Chapter Thirty Two
Elena's POV
"I appreciate you working for us. It's actually an enormous honor..." I sighed, leaning my back against my office chair, "but you know, my husband wouldn't like it once he'll know. He still thought that we had a past."
"Sorry to hear that," he frowned, "when your business partner contacted my agency, I thought you considered my suggestion for me to model your clothing line."
I shook my head. "Camella did it behind my back. It surprised me when she showed me your portfolio."
Christian's brows drew together. "You want me to back out of the deal?"
"I don't think that's possible. She'd fight me tooth and nail."
"She seems a determined woman."
"Yeah. She who would do anything to make our brand known. Hiring you to represent our brand would make a big impact on the market."
"That's very flattering. To be honest, I rarely model for clothing brands. But because of you, I accepted."
"Ah... really. I still remember you've said that it's the least that you can do, because you can't tell the truth that there was nothing between us."
"Not only that," he shrugged, "I feel this... connection between us."
"Please stop, Christian. Don't go there. I'm a happily married woman now."
"Hey, I'm talking about friendship, nothing else. I know you're married and I respect that."
"Oh..."
"With my profession, it's so rare of me to meet someone whom I can connect easily, to talk freely about anything. The first time I met you, I felt like I've known you for too long already."
"I always get that feeling with older people."
His eyebrows furrowed. "I'm not old!"
We laughed and started talking about random stuff. I learned he was not only an actor, model and entrepreneur but also an environmentalist. He told me about his projects in preserving the environment.
"So, you're a happy now?" he asked, while eating the French macaroons that he brought for me.
"Yeah. Adonis and I sorted our relationship. Finally, we got to understand each other."
"Good for you both."
"That's why I have to tell him the truth about us. Or else he'll get so mad once he knows that you're modelling our men's collection. It could break our marriage."
"Well," he wiped his mouth with his handkerchief, "you're right. If I'm in his shoes, I'll be so mad as well. Tell him he deserves to know."
"Thanks Christian, I'll tell him tonight."
But during the evening, Adonis arrived home looking so upset. He lost a big business deal in Germany.
"Dammit. We were only five minutes late in submitting our proposal," he was in a rage as he narrated the incident before dinner, "we could have emailed it early morning, but that lazy ass supplier took too long to reply! We should have made an estimate of the cost of some materials..."
I ended up listening to him. I could not tell him about Christian, it would only upset him more.
The following morning, he left early to visit his project site. The conversation I expected in the evening never happened, because he suggested another honeymoon. We were so happy and excited when we talked about it. A mention of Christian's name would only spoil his good mood, so I deferred.
"Let's go to Miami this weekend. I'll make sure that we'll both enjoy our honeymoon this time," he said with a promise. We were in the living room, cuddling each other after dinner, while drinking wine and listening to soft music.
"I'll surely have fun because we're together."
His lips rained kisses on my neck, his hand caressing my thigh. "We'll go island hopping, scuba diving, try local food and wine... and make love a lot. So make sure you'll have plenty of energy this weekend," he teased.
"I'm always ready. You should tell yourself that," I giggled when he tickled my side.
The opportunity to tell him the truth about Christian kept on postponing. We had our second honeymoon, and we were back at work on Monday.
Monday night, Adonis informed me he needed to go to Paris the following day for a business deal.
"I want to take you with me, but my schedule is very hectic. We won't have much time to roam around the city."
"It's okay. I'm also very busy now that the opening of the men's collection is due soon," I assured him. "We can do it, probably in summer?"
"Right, we have plenty of time to travel around the world."
Our relationship was getting smoother. We had many meaningful conversations about anything, except for some truths. On my side, topics about myself, Christian and my mother. And in him, his past relationships, especially about Trisha.
But I wished someday we would be more open with each other. I wanted to tell him the truth about everything at a right time. I wanted to know also about everything that happened in his life. No secrets, especially about Trisha.
That evening, we were on his bed, making love again.
Yeah, his bed. His bedroom. His privacy.
The same routine happened since we started sleeping together. I would go to his room every night to sleep with him. Then in the morning, we parted ways after a quick tumble on the bed or make love in the shower.
"You're so beautiful, Elena. I want you so much..." same words he would say to me, every day. I wished he would say 'I love you' instead.
____
The following day, I went to the nail salon across our building. I needed to have my nails done for the event that evening.
"Elena? Is that you?" A curvy brunette said the moment she entered the salon.
Oh, no... I said to myself when I recognized her face.
"Do you remember me? I'm Rita Cook. Cheerleader, Prom Queen... the 'It' girl in high school," she put her hands on her hips.
I only remembered her as the meanest girl in high school.
"Of course," I forced a smile, "who would ever forget you?"
"Right! No one. I'm the most popular girl!" She laughed and sat on a vacant chair beside me, and the manicurist attended to her nails.
Darn it. I'm trapped talking with her for the next fifteen minutes. The manicurist just started my nails on my second hand.
"Everyone's envy on you. You married a billionaire. Tell me your secret. How did you catch an extremely wealthy man like Adonis Stavrakos?"
"There's no secret. Our families just introduced us."
"Oh... yeah, you're a Pallis after all," one of her eyebrows rose, "I wonder, why your grandfather did not acknowledge you before?" when I did not answer, she gave her own answer, "of course, you want to keep a low profile. Extremely rich people do that, because they're afraid of being kidnapped. Let's hang out. I miss having you around. We used to be so closed in high school."
My forehead furrowed. I was not aware that we were close.
"I can't. I'm busy with my business... and I just got married a few months ago."
"Oh... you're still in your honeymoon stage," she giggled, then her eyes went to my tummy, "are you pregnant?"
"Huh?" I looked at my tummy.
"Oh, sorry. I thought you were," her eyes turned wicked, her lips twisted nastily, "I have an excellent exercise to flatten a tummy. Call me and I'll teach you."
"No thanks. It's not effective. It didn't work on you."
Her eyes widened briefly, then gave me a sympathetic look.
"Haven't you ever thought that Adonis Stavrakos married you only for money? I'm sorry to break this to you, but dear, you should know... your husband is deeply in love with Trisha Cunning for years. And nothing can break that love... even marriage with you. They're solid."
"Excuse me?" My eyes squinted with sudden anger.
She chuckled nastily, "don't get upset, I'm just concern about you. I know, because I followed their love story."
"You have no right to talk about this. You know nothing," I snapped at her.
"Hmm... maybe you're the one who doesn't know about your husband's activities," she smiled wickedly, "keep your eyes open my dear."