Dating Mr. CEO - Chapter 56: Chapter 56

FAY
I added syrup to the pancake, carefully. Taking my time to draw out a design on it. Not that El was ever going to notice, But this was like the first time I'd ever make anything for him.
Last night was extraordinarily wonderful, I'd give anything to be with him every night. But before that, I'd have to talk to him about stopping the plan. I didn't think I'd be able to carry on with it after last night.
I didn't want to have to pretend to the world; to lie to everyone.
People were already saying uncomfortable things about Elroy and I. Twitter was all over the place with our names trending. People were beginning to predict a break up between us and I didn't like it.
I wanted to end this drama, probably come up front and ask Lucas about it.
I was pretty sure he wouldn't suspect anything for now, I just hoped Elroy would agree to it because I was actually tired of waiting.
So tired.
I placed the pancakes on the table, then moved to the fridge to grab the strawberry flavoured juice I bought specially for Elroy, seeing as he was in love with the flavour.
It didn't take long before the alluring scent of my body wash fill the kitchen, then I felt his strong arms wrap around my waist, as he buried his head to my neck, his lips brushed against my nape as he murmured. "Morning, babe."
A smile spread across my lips. Babe sounded so foreign, but it did sound alright.
He smelled so divine.
"Morning, you." I said, unable to fight the rush of heat running up my ears, neck and cheeks.
He chuckled. "How did you manage to wake up before me?" He asked.
I bit my lower lip, trying to shrug off his hold, but he wasn't having it. "I wanted to make breakfast."
"Why? Planning to poison me?" He joked.
I managed to turn around, blessing my sight with his beauty.
My breath caught in my throat and so did my words.
His eyes were so soft, yet, really hot. His lashes, long and thickly scanted, looked down at me seductively, making my skin hot for him.
He had a hint of a smile on his lips, his jaw line sharp as the word sharp as his eyes studied mine, a thousand words hanging on his intense stare.
I blinked, finding my voice. "That's not a funny joke."
"I wasn't joking, just curious. This is like the first time you've felt it generous to do something this sweet for me." He said.
I raised a brow, pushing his shirtless chest slightly, then I smiled at him. "No it isn't. There's that time I helped with your sketches for the merge program designs."
He raised his brows in thought, looking up at the ceiling before his gaze found mine again. "Hmm... I recall the outcome a non favourable one." He said.
I rolled my eyes. "If you hadn't gone all hulk on me, we wouldn't have had to make it all over again."
He smiled. "I would love to continue this banter, but right now, I'm so hungry." He looked down at the strawberry drink I was holding. "Ooouuuu, my weakness." He grabbed it from my hold and unexpectedly, placed his lips on mine, giving me a reminder of my crazy emotions last night.
When he broke the kiss, he smiled. "Thanks babe, I could really use strawberry in my system right now. I feel incomplete without it," he said, moving to take a seat at the mini bar stool, poring himself a glass of the strawberry drink. He took a pancake from the stack of pancakes on the plate, taking a bite. "...is that weird?" He asked with his mouth full, while he chewed, staring at me, waiting for a reply.
I just stared at him, marveling at this new side he showed. "No it's not. You're probably addicted to strawberry." I answered, picking another glass before taking the stool in front of him.
He swallowed, then shrugged. "Whatever, it's the most amazing thing. You know, my mom used grow fresh ones back at the Chesterfield mansion. I would go out and watch her tend to it. She tended to it even more than she tended to me, her own son. I used to hate it, but now... It's the complete opposite." He said, taking another bite of the pancake.
I was about to grab the drink bottle, but he slapped the back of my palm, making me draw back immediately. "Owww!"
"Get your own." He said, his mouth full.
"You can't drink it all." I said with a frown.
"Yes, yes I can." He smiled, taking his phone from his pocket, as he scrolled through whatever he was scrolling through.
I watched him, while taking a bite on a pancake of my own.
He looked at peace, almost as if he wasn't in a hurry to go anywhere, as if he was right where he wanted to be.
I'd never seen him this calm.
His brows were relaxed, his lips held a small smile, while he chewed, drank and scrolled through his phone. Probably Instagram.
I sighed before finally breaking the silence. "El?"
"Hm?" He answered, without looking up.
I gulped, knowing I shouldn't bring this up now, but now's the only chance I have, with the merge program coming up in three days, I had no other time to bring this up. "You know your parents memorial is around the corner right?"
He stopped scrolling, but didn't look up. His whole body grew tense and still. But the reaction passed so quickly, it was hard to tell.
He continued scrolling, picked up his glass of strawberry drink, took a sip, dropped the glass and brought his attention back to his phone, before answering. "Yeah. Why?" His voice came out normal, just like he sounded earlier.
I took in a deep breath, glad that I'd gotten this far. "Well, I wanted you to know that we'd be hosting this year's memorial."
His eyes snapped to mine in a second. "What?" He asked, his eyes a little bit wide.
I braced myself. "Grandma would be really happy if We-"
"I have a business trip to attend during that period." He said, cutting me off.
I sighed. "You've never attended any of their memorials, that's not really nice."
"Who cares?" He asked, trying so hard to remain expressionless, but I knew quite well that he wasn't liking this conversation one bit.
"Everyone. At least, let this year make a difference. Be the one to host it. If you disappear again, people would begin to ask questions."
He sighed, looking away.
"I know it might be difficult for you, but- you owe it to them. Come on El... Let's put a smile on Grandma's face."
His gaze turned to mine now. "So you're saying I should just forget my work and what? Plan a party?"
"I'm saying you should find time to see your parents." I answered.
"I don't wanna talk about this." He said, picking another pancake.
"El-"
"I don't wanna talk about it." He said, stretching his every word.
I sighed. "Then some other time?"
"Ever." He replied, taking a bite of the pancake. "This is good." He said with his mouth full.
"Thanks." I muttered, my mood deflating.
His eyes were still on me the whole time while I took small bites into the pancake in my hand.
I heard him sigh. "Fine... I'll check my schedule. If I have work then, and if it isn't that important, I'll reschedule it... Then we can plan the memorial." He said.
My eyes widened, but I decided not to get excited. "I'm sensing a but."
"That's cause there is. If the work is important, I make no promises. I'll have to go."
"Then I hope it isn't important." I said with a smile.
"I hope it is." He muttered.
I rolled my eyes. "Then we have to-" I was cut off by my phone's vibration.
I picked it up from the table, frowning when I saw the caller ID.
I looked up at Elroy to find him focusing on his phone again.
Picking up the call, I pressed the phone to my ear. "Hey, morning." I said.
"Morning Fay... Can we meet today?" She asked, her voice sounding off.
"Today? What time?" I asked, this time, gaining Elroy's attention.
"Like, right now." She said.
"Um... Sure, is everything okay?" I asked.
"Yeah, I'll text you the address." She said.
"Oh... Okay." I said.
"Alright, see you soon."
"Yeah." I said, hanging up.
"Who was that?" Elroy asked with furrowed brows.
"Yvonne. She wants to meet now... I have to go, it sounded kinda important." I said, standing up.
He paused, his face draining of every color. "What?" I asked with a chuckle.
He gulped. "Why would she want to see you?"
I shrugged. "Probably to discuss somethings about the merge program?"
He nodded. "Okay... Uh... I better get going then." He said.
"Yeah, I'll see you later, I hope."
He replied with an unsteady smile.
Something was off... Way off...
__
"I'm glad you could make it on time." Yvonne said with a smile, as I settled down in the booth of a closed off restaurant, close to Sparks.
"Yeah... It sounded kinda urgent. What's up? Is everything okay?" I asked.
She sighed. "Yeah but- there's something you need to know, Fay. I've tried to just- just hold it in but- I can't any longer."
I furrowed my brows. "What is it?"
She hesitated before speaking.
"It's about El and I." She said.
I raised a brow, shifting uncomfortably. There was just something about the way she called him name... Something I don't think I like very much. "I don't understand." I answered.
She intertwined her fingers on the table. "Remember the time you asked me if I was still in love with him? Back at the changing room at YD?"
I don't like where this is going.
"Yeah? What about it?" I tried to sound as casual as possible, but I knew I would explode... Soon.
"Well... I am."
My heart jumped in my chest. Did she just admit to be in love with El?
"What?" I asked, wanting to be sure.
"I know Fay, I thought I could get over him, I thought that I could just forget him and move on, but- when we kissed yesterday, I realized-"
"Hold on a minute- you what?" I sat up straight now.
She sighed. "He didn't tell you?" She asked.
No... No...this can't be happening... Elroy wouldn't- he wouldn't do this to me.
"Before the pre merge program, I went to wish him good luck on his anticipated win, and then we started talking and- and one thing led to another, I kissed him."
"What?" My voice came out quiet this time, due to the rough squeeze my heart gave.
"Listen Fay, I know kissing him was like, me crossing a boundary that I shouldn't have. But you have to understand that I couldn't hold it in, and when he kissed me back I-"
"He kissed you back?" I asked in disbelief.
"Yes, Fay. I know that he still loves me and I- I know that he's only holding himself back because of- well because of you... I just called to beg you to- to just break up with him, so we could be together. I love him so much Fay, and I know that he loves me too."
"Are you kidding me?" My voice broke. "I don't believe you... Elroy would never do that to me. No- you're only making this up to create problems for us, and why? I don't know."
She half smiled. "You trust him that much?"
"Yes." I said, meaning every word.
He would have told me, even if it did happen, he wouldn't keep such a thing from me... And why would he even do it in the first place?
I thought he said he liked me? I thought- no... No... Don't Just jump into conclusions, that's not gonna help. It has never helped.
"I know you both are on the verge of breaking up anyway, so why don't you just save yourself the stress of dragging it on? You don't know El like I do. He loves me Fay, he's only keeping you with him because he has to, not because he wants to."
"And he told you this?" I asked.
"No." She sighed before completing her sentence. "But he didn't have to say it."
I gulped, trying to stop my withheld tears from dropping. What if she was right?
No, she can't be right. She has to be lying to me.
"I pressume you still don't believe me." She said. "It's fine, you can go ask him. Ask him to confirm everything I just said to you. Ask him." She grabbed her purse. "I'm only telling you this because I like you. If you were someone else, I wouldn't have bothered because I know I have more chance with El than you ever did. I just don't want you to keep wasting your time on him." She stood up.
"Just think about it. Hard." She said finally, before walking away.
I sat there, fighting the urge to cry my eyes out.
Coming here, this wasn't what I was expecting. No... I thought she wanted to see me about the shoot for the merge program.
I wasn't expecting her to- to tell me that she still loved Elroy, and that they kissed.
I gulped, covering my face with both my hands, letting out a soft sob.
I took my bag and rushed out, straight to my car.
When I got in, I broke down in sobs, allowing my tears to flow freely down my cheeks.
I didn't want to believe it. She was only trying to get into my head.
Elroy promised he wouldn't do anything to hurt me, and I promised to trust him.
So I'm going to do just that.
I'll trust him.
I wiped my tears.
I'll go to his office, and ask him a question. If he confirms it just like Yvonne said, I'd move out of their way, I wouldn't want to be the obstacle between them.
If he loved her, and she loved him... I'd respect that, and get out of their way. Totally.
No fights, no word exchange. Nothing.
I knew he cared about me, and not so long ago he confessed that he liked me... But that was it.
He liked me, but he loved her.
I knew the love he had for her was stronger.
I love him, and all I want is to see him happy. I'd give him what he wants... What he has ever wanted.
A break.
_
I made my way up the elevator to the main room, three hours later.
Carter sat at his usual place, his head downwards, reading a file on his desk.
"Hey." I called out.
He looked up at me, his brows furrowed in confusion, but then his lips curved into a smile. "Fay, hi... Been ages." He said, then he frowned. "Are you okay? Your eyes are a bit swollen."
I gave a sad smile. "I'll worry about that later, is the boss in?" I asked.
"Yes, he is." He said.
"Thanks." I muttered, making my way to his door.
Without knocking, I pushed it open.
As usual, he was busy with his laptop, but when I came in, his eyes moved from the screen to my direction. A smile pulled at his lips. "Hey, you didn't tell me you were-" he stopped, noticing my sour face.
He stood immediately, coming to my direction. I noticed he had changed into a grey long sleeved shirt which was currently untucked above his black slacks.
"Fay is-"
I raised my palms up to his face, stopping him from talking. I didn't come here to talk. "I just came here to ask you a question." I said, unable to recognize my own voice.
Concern and worry laced his brows. "What is it?" He asked.
"Is it true? Is it true that you kissed her? Did you kiss Yvonne?" I asked, breaking down the questions.
His lips parted, his eyes widened in guilt, he swallowed and his skin paled. "Fay, I can expla-"
"Did you, or did you not, kiss her?" I asked, my voice wavering again.
He sighed, raking his hands through his hair. "Let's talk-"
"Answer me." I urged, already knowing the answer, but I needed to hear it from him... I needed him to say it.
He gave a shaky sigh as a look of fear flashed through his eyes. "Yes. I did."
Hearing him say it tore me into pieces, it shattered my heart, it broke every last hope I once had in us.
He did kiss her, he kissed her because he loved her, and then he didn't even bother to tell me about it.
My emotions got the better of me and I couldn't stop myself from bursting into tears.
He rushed to hold me, but I pulled back.
His brows furrowed in hurt as he spoke. "I'm so sorry Fay. I- I wanted to tell you but you-"
"We're done." I blurted out between harsh breath, hating the way I broke down in front of him.
His eyes widened in shock making it impossible for me to ignore the hurt that flashed in his eyes. "What?" He voice came out quiet.
"We're done. It's over... I can't - I can't do this anymore."
"Do what anymore?" He asked.
"Us. If you love Yvonne, you should be with her."
He just stood there, staring at me like I had lost my mind. "Will you let me explain?"
"You don't have to. I've made my peace with it. If you love her, then you should be with her. I'm sorry if I ever was in the way." I said, retreating.
Before I could turn, he pulled my arm, turning me to face him. "Are you serious? I don't love-"
"You don't have to lie to me. She told me everything. It's fine." I said, shrugging my hand off his grip then turned to move.
"Can we just talk this out? Please... You're getting it all wron-"
"We're done El." I snapped this time, scared that if I listened to him, I'd forgive him for this. "...don't push it." I said.
This time, I turned and walked out of his office without a second glance.