Chapter 140
Isabella’s POV.
I glanced down at the tennis racket in my hand, a brief moment of contemplation washing over me. Tennis hadn't been part of my routine for a long time, possibly limited to those high school PE classes. I couldn't confidently claim to be a skilled player, and in all honesty, I might not even be considered decent.
When Emilio invited me to come play tennis I simply didn’t refuse because 1. It was paired with also spending time with his sister and 2. I’m trying to also incorporate fitness in my busy schedule so between this, playing chase with Ares and Slade, and the badminton game Daniela would join us for, I think it’s plenty of exercise to conclude this week.
Emilio and I found ourselves on the court, engaging in a one-on-one match that could only be described as a comedy of errors. Our tennis skills were far from impressive – it seemed that soccer and interior design was the right path for us because pro tennis sure wouldn’t work out for us at all. We missed shots, ran around to retrieve stray balls, and chuckled at the overall mess we were creating. Despite the lack of expertise, the experience was enjoyable, and that's what mattered most.
As we stood by the sideline, taking a much-needed water break, Emilio couldn't help but inject some humor into our less-than-stellar performance. "It's a good thing I settled on soccer," he joked.
"I was just thinking that. We're doing something terribly wrong," I concurred, taking a sip of water to quench my thirst.
Emilio, brimming with confidence, looked ahead to the next activity. "I'm sure badminton will go a lot better," he declared.
"If you believe so," I responded with a playful shake of my head.
Emilio's fingers carefully tucked my hair behind my ears, a small smile playing on my lips as his fresh ocean scent enveloped us. However, my smile faltered when he took a step closer. His hands found their way to my face, cradling it gently as he leaned down, bringing us mere inches apart. The warmth of his breath ghosted over my lips, and that's when the realization hit me.
"What the hell, Emilio?" I pushed him away, taking a step back, confusion etching its way across my face. I waited for laughter, for the revelation that this was some sort of twisted joke, but it never came.
"I'm sorry, did I read this wrong?" Emilio frowned, his hands reaching for my face again, but I instinctively stepped away.
"Way off!" I retorted, my tone harsh, grappling with the stark reality of the moment. This was no joke, was it? Emilio had genuinely seen fit to kiss me.
"Are you not interested in me?" he asked question adding a layer of confusion to the already confusing situation.
"Emilio, sorry, but what even gave you that idea?" I asked, planting my hands firmly on my hips as I looked up at him.
"After so many years, I see you again, and I thought you were out of my head, out of my thoughts, my heart – but no, you're still here," Emilio revealed, his words pouring out from a place of vulnerability that left me even more confused. "Since I saw you again, I've come to the realization that I'm never going to be over you, I'm never going to not love you," Emilio's lips tugged into a smile, and all I could think about was how off track he was, how he was reading this all wrong. "I should've never let you go; I should've fought for you," he concluded, and I shook my head, trying to wrap my head around everything.
"Emilio, you're reading this entirely wrong," I spoke carefully, choosing my words with precision. "You know I'm with Ares, and I love him and our son a lot," I emphasized, a touch of frustration creeping into my tone. It wasn't a secret – he had met Ares himself.
"Isa, he abandoned you. I know this must all be a public stunt; I'm famous too. You don't have to lie to me," Emilio countered, his words taking on a harsher edge, annoyance tinting his voice.
"Emilio, I am not lying to you. I truly do love Ares with all my heart. He has always been the one for me, and nothing will ever change that," I asserted firmly, locking eyes with him. "We have a lovely family, one I won't ever risk," I continued, hoping the seriousness of my commitment would finally sink in.
"Can't fucking believe this," he muttered under his breath.
"Em," I sighed, attempting to ease the tension.
"No, Isabella, no. He abandoned you so many times, and you keep running after him? Seriously?" Emilio scoffed, his disbelief apparent.
"And you? Didn't you leave me too?" I reminded him, watching as a pang of hurt crossed his face. "Ares paid for his mistakes. Regardless of what had happened, we always found our way back to each other," I said proudly. "Emilio, I once cared for you, but my feelings don't go beyond what friends have," I stated firmly.
"I'm leaving," Emilio scoffed, storming off in apparent frustration. I stood there, a mix of emotions swirling within me, was this the end of a friendship?
I looked at him as he stormed off. I wasn’t about to run after him, I wouldn’t want him to read into it too much and I just sighed. Fuck. Ares was so right. I wasn’t angry with Ares or Emilio, I was angry with myself for not seeing this earlier. I’m angry and fucking embarrassed this will cost me a friend.
I went to the cafeteria and ordered some juice and an overpriced sandwich and sat the furthest from everyone to enjoy my meal. Seconds later Daniela stormed in and came straight to me.
“Hey, Dan–” I was saying when a glare was found on her face.
“Seriously? How could you treat Emilio like that?” She scolded, standing next to me with her arms crossed. “It took him years to get over you then you just reel him in just to break his heart all over?” She said, not even bothering to sit down. No, she came here to lecture me. “I was there, picking up the broken pieces and helping him through everything, it took a fucking a lot and you just ruined all that progress to play with his heart. You don’t know what you want and you hurt people!”
“When have I ever given him the idea I’m interested in him? Do tell,” I snarled, doing my best to control my anger but it just became hard to do so.
“In Italy. The hug, the laughing, the smiling– every time he asked you out since we’re all in L.A. you’ve said yes every time,” Daniela listed. Those were all things I would’ve easily done with any friends.
“And I mentioned each time that I’ll check with Ares! On top of that, we hung out as friends. Not once has this ever been a date,” I reminded her. Ares was always and I mean always mentioned.
“Isabella, he literally recreated your first date, are you blind?” Daniela pointed out.
“Oh my,” I furrowed my brows.
“You didn’t even remember it,” she said, hurt written on her face.
I looked a bit embarrassed, color flushing my cheeks as I now realized that the pier was the first place we went on our first date. We had shaved ice then we took the same ride we took today and after that, we ended up playing tennis at his house followed by him dropping me home which was when we had our first kiss. I had forgotten it all until now. Had I seen it before I would’ve never gone out today.
“You know damn well I’m with Ares,” I replied, narrowing my eyes to her.
“The man who abandoned you?” she laughed.
“We’re together and frankly I don’t give a damn what you think about that,” I rolled my eyes. “I wasn’t aware that every time you man you hug, talk, smile with a man that you’re interested in him,” I asked. She more than anyone knows about this, being the sister of someone that famous made her popular in the media too. Every man she talked to was accused of being her current lover. She cried to me about how they were running lies.
“I didn’t say–” Daniela said then let out a frustrated groan and stormed off.
After my lunch, I reached out to Ares, needing the comfort of his voice, though I hadn't shared anything with him just yet. Following that, I called Slade, enjoying our delightful conversation, especially when he cutely asked for jam-filled candy – a request I was now determined to fulfill. With my spa appointment looming, I proceeded to the scheduled session, starting with a moment in the sauna.
Seated in the heat box, I found myself contemplating recent events. The door opened, and to my surprise, Daniela entered. I instinctively turned my face away.
"I'm sorry," Daniela spoke softly. "I'm sorry for being so damn blind. I believed in Em's delusions. I should've spoken to him, scolded him for going after you when you clearly have a happy family," she admitted. "I'm truly sorry. I said some mean stuff, and I hope we can still be friends. I promise to get Em's head straight, and he won't bother you or your family again," Daniela sighed, her words carrying a weight of regret.
"Get in here; it's lonely in the sauna," I muttered, a mixture of emotions surfacing. Our history ran deep, making it challenging for me to easily dismiss our connection. Despite the recent drama, I felt a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, we could rebuild the bonds of our friendship.