Chapter 79. A meeting
Oliver Chester
Hotel Plaza, New York...
"Father is restless," Michelle began to say. She had just finished a call with our father, who was in London. I had signaled her to say I wasn't with her if he asked about me. I didn't want to hear the pressure to get back with Lilly, the threat of society, and other things. I took a long sip from my beer mug and, when I finished, I looked at her.
"Father has always been restless," I replied. Michelle made a face of annoyance.
"I know. Isn't it time you start thinking about how to get Lilly back?" she complained.
"Are you in such a hurry to go back?" I asked sarcastically. She hadn't stopped going out since we arrived. She was dazzled by New York City and its nightlife.
"Your sarcasm puts me in a bad mood. I've given you ideas on how to reach her, but you don't accept them. You're wasting time."
"What if you talk to Leah?" She raised an eyebrow.
"I haven't talked to her in a long time." She paused, took a sip of her wine, and then fell silent. "Besides, if I talk to her, she'll know my intentions."
"Fine, fine, discarded." The image of Lilly appeared in my mind. I sighed; my nose still hurt from that fight with her boss at that ramen place. I had decided to give it some time before approaching her again. I knew I had to give her space. I knew her.
"I want to have dinner. How about we go to that new restaurant near Central Park?" I wrinkled my nose.
"I'm not hungry." I finished my beer. We had been downstairs from our rooms for about an hour.
"Then I'll go. I need to get away from your negative energy and..." She got up from her chair. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed she wasn't leaving. When I looked at her, I saw the tension in her. I followed her gaze and then understood. "Don't do anything..." she said immediately.
And there was Lilly with a man who wasn't me. She was smiling, and it wasn't at me. Then I realized the pain of seeing that scene before me. It had only been a little over a month since our engagement had gone down the drain.
Michelle grabbed my arm, perhaps to avoid a scene in front of all the diners in this luxurious restaurant. What were they celebrating? Why did they look so excited looking at each other? Anger, jealousy, and disappointment flooded me.
"Calm down, Oliver," she whispered. "Maybe he's just a friend..."
"She doesn't smile that way at a friend."
"How do you know?" she asked, worried by my tone.
"Because I was once the man in front of her." And now I realized that, because of my ambition, I hadn't valued it. She smiled in a way I had never seen before.
"Let's go," Michelle ordered, positioning herself as a shield in front of me. "They haven't noticed our presence..." I pulled away, and I heard my name behind me. Lilly turned her gaze in my direction, and that smile she had moments ago disappeared immediately. The man who had his back to us followed her gaze and tensed up. He stood up quickly to prevent me from advancing.
"Don't come closer," his voice was rough and cold. I ignored him and turned my gaze to her, who had now stood up.
"What are you doing here?" Lilly asked.
"I'm staying at this hotel," I replied, looking back at him. "I'm not following you. Didn't your man tell you he was investigating me?" He tensed up.
"What?" Lilly asked, approaching us. "Did you know Oliver was staying at this hotel?" The man, whom I now knew as Jackson Johnson, clenched his jaw.
"What? Doesn't she know you investigated me a while ago?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied sharply, looking at Lilly. "Let's go."
"Already? So soon? By the way, since you're one of the best in real estate, you could help me find an apartment." He raised an eyebrow, perhaps wondering if I was being sarcastic. "I'm very serious."
"I thought you were going back to London after we talked," Lilly said in a serious tone, looking at me.
"No, I've been thinking about settling in the city indefinitely." She opened her eyes a bit wider in surprise hearing me, and I looked at Jackson, noticing the tension. "You know, one never knows what fate has in store. So? How does this work? Do I need to go to someone in the company and ask for information?"
"Oliver," Lilly used a warning tone with me. "This is not the time." I noticed the discomfort in her eyes.
"Not the time? Are you celebrating something?"
"We're celebrating our fourth date," he said with a triumphant smile.
"Date?" I looked at Lilly. "You have a romantic date with your... boss?" I was furious inside. "I see."
"Watch the next words that come out of your mouth," Jackson said, holding back his anger.
"I don't need to say anything, I think it's unnecessary if I've already seen it with my own eyes." I looked at Lilly. "It's understandable that after ending our engagement because of my fault, you have the need to go out and distract yourself from the pain I've caused in your life." I tried to sound calm, but I was boiling with rage inside, and she tensed up.
"Oliver, please. Jackson? Can we ask for our food to go?" She took the man's arm in front of me to get him to sit back down, but he refused, I suppose I had to leave first for him to do so.
"Alright," I smiled. "Have a great evening." I looked at Lilly who was still surprised by my presence. "Goodnight and congratulations on your new love." I turned towards the bar where my sister was still sitting, signaling her that we should leave, she grabbed her coat and walked behind me.
"Tell me they're just friends," Michelle said as we left the hotel. I watched people walking on the sidewalk, lost in their own worlds. I just wanted to punch him, scream that she was my Lilly. "Oliver?" I looked at my impatient sister.
"She's dating her boss." Michelle's face completely fell apart.
"What? It's only been a month for her to be seeing someone else..."
"Do you believe there should be a waiting period after a breakup? I had hoped..." I stopped my words seeing my sister.
"Look, I think she's healing her heart this way."
"By going on dates with her boss? How can she be with another man so soon? Shouldn't she have waited at least six months? We were going to get married! We had been together for over five years, how can she think about kissing or sleeping with someone else almost as soon as she arrives on another continent?" We started walking among the people to get away from the hotel, I was furious inside.
"You did it who knows for how long during your relationship."
"That's different."
"Because you're a man?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"Why? Because I'm your sister? You know that when I don't approve of something, I'll tell you, I’ll never say what you want to hear, I think that's why you always keep me close." I stopped, something inside me felt uneasy. I turned to her.
"Do you think I brought you to the other side of the world just to give me lectures? Michelle, I need to get back with Lilly, I want that partnership, but I also want her."
"And when did you realize you want her by your side now?" She crossed her arms.
"I don't think I need to answer that."
"Men! When they see there's someone else, now they value what they've lost."
"That man is her boss!" I exclaimed furiously.
"Oliver, don't be a hypocrite, she was dating you even when you worked together."
"After going on dates, I was the one who decided to work there to be close to her because I truly loved her."
"And despite having everything with her, you broke her heart," Michelle said sharply and angrily. I sighed, frustrated, angry with myself, I had ruined my future, my plans, everything had gone to hell, now that I had seen her in another environment, with another man, I was more determined to reach her and bring her back to London. "By your face, I imagine you're thinking about how to win her back, now?"
"Yes, and I know where to start to get back into her heart."