Chapter 130

Chapter 130
I arrived at the restaurant where I was supposed to meet Jayden.
The moment my hand touched the door handle, a wave of anxious heat brushed over my skin, making me stop right there. My breath came quicker, and my chest felt tight, as if my heart was knocking hard to be let out.
For a moment, I closed my eyes and took in a slow, deep breath.
"You can do this," I whispered to myself, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. Then I pushed the door open.
The place smelled like coffee and fresh bread, warm and inviting, yet my stomach churned with nerves. My eyes scanned the room until they landed on him, Jayden James Bruno, sitting at a corner table, one hand resting on the table, the other scrolling on his phone like he had no care in the world.
"There he is... living his best life," I muttered under my breath, rolling my eyes. My heels clicked softly against the floor as I walked toward him.
"If it isn't Mister Jayden James Bruno," I said, letting my voice drip with sarcasm.
He looked up, one eyebrow raised. "If it isn't Miss Monalisa... who?" His tone was sharp, his smirk cold enough to sting.
"So fake," I muttered, dragging out the chair opposite him. I sat down and tossed my bag onto the chair beside me.
We stared at each other for a few seconds...seconds that felt like hours. The air between us was heavy, almost suffocating. His gaze pierced into mine, and I refused to look away, even though my fingers curled under the table.
Those seconds were silent but loud, our eyes spoke so much to each other.
There was much tension between us.
Jayden leaned back casually, his eyes still locked on me, and raised a hand. The waiter appeared almost instantly, pen and notepad ready.
"Good afternoon, sir and ma'am. May I take your orders?" the waiter asked politely.
"Hmmm," Jayden hummed lazily, as if deciding whether he even wanted to bother eating.
We ordered, and the waiter left, leaving the tension to wrap itself back around us like a tight rope.
"I'm pretty surprised you made it to the meeting," I said finally, my voice flat and unreadable.
"Yeah?" he leaned forward slightly. "Well, I was pretty surprised too... especially after getting a message from someone who doesn't want to see me in her life anymore. Someone who threw a glass of wine in my face, humiliated me in front of half the city, and screamed at me to never contact her again." His eyes narrowed as his voice dipped lower. "So tell me, Monalisa... what do you want from me now? What little stunt have you prepared this time? Another drink to throw at me? Or perhaps..."
He leaned closer until I could feel the faint warmth of his breath, his fingers brushing dangerously close to mine. Instinctively, I pulled my hand back.
He smirked, unfazed. "Perhaps... love?"
"Ha! My butt," I shot back, leaning into my chair.
"Which I wanna fuck right now," he said without flinching.
"Ew! You are so disgusting."
"Am I?" His chuckle was low, infuriating, the kind that crawled under your skin.
The waiter returned just in time with our orders, placing the plates gently in front of us before disappearing again.
"Dig in," Jayden said with a sly smile, "because I might wanna dig you... later."
I gave him my most disgusted look. "Oh my goodness, I hate you."
His smirk deepened. "Then why did you ask to meet me?"
I placed my cutlery down slowly, my fingers trembling slightly as I reached for the napkin. My throat felt dry, like I'd swallowed sand. I dabbed my lips, but the heaviness in my chest didn't go away.
I looked at Jayden. His eyes were on me, calm yet curious, like he was waiting for me to speak. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might echo across the table.
"For some strange reason," I began, my voice almost breaking, "I have been receiving strange messages from some anonymous person... someone who has refused to make herself known."
His brows furrowed instantly, confusion flashing across his face. "Strange messages? Unknown person? What are you saying?"
I clenched my hands in my lap, nails digging into my skin just to keep myself grounded. "The message reads that... you..." I swallowed hard, "...you betrayed me. And that I... I didn't betray you."
His chair scraped slightly against the floor as he leaned forward. "What the fuck!!!" Jayden exploded, pushing back from the table, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. His face was a mask of disbelief and anger
I forced myself to keep talking, even though every word felt like walking barefoot on glass. "Yes. The message says... you, Jayden James Bruno... planned my misery. That you plotted everything. That... that night with that man in the hotel... you planned it all so you could easily get rid of me. Your fake wife."
His eyes widened, his lips parting like I'd just punched the air out of him. "Wh... what? Me?" His voice cracked, raw disbelief spilling out. "My goodness, I'm going crazy. How would I do that? I know absolutely nothing about the incident."
My stomach churned as I stared at him. "But you know the truth, Jayden. You know we never had sex. You know we were drugged."
His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "Huh? That's true."
"Really?" I leaned forward, my voice trembling with hurt. "Yet you refused to believe me."
He dragged his hands over his face, breathing deeply like he was fighting to stay calm. "Hold on," he said, his tone almost pleading, "don't jump into conclusions like I did six years ago. That was foolish of me. I found out... after I had sent you away."
My fingers went cold. "What are you saying?"
"Athena advised me to find evidence. And I did. I went back to the hotel and requested their CCTV recording... and I found out the truth. You were drugged. The drink you had consumed was spiked. And Godfrey..." he looked away for a second, jaw tight, "...was beaten up by Cynthia and dragged to the room."
I stared at him in shock, my mind racing. "Cynthia? She did all that and... you still let her be with you?"
"Hold on," he said quickly, his tone heavy, almost desperate. "I've been looking for you. I came to your house one night and... Tricia told me you'd relocated to New York City. That left me... sad, and heartbroken. I felt stupid. Stupid for not listening to you. For failing to see the truth. And... despite knowing Cynthia was behind it, I kept her close to me because I didn't want her finding you... and hurting you more. Until I found you and settled it all, Cynthia couldn't know that I knew the truth. That's why you've been safe since you came back."
My chest ached. My voice was barely above a whisper. "May I ask you something?"
He nodded, eyes fixed on me. "What is it?"
"Do you really..." My phone rang sharply, cutting through the air like a knife.
I fumbled for it, irritation and urgency mixing in my voice. "Excuse me." I answered. "Yes, hello Melissa. What? Now? Okay... I'm on my way. Yes, I'm coming. Prepare all the necessary documents. Good. Yes, bye."
I stood, slipping my bag over my shoulder. "I'm sorry, but I have to head back to the company. It's really important."
His eyes flickered with disappointment. "And your meal?"
"I'll ask Melissa to order..."
"No," he interrupted firmly. "One minute. Waiter."
The waiter rushed to our table.
"Package her food," Jayden said, his voice low but commanding, "she'll be leaving with it... and mine too."
"Yes, sir."
A few minutes later, Our meal was packed swiftly, and I stood up to leave, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions swirling within me.
"Thank you, Jayden," I said softly, my eyes meeting his for a brief, intense moment.
"Monalisa," he began, reaching out to touch my arm, but I was already turning away.
I left the restaurant quickly, the packed meal a heavy weight in my hand. Though not all my questions were answered, I had gotten enough to ease the ache in my heart, a small step towards healing the wounds of the past.
I gave him one last glance before leaving.