Nicole POV
“Why didn’t you do anything then?” I asked.
I kept my eyes on grandpa’s back head.
I’ve been here for a few minutes, yet he won’t look up at me or talk to me.
I’m not pissed, and I’m not provoking.
If he thinks he can get me mad by doing this, then he’s wrong.
I’ve known that I’m wrong, and I’m here to get myself washed.
“About the scandal, you know I did it, don’t you?” Why don’t you say anything about it?”
“Ah!” Grandpa groaned, finally looking up from the pile of files he was working up.
A tiring look on his face, then he frowned as his gaze landed on me, as though he was just seeing me for the first time.
“Why are…”
“Don’t you know?” He scowled. “Why did I do that?”
“I have no idea.” I shrugged. “Why don’t you do anything then? I almost ruined the company.”
“Well, glad you know that.” He scowled.
Grandpa took a long sip of hi-tea. Settling it down, he rubbed the bridge of his nose and leaned back against the chair.
“Ethan knew about it too,”
“I know.”
“But he never told me anything.” He shrugged. “If he wants me to do something, he’d have told me, and besides… never mind.”
“Grandpa…”
“C’mon, Cole.” He sighed. “It’s over already, isn’t it. We got to the top again. We don’t need to dwell in the past, don’t you think?”
I wanted to talk again, but I have no idea what to say.
If Ethan knew about it, why did he say nothing to grandpa?
I almost ruined him. No! I did.
Just because I wanted Dawn to myself.
I knew it was something to do, but I just couldn’t stop myself
“I have many files to sigh, Cole. You don’t want to help me sort them out, do you?”
“No!” I let out a weak smile. “I’ll just be in my office.”
I know there’s nothing to talk about. That’s grandpa’s way of saying we’re done here.
Moving to the door, I pulled the open door, but before I could step out, Grandpa’s voice stopped me again.
“I’m sorry, Cole.”
I whirled around to face him. His eyes leveled with mine.
Misty…
“For everything.”
I grinned and gave him a few nods before I walked out
It’s funny how I detested his idea of getting me engaged earlier, but I turned out to be the one who desperately wanted to get married to the bride chosen for him.
****
I stepped into my office and walked down to my chair.
I was about to settle down when I saw two cans of beer on my table.
Okay! I didn’t order that, did I?
“It’s all lonely here alone, Cole…”
Whirling around, my gaze settled on Ethan sitting comfortably on the sofa
“When did you get here?” I asked.
“Oh…” He pouted. “It hurts that you didn’t even notice me when I’ve been here all along.”
Blinking away from him, I picked up the beer and turned to face him again.
My heart beat hard in my chest.
Does he want to talk to me? Did he come here because I told him to?
“Want to have a drink with me?” I said, shaking the beer before him.
“If you won’t get drunk.”
I settled down before him, passing him one can of beer.
A moment of silence followed my words. No one talked, except for the low slurping of drinks coming out from the both of us
How long has it been? Sitting like this, having a drink with my brother.
I guess it has been forever. No! We never really get along.
With me all over work, and him going around with different kinds of ladies.
“Ah…” Ethan smacked his lips together, placing his empty can on the table. “That hits the spot.”
“You’re still good at drinking, aren’t you?”
“Tell me what I don’t know,” he smirked. “I’m guessing you still get drunk easily, don’t you?”
“I’m not denying that.” I grinned.
“You won’t go declaring your love for Grandpa if you get drunk now, will you?”
Heat rushed to my face, and I bit my lower lip to stop myself from releasing a groan.
“Don’t,” I gritted out. “That was so long ago.”
“Oh yeah, it was. I still get a good laugh whenever I remember that day.”
“Of course, you will. You got me drunk that day, didn’t you?”
Ethan grinned.
Another silence engulfed us. A moment when no one talks.
I guess both of us have many things to say, but never know where or how to start.
I rubbed my temple, swiping my tongue over my lips.
Being before Ethan after all happen could be so embarrassing… something I did not think about.
“I’m sorry!”
“I’m sorry!”
We both said at the same time.
I grinned.
“Are you sorry for me, Ethan?”
“You bet!” He said, looking away from me.
His cheeks turned a brighter shade of pink, a pinkness that has nothing to do with the drink he just had.
“Why? What are you apologizing for?”
“I don’t know”
“Liar!”
“Alright, if you know, why ask me then?”
Looking anywhere but at me, Ethan ran a hand through his hair.
Alright! I never knew Ethan could be so shy before me. Of course, he looks like the nine years old Ethan I once knew.
“Dawn was your betrothal…”
“I don’t…”
“You were supposed to get married to her,” Ethan sighed.
“Ethan…”
“I’m sorry, Cole. For everything. For being a jerk, for being the most loved one, and for taking… ”
“Oh no, Ethan,” I cut in.
I never meant it to be like this. No
Dawn was never mine, to begin with.
“She’s never mine, to begin with.”
“She still could have been yours if I never… ”
“It doesn’t matter now, does it?” I cut in. “She loves you, Ethan. And that’s all that matters.”
I know. Weeks ago, I’d never uttered this kind of word, but speaking with Dawn helped me realize how huge of a mistake I’ll be making if I should get married to Dawn.
She doesn’t love me. She never wants me, and I’ll be destroying someone’s life if I should get married to her by force.
I don’t want another of my mom. I don’t want another one of me too.
No! I don’t want to have a child not born out of love, but because of wealth.
I want to marry someone who equally loves me too.
I realized this after talking to Dawn.
A great mistake I’ll be making!
“I’m sorry too, Ethan,” I said. “For acting like a jerk to you.”
“Well, a big jerk for that matter.”
I grinned.
This is all that matters. To be back again, just like the old days.
“You called off the engagement.”
“Well, I have to do that if I don’t wanna get married to Dawn.”
Ethan sighed. He pressed his hand on his temple and sighed again.
“Worried?”
“Her father,” he frowned. “He doesn’t like me, does he?”
“Not that much. And it’ll be hard to convince him now. I mean, he’s a volcano right now after I called off the engagement.”
“I bet he’d kill me right away if I should show up at his door.”
“Unless you’re planning on taking Dawn back home.”
Running a hand through his hair, he passed his tongue over his lips and exhaled deeply.
“Want me to help?”
“No! I’ll be doing this myself. You’ve done enough for me already.”
Standing up, Ethan brushed the invisible dust off his grey suit. He looked at me with a silly grin on his face
“Can I call you a jerk?”
“Hey…!”
“It doesn’t matter anyway,” he shrugged. “Thank you for everything, jerk.”