When the unexpected became the inevitable

Chapter 52

-April

I spot Landon with Gwendolyn talking to a group of people. I try to make eye contact with him but his attention is set on the people in front of him. I take a deep breath and walk over to the group of people. I tap Landon on the shoulder and clear my throat. He turns around and flashes a smile at me. To my surprise, his smile doesn't do anything for me. The smile I was used to seeing everyday didn't give me butterflies anymore or make me feel nostalgic. It was just a smile now.

"You came." He smiles at me and pulls me in for a hug. I respond to the hug and smile at him.   

"Can we talk?" I ask. Before he can respond Gwendolyn speaks.    

"Ava so great to see you again." She smirks.      

"Yep so great." I give her a fake smile. Really? Ava is the best she can do?

"Babe I'll be back, I'm going to talk to April." Landon says to her.

"You can talk now." She says wrapping her fingers around his arm.               

"We're going to speak in private." He says to her which makes me smile. She gives me a dirty look and lets go of his arm. He walks in front of me and I follow him. We go outside into a garden and I gasp in admiration of how beautiful it is. There are fairy lights lit everywhere and the flowers are vibrant with life.

"Why does no one come out here?" I ask.

"Rich people don't like the out doors." He responds. 

"You're a rich person you know." I laugh.   

"Unfortunately." He says quietly.

We sit on the bench in front of the lit up water fountain. 

"You look beautiful by the way." He says while looking me up and down. 

"I need to tell you something." I say, dismissing the compliment.

"Shoot." He folds his legs and leans back.              

"Gwendolyn..." I start.     

"I know she can be difficult. I'm sorry for her being like that. It's natural for her." He interrupts. I sigh and look up and the star lit sky. 

"Why are you with her Landon. You're still the biggest arsehole on the earth but she's not a nice person. You have niceness in you. Why are you marrying her?" I ask with genuine curiosity. I look at him and watch him sigh.

"My dad introduced us. I was physically attracted to her and when I first go to know her she was nice. Then she started wanted things.I didn't want to argue with her so I gave her anything and everything. I had given up on love, the idea of marriage after...Us. I love her but it's not real love. I know what real love feels like. This isn't it."

He doesn't make eye contact with me.

"Why didn't you come for me then? Why didn't you try to find me if you loved me so much?" My eyes start to water. He looks at me and frowns.      

"Would you have taken me back after what my dad-Steven did to you?"                       

I think before I respond. Would I have taken him back? 

"It doesn't matter what I would've done. It's too late." I say and clear my throat. He nods slowly and looks up at the night sky.        

"Gwendolyn kissed Alexander." I say bluntly. He looks at me but doesn't look surprised. Did he know? "Landon." I say but he still doesn't speak.

"She's done worse than kiss another man April." He puts his head in his hands.

"You can't marry her Landon. No one deserves to be treated like this." I say.     

"Not even me?" He looks at me, his eyes red.   

"Not even arseholes like you." I smile and he laughs.      

"I heard you still worked at our art gallery." He says randomly. "I heard about the gala. I sent my friend to bid on something on behalf of me."

I gasp, "You're the friend Andrew was talking about?" He nods.    

"I sent someone else that works for me just in case someone out bid him. He confirmed you were here and you were being auctioned for a date so I told him to keep bidding. But someone beat me." He says and looks at me.

"It was Alex. He out bid you."

We stay silent for a few moments, processing everything.

"Thank you." He says simply.      

 "For what?"

 "For not hating me."    

"Oh I hate you. That doesn't mean I don't care about you." I say which makes him smile.

We both get up and take a deep breath out.     

"I guess I'll be taking the ring back after the party. I wont embarrass her in front of everyone." He says and I nod.

Out of no where he pulls me into a hug. It feels different, It feels like a goodbye hug. We stay in each other embrace for a couple seconds. He takes a step back and says,   

"I'm sorry for hurting you."                              

I pat his shoulder and smile at him.    

"It's okay. I found love again. So will you."

"April." A voice says my name from in front of me. Alex is standing a couple feet away from me and Landon, smiling.  

"Have a nice life Landon." I smile and him and he nods. 

I walk towards Alex and he wraps his arm around my waist.

"You got your happily ever after." Landon says, looking at me and Alex.   

"One of us had to." I say. I link my arm with Alex's and we walk out of the garden.