things about my wife?” he asked, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and disbelief. He wanted to defend Dora, to shut down the accusations before they could take root. But his mother’s words were sharp and unrelenting.
“Tell me, my son,” she said, her tone firm, “when Paulina wasn’t at her home, what was Dora doing alone with her husband?” Her question hung in the air, heavy and accusing.
Austin tried to reason with her, to find an explanation that would make sense. “Maybe she went to meet Paulina and, seeing her not there, she came out,” he suggested, though even as he said it, the words felt weak, unconvincing.
His mother wasn’t having it. “Really? Are you that naive, my son?” she shot back, her voice rising. “She told you she was going to stay with her parents that night, and yet she ended up at Paulina’s house? Why don’t you just ask her where she was last night?”
Austin clenched his fists, torn between his loyalty to Dora and the nagging doubt his mother had planted in his mind. “I know my wife would never do such a thing,” he said firmly, though his voice wavered slightly. “But fine, for your sake, I’ll ask her. I’ll ask her right in front of you.”
The weight of the situation pressed down on him. Austin didn’t want to believe it, couldn’t believe it. Dora was his wife, the woman he trusted more than anyone. But the image of her stepping out of Daniel’s house haunted him, and his mother’s accusations only made it worse. He needed answers, even if he was afraid of what they might be.
*****************
Austin’s voice was cold as he said, “You lied to me then, and you’re lying to me now. When I’m setting you free, why are you acting all sad and innocent?” His words were sharp, but his eyes burned with something darker, jealousy, anger, and a possessiveness he couldn’t control.
The beast inside him was roaring, furious at the sight of Dora surrounded by her colleagues. She looked breathtaking, her beauty drawing everyone’s attention, and it only made him angrier. He wanted to storm over, rip that dress off her, and claim her as his. But what pushed him over the edge was seeing her hand on Douglas’s arm, Douglas’s hand resting on her waist. It was the last straw.
Austin stormed toward them, his fury visible to anyone who dared to look his way. Dora, meanwhile, was feeling faint. “Douglas, I feel dizzy,” she whispered, leaning on him for support.
Douglas held her gently. “Let me call…” he started, but before he could finish, Dora was yanked away. Austin’s strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close.
“Mr. Jess, what are you doing? Let go of me!” Dora protested weakly, her energy fading.
Austin’s voice was a low growl, loud enough for everyone to hear. “I should be asking you what you’re doing. Just how many men do you need?” His words were harsh, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Sienna rushed over, her eyes wide with alarm. “Please, don’t create a scene here. People are watching,” she pleaded, trying to calm the situation.
Douglas stepped forward, his voice firm. “Mr. Jess, let go of Dora right now, or…”
“Or what?” Austin snapped, cutting him off. “Stop me if you can.” With that, he pulled Dora even closer, his hand gripping her neck as he crushed his lips against hers. The kiss was rough, possessive, and completely unexpected.
Dora, already dizzy, froze for a moment, stunned by his boldness. The room fell silent, the crowd watching in shock as Austin kissed her fiercely, right in front of everyone. She could hear gasps, whispers, and the sound of her own heartbeat pounding in her ears.
Sienna stood frozen, unsure of what to do. Douglas clenched his fists, torn between stepping in and making the situation worse. Dora, caught in Austin’s grip, felt a mix of emotions, anger, embarrassment, and something else she couldn’t quite name.
The tension in the room was palpable, and no one dared to move. Austin’s actions had crossed a line, but it was clear he didn’t care. He was making a statement, and everyone was watching. The question now was: what would happen next?
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