Alexander frowned as he stared at the announcement Beatrix made on her social media, tagging him as well.
Happy to announce that my wedding has been rescheduled to the 27th of this month. With just two weeks to go, I cannot contain my excitement!
His blood boiled in his veins at the fake announcement! As far as he remembered, he had severed all ties with her exactly ten days ago and gone off to Florida to see Ashton. With Stefan away on a trip and Beatrix’s threat looming over his head, he felt too claustrophobic in the city. He had to get out. His work was over at Rotterdams and they had released him from his position as CEO. With nothing to do, Alexander was too upset with his life. Apart from Stefan, Ashton was the only one who could comfort him.
His phone was being tapped by a gang of specialized criminals whom Beatrix might have contacted to harm Eva. The cops retained the phone to get to the gang, since they were the ones to have installed the Spyware app on his phone. Alexander left his phone with the cops and went away to Florida.
After returning, he found out that Alyssa was having an affair with Nicholas and they were in Singapore, far out of his reach. He had just had a confrontation with Lucas and returned to his penthouse when he noticed Beatrix’s post.
Furious, he called her, but she didn’t accept his call. Picking up his car keys, he strode out angrily to demand an explanation from her. How could she make fake announcements publicly when he had clarified that he wouldn’t marry her? He reached her house and parking his car, angrily went up to her front door.
The door was already open, and he could hear her laughing with someone. Frowning with curiosity, he barged into the house and stood shell-shocked to see Gregory Cromwell, of all people, lounging in the grand living room with Beatrix. What was he doing here? Was Beatrix planning to marry Cromwell? He stood indecisively, wanting to leave, when Beatrix’s glance fell upon him and she paled considerably.
“Oh, hello Alexander! Please come inside and join in the celebration!” she said, putting on a fake smile at him while Cromwell looked ill at ease. Alexander noticed the way he evaded meeting his gaze and his smile too disappeared. Alexander never liked the shrewd man who looked too manipulative to him, but now that he had left Rotterdams, it didn’t matter anymore. He wouldn’t be seeing them again. In fact, if Beatrix married Cromwell, it would be better for him. She would forget about him.
“What’s the celebration all about? Am I missing something?” he asked good-naturedly, making the other two relax a little. Beatrix poured him a drink and gave him a look of surprise.
“Didn’t you check my announcement? Greg and I are getting married on the 27th.” Alexander smiled with relief, having guessed it already.
“That’s good news. Congratulations to the two of you! Return my ring, Beatrix!” Beatrix smiled with relief and took off his ring and handed it out to him.
“Here. Where were you for the last ten days? I had gone to your apartment nearly five times to return it.”
“Oh, I was in Florida with Ashton,” Alexander noted the grim look on Cromwell’s face as he studied Alexander quietly. It was strange that he didn’t respond to his wishes too. Maybe he was a little confused about seeing him here.
“Greg is moving in with me here after the wedding. The venue is the same, St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Please come over at 12 o’clock noon to attend our wedding, Alexander!” she coaxed him.
“I’ll see!” Alexander wanted to know if she was now willing to call her goons off. Her wedding was happening, so she shouldn’t bear a grudge against him any longer. “I wanted to talk to you, Beatrix.”
“Not now, Alexander. I’m busy now. Please call me after the wedding,” she brushed him aside with a scowl. Her behavior confused him, but he shook his head.
“It cannot wait that long, Beatrix. It’s urgent,” he said impatiently, unable to speak his mind in Cromwell’s presence.
Beatrix got up impatiently, pulling Cromwell up as well. “Sorry, Alexander. We’re going out now. I’ll call you,” she said, waiting for him to leave. Alexander sighed and stood up.
“I hope you’re calling the men off Eva’s trail now!” he asked, unable to stop himself. Beatrix scowled more, all her good moods vanishing instantly.
“What’s the hurry? Let me get married first. Now if you’ll excuse us, Alexander, we have to go,” she said, exasperated with him. Alexander didn’t argue and went out towards his car. He knew she was enjoying the game and wouldn’t stop soon.
He reached the police station, and the cops returned his phone to him after doing a factory reset to erase all Spyware apps. “We have tracked the illegal activity in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area. Our cyber crime department has collected a lot of evidence. We will nab the gang soon. Thanks for your help, Mr. Van Every.”
“Thank you, officer. They would have my personal details.”
“You can change all your passwords and sensitive information with immediate effect.”
In the meantime:
Eva stared at the announcement in the gossip magazine that Kendall left for her to browse through. It was the news of Beatrix’s wedding. She had rescheduled it for the current month. So Alexander was marrying her in two weeks’ time!
Her heart constricted with despair, realizing that the news of her pregnancy wouldn’t make much of a difference to him now. He had already decided to marry Beatrix. He didn’t need to know about her pregnancy!
What would she do now? Should she still wait for Alexander for an indefinite period, or should she move on and marry Maxwell? It was a very tough decision and Eva felt restless the entire day. Maxwell’s family took good care of her and her nausea felt much better.
“How are you feeling now, dear?” asked Maxwell’s mom at the dinner table. Maxwell had just returned from work and Eva hardly had time to have a word with him.
“I’m fine, aunt Kristina.”
“Good! We need to go to buy your wedding dress. We have fixed the date to the 26th of this month,” said his mom, making Eva’s eyes go wide with surprise.
“Where are we having the wedding?” asked Maxwell, giving her a brief glance.
“At St. Paul’s Chapel.” It was their neighborhood chapel and his family knew Father Samuel personally.
“Why are we hurrying, mom?” asked Kendall, pouting at the beautiful bridesmaid dress designs on her phone. “At such short notice, we’ll never get our dresses stitched.”
“We will. Eva will be sick for the next three months. Most women experience nausea in the first four months of pregnancy. It would help if they get married beforehand.”
“Yes, relax, Eva. We will have a simple family wedding at the church and lunch later on here at home. Why don’t you inform your family and friends to set the date aside? Call your family over this week and we can discuss the wedding,” said aunt Gloria.
“I don’t have any family,” said Eva, while everyone gaped at her. “My parents separated when I was very young and they didn’t keep in touch with me since the day I turned eighteen.”
“That’s alright dear. You can call your friends,” said aunt Gwen. Maxwell looked at her quizzically and Eva knew what he wanted to ask her. Yes, she finally agreed to go ahead with the wedding. She couldn’t wait for Alexander forever. Tired of living alone all her life, uncared for, unloved, and unhappy, she couldn’t give that life to her baby. It needed a loving family to grow up in.
“I will,” she answered, attempting to smile at them. She was indebted to them for showering her with so much love and care. After dinner, they planned the wedding to the last detail. Maxwell’s parents decided to throw a wedding lunch in their backyard. Amidst the excitement, Maxwell drew Eva into a corner.
“What’s going on, Eva? When did you agree to marry me?” he whispered.
“I just did, Maxwell. Why? Have you changed your mind?”
“No. Why would I? You didn’t give me a decision when I asked you, remember?”
“I know! Beatrix has announced her wedding, and I just realized that it’s useless telling Alexander about my pregnancy. It wouldn’t affect him in any way. I don’t want my baby to grow up like I did, without a family, without love. I’m tired of waiting for love all my life,” she said with a sigh. Maxwell caught her hand in his and smiled reassuringly.
“You will never regret your decision, Eva. We might not love one another, but we definitely care about each other. Maybe one day we will fall in love, too.” Eva smiled back. She would move on now for the sake of her baby!