Chapter 23

Jaime angrily drove to his house while Laura trailed him. Five minutes after he had entered his house, Laura also stepped inside the house.

"Hey babe," she called from the living room. Jaime was inside his bedroom, and he wasn't happy about her visit "Where are you?"

"I'm coming" Jaime replied but before he could open the door, Laura opened the bedroom door and stepped inside his bedroom "Hey love" Laura smiled wholeheartedly "how are you doing?"

"Great" he replied and sat down on his couch Laura sat next to him and said while playing with her engagement ring "Since you're not ready to fix a date yet, I've fixed one for us"

"Laura"

"Jaime, we signed an agreement some months ago. We've to do this"

"I'm not ready yet" Jaime said and got out of the couch "I am" Laura replied, opened her bag, brought out a wedding invitation card and got out of the couch. "This is our wedding invitation card" she said and handed Jaime the card "It's beautiful right?"

Jaime looked at the invitation card in his hand horrifically and checked the wedding date "Two weeks to this time" he said "Yeah. Is it too long? We can have it changed to a week"

"I'm not ready yet" Jaime said and tore the invitation card into tiny pieces "Stop pushing me"

"Our companys reputations are at stake here."

"That is if we want them to be. We can work things out" Jaime said "Work things out? What are you trying to say?"

"I mean…" Jaime trailed off. He had no idea what to say "You mean what? Laura chuckled ridiculously "Are you seeing someone else?"

"Hell no. I just want us to know each other more. We don't really know each other, do we?"

"It's an excuse Jaime. We've known each other for the past one year, ten months, two days and some hours. Out of which we've been dating for seven months. Ask me what you don't know about me? Ask me? You know me. It has always been you. Always. Can you say that about yourself? Has it always been me?" Laura sobbed and destroyed her makeover in the process "Why are you like this?" Jaime asked softly and moved toward her. He hugged her and she sobbed on his chest "I love you" Laura said and expected Jaime to reply to her but when he didn't, she slowly walked away from him and said, "Why didn't you say it back?"

"What?" Jaime asked as if he had no idea what she was saying "I love you. Say it back to me"

"Laura"

"Don't call my name just say it back. I love you" she whimpered "Don't be like this"

"You've always said it back, what changed? Jaime, what changed?"

"I'm sorry" Jaime said and tried to move closer to where she was. She raised up her hand in the air and Jaime stopped walking "Don't" she said "Don't come closer. If you can't say it back to me. Don't you dare come closer"

"I'm sorry"

"That isn't what I want to hear" tears rolled down from her eyes. She cleaned it with the back of her hands, walked to where her bag was and picked it up. She walked out of Jaime's room to the hallway but turned around and ran back inside his room. She took out her engagement ring and threw it at Jaime "I hate you" she said and ran out of the room.

***

Two hours later Jaime continued dialing Olivia's number until he felt like throwing his phone at the wall. If only he had known, he would have waited for Olivia.

As he was thinking about visiting Olivia's house one more time, his phone rang. Olivia's number was dancing on his screen. His heart somersaulted and he sighed heavily.

He slowly picked up the phone and tried to talk as if the call wasn't important to him "Olivia"

"Jaime" Olivia called "Let me just go straight to the point"

Jaime closed his eyes and sighed heavily "It's about Kylie" Olivia continued "I'm all ears"

"I want you to stop picking her from school or taking her to school"

"You can't do that. She is my daughter"

"It's for the best Jaime"

"I can't accept that, Olivia. She is my daughter. I have every right on her"

"She is a Grimes"

Jaime chuckled "What changed? We were good last night"

"You're engaged and that changed everything"

"I was planning to tell you"

"But you didn't tell me"

"About that, I'm sorry but my daughter, you can't keep her away from me"

"I can"

Even though Jaime knew that Olivia wasn't strong enough to keep Kylie away from him, he still acted weak.

"Okay. I know you can but, before you do, can we see tonight?" He said softly "I'm very busy"

"Please Olivia."

***

As Jaime was heading out of his house to the restaurant where he and Olivia had planned to meet up, someone stepped inside his living room. It was Laura and he made a mental note to change his password once he came back from his date.

"I'm on my way out," he said to Laura.

"I'm sorry," Laura begged.

"You have nothing to be sorry about."

"Jaime," she called pitifully.

"I get it, it's over."

"It's not over Jaime. Why are you saying that it's over? Please can I have my ring back? My finger looks bare without it."

"No," Jaime replied. "Not going to happen. You destroyed our relationship yourself."

Laura looked Jaime straight in the eyes with tears and said, "Ring or no ring, you're still my fiancé. And it's better you get that straight into your head."

***

"I don't think you meeting him is a good idea," Bianca said to Olivia.

"I can't stand him up."

"But he stood you up eight years ago."

"It wasn't intentional," Olivia called softly. "I know you're still mad at him, but I think we should give him a try, for Kylie’s sake. She needs a father figure in her life."