Chapter 215: The Past [21]

ANASTASIA

I couldn’t stop smiling ever since I left the Salvero estate. So much happened in the span of hours, and there was so much of it that had my heart swell.

It turned out Zade had five brothers, and I learned more about him... not much, but he didn’t seem like a mysterious stranger anymore.

Last night got pretty intense. Things did get heated, really heated, and for a moment there I thought—!

I clenched my purse tightly because just thinking about it got me so flushed. Things happened... and I sorta told him it was my first time and that I wanted him to be my first.

Talk about the next level of embarrassment when I blurted that out, but thinking about it right now, I don’t feel that way.

I was reminded of the possessive look in his eyes.

It made me realize then that whatever this was... was slowly turning into a relationship. A relationship with a Don. If I had told myself this a month ago, I would have slapped myself on the face for even considering something like that.

I have been all over Jacob for so long in my life that this felt like an impossible dream.

I rubbed my thighs together. I could still feel the lingering sensation of his tongue. This is definitely not a fucking dream.

"Ana?"

"Hm?!" I flinched, snapping my gaze to Elliot.

"You good?"

"Y-Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?"

"We just arrived at the spot."

"Spot?"

"For Uber."

"O-Oh..." I moved my gaze to the window and then back to him.

He was meant to drop me off here upon my request, and then I’d take an Uber home.

"Actually, can we make a quick stop?" I suggested.

"You want me to drive you there?"

"I-I understand that you aren’t my driver or anything and probably have tons to do, and—"

He chuckled, catching me off guard as he pressed the button to start the car.

"There’s nothing on my schedule today." He checked his Rolex. "And we’re early, so.... Where to?"

A smile curled on my lips.

~☆~

I adjusted my skates, then looked over at Elliot, who was watching me as though I’d done something strange.

"What?" I asked, grabbing a set of boots that were his size. "You should try them I got brown, and it matches your suit."

"Why are we here?" he asked when he still didn’t get the point of this.

"To... um... skate?" I pointed out like I was talking to a five-year-old. "Ice rink, boots. Ring a bell?"

He shrugged. "I’m clearly aware of where we are."

"Good!"

"What I mean is, why here?"

"Oh... I just thought of this place; that’s why. It’s been a while, and I’ve been meaning to."

He eyed the boots. "Do I have to skate with you?"

"Only if you want to. No pressure. But it’s more fun when two people are skating, but it’s okay if you don’t wanna—"

He grabbed the boots, and I smiled brightly.

I was the first to glide through the ice, the blades of my skates scraping against the solid surface.

I threw a look over my shoulder. "What are you doing? Don’t just stand there. There’s enough ice!"

Elliot was at the edge, yet to cross over. I glided toward him in one swift motion, leaning my hips slightly back to keep my balance.

"Something wrong?"

"I think the boots are a little loose," he replied.

I huffed. "No, they aren’t. I’m pretty sure they are your size."

And then it hit me.

"Wait..." I smirked. "You can’t skate, can you?"

He cleared his throat, fixing his cufflink. "That’s highly unlikely; just trying to avoid any risks."

How sneaky, playing it off coolly.

I abruptly grabbed his arm and pulled him along with me. Elliot was nearly Zade’s size, yet he tripped. He fucking tripped.

"Oh my god!" I lurched forward, and I fell over him.

I laughed.

"You shouldn’t have done that." He grunted, trying to get up, but not with me on top of him.

"Sorry!" I quickly pulled myself off him and sat down on the ice.

Luckily, we were the only ones here, so no one caught that embarrassing fall.

Elliot brushed off invisible lint from his suit. "Tell no one about this."

"My lips are sealed, but I might tease you later for it."

He pinned me with a look, and I giggled.

"Unless you stand probably next time, I’ll consider it." I was up on my feet. "Well?"

He cleared his throat, and I could tell the humiliation was getting to him. So he picked himself up and almost tripped again.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I laughed, grabbing his arm, but he was twice my size, so I got pulled into his arms, and we both fell over.

"Maybe you should try standing slowly," I groaned. "Or we would keep falling into each other’s arms, and that’s pretty uncomfortable."

"I was in no rush. You’re just a bad teacher."

I gasped and slapped him on the chest.

"Ow."

"I’m gonna pretend you didn’t say that." I gave him a good pat on the shoulder. "So then, let’s get up together to avoid another disastrous fallout."

He snickered softly. "Alright, Ana, this is your territory, so show the way."

"Ana?" I narrowed my eyes. "Only my friends call me that. I’ll allow it."

He flashed me a toothy grin as I grabbed his hands. I felt him stiffen, as though my gesture had caught him off guard. But I was more focused on getting this man on his feet.

"Ready?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope!" I chirped. "One, two, three—"

We got up at the same time, surprisingly balanced, leaving aside the many failed attempts.

"Stop shaking!" I teased.

"I’m not shaking," he retorted, holding my arms tighter. "Give me long hours of meetings any day, but not this."

"Alright, alright! Just don’t trip, or it will end badly for us. Ready?"

"No."

I released his arm, but I held onto his hand as we glided successfully toward the edge.

"See? It wasn’t that hard." I couldn’t help but be amused; the image of a well-dressed man in a suit struggling to get through the ice rink was hilarious.

When we made it to the bench, Elliot was the most relieved.

"I’m not doing whatever that was again."

"Consider it a one-time opportunity." I nudged his shoulder with mine.

He smiled softly as he undid the knot of the boot. "Come here often?"

His question caused a shift in my mood, but I did my best to hide it. "Yeah, um..." I scratched the back of my head. "With my sister. This place is under some renovations, but we, um, made this place exclusive."

I couldn’t help smiling at the memories and thinking back to them right now... I realized that for the last few weeks Annabeth and I haven’t spent time like we usually do.

We either shopped or clubbed together. There were a ton of things we do a lot, but now...

"Lately I feel like..." I paused. "It’s nothing."

"Does this have to do with being at the wrong place at the wrong time?" Elliot asked, and I knew he thought back to what I said at the elevator.

"You remembered that."

"How could I forget?"

I smiled. "This is different. This has to do with existing in someone else’s shadow."

"I know that feeling."

His words touched a spot. Does he feel that way towards Zade? I don’t know much, but it seemed like that.

However, I didn’t wanna conclude.

"It scares me," I confessed.

"Why?"

"Because it’s starting to feel like more than being in her shadow. There’s this wall over us now... I can’t explain it. I just wish we never grew up, you know. It was easier that way."

"That is one thing we can’t control no matter what we do."

"Yeah, I guess so. Can I be honest?"

He grinned. "Haven’t you been?"

"Well, I have, but not when I said I wanted to come here. It was because I didn’t wanna go home. I’m afraid more is gonna change from now on."

"That’s something we can’t control either. Sometimes we want things one way, but it never exactly works."

I smiled at a memory. "Zade told me that the universe is a fucked up place already. It works in your favor or not, but in the end it’s up to you."

"Sounds like my brother."

I sighed and pushed myself to my feet. "I guess sooner or later things are gonna happen, right? Just gotta deal with it, even if it scares you. I think I’m ready to go home now."

"Ana?"

"Yeah?" I turned.

"This was... a much appreciated experience. Thank you."

I winked. "Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me."

~☆~

I closed the car door and watched the Uber drive away. I turned to the manor, sighing as I walked in.

I finally switched on my phone and saw tons of texts. Great. I had gone ghost mode for the last twenty hours, so it was expected.

I was close to my room when I froze midway. The sharp noises of ripping reached my ears.

What’s that?

Without hesitation, I walked into my room. My eyes widened at the sight of the torn dresses scattered across the floor and bed.

Then I noticed the box... the name of the boutique it had come from printed on the side. These were the other dresses Zade got for me and had sent over.

In disbelief, I darted my eyes to Annabeth just as she ripped the last dress to shreds with the scissors before tossing the ruined pieces on the bed.

Her chest rose high and low as she pinned me with a glare so fierce that I froze. Rage burned in her eyes, twisting her features into something I could barely recognize.