After Paradise: Book Two • jb

Chapter 24

6 / 10 left.

can you even imagine this is coming to an end? I'm going to need some tissues...

//

"So if we put that against Alisa, we could totally have her rethink her decisions." The lawyer who's name I was not interested in, told everyone in this room loudly. I wasn't focusing on the lawyer's voice. Diana was stuck in my mind throughout the entire meeting. I didn't even have my mind focused once I entered this room which made me reconsider why I even did it from the start. "Either she will have an explanation for that or she will run terrified. It might be our only option to win against her so I would give it a try at least."

"Thank you for your work, we really appreciate it." Scooter suddenly spoke up, shaking the man's hand before he left the room abruptly. He waited for me to give him some kind of reaction but I was tired and unfocused, which he seemed to notice immediately. "Justin? Did you even listen to anything that man said?"

I could hear him but it was like my mouth didn't collaborate well enough with my brain so I didn't answer him this time either. I continued to stare out the window, ignoring Scooter's presence as well as any other problems I had at the moment.

I couldn't care less about Alisa right now.

My girlfriend was being loyal to me. Finally. I had been waiting for this day to come since the day I walked into the paradise, only to see her again but end up with a broken heart. I've been devastated that she has not given her all to our relationship and now she's finally doing it. So why do I feel so bad about it?

Scooter got enough of my silence and barked my name out loud, "Justin!"

"I tried telling her," I mumbled, not giving up my stare as I watched a leaf fall from one of the trees. I could almost feel my body fall with it. Something heavy was weighing me down and it was extremely frustrating knowing exactly what it was, but still not be able to get rid of it.

"Who?"

I looked away from the window and locked eyes with Scooter instead. "Diana."

"You tried telling her about your past?" What worried me about his reaction wasn't the way he stood up in confusion but the sudden panic in Scooter's eyes. Almost as if he was terrified of her finding out the truth which he had nothing to do with. I remember him telling me it was best to tell her, after all. He encouraged me too. Now, he seemed afraid of the truth. I nodded. "That's a stupid idea."

"How come?" I asked, my eyes growing in interest as I watched him sit down on his chair again. It was like he had to take a few seconds to himself, compose himself and rethink what to say next to make sure he let me down me in the less hurtful way possible. "You can tell me."

"Everything is going great in your career Justin. Your sales are finally rising again and people are looking at you differently, don't ruin that by having the woman who does all of this for you to leave." He was mumbling, barely loud enough for me to hear. I think I even missed out on some words but I got his point and I frowned once I repeated his words to my head.

I furrowed my eyebrows at his statement. "What do you mean the woman who does it for me?"

"Diana brings you attention, son! It's really good publicity!" Scooter lit up and threw his arms out in the air, making me think whether or not he was realising what he was saying. I could feel my body grow slightly irritated and I tried my best to not lose my shit on him.

"Diana is no publicity stunt. I don't want her to be." I said through gritted teeth, trying to make him realise whatever he was saying was not a good idea. If Diana could hear this she would be raging. "Diana is not here for publicity."