BE MY OBSESSION

CHAPTER 12

•SHELBY•

Becky and I had chosen to meet up at an exquisite restaurant called The Starlight Tavern. Having been there a few times before, I knew the food was more than satisfactory. Upon arriving, I found Becky already savoring a bottle of Yellow Tail Chardonnay, and she wasted no time in pouring me a glass as soon as I took my seat.

"What's with the long face?" she inquired, handing me my wine.

"What do you mean? I'm perfectly fine," I quickly retorted.

"You literally look as though you just had a fight with someone," she insisted.

I disregarded her comment and took a small sip of my wine. Leaning in closer, she gave me a knowing smile.

"Is it your ex again?"

Rolling my eyes, I nodded and proceeded to fill her in on the events of the day. As the waitress approached to take our order, I paused, continuing my story once she had left.

"Oh my god, I just love the tension with you two," Becky exclaimed, giggling like a schoolgirl.

"Becky, I'm serious! He's really getting on my nerves, and I hate him so much that I sometimes wish I could run him over with a car."

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Whoa, girl, calm down. There's no need for that. But seriously, Shelby, with all the fights and the tension going on, I bet he still has feelings for you."

I let out a sarcastic laugh.

"No way. That jerk wasn't programmed to develop real feelings anyone. He's always been a womanizer since our teenage years. It's impossible."

We fell silent as the waitress brought our food, giving me a moment to ponder her words.

I didn't want to believe it or entertain the thought. William doesn't like me! He never did, even when we were dating in high school. He was just toying with my emotions, as he always did, without any intention of commitment.

He enjoys playing mind games, and now he's doing it to me again.

"Anyway, you two will be spending a lot of time together, and I can guarantee that old flames will reignite," Becky remarked, causing me to halt in my eating and give her a skeptical look.

"There won't be any rekindling of flames or anything like that. My feelings for him are long gone, and I'm sure he's seeing someone else from his endless string of one-night stands. Honestly, I was stupid to think he was my type back then. I don't know what I was thinking."

Becky laughed, dabbing the corner of her lips with a napkin.

"Then tell me, what was he like back in high school? I want to know every detail."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't suppress a smile as memories of William flooded my mind. He was undeniably attractive even then, but as an adult now, he had undergone another remarkable transformation.

His blond hair was always stylishly messy, with fringes nearly covering his captivating eyes. He possessed the image of a good boy who teachers adored, but those were the unpredictable ones. William fit that description perfectly, and it was one of the things that drew me to him.

"Well?" Becky prodded.

"He was charming, kind, and caring. Most girls were infatuated with his piercing blue eyes. Some were attracted to his striking looks, while others simply couldn't resist him."

"Like you?" she teased, causing me to tense up.

"I wasn't obsessed or anything. I knew what he was like, but he managed to show me a different side of him that made me like him."

She offered me a sympathetic smile, urging me to continue.

"He excelled at everything—academics, sports, cooking, music—and, of course, breaking hearts."

"Oh man," Becky cooed, and I chuckled.

"He had the looks, popularity, and wealth, and he used them to his advantage. He threw parties every weekend, and there was always a new girl he would be passionately kissing in the school hallways."

Becky shook her head in disappointment as she listened intently.

"How long did you two last?" she asked, as I took a break to sip my wine.

"Barely a month. Five weeks, I believe."

"Wait, so you were actually the first girl to last more than a week with him?"

I nodded.

"Yes. After I initially rejected him, he kept trying his luck. At first, I thought it was some dare from his friends, but it turned out he didn't want to be humiliated by being rejected by the class president."

Becky stared at me, her jaw dropped in shock.

"Wait a minute, run that back for me. You were the class president? You never told me that!"

I shrugged, smiling.

"You never asked."

"I guess you were pretty popular too, which is why he wanted you in the first place."

"It wasn't about popularity or looks. He was merely bored and saw me as an easy target. But when he realized I wasn't easily won over, he saw it as a challenge and kept pushing until I eventually gave in."

Becky chuckled in disbelief.

After finishing our meals, we both became engrossed in our phones. Becky was probably posting our earlier pictures on Instagram, while I opened a new email. My jaw dropped in surprise as I read the contents.

"Oh my god."

Becky perked up, looking at me intently.

"What? What happened? Is it about William?"

I made a weird face at the mention of William.

"No, I completely forgot about the company's 50th anniversary coming up. It completely slipped my mind."

"What does it say?" I turned my phone toward her so she could read it.

"The event planner wants to confirm the theme, guest list, catering, and other details. I thought my mom was handling all the arrangements, but I guess not since Suzy emailed me instead. I have to go back to the office and see what's happening."

Becky nodded quickly, placing her napkin on the table.

I finished my wine, and we paid for our meals before leaving the restaurant. We bid each other farewell outside, heading our separate ways.

I waited for the valet to bring my car around so I could drive back to the company. Amidst everything that had been going on, I had nearly forgotten about one of the most important and meaningful events for my family.

"So stupid," I scolded myself under my breath.

This was a significant occasion I had intended to take charge of, to prove my worth as the new CEO. I had to ensure everything was perfect for this event, and with several prominent guests attending, the expectations were high.

And I am Shelby Falcon. I never disappoint.

A/N

I've written several chapters and decided to post them straight from my drafts, after thorough editing, of course.

I hope you're all enjoying the story!

Love, 

Lucy