Aiden’s eyes were glittering with shock.
Yes, love. Only you—that was what Elsa’s expression said, as she left her stead from the glass platform, the sound of her heeled steps the only noises interrupting the silence succumbing the three of them—only him.
Rapidly, he tried to hunt for a clear view of Liam’s figure down below among the seats, the crowds or any visible corner there is, but at some point Aiden stopped his desperate search for the senior when it suddenly popped into his mind to not keep everybody waiting.
Somehow, it felt right. And fitting.
He didn’t know.
John was still grinning at him, his words almost inaudible against the mic as confusion swept over the man timidly standing in his frozen facade. The metal weight resembling his recognition was soon squeezed on to his trembling grasp, and he was so anxious that he would accidentally drop it and cause a scene—he was even so unsure of himself if he could keep a secured hold around the trophy.
“... anything you’d like to say, Mister Laurant?”
Alas, he snapped out of his stupefaction, the second the M.C stepped in front of his view to usher him towards the podium. It has always seemed like a choice—when apparently it wasn’t, not right now, to say the least—if he should speak up or not. For the last twenty four years of his life, he has always chosen to stay... Behind. And quiet.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to make a few changes.
So when he took a deep breath, gathered every ounce of courage buried within himself, and closed his eyes, Elsa stifled a gasp. Because once he opened them, one lid after the other—there was fury dancing across captivating emeralds.
Aiden grabbed the mic.
Aiden began to speak.
“I was always the last one to pass my drawing over to the teacher so she could pin it up among my classmates’ back in kindergarten. I pass late because I don’t know—I can’t help but want every line to be straight or perfectly curved. I wanted every color complimenting each other, I wanted the drawing to be more than a simple child’s drawing.
“Of course, I was also a young child too, so I couldn’t do everything I wanted beyond my ability. But I was one stubborn kid, so all I can do is do my best and grab another crayon to fill in my satisfaction. The first time that bulletin board ran out of space for mine, I didn’t really minded. The next time came, I felt a bit disappointed. And then that disappointment grew.
“Middle school came—and I thought entering contests would finally have at it, but I guess I was wrong since I never won any place every chance I join. High school didn’t open up a lot of opportunities either, so I supposed I simmered down.
“Then I began to think. I’ve done my best in every way I could possibly think of, I’ve worked so hard, what else was the world looking for in me? There wasn’t a problem with each paper I worked on, or how the world viewed them.
I was the problem.”
Aiden paused briefly and listened to the clamor spreading amid the multitudes of his audience. Sucking in his apprehension, he continued.
“I-it was me who lacked something. And I didn’t know what that was. I tried to find out what that was, but I was too much of a blind idiot to notice.”
He heard Elsa chuckle from where she stood. Oh, how he loved her. “That certain problem with me—all the while I still didn’t know what it is, it worsened. And it grew with me until I became a twenty four year old looking for a job to repay what my mother had done for me all these years.
“Back in university, I would always sneak in an Elle magazine or Vogue to read every spare hour I have, so considerably I was almost invisible to others at that time. I liked and admired every brand, but Arendelle Co. caught my eye so much that I even thought I had a chance of getting in a high level. Just maybe.
“But then that problem appeared with me again—but I didn’t choose anything but Arendelle Co—so I applied for a much lower position, something I once thought that fitted me, I guess. It didn’t involve designing, or any sketching, for that matter. But I can assure you all—I never regretted working as the secretary of the CEO.
Elsa’s eyes widened. The whispers returned, but Aiden moved forward. He had to.
“All I had to do was remind her of her next meeting, bring her coffee, keep up with her schedule and whatsoever. Usually I thought she would never even see me since I’m always just at a corner. I didn’t mind because I thought so, too. I never saw myself. But surprisingly—I was wrong again.
She was the one who saw me.
“The moment I asked her if she does read Noah Gundersen, or any other books, I fell in love with that smile. One thing led after the other, I compared myself to her and thought I’m not enough. But she was so simple—even though at that time I had it in mind I don’t deserve her at all, I fell in love with her anyway.
“I did tell you all before; I’m a really stubborn person, so my mindset towards myself was quite difficult to change. It brought a lot of problems to me. She did everything she could to make me change how low I thought of myself. I knew it wasn’t just because I was her boyfriend, and she was not only doing it out of love—but it only resembled how much she never gave up on me.
“Just recently I broke down again, for the final time, I hoped. I-i could tell she was kind of... Frustrated that I keep doing this to myself. But no, she still didn’t give up—then I changed myself not only because I had to for her, not only so she won’t get tired of me—I had to for myself.
"I stuck it to my head—that we are all someone. That we all have identities, no matter how little we have or how much we do. I suppose all I can say, to end this speech of mine, is that... I love you, Elisabeth Georgia Arendelle, my muse, my darling.”
Aiden bowed his head slightly, before smiling at the plethora of people he have spoken to.
“Thank you.”
And that wasn’t just for the crowds which soon sputtered into a loud cheer.
When Aiden turned around and left where the mic rested, he was greeted by the sight of her; tearful, happy, she couldn’t tell. All she could tell was how she did pull his face so she could kiss him so passionately with her arms draped around his neck and his hand was tracing patterns down her spine.
Elsa finally pulled a few inches away, her nose grazing his.
Blue met green.
“I never planned growing tired of you,” came her breathless whisper.
He took her wrist effortlessly and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, murmuring, “I knew that.”
“Really now, Director Laurant?” Elsa playfully teased.
Aiden’s smile softened.
“Why me, though?” He questioned, his arms now falling from around her waist to tuck in a stray strand of her hair behind her ear, “Not that I doubt myself. I just want to know, darl.”
“Mister Walterson wanted no one but you to take his place. After all,” Elsa smiled, “You are the reason why we won tonight.”
“T-thank you,” Aiden blushed.
“I think we can go return to the hotel now, damn the after party, since we have a lot to celebrate tonight, don’t you agree?” She purrs, her hand suggestively gliding down to the buckle of his belt.
Aiden’s blush quickly darkened.
To be continued
on the next chapter...
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𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰
Romance❝I'm sorry I wasn't your yesterday.❞ Elsa's life was deprived of happiness. Not until she found two strangers; one whose smile can heal any broken hearts out there, and one who was mesmerized by her instead of the stars. Elsa's life was deprived o...
