Ken’s POV:
As I sat on the edge of my bed, everything that happened at the family dinner replayed in my mind. I had insisted on a gathering to ensure that Noah and Mirabelle’s marriage would be put to an end and I could finally have her back. But they looked so happy.
How could they be so happy when I was drowning in debt and regret?
‘Mirabelle!’
Just saying her name to myself sent shivers down my spine. She looked beautiful that night, though she would have looked even better by my side. I couldn’t stop stealing glances at her throughout dinner.
As she smiled at Noah’s jokes, it made my heart ache. I had always known that she had a certain charm, but seeing her with him stirred a regret within me.
We had shared so much, but I foolishly ruined it, and now, here I was, watching Noah enjoy her from the sidelines, feeling like a ghost.
“Why can’t I just move on?” I muttered to myself. It wasn’t just that she was with my brother; it was the way she seemed to fit so perfectly in that life. I wanted to shake off these thoughts, to erase the past from my mind, but the harder I tried, the more I found myself drawn back to her.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed, snapping me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen, and my stomach sank. It was a message from the loan sharks, they wanted their money, and they wanted it soon.
This is not the kind of stress I need right now.
After a few moments of wallowing in self-pity, I decided to pay Mirabelle a visit to her company. I needed to see her, even if just for a moment.
As I drove through the city, my mind was filled with thoughts of what I might say to her. Should I tell her that I miss her? Would she want me back?
When I arrived, I entered and approached the reception desk, where a young woman smiled politely.
“Can I help you?” She asked.
“I’m here to see Mirabelle Sylvester,” I said, trying to keep my tone calm.
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but it’s important,” I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt.
The receptionist hesitated, then picked up the phone and placed a call to Mirabelle’s secretary. I stood there, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. It felt like an eternity before the receptionist hung up and looked at me.
“Her secretary needs to relay the message to her.” She said, gesturing for me to have a seat.
After what felt like forever, the receptionist finally waved me in. “You can go in now.” She said.
As instructed I made my way to Mirabelle’s office. When I stepped in, I noticed that the familiar scent of her perfume filled the air.
She was seated behind her desk, and a stack of papers was in front of her. Her expression shifted from neutral to something colder as she looked at me.
“What are you doing here, Ken?” she asked.
I took a moment to gather myself. “I need to talk to you about the final contract for the shares,” I said, keeping my voice steady.
She raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “Why didn’t you come with your manager or have someone bring it over? It’s not like you to come here yourself.”
‘I actually didn’t have anyone else to send.’ I wanted to say, but I didn’t respond. I simply gazed at her, trying to communicate all the things I couldn’t put into words. I wanted to tell her how much I missed her, how seeing her with Noah made me hate myself more than I already did, but the words wouldn’t come out.
“Why can’t you let me buy off the company instead of just purchasing shares?” She asked, crossing her arms. “There cannot be captains in the same boat, we can’t both lead the same company.”
“If you invest in it and sell it out, we might never get the chance to see each other again,” I replied. “And I want to see you each time I wake up.”
I thought I saw a flicker of something in her eyes. But before I could dwell on it, her phone began to ring. And she picked it up with a bright smile.
“Of course, Noah, we can go on a date,” she said, to the other person on the line after he had obviously asked her about it…
A sharp pain shot through me, it felt like I had been punched in the gut. I couldn’t hear Noah’s voice, but the way she smiled at the phone-like her world was right where it should be-made my heart sink.
“Mirabelle.” I began. “Please.”
She glanced at me. “I can’t just drop everything, Ken. This is important.”
“More important than us?” I shot back, unable to hold back my irritation.
“I don’t know what you want me to say.” She replied.
“Just think about it,” I said, my voice lowering. “You and I have a history. We can’t just erase that.”
She took a deep breath. “You should go back to Mitchelle Ken; my secretary will get back to you regarding the contract.”
“Do you really want a life with Noah? You know that you are only with him because of the kids you had unknowingly, and also because he helped to make you who you are today.” I countered.
“I have work to do, Ken; I don’t have time for all this.” She insisted. “I can’t get distracted by… by this.”
“This?” I echoed. “You’re saying that I’m just a distraction.”
“Yes, Ken. You are a distraction and a mistake.”
I nodded slowly. “You can keep dancing around the truth. But I need you to know that I will never back down until I have you back.” I declared.