Something Gained: A Billionaire Romance

Chapter 29

So previously when I had published chapter 29, I had missed one whole ass chapter. This has kind of become a ritual for every book of mine. I'm so so sorry for the disturbance or confusion this might have created. But I'm setting it right. This is the chapter I had missed. Go enjoy:)
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ELENA

    
I literally felt something crack inside me. He said it with such ease. Then why wasn't I able to come to terms with the statement easily? Why was it paining me so much?
    
"I think we should keep our distance because I don't want to end up hurting you or myself." He looked straight into my eyes.
    
You already did. I wanted to say. I wasn't until this moment when I realized that I had developed feelings for him. Not love but still something special and it couldn't have been more disappointing knowing that he saw our kiss as a mistake.
    
You are still doing it. I wanted to scream but didn't. Instead I nodded and gulped down painfully.
    
"Right." I pressed my lips against each other and moved my gaze away. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep my tears back if I looked at his face. It was at times like this that I hated myself for being so emotional.
    
"But I still think you should be at home more often. Ava … she misses you. She deserves your company." I sighed before continuing. I’ll remember to keep my distance." I was looking anywhere else but his face before rushing away from there.
    
Once I was locked in my room, I let the tears flow. I hated myself for letting this happen. What was I, ten? How did I even think that the kiss actually meant something to him? It had always been business for him. He had momentarily slipped and I had been a fool to get that to my head.
    
How stupid was I to fall for him? I caused myself this pain and now I wasn't sure if a movie or spa date with Liv would be enough to help me get over it.

RYLAN

"What? A moment of weakness?" Her tone was hard.
    
"A mistake." I said but for some reason couldn't believe my own statement. It was true right? It was a mistake. Then why didn't it feel like a mistake?
    
"I think we should keep our distance because I don't want to end up hurting you." It was for the best. I saw her gulp down hard, like it was painful. I felt something heavy settling on my chest at the look on her face. Elenalooked hurt and I had no fucking clue why that affected me that much.
    
"Right." With that very word leaving her mouth, we were flung on either side of a huge crack. I felt upset that she had accepted so easily. I was just a hypocrite.
    
"But I still think you should be at home more often. Ava … she misses you. She deserves your company." She let out a shaky sigh.
    
"I'll remember to keep my distance." She avoided looking at my face. She just let those words out and walked off. I kept staring at her retreating figure, feeling a part of something break inside me.
    
I stared up at the ceiling and swallowed the lump forming in my throat. Thoughts abouts Elena kept running wild in my mind. I was so restless after our last conversation but I did the right thing. It had to be done. Whatever this infatuation was, it would surely go away.

"I know that I am smart."  Ava said with a proud smile , in context to the stories of her school that she was sharing with Elena.
    
"Oh really?" Elena asked with a hint of playfulness in her tone. Ava nodded big immediately after which her eyes shifted to my approaching figure. As I walked past Elena, the scent of roses filled my nostrils.
    
I took a seat opposite her and Stacey served me breakfast. Elena kept absolutely quiet and spoke only when Ava said something specifically to her. Not once did she look at me throughout the breakfast which strangely irritated me.
    
"Mom, are you not coming?" Ava asked her as she and I got up after breakfast. I looked at Elena to see her still sitting in her seat.
    
"You go with your Dad. I will be a little late today." Her eyes were solely focused on Ava's face while mine were on her's.
    
"Okay, bye Mom." Ava kissed her cheek and came and tugged at my hand.
    
"Ava, Chris will take you to the car. Go and wait for me." Nodding, she went out. With only Elena and I in there, the whole hall seemed to be a lot smaller.
    
"Why are you going to be late?" I asked, thrusting my hands in my pockets.
    
"That was an excuse. I will get a cab and go separately." She nonchalantly said just the thing I was expecting her to say.
    
"That's not needed." I frowned. Something about the idea that she was pulling away didn’t settle well with me.
    
"It is. I promised you that I am going to keep my distance from you." Finally she looked up at me and they were colder than I had ever seen them to be.
    
"But-" She cut me off with the click of her tongue.
    
"What is this about? Last week too I was going alone. What got different?" She asked in a bored tone.
    
"Last week I was leaving for the office early. But today I am not-" She again cut me off but this time her words stirred an unknown hurt in me.
    
"I don't want to go with you, Rylan." She deadpanned, looking straight at me. I closed my mouth and swallowed. Why did I feel a pinch? I wanted this. It was for the best, I knew it.
    
"Fine. You're taking another car. Benjamin will drive you. I will get you another car by tomorrow." I pulled out my phone from my pocket.
    
"I don't need a new car. Your second car will do just fine. It's just a matter of two years." I stopped typing and inhaled sharply when she said those words. Giving a curt nod, I stormed out of the house.