Chapter 19: What's wrong?

“Wow, the dress looks gorgeous on you.” The lady helping me fit into my dress gushed from behind.

She's an assistant to the owner of this clothing mall. The biggest in the Pack and my favorite place to shop.

I smiled, turning a bit to get a look at myself in the full-length mirror. Yes, the dress was gorgeous and everything. But it wasn't supposed to fit. It's a bigger size.

My normal size is a little smaller than this. But I tried it out and it wouldn't move up my ass and stomach. Weird.

“Thank you,” I said to her with a dismissive smile. She got the message, bowed, and left.

The silence and privacy helped in releasing the knot in my stomach. But I wasn't relaxed. I couldn't relax.

This dress is for Vince's birthday party tomorrow. Which also means I'll be seeing him again. I haven't seen him since he left my father's house in anger a week ago.

Father hasn't stopped asking me what transpired between us. He was hurt because Vince wasn't taking his calls. And knowing that they're not speaking right now because of me has me feeling guilty and down.

Wish there was something I could do. Something that didn't involve being his lover. But he's so fixed on that he won't want anything else from me.

The thought was exciting but also repulsive. So I've spent everyday, hating the idea of it but low-key getting excited by it.

Like I'm a mess. That's just it.

I stepped out of the fitting room. Tenet was seated with a fashion magazine in his hands. He wrapped it up as his eyes caught me.

His smiles stretched and then he whistled. “Damn, you're hot. Elena.”

I hated how much that made me blush. But he was right. The strapless black dress was a bomb. It would definitely steal lots of attention at the party. Hopefully Vince's. Or not.

Goddess, Elena!!

“You shouldn't try out any more outfits. This one's a 10. A keeper.” Trent smiled as he came closer to me, checking me out.

I nodded with a stiff smile. Minutes later, he paid up, and we were leaving.

“Mum?” Trent quipped as two ladies in sundresses approached us. The hat and glasses, like they were from the beach, made me not recognize them instantly.

But then I did after Trent did. It was Aunt Vanessa and Cheryl. Cheryl was Alpha Leonard's mate. One of father's close friends. Why wasn't Mother with them? They're like the three wise women.

“Son!” Vanessa squealed, hugging him vigorously. Her gaze came to me quicker than it should and she ditched Trent. “Elena, girl, I'm mad at you. Don't even think about hugging me.”

But she did hug me seconds after saying that which got me laughing a bit.

“It's good to see you, Aunt Vanessa.” I giggled lightly and mouthed a greeting to Cheryl. She nodded with a smile.

I tried to brighten up. I've been so moody and dull lately. My heart was heavy and aching too bad and it's affected my moods.

“Well, it's not good to see you.” She pouted dramatically. “How could you ignore me like that?”

Yeah. Another thing to be guilty about. Right after I heard about Vince's party, Aunt Vanessa has been calling and texting that she needs my help in the preparations.

But I just couldn't will myself into going over to her house. Or helping her plan Vince's party. Something about doing that just didn't sit right with me.

Aside from the guilt I felt for sleeping with her mate, I also was scared of seeing him just yet. He looked so livid that day, it was frightening. Seeing him again scares me a bit, not gonna lie.

So yeah, I ignored her calls and had Trent tell her that I was busy. Which was another lie.

“I was busy, Aunt Vanessa. I thought Trent told you.”

“He did. But that didn't make me feel any better.”

“I'm sorry.”

“I'm sure Elena would have wanted to help you if she wasn't busy mother. Try to understand.” Trent added.

She smiled and linked our arms. “It's fine. It just would have been more fun with you. Your father-in-law is such a sweetheart.”

“C’mon, Vanessa. You're not about to start boring us with your romantic adventures with Vince.” Cheryl teased.

“Boring? More like mind-blowing!” Vanessa squealed.

“Sure, Mother. Tell us what Father did.” Trent was sharing in her childlike excitement.

I was the only one who was about to have a meltdown. Especially as she began narrating how he splintered her account with millions, had her in charge of his party because he so adores her, and was gonna take her to some favorite spot of hers tonight, which was why she needed a dress.

If she wasn't holding me so tightly, I'd be long gone. Listening to her was torture.

“Father's quite the romantic. And he's got cash. Lucky you, mother. Now if you'd excuse us,” Trent had a smile on his face as he gently pulled me out of his mother's grip.

Thank goddess.

“...we need to get going.”

“Aww. Elena, wouldn't you wanna shop with me?” Vanessa was reaching for my hand again but I quickly and subtly evaded her touch with a stiff smile.

“Maybe, some other time, Aunt Vanessa. I have something to do at home. I should…”

“We should,” Trent interrupted. “we should get going.”

“Bye Elena!” Aunt Vanessa and Cheryl waved at us as we began heading to the parking lot.

The ride home was silent. My face was out the window, as the soft breeze skilfully dried the tears forming in my eyes.

Why do I feel so damn sad?

“Elena,” Trent began but I was already getting out of the car. We were home.

I got inside and headed for the stairs.

“What exactly is going on with you?” He followed me with the questions. But I didn't answer, neither did I stop.

Not until I was in our bedroom, sitting on the bed and kicking off my shoes.

“Tell me, huh?” Trent was inside, slamming the door behind him. “What's wrong?”

“What do you mean?” I asked with the most disinterest, not sparing him a glance.

“Avoiding my mother. Not wanting to work in my father's company. Making me lie to her about you being busy. What's going on?!”

I glared at him, with blurred vision. “Don't you dare raise your voice at me.”

“I'm not raising my voice, Elena. I'm asking a question. What the fuck is going on with you?” He breathed out, adding in a softer tone. “What's wrong?”

I couldn't answer that. So I just moved my ass into my bed, ready to do what I've been doing most in the last weeks.

“Yeah, go to bed. Sleep all day. Ignore the fuck out of me! Keep doing that if that's gonna make you feel better. But I hated lying to my mother. So don't make me do that again!”

“What?!” Anger twitched my nerves. “You hated doing that? What about me? Not telling my father about what you and Tracy did to me is also lying. You do know that, right? Do you know how that makes me feel?”

The tears that had been in my eyes ever since I saw Aunt Vanessa spilled unabatedly.

“You wanna know what's wrong with me? I'll tell you.”

He stepped back, shaking his head. “Nah, Elena, please…”

“My career and reputation got ruined by a rumor I had nothing to do with. Right after I found out that my mate was cheating on me with my sister…”

Then I slept with my father-in-law the same night, and I found out he'd always been obsessed with me. But I could never say this part.

“I know. I'm sorry. I already fixed it.” Trent tried hugging me but I pushed him off. His words stung me harder.

“You already fixed it? How?”

So what if he broke up with Tracy? So what if he told the press and the pack elders that I didn't embezzle the funds? That it was just a miscalculation and misappropriation from the company heads. So what if he's staying home now, bringing me breakfast in bed, and trying to start conversations with me?

My heart was severely broken. It's gonna fix up in a snap. And I just might never trust him again. I trusted him too much and I'm paying for it. I might never take that risk again.

“If you'd just been the man I thought you were. If you'd just stayed with Mez loving just me, then maybe I wouldn't break this much. I wouldn't be this depressed.”

“I know…”

“You hurt me too deeply, Trent. I wish you didn't. But you did. And you don't get to be upset about how I'm trying to fix what you broke. That'll make you a premium ass.”

“Elena,” those tears in his eyes had a way of pissing me off. “I understand and you have every reason to distance from me and act all cold. But I just want you to know that I miss the old you. I miss how we were and I'll do everything to bring that back.”

“Good luck with that.” I sniffed back my tears. Enough of this, I'm going to sleep.

Covering my body with a duvet, I shut my eyes. Opening them again, my gaze hit the moonlight radiating through my blinds.

I must have slept all afternoon. Reaching for my phone, I tapped into my Instagram account.

Aunt Vanessa uploaded new photos. My fingers trembled as I clicked on it.

They were all photos of her, having fun with Cheryl and Mother and a few other women. The last photo, though, left me struggling for breath.

Vince's tattooed arm was around her waist, and he was kissing her neck. It was the most intimate pose.

Like I wanted to break my heart even more, I clicked the comments. Vince's comment was the first and it had over three hundred thousand reactions.

He wrote, “My only love.”

My heart crushed anew. Sobbing, I shut the phone, burying my teary face into my pillow.

Damn you, Vince!