Chapter 50 To Use
Daxton
I noticed the way Verena’s eyes narrowed in slits on Cassandra who tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and she opened her mouth to speak only for someone to squeal out her name, breaking the building tension between all three of us.
Three girls with their hair packed in pigtails slammed themselves into her. I held out my hand, fingers latching to her arm before they could knock her down.
What if they knocked her down! She could have slammed her head against the marbled floor, developed some concussion because of some kids who should clearly be supervised by their parents right now.
Anger slowly curled within me and I glared at the triplets who quickly hid behind Verena.
She let out a chuckle, twisting her head to look at me. “Daxton, they are just kids…”
My jaw tensed. I was never good with kids and that was why I never thought about wanting one. The last time I accommodated kids better was when I was still younger.
“If I hadn’t caught you, you would have fallen with your back to the floor—” The heavy weight of my gaze was still locked onto the girl who peeked behind Verena.
“It’s okay” She laughed softly, glancing at the children behind her. “Penelope, where is your mom?”
The three pointed towards the small group gathered near the refreshment table and she nodded, glancing at me. “Their mom was once my fashion stylist, I will be right back,” She said, not failing to take another glance at Cassandra whom I had totally forgotten was standing here.
Cassandra smiled—one that faltered immediately Verena turned while the children grabbed her fingers.
“Who is that man, Verena?”
“He looked so scary,”
“You shouldn’t be talking to scary men,”
I almost gritted my teeth. Brats!
Cassandra let out a small laugh as she grabbed two champagne flutes from the server’s tray and held out one to me. “You seem really protective of her. Cute. Just what I like in my men”
All I did was stare at her, unblinkingly—like she was something insignificant who didn’t exist. Now, I knew why Neil and Jana were keen on who I would be bringing to the party. It was because they wanted to set me up with her.
She stretched her hand further, nudging me to take it. “You shouldn’t keep a lady waiting for…”
I interrupted. “I don’t take champagne and any sort of sparkling wine”
Her lashes fluttered as she blinked rapidly while I glanced at Verena who took pictures of the triplets and—
Their mom? I guess.
“Lucky me, I have two to myself,” She said, taking two long sips from the flutes at the same time.
I stared down at her, obviously uninterested in whatever this was or where it was leading. “If you want an apology or sympathy from me for not making it to the blind date, you will be getting none,” I said, voice coming out harsher than I intended for it to sound.
Her lashes swept up to mine as she lowered both champagne flutes from her mouth. “I haven’t said a word about wanting an apology…”
I interrupted, gazing sternly at her. “Then what do you want?”
She downed the rest of the contents in the glass at once, darting her eyes back at me. “Not an apology. I heard you never apologize”
She heard well but that wasn’t entirely true. I had apologized to Verena more times than I could count.
“Because I am never wrong. I find it weird that you are still hung up on a date that never happened”
“Who says that I am?” She stepped forward.
“You looked like you were,”
“Oh, I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. My apologies. However, Neil Cooper told me that you didn’t have a date and I was thinking we could talk. But…” The rest of her words faded in the background and sudden alarms blared off in my head when my gaze rested on Verena.
She wasn’t with the triplets anymore and she wasn’t taking pictures either.
Instead, she was laughing with two men who flanked her on the side. I could see the one whose eyes settled on her cleavage, the creep who leered at her, and the other idiot who stood from his chair—approaching her.
I could feel my blood rushing to a boil and the urge to crush someone’s throat suddenly overwhelmed me.
What did she even find so funny to laugh like that at men who stared at her in ways that I didn’t like?
This was the triplet’s fault!
Possessive instincts kicked at me and before I knew it, I shoved the woman who wouldn’t stop blabbing to the side. My jaw tightened with fury and just then, Verena’s eyes snagged on mine as she waved at me.
Before I knew it, those men slowly disappeared when they noticed me approaching.
They should have waited for me.
Verena’s eyes brightened. “What did she…”
I cupped the back of her head, pulling her to my chest, kissing the top of her head just to allow that sweet scent of shampoo to soothe the growing anger and jealousy swelling in my chest.
Kian
I could still feel the little throat burn from the Pinot Grigio that I just chalked down as I twisted in my seat, glaring at Uncle who kissed her on the head like she meant the world to him and her fingers tightened on his suit.
Those two pissed me off, flaunting whatever they had between them just to remind me that I was now divorced.
Like Verena Cooper. No, Carson. Fuck it. Verena was now my ex-wife.
I swallowed hard, fixing my eyes back on the phone’s screen that came alive with texts from Zita.
I didn’t even need to read the texts before knowing what she wanted. One would think that seeing me in that battered state would make Zita lenient with me.
But, she drove me crazy with her unending pregnancy cravings, the constant need for sex like a feral wild animal and I knew that was the reason for her texts. She wanted me. My balls ached from the constant contact. I needed a long break from her. Antarctica, Mount Everest, or wherever—as long as it meant not having to see Zita.
“Hey man, what’s up,” Tobias slid over to me, patting me on the back.
“Hi,” I answered groggily.
“What is with the mood? Is it because of Verena and hey…” He slapped me on the back hard—not enough to hurt. “My grandma just told me that is your uncle. I mean the man Verena is with. That is crazy Kian,”
I heaved an exasperated sigh. “I brought it upon myself, Tobias”
“With Zita?”
“Mmm”
Tobias sighed, his hand leaving his shoulder as he slid onto the stool beside me. “Although, I am still mad at you for cheating on Verena but aren't you moving too fast with Zita? Can't you read the writing on the walls?”
I raised a brow. “What do you mean?”
“You don't see what Verena is trying to do?”
Impatience tugged at me. “I don't get it. What is she trying to do”
Tobias shook his head as he leaned by his side. “Do you honestly think that Verena is in love with your uncle? The same woman whom you always boasted would never leave you, no matter what mistakes you made,”
I stared intently at him while he buried his head in his palm for a second. “Can't you see, Kian? Everything Verena is doing now is to make you jealous. This is her own way of punishing you. I promise you, she is not in love with your uncle. She is only trying to make you realize the mistake you made,”
My heart stopped.
“Are you trying to say that Verena hasn't moved on from me?”
Tobias nodded. “Yes. What sort of woman would come to a party that has to do with her ex, defying the dress code and all of that. Only a scorned woman would do that,”
“She dressed for you, Kian. To make you regret and see what you have lost,”
Blood suddenly pumped into my heart and a flame of ‘hope’ sparked in it. “Really?”
“You see, women don’t move on easily. She is just with your uncle to spite you,”
“Are you certain?”
“Don't forget that you are talking to a certified psychologist. I read people, Kian. Verena isn’t in love with Mr. Daxton. She wants you and wants you to want her just as badly. Or tell me, when she came into the hall, didn't she grab your attention?”
My heart raced so badly when she strutted in and locked eyes with me. If she hated me, she wouldn't have looked at me like there was a possibility that something could still happen between us.
“She sure did,”
So, all that parade with my uncle was to make me jealous? Wow. How could I have never noticed? I just knew it was weird for her to move away from me like that.
“I need to talk to her…” I almost pushed to my feet only for Tobias to stop me as he placed a hand on my shoulder.
He shook his head. “Not yet. When it is time for the first dance, find a chance to partner with her. Confess your feelings, apologise to her and you would see her break down before you”
I sucked in a deep breath, tossing a glance at Verena while my uncle stared at her with so much love that I almost laughed.
Only if he knew that Verena was using him.