Illicit Affair (Published With Etluxocpub)

13 - White Suit

Connor went to see me at the bar, and he was followed by Noelle. It seems they have been quarelling. 

'My God Zander look at you dude. What happened to you? Are you alright?" I heard Connor told me and I can hear concern in his voice, but with Noelle around, I just clap Connor's back to show him I'm alright.

"I'm alright Connor. It just that life sucks." I playfully answered Connor and tip my head to Noelle. I am barely surviving actually.

Connor remove the glass of wine from my hand and drag me away from the bar towards the conference hall. Noelle was following us, and I keep telling Connor that I am sober.

"I'm still sober Connor. I have to be sober. I don't want to embarrass Noelle later on." I said to him. "You can't force me be here. I'm not even needed here." Then he look at me and look at Noelle. "It's embarrassing to be here; Noelle doesn't want me here. I got to go." I run out of there as the devil is after me. I don't want to look like a pathetic person infront of Noelle and his boyfriend. even though how much he will explain that he didn't deliberately remove my name from the list, still it shows that I am not in the list.

I heard Connor raised his voice to Noelle, but I need to get out of that place. I am so embarrassed. It is clear that Noelle doesn't want me there and Connor keeps dragging me. I need to distance myself from him.

I walk around the block for some time then the marketing head called me.

"Sir Zander, the suit that you have ordered for Sir Noelle was delivered to his hotel room." She told me.

I got nervous with what she told me so hurriedly went to her location behind the stage of the ballroom hall. I was there when she received Noelle's call.

"Hello, there is a white suit here in my room, I didn't order for this." I heard Noelle voice as she put her phone on speaker mode.

"Oh sorry sir, I thought Sir Zander cancelled it already. Maybe the.... ops I'm sorry sir." I glared at her to stop her from talking too much.

"What did you say? Zander ordered this for me?" Noelle probe her.

"Ahhhmmm Sir, I'm not allowed to tell you details about that. I'm really sorry sir." She started sniffling while staring at me helplessly. Then Noelle ends the call without any question afterwards.

I knew the suit, and it has mesmerizing design. The details on it was unique, it is uniquely made by their family's couturier. I remembered one of Noelle's paintings that he gave to me. It is his dream wedding with me. The suit look exactly like that. The swirls in the collar, breast pocket, and side pocket are uneven swirl, like it was hand drawn by a kid. I prepared for it as a surprise for him.

As the main event is about to start, I remind the marketing head to go over the prepared skit of the emcee. She was surprised with the changes in the event's programme. I just smiled at her sadly as she was one of those people who willingly assist me in my planning for the proposal.

The event was in full swing, I stayed at the backstage, fearing to take my seat in the main table. My heart ache looking at Noelle holding hands with his boyfriend. Connor just pat my back and his mom opted to stay with me. She has been weeping for a few minutes now when she learned that all what I have prepared is now cancelled.

As I'm about to be called to give my speech about the incoming CEO, I got so nervous. I am sweating bullets. I'm so nauseous that I almost puke acid at the backstage. I gather enough courage and walk bitterly toward the center of the stage as my name was called. The light is blinding but I'm grateful for it that I can't see Noelle directly.

"Hi there, I know you have a lot of question why there is sudden change in our plan & in the programme, if you can provide your email to our marketing head, I'll gladly send you my explanation letter...." I paused for a while to take a huge breath. I inwardly winced when i happen to glance at Noelle's bewildered face.
"There are times that a man must choose to do what is best for him and the people around him. I believed that this change is inevitable. As the world is revolving around the sun, people also change, their choices, priority changes as time, season changes. With all the changes happening around us, it seems I was stuck in the past. Changes happens so fast that I wasn't prepared with what the changes has brought to people around me. I was stuck in my own world without noticing the world around me changes too. That my expectations were just expectations that wasn't meant to be met. But as I see these changes, I am happy that there a lot of improvement. The improvement might not include me but then I am happy to see that these changes brought happiness to the person who was meant to have all of this. I might not be visible in this company anymore, but I'll always be on the lookout. " I paused and wiped my face. I can't afford to be emotional. I took a deep breath and then continued.