DENIAL STAGE
Leandro’s P.O.V.
I was hoping that Diane got home safely, and nothing bad had ever happened to her last night. For two years, I was only following her like a shadow. I ditched my work several times already just to make sure she would reach home completely safe. Maybe, it was about time for me to meet her family. I would also apologize to her brother if I scared him.
Due to my adrenaline rush, I hurried out of the mansion and quickly got inside my car. It looked like I almost flew my car when I pressed its gas pedal, and the speed of one hundred twenty kilometers per hour was still not enough. I continued speeding up, and I didn’t care at all if I would beat the red light or cause any road collision.
They should be the ones to avoid me if they didn’t want to be bumped over. “No one would even dare to mess with Leandro.” I scoffed.
The world only revolved around money. It was everything. I would not be arrested or ticketed by traffic enforcers for any violations because once I showed them loads of money, they would only zip their mouths shut as if nothing happened. Their tails would wag down, and soon later, the world would go upside down. They would be the ones to follow me as I ordered them around.
It was quite ironic, but I couldn’t even get Diane using money!
Focusing on driving, I still couldn’t stop thinking about her. Her safety was all that mattered right now, so I wouldn’t act as dominant as possible.
It took me a while before I reached their subdivision and parked alongside the gate of New Era Residences. I used my connections, and that was the reason why I was able to get their subdivision sticker, even though I didn’t live here. As I had said, everything could be bought with money. Money is power, and power controls everything.
Regretting that I wasn’t able to buy anything before coming here, I promised myself to bring flowers the next time—flowers that would be much more beautiful than what she had received last night. I was excited to get outside my car and rushed through the course of their house when at an unexpected moment, I saw a tall man wearing a black tuxedo who suddenly hugged Diane outside their gate.
Diane’s reaction was a bit startling, but her eyes looked like those were sparkling. She was melting. I saw how she held the man’s waist for support, and that already pierced my heart, bringing me tons of pain.
She even closed her eyes as if sniffing that man’s scent throughout as I watched them intently. Diane only stood at five feet and seven inches, but her high heels helped her almost bury her face at that guy’s neck.
Before he released Diane, his head leaned closer as if telling her something that distance prevented me from pointing out exactly. I guessed that he also kissed her forehead. I wasn’t sure, but it was what my instinct was telling me. I narrowed my eyes as rage flooded through my veins. I couldn’t press my anger down as it quickened on to my blood, prompting me to brutally kill someone.
Damn! What right does he have to kiss my Diane?
The man stood higher than six feet, and his back was facing me, so I could not see what he looked like. No matter how hard I tried to peek at either side of it, I still couldn’t see his face.
Was that scoundrel more handsome than me? Or was he that asshole who sent those fucking red roses to Diane while expressing on the card that he had already found her?
Furiously opening the door, I already stepped my left foot on the ground and ready to chase that rascal when I saw him get inside his car. Because of it, I didn’t proceed with my decision to get out of the car and just closed the door beside me. I used the opportunity to keenly watch Diane from afar. She was still stunned until her eyes followed the red car. A beatific smile soon painted on her luscious lips as she waved goodbye to that bastard.
And that what hurts me more. I would rather take a gun and shoot my head than seeing Diane elated with someone else. I was still heartbroken from last night, and a new scar was added to my collection today. The moment I loved her was the time I gave her something I could no longer take back. That made me lose myself in the process because I loved Diane so much.
Out of frustration, I balled my fists, put them under my nose and placed my elbows on the steering wheel. My jaw clenched, and the nerves on my neck strained. My left knee was trembling that I couldn’t control it. My expression turned dark, and my eyes narrowed even more as I watched her actions hardly.
Why does she seem to be someone who’s swaying on cloud nine? Why does she look so inspired?
It was so unusual for me to just sit right here and do nothing, but it seemed like I froze to my seat. It never happened to me to sulk around the corner and just watch while everything in front of me was tearing into pieces.
But now? I suddenly didn’t have the power to approach Diane personally. I just remained here in the driver’s seat until that dickhead’s car moved towards me. His windshield was darkly tinted, so I could not see who was driving that luxurious corvette.
But from the very moment that car passed mine, I was immensely sure of one thing. That car was indeed familiar to me as I darted my eyes on it—red corvette stingray. I just couldn’t remember exactly where I saw it, and my mind was giving me an obscure recollection. I was still trying so hard to squeeze my memory until… my eyes grew wide in horror!
Liam?
That was the same car from where I brought out all the shirts, jackets, shoes, and even the hand dumbbell weights he reserved for me after he got home in the mansion a few days back. I gasped, and before my jaws fell due to my shocking realization, I already used my palms to cover my mouth.
Thinking more about that faceless guy who fearlessly hugged Diane, I started comparing him with my brother because my mind was still in the denial stage. Liam was also over six feet in height—he was standing at six feet and two inches to be exact, while I stood at five feet and eleven inches.
My brother’s initial was also L, aside from the fact that it was actually L.A. But why would he look for Diane when he doesn’t even know her in the first place? Was he able to meet Diane before as Claire? But I always mentioned a certain Claire to him when he was still in the States, and it wasn’t my ex-girlfriend way back college years. He would not dare to break our bro code, would he?
But I couldn’t get it. What was Liam’s real connection to the woman I loved? Was there something more than what meets the eye that I had to deeply dig around? He couldn’t even have time to date because he was the real epitome of the word ‘busy.’ Was Diane the unknown reason for his immediate return here? But why? Then, I narrowed my eyes.
Was the ‘D’ in his D’ Jewelry Business in the States referred to Diane and not to his ex-girlfriend, as he previously said? No, there was no fucking way it would happen!
Goddamn it! This one is driving me insane.
All of the sudden, I drowned myself in one hell of confusion. I swallowed one after the other because my throat unexpectedly tightened with a strange fear. I just felt it for the first time that it made me sweat profusely. I saw how Diane smiled at him earlier—a candid smile I had never seen every time she was with me. It was funny how I was hurt by that one radiant smile she never gave me for the past two years.
I slouched my head on my car rest and bit my left thumbnail before I grinned like crazy. Shaking my head while still denying the possibilities, I pitied myself for being so pathetic. My legs felt wobbly, and my head felt so heavy.
No way! This can’t be real. Was Diane really with L.A. the whole night? But where did they go?
Damn it! I would never accept this. Of all people, why does it have to be my brother?
Aggravated, I just wanted to lose myself as I grabbed a handful of my hair. I wanted to beat everyone out of misery. I badly needed to yell on top of my lungs, but the screams wouldn’t escape past my quivering lips.
“Argh!” I growled while restraining myself not to. Because of that, I ended up repeatedly banging the steering wheel like a punching bag and throwing what my hands could grasp in the car.
How I wished that everything I assumed was entirely wrong! In fact, I could be wrong. The two most important persons in my life were at stake here, so I would never want to be right all along.
I was hoping that of all people, my opponent would never be the one I trusted the most. God knew how I wished that everything was only a nightmare now, and I had just fallen into a deep slumber because I could never accept the fact that of all people, my rival to Diane’s heart would be my own brother.