FATE - can a person in one lifetime fall in love with the same person twice?

Chapter 25

“Miss me already?” he said as soon as I entered the office.

“Are you forgetting something?” I placed the snacks on his table and took my seat across from him. “You’re the one who left the message for me.”

He stared at me, and I tried to stare back but looked away as last night's incident played in my mind. When I looked into his eyes, I could feel the heat rush to my cheeks, but I brushed it away.

“I came,” I said, getting up. “Now I’m leaving.”

“Wait!” he said before I turned. “I have to tell you something.”

“What?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“There’s a party tonight,” he started. “They are kinda close, so we have to attend it together.”

“What do you mean by 'close'?” I asked.

“It’s my grandfather’s best friend’s daughter-in-law’s birthday,” he explained.

“Complicated,” I muttered, furrowing my brows to understand what he just said.

“Moreover,” he continued, “it’s business, and I haven’t attended any parties with you yet. I can hear the buzz in the air about our relationship, so it’s the best occasion to show ourselves in public.”

“Okay,” I said.

“Your dress should be in your room by now,” he said. “I’ve already picked it out for you. Go home and be ready by eight.”

“Sure,” I said and walked out of his office, heading home.

I reached home and found a beautifully wrapped box on my bed. Inside, there was an elegant dress that looked perfect for the occasion. I couldn’t help but admire his taste. I opened it and saw the mahogany red dress—it was beautiful, along with matching heels.

It was almost eight, and I was ready in my Veronica split hem sheath dress, which reached down to my mid-thigh. The spaghetti straps gave my neck a delicate look.

As I got ready, my mind wandered back to the incident from last night. The way he looked at me was intense, almost like he could see right through me. I shook my head, trying to focus on the task at hand.

I straightened my hair, did a little makeup, and put on my high heels. When I went downstairs, Eden's back was facing me. I could see he was wearing a matte black tuxedo.

“Ready to go?” I said when I reached the bottom of the stairs.

He turned to face me, and I could see his entire outfit—a matte black tuxedo with no tie, paired with a red shirt the same color as my dress. I had never seen him in that color before. His hair was handsomely styled, and he looked incredibly hot. We stared at each other as he stepped closer, still holding my gaze.

“You’re looking hot,” he said, his eyes never leaving mine.

“You too are looking hot,” I replied without thinking. We kept staring at each other. “Nice shirt!” I said, pointing at it.

“Um…” He glanced at his shirt and then back at me. “Couple thing, you know? So people won’t doubt our relationship.”

“Yeah!” I nodded.

“Okay, we’re leaving now,” he said and moved outside the house. I followed him.

“At the party…” he said, concentrating on driving and looking ahead, “play along with me as I say.”

“Okay,” I agreed, looking out the window.

After about forty-five minutes, we reached our destination. Eden opened the car door for me and offered his hand. I took it and stepped out of the car. Once out, I let go of his hand, and he passed the car key to one of the valets to park it.

I took a few steps closer to the house, analyzing it. It was huge and all white, with a massive front yard. Before I could go any further, I felt a hand wrap around my waist. I looked to my left and saw Eden leaning closer to my ear.

“Play along, darling,” he whispered.

We moved toward the huge doors and entered the house. It was filled with lots of people, and as we stepped inside, we caught everyone’s attention. It was probably because this was the first time we were attending a party together. We moved further inside, with all eyes on us.

“Happy Birthday, Mrs. Lopez,” I greeted, handing her a bouquet of flowers.

“Oh! Thank you, Azalea.” She hugged me. “It’s my first time seeing you at any party since your wedding.”

“Yeah! As you know, he’s been on business trips all the time, and I don’t like attending parties without him.” I looked at Eden and gave him my most romantic - million dollar - smile, and he did the same.

“Oh...” she said. “And here everyone was thinking that the love between you two vanished after you got married.” I could sense the mockery in her tone, but I smiled instead of arguing. She moved on to other guests, and we continued to greet others.

We mingled with the guests, exchanging pleasantries and small talk. Eden kept me close by his side, his hand occasionally brushing against mine, which helped me feel more at ease.

As the evening went on, we found ourselves standing near the bar. Eden ordered a drink for both of us and handed me mine. “You’re doing great,” he said softly, his eyes meeting mine. “Just a little longer, and we can leave.”

I nodded, taking a sip of my drink. “This isn’t so bad,” I admitted. “I actually enjoy being here with you.”

A flicker of something crossed his eyes, but before he could respond, someone called out his name. It was one of his business associates, Mr. Thompson.

“Eden! Azalea!” Mr. Thompson exclaimed as he approached us. “It’s great to see you both here. How’s everything going?”

“Good, thank you,” Eden replied. “We’re having a lovely time.”

“I must say, you make a striking couple,” Mr. Thompson said, his gaze shifting between us. “You two should attend more events together.”

“We’ll consider it,” I said with a smile.

Mr. Thompson soon moved on, and Eden and I found a quiet corner where we could talk more privately. “So, how’s the dress? Comfortable enough for the rest of the evening?” he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

“It’s perfect,” I assured him. “Thank you for picking it out.”

He smiled, looking genuinely pleased. “I’m glad you like it.”

As the night went on, he was soon dragged away by various people wanting his attention. Left to navigate the party on my own, I found a spot near the large windows overlooking the garden and took a moment to breathe.

I was holding a glass of drink in my hand and standing alone. Eden was right in front of me at a distance, talking with some man about business and all. I sipped my drink and watched him as he spoke. He looked incredibly attractive, and I noticed several ladies in the hall staring at him.

“Hello, Azalea.” The voice caught me off guard. Who would call me by my first name at this unfamiliar party? I barely knew anyone here; shouldn’t they call me ‘Mrs. Miller’ or something?

I turned to see who it was and saw a man with brown hair and brown eyes smiling at me.

“You…?” I tried to remember who he was.