Tension was in the air as the three of them faced off. Daniel chose not to linger there. “I’m going home first,” he said briefly, his voice sounding flat. Emily just nodded in response.
When Emily faced Sean, she smiled while trying to act calm. “Have you been waiting here long?” she asked. “Let’s go inside.”
Sean just shook his head softly, his eyes fixed on Grace who was fast asleep in Emily’s arms. “No need. You better put Grace inside first.”
Emily nodded as she walked towards the door. “I’ll be right back,” she whispered.
Sean nodded as he smiled at Emily. His smile seemed a little stiff, as if he was holding back something to say.
Not long after, Emily came back out and met Sean outside.
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, Em,” Sean said.
“I’ve been out of town on business for a few days. I told you, but you didn’t read my messages,” Sean said in a slightly disappointed tone.
“Ah, really? Sorry, Sean. I didn’t see your message. I’ve been very busy lately with my new job,” Emily said feeling a little guilty.
“How come you can go home with Daniel?” asked Sean. His eyes looked at Emily with a nervous intensity. Emily was silent for a moment, looking for the right words to answer Sean’s question.
“We bumped into each other at the shopping center,” Emily replied, her voice sounding a little rushed.
“I was a little jealous seeing you with Daniel earlier. But I also can’t forbid you because you’re not my girlfriend,” Sean said, his voice sounding bitter.
The words left Emily speechless, not knowing what to say. She felt the deep disappointment that Sean felt, reminding her of the fact that she had rejected Sean’s love. “I’m sorry, Sean,” she said softly.
“It’s not your fault, why are you apologizing to me?” asked Sean, his voice a little softer, as if trying to remove the bitterness that had enveloped his previous words. “Do you have time tomorrow night?”
“Sorry, Sean. But tomorrow night I have to go to a friend’s birthday party,” Emily replied.
“How about Sunday then?” asked Sean again, expecting a positive answer.
“On Sunday? Okay, but I can’t promise. I’ll get back to you later,” Emily replied.
Sean smiled as he said. “Alright. Actually, my only purpose here is to give you this,” and he handed a cardboard bag to Emily.
Emily frowned, looking at the cardboard bag with curiosity. “What is this? You didn’t need to get me a gift, Sean.”
“Take a look. Do you like it?” asked Sean, his voice sounding a little urgent.
Emily hesitantly opened the cardboard bag. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw a very luxurious branded bag inside. “Sean. I really can’t accept this.”
“Please accept it. I’ll be very sad if you don’t,” Sean said.
“B-but…” Emily was silent, not knowing what to say. She could feel Sean’s sincere gaze on her.
“Consider it a gift from me because you managed to get a new job,” Sean said.
‘Can I accept this? I feel so guilty if I accept this after rejecting his declaration of love back then,’ Emily thought.
“What’s wrong?” Sean asked, his voice sounding a little worried. “Do you not like the bag?”
“Ah, no. It’s very nice. I’ll take it then. Thank you, Sean,” said Emily, her voice sounding a little nervous.
“It’s good that you like it. I’ll be going home then,” said Sean.
Emily nodded slowly and waved goodbye to Sean before he started the engine.
“See you later, Em,” Sean said as he opened his car window.
Sean drove his car leaving Emily who was still silent on the spot, staring at Sean’s departure. She then noticed the gift given by Sean, contemplating for a moment. Emily sighed heavily before finally deciding to enter the house.
***
The next day, Emily looked ready in the red dress she had just bought last night from the shopping center. Her face, charming and beautiful, exuding an alluring confidence. Today, she decided to ditch her glasses and wear contact lenses, adding to her charm.
After finishing getting ready, Emily said goodbye to Fred and Grace before getting into the car and driving off. After a while, she arrived at the party. Following the event’s theme, she wore a mask to cover part of her face.
After showing her invitation to security, Emily was finally allowed into the magnificent room where the event took place. The room was luxurious, filled with sparkling lights that created an aura of excitement and luxury.
As Emily stepped inside, she was immediately drawn to the invited guests, all wearing masks that partially covered their faces. The party had a mysterious and elegant atmosphere. Suddenly the voice of a host boomed from the stage, guiding the event with excitement.
“This grand birthday party is about to begin! Let’s give a warm welcome today’s birthday girl, Miss Alice,” the host announced, drawing a round of applause from the guests.
A figure in an elegant white dress, looking absolutely gorgeous, stepped onto the podium.
“How does Miss Alice feel today after turning twenty-four?” the host asked.
“I feel like I’m getting older but as I get older, I want to become a more mature and better person,” Alice replied.
“Is there anything you’d like to say to the guests?” the host asked again.
“It’s been an amazing day! Thank you all for coming,” Alice’s said, her face beaming and her voice echoing through the room full of guests. “I’m sorry that the theme of this party is a bit quirky, but I hope you’ll still enjoy it!”
“Is there a special reason behind the choice of this mask theme, Miss Alice?”
“Believe it or not, I believe in fate,” Alice said with a mysterious smile. “Sometimes, you can’t see it, but you can feel it. And on my birthday today, I want to show someone that he is indeed someone who is destined for me.”
Emily felt a sharp sting in her chest. The memory of her last meeting with Alice, when Alice introduced Daniel as her boyfriend, came back to haunt her. ‘Why does this heart still hurt?’ she muttered to herself. ‘Seven years have passed, Em. When will you forget Daniel?
***
The invited guests seemed to be enjoying the dishes provided on the table. The party atmosphere was festive, but Emily felt alienated. Ever since she heard Alice’s words, her heart felt sick and empty. The food she took even tasted bland.
Suddenly, the lights went out, leaving only a bright light in the center of the podium with the host underneath. “Are you ready for today’s main event?” he asked, drawing the attention of the curious guests.
The host’s voice echoed throughout the room as he explained, “Today, one couple will be chosen to take home a cash prize, but the catch is that you must find a male or female partner to dance with, whether it’s a boyfriend or girlfriend or someone you just met here.”
“There’s a small podium that we’ve set up in the center of the event,” the host continued, highlighting the podium with a spotlight. “The rules are simple, keep dancing until the music stops, and the couple who reaches the podium first wins!” his voice echoed, sparking excitement among the guests.
‘Cash?’ Emily thought to herself.
“Now is the time! Find your destined partner, and find them quickly!”
The guests immediately scattered, searching for a dance partner in the dim, dramatic lighting. Emily, a little confused but motivated by the cash prize, walked around until she bumped into a man.
“Ah, sorry,” Emily said, but the man remained silent. His face was obscured by the dim light and the mask that partially covered his features.
“Are you all ready? I’ll start the countdown! Keep order, and be on the dance floor when the music starts!”
Running out of time, Emily said to the man she bumped into, “Excuse me, do you want to be my dance partner?”