26. NO TIME FOR DESPAIR.

Her soft palms brushed against the side of her bruised neck, and Olivia got hot flashes, drifting her back to the last night. She shot her eyes open, back at her frail reflection. Her arms held up her breasts before a smirk invaded her lips.

It had happened.

She had been with Damien, and it was she ever thought about. It was all that intoxicated her mind, his scent, the touch of his warm lips against hers. His grasp against her waist and his wet hair from the side of her necks. He'd given her a hickey, he'd given her more—he gave a purpose, the will to get up from her bed the moment the sun rose up. And she romanticized it so much that she didn't remember how he pulled away from her at last.

"We shouldn't be doing this." He'd said.

However, she remembered none of that. But rather how his eyes glinted when they were on her, with passion and love. And whatever inexpressible feeling pulsated through his veins. She jolted from her wild thoughts when she heard his door click open.

She'd been waiting all morning for him.

And she hurriedly plastered her face, walking into a spray of her strawberry perfume before running towards the door. Olivia pulled open the door and was immediately met by him. He halted, for a second, locking eyes with her and she smiled widely—expecting that he'd say something but instead he looked to Davis. Like he was sort of ashamed and she wallowed in embarrassment, giving him all the way in the corridors.

"Hi" There was a crack in her voice as she met his stone gaze. "Hey" His tone was dead as he brushed past her shoulders and Liv felt life leave her shoulders before they fell. Her back rested against her door as she watched him walk away—coldly, like he wasn't the same person from last night. She wiped her already tear filled eyes as she retracted herself back into her room.

Davis could sense something was off, but he chose to not utter a word—his usual nature, as they made their way down the stairs. He could hear Amanda's chuckle but Damien's face seemed to be the straightest he'd seen.

And immediately he reached the depth of the last step, he halted. Davis walked all the way around him, setting his eyes on the stranger at the dining table, next to Amanda. "Who's th—" He struck out his arm and Davis swallowed his words. "Damien" She called, standing up from the table, alongside the guest. He was somewhat heighted, with similar features to Damien.

"We've been waiting for you" Amanda said and he inched closer to her, eyes boring through the man who took off his glasses. With an outstretched arm, he smirked. "Hello brother" Luke said and it was like a bass fell in the former's heart.

Just like it did for Olivia, who sat in front of her mirror, nursing her already puffed eyes and then, her phone rang on the table. It was Agatha, she knew. Because her aunt always seemed to call whenever she needed it. She placed it to her ears, and closed her eyes to the sound of her voice. "Hello, baby." Came a whisper—

—soft and warm, and convincing. And everything was good again.

-

I wish i could say the same for Alli.

His fingers tapped into the keyboard, navigating the cursor around the name he'd inputted in the searchbar—the name of the person just across him. Omar Williams.

It should have been a regular Thursday morning for everyone, but it was a rather eventful wednesday. His gaze fell back into the profile that displayed on his laptop. It didn't make sense.

It didn’t make sense that there was a whole wikipedia article dedicated to the Williams family. “What is he doing working here?” Alli slipped into a detective mode, searching for whatever cracks he could find on his former lover while he was only a distance from him. And he stepped back, looking at the net worth displayed on the screen. And once again, it didn’t make sense.

It also didn’t make sense how he had such ties with his parents.

And in that moment, he was suddenly overwhelmed with confusion and quagmire but as Omar walked into the coffee room—the same room that they’d met. Alli picked up his jacket, trailing right behind him. And he pushed open the door, before letting it close.

“Hey.”

Omar didn’t even turn around to him, but you could hear the liquous sound of whatever he poured into a glass. Alli freed his hand from the door before inching closer to him.

“You finally decided to show up, after staring at me all morning huh” He had a specific tone, one Alli couldn’t quite put a finger on but he was somewhat angered. “What are you doing here?” He raised his voice and Omar pulled away from the countertable.

“What do you mean?”

With each step Omar took towards him, Alli walked backwards till his back was against the wall and his sister’s fiancé was breathing from above him. “Can we talk?” He whispered, allowing a finger trail across his face and Alli pushed him away lightly but he didn’t budge. “Answer my question, what are you doing here?” He asked yet again. “I googled you and i figured it’s what i should have done the moment i saw you, the moment you started getting everywhere in my head” Alli raised his voice and Omar did nothing but clear his throat. “You stalked me?” He asked.

“That’s not the point. The point is your family is worth billions. Renchie, a diamond company. You are worth billions, so the real question is what are you doing here?” Alli asked and finally, he gave him some breathing space. “Is it me? Is it because of me?”

“I had no idea Aaliyah was related to you” There was a crack in his voice, there was also some truth but Alli shook his head. “Bulls” He cussed at him, almost punching him in his arm. “It almost makes me think how much it is you’re really keeping from me. That you’re keeping from everyone” Alli yelled.

“I told you it was complicated” Omar gritted through his teeth. “And i expected you of all people to understand that” He added. “You are not marrying any other person in the world, you are marrying my sister. Of course it’s beyond complicated and i can’t understand that. I can’t understand you robbing Aal of the love and happiness that she deserves” Alli whispered, with tears filling his eyes. “And you come up now to ask what of me?”

“That i call off the engagement?” Omar shrugged his shoulders and Alli poked his chest with a finger. “I ask you to do the right thing. It is up to your conscience to interpret what that means” He whispered and Omar scoffed. “And isn’t that robbing your sister off something—“ Alli looked to him with disbelief as he moved towards him. “I can provide for Aaliyah, i can provide for your family and you as well” Alli pushed him away.

“This isn’t about charity. It’s about my sister.”

“No it’s not about your sister. Neither is it about me or you, Goddamnit” He slammed his fist on the table, the thud startling Alli just a little bit. “It’s about your parents, and my parents and what they want. What they think it’s best and you may not understand that Alli, but i cannot disappoint them. I can’t end this although it’s not what my heart wants” His voice cracked again.

“And what about my sister’s happiness?”

“It is an arranged marriage, it was never about either of us. Nor happiness because left to me, it is nothing like i envisioned my wedding to be like. Left to me, i pictured a man, i pictured roses, alot of them in a beach-themed park with ballons and everything” He took his hands for a moment. “With maybe you.” And Alli melted in his grasp, sense leaving his body for a second.

“What?”

“With you, Alli. I wanted you but it’s complicated” He added. “If i had a choice, id choose you. I’d do the right thing and end this, and go after my heart” Alli pulled away from him, throwing his head over his shoulders. “We shouldn’t be doing this” He replied.

“You shouldn’t be here saying this, i shouldn’t be here” He said.

“All my life i’ve watched Aaliyah struggle with love, i’ve watched her heart break countless of times and i promised her that never again, that i would never allow a man hurt her again” He looked directly into Omar’s eyes. “And that includes you, and most especially i wouldn’t be the reason she gets her heart broken again. So Omar—“ His voice dimmed into a whisper. “When i ask you to do the right thing, i mean do what’s right by her” He said before turning his back on him.

“And what about us?” Alli halted at that question, and now he didn’t turn around. Rather, he just looked over his shoulders with tears stinging the back of his eyes. “There was never an us” He whispered. “Not in this world, Omar. But perhaps in the next” He heard footsteps behind him and a tug against his arms.

“Omar”

“I don’t want to lose you. I can’t” He heard the voice go into his ears and it hurt him the most to say these next words, especially while staring right into his green eyes. “You never had me” Alli whispered before walking out of the door. This time, it took him a moment to hold unto it, as he filled his punctured lungs with air.

He gasped through his nose, as tears streamed down his cheeks. This wasn’t just complicated, it was a disaster. For everyone.

To be continued…