Chapter 6
I had successfully hosted a grand sculpture exhibition in Italy, and my phone buzzed incessantly with messages of congratulations.
The last time I had received such an outpouring of well–wishes was when I announced my engagement to Elias.
Back then, I had been merely the trophy girlfriend of a wealthy CEO.
Now, I was blossoming into an emerging star in the world of sculpture, Elsie.
Even Elias’s parents reached out to extend their congratulations.
I replied politely but kept my responses measured, grateful yet wary of getting too close, knowing it could lead to unwanted expectations.
My mentor relayed the news that the son of the wealthiest family back home had insisted on marrying his first love, his tone a mix of worry and curiosity.
“Aren’t you going back to stop it?” he had asked.
I shook my head lightly, feeling a sense of liberation. What was there to stop? It had nothing to do with me anymore.
The announcement of the engagement had made waves, reaching even those of us living
abroad.
Yet, curiously, the wedding never took place.
Whispers began to circulate that the couple had broken up.
My friend Atticus subtly hinted at the rumors, asking if I had done something to cause the rift. Although puzzled, I brushed it off, unaware of the truth, until my return to the country three months later.
The moment I stepped off the plane, an unsettling feeling washed over me. Despite my newfound fame abroad, I was still far from a public figure.
Yet, the airport was alive with banners welcoming me, lavishly adorned with countless rare and expensive roses.
Alarmed, I turned to make my way through the VIP passage, but fate had other plans. There he was, Elias, holding a massive bouquet of roses, dressed in a custom–made suit, his face lighting up with joy as he locked eyes with me.
My mentor, who had accompanied me back, appeared taken aback and quietly asked, “Didn’t you say it was over long ago? What’s happening now?”
I shook my head, uncertainty flooding my thoughts. “I’m not too sure either. Could you please go to the car and wait for me? I’ll be right there.”
After he nodded and walked away, Elias finally approached, his demeanor hesitant.
Despite his efforts to maintain an air of composure, the dark circles under his eyes and the weariness on his face were unmistakable.
I kept my expression neutral, maintaining my distance.
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I kept my expression neutral, maintaining my distance.
As he noticed my deliberate detachment, his eyes began to redden.
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“I’m sorry. This time, I truly understand my mistake. Only you would unconditionally forgive and love me, only you have always supported me,” he said, his voice trembling with emotion.
In the past, my instincts would have driven me to wipe away his tears, but now I stood before him, entirely unmoved.
Elias noticed my cold demeanor, and it seemed to wound him even deeper.
“I know I hurt you, but I still want to explain,” he said, his voice trembling. “Nothing happened between Valeria and me. When she returned home, she told me she had cancer, and her last wish was to marry me. I agreed, believing she was so despondent that she might act impulsively if I refused. It was only a facade of a marriage, and I kept it from you to spare you any jealousy. My only intention was to shield you from pain.”
He added, “Yes, I admit I had lingering feelings for her, but I never envisioned abandoning you. I merely wished to fulfill a youthful dream. Once her wish was realized, I intended to come back to you.”
I chuckled softly, the sound laced with disbelief. “If you can’t let go of her, then go find her. Why turn back now?”
Elias shook his head, determination etched across his features. “No, I don’t want her. I only want you. I had intended to explain everything when I returned to Berlin, but you were nowhere to be found. I asked around, but no one would divulge your whereabouts.”
Of course, they wouldn’t; I’d made sure of that. I had no intention of allowing Elias to hold me back. He moved a step closer, and I instinctively recoiled.
Faced with my resolute stance, he crouched down, despair enveloping him. “Nothing happened between me and Valeria; why won’t you believe me?”
Silence hung between us like a thick fog. He gazed up at me, his eyes pleading for understanding. “Is it because of the IVF report? Is that why you can’t forgive me? I can explain!”
I shook my head, determined to walk away, but Elias wrapped his arms around my waist, his desperation spilling over. “Listen to me! You can’t just leave!”
“It was all a lie! Valeria faked her cancer; she only returned for my money, hoping to have my child. I didn’t agree to that. Instead, I arranged for a surrogate abroad to prevent her from getting pregnant. We shared a few kisses, and those pictures she sent you? They were taken after I’d been drinking. My friends brought me home, but by then, you were already gone. It was all a misunderstanding.”
By the end, Elias pointed a finger at me. “You’re partly to blame, too. If you had just talked to me, if we’d communicated better, we wouldn’t be in this mess. Now that the truth is out, you’ll forgive me, right?”
“My dad has already sent Valeria abroad. She won’t bother us again. With my parents keening a watchful eve what more could you possibly worry about?”
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to me, if we’d communicated better, we wouldn’t be in this mess. Now that the truth is out, you’ll forgive me, right?”
“My dad has already sent Valeria abroad. She won’t bother us again. With my parents keeping a watchful eye, what more could you possibly worry about?”
As I glanced at the hands gripping my waist, I frowned, prying them away before turning to
face him. His charming eyes held only me, glimmering with a love I once yearned for but had never truly received.
Tentatively, he offered me the roses. “Please don’t be mad at me. Let’s treat each other well from now on, alright?”
Yet the dew on the roses had dried, and the petals had wilted, a testament to Elias’s careless handling. The flowers had lost their freshness and allure.
He noticed their state as well, taking the bouquet and tossing it to the ground. “These flowers have withered. They don’t suit you. I’ll get new ones.”
Now, he seemed interested in me only because I had blossomed into something remarkable. If I accepted his reconciliation, how long would it be before the novelty wore off, leaving me as discarded as those once–vibrant roses?
Without a word from me, Elias took my hand, confident in his assumptions. “I know you’ve forgiven me. Let’s go see my parents and set a new engagement date.”
I pulled my hand away, my expression remaining blank. “So, just because nothing happened between you and Valeria, I’m supposed to commend you?”
Elias looked confused, a frown creasing his brow. “What?”
His feigned ignorance left me thoroughly unimpressed. “I’ve told you countless times that we’re done. Adults don’t have this many misunderstandings. Your failure to maintain a respectful distance with other women is your own fault. My decision to break up is a consequence of your actions.”
“You know I never joke about breaking up, so stop thinking I’m playing hard to get. We are really, truly finished.”
Ignoring the look of utter defeat etched on his face, I deleted and blocked every trace of him from my life right in front of him. “Don’t try to uncover anything about me through other channels. I’m genuinely disgusted by that kind of behavior.”
Elias’s face drained of color, his lips quivering as if he had been struck. To an observer, it might have seemed I was the one causing him pain.
I let out a mocking laugh. “Delayed affection is worth less than grass. You’re no noble lover, so stop pretending.”
Elias’s pride ran deep; he would only concede once everything was final.
Unfazed by his emotions, I turned and walked away.
From that moment on, my focus would be my career. I was determined to seek new happiness.
