Zed's POV
It's already four in the morning when the music from the ballroom stops. As the host of the party, I can't afford to leave the guests who danced into the night until three. While the youngsters were dancing, I checked the guest's logbook. But Maezy's name wasn't there. There's no suspicious entry as well because I was the one who listed down the guests to be invited. As to why she was at my engagement party, I had no idea.
I have the feeling that she comes for revenge. I'm beginning to feel afraid for Yen. I wonder if they knew she was here last night. I want to warn her, but how? I don't want this to cause problems between Ella and me.
Ara can also be her target, but she only plays a small role in her destruction. What I am being sure of is that she's here for James. Without James, she can't get enough resources for her financial needs. Mr. Yuki left her, and Kim has found out about her deception. I knew that Maezy did shady things for James, and she had been his accomplice in many of his underhanded operations. They may have romantic involvement, but I guess James had no feelings for her.
When the cleaners arrive, I give them instructions right away. And finally, I can be with my fiancée. I'm expecting her to be fast asleep since she went to bed late already.
I slowly open the door to our room, and to my surprise, she wasn't there. I scan the room with my eyes and notice that the door to the terrace is slightly opened. I step on my toes, trying to avoid some noise. But my heart stops when I finally reach the door and hear her sobs.
"Yes, Mr. Banzon, I will see him. I'll let you know when. Yes, as soon as possible. See you there." Ella then places her phone on the coffee table then holds her head with her two hands, her elbows resting close to her phone.
"Ella?" I call her, and she jolts in her seat. "What's wrong?"
At the sound of sympathy, Ella bursts into a loud cry. It takes her a few minutes to finally open her mouth to speak.
“Zed, Mr. Banzon just called. James wants to see me."
I feel a sudden sharp and deep prick inside my heart. Just tonight, a few hours ago, we promised forever to each other. It's not even a day yet, and here comes the threat.
"Why are you crying?" I tell her, pulling her close to me. She sobs louder, and I can tell through that outburst that she's not going to choose me.
"I'm afraid, Zed."
I rub her back, letting her rest her face in the crook of my neck. "Do whatever is best for you. I only want you to be happy."
She sniffs louder, and the sound of her pain breaks my heart.
"I want you in my life, Ella. I want to be with you forever. But as I have always said, I won't get in the way. If you want to go back to him, just forget me. I come prepared for that already."
I am thinking it would be easy, but I realize I can never be ready enough. As I comfort her, my tears also find their way to my face. It hurts. And the pain is now slowly killing me.
Ella rises from her chair after a while, then leads me inside. "It's late. You need to sleep."
I scoff silently. How can I ever sleep with this weight in my heart?
But I can't argue with her. Or else, she will know I am crying. I slip inside the covers after her, then turn the light from the lampshade off. Ella has this light on always, but I always turn this off when I have something naughty in mind.
I place her head in my arm while I wrap an arm around her body. When she moves to her side, I pull her close. I sniff on her scent, knowing that I will soon miss this. None of us get the courage to speak until she turns to face me after an hour.
"Zed, whatever happens, I want you to know that I love you already. I don't want us to end."
The lump in my throat grows bigger, choking me already. I know crying doesn't make me inhuman, but I can't show Ella how much I am hurting.
To make an excuse, I bend my head and capture her lips in a deep kiss. She also kisses me back, but her tears never stop. When I can't hold my own tears any longer, I strip her nighties off. And there, I bury my face in the apex of her thighs, exploring her until she shivers countless times. Little does she know that the extra lubricant does not only come from her insides but also because of my tears.
"Stop that. I want you inside," Ella finally complains. And the softness of her voice is enough to make my shaft spring hard.
"I want to enter from behind," I whisper.
"Sure." She crawls on all fours right away, giving me her behind.
I don't want her to do this since it's tiring for a pregnant woman, but only through this way can I do it without her seeing my face.
I let my hands roam over her body until they rested on her dangling cups. I slowly roll the tips, but she reaches out for my shaft, aiming it on her entrance. And since she asks for it, I give in willingly.
We lay exhausted after what seems like an eternity. And I made sure Ella would remember this night. We drift off to sleep right after that strenuous adventure, only to get awaken up by a loud banging on the door.
I grab my shirt and my pajamas before I walk towards the door. My eyes still feel like they're full of sand grains, but whoever is the person outside the door must be damned. I twist the doorknob open, expecting one of the cleaners. But to my surprise, I see Ara.
"Sorry to wake you up! But I need to go," Ara pouts. The hell with her! How does she get the guts to fret when she's the one who disrupted my sleep? I can't help myself but smile at her in amusement.
"Just please text me your bank account. I'll send my payment soon, promise."
"Shut up! I need breakfast. It's almost lunchtime already."
I slap my forehead. How did I forget that Ara slept in the guestroom? And because she's our guest and our event coordinator, I should be serving her well.
"Ah, yes. I'm sorry. I'll be quick," I apologize.
I climb two steps at a time and reach the kitchen in no time. I turn to the coffee maker first, refilling it with water and ground coffee beans. Once it starts pressing fluid into the pitcher, I open the refrigerator to grab something for breakfast. Thankfully, Yen has bought sandwiches the day before. I just have to reheat them in the microwave.
"Don't bother, Zed. I only need coffee," Ara suddenly speaks behind me.
I turn in her direction and find her pouring coffee into two cups. Then, she continues, "And besides, I have already prepared breakfast."
I chuckle as I see the food on the table. She has prepared breakfast indeed. "It so thoughtful of you, Ar. Thank you so much."
Seeing that I don't have anything to do anymore, I move towards the table and sit across from her.
"Zed, I could have gone home already, but I want to talk to you first."
I look at her, and my heart suddenly turns erratic.