Psychotic Maniac

Chapter 39

Estella greeted her guest with a smile, her once close friend now stood in front of her, dressed in a low-cut burgundy dress that enveloped her body perfectly.

Tess, her college friend and ex stood a hand apart, looking as bright as ever, minus the copper hair. She had met her a week ago at her boutique where she was shopping for her wedding.

Refreshing their memory, they had chatted for a brief amount of time, catching up, promising to meet over lunch and dinner.

Running her into the party like that was unexpected but she was thankful to be away from Edward. He was hovering all the time, making her breathless and reminding her of old times that she tried so hard to forget.

"What are you up to these days?" Tessa asked.

Estella didn't know where to start. "Just working here and there." She said. "Not much these days." 

There was another one of her awkward smiles that Estella noticed. Tessa cleared her throat, her eyes traveling around before settling back on her. "Es, you know I'm not just here to attend the charity. In fact, I was planning on skipping it altogether given my wedding this close."

Surprised, she asked. "Well, you can't be here for me then?" Estella added the joke.

Tessa's lips thinned before she said. "Actually, it kind of is."

Estella was now curious but she waited for her her to continue.

Tessa's hands pressed together, knotting in tension as she went on. "About a year ago while I was working with Mrs. Jones as her assistant, I came across one of her clients. Although it was completely anonymous, Mrs Jones approached me after a while, asking for help. I mean it was accidental. I heard he talking to someone about trying to find a girl. That's when she confided in me. " She stopped for a second before speaking. "You know the guy, Es."

In response, Estella's eyes went up as her mind raced for possible guesses. "I know him?"

"Yes!" she confirmed. "Mrs. Jones told me to look for a woman he was seeing. She told me her name." Tessa's eyes rounded on her with a pinning look and Estella barely had any idea. "Her name was Estella,"

"Me?" her mouth was hanging open. "But—" and then it hit her. A year ago she was with Edward.

"Yes, you." she clarified. "I mean at that time we didn't know it was you. We just had your name. Nothing more than that and it's not exactly easy to sneak up on Edward and find out who he was seeing or not. Last week when I saw you at the boutique with him that's when I realised it was you."

"But why?" she asked, despite the inkling of explanation playing at the back of her head. She saw so many sides of Edward and she could see him taking therapy a few miles away.
"Why were you seeking me?"

"Mrs. Jones wanted to warn you."

......

Edward glared at his father who looked like he had never been this happier before. He was dominating and calculating at every step, something Edward was getting better at but Mr. Blake was the master no doubt. He knew when to pull the strings, how much to pull the strings and he did all the math in his fingers without having to snap.

"Think boy," his father pressed. "Don't you want her? I'm serving you 'her' on a silver fucking platter. All you have to do is dig in."

Sure he wanted her and he was going to have her but without someone indulging.

"What did you ask her in return?" Edward asked knowing marriage was out of the question. Estella wouldn't agree to it at any cost. "The ownership of apparel, right?"