In Love With Mr. Billionaire - Chapter 21: Chapter 21

Nadia and I spent the whole evening driving around the city. She has dragged me from one shop to another, explaining how we needed to find the best of the best bridal accessories for me. According to her, I should be the most wonderful bride in history.
We had made several stops at a number of food stalls for snacks and cafes for coffee, alternatively driving to the different destinations. Nadia was having the time of her life driving the Lamborghini and so was I, but that was not the reason for my smiling all day like an absolute fool. Every time I thought of Aaron, a happy smile unknowingly appeared on my face, and since I was thinking about him all day, it never left.
Hours later, Nadia and I were too tired to walk anymore and too full to eat anything else, we drove back home. Nadia stopped the car outside dad's house, tossing the keys to me. She grabbed more than half of the shopping bags and made her way inside. I took the rest of it and followed her inside.
With all the happy time I was spending with Aaron and Nadia these past days, I had totally forgotten about the people I shared the house with.
Lahaina was sitting in the living room, flipping through a magazine. Usually, she would ignore my presence when 'busy', but today, surprisingly she made the effort to come out to block my path and greet me. She hadn't acknowledged Nadia, nor tried to stop her, but Nadia being Nadia had stopped in her way—she loved the drama.
"Where did you get that thing from?" Said Lahaina, in her usual pissed off tone. She jutted her chin towards the doors. Without even turning around, I knew what she was referring to. The car that Aaron got me.
"You're back early," I commented, trying to change the topic. I did not want to talk to her about Aaron. I could not. Not after everything that had happened recently.
"Yes, I did. And it shouldn't bother you whether I come home early or stay out the whole night. Mind your own business," Lahaina glared at me, her eyes holding the murderous anger that she was trying to contain inside her.
"Exactly! Mind your own fucking business, Lahaina," Nadia replied. Unlike Lahaina, her voice was sweet, sugary—sarcastic.
"Stay out of this, Nadia Hayden," Lahaina shouted at her, then turned back to me. "I asked you about the car. Answer me."
I had seen Lahaina angry more often than I had seen her happy. Whenever I was around, she was always mad at me. I was like a curse to her, destroying everything good in her life. If only she knew she was the one doing that to me.
It should not come as a surprise that she was going to hate me so much more now. But the way she looked at me made me shiver. Her hands were clenched into fists as if, if ever given a chance she would wrap them around my neck and remove the biggest hurdle in her life with no remorse.
I opened my mouth to answer, intending to end the conversation by giving her the answers she wanted, but Nadia stopped me. She walked back to where I was and came to face Lahaina.
"She is not answering you, Lahaina! And don't you dare raise your voice at me. I can be the worst person you know and I assure you, you don't want to see that side of me. And about that car, well, Aaron Woodwords gave it to Caro. Yup! The same Aaron Woodwords who rejected you," Nadia raised her voice with every sentence she spoke.
I was shocked to see Nadia like that. I knew she did not have the best tolerance level when it came to people she hated, but this was something totally new. Though Nadia often lost her calm, this was the first time I was seeing her so mad at someone. Even Dylan had not been able to earn that level of hatred.
Just as shocked as I was at my best friend's outburst, I could see a similar expression on Lahaina's face.
"Well... Nadia, why don't you come to my room. We still have a lot to discuss," I held Nadia's hand and started pulling her up the stairs, to my room. I didn't want these two to get into any further arguments. As much as I appreciated Nadia taking a stand for me, I was aware of Lahaina having the power to damage her career.
"You will regret this conversation," Lahaina shouted, after recovering from the previous shock. Not sure whether that threat was directed to me or Nadia or the both of us, I ignored it and continued to walk to my room. Nadia, however, had different plans. She freed her hand and turned back to Lahaina.
"Maybe. Anyway, I wanted to ask you something. Shall I?" She asked. Her tone was no longer angry, she had returned to her calm self. Something was up.
Lahaina could only stare at her. Nadia took it as an invitation to continue.
"So, dear Lahaina, will you please bless Caro with your presence at her wedding as the bride's maid?" She asked in the same tone as Lahaina had done before.
I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped my lips at that. Mental note: Never get on Nadia's bad side.
She turned and this time pulled me with her to my room. She was laughing hysterically by the time we placed all the shopping bags on the bed and laid down to rest. We chatted for another hour until the ringing of my phone disturbed us. Thinking it was probably Aaron calling to check up on me, Nadia excitedly picked up the phone to finally get to talk to the man her best friend was about to marry. The phone was tossed back to me when she saw the caller's ID and Dylan's name displayed on it. I laughed and answered.
"Come outside. I'm standing in front of your house," he said in an unusual tone before I could even say a greeting.
"Okay. Calm down?" I said. He hung up on me before I could say more. I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at the screen.
"See. Such a jerk," Nadia commented.
I went downstairs and Nadia followed me. There was no Lahaina this time to block our paths and we walked outside to Dylan. No. Me. I walked outside to Dylan. Nadia excused herself and went to her car, all the way glaring at my cousin who, surprisingly, returned it all the same.
He was leaning on his car, looking really pissed as I joined him.
"What's up, bro?" I said cheerfully, trying to lighten the air around him.
"Is it true that you're engaged to that Aaron Woodwords?" He demanded with a stern look. I frowned at the tone he used but nodded.
"Forget asking, you didn't even bother informing me of this." He was angry, I could sense it. But his tone was calm.
"I called you yesterday." Though it wasn't to inform him of the engagement, (I had planned to tell him in person later.) I could not think of a better excuse.
Dylan shook his head. I wondered if he had seen through my lie like he always did or it was just disappointment at my recklessness.
He took a deep breath. He was fighting for calmness. Yes, he knew I was lying.
"James forced you, right?" I looked at him, his eyes warning me not to lie again. Why was he so angry? What the hell was happening to everyone? At first, Nadia and now him.
"No. It was my decision," which was the truth. Dad may have threatened me to say yes, but in the end, it was just Aaron and me. And it was my decision. Our decision.
"You're lying," Dylan said, but this time he looked unsure of his statement.
"No, I'm not. And you know it." I said. He went silent for a while because I had hit the spot.
"I like him, Dylan," I told him. My voice was soft, genuine, reassuring.
"Woodwords is a playboy, Caro. You don't even know him. I do. I've done enough business with him to know that he is not good for you," Dylan said. His eyes were filled with concern and I could finally understand his anger. It was his fear cloaked as anger. He feared I was going to end up like my mother.
"This is not business, Dylan. I know him enough to know that he genuinely cares for me. He is an amazing person. And he won't hurt me. I know he won't," I assured him.
"We both saw him with Lahaina at the charity event," Dylan sighed.
"It was not what it looked like."
"Is that what he told you? And you believed it?"
"You know Lahaina. It was her."
"And I know Woodwords too, Caro. He is the same."
"He is not," I said with such certainty that Dylan had to take a pause before saying the next sentence.
"Caroline..." Dylan said, his voice softer.
"He is nowhere like my father. Trust me on this. You think all that about him only because you don't know him outside business. Can you say you act the same way with me as you do with your business associates?" Dylan didn't say anything, but I already knew the answer and so I continued, "why don't we all meet somewhere outside and you get to know him? Your opinion really matters to me."
Dylan's shoulders relaxed and he gave a short nod. "You don't have to. I'll talk to him myself."
"Don't you dare!" I warned him. I knew Dylan well enough to know he could be a jerk—as Nadia puts it—without much effort. If he went alone to talk to Aaron... I shook my head expelling the blood-filled thoughts out of my head. The last thing I wanted at the moment was them turning into enemies. "I will be there. We all will talk and I give you the liberty of choosing where."
"Alright," Dylan exhaled and I hugged him tightly.
"But what if I still don't like him?" He asked.
I pulled back and gave him a big smile, "you will."
"But how did you find out about the engagement? It hasn't been made public yet," I asked.
"Information tends to find a way to you if you have access to every ear," Dylan smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow then," he got inside his car and left.
*ring ring*
What the hell?
*ring ring*
It was the ringing of my phone, I knew it. But the sleep clouding my head tried to shut it down. I reached for the side table from under the warmth of my comforter and pressed the snooze button.
It rang again. Irritated, I stuffed my head between two pillows hoping the caller would take a hint, or better look at a clock and realize it was sleepytime.
*ring ring*
Damn! I picked it up and placed it to my ear, not saying anything, waiting for the person on the other side to speak first.
"Sleeping?"
Really?
I had invited a few ghosts to my place and we were having fun drinking blood, dancing to weird songs, and planning to hunt humans until you called!
Who called in the middle of the night only for the first word to be 'sleeping'? Of course, I'll be sleeping! If it was so important to call at nearly midnight, then the news should be worth waking up for.
I was about to hang up on the night caller when my mind miraculously started to work. As I repeated the word in my head, I recognised the familiar voice. The voice. That voice was definitely worth waking up for.
"Aaron?" I gasped.
"The one and only," he chuckled.
Switching on the light, I sat up on the bed. The little clock on my bedside table showed it was 2 in the morning.
"What happened?"
"Can I not call you without a reason, Caroline?" Aaron said, his voice was soft, like a touch of velvet. I giggled. This man called me at 2 am just to flirt?
"At 2 in the morning? Very well," I answered back.
"Fine, I did call you for a reason," He exhaled a deep sigh.
"I'm listening," I smiled, settling my pillow on the bed and plopping down my head on it. It was crazy how comfortable I felt talking with Aaron. All my life I've been wary of what I say, fearing it would come back and bite me, sinking the venomous twisted lies spun by my family into my veins.
With Aaron, I don't have to play my words in my head before spitting them out. I don't have to think twice before speaking. I can be my unreserved, unfiltered self.
"How do you know Dylan VanAssche?" Aaron asked.
"You called me this late to inquire about Dylan VanAssche?" I asked unbelievably.
What new hell did Dylan cause now?
"Yes," was all he said.
"Oh, I just know him," I answered, holding back a laugh. If he calls me so late to ask such a question, he'll get such an answer in return.
"How?" His voice sounded impatient with the barest hint of anger. Why is he angry now? A minute before he was flirting and now...
God! Declare it the 'world's angry day'.
"Is something wrong? Why are you angry?" I asked, turning serious.
"I saw him at the party with you and I was told he went to visit you today at your house. We've done business together once and believe me when I say this: he hates me. And since the feeling is mutual, he can use you against me. He can try to hurt you, Caroline, by being close to you and even though I'm going to do every possible thing to keep you safe, I don't want him anywhere around you. I don't trust him. Neither should you," Aaron explained.
My heart was heavy with feelings, hearing his words and the concern in his voice. He genuinely cared.
"Don't worry he's of no harm," I told him. Considering how the conversation had gone with Dylan earlier in the day, this one was going to be a little easy.
"You don't know that, Caroline. I talked to him today over the phone. That bloody excuse of a human said that he is your boyfriend and that I should stay away from you. Believe me, Caroline, I will destroy him before he could think of hurting what's mine."
Dylan said that? Knowing the extent he could go to, to get what he wants, he can totally do this. But he will have a lot to explain when we meet tomorrow.
I facepalmed myself, embarrassed that he would say that so Aaron. Could he not find a better excuse? Boyfriend? Eww. My choice is not that bad.
Not to mention, he was the closest thing to a sibling I had.
"He's my cousin," I laughed.
"What?" Aaron seemed shocked.
"Yeah. He is."
After a minute of complete silence that had started to feel like mourning, he spoke again.
"Damn Caroline! Why do you have to be related to every person whom I hate?" He chuckled.
"Every person?" I giggled too.
"Your father and now this Dylan VanAssche," he sighed.
"I'd say it's your bad luck, Mr Woodwords," I teased.
"I'll bear it for you," I could hear his smile through the words.
"When Dylan came to see me today, he told me how much he disliked you. So I thought of setting up a meeting with you. Will you do it?" I asked hopefully.
"Will you be there?"
"Yes."
"Then count me in. I can't wait to see your beautiful face again," he replied. Flirting again.
All of a sudden I realized that it was still very dark outside and I was talking to him without any concern about the world.
"Goodnight, Mr Woodwords," I finally said, after a long conversation that had started to feel like it was never going to end.
"Goodnight, soon to be Mrs Woodwords," Aaron said, making me bury my face in my pillow as my face turned red.