Chapter 8

UNEDITED


Lola's wedding...

Whimsical music played as Baylee watched from the altar, Lola gliding down the aisle gracefully. Her silk, cream, lace, dress was stunning on her. She was the image of elegance.

It was the most beautiful outdoor setup. The sun was shining bright and the birds were chirping nearby. The absolute perfect day. Not to mention the decorations. Cream was the theme. Everything matched everything. There was no expense spared. Each floral arrangement cost thousands and there were many.

Baylee was supposed to be happier than she was. Her best friend was getting married. She was supposed to be her normal self, laughing, joking, the life of the party pretty much.

Niko's presence had her glum. She looks out in between the seated guest and in the front row.
Immaculate, and sharp was his image. He dressed the way his sister wanted him to. A black tux, black vest, and a cream bow tie. He was the most handsome man that ever existed.

His attention landed on her as well. Green eyes captivated her to the point where she stayed staring at him even when he looked away.

He narrows his focus on the bride and groom reciting their vows and she just kept staring. Her heart ached for him. She was denying herself every day that she stayed away. She felt this drastic feeling of longing. It was overcoming her. To the point where all she could think about was Niko. Even when she went to bed at night and closed her eyes it's him she would see instead of darkness.

"Hey." Clarissa, who was sitting in one of the middle rows with Alyssa near, waves and snaps her fingers. "You okay?" She mouths.

Suddenly everyone laughed. She missed something funny. She blinks and looks to the bride and groom. From her angle, she could see Conner's face and the back of Lola's. He was all smiles. From ear to ear. His love gazed at his future wife. There was no doubt that this was the happiest day of his life.

The jealousy that she felt when seeing Lola and Conner together was gone. All she felt now was relief that her best friend found a good person. Conner loved her and that's the important thing.

Her eyes revert back to Nikolai. This time she could no longer ignore the fact that Melissa was standing right beside him. Her stomach twisted. She couldn't believe that he brought her. How could he? She knew he was trying to make her jealous and it wasn't going to work. Although it already was working, he didn't know that. She grinds her teeth and looks back at the first kiss as man and wife.

Later, everyone moved inside a huge hall for the reception. The DJ announced the newlyweds to have their first dance. A slow-moving love song came on and the couple danced as if they were the only ones in the room.
After some time, the guest started joining the couple on the dance floor. Baylee uses this time to sneak out the back exit behind the kitchen. She leans up against the brick wall and pulls out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. She sparks one up and takes a deep inhale. She used to smoke in high school and thought it made her so cool until she was told she didn't smell as pretty as she looked. She quit and hadn't touched one since. Well since the other day, when stress got to her and she needed anything to feel better.


She was starting to feel a bit calmer. Her nicotine rush was working until the door swung open and to her surprise, Nikolai appeared. He instantly grabs the lit cigarette out of her hands and tosses it on the ground. "That's disgusting." He comments. "When did you start smoking?"

She rolls her eyes. "What do you care?"

One of his brows elevates. "Let's not play this game. You know I care." He moves closer until he traps her against the wall with one hand near her head. The fingers of the other hand caress her temple and move hair from her face. "When I kiss you, I want the taste of you, not the cigarette."

"So my health isn't a factor?"

He leans closer as if he was smelling her. "If I preach about your health, would it make a difference?"

"Why did you bring Melissa?"The question slipped out. He was hurting her. It hurt. "Why are you trying to hurt me?"

He pauses and inspects her expression for a second. Then in a whisper, "Tell me you want me, I'll never speak to her again."

Her wall was crumbling, and it scared the life out of her. Fighting her feeling and suppressing her wants was becoming unbearable. "Just stop." She pushes him to a distance and runs back inside. When she reaches back to the party area she looks behind her to make sure Niko wasn't there, and shockingly he was. She squealed as she was caught.
"Hey." He catches her wrist and spins her around to face him. "Stop running from me."

"People are watching." She scans around uncomfortably.

"Am I supposed to care who's watching?"

"You don't even care about your date?" She asks to tease but looks around to find her for real. She spots Melissa across the dance floor walking towards them. All Baylee could think was she didn't want them together.

"Is my date bothering you Baylee?"

"Let's dance." She suddenly changes the whole topic.

He furrowed his brows. He was confused for a moment until he glances over her shoulder and notices Melissa on her way to them. He lets Baylee pull him on to the dance floor. When she gets near and places her hand on his shoulder, he snakes his arm around her waist, presses her onto his body with force.

Her eyes light up with panic. "Niko." She protests for some space between them. He responds by growing a tighter hold.

In front of everyone was so uncomfortable, she glanced around and realized Lola was looking at them suspiciously. Oh no... She didn't want her to find out and definitely not like this. "Niko... Please..." She pleads.

"What? Didn't you wanna dance?"

"Yes...but everyone is watching."

"Since when are you shy?"

"I'm not shy. It's just... do you want your sister to find out about us like this?"

"Can't keep it a secret forever..."

"And Melissa?"

His jaw clamps down. "You know where I stand with Melissa." He doesn't blink.
Intensely, he stares into her widened eyes and knotted up her insides. There was no other man that was capable of making her feel this way. She found herself getting lost. She fit so perfectly into him, he was like her missing puzzle piece. For a few moments, she relaxes.

"I could barely take my eyes off of you." He admits. "You look... beautiful. I've missed just being able to look at you. Those lips..."

She blinks away. Her stomach soared with butterflies. The mushy-gushy feelings she got though, the more she wanted to escape. She connects eyes with Melissa. Her old friend was standing to the side with her arms folded and subtle smile. It was obvious that she was waiting to dance with Niko.

Baylee really didn't want her or any other woman anywhere near him. At least not in front of her face but she couldn't be this close to him either. She shifts her attention to her sister and niece sitting at a table looking bored when an idea comes to her. "Clarissa." She states.

"What about her?" Nikolai asks.

"Ask her to dance? She's just been so sad lately, I just want her to have a good time." This was all true. She didn't like seeing her sister so unhappy but also she wouldn't have to see the sight of Melissa dancing with Niko.

Hesitantly, he nods. "But only if you promise to stop running. I wanna have a real conversation with you."

"Fine." She says like a child.

~~~~~


1 Hour later...




"Hey!" Clarissa pushes open the front door to her house. "Do I have to call your father?" She threatens her daughter. They just arrived after rushing home from the reception. Alyssa decided to act like a brat and demand they go home.

"Call him." She throws back. "See if I care."

"What is your problem?"

Alyssa didn't respond. She pushes Dylan who was in her way, goes to her bedroom, and slams the door shut.

Kate walks into the kitchen. "Everything okay?"

A stressful breath came out. "Can you give me a few minutes?"

As she walks to her bedroom, she hears blasting of music from Alyssa's room. Her daughter was throwing a royal teenage tantrum and she couldn't understand why. She thought that this could be a good event to bond and spend time. She thought it was a good idea. She thought wrong.

When she arrives in her room, she sits on her bed and clutches her phone to her chest. An odd feeling of anxiety always came to her whenever she had to talk to Jacob. She pulls the phone back and hits his name. It rings twice. "Hello."

"Hey." She tries to sound casual.

"What's going on?"

"Alyssa." She goes on to tell him of all his first born's behavior.

"Are you kidding me? He responds.

"No. I don't know what's gotten..."

He cuts her off. "She slammed the door in your face?"

"Ye.." She didn't get a chance to answer.

"I'm coming down there. Give me 20 minutes." He hangs up.

A knock comes to the door that instant. "Miss." It was Kate.

"Yeah, I'm coming." Clarissa opens the door.

"Alyssa is packing her things. She said she is running away.

She hustles to her daughter's room which was a complete disaster. "Alyssa!" She yells, which really sounded more like whining.

"Get out!" Her daughter shouts with tears rolling down her cheeks.

"What's wrong with you?"

"You! You're wrong with me! you're the reason dad doesn't live here anymore. You sent him away and you're the reason you guys are getting a divorce."

Clarissa was speechless. It was the first time Alyssa has ever shown any kind of resentment toward her. Her daughter blamed her for her broken home. It stung. The kids had no idea the real reasons for the divorce. They were just told that their parents grew apart. For Alyssa to assume that it was her fault was revealing. Even they noticed the distance she unknowingly kept Jacob at, but she didn't.


Jacob arrived a few minutes later. He goes straight to his daughter's bedroom with Clair in tow and knocks. "Open up Alyssa."

His daughter immediately opens the door and wraps her arms around his waist. "Daddy..." She sobs.

His whole demeanor calms instantly. There was more to this than a tantrum. "What's going on huh?" He asks. He couldn't remember the last time she cried the word daddy and it was years since she had hugged him.

She sniffles but doesn't respond.

"Come on." He insists." Let's go in your room and talk."

"I don't wanna talk to her!" She points to her mom as if she was pointing out a person guilty in court. The word 'her' was used as she was a witch set to burn, and Jacob didn't like it. "Hey." He warns her sternly.

"I won't talk to her." She declares even further.

"It's okay." Clair leaves the area.

"In your room now." He guides her in and shuts the door.

It was a mess, things everywhere, and clothes piled on the bed. She moves some clothes aside and sits.

"Why are you behaving this way?" He folds his arms.

"I.." She sniffles. "I.." She catches her breath. "I don't want anyone taking your place." More real fresh tears began spewing out.

The twinge he felt in his heart was inescapable. Taking his place? "You will always only have one daddy sweetheart. What's this all about huh?"

"Mommy was dancing with another man at the wedding."

He clears this throat. There was obvious discomfort in what he was hearing. "That's okay people dance. That doesn't mean anything."

"No daddy he was holding her so close."

He felt that twinge again.

"He was like hugging her. I don't understand why he has to hug her. And mommy was acting like she liked it. Smiling and laughing with him."

Another twinge jabs him. The image was becoming so vivid and it was making him sick.

"And he's handsome daddy." She cries out. "I don't want mommy to be with anyone else.".

"Calm down...I'm sure your mother was just dancing."

"No, I'm sure that's mommy's boyfriend. Mommy invited him over before."

Now instead of a twinge, it was a gnawing. "What?" His heart started pumping twice as fast as before. The blood swelling up the veins in his neck and temple, but he does his best to remain calm. "Even if all of this were true sweetheart, no one can replace me okay." He clenches his jaw and swallows before continuing. "If your mom is moving on then she is trying to be happy." It was hard for him to say or even think, but it had to be said. "We should want her to be happy."

She lifts her sad wet eyes and shakes her head. Her little mind didn't want to accept that. "I want you and mom to get back together. Why can't you be together?

He sits beside and pulls her into a calming hug as her cries continue. "Sometimes people are better off apart. Everyone deserves to be happy, and if they are not, then they should try to be. That is what your mother and I are trying to do."

Her cries grow louder but she no longer argues. It took time, but eventually, she calmed down. He lets her know that he loves her and gently closes her door shut on his way out.

The thought of Clarissa being with another man was something he wasn't prepared for. A sinking eating away at your soul type of feeling sat inside him the moment Alyssa started talking of another man with her mother. He instantly denied it to himself. There was just no way she would be interested in dating. She wouldn't be with another man. She didn't even want him. Maybe that was it, maybe she wanted someone else all along.

Although he felt this agonizing jealousy, he knew it was because he was not used to the idea of her with someone else. Another man would be around his kids and be the family that he was supposed to be with them. It was completely normal to feel this way when your ex moves on. It would pass. It was going to be the hardest thing to watch but it would pass.


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