The CEO's Secret✔️

26: The Engagement Party

       
June 2011

C H A P T E R     T W E NT Y     S I X

T H E     E N G A G E ME N T P A R T Y

It took everything left in Katie to make it through that day in work after she heard the news from Andrew. She tried so many times to focus but it was impossible. Especially since she knew he was in the room right next to her. She saw him come into the office a couple of minutes after she sent Andrew in there and noticed when Andrew left, not looking very happy at all. She guessed how their conversation had went by the look on his face and didn't expect much else from Colin.

She understood him, she had come to know how his mind worked and what made him feel and do the things he did, but the marriage without a prenup was too far. He was clearly only doing it to get a reaction from his father and losing everything just to anger the people who cared about him was too much. She had never met anyone as self-destructive as Colin, and didn't believe she ever would either.

Katie couldn't take it any longer, she was still in a state of disbelief and decided to knock into Colin's office for the first time in days. Usually, she would communicate through call or text, neither minded that much and it was easier to talk to him when she didn't have to see his face. But this conversation was not one she could shy away from and needed to be in person. She wanted to see the look on his face, his bright blue eyes as he admitted he was getting married to a woman he only knew a couple of months. A woman that he had stated before, was not the right one for him.

She picked up the nearest thing on her desk that needed signing and with a deep breath, began to make her way to Colin's door. It felt like the longest walk of her life, she wanted it to just be over and done with already. There was only a few minutes left in work so then was good time to confront him, she could leave as soon as she got the clarification she was looking to get out of this conversation no matter how awkward or heart breaking it was.

"Come in." he called from the other side of the door, knowing exactly who it was knocking. As soon as he saw her face, it made his heart jump. It felt like the first time she walked into his office just over two years ago, it felt like he had never laid eyes on her before. Colin drunk in her features, every part of her he could see as she walked towards his desk and placed some papers down in front of him. She had yet to make eye contact and he could already guess why. She must have already heard the news, he thought.

Katie felt his eyes on her as she lingered in front of his desk. She had so much more to say but in the moment, she couldn't speak. Her mouth was dry, her palms were sweaty and she wanted to just leave but something rooted her to her spot. Katie couldn't back down then, she needed to know the truth, she needed Colin to admit to her what was going on or else it wouldn't feel real.

"Are you getting married?" she blurted out casually as if it was a normal topic to speak to Colin about.

He hesitated for a minute, he knew the answer was yes but he didn't want to say it for reasons unknown. Maybe it was the way she looked at him when she asked the question or how every time he saw her over the past couple of weeks made every part of his being regret what he said that day at brunch in his family home. The truth was, Colin missed her but it wasn't like the way he would miss her before they were together for those couple of weeks. This feeling of yearning was much deeper than it had ever been before because he knew what it felt like to have her- to be with her, to wake up beside her, to hear her voice at home or outside work.

And how could he do it? How could he admit that he was marrying someone else when the woman that flooded his thoughts was her? Colin felt split in two, one part wanting to tell her everything, to apologise and tell her how he really felt while the other part wanted to lie and tell her how happy he was about his plans to marry Olivia. The latter of the two, was the easiest, and for that reason he chose to lie instead of telling the truth. What was the point in admitting his feelings for Katie? He had messed up too many times already and knew it would be no use to tell her how sorry he was.