Elsa
"Why don't you take a fake boyfriend along with you?" Gina, my present best friend suggested. I had just explained my latest predicament to her, shortly after arriving to her house for a sleep over.
I shook my head wearily. "Nah, I don't think that's a good idea."
I was already pathetic enough. Getting a fake boyfriend would make me seem more pathetic, and I was certain Seth and Andrew would be able to tell that I wasn't actually dating the man.
"I think I'll just go alone. Surely arriving alone couldn't be that bad."
Alas, it was really that bad. Shortly after I arrived at the villa the wedding would take place at, I realized my mistake. Everyone was with a date, except me, making me stick out like a sour thumb.
Even my brother, who was a man whore, came with a date.
When he engulfed me in a hug, I clung to him tightly while he stroked my back. I've missed him so much, we don't get to see much anymore because of our jobs. I miss the old days when we had no problems.
"How are you, frozen?" He asked with a fond chuckle after the hug ended and groaned as I shoved at his chest while he dissolved into laughter.
"Stop with that horrible nickname." I whined but as usual, he assured me that would only happen in my dreams before we were hugging again and he was kissing my hair.
My heart ached. Fuck, I've missed Seth so much.
"Damn, is any hug still left for me?" Andrew's voice filled the air, sounding very close and I stiffened, warmth instantly filling up my insides as I slowly broke the hug to glance over at Andrew.
As usual, my beesth caught at the sight of his flawless face, and when he opened his arms, I shyly walked right into the hug, feeling fluttery on the inside as he hugged me tightly and told me how glad he was that I was here.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." I tell him after the hug ended, grinning up at him, even though I was breaking down on the insides.
"Are you okay though? You on board with my decision?" He asked, his voice lowered this time.
I almost rolled my eyes, was he seriously asking me this right now? If he cared about my opinion, he'd have told me before purposing to that wrench.
"Of course I am. I only want you to be happy." I breathed out and he grinned happily before hugging me tightly again.
"I'm truly happy you're here, Elsa. Your presence alone strengthens me and gives me confidence." He confessed into my ear and I swallowed emptily as my arms tightened around him, while feeling my heart breaking on the inside.
That was all he sees me as. An emotional pillar to lean on whenever he was weak. A confidante. A best buddy. A little sister.
He'd never see me as anything more.
And that thought always hurt, today wasn't any different.
After we pulled away, he went off to meet his fiancée who was just emerging from an elevator, and as I watched them share a filthy kiss, my heart squeezed tightly in my chest at that sight.
I glanced away from the sight before I puked on the ground right now. All around me, the guests gathered around in twos and fours all had a date beside him. I was the only one without a date, and I felt regret slowly course through me.
I really should have listened to Gina. A fake boyfriend is definitely way better than standing out like this.
"I thought you were gonna show up with a man?" Seth drawled beside me and I stiffened before glancing sideways at him.
"Who's that girl you brought along? Is this one serious?" I asked, choosing to change the subject.
"You know that never works on me, Els. To answer your question, she's not serious, just a weekend fling," he snorted as he responded and I pursed my lips.
I genuinely envied my brother when it came to that. He was always having flings after flings, without any issues whatsoever. However, the thought of having meaningless sex irked me. Perhaps it was because I still had the old school mentality, but I believed sex wasn't something trivial that one should have carelessly.
"Elsa." Seth called out when I still remained silent.
"I didn't bring anyone because there was no one to bring, since I have no boyfriend." I responded flatly while rolling my eyes.
He didn't laugh or make jokes. He had a frown on his face when I glanced at him, and I felt bad for always making him worry, but it wasn't my fault.
"Is this because of your feelings for Andrew?" He asked and I quickly shook my head.
"Definitely not. I promise. I'm really trying to get over him, I swear, and I believe this wedding should help me come to terms with my feelings." I assured him but he still looked unsure.
After he discovered my feelings for his best friend over a decade ago, Andrew stopped coming over till about two years. I didn't know what exactly happened, but I think he and Andrew fought over it. The two year gap was undoubtedly supposed to kill off my crush, but it only made it worse.
"Remember I'm always here whenever you need a shoulder." He assured me, stroking my hair for a moment, then he unexpectedly flicked my forehead hard and I squeaked and slapped his arm while cursing him out, but he only laughed as he strode away without a backward glance.
I was walking around the villa looking around the sheer exquisite beauty of every single thing here. I should be out here touring this villa with a date, preferably a man in love with me like I am with him. But sadly, that wasn't the case for me at all.
I took a turn at the end of the walkway and that was where Elena came to confront me.
She didn't look happy to see me. She had an unimpressed expression on as she looked me up and down, her arms folded as she began to speak.
"I'm gonna make this quick. I'm gonna politely ask you to put an end to any feelings you still have for Andrew. I can see it in your eyes that you still love him… and that's genuinely hilarious considering the fact that the man never looked in your direction for a moment."
I stiffened, feeling mortification fully engulf me as I bristled from anger and irritation at the same time.
"You're being ridiculous, Elena. I've been over Andrew since forever. And besides, someone like you who abandoned Andrew for a different man has no right to speak to me like this." I snapped sharply and she bursted into laughter.
"You've gotten over him? Lair. I could see the longing in your eyes when you interacted. Too bad he'll never desire you like that. And you said I left him for another man? Well now isn't it ironic that despite me leaving him for years, you were still unable to make him yours… till I returned and made him mine again."
I bristled even more, hating that all her words were getting to me so much.
"If you have nothing better to say, I suggest that you get lost. As you already guessed, I'm vehemently against the wedding and I'm only here to support Andrew." I informed her and she snorted, stepping closer to me.
"Of course you'd be against it, since you literally love my fiance."
"I already told you I'm over him," I reminded her the lie which I desperately wished was true.
"If you're being honest, you'd have arrived with a date." She pointed out and I folded my arms while stepping closer to her.
"Jokes on you because I did bring a date," I hurled at her without thinking, simply because I wanted to have the last word.
She grinned, her eyes gleaming.
"Oh, yeah? So where is he? Invisible like your brains?"
My brain short circuited and I glanced around, heart still racing fast due to the ongoing argument. A man was walking right past us, and without thinking, I grabbed him and tugged him down into a kiss.
His eyes were blown wide with clear surprise, and the kiss only lasted for a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity, especially after I felt tingles in my lips when it moved against his a little.
When I pulled away, my grip was still on his arm as I faced a gaping Elena.
"As you can see, this is my boyfriend, Elena."
I kept praying that this stranger wouldn't make me look like the most stupid person on earth by shoving me away and warning me to not touch him again.
When the stranger's arm draped over my shoulder, which he used to firmly pull me into his side, I felt my heart stutter in my chest because I could feel his muscles through his clothes, and his hand on my bare skin was making me feel flustered at once.
"Oh, yes. This is my girlfriend." He finally breathed out in a deep, husky drawl, and as a shiver rolled down my spine, I sent up a silent thanks to the heavens.
Elena's eyes narrowed as she looked between us, while this stranger who smells so damn good, leaned down to brush his lips against my forehead, making my face turn red as our eyes met.
"Where have you been, kitten? I was searching for you." He breathed out as he pulled away and my heartbeat accelerated away.
This stranger was putting on a far greater show than I could have ever anticipated, and now that I was able to get a clear view of his face, a breath caught in my throat from how hot he looked.
His features were so damn beautiful and exquisite. His eyes were a light grey, his nose was slim, his lips were the perfect size. His hair was blonde, and was presently in a man bun behind his head, and no strand escaped the tie. His jaw was so sharp, it could definitely cut through iron.
He looked so… unreal.
~~~
Once alone with this handsome stranger who surprisingly went along with my lie without questions, I felt beyond embarrassed and couldn't meet his eyes.
Apart from the fact that I was dying from embarrassment, I was firmly staring at my feet because locking eyes with him was making me feel out of breath. He was so hot— about a foot taller than I am, and he has very broad shoulders that made him look very strong manly. He has a very gorgeous face, like the one that deserved to be on the runway.
"I'm so sorry for that," I began awkwardly, still staring at my feet.
"Are you at least gonna look at me?" He asked and I forced myself to glance up, and at once, my breath hitched in my throat as his grey eyes locked with mine.
"Good girl." he stated, with an amused ilt, almost like he was teasing, but I flushed a bright scarlet as a tiny shiver raced down my spine.
I cleared my throat and tried gathering myself together so I could properly apologize to him, but before I could get a word out, Seth and his date were stopping right beside us, and I didn't even notice them coming till this very moment.
Seth had a very shocked expression on as he looked between me and this ridiculously hot stranger, and he spoke before I could.
"Ah, Elsa, I see you've already met my boss." He breathed out, grinning excitedly as he looked between us again.
My brain short circuited and i believed I had heard wrong.
"Huh?" I whispered.
"The owner of the company I work in, this is him. I've told you about him, remember?" He continued, then he stepped forward and began to introduce us. "Mr. Kade Goldstone, meet my little sister, the one I always talk about, Elsa Denver."
The blood drained from my face as a sharp realization jolted through me at once.
The man who I had just kissed a few minutes ago is the same billionaire my brother worked for?
Oh my god…